The Happiness Rankings

 Not Happy
  Folks up here were really unhappy recently when Canada lost both the Olympic Men's and Women's Hockey matches against the U.S. teams and then lost again to the U.S. in the Paralympic gold medal match. The boasting about the "Gold Medal Hat Trick" could be heard far beyond the border. 
   Searching for something about which we could gloat, I remembered that the World Happiness Report has just been released. Surely the citizens south of here have to be sadder than we are. Thinking that we must beat the Yanks at something, I went looking for the rankings.

We Lost Again
   The Americans are higher in the rankings than we are.


   I thought that maybe they are happier because they are warmer. That does not appear to be the reason since Finland, Iceland and Denmark are 1-2 and 3. 

     I hoped that maybe the rankings are American and rigged. But, the World Happiness Report is published by the University of Oxford, in the country where our King lives.

   It helps a little that we used to outrank the Americans and were happier. 

  Now, even the Israelis are much happier than we are. At least we beat Botswana and Zimbabwe, so the American President cannot call us a "shithole country."

   Two of the six names appearing in the Executive Summary are even Canadian, John F. Helliwell at UBC and Lara B. Aknin at Simon Fraser. Perhaps they did not fight hard enough for our team, since they are out in B.C., and may be sadder than the rest of us since they are worried about their property rights.

For a look at the report and rankings see: World Happiness Report. 

The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada - 2025

 London Is Still Not Among Them
   If you are looking for London, Ontario, it is located "Halfway Between Toronto & Detroit", but again it is not found on the third list of, "The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada." I was surprised the first two times, but less so this year and am not shocked that London seems to be going down in the rankings, rather then up. In 2023, London was 139; in 2024,168; and in 2025 it is the 208th "Most Livable City in Canada". This fact is not being promoted by the London Chamber of Commerce.
   The marketing folks in the Canadian cities of Mississippi Mills and Quispamsis are likely not only in their offices, but also working overtime.

  If you would prefer to peruse the data presented see:
3. "Canada's Most Livable Cities", in the Globe and Mail, on Jan. 29, 2026;
2. "Canada's Most Livable Cities", Dec. 12, 2024, and 
1. "Canada's Most Livable Cities: Explore Our Data-Driven Ranking of the Most Desirable Places to Live in the Country," Mahima Singh and Chen Wang, Globe and Mail, Nov. 25, 2023.
  If you are curious about what I wrote when I was surprised by London's poor ranking, see: "The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada (London Isn't One of Them)", Dec. 8, 2023 and "The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada (London Isn't Of Them (Again)", Dec. 16, 2024. Each piece has data from those years, along with the kind of commentary from me that you have come to expect. 
 

   Those are the top ten most livable cities in 2025. London is not among them. London was finally found among some of the sub-rankings, but they are all worse than they were in the other years. London's Rank:

FOR RETIREMENT - 389

FOR MIDLIFE TRANSITIONS - 301

FOR NEWCOMERS - 237

FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS - 229

FOR RAISING KIDS - 163

FOR NEWCOMERS - 237

FOR ENTREPRENEURS - 144

   On a brighter note, lets look at some places that have leapt in the right direction over the past year:

Rapid Ranking Climbers

British Columbia: Summerland

   "A new system of parks help boost ranking on community and amenities

Miles of vineyards and panoramic views of Okanagan Lake have long made the District of Summerland a hit with tourists. But the town is becoming more livable for residents too, jumping 171 spots in this year’s ranking with gains in community, safety and amenity scores.

A 40-minute drive south of Kelowna, the agricultural municipality has been investing in ways to connect its 12,500 residents across a wide stretch of rural farms, parks and trails bordering the western edge of Okanagan Lake."

New Brunswick: Quispamsis

   "New transit projects allow residents to lead healthier lives, hiking perceptions of their own wellbeing

Tucked along densely wooded river shorelines and lakeside trails on the outskirts of Saint John, this suburb climbed 84 spots in our ranking, making leaps in demographics, health and transportation."

Ontario: Mississippi Mills

   "Small grants for community projects led to strong feeling of togetherness, alongside a jump in employment

Bordering Ottawa and the banks of the Mississippi River, this rural municipality in Eastern Ontario climbed 224 spots in our ranking, reaching second place in economy and posting gains in safety and community. Centred around the historic Ward of Almonte, the region is an amalgamation of smaller communities with a nearly 150-year history rooted in agriculture, textiles and wool milling, which harness the energy of nearby waters."

