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Terrace ranks low on best places to live list

Mayor's challenge to Money Sense magazine goes unchallenged

TERRACE RANKS low for another year on the Money Sense magazine Best Places to Live List.

Terrace comes in at No. 169 out of 190, placing us in the bottom 10 per cent.

That's compared to our 164th place out of 179 last year, in the bottom eight per cent.

After the last report from this magazine, I invited the writer and management from the publication to come visit Terrace for a first hand look. They have not taken me up on that offer yet,” said mayor Dave Pernarowski, adding that in his view Terrace will always be Number 1.

The list compiles data from municipalities and Statistics Canada information and other sources, said the magazine on its website, where the list is located.

The list includes cities and towns with populations of more than 10,000.

Cities are ranked according to 22 categories and given an overall rating.

Categories included walk/bike to work, weather, population growth, unemployment, household income, new cars, crime, doctors, transit and amenities.

There is more to a community than just statistics on a page. Those stats don't accurately measure what Terrace is all about, said Pernarowski.

The stats don't reflect the billions of dollars of major projects firing up in the region that has already put Terrace in the national spotlight as a place to find high paying jobs, affordable housing and a lifestyle that would be the envy of many of the higher ranking cities in this best places to live survey.

We have room to improve and grow in this community but we've come a long way in recent years and the future is looking very solid for Terrace and the entire region.”

Other northwest cities on the list include Quesnel at 172, Prince Rupert at 179 and Williams Lake at 189.

The highest ranked B.C. city is Saanich at 15th place.

The top city for the third year in a row is Ottawa.

New this year are three more lists: Best Places to Retire (Terrace No. 80), Best Places to Raise Kids (Terrace No. 158) and Best Places for Jobs (Terrace No. 148).