Maclean’s magazine has released its list of the best communities in which to live in Canada and Moose Jaw has been ranked 213th, with our top three features being affordability, health care and commute time.
The magazine gathered data on 415 municipalities across the country and compared them to find the best spot in Canada. In partnership with data analysis company Environics Analytics, Maclean’s compared communities based on giving points to several categories: wealth and economy (20 points), affordability (20), population growth (six), taxes (seven), commute (10), crime (seven), weather (10), access to health care (11), amenities (2.5) and culture (5).
Moose Jaw came behind Weyburn (45th spot), Regina (74th), Saskatoon (83rd) and Estevan (165th), while it came ahead of Yorkton (252nd), Swift Current (272nd), Prince Albert (371st), North Battleford (373rd) and Lloydminster (393rd).
Burlington, Ont., was named the top community in Canada due to its amenities, low crime and culture and community.
Mayor Fraser Tolmie was aware of Moose Jaw’s ranking and that of other Saskatchewan communities, but was unsure what criteria Maclean’s used to determine those positions.
“We’ve been doing what we can to raise the City of Moose Jaw’s profile (and) also raise the quality of life,” he said.
Tolmie pointed to several positive reports that indicated Moose Jaw has low unemployment and that building permits are up compared to last year. While the municipality still faces an infrastructure deficit, it is one of the lowest taxed communities in the province.
“Moose Jaw is a great place to live. We have great things ahead of us,” he added.
According to the Maclean’s report, Moose Jaw’s population as of March was 35,620 people. The unemployment rate in the region is 5.3 per cent; the median household income in the community is $72,137; and the average rent of a two-bedroom apartment is $943.
Property tax as a percentage of average income is 1.7 per cent, while the average annual property tax bill is $1,647.
About three per cent of the population walks to work; 0.4 per cent bikes to work; and one per cent takes transit to work.
Moose Jaw has decent weather, the report said. There are 110 days per year with rain or snow; there are 177 days per year above 0 degrees Celsius; and there are 115 days per year above 20 degrees Celsius.
Moose Jaw should always be No. 1, Tolmie joked, before saying the municipality should at least be in the top 10. He added that Moose Jaw has a great hockey team in the Warriors, it’s usually warmer here than Regina, while citizens “are the best and second-to-none.”
While Maclean’s indicated Moose Jaw’s top three qualities were affordability, health care and commuting, Tolmie thought house prices should be included as well since prices are low.
He pointed out it’s easy to travel across the city in under 15 minutes, and while the provincial government looks after health care, Moose Jaw has a new hospital that is great for the community.
For Tolmie, though, he believes the municipality’s potential is its people.
“The desire to be community is strong in the city,” he said. “They care for each other. They are very entrepreneurial when looking to the future. We’re a very progressive city.”
Tolmie recalled a conversation he had with someone before he was mayor. He was walking down the street when he bumped into someone he didn’t know. Tolmie and the stranger became so engrossed in conversation that he walked three blocks past his destination.
“I love that about this community, that you can have those types of conversations with strangers,” he added. “It’s a real nice change from what others would consider the rat race of other cities.”