Saskatchewan: Warman

   "Tax breaks for rental projects helped this fast-growing community climb in housing rankings

Less than a 20-minute drive north of Saskatoon, this bedroom community jumped more than 100 spots in our ranking, with gains in safety, demographics and transportation.

Quebec: Varennes

   "A drop in commuting times boosted the community in its ranking for transportation.

Jutting along the shore of the St Lawrence River, just across from the eastern edge of Montreal, this suburban city pulled up 103 spots in our ranking this year with gains in transportation, housing and safety."

(The source for the above: "Meet the Communities That Climbed the Farthest in our Latest Ranking of Canada’s Most Livable Cities," Mariya Postelnyak, G&M, Jan. 29, 2026.)

The Most Livable Cities By Size
  This third edition of the rankings, considers the size of the city and 454 are included. 

The categories are:

Major - 500,000 +

Large - 100,000 - 499,999 (London with 498,400 is classified as "Large.")

Mid-sized - 30,000 - 99,999

Small - 10,000 - 29,999
  The Most Livable in each category:

Major: Ottawa

Large: North Vancouver

Mid-sized: West Vancouver

Small: Pitt Meadows, B.C.

Some London Data:

  Almost 60 variables are considered "across 10 key categories relevant to people considering relocation: economy, housing, demographics, health care, safety, education, community, amenities, transportation and climate."
  When you locate London at No. 208, you can see those data for London. Some samples:

Top 5 languages spoken most often at home:

1.English

2.Arabic

3.Spanish

4.Mandarin

5.Punjabi

Top 5 visible minorities:

1.South Asian

2.Arab

3,Black

4.Latin American

5.Chinese

Average monthly food cost:

$928

Average minutes driving to work:

23

And, since we are all interested in the WEATHER, here are all the variables for:

Climate (London)

Days with Humidex over 35°C:                                                     16

Projected days with Humidex over 35°C:                                      34

Days with precipitation >= 10 mm:                                                30

Projected days with precipitation >= 10 mm:                                 32

Days with a min. temperature less than -15°C.:                            13

Projected days with a min. temperature less than -15°C.:             5

Days with a max. temperature greater than 30°C:                        13

Projected days with a max. temperature greater than 30°C:         29

Rankled By Rankings?
   My own opinion of London, as I have suggested in my earlier posts about these rankings, is not as low as London's rank. Those who commented on the G&M's "Livable City Rankings" often complained that their city should should be higher than say, Winnipeg. I don't think London is as "nice" a place as it was when I arrived over fifty years ago, but what place is? Still, I don't think London should be 200 rungs lower than Winnipeg (9)! My complaint is more about "Ranking" generally, which is mostly a mug's game. The good news is, that if something close or important to you gets a bad ranking, it is unlikely it will be called to your attention. (See, for example, The Fickleness of Rankings").

  

 Bonus:
   Given that London is not highly ranked and one cannot honestly say, "I am from London and it is  one of the top-ranked ????" , you can simply say, what this T-shirt indicates. It is available at Museum London.

The Fickleness of Rankings

 

Business Schools
  Yesterday the respected Financial Times  released its rankings of MBA programs and some Deans are tooting horns, while others are looking at different rankings. The headline reads: "Wharton Tops 2025 FT MBA Ranking Despite Strong European Competition:  The Best MBAs are Holding Their Own Amid Challenges From Alternative Courses and Concerns for the Degree’s Future."
   Canadian schools did not do well, but some at least made the Top 100: 
76 University of Toronto: Rotman Canada 
79 Queen's University: Smith Canada 
86 Western University: Ivey Canada 
94 McGill University: Desautels Canada 
95 University of British Columbia: Sauder Canada 
  The focus locally should be on this article provided recently in the LFP: "New Ranking Give High Marks to Western University's Ivey Business School," Heather Rivers, Feb. 2, 2025. "Western University’s business school is among the best in Canada, according to a new list – and it comes amid what the ranking firm’s top official calls a difficult year for all post-secondary schools across the nation.
CourseCompare rankings are promoted as being primarily “rooted in job readiness,” said chief executive Robert Furtado, who ranks Ivey business school as the No. 1 blended online MBA program in the country." The article also mentions that," Ivey has been ranked No. 1 in Canada by Bloomberg Business Week for nine years.
  The rule of rankings is that they are only touted when one is near the top of them. Although one can use a low ranking to ask for more assistance to get higher, it is generally best to remain silent. That has generally been the case here in London, for there has been little news about this city failing to get into the ranking of "The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada" ---- twice.
The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada - 2023.
The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada - 2024.   

