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A new study has ranked the coolest cities in Canada and the U.S., and Montreal didn’t even scratch the top 20.
The study, released by Canada Sports Betting, analyzed 50 of the most populous cities in the U.S. and Canada and ranked them for overall “coolness.” While cities like New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles took the top spots, only one Canadian city made it into the top 10 — and yes, it was Toronto.
To determine what makes a city cool, researchers considered everything from cultural activities and nightlife to green spaces and community engagement. Data like the number of upcoming music events, historical landmarks and even coffee shops all contributed to each city’s overall score to give a well-rounded view of what makes a place not just livable, but truly “cool.”
Toronto landed in sixth place, recognized for its lively dining scene, tech sector and sports teams. It ranked 2nd in dining and nightlife, just behind New York City, with Toronto’s Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants playing a key role. The city also stood out in social and community engagement, tying for 2nd place with Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, and ranked 3rd in tech and connectivity — solidifying its spot as the coolest city in Canada.
Montreal, meanwhile, came in at #21 overall, scoring average at best and abysmal at worst in each category.
Surprisingly, its scores were particularly weak in categories where it’s usually known for performing well, such as culture and arts (3rd-last in the top 25) and environmental sustainability (dead last). Montreal’s other scores were more middle-of-the-road, but the city still fell behind Toronto in every single category.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, it gets worse. Not only did Montreal lose out to Toronto in the coolness rankings, but it was actually only fourth in Canada, also falling behind both Vancouver and Calgary. Ouch.
Here’s a look at how Canada’s coolest cities stacked up in the overall top 50:
- Toronto (#6 overall)
- Vancouver (#13 overall)
- Calgary (#18 overall)
- Montreal (#21 overall)
- Edmonton (#24 overall)
- Winnipeg (#35 overall)
- Ottawa (#40 overall)
- Quebec City (#45 overall)
- Kitchener (#46 overall)
- Hamilton (#48 overall)
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