Toronto vs. Vancouver

A question I've been asked many times is:

How do Toronto and Vancouver
compare with each other?

Below are our thoughts. Now mind you that we did not live in downtown Vancouver but rather the Lower Mainland - meaning within the major area - and now we definitely live in downtown Toronto. So the question I'm really answering is "How does Toronto compare with the Lower Mainland of British Columbia?".

1. Vancouver felt very much like the United States. Lots of big box stores. Smoking was not seen everywhere you go and the streets/sidewalks were clean. Public transit was not very good, unless you were right downtown Vancouver and then it was only okay. New, clean, glass skyscrapers make up the city. Toronto has a very European feel to it. Almost all houses are brick. Smoking is everywhere and the city does not have an overall clean feeling. Streetcars, subways, and buses can take you almost anywhere.

2. The weather.

3. Vancouver provides an enjoyment of being outside most places you go. It's basically due to the amazing bounty of varied beauty found in the area, which is the reason why the license plates say "British Columbia - Best Place on Earth". Toronto just doesn't have that feel. No other place I've been has had that feel. Vancouver/British Columbia contains so many different physical features that a person can do practically anything there. Toronto has big city life with a lake & city parks thrown into the mix.

4. There was a much stronger emphasis of Canada and being Canadian in British Columbia than there is over here in Toronto. Our American citizenship seemed to get a lot of attention, some of it being negative. I attribute part of that to the fact that Toronto is incredibly diverse - to the point that it's supposed to be the most diverse city (with regards to population) in the world - so really, most people are not or do not see themselves as being Canadian at the core. We were watching a news show last night, actually, that said in all of Canada, British Columbians find more of their identity in being Canadian than anywhere else in Canada. So maybe that's part of it too...

5. We heard it in BC and we've heard it out here - Toronto is the place to be if you want to make money. Vancouver is the beautiful place.

6. Where we lived in British Columbia was considered the Bible Belt of Canada. We've realized how true that is now that we're on the East Coast. While new churches were being built or old churches were being renovated in Langley, there are a lot of old, beautiful, empty churches here in Toronto. Some are being renovated and made into expensive condominiums. A great idea for using the buildings but sad that these churches were empty AND another church body couldn't be found to purchase the buildings.

7. Brick is everywhere in Toronto. In the early 20th century, it was actually law that you built with brick! Thus, when you drive around and see a house that is not brick, it really catches your attention. On the other coast, brick was a rarity.

Overall, we like Toronto but really miss British Columbia.