Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
For the north side I'd say the middle ring suburbs to the north west of the city are changing the most. Epping and Marsfield, (especially with Macquarie University nearby), Eastwood, Meadowbank etc. As you said Chatswood is becoming very Asian, and it's not just Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese anymore, you're also seeing Malaysian, Thai, Korean, Japanese etc. restaurants and shops setting up all around the malls, Victoria ave, the Concourse and all their surroundings. The food market on Victoria avenue mall serves food from all parts of the globe. Then there's also the Mandarin Centre.
Yep. I'm not as familiar with Sydney as Melbourne. Though I've been about 5-6 times most were rather short visits, staying either in the CBD of in my auntie's harbourside mansion in the inner eastern suburbs.
Numbers aside, I'm curious as to how the subjective experience of Toronto would compare to Sydney. To anyone who's spent much time in Sydney, it definitely does feel very Asian, also there are tons of Asian tourists, no doubt more than Toronto due to proximity. I don't think Toronto has the hoards of tourists from China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan that Sydney does.
I wonder if the White Australia Policy is a large reason why Toronto might have more Chinese, but then again didn't Canada have a similar restrictive policy? It doesn't seem that most of the Chinese or Indians there have been there that long.
I am pretty sure Toronto is fairly significantly more East Asian than Sydney. Just the percentage of persons of Chinese origin is double in Toronto (12 vs. 6%).
Right as usual Acajack, there is one Toronto suburb, Markham 350,000
that is mostly east Asian, some shopping plaza stores there have only Chinese writing, n signso English signs, or French signs
Not the OP topic but Toronto's South Asian population is actually larger than its East Asian population as well.
Overall, Sydney is ''whiter'' (for lack of a better term) than Toronto is. Toronto also has a larger black (African or Caribbean) population.
Not saying this is a good or a bad thing. Just a fact.
Some have commented that Canada sort of lacks identity and is like a 'mini world.' I'd say that while Australia does have a strong image overseas, it's not that representative of the experience of many Australians, and Australia also seems to lack a strong sense of identity in some ways. Both Sydney and Toronto seem like very globalised cities either way. I felt that say while LA or NY were diverse, they still felt very American. There are less foreigners or 'FOB's' as a percentage there like in Sydney, where the majority of people walking around in the city aren't even Australians.
I think both cities have a large Asian representation in their general population,but neither feel particular Asian to me. There are great neighbourhoods like China town and Korean town but they hardly feels like Hong Kong or Seoul. They still look like more or less like a neighbourhood you would find in Toronto or Sydney, but with bilingual or Asian signs instead of English.
I often find it odd that people would compared the larger china towns, japan towns...etc (like the ones in SF, NYC or Vancouver) to streets of Hong Kong or other similarily known Asian cities. Even though they are very interesting neighbourhoods I find that kind of comparison very thin.
I think both cities have a large Asian representation in their general population,but neither feel particular Asian to me. There are great neighbourhoods like China town and Korean town but they hardly feels like Hong Kong or Seoul. They still look like more or less like a neighbourhood you would find in Toronto or Sydney, but with bilingual or Asian signs instead of English.
I often find it odd that people would compared the larger china towns, japan towns...etc (like the ones in SF, NYC or Vancouver) to streets of Hong Kong or other similarily known Asian cities. Even though they are very interesting neighbourhoods I find that kind of comparison very thin.
Having been to quite a lot of Chinatowns around the world, I would actually say New York's Chinatown is the one which reminded me most of Asia in feel, I think the urbanity has something to do with it.
Well that's very understandable, Hong Kong is one of the most dense, urban and clustered cities in the world and only a handful of other cities can match it in terms of that. At night, the sheer number of neon lights is incredible.
Having said that here's Sydney's chinatown. I think the narrow and clustered streets including a pedestrianised main street definitely helps.
note - here the silver building and its surrounds at 0:20 is getting knocked down later this year and will be replaced with high rises and retail and the chinatown will most likely be extended there in the future. That would definitely help give it a more 'Hong Kong' feel.
These taken 4 years ago:
And some quick youtube results for some scenes at night with street markets etc:
On some busier nights it becomes so crowded you can't possibly walk in without driving a tank. (OK maybe not but it'll require some pretty persistent shoving) - definitely one of Hong Kong's traits (and in many parts of Asia). Eg: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3792/9...bcecb7ab_k.jpg
And a few of the surrounding streets on street view:
Anyways been a whole day on city data for me Well that's it, after every marathon comes a time for rehab so won't be hearing any more from me till later, indefinitely
Last edited by ciTydude123; 02-19-2014 at 11:38 AM..
If Toronto has almost two times more East Asians and is 30 percent larger in population than Sydney - it isn't a stretch to consider it more East Asian feeling..
ps. nothing important but I find it interesting that looking at the strip malls at Steeles ave/Kennedy rd. it looks like if you want to go from one block to another looks like it might be easier to drive there? I could be wrong though lol.
Yes you are right.. Markham is a suburb that has a huge Asian population but it is still a N.A suburb so car is king.
DT Toronto's Chinatowns are far more urban and pedestrian like most parts of Downtown and Old Toronto. Toronto is a dichotomy between being a very urban city in its core and becoming increasing suburban to very suburban in its periphery.
This video gives you a feel for DT Toronto's Chinatown.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, there is one Toronto suburb, Markham 350,000
Well that's it, after every marathon comes a time for rehab so won't be hearing any more from me till later, indefinitely 
