Media Advisory - Livability Rankings - Subjective and Misleading Measurement Tools for Forging Urban Policy

CALGARY, June 2, 2015 /CNW/ - Politicians are big fans of quality-of-life rankings whenever their cities earn a top spot. But why can a city be ranked #3 on one list and #33 on another, within the same year? How is this possible? Thursday, June 4^th, in advance of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference, The School of Public Policy will release an eye-opening communiqué by Brian W. Conger that exposes livability rankings for what they are – a subjective hierarchy based on variables that should never be used to influence urban policy and can actually be detrimental to some cities.

WHAT:	Press conference to release communiqué "On Livability, Liveability and the Limited Utility of Quality-of-life".
WHEN:	Thursday, June 4^th, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. mountain
WHERE:	The Westin Hotel, Turner Valley room, 10135 100th St., Edmonton, AB

• The report will be released online at www.policyschool.ca/publications on Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. mountain time.

SOURCE The School of Public Policy - University of Calgary

Reporters desiring an advance and embargoed copy are invited to contact: Media Contact: Morten Paulsen, [email protected], 403.399.3377