A new report just ranked Canada’s coolest cities — and it looks like Montreal still has plenty of street cred.
Toronto, on the other hand, didn’t exactly make the splash it was hoping for. The rankings, based on a study conducted by Betway and released on March 25, considered factors like median age, vegan and vegetarian restaurants, hidden-gem eateries, record stores, live music events, and tattoo parlors. Toronto landed in a disappointing seventh place with an index score of 19.52 — trailing behind cities like Ottawa, Calgary, and even Edmonton. Yikes.
Meanwhile, its cultural rival, Montreal, managed to snag third place with a higher index score of 21.64, proving it has more than just bagels and poutine going for it.
So what gave Montreal the edge?
For one, its music scene seems to be thriving. The city boasts 802 upcoming music events, translating to about 50 events per 100,000 people. Toronto, by comparison, has more events overall (1,154), but they’re spread across a far larger population, giving it a weaker score per capita. Montreal also dominates when it comes to hidden-gem eateries, with 138 unique spots — almost double what Toronto offers (66 hidden gems). That culinary creativity clearly counts for something.
Even when it comes to tattoo culture, Montreal holds its own. The city boasts 67 tattoo parlors, while Toronto has 113. But when adjusted for population, Montreal’s higher density of shops gives it a cooler edge. As for the top two spots, Vancouver, who recently bested Montreal in a poutine ranking, and Victoria came out on top with index scores of 21.91 and 21.82, respectively, thanks to their multicultural energy and laid-back vibes. Meanwhile, Quebec City and Winnipeg rounded out the list with scores of 43.1 and 38.1.
Here’s the full list of Canada’s top 10 coolest cities, according to Betway:
- Vancouver
- Victoria
- Montreal
- Edmonton
- Calgary
- Ottawa
- Toronto
- Surrey
- Quebec City
- Winnipeg
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