'It's Prozac in city form': Canadians on the issues facing their cities

Toronto: is it boring?

“I grew up about two hours west of the city. Most small town Ontarians are scared of this place. I was just like them. A job opportunity came about, and like nearly 50% of my high school class, I moved to Toronto. At first I felt it was necessary to avoid actually living inside the city. I did the commute. I became frazzled. Then I decided that it wasn’t so bad off and moved into the city. Best decision ever. It’s in the small experiences, the restaurants, the bars, the parks, the festivals and small shops and public art. Each of those have some of the best in the world. It’s about building a sense of neighbourhood. Each neighbourhood has a culture and very different challenges. Diversity brings us together more as a city, and the boredom and stress of commuting allows us to be more creative as a whole (we hunted for capybaras, put a coat on a monkey and held a funeral for a raccoon). I wouldn’t give up this city at all.” (mnorthcott)

“Emigrated to Toronto almost 40 years ago ... it was a bit boring then but not any longer. In the late 70s, you couldn’t find a pub or restaurant open on a Sunday. Every year, it gets better. The downtown growth is fantastic and makes for a lively and fun street scene. In the past seven days I’ve been to Luminato, the Pride parade, Toronto Fringe and the Toronto Jazz Festival. What I like best is the diversity among the people who live here and the easy tolerance you find on the street, at work, in the schools.” (Annie M)

“Much of what is great about the city is accidental.” (@northtorontoguy)

“I’ve lived all over Canada and Toronto is very disconnected. It’s spread out and no one really knows each other. It’s one giant anonymous village.” (Shatford Shatford)

“I have lived in Toronto for 30+ years after emigrating from England. I can honestly say I regard it as the best place in the world in which to live and have never regretted for an instant moving here. The saying goes that Toronto is a ‘city built in a forest’... look out over the city from the CN Tower and you will be struck by just how many trees cover the landscape. The city has an urban forestry department!” (Kapple)

“A proud Torontonian, I often think the perfect city would be a cross between Toronto and Montreal (where I resided for five years in the ’90s). Unfortunately Toronto’s tremendous growth has come at a cost, an overdeveloped and poorly planned waterfront, overpriced housing, and strains on public transit.” (Jim Bachalo)

“The reason you see every building so clearly [from the water] is because Toronto planners in their wisdom allowed developers to build right up to the water’s edge, therefore cutting off access to the lakefront for Toronto citizens.” (SuriaSioh)

“I remember well how in the 1950s we (Montrealers) used to quip that ‘the best thing in Toronto is the road to Montreal’...” (johnraphael)

“I worked in Toronto in 1960. The city was by far the dullest I have ever stepped foot in. It contained not one single establishment, like a pub or bar, where one could go for a drink. You wanted alcohol, you’d need to buy it at a government ‘package’ store and take it home before you opened the bottle.” (JudiHoskyn885)

“I’ve lived here for 20 years and love the city, but it is unadventurous in spirit. While there is plenty of creativity it seems to happen in spite of Toronto being what it is. This conservatism (in a cultural sense) is deeply rooted in the history of the city, which used to force its shops to close curtains on Sundays to keep people from window shopping.” (Shavik)

“Places are only as interesting as the people that live there, and a utopia like Toronto only seems to bring out a mildly-pleasant ennui in everyone. It’s Prozac in city form. That said, I’d love to go live there again.” (9cupsoftea)

— Jennifer Dickie (@jennifer_dickie) July 5, 2016

Sunrise in Toronto's Port Lands. Industry & nature coexist in this former river delta. We row here. #GuardianCanada pic.twitter.com/Bf8XzTY0uU

Montreal: a city broken by the 1976 Olympics?

“Most people, and I mean 95%, think that Montreal’s decline and Toronto’s ascent began in 1976 with the election of the PQ. The truth is that Toronto was destined to overtake Montreal as Canada’s financial centre anyhow. The referendum narrative is a bit an urban myth that states that it all started with the rise of Quebec nationalism, the exodus of English Quebecers and head offices out of Montreal. The seeds of the demise started decades earlier. Quebec nationalism and the exodus just accelerated that demise.

