Toronto/Chicago comparisons

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Chicago is very dangerous... Toronto is much safer. But's that's all Toronto really has on Chicago. Everything else is a tie or edge to both cities. I.E multiculturalism to toronto and the waterfront to the chi city

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Toronto and Chicago are both hurt by the 2am last call imo. Chicago is vibrant, just as much as Toronto.

 

[Torontovibe]

Toronto and Chicago are both hurt by the 2am last call imo. Chicago is vibrant, just as much as Toronto.

You can go ahead and believe that but it just isn't true. Anyone who has been to all areas of Chicago in winter & summer, knows that Toronto not only has many more people, walking around, day and night (especially at night) but we also have a much bigger area, that has heavy pedestrian traffic. You obviously haven't walked around Chicago, outside of the tourist zone. If you did, you would see a big difference.

Tell me a street intersection in South Chicago (South of Chinatown) or the West Side, (west of Western Ave) that has a high pedestrian count or is a major restaurant/nightlife/tourist area?

Also compare the amount of sidewalk patios and open window cafes/restaurants/bars in both cities and tell me which has the more lively street vibe. Those sidewalk outdoor patios do a hell of a lot, to bring a festive atmosphere to our bustling streets. It's not only pedestrian traffic that brings a city alive.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

You can go ahead and believe that but it just isn't true. Anyone who has been to all areas of Chicago in winter & summer, knows that Toronto not only has many more people, walking around, day and night (especially at night) but we also have a much bigger area, that has heavy pedestrian traffic. You obviously haven't walked around Chicago, outside of the tourist zone. If you did, you would see a big difference.

Tell me a street intersection in South Chicago (South of Chinatown) or the West Side, (west of Western Ave) that has a high pedestrian count or is a major restaurant/nightlife/tourist area?

Also compare the amount of sidewalk patios and open window cafes/restaurants/bars in both cities and tell me which has the more lively street vibe. Those sidewalk outdoor patios do a hell of a lot, to bring a festive atmosphere to our bustling streets. It's not only pedestrian traffic that brings a city alive.

Really? Toronto has people downtown at 3am? Because I've been and it's dead quiet. So is Chicago. And have you even been outside downtown Toronto because I guarantee the outer areas of Toronto are quiet.

 

[nfitz]

But at the same time, New York City is seeing its murder rate decline. I love Chicago (my brother used to live there), but what's going on in that city?

Declining to over 400 murders a year in a city (New York) of 8.2 million? We have 2.6 million, and if our murder rate was similar, we'd have over 125 murders a year ... but we only had 54.

It's a step forward, sure. But it's still pretty violent. Compare New York to London which also has a population of about 8.2 million, but only had only 89 murders last year. (we'd have only about 28 at that rate). And their rate has also fallen significantly.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Declining to over 400 murders a year in a city of 8.2 million? We have 2.6 million, and if our murder rate was similar, we'd have over 125 murders a year ... but we only had 54.

It's a step forward, sure. But it's still pretty violent. Compare to London which also has a population of about 8.2 million, but only had only 89 murders last year. (we'd have only about 28 at that rate). And their rate has also fallen significantly.

Winnipeg is also more dangerous then Toronto and so is Edmonton. Both murders per 100k are near US cities. Not at, near. I hope you aren't trying to Canada is safer, because that's only true in the east. Toronto being this safe is way above average in the Western World.

 

[Tewder]

whoever thinks so must be ... Canadians.

... and what's wrong with that? We're not entitled to an opinion?

Look, it's not as if Canadians are known for boastfulness or boosterism (and quite the opposite in fact) unlike those loveable blowhards to the south... so what the heck is wrong if people here actually believe their city to have more to offer than a certain (over)lauded/celebrated U.S. city? It's not like these comparisons mean anything real anyway. I mean, for whatever case you can make for Chicago someone else can make one just as passionately on behalf of Toronto, right? ... and last time I checked Toronto is actually the underdog here. So yeah, let's give a little shameless nudge to Toronto. Don't like it? Tough!

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

... and what's wrong with that? We're not entitled to an opinion?

Look, it's not as if Canadians are known for boastfulness or boosterism (and quite the opposite in fact) unlike those loveable blowhards to the south... so what the heck is wrong if people here actually believe their city to have more to offer than a certain (over)lauded/celebrated U.S. city? It's not like these comparisons mean anything real anyway. I mean, for whatever case you can make for Chicago someone else can make one just as passionately on behalf of Toronto, right? ... and last time I checked Toronto is actually the underdog here. So yeah, let's give a little shameless nudge to Toronto. Don't like it? Tough!

You have been the most non biased poster here, I have to give you credit Besides this is a Toronto urban board.

 

[Torontovibe]

Really? Toronto has people downtown at 3am? Because I've been and it's dead quiet. So is Chicago. And have you even been outside downtown Toronto because I guarantee the outer areas of Toronto are quiet.

