Montreal earns high ranking among Gen Z: lifestyle study

A new study places Montreal among the list of top ten best cities in the world for generation Z. The study, which was which looked at several factors relating to digitalization, lifestyle, principles and economy gave Montreal a score of 95.4.

Led by European fashion brand, Peek & Cloppenburg and research agency Urbanity Impact, the data compared 100 cities worldwide to see which ones were best suited for Gen Zers.

For this converted Montrealer, the ranking is well-merited.

“I would consider myself a Montrealer right now, proud to be in the city and be able to see it grow and all the development, all the things cultural wise that we have has a lot to offer,” said Roberto Porres, co-founder and co-owner of Barocco Group.

Originally from Vancouver, content creator Karolina Jez has been able to call Montreal home for the past twelve years. She says one of the main factors behind her move to the east coast was affordability.

“I feel like the city kind of runs on a very young energy, and I think that also makes it more exciting. I think there’s a lot of opportunities here for young people,” said Jez.

“As somebody that used to live on the west, coming here was for me the best decision ever. I found between and especially when I moved during my younger years, I found that between the affordability of living here, which was very attainable and I still think in comparison to the big cities like Toronto, Vancouver is still very, very fair.”

However, not all Gen Zers agree on the affordability factor.

“For the nightlife, for activities, it is the best thing like it is. We have festivals, we have concerts, we have free stuff, we have festivals all summer is an igloo fest and whatever you need to actually enjoy being a youngster. But it costs a lot, a lot, and is costing more and more and more,” said one person CityNews spoke to.

Another stated, “Pricing costs for maybe houses or cars or everything in Canada and Quebec especially has been pretty bad recently and I just think that as a kid with the college debts and all that, it’s pretty hard for Gen Zers to just live, especially if they’re living alone.”

But, there was one thing most Montrealers CityNews spoke to claimed made the city a special place to live in. Its people.

“I feel like our generation has a lot of like newer opinions in a way, or like opinions I might like, differ from, like, other generations that are more like conservative and stuff. And since people are so open-minded here because it’s a lot of like mixed ethnicity, at ease and sexualities and genders and everything.”

Others also say what distinguishes Montreal from other big cities – is its small-town feel and opportunities.

“It’s like an underdog or like a well-kept secret that we have here in Montreal. And it definitely deserves that ranking,” stated Porres.