Toronto has been ranked the fourth safest city in the world behind Tokyo, Singapore and Osaka, according to a newly-released index by The Economist Intelligence Unit.
Tokyo has been named as the world’s safest city for the second consecutive time while the U.S. cracks the list in 15th spot with San Francisco. For the 2017 edition of the biennial report, analysts examined 60 cities across 49 indicators that covered everything from digital, health, infrastructure and personal security, to determine which cities can call themselves the world’s safest destinations.
The Economist says the same factors that make cities economic and social successes can also make them vulnerable, particularly with extra pressure on infrastructure and services like housing and healthcare. Thirty-one cities in the world are now classified as ‘megacities’ – i.e. they have a population over 10 million – with that number expected to rise to 41 cities by 2030.
“While cities generate economic activity, the security challenges they face expand and intensify as their populations rise,” reads the report. “These include growing pressure on housing supply (prompting the spread of slums) and services such as healthcare, transport, and water and power infrastructure.”
For the purposes of the report, digital security is defined as the strength of a city’s cyber security and internet access, while health security measures air and water quality, along with healthcare. Personal security considers crime, violence and police engagement, while infrastructure security looks at transportation, and vulnerability to natural and terrorist strikes.
Overall, the top 10 is made up of four Asian cities (Tokyo 1, Singapore 2, Osaka 3, Hong Kong 9) and three cities in Europe (Amsterdam 6, Stockholm 8, Zurich 10). Melbourne and Sydney are ranked at No. 5 and 7 respectively.
The other cities ranked in the survey include London 20, New York 21, Paris 24, Abu Dhabi 28, Beijing 32, Delhi 43, Bangkok 49, Manila 55, Dhaka 58, Yangoon 59 and Karachi 60.