WOE CANADA

   

In my last post I indicated that I had learned (again) that the city in which I reside is not deemed to be a particularly desirable place in which to live. Whenever I am outside of the country and am asked where I am from, I don't generally characterize London in such a negative way. I suppose I do typically locate it for the questioner by saying, "Halfway Between Toronto & Detroit." You can buy the T-shirt pictured at Museum London. 
   Nor am I negative about the country in which this London is located. I admit to even being unapologetically nationalistic and to saying that "Canada is a great country in which to live." Apparently I should now add to that sentence this disclaimer, "but a lot of Canadians don't agree."
   Perhaps it was because I live in a city that is regarded as not particularly "livable" that I noticed that many now regard Canada as an increasingly undesirable place in which to be. That sentiment is expressed in the headline atop a poll conducted by the Angus Reid Institute. Here it is:
"From 'eh' to 'meh'? Pride and Attachment to Country in Canada Endure Significant Declines."
The percentage of people saying they are "very proud" to be Canadian has dropped. "Pride" is now displayed far more often in flags not related to a country. Here are the graphic details.

It is not reassuring that slightly more people are "attached to Canada but only as long as it provides a good standard of living."
  I noted in my last post that high ratings and rankings attract more attention than negative ones and if there was a poll indicating Canada rated high up there in the "World Happiness Report," you would have read about it (Finland is usually at the top.) As far as I can tell, the reaction to the Reid poll about how Canadians feel about Canada is muted. 

  I did find one attempt to answer a question related to the poll results -- "What is driving this change in mood, this massive drop in patriotism?"  Unfortunately the question was asked and answered in a publication you probably don't read (you may look at it for the 'girls', which I see are still being displayed.) It would be good to see such questions and answers in the publications you do read. There are far fewer outlets produced by the mainstream or institutional media and increasingly, it seems to me, 'countervailing' ( to use a word used often by Galbraith) views and opinions are relegated to fringe magazines or newspapers or blogs such as this one. 
   Although the author of the article places the blame at the very top, which is debatable, the points made are worth considering. The article:

"Trudeau Trash Talks Canada and National Pride Falls Quickly," Brian Lilley, Toronto Sun, Dec.13, 2024. "Who would feel pride in a systemically racist country committing genocide with no core identity? All ways Trudeau has described Canada....."
Of course fewer Canadians say they are “very proud” to be Canadian. Who wants to boast about being part of a genocidal state built on colonialism, discrimination and systemic racism with no core identity."

E pluribus unum -- not in Canada. 

Woe Canada?
   The title I used seemed familiar and I see that I have already used it in the bottom of another post of mine you will not have read. Here it is and it has some relevance. We will probably see it more often. 

WOE CANADA - Factlet (12)
   Given the focus on Identity and Indigeneity this statistic made me wonder if there will be a Canadian identity in the future, or several thousand solitudes not just two.
"There are more than 630 First Nation communities in Canada, which represent more than 50 Nations and 50 Indigenous languages."

Source: The Angus Reid Poll

The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada - 2024

London Isn't One of Them (Again)

   Last year the G&M published a ranking of the "Most Livable Cities" in Canada, to help you determine in which city you would choose to live. Given that London did not appear among the "Top 100," I figured I would call that fact to your attention. It is typically the case that if one fairs poorly in a ranking, it is best to move on to a subject that is better rated. Since you probably did not read about London's poor ranking in what is left of the local news sources, have a look at this: "The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada" in MM. You will learn from it that the closest Livable City appears to be Middlesex Centre. If you would prefer to rely on the original analysis (a good idea) see: "Canada's Most Livable Cities: Explore Our Data-Driven Ranking of the Most Desirable Places to Live in the Country," Mahima Singh and Chen Wang, Globe and Mail, Nov. 25, 2023. 

The News Is Not Good (for London)
   The data have been crunched again by the same authors and the 2024 edition of "Canada's Most Livable Cities" will be found in the G&M, Dec.12. If you are headed to a convenience store for some beer, you still may be able to grab a copy if city officials didn't abscond with all of them. I will provide here, the top 10 nice big places to live in Canada.

