[Hali87]

Gatineau is probably the closest match for Dartmouth in terms of overall feel and "vintage". I've never really been to Lévis but I get the impression it's pretty different from that.

Moncton is also pretty comparable to Dartmouth (+Bedford/Sackville/Mainland) in most ways including the urbanity of its downtown, with Rue Main Street + environs feeling a bit more upscale and polished than anything in Dt Dartmouth at this point. The quality of new developments has been going up quickly there (roughly in parallel with Halifax, with similar design trends) and it's been growing rapidly. Housing is also a lot more affordable there than in Dartmouth, on average. It's a pretty attractive place for people who don't care about Peninsula-type stuff. It has the nicest arena and largest stadium in Atlantic Canada. U de Moncton is probably a bit more like U Laval in most ways than it is like UNB or Dal - it's not downtown-adjacent and there seems to be more of an emphasis on athletics (hence the stadium).