Vancouver sits way down a list of healthy Canadian cities: study
Posted December 13, 2016 7:00 am.
Last Updated December 13, 2016 7:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The West Coast may be known for its healthy, green lifestyle — we exercise a lot, eat well, and look absolutely great in yoga pants — but Vancouver sits far down a ranking of the physical and socio-economic well-being of Canadian cities. The first-ever Healthy Cities report from the Conference Board of Canada scored 10 cities across the country on two dozen indicators in four categories.
While Vancouver was number one overall in “population health” and “healthy lifestyle,” we scored a C-grade in “access to health care services” and “life satisfaction” in which we received a D, putting us sixth overall. The city’s strong score in population health is “thanks to its first-place rankings on asthma and heart disease, and solid performance on diabetes and mood disorder,” states the report.
When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, “Vancouver’s grade is boosted by its first-place ranking on obesity and its high rankings on smoking, heavy drinking, and physical activity,” states the report. However, Vancouver ranks poorly, scoring D’s, in both the number of specialists and nursing and midwifery personnel in the access to health care services category.
Saskatoon finished first overall in the rankings, placing ahead of Calgary and Winnipeg. “All three of these metro areas score an A grade, with each near the top in at least two categories. Indeed, Saskatoon’s strength lies in a first-place ranking in the life satisfaction category and placing in the top four in two others,” the report says.
Meanwhile, Calgary’s position was helped by its second-place ranking in the life satisfaction and healthy lifestyle categories, while Winnipeg finishes first in the access to health care category while posting relatively decent results elsewhere.
There is one city that set itself apart — and not in a good way. Montreal ranks last in the Healthy Cities report, scoring a D overall. “Montreal’s grade results from placing no higher than eighth position in all categories [population health.] For the other three categories, Montreal ranks in either ninth or tenth position.”
