Most Canadian / Least Canadian

[Metro-One]

Simple thread, which 3 cities in Canada do you feel are the most “Canadian” and which 3 are the “least” Canadian in your opinion?

Instead of explaining any further I will give you my list as an example:

Most Canadian in no particular order:

1. Edmonton

For me everything about Edmonton, the climate, the built form, the sports culture, etc... screams Canada.

2. Ottawa

Similar reasons as Edmonton, just with an Ontario flare.

3. Anything in New Brunswick

Moncton, St. John, and Fredericton all scream smaller Canadian city.

Honorable Mentions: Regina, Saskatoon, Hamilton and Yellowknife.

Least Canadian in no particular order:

1. Victoria

Has a very Tasmanian and New Zealand feel. The built form, architecture (both old and new), landscaping, natural flora, climate, etc...

2. Quebec City

Always given the “European” descriptor. The built form plays a big role in its non typical Canadian feel. There is also of course the cultural aspect at play here as well.

3. St. John’s

The Nordic feel in architecture as well as the landscape and also the culture.

Honorable Mentions: Calgary, Windsor, Kelowna.


Interestingly the big 3, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, are all torn between the two categories. Each for different reasons have aspects that are very Canadian, and others that are very non Canadian in feel.

[Architype]

More:
1 Ottawa - parliament, it can't get more Canadian than that
2 Edmonton - Wayne Gretzky & cold weather
3 Moncton - non descript, therefore Canadian

Less:
1 St. John's - because they say so b'ys, and it was independent for a long time
2 Victoria - because it's mild and on the edge, feels more removed from central Canada
3 Quebec Cy. - more Canadian, as I define it, it's an important part of Canadian history

(But I only chose from your examples because I didn't read the question properly).

[wave46]

Most:

Ottawa-Gatineau - I've said it before and I'll say it again: The national capital embodies the spirit of the nation. 3/4 English, 1/4 French. Is a microcosm of the two solitudes thing - one crosses the bridges for work or the various things only available on the other side, but generally each kind of does its own thing. Big enough to show the changing demographics of Canada, but still definitely has 'old-stock' Canada there. Not exciting or flashy, Vegas it isn't. It does have a lot of things that make life nicer, if you choose to partake in them. A place you could see raising a family happily without drama.

Winnipeg - Resolute in averageness. It's not the big name of the Prairies in economic performance like Calgary or Edmonton. It doesn't have the oil-based enthusiasm or hangover. Has a 'Aw, shucks' modesty about it, in the sense that it's not a braggart. Probably covers the weather aspect of the country best in terms of highs and lows. Admittedly, a focal point of the poor relationship between Native and non-Native populations.

Montreal - I'm not super-sure about listing it here. On the extremes of English Canada and French Canada, it is fulcrum of the two. There's no river to separate the sides, no clear delineation. The meeting place of the two solitudes - both an Anglophone or Francophone could get by here, language-wise. It is large enough to cast its gaze to the world, but definitely its own thing. I think its unique flavour comes from that mix and history.

Least (no order):

Toronto - it's definitely aiming for the 'global city of tomorrow' thing. Reminds me most of Auckland in that sense. The gaze and aspirations of the city is cast towards the US and the rest of the world. Leading the demographic change into the globalized 21st century, it feels more indicative of where Canada is going, not where it's been. YMMV on whether that's a good thing or not.

Quebec City - probably the only major city in Canada you might have trouble communicating as an Anglophone outside of the touristy areas. Does have the old part of the city as an old-world analog, so there's that. Culturally, the city is the heart of old-stock Quebec, which usually is fairly diluted out in other areas of the country.

St. John's/Victoria - hanging on the edges of the country, each has its own vibe that isn't easily found elsewhere in the country. Victoria's the urban hipster dream, St. John's the centre of a universe that still is centred on the Rock.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Architype

More:
1 Ottawa - parliament, it can't get more Canadian than that
2 Edmonton - Wayne Gretzky & cold weather
3 Moncton - non descript, therefore Canadian

Moncton may be non descript, but it has these important Canadian attributes:

1) - the only officially bilingual city in the only officially bilingual province in the Dominion.
2) - 2/3rds anglophone and 1/3rd francophone
3) - home of 35 Tim Horton's coffee outlets.
4) - the city actually owns it's own sugar bush, and produces it's own maple syrup.
5) - hell, we even have a Beavertails franchise in the city!!!

You can't get much more Canadian that that.

