Toronto ranks third as best place to live, work

Toronto has slipped a notch in a global ranking of cities as a good place to live and work, according to an annual report by PwC.

Ranked third out of 27 cities, just behind New York and London, Toronto’s performance by most measures is still outstanding, the study found.

“Toronto’s economic strength, strong cultural and environmental values and reputation for safety make it a truly livable and attractive place to be for both businesses and citizens alike,” said Raj Kothari, managing partner, Greater Toronto Area, PwC.

But Toronto slipped from second place last year to third after scoring poorly on a new indicator called City Gateway.

The category measures things like number of hotel rooms, international tourists and business meetings and access from the airport to the central business district.

On that score, Toronto ranked 19th out of 27.

“In London, I can get on the subway at the airport and be downtown in 45 minutes for £4 (about $6.25). That accessibility for tourists and business people is extremely important,” Kothari noted. “London has a huge number of hotels all across the city because people can move from one corner to the other by subway.

“Here you’ve got hotels at the airport, hotels downtown. And the only access to hotels downtown is a taxi, for $65 to $70,” Kothari added.

The problem is being addressed, he noted, referring to plans by Metrolinx to provide express rail service between Pearson International Airport and Union Station in time for the Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games in 2015.