    Last year, I did not bother to say much about London since it was not among the 100 Most Livable Cities. This year, I dug a little deeper and found London buried among the 448 communities for which a number of variables were analyzed. Unfortunately London's rankings are not good and have gotten worse. Like I said earlier, you should look at the original article, where the methodology is explained. The article, by the way, was nominated for a Digital Publishing Award, (see, G&M, April 25, 2024.)
   

   There are sub-rankings as well and the Top 20 are listed. Unfortunately London doesn't appear, but at least it does creep into the Top 100 in one category - as a place for Entrepreneurs. The bad news is that London did worse in all categories this year.

                                                      Sub-rankings

            

                                               2024    2023

Full Ranking                         168      139

For Young Professionals.   166        99

For Raising Kids.                 129      116
For Midlife Transitions         254      196

For Retirement                      306      152

For Newcomers                     213      163

For Entrepreneurs                 76        74

You should look at the original article and especially the comments. There are, for example, many who think their city deserves a higher spot than Winnipeg. 
  MM is London-based and I have lived here for many years. Although I don't think London is as "Livable" a place as it was fifty years ago, I would think that most people in most cities (even in the top 100) would say the same thing. And I still think it is likely better than say, Winnipeg.  
(Readers of MM know how I rate Toronto and you will be able to tell from these titles: Toronto the Carbuncle and Toronto the Carbuncle (Update).)

BEYOND THE PALEWALL (10)

 1. Real Puzzling
   Many people up here are indoors working on jigsaw puzzles because that beats going outdoors or watching the news. A large 1000-piece puzzle, solidly coloured and with irregular edges, can keep you busy for quite a while. Looking for a bigger challenge, some senior folks in Utah, where they probably don't want to go outside either, ordered a 75 pounder consisting of 60,000 pieces. They went to work:

Over the next four months, about 50 seniors spent four hours a day piecing together 60 different 1,000-piece puzzle sections featuring a world map and 187 images of artwork by Dowdle of scenic landmarks such as the Colosseum in Rome, the Taj Mahal in India and U.S. national parks.
Last month, after the 60 puzzles were combined into one piece of art spread across 16 banquet tables, the senior center put its 8-by-29-foot creation on display for the public.

   Dowdle, the puzzle maker, operates "Dowdle Folk Art" which, conveniently enough is just down the road from the Springville Senior Center where the puzzle he made is on display. You can order "What A Wonderful World" - The World's Largest Puzzle" by clicking on this link. Before you do so, you should know that it is about 8' tall and 29' long and costs $1,027.00 in real dollars.
   All of this was learned from: "Utah Senior Center Tackles Loneliness With a 60,000-Piece Puzzle," Ruth Nielsen, Washington Post, Feb. 17, 2024. If you want to learn more, see the * Largest Jigsaw Puzzles in the World," Nancy Levin, largest.org, Jan. 19, 2023. The smallest offered is the 33,600-piece, "Wild Life" which costs $600 also real dollars. 

2. Build A Border Wall - A Northern One!
 Former presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy suggested one needed to be built because of the fentanyl problem, and Nikki Haley pointed out the problems presented by 500 people on the terrorist list who crossed over from Canada. More Republicans may be scrutinizing the Canadian/American border because of an article such as this one:
"Migrants Face Cold, Perilous Crossing From Canada to New York: Increasingly, Migrants From Latin America Are Risking Their Lives to Cross Illegally Into the United States Along the Northern Border," Luis Ferré-Sadurní, The New York Times, Feb. 11, 2024.

   As migrants continue to overwhelm the southern border in record numbers, a growing wave is trying an alternative route into the United States: across the less fortified, more expansive Canadian border….

More than 12,200 people were apprehended crossing illegally from Canada last year, a 241 percent jump from the 3,578 arrested the previous year. Most of them were Mexicans, who can fly to Canada without a visa and may prefer the northern border to avoid the cartels that exploit migrants in their country.