Well yeah, in places like Scarborough, it's not only dead during the night, it's a dead zone during the day too but in the old Toronto, it's a different story. Just in case you haven't noticed, the whole core has become quite bustling and I see lots of people out at night. Of course, after midnight it's only in the popular club areas but it is there. I live downtown and I'm often out very late and I'm never alone. There are always people walking around on the major streets. You definitely will not see that in Chicago. Not only that but the vibe in Toronto just seems so more artsy, edgy and cool. Toronto has its flaws but I for me, Toronto is a much better place to live. If I didn't like it here, I wouldn't be here. I guess it's different strokes for different folks.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Well yeah, in places like Scarborough, it's not only dead during the night, it's a dead zone during the day too but in the old Toronto, it's a different story. Just in case you haven't noticed, the whole core has become quite bustling and I see lots of people out at night. Of course, after midnight it's only in the popular club areas but it is there. I live downtown and I'm often out very late and I'm never alone. There are always people walking around on the major streets. You definitely will not see that in Chicago. Not only that but the vibe in Toronto just seems so more artsy, edgy and cool. Toronto has its flaws but I for me, Toronto is a much better place to live. If I didn't like it here, I wouldn't be here. I guess it's different strokes for different folks.

Fair enough.

 

[adma]

And besides, let's be fair--3 in the morning is 3 in the morning. Other than particular "entertainment nodes", you don't expect *anything* to be bustling at that hour--do you? People gotta rest...

 

[W. K. Lis]

The city of Chicago has the highest total sales tax of all major U.S. cities, 9.5%. It was 10.5%. That 9.5% is shared between State, City, and County.

It should be remembered that the U.S. excise tax is a hidden tax, unlike the Canadian GST which is visible.

Ontario's 8% sales tax is harmonized with the 5% Canada Goods & Services tax to be the 13% HST.

Toronto and the GTA has no sales tax for itself... yet.

 

[Ladies Mile]

You can go ahead and believe that but it just isn't true. Anyone who has been to all areas of Chicago in winter & summer, knows that Toronto not only has many more people, walking around, day and night (especially at night) but we also have a much bigger area, that has heavy pedestrian traffic. You obviously haven't walked around Chicago, outside of the tourist zone. If you did, you would see a big difference.

Tell me a street intersection in South Chicago (South of Chinatown) or the West Side, (west of Western Ave) that has a high pedestrian count or is a major restaurant/nightlife/tourist area?

Also compare the amount of sidewalk patios and open window cafes/restaurants/bars in both cities and tell me which has the more lively street vibe. Those sidewalk outdoor patios do a hell of a lot, to bring a festive atmosphere to our bustling streets. It's not only pedestrian traffic that brings a city alive.

Bit of an apples and oranges argument - Chicago is simply not shaped like Toronto and its development is far more linear; the river on the west side was the location of an industrial belt that made other uses unattractive.

One thing Chicago has that Toronto lacks in terms of a building type is high quality rowhouse development. The blocks north of the loop have some of the best such building outside of Boston, far better than New York.

 

[Fantomex]

shanghai grows fast because the country is committed (not so much political bittering and change of plans over and over again). Workers work really hard. They don't work 9-5 with 2 hours "coffee breaks" in between. They work 12 or 14 hours a day. Construction goes on on weekends and holidays, often time at night as well. And before you start criticizing their poor work conditions, those workers are willing to work that hard because the more they work, the more they get paid and the more cash they are able to send back to their family in the countryside. Are you really gonna mock at that? Stop being judgmental. Here in Canada, bus drivers make $60K a year with all the benefits and they still go on strikes demanding more. That's the difference between fast and slow. Too much entitlement.

So, according to you, the ability to work like a slave is better than the ability to work like a person entitled to basic economic and human rights? I can clearly see where your concern for other human beings is.

This weekend, the subway line between Bloor and Eglinton will again not operate for track maintenance. In Shanghai no such thing can ever happen because maintenance work happens after subway service shutsdown at night and there is no disruption to transit whatsoever. It is this "get things done" mentality that differentiate fast and slow growth. You think it is only China? NO, Japan, S. Korea all experience such stages.

Again, big deal on that. Human beings are not slaves and robots that can work for hours without stopping or rest. We have rights, something that the government of China has no interest in upholding, and that has to change.

No subway line gets constructed during the past 20 years, well, even Los Angeles does better than that.

Subway lines are constructed when the need's there, not just 'because' they should be constructed. What you've been fed is more Ford Nation bullshit about subways that has no basis in reality.

We need more subways (1 running down Queen Street asap).

WE need a DRL, yes, but not a subway down Queen Street. Building one would suck the life out of it completely, and disrupt it utterly.

 

[UserNameToronto]

Declining to over 400 murders a year in a city of 8.2 million? We have 2.6 million, and if our murder rate was similar, we'd have over 125 murders a year ... but we only had 54.

It's a step forward, sure. But it's still pretty violent. Compare to London which also has a population of about 8.2 million, but only had only 89 murders last year. (we'd have only about 28 at that rate). And their rate has also fallen significantly.

You're way offside on the size comparison, comparing Chicagoland (analagous to the GTA) with the City Proper Toronto (ie, excluding the GTA).

Toronto's City Proper / Metro Region size of 2.6 million / 5.6 million (2011, Statistics Canada). Chicago's City/Metro size is 2.7 million/ 9.5 million. So the City Proper size is comparable, but Chicago has bigger suburbs.