Revealed: The Best and Worst Cities in Canada for Curly Hair

Curly hair care isn’t just about products, it’s also about place. From sky-high humidity to hard water and a lack of curl-friendly salons, your city’s environment might be helping or hurting your hair more than you think.

To find out where in Canada curls thrive (and where frizz takes over), we ranked 18 major cities using three key factors: humidity levels, water hardness, and access to curl specialists and salons.

The results? Regina topped the list for curl-friendly living, while St. John’s ranked dead last. Explore the full list below and find out how your city stacks up.

Top 5 Most Curl-Friendly Canadian Cities

These cities offer the best combination of dry or moderate climates and easy access to specialized curl stylists.

Rank City Salons / 100k Climate Rank Key Climate Pros
1 Regina 4.23 4 The Gold Standard: Highest salon density in Canada combined with a dry, curl-friendly climate.
2 Saskatoon 2.14 3 Highly Balanced: Great climate (Rank 3) and the 3rd highest salon density.
3 Edmonton 1.4 2 Reliable: Very dry climate (Rank 2) and respectable salon access.
4 Calgary 0.85 1 Climate King: The best environment for curls in Canada, though salon density is lower than the top three.
5 Victoria 1.5 5 Coastal Winner: Best climate of the coastal cities with solid salon access.

5 Least Curl-Friendly Cities

These cities are difficult for curls due to either extreme environmental moisture (which can cause frizz) and/or a severe lack of specialised salons.

Rank City Salons / 100k Climate Rank Key Climate Pros
1 St. John’s 0 18 The Worst: Zero specialized salons combined with the one of the most humid, rainy climates in Canada.
2 Brampton 0.77 15 Frizz Risk: Low salon access combined with a humid summer climate that kills curl definition.
3 Winnipeg 0.8 17 Inconsistent: One of the worst climates for curls (extreme shifts in weather) and very few salons per capita.
4 Quebec City 0.18 10 Stylist Desert: While the climate is moderate, there is almost no professional support for curly hair.
5 Toronto 1.14 11 Crowded & Humid: Despite a high total number of salons, the massive population means long waits or competition for cuts, and the humidity is a constant battle.

Extreme dryness, humidity, and hard water are some of the things we have to deal with as curlies in Canadian cities. Where you live can drastically affect how your hair behaves.

Knowing what you’re up against helps you care for your curls with confidence. The effects of your environment can be reduced with simple changes to your routine.

We hope this data encourages more curl specialists to operate in areas that are lacking in access. These experts can make specific recommendations for their clients based on their individual environments.


Samantha Cross,
Curl Expert at Curl Warehouse

Find a Local Curl Specialist

Disclaimer: *Curl Warehouse provides this information for reference, but does not specifically endorse or recommend any of the salons listed and cannot guarantee results.

Know a curly hair salon that should be on our map? Recommend your favourite certified curl specialist using the form here.

How the Data Was Collected

  • To find Canada’s most and least curl-friendly cities, we looked at two factors: access to curl-specialist salons and environmental conditions that affect textured hair.
  • Salon access was measured using the DevaCurl Salon Finder, the Cadō Stylist Locator, and the Rezo Stylist Locator to identify salons with certified curl-specialist training. Searches were run within a 10-mile radius from major city centres, counting only certified stylists and locations. Totals were calculated per 100,000 residents using the latest population data. This is not to say other curl specialists don’t exist in the same cities, however independently trained stylist information is not as readily available. We used the measure of DevaCurl, Cadō, and Rezo stylists to indicate how common curl specialists are in an area.
  • Environmental data came from Climate. Top (humidity, precipitation, temperature) and AquaTell’s Water Hardness Directory, plus municipal/government water reports where needed.
  • Cities were ranked on a combined score reflecting salon availability, humidity, water hardness, and precipitation, offering a full picture of where curls thrive and where they face the toughest challenges.

Why It Matters

Your city’s environment plays a bigger role in your hair routine than you might think. This data-driven guide is the first of its kind in Canada, helping curl-conscious consumers better understand how local conditions affect their hair health.