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Have any of you naysayers walked in and around downtown Toronto on a nice day? The sidewalks are so packed with people and activity it's hard to walk sometimes, and there's ALWAYS something interesting going on day and night. Only New York City really has Toronto beat for pedestrian volume and street level activity, and even New York can't offer everything you can find in Toronto.
Ok, now this commenter is flat-out crazy. Toronto streetlife can't match that of Montreal, Chicago or SF. I would rank Boston, Philly and DC slightly ahead too. Now it's topping NYC?
I didn't mean to imply that Minneapolis was lacking in clout, urban amenities or arts and culture, I know it's a progressive city with a vibrant creative scene and a cool vibe. All I meant was that compared to Toronto it would seem rather low density, spaced out and quiet. I like Minneapolis, it's the most livable city in the Midwest, IMO. Sorry for coming off as an arrogant blowhard in my post, that wasn't my intention.
No problem--sometimes those of us in The Midwest get a little over-defensive. A lot of folks on the coasts seem to think that Chicago is the only real city in between the two oceans, and even Chicago sometimes gets shortchanged.
Back to Toronto--it would be a lot easier to compare Toronto to a city in a country that meets the same general profile as Canada: the most important city in an economically developed country which has a vast geographic area, but relatively few large population centers. In my mind, I've long thought of Toronto as an international sibling to Sydney. But that's not what the OP is asking about, so on to The US.
The biggest problem is in finding a way to compare one country's most prominent city with cities a little further down the list in another country. I think we need to start with looking at the hierarchy of US cities, then determine where on the list Toronto would theoretically come in were it in The US. While there are a lot of US cities to which Toronto could be compared on some criteria, I'll answer the question by giving my opinion on which city it best compares to in terms of international importance.
Looking at US cities by CSA, and comparing them to The GTA+Hamilton; It's safe to say that New York is well out of reach. I think Los Angeles is likewise off the table. Chicago, Washington, San Francisco, and Boston are all in the 8-10 million range in population.Then there are five additional cities clustered in the same general population range as Toronto: Philadelphia, Houston. Dallas, Atlanta, and Miami.
Size of course isn't everything, and I think Toronto's unique role as Canada's first city jumps it above those last five cities listed. The international renown and influence of Chicago and San Francisco push those two above Toronto, and Washington's role as a national capital does the same for Washington.
I think that if Toronto was a US city, it would be in the sixth position. All things considered, my subjective opinion would lead to Boston as being most like Toronto in importance, although I do think Toronto is a small notch above.
Why not just compare Toronto to cities in a country with similar profile as Canada? Like Australia or other developed nations? I feel it's bit awkward to compare Toronto to U.S. cities like LA, SF, Boston as those cities occupy very different roles in America than Toronto is to Canada.
Ok, now this commenter is flat-out crazy. Toronto streetlife can't match that of Montreal, Chicago or SF. I would rank Boston, Philly and DC slightly ahead too. Now it's topping NYC?
Atticman has always been holding this unrealistically inflated, almost megalomaniac opinion of Toronto.
In reality, if Toronto/Montreal/Vancouver/Ottawa are all put into one city, it hardly matches New York City in terms of almost everything.
But I think you are overrating DC, Boston and Philly.
Atticman has always been holding this unrealistically inflated, almost megalomaniac opinion of Toronto.
In reality, if Toronto/Montreal/Vancouver/Ottawa are all put into one city, it hardly matches New York City in terms of almost everything.
But I think you are overrating DC, Boston and Philly.
The more I read the posts on these type of threads the more I realize that people look at these things very differently. I guess we all have to agree to disagree.
The more I read the posts on these type of threads the more I realize that people look at these things very differently. I guess we all have to agree to disagree.
It's true but I doubt a strong majority of people would agree that when it comes to street-level urban vibe, Toronto is head and shoulders above all of the other Canadian cities and almost all of the U.S. ones as well, with only New York truly outdistancing it.
It's a pretty comical idea to suggest that Toronto is in a class by itself on this landmass for almost all urbanista-favoured metrics, and that only NYC is truly worthy of outclassing it.
It's true but I doubt a strong majority of people would agree that when it comes to street-level urban vibe, Toronto is head and shoulders above all of the other Canadian cities and almost all of the U.S. ones as well, with only New York truly outdistancing it.
It's a pretty comical idea to suggest that Toronto is in a class by itself on this landmass for almost all urbanista-favoured metrics, and that only NYC is truly worthy of outclassing it.
Actually, most of the people I know that have lived their entire lives in Toronto think that the city is a world class city/ destination by any metric and is definitely one of the greatest cities in North America.
Where do you think the term "Canada's New York" come from?
Actually, most of the people I know that have lived their entire lives in Toronto think that the city is a world class city/ destination by any metric and is definitely one of the greatest cities in North America.
Perhaps but head and shoulders above all the others except for NYC?
Also not sure local burghers are the best judges of any city's qualities (either way).
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