Quality of life report has four Ontario cities in top 10

A March 2026 report documenting the best city to live in Canada has ranked Kelowna, B.C. at number one, with GTA cities Burlington, Oshawa and Oakville all making the top ten.

To identify the most livable cities in the country, the new study by a Toronto-based digital marketing agency dNOVOGroup looked at financial stability, personal safety, low pollution and overall livability to determine the best city in the country for quality of life.

Kelowna tops the list, with almost 500 attractions and a special dedication to sports, including boating, golfing, and skiing, giving the central B.C. city a perfect 100/100 score.

Matching the highest quality of life with the cleanest air, Sherbrooke is the best city to live in the province of Quebec and was ranked #4 overall. Sherbrooke was also ranked#1 for disposable income at $1,641.44.

The study compared the 28 biggest Canadian cities by three key categories: livability, financial security, and safety. Average salaries were compared against rent and cost of living, while the disposable income shows if residents can sustain their living expenses beyond necessities. For livability, the research considered the quality of life index, pollution, and city attractions that reflect cultural and nightlife standards in each city. The research also considered safety levels and calculated the final score on a range of 0-100.

Barrie earned second place, with the strong safety (58.9) and high-standard quality of life (177.8). The city also has a lively cultural life with 181 attractions, including ice-fishing, which the region is famous for.

Abbotsford is third, providing financial security for residents with the highest salaries in the top five at $4,297 monthly. The low cost of living also allows workers to keep the disposable income of $1,252; income can be spent on shopping or 127 attractions, including music events, art galleries, and museums.

Disposal income was also high in Windsor ($1,083.17) and Oshawa ($1,041.17).

Cities ranked five through ten on the list include Sudbury, Burlington, Oshawa, Oakville, Regina and Windsor.

“The assumption that a great life costs more is getting harder to defend,” said a spokesperson for dNOVO. “Kelowna offers access to mountains, lakes, and wineries, and still manages a cost of living of just $1,400. That’s the story nobody tells: the cities punching hardest on livability aren’t the expensive ones. The best quality of life in Canada right now is hiding in smaller cities, and people are starting to figure that out.”

For more detail on the report visit www.dnovogroup.com.