By all metrics, Canada is one of the best countries in the world to live. We consistently rank in the top 10 for things like global reputation, migrant desirability, overall quality of life.
Well, add another to the list. According to U.S. News, Canada is the fourth-best country in the world to raise a child. The ranking draws from a global perceptions-based survey, so shoutout to whoever’s doing our PR.
Countries were evaluated on eight factors: caring about human rights, being considered family-friendly, its environment for gender equality, being seen as happy, having income equality, being safe, and having well-developed public education and well-developed health care systems. Good thing childcare affordability wasn’t considered.
Canada was recognized for its 17 weeks of maternity leave and employment insurance. Not bad, but it should come as no surprise that Denmark, Sweden, and Norway topped the ranking, respectively. In Denmark, both parents are given 52 weeks of paid parental leave. Mothers are entitled to four weeks of maternity leave before the expected due date. Each parent in Sweden is allowed 480 days of paid parental leave. In Norway, mothers can take 46 weeks at full pay or 56 weeks at 80% pay; fathers can take up to 10 weeks.
Our neighbours to the south, meanwhile, ranked a not great, not terrible 18th. Here’s the top 10:
- 1. Denmark
- 2. Sweden
- 3. Norway
- 4. Canada
- 5. Netherland
- 6. Finland
- 7. Switzerland
- 8. New Zealand
- 9. Australia
- 10. Austria