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Vancouver
Called Best Place to Live

In its annual survey of world cities, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of the London-based Economist magazine ranked the British Columbia metropolis first among 127 cities worldwide in terms of infrastructure, health care, public safety and access to goods and services.

With three Canadian cities in the Top 10, residents of Toronto and Calgary also have reason to cheer, as their cities are ranked ninth and tenth respectively.

The worst places were Algiers in Algeria, and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea because "many aspects of daily life present challenges," the EIU said.

"In the current global political climate, it is no surprise that the most desirable destinations are those with the lower perceived threat of terrorism," said Jon Copestake, editor of the EIU report.

The top US city, Honolulu, ranked 21st, and Boston, at 28th, was the highest ranked city on the US mainland. Honolulu's rating was boosted by its "favourable climate, good housing stock, low risk of crime and the widespread availability of recreational activities," the EIU said.

Washington, at 57th, was dragged down by the "increased threat of terrorism.”

In Latin America, "no city manages to present ideal living conditions, neither do any fall into the category where extreme difficulties are faced," the EIU said.

Montevideo in Uruguay, Santiago in Chile and Buenos Aires in Argentina offer the region's best conditions. Bogota in Colombia and Caracas in Venezuela score the least favourably. Lima was ranked 87th, in a tie with Istanbul and Kuala Lampur, and just behind Rio de Janeiro and ahead of Quito.

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