Canadian spot named a top 'city to watch' in North America
A Canadian spot was just spotlighted in a prestigious global ranking, naming it a top city in North America to watch, and it may be a surprise to some.
The Oxford Economic Global Cities Index 2026 report was recently released, ranking 1,000 of the largest cities around the globe based on economic, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance.
New York and London remain at the top of the Index, largely due to the size of their economies and the strength of their labour market. The upper reaches of the index were dominated by cities in Europe and North America, taking 78 of the first 100 spots in the rankings.
New for this year’s report was the Cities to Watch section highlighting the top places in each region that experts believe are generating significant steam and likely to climb the rankings in the coming years.
“These places are emblematic of the range of opportunities across the globe and make clear that national analysis can only take you so far – so much going on below the surface, with cities and regions regularly outperforming their national economy, and offering substantial growth opportunities for investors. These cities are emblematic of that diversity,” the report stated.
The only Canadian city to land in this section, and one of just five in North America, was Alberta’s capital city of Edmonton.
Laine Mitchell/Daily Hive
The report touted that Edmonton, Canada’s fifth-largest city, is best known for its role in the country’s significant oil and gas industry. In addition to being tied to that sector, the city is also in the process of diversifying its economy to support more sustainable, long-term growth.
Edmonton is among North America’s fastest-growing urban economies, with strong gains in GDP, employment, and population; the report also shows strong support for Edmonton’s affordability compared to Canada’s other major cities and notes that it hosts various food and cultural festivals year-round.
A commitment to this diversification, combined with the city’s structural advantages, suggests Edmonton is poised to make significant gains in the Global Cities Index in the coming decade, making it a key city to watch in North America.
Overall, looking at the top cities ot watch in North America, the report noted that despite a series of global headwinds in recent years, several metros across North America have defied expectations to post steady gains across a broad swath of sectors. The five picked — Boise, Durham, Jacksonville, San Antonio, and Edmonton — “epitomize the continent’s exceptionalism, combining strong productivity increases with robust and diverse employment growth.”
Overall, on Oxford Economics ‘ 1,000 global cities list, 103 cities in North America made the cut.
Toronto, Ont., was the highest-ranked city in Canada, in 20th place. Vancouver, B.C., came in 24th place, followed by Montreal, Que., in 62nd and Calgary, Alta., in 69th place, respectively.
Edmonton, Alta., placed 125th overall.
Oxford Economic Global Cities Index 2026
You can check out the full Oxford Economic Global Cities Index 2026 report online.
Do you agree that Edmonton should be considered a top city to watch in North America? Let us know in the comments.