Get the best of Vancouver in your inbox, every Tuesday and Thursday. Sign up for our free newsletter. 

When it comes to living in Vancouver, opinions can be polarizing. While we often lament the high living costs, we frequently claim that it’s worth it due to accessibility to the best of what nature offers—but what do the stats say?

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade commissioned The Business of Cities to conduct its inaugural Benchmarking Greater Vancouver Report, which evaluates how we stack up to our international peer cities based on economic performance, infrastructure, and liveability.

“We have the third-biggest gap in performance between the inner city and whole region, when all core measures of infrastructure, culture, amenities, and efficiency are considered amongst the peer group,” shares Bridgitte Anderson, president and CEO of the Grater Vancouver Board of Trade, in a statement. “This gap could become more pronounced as the city grows outward.”

Here are some highlights from the report:

• Out of 11 recognized future-facing industries, Vancouver is notably in the global top 50.
• Even in the face of a global pandemic, Vancouver’s rapid transit ridership has shown resilience. Our bounce-back rate was stronger than any other major North American region.
• Greater Vancouver has the second-highest share (40 per cent) of people who can easily walk to high-capacity public transport among its 20 peers.
• The global public sees it as the 8th most liveable city in the world.

Here are some key challenges Vancouver is facing:

• With car reliance growing more sharply than elsewhere, we risk increased congestion.
• Homeownership in Greater Vancouver is more unaffordable than in most other English-speaking housing markets. The average renter spends more of their income on housing than in any English-speaking peer city.

Read the full report here.