Is Burnaby a good place to live? Check these statistics first.

Statistics that matter about Michael Buble’s "home."

Burnaby Lake Regional Park

Photo by: Lan Ma Chan/IG

Introduction

“Another summer day has come and gone away

In Paris and Rome

But I wanna go home, mmm.”

Did you just sing this song? It was one of the most famous songs by Michael Buble, entitled “Home.” And speaking of Home by Michael Buble, do you know where he originally came from? 

Burnaby! 

The municipality that gives you that “Vancouver” feel not because it is the mini-version of Vancouver, but because Burnaby gives you the closest access to Vancouver. If you want to work in Vancouver and you don’t want to suffer from the Vancouver premium, then Burnaby is definitely the place for you. 

But to be honest, do you think this is all you need to know about Burnaby? 

Well, of course, there’s a lot more to be considered, and here are some of the statistics that you need to know before migrating or building your home at Burnaby. 

We categorized those statistics into three: 

• Statistics that could impact your physical well-being, 
• Statistics that could impact your economic well-being, and
• Statistics that could impact your mental well-being.  

Statistics for your Physical Well-being

Covid-19 updates 

Based on the news site, Burnabynow, another outbreak occurred at Burnaby’s long-term care facility that started last Nov.10. The outbreak took place at George Derby Centre, which accounted for 109 cases and 36 deaths, to which we extend our deepest sympathy. Fraser Health has already been proactively doing its best to help the facility and stop the spread of the virus. 

Based on the same source, about 218,801 cases were known since the province discovered its first case in January 2020. However, the good thing is that 97.5% of those who were infected recovered from the disease. The same source also reported that 90% of Burnaby hit a double vaccination rate since December this year, which is another good thing. This is the detailed percentage of vaccination rate based on the news site: 

• Northeast Burnaby: 93%
• Northwest Burnaby: 94%
• Southwest Burnaby: 92%
• Southeast Burnaby: 90%

From the statistics listed above, we can somehow conclude that the province is doing well in fighting the spread of the virus and protecting its citizens against it. If you want to know more about the government plans in detail, you may check their website or contact them at covid19@burnaby.ca. 

Statistics for your Economic Well-being

In this section, allow us to share Burnaby’s current economic situation and other statistics that could influence your economic well-being while living in the city. 

Population

Burnaby is considered the third most populous city in British Columbia after Vancouver and Surrey. According to the 2016 (latest) report by Statistics Canada, the city’s population is 232,755 and grew by 4.27% between 2011 - 2016.  

Financial Position

Based on Burnaby’s 2020 Annual Municipal report, the city operates on a surplus of $139M, up by almost $27M from 2019. The surplus level indicates Burnaby’s financial strength and long-term sustainability, according to the report. Since it is represented by the difference between Burnaby’s Financial Assets and Liabilities, operating on a surplus meant that the city has more assets than liabilities, and based on the report, those assets include civic buildings, recreation centers, parks, roads, water, and sewer infrastructure and land which could be a good indicator of the city’s growth. 

City’s revenue

From the previously mentioned report, the city revealed that its revenue increased to  $619.3 million--$33.2M higher from 2019. Burnaby’s revenue mainly came from the following sources: 

• Property taxes and sewer parcel taxes
• Sales of goods and services
• Investment income [3.2% interest on ave. (for the past five years) earned by investing the city’s reserve funds)]

Building Permits

In 2020, Burnaby issued 1007 permits which amounted to $1.4B. This contributed to an 18.3% increase in the total construction value of permits based on the same report. These figures indicated that the overall development activity in Burnaby for 2020 (latest) is strong. 

Statistics for your Mental Well-being

In considering a place where you want to stay for good, don’t just consider your physical and economic benefits. Make sure that your mental well-being is being taken care of as well. Without peace of mind and joy, earning a higher wage and being fit physically are not enough. So, in this article, we’ve also included statistics for your mental well-being.

Safety and Protection 

The government allocates much of its funds to “Protective Services,” and this has been increasing since 2016. In 2020(latest), Burnaby spent $122,665,009 on this function to ensure the safety and protection of its residents. 

Quality of Life 

The next information that we will present is the statistics that reveal the quality of life at Burnaby, which is also important in your mental well-being. 

59% of the city’s residents aged 15 years and older have a post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree (2016). This figure indicates how highly educated Burnaby residents are. (Disclaimer: While the level of education can be of good measure, we don’t limit the capacity of those who are not highly educated to live a life of high quality as well.) Numbeo, a site that provides more statistics through its respondents, reported that the Quality of Life in Burnaby is high at 177.80 (2021, latest report). Some of the outstanding indices used in measuring Burnaby’s quality of life are the following: 

• Climate Index (Very High)
• Health Care Index (High)
• Purchasing Power Index (High)

Please note that these data are only based on the site’s report, which depends on the respondents’ experiences who took part in their survey. It may or may not represent the case in every quadrant of Burnaby. 

Number of Travel Destinations 

With the current state of the pandemic, when travel restrictions between borders are implemented from time to time, this is another statistic that you need to consider. 

Burnaby is known as one of the North American places with a very high open-space-to-resident ratio. That being said, if you want a city that is not crowded yet, you may opt to settle at Burnaby. Here are some of the most popular parks in Burnaby:

Aside from those, The Metropolis at Metrotown, British Columbia's largest commercial mall, is also located in Burnaby. It is also recognized as the second-largest mall in Canada. Some more popular attractions in Burnaby are the following: 

• Burnaby Village Museum
• Simon Fraser University
• The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts

Final Thoughts 

How did you find the statistics listed above? Did it somehow give you an idea of your future life in Burnaby if you decided to build a home there? If you need some more statistics to help you balance your thoughts about Burnaby, check their official website or gather more information so that you’ll be prepared enough to start your home living in the place where Michael Buble came from! 

This article was last updated on Nov 29, 2023