Canada's 2026 university rankings are out and McGill finally beat U of T at something
Canada's latest university rankings just dropped, and for once, McGill came out on top (in one area, at least).
Maclean's released its 2026 university rankings on October 14, breaking down how schools across the country stack up when it comes to research, reputation, and student experience. The long-running list, published every fall since 1991, is one of Canada's most-watched education reports, and this year, it brought some good news for students in Quebec.
Maclean's divided universities into three categories — Medical Doctoral, Comprehensive, and Primarily Undergraduate — to compare schools fairly.
Here's how McGill and other Quebec schools performed.
McGill took the top spot
Just like last year, McGill University ranked #1 in the Medical Doctoral category. McGill edged out the University of Toronto, which has been dominating the Montreal institution in global university rankings, to claim the top spot. The category ranked Canada's largest research universities, including colleges with medical schools, PhD programs, and major research funding.
According to Maclean's, McGill attracts some of the brightest students from across Canada and abroad, and its mix of academic excellence and diversity helps fuel its strong global reputation. The school has also produced more Rhodes Scholars and Nobel laureates than any other Canadian university, with 12 Nobel Prizes credited to its faculty and graduates.
The top five for 2026 are:
- McGill University
- University of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- University of Alberta
- (tie) University of Calgary / McMaster University
How Quebec universities fared
Other major schools across Quebec had a strong showing across multiple categories this year, including the Medical Doctoral category:
- Université de Montréal placed 11th
- Université Laval ranked 12th
- Université de Sherbrooke came in 15th
In the Comprehensive category (for universities with a balance of research and diverse undergraduate programs), Simon Fraser University topped the list, followed by University of Victoria and University of Waterloo. Montreal's Concordia University ranked 9th, while UQAM placed 11th.
For the Primarily Undergraduate category, which highlights smaller, teaching-focused schools, Mount Allison University in New Brunswick took first place, while Quebec's Bishop's University, based in Sherbrooke, made the top 10 at #9.
Toronto still leads on reputation
Alongside the main rankings, Maclean's also released a National Reputational Ranking, which combines all categories into one national list based on surveys with academics, administrators, and employers.
On that front, the University of Toronto, considered Canada's top school by Times Higher Education, took the top spot, followed by UBC, McGill, and the University of Alberta.
In Maclean's separate list for total research dollars, U of T ranked first among Medical Doctoral universities with more than $647,000 in research income per faculty member — far ahead of McGill’s $410,000, which placed third.
Between rising research budgets, new programs, and shifting rankings, next year's list could look a little different, but for now, Montreal can enjoy a few wins.
In the meantime, you can explore Maclean's full rankings for 2026 here.