3. Dire Headline of the Decade - "Is the Media Prepared for an Extinction-Level Event?" 
 The subtitle of Clare Malone's Atlantic article (Feb.10) continued this way: Ads are scarce, search and social traffic is dying, and readers are burned out. The future will require fundamentally rethinking the press’s relationship to its audience. She reports on
 A report that tracked layoffs in the industry in 2023 recorded twenty-six hundred and eighty-one in broadcast, print, and digital news media. NBC News, Vox Media, Vice News, Business Insider, Spotify, theSkimm, FiveThirtyEight, The Athletic, and Condé Nast—the publisher of The New Yorker—all made significant layoffs. BuzzFeed News closed, as did Gawker. The Washington Post, which lost about a hundred million dollars last year, offered buyouts to two hundred and forty employees. In just the first month of 2024, Condé Nast laid off a significant number of Pitchfork’s staff and folded the outlet into GQ; the Los Angeles Times laid off at least a hundred and fifteen workers (their union called it “the big one”); Time cut fifteen per cent of its union-represented editorial staff; the Wall Street Journal slashed positions at its D.C. bureau; and Sports Illustrated, which had been weathering a scandal for publishing A.I.-generated stories, laid off much of its staff as well.
The Fahrenheit 451 of everything without the fires.

4. Rankled by Rankings (again):
   The rankings game is played by most universities which hide low numbers and seek the higher ones. Although most would like to opt out, it is difficult to do so and arguments about how the rankings are done and disagreements between those ranked continue.
   Among the recent rankings disputes, you may have missed this one. It does not involve U.S. News & World Report or Maclean's. It does involve the Chinese (again) and math, but in this case neither of those subjects is inscrutable.

  To Disraeli's, "lies, damned lies and statistics," math can be added. It may even be the case that you can have a highly ranked math department in a university where there is no department of mathematics. Here is all you need to know and you don't need to know any math to understand it: "Citation Cartels Help Some Mathematicians - and Their Universities - Climb the Rankings," Michele Catanzaro, Science, Jan.30, 2024.

Cliques of mathematicians at institutions in China, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere have been artificially boosting their colleagues’ citation counts by churning out low-quality papers that repeatedly reference their work, according to an unpublished analysis seen by Science. As a result, their universities—some of which do not appear to have math departments—now produce a greater number of highly cited math papers each year than schools with a strong track record in the field, such as Stanford and Princeton universities.

   The ranking wars will continue, however, and if you google any university, the rankings will appear since good ones can be found somewhere. Those pictured are currently displayed at the university close by. 

Beyond the Palewall (5)

 

[Beyond the palewall is the title of this series because beyond the paywall is taken. Information for which you are not willing to pay, along with information you may not wish to know, is presented in abbreviated form without charge. What has caught my eye may sometimes feel like a poke in yours and, in that sense, be beyond the pale. Items will appear weekly, or perhaps monthly, or maybe semi-annually, if I can get started and the weather is bleak.]

Something Else to Worry About

   One would think that it would be good news that fish are able to survive in Hamilton Harbour, but that is not the case. Very large goldfish have been spotted there and elsewhere in the Great Lakes (and elsewhere around the globe.) The point to be made in this post is simply that you should not take your goldfish out of the bowl and put it in the Thames.

   "Over the past several years, Ms. Boston and her colleagues have been tracking invasive goldfish in Hamilton Harbour, which is on the western tip of Lake Ontario, about 35 miles southwest of Toronto. The bay has been decimated by industrial and urban development as well as by invasive species — making it among the most environmentally degraded areas of the Great Lakes.

Their study, published last month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, could help pinpoint goldfish populations for culling, said Ms. Boston, who is the lead author. “We found out where they are before they start spawning,” she said. “That’s a good opportunity to get rid of them.”

   The fast-growing female goldfish, Ms. Boston noted, can also reproduce several times in one season. “They have the resources,” she added, “and they can take advantage of them.”

   Goldfish were first spotted in Hamilton Harbour in the 1960s, but largely died off in the 1970s because of industrial contamination. In the early 2000s, their population appeared to recover. Goldfish can tolerate a wide range of water temperatures, reach sexual maturation quickly, and can eat nearly anything, including algae, aquatic plants, eggs and invertebrates, Ms. Boston said.

   Their football-shaped bodies can swell to a size that makes them too large a meal for predators — up to about 16 inches long. “A fish would have to have a really big mouth to eat it,” she said....

   Nicholas Mandrak, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Toronto Scarborough, said that while goldfish were introduced to North America in the late 1800s, the wild population had begun to “dramatically increase” in the past two decades. Their spawning explosion, he said, resulted partly from people in densely-populated areas releasing pets in urban ponds.

   Climate change may play a role, because of the goldfish’s capacity to adapt to warming and poorly oxygenated waters, he added.

   “There are literally millions of goldfish in the Great Lakes, if not tens of millions,” Dr. Mandrak said.

Sources:

 "Once They Were Pets. Now Giant Goldfish Are Menacing the Great Lakes.

