Montreal is recognized as one of the 20 friendliest cities in the world, and it’s the only Canadian city on the list.

The ranking was based on a survey of 18,500 residents from cities around the world, who rated their city on factors such as happiness, culture, green spaces, and how “welcoming and friendly the people are.”

As a result, Montreal ranked 17th in the world, ahead of other Canadian cities. Although the American cities of Chicago and New Orleans ranked higher, Montreal is still one of the top three North American cities on the list, a remarkable achievement for a bilingual city known for its harsh winters and streets in need of repair.

Globally, Porto in Portugal was named the friendliest city in the world, with 85 percent of the vote. Bilbao in Spain and Medellin in Colombia came in second and third, respectively.