THE BEST CANADIAN CITIES TO RAISE A FAMILY

When it comes to parenting, not all Canadian cities are created equal. We looked at our provincial capitals and cities with a population of over 80,000 to find you the most family-friendly communities in the country.

By Selena Ross

For day-to-day parenting, it's the little things that count. We ranked all 42 cities in each of the following 11 categories to judge their family appeal.

Transit: With kids in tow, parents need to get around with minimum hassle.

Median age: A young population is one measure of a kid-friendly city.

Infant mortality: The best benchmark for the overall health of a region.

Mat leave: An extra couple of weeks can make a difference to a new mom.

Daycare: Finding a spot can be a pain, but some parents have it easier.

Cost of food: Getting healthy food into the mouths of babes is a parent priority.

Mom groups: The more clubs for moms, the more welcoming the area for kids.

Intimate-partner violence: High rates of domestic abuse have far-reaching societal consequences.

Child and youth victims of crime: How dangerous will the streets be for your kids?

Libraries: A good place to connect with others; and the closer by, the better.

Park space: Playing and picnics mean quality time for families.

Sources: Statistics Canada, the Childcare Resource and Research Unit, city workers, city websites, municipalities, meetup.com. All information is from 2006 or later, except for infant-mortality rates, which are a three-year average taken from 2005 to 2007.

To see where Vancouver and other B.C. cities rank click here to view the entrie article.