Will your favourite place have bragging rights as one of Canada's Great Places?

CALGARY, AB, July 2, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The fourth Great Places in Canada competition is under way with Kensington in Calgary, Alberta and Îles de la Madeleine in Quebec as contestants for the title of Great Neighbourhood.

Canadians can visit www.GreatPlacesInCanada.ca to nominate their favourite street, neighbourhood or public space until August 19. The voting period will then begin on August 20 and last until September 25. The winners will be announced on World Town Planning Day, November 7.

"Canadians always get very engaged in this contest. It's very exciting to see how proud we are, as Canadians, of our country and all the beautiful places in it," says Michael Gordon, President of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) which hosts the competition.

Last year, over 100,000 people voted and 68 nominations were received. Grand Prize winners are selected on the basis of planning excellence as judged by a panel of experts. People's Choice Awards are based solely on the number of votes.

Winning nominators will receive fabulous prizes, and plaques will be awarded to the Grand Prize winning places.

So make sure to get your nomination in before August 19th, Canada!

Follow Great Places in Canada on Facebook and @GreatPlacesCA on Twitter for regular updates.

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Photos of last year's winners are available at www.greatplacesincanada.ca/en/media.asp

For interviews, contact:
Niki Kerimova                    Megan Stephens
niki@prpost.ca                   megan@prpost.ca
416-777-0368                    416-777-0368

VIA Rail Canada, as the national rail passenger service, provides efficient, environmentally sustainable and cost-effective passenger transportation to Canadian travellers, and service in both official languages. Every week VIA operates 503 intercity, transcontinental and regional trains linking 450 communities across its 12,500 kilometers route network. VIA transports over four million passengers annually. Please visit www.viarail.ca.

The Canadian Institute of Planners was established in 1919 and has a membership of 7,800 professional planners. The Institute collaborates with provincial affiliates to set professional standards for training, certification and best practices in planning across Canada.  Please visit www.cip-icu.ca.