[Bishop2047]

Fun question and your answer will depend on your perspective of Canada.

If you could put Edmonton, Halifax, and Montreal into a blender the product would be a pretty darn Canadian city IMO, though I don't know if I would use any of the three to exemplify Canada alone, except Halifax.

Most: Kamloops (Mountains, skiing, nature)
Saskatoon (Farming, Rivers, small town folks living in a city)
Saint John NB or Halifax (Port city, British influences in architecture)

Least: Quebec City (Intentionally tries not to be a typical Canadian City)
Windsor (Feels more connected to the US than the rest of Canada)
Victoria (Weather/location/general vibe of the city are not stereotypical
Canadian)

[SignalHillHiker]

Most:

1. Toronto
2. Montreal
3. Vancouver

I think cities define any larger political jurisdiction they are part of. I don’t like that the prairies, Atlantic Canada, and North can’t be represented since it’s only three cities but I’d still have to go with these three. Toronto today (multiculturalism and diversity), Montreal yesterday (history, Canada’s London/Paris/whatever in its day), and Vancouver as Canada’s Perth - off to itself, doing its own thing but large and influential by its country standards, something smaller cities (ie Atlantic Canadian ones) don’t have the scale to do.

Least:

1. Quebec City - agreed with Archetype that it is Canada, but compared to Montreal it’s also more of its own separate thing
2. St. John’s - if Atlantic Canada was the whole country, St. John’s would be very Canadian. But the things that make it distinct from the Maritimes, combined with the things it shares in common with the Maritimes but not elsewhere in Canada... to me it’s enough for second.
3. So torn. Vancouver for the deep connections to China, Toronto for being a sort of world city, Calgary for the conservatism and rodeos and the rest, etc. You can make a case for almost any city anywhere in these lists haha.

[Coldrsx]

Most:

Red Deer, Windsor, Chilliwack

Least:

Vancouver, Penticton, Anything in N.B.

[Architype]

So, I'll try again from the beginning:

Most Canadian:
1 Winnipeg - central, has stereotypical Canadian climate, seems typical and average for a Canadian city
2 Ottawa - because the capital must define the country
3 Halifax - represents importance in early Canadian history, seems representative of typical eastern Canadian culture.

Least Canadian:
1 St. John's - because it has it's own more distinct culture, and was not part of Canada until 1949
2 Montreal - It is important, but is not generally thought of as typical Canadian for obvious reasons
3 Victoria - same as before, it's more remote than Vancouver, the climate is milder than what is typical Canadan, it is strategically positioned for NW American influence.

[lio45]

To me the most "Canadian" would be Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa.

At the other end of the spectrum, the more "exotic" would be St. John's and Victoria/Vancouver.

[Docere]

Well when people try to find US "equivalents" of Canadian cities, it's always a struggle to come up with good comparisons for Ottawa and Edmonton.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Docere

Well when people try to find US "equivalents" of Canadian cities, it's always a struggle to come up with good comparisons for Ottawa and Edmonton.

Ottawa would obviously be Washington DC (which was, too, chosen as a planned capital sitting on purpose on the line between North and South), but it's true that Edmonton, I'm not sure what it would be.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Docere

Well when people try to find US "equivalents" of Canadian cities, it's always a struggle to come up with good comparisons for Ottawa and Edmonton.

Ottawa is obvious. For Edmonton - how about Oklahoma City?

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Ottawa is obvious. For Edmonton - how about Oklahoma City?

More akin to Minneapolis or Indianapolis.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

More akin to Minneapolis or Indianapolis.

Minneapolis seems the closest, based on what I've seen. (This will likely be an unpopular opinion but) I'd even go so far as to say that Minneapolis seems like the more Canadian of the two, in terms of its architecture and built form, while Edmonton feels somewhat more American to me. While Edmonton may be one of the "most Canadian" cities, many of its qualities are not really typical of Canadian cities, especially outside the Prairies.

[lio45]

Also, anyone who puts Montreal and Quebec City in different categories here, to me makes no sense (it would be like putting Vancouver and Victoria at opposite ends of the spectrum, when in reality, IMO, they have to be near each other - which, in my ranking, they are).

[someone123]

Originally Posted by lio45

Also, anyone who puts Montreal and Quebec City in different categories here, to me makes no sense (it would be like putting Vancouver and Victoria at opposite ends of the spectrum, when in reality, IMO, they have to be near each other - which, in my ranking, they are).

I agree.