Released into the Wild, the Humble Goldfish Can Grow to a Monstrous Size and Destroy Habitats for Native Species. Canadian Researchers are Tracking the Fish, so That They Might be Culled," Livia Albeck-Ripka, New York Times, Dec. 8, 2023.

  That the problem is a global one is clear from the picture, which portrays a goldfish caught in Europe. "Behold Carrot, The 67-pound Goldfish Caught in France," Jennifer Hassan, The Washington Post, Nov. 22, 2022.

 

Magazines Are Disappearing Along With Newspapers

   In Mulcahy's Miscellany there is a series titled "Periodical Ramblings" and the last post in it was about, Liberty magazine which stopped publishing in Canada long ago. The Last Post has now been sounded for Readers Digest Canada which has been around over 75 years. Although one commentator called it the "Barry Manilow of magazines," another noted: “It’s going to be missed by a lot of readers,” said Mark Pupo, who was editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest Canada from 2019-2022. “It was a great space for Canadian storytelling. We’re losing a lot.” The following brief bits are from: "Reader's Digest Canada, Once A Household Staple, Will End its Run After 76 Years," Jana G. Pruden, Globe and Mail, Dec. 5, 2023.

   Employees were told Reader’s Digest Magazines Ltd. will continue to publish its five Canadian magazines until March 31, 2024, and that the websites will remain in operation “for a certain period” with “basic support” from employees in the United States.

   A spokesperson from American parent company Trusted Media Brands – identified in the presentation to staff as the person to handle all media inquiries – did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

It was an unceremonious announcement for a digest that has been a venerable part of the Canadian magazine market since it began publishing in the country in 1947. It was declared the most influential magazine in Canadian publishing history in 2008.

   As recently as April, a press release described Reader’s Digest as Canada’s most-read monthly magazine, boasting more than three million readers every month. Reader’s Digest Magazines Ltd. also publishes a French edition, Sélection, as well as Best Health Canada, Our Canada and More Our Canada....

   Founded in the U.S. in 1922, Reader’s Digest grew to be a dominant global brand with dozens of editions published all over the world in multiple languages, including braille, and sold in over 60 countries.

The magazine became known for its mix of upbeat and informative stories, health and wellness news and dramatic storytelling, often condensed and updated versions of other magazine pieces. Issues were also peppered with vocabulary quizzes, facts, jokes, comics, puzzles and lighthearted anecdotes in features such as Laughter, the Best Medicine, and Life’s Like That.

Post Script: 

   It is worth noting that the owner of the magazine is Trusted Media Brands. 

   Unfortunately, those of you who are saddened by this loss will no longer be able to reach for a Kleenex. See: "What Kleenex's Canadian Exit Reveals About Our  Grocery Sector's Lack of Competition," David Soberman, Globe and Mail, Sept. 11, 2023.

City Living

   I am not a big fan of big cities, nor do I put much faith in rankings. I did, however, call your attention to "The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada", and particularly to the fact that London does not appear in that ranking. Another one has just been completed and London does not show up in it either. Ranked, this time, is the "Quality of Living", which must be related, one would think, to being "Livable." Given that I have provided you with the Globe and Mail and Economist rankings, I will now point you to the one by Mercer: "Quality of Living City Ranking 2023." You can go through the rankings by clicking on that link. If you don't want to take the time, I will suggest that you move to Vancouver if you wish to stay in this country or Vienna if you want to live abroad. 

Sources:

  "Vancouver Beats Out Toronto For Cities With the Best Quality of Living For Expats," The Toronto Star, Dec. 14, 2023

  Five Canadian cities made it on to the list ranking quality of life for newcomers and expatriates, but only one made it into the top ten.

   Vancouver - at eighth - beat out Toronto (17th), Ottawa (tied for 18th), Montreal (tied for 20th) and Calgary (tied for 23rd).

   "Move to One of These 10 Global Cities in 2024 If You Want to Work Somewhere    With a Great Quality of Life," Michael Grothaus, Fast Company, Dec. 15, 2023.

   "If you’ve ever wondered which of the world’s cities might be the best to live and work in, you’ll want to check out Mercer’s 2023 Quality of Living rankings, which look at the quality of life that workers and their families who work outside their home countries have.  

   This year, the consulting firm ranked more than 200 cities on five continents. The top city in the world, according to Mercer’s rankings, is Vienna, Austria. Mercer says the central European capital is “known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural scene, Vienna offers its residents a high standard of living in various aspects.”

