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Maclean’s annual university rankings: Western schools on the rise

Universities in Western Canada improved their place on the national landscape, with all four British Columbia schools ranking near the top of their categories.

The rise in prominence of western schools was marked in the annual lists of best Canadian universities, released by Maclean's on Thursday.

The three lists rank medical, comprehensive and undergraduate programs and are often dominated by schools in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

The lists are included in a special issue of the magazine, described as "a holy book for anyone planning their education in Canada" by its creators.

[ Related: Regina, Saskatchewan universities improve in Maclean's rankings ]

While eastern schools remained the cream — including McGill, which ranked first in the Medical Doctoral category for the eighth-straight year — several western universities improved their rankings.

Via Maclean's:

If there's one trend in the rankings, it's the rise of the West. Every university from Saskatchewan to the Pacific Ocean maintains or improves its standing. All four of British Columbia's ranked universities placed in the top two in their categories.

The list of medical doctoral schools remained relatively unchanged from last year, save from the University of British Columbia's move from third to second place, passing the University of Toronto.

The University of Saskatchewan also moved up one spot in the ranking, to ninth.

Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria continued to rank as Canada's two best comprehensive universities — those with significant research activity and a variety of programs.

View the Maclean's rankings:

Medical Doctoral University Ranking

Comprehensive University Ranking

Primarily Undergraduate University Ranking

The University of New Brunswick saw the biggest improvement, jumping to fourth from sixth place last year. Maclean's said the school's ranking was "buoyed by a low student-faculty ratio, high total research dollars, a high operating budget and its libraries."

The University of Northern British Columbia ranked second in the undergraduate category, up from third last year, behind only New Brunswick's Mount Allison University.

According to the Vancouver Sun, the magazine ranked UNBC first in total research dollars and second in the category of best student-faculty.