Everything that Montreal has dealt with since 1976 – lower immigration and foreign investment than Toronto – is a consequence of the acceleration caused by the separatists. Montreal’s shift from global city to a ‘French-Canadian city’ was ‘one of those things that happened even before people knew it happened,’ according to Jane Jacobs. Toronto is Canada’s premiere city and one country can’t have two premiere cities.” (BenBaxter)

“Many professional sports venues in North America and elsewhere are in far more remote and car-centric locations than the Olympic stadium, which is located close to two métro stations and not really very far from anywhere in central Montréal. I live in the district where Jarry Park is located, and the last thing we would want is a mega-stadium destroying a beloved park in a working-class area in central-northern Montréal. We’ve had enough problems with the tennis. Not that I’m against sport, but this is a vital green lung for people in a densely populated area of the city.” (lagatta)

Calgary: a city trying to beat urban sprawl

“I was born and raised in Calgary, and Calgary’s urban sprawl is outrageous. They are making a tiny bit of headway with urban density, but not much, and definitely are not leading the way in any shape or form. Maybe a couple of people have declared war on urban sprawl, but tell that to all the developers and people buying gigantic houses in brand new suburbs that are growing at an astounding rate. The only thing that has slowed down urban sprawl is the drop in oil prices.” (violettecharlie)

Vancouver: foreign investment and the real estate bubble

“Foreign investment is a difficult topic for Canadians to talk about because all of our families came from somewhere else – except for the First Nations peoples. In Vancouver, we need to remember that Hong Kong money coming into the city helped us weather a recession fairly well. However, there is no denying that buying a home within Metro Vancouver is outside the grasp of a majority of middle class people and this has to change if we respect diversity of all types in our city. Rental properties are dwindling. The ‘pay for citizenship’ scheme for immigration does not work for the community if it is the source cause of the ridiculously high priced housing market. I rent in the West End of Vancouver. I want to stay here through to my retirement and after but I know, even with a good income, I’ll always be a renter.” (Brooke Sherbrooke)

“I live in Burnaby, a multi-ethnic suburb next to Vancouver, BC. My area is known as Korea Town thanks to various Asian markets nearby and a healthy Korean demographic. And when locals get together and chat (while standing in line to pay for groceries, what have you) it doesn’t matter what race you are – the lament around here is universal: no one born in metro Vancouver can afford to be here now unless they can live with family or were lucky enough to score a place and secure an older lease. And if you’ve got kids – be they Korean, Chinese, White, Filipino, South-American, West-Indies, etc – they’re totally screwed. They can’t afford rent. They were born here, went to school here, their parents have been paying taxes for decades etc, and collectively contributed to why it’s nice to be in this area. They helped build a sense of community.

You can find racism in metro Vancouver but when people complain face-to-face these days, it’s coming from a more diverse demographic. At least when I grumble while waiting for a Skytrain, the guy standing next me (Chinese-Canadian) nods and grumbles too. And a woman from the Dominican Republic shares a story about slumlords buying her apartment building (to tear it down and build a condo for the rich). And the guy from Iran shakes his head in agreement while sharing he’s packing-up and moving to the north end of Vancouver Island.

Burnaby boasts numerous parks, a lake, protected forests (conservation area) with hiking and biking trails along with salmon streams just 4 blocks away from where I’m sitting. I’ve seen wild salmon spawning just 30 minutes outside downtown Vancouver. THAT’S what it’s like to live here. You can still raise a family, take your kids to a park, go for walks, do things outside. And if left unchecked, greedy real estate developers and corrupt politicians will eventually turn my area - and Metro-Vancouver – into a city as dense as Hong Kong.” (JaneMarple)

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“Vancouver is actually very small in area and cannot grow except up. Housing/land prices will always be high because of the demand from wealthy people across Canada and the world. A good reason for this is that Vancouver is consistently rated among the best cities in the world to live (currently third) by the UK’s Economist publication.” (CanadaChuck)