   The remainder of the top 10 list is dominated by European cities, which take seven of the 10 spots. Germany alone takes three of the top 10 spots with Frankfurt in 6th place, Munich in 7th, and Dusseldorf in 10th. The only North American city to make the top 10 list is Vancouver, Canada, which came in 8th place."

The 100 Most Livable Cities in Canada

London Isn't One of Them 
   In late November, The Globe and Mail produced a ranking related to "Canada's Most Livable Cities." Among the cities deemed to be desirable places to live, London is not found. One of the rules about rankings is that if one is not mentioned, or does poorly, it is best not to call attention to it. I have not read anything in the local press about the "100 Most Livable Cities," but that makes sense since London is not one of them and it is better not to call our attention to the fact that London is a less desirable place to reside than Winnipeg. Far less, since Winnipeg is No.3 and London, as I mentioned, is not on the list.
   Those cities which did show up on the list have been busy bragging about it. Since news about the great cities in which to live is scarce hereabouts, I will call your attention to the accolades from elsewhere. 

Middlesex Centre

   Here is part of the puffery from close by:

"Middlesex Centre, Ontario, November 27, 2023 – The Municipality of Middlesex Centre has been named one of Canada’s Most Livable Cities for 2023 by The Globe and Mail.

Coming in at number 89 out of the 439 cities included, Middlesex Centre was the only community in the London-Middlesex area to rank in the top 100.

“We are thrilled to be recognized among Canada’s most livable cities,” says Mayor Aina DeViet. “As residents, we know that Middlesex Centre is a wonderful place to call home, and I’m proud that we are being acknowledged alongside so many beautiful areas of the country.”

The Globe and Mail considered 43 variables in 10 categories when developing the rankings. The categories – economy, housing, demographics, health care, safety, education, community, amenities, transportation and climate – were selected as they reflect what people consider important when relocating to a new community. 

Middlesex Centre ranked in the top 30 cities across the country for community, economy, and education."

   If, like me, you did not realize there were 100 cities in Canada (let alone, 'livable' ones) you may be wondering what a 'city' is. According to the G&M, there are over 8,000 of them and data were collected from the 439 Canadian cities with a population of over 10,000. London is 139.

Lambton Shores

   How Lambton did you will see from this graphic:

Where Lambton is located you will learn from this map:

Burlington

   Here is the bragging from Burlington: 

"We already knew this, and  now the rest of Canada does too: Burlington is the top livable city in Ontario, and ranks fifth in Canada, according to a new study published by the Globe and Mail."

   They helpfully list the other nice places to live in Ontario. London is not mentioned:

Ottawa, 24

Pickering, 26.                                          

Oakville, 29

Vaughan, 33

Hamilton, 39

Guelph, 41

Tecumseh, 47

Lincoln, 48

Markham, 50

Norwich, 54

Wellesley, 55

Waterloo, 56

Woolwich, 59

Toronto, 64

Mapleton, 70

Centre Wellington, 76

Whitchurch-Stouffville, 79

North Perth, 81

Newmarket, 83

Whitby, 85

Kingston, 86

Middlesex Centre, 89

King, 90

LaSalle, 92

Lambton Shores, 93

Niagara Falls, 99

Halton Hills, 100

Victoria

   I have saved for the bottom, the top livable city in Canada and it pointed out how careful the G&M was in undertaking such an assessment:

"Victoria has clinched the coveted title of the most livable city in Canada, according to a comprehensive ranking conducted by The Globe and Mail.

Other Vancouver Island communities also garnered notable recognition for the nation’s top 100, proving that it wasn’t solely the capital city making waves in the rankings.

In a meticulous evaluation encompassing 439 cities nationwide, The Globe and Mail scrutinized various criteria ranging from economy, housing, and healthcare to education and climate."

The cities on a rainy island did well:

1. Victoria

7. Saanich

10. Oak Bay

25. Colwood

32. Parksville

40. Central Saanich

63. Nanaimo

78. Sidney

   Although such city rankings are typically not noted by those cities which did poorly in them, or were not even mentioned, they do attract the attention of those looking for a desirable place to live. This is from India:

"The 20 Best Liveable Cities For Newbie In Canada," by Aryan Adarsh, Dec.7, 2023:

Victoria, British Columbia 

Winnipeg, Manitoba

North Vancouver, British Columbia 

Saanich, British Columbia 

Wellesley, Ontario 

Burlington, Ontario 

Regina, Saskatchewan 

Delta, British Columbia 

Maple Ridge, British Columbia 

West Vancouver, British Columbia 

Oak Bay, British Columbia 

Abbotsford, British Columbia 

Colwood, British Columbia 

Norwich, Ontario

Parksville, British Columbia 

Fort St. John, British Columbia 

Port Coquitlam, British Columbia 

Middlesex Centre, Ontario 

Coldstream, British Columbia 

The Source: "Canada's Most Livable Cities," Mahima Singh & Chen Wang, The Globe and Mail, Nov. 25, 2023.

