Victoria ranked among top cities to live in Canada for 2026

Victoria has received even more recognition as a fantastic place to live!

The popular website CanadaLocalGuide.ca has graded Victoria as one of the best places to live in Canada in an updated 2026 ranking.

Victoria ranked number three in the website’s overall rankings, just under Ottawa and Calgary.

The city was given a score of 89, with Calgary at 90 and the country’s capital taking the top spot with a score of 91.

Lethbridge, Alberta also scored very high on the list; however, was given an asterisk. While the city scored high (95) in wealth-building metrics, the overall livability score was low, at 77.

The website’s rankings take into account several different factors, including affordability, job market, safety, schools, healthcare, climate and lifestyle.

The website had a lot to rave about when it came to Garden City.

“Victoria is Canada’s mildest city and arguably its most livable — a small city with quality of life usually associated with cities three times its size,” a statement on the website read.

“The Inner Harbour — Parliament Buildings, the Empress Hotel, whale watching — is one of Canada’s most beautiful urban waterfronts. At $920K average homes, Victoria is $430K cheaper than Vancouver while sharing the mild coastal climate and BC lifestyle.”

The website went on to mention Victoria’s mild winters, which make for year-round cycling, running and gardening, and ranked the city as one of Canada’s most cycling-friendly.

Victoria also scored highly in quality of life for remote workers and in safety.

The website stressed that an individual’s priorities will differ greatly and ratings may be different for each person, but Victoria’s high performance in major categories meant the city ranked very well overall.

While it’s always nice to get a little validation, Victorians already know that it is an incredible place to live.

For the website’s full list of rankings, click here.

What’s your favourite thing about living in Victoria? Let us know in the comments below!