VANCOUVER — It seems Vancouver has gone from being one of the world's most livable cities to "mind-numbingly boring" in the space of nine months — at least according to The Economist.
Last August, the magazine rated Vancouver as the third-most livable city in the world, but now it says the city's lack of danger and grit makes it just too darn nice.
And nice, says a column in the magazine, means Vancouver is in the same ultra-boring league as Vienna, which The Economist happened to put in second place in the most-livable cities ranking.
Tourism Vancouver spokeswoman Amber Sessions says the city's natural beauty, laid-back vibe and recreational opportunities are nothing to snooze about.
She says those qualities just happened to attract nearly nine million visitors last year — though Vancouverites are hardly the type to get defensive about anything.
As for Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, he says the city compensates for its lack of garbage and smog with adventure and deep culture — the kind that doesn't need to be spoon-fed.
