Calgary ranks 2nd in Canada for economic and physical health, Conference Board says
Conference Board of Canada City Health Monitor compares key Canadian citites
Calgary sits in second place out of 10 Canadian cities for its socio-economic and physical health — while Edmonton sits third from the bottom, the Conference Board of Canada says.
Its City Health Monitor, released Tuesday morning, compares Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax.
The report measures each city's performance based on 24 indicators, grouped into four categories: life satisfaction, population health, healthy lifestyle and access to health care services.
Letter grades were assigned to assess each city's performance.
Calgary gets A for life satisfaction
Calgary sits in the middle of the pack when it comes to the health of its residents.
It scored top grades for lower numbers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and heart disease, but saw higher rates for stroke, hypertension and asthma.
In terms of life satisfaction, Calgary gets an A overall, with top marks in perceived life stress, sense of belonging and perceived health.
City Health Grade — Overall Ranking
- Saskatoon — A
- Calgary — A
- Winnipeg — A
- Quebec City — B
- Ottawa-Gatineau — B
- Vancouver — B
- Halifax — B
- Edmonton — B
- Toronto — B
- Montreal — D
Source: The Conference Board of Canada
Calgary earns a C for health care
Calgary also got an A for the healthy lifestyle of its residents, with a high ranking on physical activity, and a relatively strong showing on all other indicators.
The city is one the top four for heavy drinking, but came a close second to Ottawa for physical activity, and third in the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Calgary didn't do as well as other cities when it comes to access to health care, earning a C overall and scoring a D for the number of hospital beds in the city.
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Calgary, Edmonton, and Saskatoon are listed as Canada's fastest-growing metro areas.
It shows Calgary's population has increased by an average of 2.8 per cent since 2000, with the average annual rate in Canada standing at 1.1 per cent.
Canada's wealthiest metro area
Looking at economies and how they influence a city's overall health, the report shows Calgary is still Canada's wealthiest metro area, despite the price of oil and the economy.
The Health Monitor also says Calgary has the highest GDP per capita and highest personal disposable income per capita, as well as the highest labour force participation.
The conference board says the report will allow cities to identify their strengths and to take action to improve areas of weakness.
Benchmarking also allows residents to rate the performance of their local governments, the board says.