Toronto definitely does not fit the description of a small downtown (or simply tall buildings) surrounded by suburbia.
You have the downtown core, Yonge and Bloor, Yonge and Ellington, Yonge and Shepperd, and smaller nodes in between and to the east and west. Along with countless retail streets within the city.
Even areas like Yonge and Lawrence, Ellington West, The Beaches, Danforth, or the Bayview and Leaside area aren't tall but are undoubtably urban.
Montreal is also very urban beyond its tall buildings.
Calgary, while taller than Montreal, seems to be more suburban beyond its tall towers (for the most part, excluding the Beltline)
Some of Toronto's most iconic neighbourhoods ( Kensington Market, Little Italy, Chinatown, Distillery, St Lawrence Market, Danforth, Beaches, etc.) aren't high-rise at all.
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