Toronto is listed as one of the best cities in the world. This is why

An image of Toronto's skyline with the CN Tower. (Burst/Pexels)

Toronto has been recognized as one of the top 25 best cities across the globe to live and work in for 2023.

Resonance Consultancy, a global consultancy firm, recently released its World’s Best Cities list and Toronto is one of the few Canadian cities that made it.

It is the highest-ranked city across Canada to have hit the top 100 list, coming in at 24th. Over thirty places later comes Montreal at 57, then Calgary at 65, Vancouver at 69, and Ottawa at 96th.

According to the ranking, Toronto is “poised for big things”, and cracked the top 25 list due to its diversity and education.

The city is considered one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the continent, with a University of Toronto study cited by the consultancy firm predicting in less than 50 years its population will trail New York and Mexico City.

CTV News Toronto spoke to Andrew Weir, executive vice president of Destination Toronto, and Wayne Smith, professor and interim director at the Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University about Resonance Consultancy’s list, and divulge why the city ranked so highly.

“I think one of the things that’s important to note about this list is that it covers a number of different dimensions of the city,” Weir said, noting the diversity of Toronto’s people, the economic stability and opportunity, and the education of those living in the city as the reasons why it received its esteemed designation.

“To see Toronto as the top Canadian city is important, and in that top group of North American cities I think is important … It is something that Toronto has not only aspired to be but has worked very hard to be and I think those of us that live here know that that’s true.”

Globally, Toronto follows behind major tourist destinations like London, Paris, New York, Dubai, and Barcelona.

WHY IS TORONTO A GREAT CITY?

From a tourism perspective, Smith points to Toronto’s diversity and range of things to do here as some of the reasons why tourists flock to the city for a visit.

“The fact is, you can visit the world in a day here,” Smith said. “There’s not a lot of other places in the world that come even close to the diversity of the city. If you want Afghan food, you can find it. If you want some Sudanese food, you’ll find it, too.”

He adds the plethora of festivals and events that happen throughout the city year-round are another huge draw to come to Toronto.

“And then add to that, you have the sports teams,” Smith said. “Look at the (Toronto) Raptors, they’re literally a national brand.”

For Weir, it’s hard to narrow down Toronto’s “one magic thing” because he says there is a lot going on for the city including but not limited to its world-renowned Toronto International Film Festival, rich music and food scene, and fast-growing tech sector.

Weir says the one thing you see permeate through everything that happens in Toronto – from food, art, innovation, science or business – is “this sense of remix” and having people with different backgrounds and experiences putting that together to create something new.

“That kind of experience is what generates something new, and something fresh,” he said, adding this is what draws people to visit Toronto or live there.

“That’s where Toronto shines through, and it’s not something you see at the surface. What you see is the product of that, you see it in the food, you see it in the art and culture, you see it in the festivals, and you see it around meeting room tables.”