As we wrapped up 2025, Ottawa earned a spot among the World’s Best Cities 2026, ranking 73rd globally, one of only three Canadian cities to make the Top 100, and second in the country overall.
We’ve always known Ottawa is a great place to live, work, and build something meaningful. It turns out the rest of the world is catching on.
Here’s a brief synopsis of Ottawa’s recent accolades.
Ending 2025 on a Global Stage
The World’s Best Cities 2026 ranking, produced by Resonance Consultancy in partnership with Ipsos, evaluates cities based on a mix of perception data and performance indicators that correlate strongly with talent attraction, business formation, and long-term economic growth.
Ottawa stood out not just for livability, but for its people.
Among all cities worldwide, Ottawa ranked fourth globally for educational attainment, a reflection of one of our region’s greatest strengths: a highly educated, diverse, and globally connected workforce.
Nearly a quarter of Ottawa’s residents were born outside Canada, helping fuel growth across knowledge-based industries ranging from cleantech and life sciences to aerospace, AI, and defence technology.
The ranking also highlighted momentum across Ottawa’s urban landscape. Continued investment in innovation districts, major development at LeBreton Flats, transit-oriented growth along the LRT corridor, and renewed cultural and recreational spaces are reshaping the city in visible ways.
Add in a strong showing for green space and even a solid weather ranking, and it is clear Ottawa is stepping confidently onto the global stage as a cosmopolitan city in its own right.
Why These Rankings Matter
These recognitions are more than just bragging rights. They reinforce something Invest Ottawa sees every day. Cities that attract and retain talent are the same cities that grow innovative companies, draw investment, and compete globally.
Ottawa’s strength lies in the intersection of talent, livability, and opportunity. A highly educated workforce supports world-class research and innovation. A strong quality of life helps companies recruit and retain that talent. Together, they create the conditions for sustainable economic growth.
That is why Ottawa continues to see momentum across sectors like defence and security, technology, life sciences, clean technology, and advanced manufacturing. It is also why more founders, investors, and global companies are choosing to build here.
A City Built for What Comes Next
Ottawa has long been working away while larger cities claimed the spotlight. These rankings signal a shift. The city is no longer just Canada’s capital – Ottawa is a place where people want to live, where companies want to grow, and where global talent wants to land.
We ended 2025 on a global list. We’re starting 2026 at the top of another. We’ve always known Ottawa is a great place to call home. Now, it seems the world agrees.
Shoebox enables hearing care around the world. It creates, sells, and supports products that help clinicians identify hearing loss. The maker of Shoebox, Clearwater Clinical, hit a huge milestone in 2018 when they entered a strategic partnership with international hearing device company 
Transforming our data-driven world takes talent, and MindBridge is where it’s happening. This is where you’ll take artificial intelligence to enable and inspire humans to do more and be better. Our people, our customers, and our investors agree: No one else is accomplishing what we’re doing with data-driven AI right now. 
Tehama is enabling the digital workplace of the future. 150 companies are using Tehama. 600,000+ hours of IT services delivered. Zero breaches. The company’s head office is in the heart of the highly desirable Westboro neighborhood of Ottawa where you have your pick of the best of Ottawa’s cafes, restaurants and shops. Prefer to work from home? Tehama offers remote working options and flexible core hours. Join a team of the best and brightest and enjoy competitive salaries, benefits and a commitment to YOUR long-term success. 
Spartan Bioscience aspires to unleash the power of DNA testing for everyone. Like the Spartan warriors of Ancient Greece, our smart, hard-working, and honorable team members get things done. Learn