When people ask where I live, I usually lie.
I'll say Saint John, New Brunswick, but simply because it's almost guaranteed that they don't know where the heck Quispamsis is. So, you can imagine how shocked I was to find my hometown sitting above major hubs like Vancouver and cute West Coast towns like Oak Bay and White Rock, on a recent ranking of Canada's Most Livable Cities.
This wasn't just a random list either – this is The Globe and Mail's annual analysis of 454 cities across the country, weighing "60 variables across 10 categories, from health care and safety to housing and climate resilience." It's legitimate enough to make me pause and consider that my tiny community has stood out among all the other small Canadian towns, as one of the top places to live.
Quispamsis rose up 84 spots from last year on the ranking, scoring the #8 spot, right in front of Vancouver. It's slightly ironic, since I fled my hometown to go live in Vancouver for a couple of years. It's a tale as old as time here — trading in the small-town East Coast for the bustling West.
While Vancouver has Michelin-starred restaurants and city beaches, my town boasts three Tim Hortons within a five-kilometre radius. We're also currently piled under an amount of snow that Vancouverites have never seen the likes of — so it's difficult to imagine a world in which the Qusipamsis lifestyle outranks the West Coast.
Unlike some small towns in Ontario or B.C., my home isn't even near a major city. The closest thing we've got to that is Halifax, which is a solid four-hour drive (one that my friends and I frequently brave just to get to an Aritzia store). Uber is still a futuristic concept that hasn't reached us, and don't even get me started on how long you have to wait for your online orders to arrive (which you need to place, because shopping is slim pickings here).
Despite it all, there is a reason I moved home, as many New Brunswickers who venture away do. This ranking was a welcome reminder that while everything may close by 4 p.m., there's only one decent take-out spot in town, and you can't go to the grocery store without bumping into someone from high school — Quispamsis is a great place to live.
All in all, I can see why my little town is making waves, going head-to-head with some of Canada's most beloved destinations — and here's why.
Quispamsis might just be a diamond in the rough
The Globe and Mail describes my home as being "tucked along densely wooded river shorelines and lakeside trails on the outskirts of Saint John."
They pinpointed my favourite part of life here — the nature. The Kennebecasis River is the selling point of this area, and a drive down Rothesay Road (hugging the riverfront) will show you why. On a calm day with the sun shining and the rolling mountains off in the distance, there's nothing as scenic as the river. There's a smattering of parks along its banks, making it easy to get your fix of natural beauty during your after-work stroll.
Being nestled along the river is special, but the sprawling nature of the Maritimes is at our doorstep, ready to be explored.
Short drives can bring you to the sandy shore of the Bay of Fundy, where you can breathe in the salty air, or to dense woods that are filled with the noises of nature instead of city sounds.
Funday National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the country (in my slightly biased opinion), and it's just an hour's drive away from us.
Our entire region is known for its beauty, and weekend getaways from Quispamsis are to places like Nova Scotia's South Shore and Prince Edward Island's red sand beaches.
Summer is when most of the Maritimes comes alive, everyone desperate to soak up the few too-short months of warm weather.
A walk in the summetime.Morgan Leet | Narcity
Between the blooming nature and classic small-town activities that make me feel like I'm in a movie (nothing says summer night like the drive-in), that's the time I appreciate my hometown most.
People at a drive-in movie.Morgan Leet | Narcity
The ranking also highlighted our town's amenities, with increased transportation this year helping connect residents to the local parks, tennis park, swimming pool, and skating rink.
While I still think our public transit has a long way to go (this town does not have the walkability of others), the amenities are top-notch. In the summer, you'll see pickleball courts filled to the brim, yoga in the community parks, and manicured flowerbeds that give a certain Stars Hollow quality to the town.
In the wintertime, there's nothing more wholesome than driving past our nearby outdoor skating rink, where families skate under the glow of twinkling lights, and music plays over the speakers.
The closest city to us is Saint John — about 20 minutes away —,and while it's far from bustling, it does offer a certain charm. The Uptown streets are lined with historic buildings, and throughout them you'll find a few boutique shops, great restaurants, and bars. It's not technically in Quispamsis, but it does let us get a sprinkling of city life when we need it.
Don't just pick up and move here
Look, Quispamsis may now be officially ranked among the top 10 most livable cities in Canada, but don't just take that as a sign to pack up and move here without a second thought. Trust me – we know many Ontarians who have done just that, and live to regret it (or at the very least question their decision-making skills).
I think people get caught up in the Hallmark version of small-town living and race from the big cities to embrace slow-paced Maritime life, only to realize it comes with drawbacks. There are lots of perks (see above), but it's not for everyone.
Like most things in life, it's a trade-off. You may not have many places to go out on a Friday night (or Saturday, or any day really), but people tend to open up their homes more. It's slow and often boring, but the community shows up and shows out for what we do have going on. It's tight-knit, familiar, and special to feel a part of.
I might be watching too much Parks and Recreation lately, so am at risk of sounding like Leslie Knope, but my little town on the outskirts of Saint John (while a slightly random addition to this ranking) is a pretty great place to call home.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.