Halifax is a great city to live in. It is on the ocean with a relatively moderate climate (the ocean moderates the temp a bit better than in central Canada). Housing costs are reasonable, economy is strong (we basically were not touched by the Global recession) and low employment. People are friendly.
About 350,000 people... a big university town... so it is big enough to have all of the amenities of a big city but without the big city/concrete jungle feeling. I often think of Halifax as being the same type of city as Boston... just smaller.
Bad? No pro sports teams.
My second choice is Vancouver... much larger, closer to the US, on the ocean but the major benefit being the mountains. Milder climate than Halifax. Issue here is WAY crazy high housing costs but incomes are not representative of having the highest residential property values in the country. Also, next major earthquake and California and Southern BC disappear
