EDMONTON

Edmonton is Alberta’s capital, and the other major city in the province to win the hearts of immigrants. Situated some 285km north of Calgary, it attracts much the same glowing tributes as its southern counterpart. Its people are friendly and welcoming, its economy benefits from the same business-friendly policies and its downtown core nearly as modern.

In actual fact, Edmonton has been on the map for a long time, having being founded as a trading post by the famous Hudson’s Bay Company in 1795. It has had its share of ups and downs, but the discovery of oil just outside the city in 1947 fuelled a boom that would earn it the crown of Canada’s oil capital. The crude price drop in the Eighties signalled a temporary decline in Edmonton’s fortunes, but that is very much a memory now as the city capitalises on one of the fastest-growing economies in the country.

Immigration figures routinely show Edmonton running close to Calgary as the city of choice for new immigrants moving to Alberta.

The down side for Edmonton is pretty much the same as it is for Calgary: a somewhat high cost of living, a low rank in the multicuturalism department, and a climate that takes a little getting used to for those immigrating from warmer climes.

All said and done, though, there is one statistic that should interest would-be immigrants: When it comes to inter-province migration (people moving within the country), Alberta ranks number one in the country, far ahead of both British Columbia and Ontario and leaving Québec completely out of sight.

Overall rating: 6/10

Plus: Bright economic outlook, low tax rates, business-friendly policies, excellent education system, world-class transit system, great facilities for cyclists

Minus: Cost of living fairly high, higher education is expensive, temperatures on the cooler side (even in summer), not too many social and cultural facilities for non-European immigrants

Major newspapers: The Edmonton Journal