This election hasn't been easy on anyone. In a year when the candidates are "quite unpopular," Canada can seem like the safest place for Americans fearful of a President Clinton or Trump. So many people have thought about getting away that Canada's immigration site crashed on election night.
If you're interested in moving to the Great White North, there's an easy shortlist of places to set up shop. Canadian magazine MoneySense ranked its country's best places to live this year and found a few winners.
Good Canadian cities, according to the magazine, should be prosperous, affordable, safe, easy to traverse and not frozen over all year, because that’s a thing Canadians have to worry about. Don’t say we didn’t warn you, Georgians fleeing north.
The top five, in descending order:
Ottawa – Large city, high incomes, low taxes, low crime, good public transit, good weather and a good arts & sports community.
Burlington – Medium city, high incomes, healthy population growth, exceptionally low crime, great weather and a good arts & sports community.
Oakville – Medium city, high incomes, healthy population growth, exceptionally low crime, great weather and a good arts & sports community.
St. Albert – Small city, very high incomes, affordable housing, good access to healthcare, low crime and a good arts & sports community.
Boucherville – Small city, markedly low unemployment, high incomes, good transit systems and a good arts & sports community.
Unfortunately for northbound Americans, getting into Canada is difficult for anyone who isn’t a doctor, lawyer or architect. Canada has tough immigration policies and a long waiting line to get in. Anyone applying now will almost certainly not be approved before Election Day.
Peter Edelmann, a Vancouver immigration lawyer, told Rolling Stone the process can take years without a sponsorship from an immediate family member. You either have to find a long-lost Canadian brother or become a high-skill worker in an industry in demand in Canada.
The country is also focused on taking in immigrants from countries considered "in danger" such as Syria. It has resettled more than 31,000 refugees as of this writing. Still, if you're interested in living in a country that dominates the list of the world's most livable cities, it's not too late to apply.
About the Author