“Developers in Vancouver are clearly targeting ethnic Chinese buyers. Ever notice the Mandarin-language property development advertising at the Vancouver airport? Yes, unabated foreign investment is a problem ... but so are the local entities fuelling it.” (njrinvan)

“A Vancouverite here. The unaffordability of housing here is a real and serious issue, but please understand it is fundamentally different from the anti-immigrant crisis in UK, Europe, or Trump-nation. Canada has a relatively short history and everyone’s an immigrant here (except for the aboriginal people, of course) – we don’t have a single, ‘cohesive’ cultural or historical tradition to ‘defend’ and multiculturalism itself has become the heart of the national identity. The things that bind us together are not some cultural assimilation (not much to assimilate to, really, except for hockey, maybe) but our constitution, respect for one another, and shared love and pride for this beautiful country and its diversity.” (saleis)

“It’s almost certainly true that foreign capital is affecting prices in Vancouver, but it seems wrong to entirely fail to acknowledge any other factors at all. One: Vancouver’s long-standing policy of ‘densification’. Quite a long time ago they looked at the trend of increasing population and realized it was fundamentally impossible for everyone who wanted to live in Vancouver to live in a single-family unit (North American-ese for ‘house, usually detached or semi-detached’). So they stopped building them.

It’s basically impossible that anyone will ever again get a permit to build a single-family unit in Vancouver anywhere there wasn’t already a single-family unit, and the council looks favourably – by policy – on proposals to buy up single-family units, knock ‘em down, and replace them with a more dense form of housing (i.e. condos). You could ban absolutely all foreign property ownership tomorrow and you’d likely barely make a dent in the single-family unit market. The pressures on it are just too strong.” (AdamWilliamson)

“It is a complicated issue. There should be hard data on how many shares in the market these rich Chinese people are responsible for as a whole. Probably less than 5%. Canada, BC in particular, has a VERY racist history against the Chinese people. I totally agree there should be some sort of measures done by the government to cool down the market but it’s incorrect just to focus on the rich Chinese people. There are also rich Americans or rich Indians etc. Rich Chinese made a difference but it’s not like they are responsible for the whole real estate market there. And many Canadians benefited from the rise in price of their houses or condos.” (Jason Ma)

The demise of street hockey in Canadian cities

— Mitchell Reardon (@MitchellReardon) July 5, 2016

Life brings life to #publicspace.Street hockey bans are bad for kids & Canada https://t.co/pQVIZSdUh2 #freerangekids pic.twitter.com/CPzsDWHeaz

“I grew up in Edmonton suburbs in the 60s, early 70s – street hockey was a joy, and in the winter played long after the sun went down, and often endured frozen fingers. Fantastic fun.” (Yosserian)

“Arrived in Edmonton in ’57 from Merseyside and immediately took to the streets with new friends. Played street hockey through to high school (’66). Where I live now (BC), other than organized sports, the park and school grounds are empty. I have seen a number of street hockey games around town though, so all is not lost here.... yet. Banning street games is beyond brain dead.” (hornbyislandeagle)

“Hell, it was cold and icy enough in Toronto when I lived there 1959 through 1962 that we even managed to play on skates from time to time. Got interesting when the road sloped away! I miss seeing kids out and around playing pick-up basketball, baseball and jumping rope. It’s become rare.” (tightlines)

“I certainly played street hockey in my childhood in Toronto, but it was only one of a handful of sports and games we played. Today, I feel priviliged to live in a neighbourhood in St. John’s where my child can play outside, knocking on nearby doors to round up friends and fill the streets with their screeches and yells. The important part is that children are welcome and expected to play out on the sidewalks and corners and schoolyard in my neighbourhood.” (Tracy Williamson)

The US and Canada: the ultimate sibling rivalry

“When President Bill Clinton addressed parliament, our prime minister, Jean Chretien, said ‘Americans are our best friends whether we like it or not.’ Clinton doubled over laughing because he knew it was true. If I could pick my neighbour it would still be the US over all other countries. When I was on holidays in New Orleans a shopkeeper asked where l came from. I said Canada. She said, I don’t know where that is but I heard of it. That’s the way l like it.” (Pete Wal)