The Bonus:

   Those of you who are curious about other livable cities around the world should see the Economist, which published (with a slightly different spelling), "The World's Most Liveable Cities," on June 21, 2023. Here is a bit from it and there are a couple of Canadian cities listed, but not London. 

Campus Corner

     
     Here are a couple of university-related items I will attempt to post quickly before the sun shines.

1. Retirement Communities on College Campuses

     You are correct, I have mentioned this subject before, but will do so again because there is a good article about one of the latest examples which will soon be found on the campus of Purchase College (SUNY). Why colleges would be interested in old codgers and why retirees would be interested in roosting on a campus are questions answered in the article and in my earlier posts. Among them:

"Purchase is one of a growing number of colleges sponsoring retirement communities on campus or thinking about it. It is a marketer’s dream, monetizing spare land, while milking the baby boom generation’s affluence by appealing to their obsession with staying forever young."

"The schools say their motive is more educational and social — encouraging intergenerational mixing — than financial. But the communities promise a new revenue stream for institutions that are coping with reduced state operating support and declining college enrollment in many parts of the country. They are bringing a new generation (or old generation) to campus to fill classes, eat in dining halls, attend student performances and become mentors."

     Among the other schools mentioned are Arizona State and Lasell University near Boston.  If you look at my old post you will see examples ranging from Cornell and Dartmouth to the University of Florida and the University of Michigan. Additional articles and Canadian sources are also provided. In short, if this subject is of interest see:

Sources:

"At Colleges, What's Old Is New: Retirees Living on Campus," Anemona Hartocollis, New York Times, Sept. 10, 2019.

This blog: "Retiring Back to University: Bucolic College Towns".

To learn more about the Purchase College example see "Broadview - Senior Living at Purchase College.

2. Not A Touching Moment at Western

     You may recall that I posted about HEADLINES and how they can be misconstrued if not clearly written. The one that follows is fairly clear, but some readers could understand it to mean that London police were summoned because finally something less than crass happened on campus: "London Police Investigate Touching Incident."London Free Press, Sept. 8, 2019.

3. University Rankings

     The latest Times Higher Education rankings were released and there were many headlines such as this one in the Canadian papers: "Top Canadian Universities Rise in Global Rankings," The Globe and Mail, Sept. 11, 2019. There were many additional headlines issuing from those campuses that did well. Unfortunately Western did not. 

     Credit should be given to Western, however, since it was noted in a campus publication that the university had dropped out of the Top 200. Usually in such cases, universities only note the good news.

See: "THE [Times Higher Education] Reveals World University Rankings," Jason Winders. Western News, Sept. 13, 2019.

Post Script:

     There has been a lot of news from Hong Kong lately, but I have not seen any mention of the Ivey Business School Asia, which is located there. The times appear to be a bit rough for universities offering graduate business programs and surely the disruption there cannot be good for the School. I have seen no mention of it on the Ivey or Western websites. Years ago the local paper would have picked up on such a story, but, like most communities, we no longer have one. 

University Marketing

    It is unfortunate that so much effort has to be expended on marketing and ‘branding’ by those involved in higher education. One can understand why such efforts must be undertaken, however, since colleges and universities do constitute a market, one which is now highly competitive.

    One might assume that such endeavours would reflect a higher degree of clarity and honesty than is typically found in the commercials and advertisements displayed in the lower realms of commerce. Such is not the case. Most universities play in the rankings and ratings game, for example, and eagerly promote high rankings of dubious value while understandably ignoring the lower ones mentioned in ratings of higher quality that reflect measurable and meaningful data.

    I noticed recently on the website of a university I attended the following promotional puffs. I also worked at the same university which is, in fact, a good one that has plenty of accomplishments and people of which to be proud. In this instance, however, it receives a failing grade of 50%. The examples below are presented in descending order in terms of honesty and clarity and the last two could be easily replaced.