Kelowna, BC, ranks as the greenest city in Canada, according to a study conducted by Greater Toronto Home Pros. .“As Canadian wildfires ravage millions of acres and the climate crisis escalates across the world, it’s interesting to see which cities lead the way in the green revolution in Canada,” said a Greater Toronto Home Pros spokesperson in a press release. .“The various metrics compiled together in this data can show Canadians which location it may be easier for them to commit to a green lifestyle; for example, pedestrian-friendly and cycle-friendly cities can help Canadians interested in reducing their carbon footprint.”.Greater Toronto Home Pros said it is unsurprising Kelowna came in first place on this list, with a green score of 70.6/100, because of its abundant natural beauty. It said a major contribution to this is its pedestrian-friendly and cycle-friendly scoring, receiving a perfect 10 for each. .Lethbridge, AB, emerged as the second greenest city in Canada (66.4/100). Lethbridge has plenty of park space, which helps with its position on this list. .Greater Toronto Home Pros said Fredericton came in third place (65.4). It added Fredericton is pedestrian friendly, with the index scoring its walkability at 9.1/10. .Fourth place went to North Vancouver, BC (63). North Vancouver has 168 hiking trails, 17 nature and wildlife tours, and six community gardens and urban farms. .Subsequent to North Vancouver was Halifax (58.9). Halifax has great public transit and air quality. .Waterloo, ON, placed sixth among most green cities in Canada (57.3). This was followed by Guelph, ON (56.2); Vancouver (54.5); Saanich, BC (50.1); and Thunder Bay, ON (49.2)..“More and more people are aware that air quality is important to their health and would like to live in an area with good air quality and natural parkland,” said the spokesperson. .Climate change is the largest health threat facing humanity and the world’s livability, according to an October report by Health Canada. .READ MORE: Health Canada releases report about public health action against climate change.“Public health has made tremendous gains over the past century in improving the health and lives of people in Canada and around the world,” said Canadian Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam. .By advocating for healthy environments through walkable neighbourhoods, cycling, and public transit, people can reduce burdens from cardiac and respiratory diseases, premature deaths, and hospitalizations. Green building certifications can reduce emissions, improving air quality and eliminating respiratory problems. .Data was collected from several sources, with different metrics such as walkability score, parks, green space, and more compiled into a 10-point index to develop a green score. The maximum score cities could obtain was 100.
