Canada Named Second Most Progressive Country In The World

Canada is the second most progressive country in the world when it comes to social and environmental performance, according to a report by the Social Progressive Imperative. Finland nabbed the top spot, with Canada beating out 132 other countries including Australia, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Canada has been grabbing international headlines for its tolerance and inclusivity from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marching in the Toronto Pride Parade (the first prime minister to do so) to its welcoming of Syrian refugees. According to the 2016 Social Progress Index, Canada has even more going on – but there’s always room for improvement.

The 2016 Social Progress Index was recently released by the Social Progress Imperative. Covering approximately 94 percent of the world’s population, the report explores 53 unique indicators, dividing them into three main categories: Basic Human Needs, Opportunity and Foundation of Wellbeing. The Social Progress Imperative used data from a range of sources in order to measure a nation’s ability to meet both the environmental and social needs of its citizens.
When it comes to social wellbeing and quality of life, Canada came in second. The nation is known for its social welfare policies, and also leads in the Opportunity category thanks to personal rights, tolerance and education. The nation ranked first in Access to Advanced Education; the report attributes this to Canada’s top-ranking universities and notes it may also be a sign of Canada’s multicultural model.

That’s not to say the country is perfect: Canada ranked lower for some environmental factors, including waste water treatment and greenhouse gas emissions. Residents of Toronto and Vancouver won’t be surprised to hear Canada ranked lower when it comes to the availability of affordable housing.
The Social Progress Index aims to understand the success of societies beyond just economic outcomes. The report is also the “first comprehensive framework for measuring social progress that is independent of GDP, but complementary to it.”

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.