Province

Vancouver ranked third in a global survey ranking overall quality of life, narrowly losing out to Swiss cities Zurich and Geneva, says a new global survey published today.

Other Canadian cities included in the survey were Toronto at 15th, Ottawa at 18th, Montreal at 22nd and Calgary at 24th.

Mercer Human Resource Consulting gave Vancouver a score of 107.7 in its annual ranking of quality of life, tied with Vienna for third place and behind Zurich with 108.1 and Geneva at 108.

Danielle Bushen, a principal at Mercer in Toronto, said Vancouver had high scores across the board, but its weak spot was crime.

“Crime rates in North America tend to be slightly higher than in Europe in general and this holds true when you compare locations like Zurich and Geneva to Vancouver,” Bushen said.

The survey ranked 215 cities around the world based on 39 quality of life determinants including social, economic, environmental and personal safety factors.

Cities were ranked against New York as the base city which was given a base score of 100. The five Canadian cities included in the survey all ranked higher than any of the U.S. cities surveyed.

Bushen said the frigid Canadian winters do count against places like Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, but for the most part they are stable and safe places to live.

“All of those things that could cause real differences in quality of life, and really create significant limitations on a person’s quality of life, just aren’t an issue. So we rate very highly,” she said.

Honolulu was the highest ranked U.S. city at 27th.

Baghdad was ranked the world’s least enticing city with a score of 14.5.

Other low-scoring cities included Brazzaville in Congo (29.5), Bangui in the Central African Republic (30.6) and Khartoum in Sudan (31).

All the Canadian cities in the survey also appeared in the top-25 ranking for health and sanitation with Calgary ranking as the top city in the world followed by Ottawa in fourth, Montreal and Vancouver tied for 10th and Tor-onto ranked 21st.

© The Vancouver Province 2007

 

Wendy McLellan
Province

Save money, lighten your footprint on the planet and be rewarded for doing it.

The federal government will launch a new program this month to encourage homeowners to make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes, including suites in low-rise multi-unit buildings.

The new initiative, called ecoENERGY Retrofit, to be effective April 1, replaces the federal EnerGuide for Houses program cancelled last fall.

\”The new program makes it easier for people to understand the benefits of upgrades — it\’s more consumer friendly,\” said Ryan Coleman, marketing manager for Homeworks Services, a Vancouver-based company that sells products and services to make homes more energy efficient.

To take advantage of the program, homeowners first have to pay for an assessment by a qualified ecoENERGY adviser to determine the home\’s current energy rating. The report, which includes a post-upgrade evaluation, will likely cost about $400.

Using the report\’s recommendations, homeowners have 18 months to complete upgrades that will improve their home\’s energy-efficiency rating, from plugging drafty attics to installing high-efficiency heating or cooling systems. The grant amount is based on the upgrades installed.

For example, every ENERGY STAR window installed qualifies for a $30 grant. A high-efficiency gas furnace qualifies for a grant of $500, while a ground- or water-source heat pump will return $3,500 to the homeowner. Improving attic insulation can return as much as $600.

The maximum grant is $5,000 and homeowners have to spend at least $300 on upgrades to apply.

\”The grant is not going to pay for the upgrades, but it does provide a little added incentive for people who want to make energy-saving changes in their homes and lifestyle,\” Coleman said.

By replacing windows, adding insulation and installing a high-efficiency furnace, homeowners not only reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 4.6 tonnes, but they also reduce their energy bills by 10 to 20 per cent, he said.

For more information call the ecoENERGY office at 1-800-622-6232 or check the website for details at www.ecoaction.gc.ca

Phone: 604-605-2061

Fax: 604-605-2099

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ECOENERGY RULES

Here is what you need to be eligible for an ecoENERGY Retrofit grant:

– You must own the property to be upgraded, but you don\’t have to be living there. The home can be detached, semi-detached, a town home or a multi-unit residential building no higher than three storeys. Mobile homes on permanent foundations also qualify.

– Work must be completed within 18 months of the home\’s first energy assessment.

– Homes have to be assessed before and after the upgrades by an adviser licensed by Natural Resources Canada. To find an adviser, go to www.ecoaction.gc.ca and follow the links to ecoENERGY Retrofit, or call 1-800-622-6232

– Grants are based on specific upgrades recommended by the adviser to improve the home\’s efficiency. Homeowners can decide which upgrades to complete, then hire contractors to have the work done.

© The Vancouver Province 2007