Fort McMurray, Alberta – technically the largest unincorporated “city” in the province – has plenty to brag about heading into Valentine’s Day, because it snagged the top spot on Amazon Canada’s list of Most Romantic Cities. For the last seven years, Victoria, British Columbia held the top spot, but this year that all changed. Fort McMurray climbs to No. 1 from its previous No.3 standing to show that there’s some competition for its western neighbour.
The eleventh annual ranking was compiled by comparing sales data from January 1, 2019 to January 1, 2020 on a per capita basis in cities with more than 20,000 residents. The data looks at purchases of romance novels (both print and Kindle editions), romantic comedies, relationship books, jewellery and sexual wellness products.
This year, the Top 20 Most Romantic Cities in Canada are:
A deeper look at the data revealed the following:
- New Love Across the Nation: Sparks flew in new cities this year, with 14 cities that did not rank in last year’s list making their way into the coveted top 20 spots.
- Capitals of Our Hearts: The nation’s capital displayed loved for more than just the country this year with Ottawa sliding into the top 10 at spot No. 6. Toronto, Yellowknife, Victoria, Whitehorse, and Edmonton all also represent capitals of their respective provinces/territories!
- Lovable, Classic and Silly Films: While some of the best-selling movies this year are classics, such as I Love Lucy, Pretty Woman, Titanic, Sleepless in Seattle, and Love Actually, one newcomer to the top of the list is the playful 1995 film A Goofy Movie.
- Relationship 101 is in Session: This past year, Canadians were eager to learn how to make the most of their relationships diving into best-selling books including The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman and Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson EdD.