“From a woman’s perspective, Canada is the USA’s well-educated but poorer and dowdy older neighbour. He’s selling drugs on the internet and she works in a library. She spends way too much time thinking about him...” (ID2463357)

First Nations and modern Canada

“Many First Nation families want to live traditional values and culture in a ‘modern’ way. But even that can be a struggle. Thankfully things are changing and more resources are coming available. However challenges to live First Nation culture in today’s world still exist. For example, in some areas in Canada, it is still impossible to get a ‘traditional’ wedding as legally recognized as much as a mainstream wedding. You basically need to have two weddings.

I have spoken to Chief Louie numerous times and he will relate the struggles he’s had with government to make his community reflect his peoples’ modern goals. I am a First Nation person trying to live my culture in a modern fashion. If Canadians’ values have changed, it is their responsibility to dismantle the legal chains applied by previous generations. That is what I fight for. I find cultures have a way of defining ‘quality of life’ in a way that supports their culture. Canadians say they are ‘multicultural’, but that only means as longs you’re from a culture that supports the urban environment. Poverty is in the eye of the beholder.” (UrsaMinor6)

And other stories...

London, Ontario

Edmonton, Alberta

“Basketball and Edmonton don’t seem compatible on the surface – one of Canada’s most northern capital cities isn’t exactly known for its hoops prowess. However, with Edmonton’s own Adut Bulgak making her WNBA debut for the New York Liberty recently, Edmonton basketball is starting to make an impact.

There’s an organization called the NAB (Northern Alberta Basketball) that prides itself on being the northern-most elite basketball training. They’re based in Edmonton and work with kids of all ages that show promise to help them develop their skills. They also provide the same training to kids that can’t afford it – helping them out by keeping them focused on academics and basketball.” (Kyle Muzyka, via email)

“The annual cultural heritage festival in Edmonton has over the past three years had an estimated 360-410,000 people attending over the first weekend in August. That is nearly half of the city’s population of about 1 million. The heritage weekend is the most public display of the many ethnic organizations, but they are active year-round with smaller events. What is particular to Canada is that a preservation of ethnic identity can co-exist with friction-free mixing of different groups in workplaces, school classes and public space in general.

The sense I get as a relatively recent immigrant is that there is no looking down on others. There is no ‘glass ceiling’ for what immigrants can become in professional life. In fact a recent report shows that Canada integrates immigrants in work life far better than, for example, Sweden. While different groups of immigrants live in unusual harmony and prosperity in Canada, a sore point is the situation of the original inhabitants. While government policy is changing for the better, scars have not healed, and First Nation groups are still living disadvantaged lives.” (Martin Jagersand, via email)

Dave Sutherland

04 July 2016 6:31pm

Edmonton
Unknown Quantity
Preferred habitat: A 1960s bungalow that was only just barely affordable and always just slightly too far from anywhere you actually want to go.
Go-to look: Business Casual Friday on Mondays through Thursdays, shorts and t-shirts on Fridays, sweatpants on weekends.
Life creed: Trying to not be like the rest of Alberta, but not actually interested in separating either.
Proudest achievement: Signing McDavid, even though had no personal involvement in that.
Catchphrase: “No, that's Calgary.”

Moncton, New Brunswick

“I was born in Montreal but lived and worked around the world before moving to Moncton, New Brunswick, 10 years ago to live in a more quiet place where nature is still very beautiful. Ten years later, I am very happy with my move. We are fortunate to have an excellent quality of life here: no traffic, little pollution, kind and gentle people, yet almost everything we need and an international airport. Crime is almost non-existent and Moncton is perhaps the most honest place I ever visited. Houses are still affordable and there is a lot of green space. Most of all, I really love the proximity of the ocean and being able to reach the beach in less than an hour. I feel fortunate to live in this place far from the dust and bustle of cramped overpopulated cities.” (Maryse Courville, via email)

Thank you to everyone who got involved – and check out the #GuardianCanada hashtag on Twitter and Instagram to see more!