Most surveys are biased and not of much use.  The ‘best’ cities, the ‘best’ countries, the ‘coolest’ enclaves….Canada is now and quite improbably ranked #1 amongst richer states in which to do business.  It is still a high-tax, highly regulated political economy of course.  In Canada however, unlike in Europe and America there is at the Federal level a very slow trend towards tax reform and in some cases reduction, some but not much in the way of spending restraint on certain parts of the welfare-state; and less governmental intrusion in the political economy, leaving a state which is still confiscatory and coercive but whose growth has somewhat slowed.   Canada is a statist – socialist construct and one in which total Federal and local debt is 800% of GDP…. Welfare, pension, social programs and Green Tech scams still abound and grow.  45 % of the economy is directly controlled and owned by government.  There is no military to speak off and the big-brained leftists and marxists represent at least half of the voting electorate – and usually the shrillest and most deranged.

The list is notable for 2 factors:  1.  The smaller the country the better off it is.  And 2.  The demonic statist-socialist destruction of Europe and the USA make Canada and other more sane states look very good by comparsion. Caveats should abound.  Do you really believe that Ireland is a great investment opportunity right now?  Or that Denmark is better than say Chile?  I don't.  It depends on an innumerable list of factors and preferences, including inter-alia market access, labor quality, capital availability, regulatory burdens, and political stability.  Lists like rules are made to be ignored.  

Forbes