Lacombe ranked fifth Best Place to Live in Canada

Lacombe, Alberta (July 31, 2018) – Lacombe has been ranked as fifth overall Best Place to Live in Canada, and the best place to live in Alberta in 2018 by MoneySense, Canada’s leading personal finance magazine and personal finance website. Red Deer ranked #4 in Alberta using the same criteria.

MoneySense surveyed 415 cities across Canada, looking to identify the best places to live in the country based on 10 categories: Wealth and economy, affordability, population growth, taxes, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities and culture.

“I am proud to be the mayor of the best city in which to live in western Canada,” said Mayor Grant Creasey. “While we try not to read too much into statistics, one thing is clear; Lacombe is a well- balanced, safe community with strengths in multiple areas. When you visit our community, you will be immediately struck by the friendliness and positive energy of our citizens. “

“Based on the MoneySense rankings, Lacombe is growing quickly and has a low and rapidly dropping unemployment rate,” said Chief Administrative Officer Matthew Goudy. “We have nine per cent more residents than five years ago, thanks in part to a strong local economy, high wages, affordable housing and a vibrant cultural scene.”

“Lacombe has always had a strong, diverse economy with federal and provincial government employers, educational institutions, and a mix of industrial and agricultural businesses,” said Community Economic Development Manager Guy Lapointe. “With Council’s renewed focus on economic development we are advancing strategies to continue attracting business to Lacombe.”

“Lacombe continues to be recognized as a safe community as evidenced by crime severity index data, which indicates both property and violent crimes are on the decline from what was already enviably low compared to other communities,” said Lacombe Police Chief Lorne Blumhagen. “The City’s ongoing commitment to residents’ safety and security is demonstrated through providing 24/7 policing to it’s citizens as well as through its recent investment in a new police facility and ongoing focus on policing that is rooted in community partnership.”

The magazine uses information on Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomeration areas as defined by Statistic Canada, weighing and ranking 415 cities and towns nationwide by various categories.

To find out more about the MoneySense rankings go to: https://www.moneysense.ca/spend/real- estate/canadas-best-places-to-live-2018-winner.