But I feel the same way about people who say St. John's is distinct while Halifax is very Canadian. In the Canadian scheme of things, the two are similar compared to any city from another region. Cape Breton and Newfoundland are even closer, with little discernible difference for Canadians from outside the region. Most of you guys would not be able to tell the difference between a rural NS and NL accent, and many people living in Halifax are from NL. Many NL cancon celebrities got their start in Halifax. Many St. John's street scenes can be approximated in Halifax while you'd struggle to do that in Toronto.

I think of Ottawa and Montreal as the traditional "core" of historical Canada with places like Kingston and Fredericton being on the periphery of that.

I don't really think of Saint John or Moncton as being traditionally Canadian although the Loyalists in Saint John have more overlap with Ontario and the United States. Saint John is a strange place, politically distinct from most of the Maritimes.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by someone123

I agree.

But I feel the same way about people who say St. John's is distinct while Halifax is very Canadian. In the Canadian scheme of things, the two are similar compared to any city from another region. Cape Breton and Newfoundland are even closer, with little discernible difference for Canadians from outside the region. Most of you guys would not be able to tell the difference between a rural NS and NL accent, and many people living in Halifax are from NL. Many NL cancon celebrities got their start in Halifax. Many St. John's street scenes can be approximated in Halifax while you'd struggle to do that in Toronto.

I think of Ottawa and Montreal as the traditional "core" of historical Canada with places like Kingston and Fredericton being on the periphery of that.

I don't really think of Saint John or Moncton as being traditionally Canadian although the Loyalists in Saint John have more overlap with Ontario and the United States. Saint John is a strange place, politically distinct from most of the Maritimes.

It depends on the criteria you are using, it's hard to say that St. John's is typically Canadian because it used to be another country, although at times I have described it as more Canadian than Vancouver, because it places more buzz on things like Walmart, Costco, Tim Hortons, the latest opening of a new Canadian chain etc., while that doesn't seem to be as important in Vancouver. I do see Halifax as more Canadian because I think that's how people there identify. It was Canada's Ellis island. The Bluenose, a Canadian symbol, was on our nickel for years.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Architype

I do see Halifax as more Canadian because I think that's how people there identify. It was Canada's Ellis island. The Bluenose, a Canadian symbol, was on our nickel for years.

NS has been a Canadian province since the beginning so NS symbols have been included in Canadiana. Yet would you say that the Bluenose could have equally been from Ontario or Quebec? Or Newfoundland? If you were to plot a line between, say, Toronto and St. John's, Halifax would fall much closer to St. John's than Toronto.

At the broadest cultural level, all 4 Atlantic provinces belong to the Atlantic world but have limited historical continental connections. The old "neighbours" of this area are Western Europe, Canada, the US Eastern Seaboard, and the Caribbean, connected by waterways.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by someone123

NS has been a Canadian province since the beginning so NS symbols have been included in Canadiana. Yet would you say that the Bluenose could have equally been from Ontario or Quebec? Or Newfoundland? If you were to plot a line between, say, Toronto and St. John's, Halifax would fall much closer to St. John's than Toronto.

At the broadest cultural level, all 4 Atlantic provinces belong to the Atlantic world but have limited historical continental connections. The old "neighbours" of this area are Western Europe, Canada, the US Eastern Seaboard, and the Caribbean, connected by waterways.

Both cities are salty old seaport towns (i.e. like Gloucester Mass.), but that is not really a Canadian quality per se, so if you remove that there isn't as much in common as Halifax might have with, say, Regina or Kingston.

[Acajack]

I will surprise even myself as I have long referred to Montreal as the quintessential Canadian city, but I think that (in spite of allusions in Quebec to its imminent anglicization) Montreal is probably too "French" (or at least "Québécois") to place anywhere near the top of the Most Canadian list.

If I look around most of the country today, from Halifax to Vancouver via Winnipeg and Ottawa (and maybe even St. John's), if there are any big city cues taken from a Canadian metropolis, they're coming from Toronto. Not Montreal. Except for Quebec, across the country if anything from the local dining and foodie scene to the relationship to immigration and diversity "smacks" of anything, it smacks of a mini-Toronto, not a mini-Montreal.

For all the rhetoric about the bizarreness and deficiencies of the metropolis-hinterland relationship between Toronto and the ROC (also one of my favourite talking points!), there is a definitely a rapport there that does not exist with Montreal.

Ottawa and Moncton are today the outermost limits outside Quebec of any tangible influence of Montreal as a metropolis, and even in those two places I'd argue Toronto carries considerably more weight at this point.