I'm just wondering if people with experience of one or both of these two cities can give their opinions on a few things I've been wondering.


1) Which is more Eco/Green? i.e which has more recycling facilities? Which tries the most to get ppl out of their cars? etc etc...

2) Which city is more livable without a car? Be realistic, i.e compare surburbs to suburbs, or centre to centre.

3) Which has a more relaxed working dress code? I'm in web design so it is about the most relaxed 'office' profession out there, I'm used to wearing what I want basically. Previously I always presumed Vancouver would be most relaxed, but i've read some stuff (not directly regarding this) about Toronto that made me think it could be the other way around.

4) This one sort of related to the above... Which has a more relaxed working environment in terms of working hours? Again.. I would have suspected Vancouver, but have no idea really. I have heard that due to the pacific time zone (and ppl wanting to head off skiing asap) Vancouver workers tend to start and finish earlier like Western USA, is this true?

5) Whilst I'm here I may as well ask this. Which do you think has the better main (downtown) Chinatown? I love cheap little chinese cafes and doing dim sum. I've been to the toronto one and loved it, but never been to Van.


Thanks Everyone!!

I haven't been to Vancouver but know lots of people in Toronto who don't have cars and several who don't have licenses so I'd have to say it's perfectly livable without a car, so long as you live and work within the bounds of the ttc or along the Lakeshore GO line.

I know nothing about Toronto, but worked in downtown Vancouver until retirement. It's pretty casual and relaxed, in my opinion. Everyone I worked with used public transit. My son and DIL moved to Vancouver 5 years ago, and gave up their car, they really don't need it, they use the bus to work and skytrain to other areas. They belong to a group where you have the use of a car whenever you need it, by paying a yearly fee. And, best part of all - these cars are permitted to park just about anywhere downtown! Great for going out to the suburbs or on a day trip.

Vancouver certainly wins for the ability to cycle safely year round...

Van also has a far larger chinese population

Hours, dress code etc are more likely to be specific to empolyers rather than cities, so its a moot point for me.

Working environments in BC in general are informal and relaxed. I'm a Web Services Manager for a university and there are no rules about dress code. If Toronto's more relaxed/casual I guess folk are working from their hot tubs.

I work 8-4 and there's little pressure to work late, but it may be different in a commercial agency.

Vancouver's China town and Chinese population is, I believe, 2nd only to San Fransisco. The area of Richmond (south of downtown) is the place to head.

I think they both score "nul points" on the green side of things. Toronto dumps raw sewage into the lake, I believe Vancouver does the same into the ocean.

You could live without a car in Van if you live downtown or the North Shore.

In Vancouver i managed to influence my boss, after many years experience of Fleet Street p*ss taking, for us to leave when our newspaper edition was finished. I'd leave most days at 2-3pm. Its very easy going. We wore shorts, flip flops from May - October. One of our publishers hardly wore anything on his feet. In winter you will need a wetsuit.

Toronto's got much better night-life and pubs.

Chinese food and especially Japanese food is unrivalled in Vancouver imo.

Curry is rubbish even though there is a large Indian population.

This is not a problem in Toronto. Vancouver may have better Japanese and Chinese food than Toronto but generally Toronto is a wonderful place for eating. There's every kind of restaurant except quality Mexican and you can buy just about any ingredient or product except instant grits.

Trouble is, everyone is so stoned in Van they'll eat anything

On the west coast, the dress code is different but it's still codified... I once set eyes rolling because I wore Birkenstocks with shaved legs. The horror!

I dont believe that

Mexican - Burrito Boyz and that little small mexican place on King near the holiday inn/mountain Co op!

My partner lives in Vancouver so I have had plenty of time to visit and learn from her. My (hopefully) new employer is in Toronto so I spent time there and I do have friends there. All I say is based on that.

That is an initiative which is driven by the federal government and you will see initiatives everywhere. However personally I have always believed Montreal to be the one city which does most and has the strictes application of law.

Toronto is actually world known for an exceptionally well ran public transport system where some intervals are as little as 30 seconds and for buses as low as 4 minutes.

Public transport in Vancouver (from my eyes as an Austrian) is appaling in comparison.

Toronotionas are the ones that work the longest hours across all of Canada. One of the reasons is the proximity to the border to the USA and many of the behaviours from the USA having swapped over. Toronto has to deal with New York as counter city and that is a very hectic city.

Seattle as counterpart to Vancouver in the USA has amuch more relaxed approach to life and I think that balances well between the two cities.

See above. Working times are completely locked down to what your employer requires.

I would not know but Vancouver is jokingly called Hongcouver by the locals. That should give you a good indication. In Toronto on the other hand you will find many dark skinned bretherens

Indeed; rats, cats, snake, whatever.

Anyways the way the OP is asking questions about work, the OP sounds like a right on bummed out dosser. Cool, man. Let's toot ha ha. Van City is laid back to last year so dude that will rock yer pants.

Toronnans are too much like Yanks and wear badly fitting cheap nylon suits and slip on shoes. Uptight urbanites with high blood pressure, innit. Vancouverites wear scruffy jeans, rare sneakers and pimped out designer hoodies

R.

Well I can trump that. Got level 6 funny looks for wearing a devil t-shirt haaa haaa.

R.