Here’s How Canada’s Cities are Ranked for University Students

A student walks past Sydenham Hall on the Western University campus in London, Ont. on Sept. 15, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne)

When it comes to choosing a university, prospective students should consider not only academics and campus life but also factor in the unique characteristics of the school’s town or city, says a new report that ranks Canada’s best university locales.

Released by the online learning provider Preply on March 7, the report ranked 94 university towns and cities in Canada based on three categories: “wallet friendliness,” “social environment,” and “economic opportunities.”

Their study found the best university town in Canada based on these metrics is Regina, Sask., followed by Winnipeg, Man., (no. 2), and London, Ont., (no. 3).

Wallet friendliness was measured by six factors: the cost of a single meal at an inexpensive restaurant; fitness club monthly fee; rent per month for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre; internet cost; monthly transportation pass; and the cost of a beer.

Social environment was also based on six indicators: diversity in the city (based on the number of foreign-born residents); overall crime rate; total number of parks; and the number of cafes, shopping centres, and nightlife venues per capita.

Economic opportunities were assessed by average monthly net salary (after tax); GDP per capita; unemployment rate; employment rate; apartment purchase price (1 bedroom apartment in the city centre); and mortgage interest rate.

Using data points, each town was given a score on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the most favorable conditions for university students.

The top 10 best university towns and cities were:

1. Regina, Saskatchewan (scoring 72.9)

2. Winnipeg, Manitoba (68.9)

3. London, Ontario (67.2)

4. Prince George, British Columbia (67.2)

5. Rouyn-Noranda, Québec (66.7)

6. Mississauga, Ontario (scoring 66.7)

7. Abbotsford, British Columbia (scoring 64.3)

8. Prince Albert, Saskatchewan (scoring 64.3)

9. Laval, Quebec (scoring 63.2)

10. Brantford, Ontario (scoring 63.1)

According to the report, the best university town is Regina, Sask., where a one-bedroom apartment costs $1,016.67 on average and a beer is $6. The city scored highest in the category of “economic opportunity,” with a high employment rate of 66.30 percent and an average monthly salary of $3,734.86.

In comparison, the worst university town overall is Squamish, B.C., which scored under 40 in all three metrics. The report says the town, situated 65 kilometres north of Vancouver, “isn’t the most affordable place to live and offers little opportunity.” With rent for a one-bedroom apartment priced at $1,724.88 and a beer costing $7.25, earning potential after graduation is also quite low, with the average monthly salary at $2,461.43.

“Sometimes students and parents become so focused on the school and its campus, that they don’t take the time to explore the nearby town during a visit,” Amy Pritchett, student success manager for Preply, says in an email statement.

“If you decide to study somewhere, you will probably spend a lot of time outside of campus - so make sure you like the place!”

Pritchett recommends staying overnight in a prospective university town with a friend or family member “who can provide company as well as a second opinion” before deciding on a school.

“It’s also worth looking into the cost of living as our study proves that prices for rent and living costs will vary across Canada,” she said.