Oakville once again named as one of Canada’s most livable communities in The Globe and Mail rankings

The Town of Oakville has once again received top marks in the third edition of The Globe and Mail’s ‘Most Livable Cities’ study, ranking second among Ontario’s municipalities and sixth in Canada.

The rankings were released on January 29, 2026, and looked at 454 Canadian cities using 58 variables across 10 key categories, including: access to amenities and health care, community vibrancy, demographics, economy, education, transportation, safety, climate, and housing affordability. Each community’s strengths were viewed holistically to determine its overall livability ranking.

New to this year’s study was a population filter that allowed readers to compare municipalities within similar size ranges. When looking at communities like Oakville with a population between 100,000 and 499,999, the Town ranked first among Ontario municipalities and second overall in Canada.

Oakville moved up in several rankings and remained comparably high among the Canadian and Ontario municipalities studied, particularly in:

• Access to health care – second in Ontario and Canada;
• Vibrant community – second in Ontario and 23rd in Canada;
• Broad demographics – second in Ontario and fifth in Canada;
• Education – fourth in Ontario and 12th in Canada;
• Climate – first in Ontario and 60th in Canada;
• Access to amenities – fifth in Ontario and 19th in Canada; 
• Transportation – third in Ontario and 36th in Canada; and 
• Economy – 11th in Ontario and 27th in Canada.

Oakville also moved up among the Top 20 municipalities across Canada for raising children (11th) and for entrepreneurs (12th). In the second edition of the study released in December 2024, Oakville ranked 19th and 16th, respectively. In addition, in this recent edition of the study, 71 per cent of Oakville residents expressed having a strong sense of belonging to the town and community.

Quotes

“We work on our future livability all the time because we know all cities want to be the most livable.”
– Mayor Rob Burton

“Our strong rankings show that our long-term plans and service strategies are working, and they also highlight opportunities to continue building an even stronger, more vibrant community for everyone who lives, works and plays in the Town of Oakville.”
– Jane Clohecy, Chief Administrative Officer

Background

• The Globe and Mail launched its ‘Most Livable Cities’ study in 2023, where the Town of Oakville was ranked 29th in Canada and fourth in Ontario among 100 Canadian municipalities. In the second edition, release in 2024, Oakville ranked first in Ontario and 10th in Canada among the 448 municipalities studied.