# How did Canada become more culturally public transit than the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809 "2024-03-13T17:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/101 "2024-03-21T19:04:01Z")
Toronto and “the non-agglomerated municipalities on the island of Montreal”? /S ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/102 "2024-03-21T19:15:57Z")
> [@Imuseless](#): > > You mean like stabbings and pushing on train tracks in the Toronto transit subways. Yep I live in the same province as Toronto and can verify it happens. Toronto is just as bad as New York City. You’re entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. NYC certainly has fallen in homicide rates in the last while. Now it’s at #24 in cities in the US, with a rate of 5.0 homicides/100,000 population. (Rochester NY is at #4 with 36 homicides/100,000) Toronto tops cities in Canada for homicide rates to be sure. At 1.81/100,000 population. NYC has more than twice the homicide rate, compared to Toronto. You seem to just be making stuff up in this thread, based on …?? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/103 "2024-03-21T19:18:54Z")
You seem to have a lot to say about how thing work in Canada, but appear to have little knowledge of even simple things like responsibilities of the federal, provincial and local governments. Here’s a question for you: **Do you live in Canada? Have you ever spent any significant amount of time in Canada?** ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/104 "2024-03-21T19:23:28Z")
I think you’re being too subtle. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/105 "2024-03-21T19:30:17Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Canada is not at all good at public transit. > > I live in the greater Toronto area, and the public transit is wholly inadequate. And perception is all, here. I’m from Ottawa, and every time I went to Toronto, I’d be blown away at how good the TTC was, even as Torontonians were making jokes about “TTC = Take The Car”. I recall one time, I noted that Toronto had better transit service in the middle of the night than Ottawa had in the middle of the day. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/106 "2024-03-21T19:42:17Z")
> [@Jackson99](#): > > That why I ask is wood apartments ban in Canada does all apartments have to be large concrete in Canada. Smaller rise wooden apartment buildings aren’t super common, but they’re not banned either. Just off the top of my head I can think of five such buildings in my city, and that’s just what I’m personally aware of. I’m pretty sure they’re restricted to a maximum number of floors (four, I think?). Concrete is far more common, though. ---
**Author:** ![Imuseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbce88/32.png) [@Imuseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imuseless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/107 "2024-03-21T20:03:20Z")
I watch the news like CityTv and CP24 and hear about subways assaults in Toronto which is pretty scary. I avoid visiting most of Toronto except for Etobicoke whenever I have work. ---
**Author:** ![Imuseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbce88/32.png) [@Imuseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imuseless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/108 "2024-03-21T20:04:28Z")
Yep Toronto has good public transit. In Toronto it’s hard to find a parking spot if you drive car so public transit is recommended. I think Brampton has the worse public transit. ---
**Author:** ![Jackson99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@Jackson99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackson99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/109 "2024-03-21T20:17:28Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > homicide > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > You’re entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts. > > NYC certainly has fallen in homicide rates in the last while. Now it’s at #24 in cities in the US, with a rate of 5.0 homicides/100,000 population. (Rochester NY is at #4 with 36 homicides/100,000) > > Toronto tops cities in Canada for homicide rates to be sure. At 1.81/100,000 population. NYC has more than twice the homicide rate, compared to Toronto. > > You seem to just be making stuff up in this thread, based on …?? > > You seem to have a lot to say about how thing work in Canada, but appear to have little knowledge of even simple things like responsibilities of the federal, provincial and local governments. > > Here’s a question for you: > > **Do you live in Canada? Have you ever spent any significant amount of time in Canada?** Why the Fuck are you quoting me about homicide. Reply to that user. Do me favorite DO NOT EVER REPLY TO NONE OF MY POSTS EVER AT THIS SITE. Now close the door and leave on your way out. I mean it do not ever and I mean ever reply or comment to any of my posts. ---
**Author:** ![Jackson99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@Jackson99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackson99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/110 "2024-03-21T20:26:32Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Smaller rise wooden apartment buildings aren’t super common, but they’re not banned either. Just off the top of my head I can think of five such buildings in my city, and that’s just what I’m personally aware of. I’m pretty sure they’re restricted to a maximum number of floors (four, I think?). Concrete is far more common, though. So wood frames are allowed. How many stories can they go up with wood frames before it not allowed and they have to go all concrete? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/112 "2024-03-21T20:36:36Z")
**Moderating** **Warning** for being a jerk and attacking posters outside of the pit. Do not do this again. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/114 "2024-03-21T20:53:49Z")
Ahem. The reply you quoted was to the poster [Imuseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imuseless), not to you. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/115 "2024-03-21T22:31:23Z")
But they want you to do a ‘favorite’ for them. I wish someone would do me a ‘favorite’. I like chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![Jackson99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@Jackson99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackson99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/116 "2024-03-21T22:45:06Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Moderating** > **Warning** for being a jerk and attacking posters outside of the pit. Do not do this again. I’m sorry I should not have lashed out at that poster. He was just getting to me, I should have just ignore him. ---
**Author:** ![Jackson99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@Jackson99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackson99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/117 "2024-03-21T22:47:36Z")
I believe in Canada in the 50s they built lot of upper mid rise 6 to 10 story apartments but than the 60s, 70s and 80s it was more like 15 to 25 story apartments. For some reason even the 6 to 10 story apartments they hated it but the typical 2 to 5 story American apartments for some odd reason no idea why they did not built that. And why Canada seem to build lot of high rise apartments. Also don’t think sprawl or land value cost was the reason. Canada was in a very different spot in the 50s to 80s they could have sprawl. I don’t think sprawl was answer to why they built high rise apartments in Canada. If sprawl was the reason they would have zone lot more townhomes and lot more mid rise apartments and houses would be very expensive. There also high rise apartments in Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, London Ontario even Ottawa so on. So this not Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal thing. And back than those cities would be very small population. And some years ago I saw some high rise apartments in Nunavut and northern Ontario. This is Canadian phenomena. Yes Nunavut and northern Ontario. For some strange reason Canada hates low rise apartments and even mid rise apartments don’t really like them much but really hates low rise apartments. And the mid rise apartments seem to be more 50s thing by the 60s, 70s and 80s it was more high rise. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/118 "2024-03-22T01:57:22Z")
> [@Jackson99](#): > > And some years ago I saw some high rise apartments in Nunavut Ah yes, the famous skyscrapers of Iqaluit. How high were they? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/119 "2024-03-22T02:02:56Z")
I seem to recall that some time ago, we had a poster named @Nunavut_Boy . He lived in Iqualuit, I think. He might be able to help us here. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/120 "2024-03-22T02:13:07Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > How high were they? You have to remember, the sky isn’t as tall up north. > **[Google Maps](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YgPDXYUmp1jPUBog9)** > > Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/121 "2024-03-22T03:25:26Z")
To be sure, Toronto has a large population and people are generally laid back. I doubt it has the highest Canadian _rate_ (per capita) of any violent crime. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809/122 "2024-03-22T14:30:49Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > I doubt it has the highest Canadian _rate_ (per capita) of any violent crime. You’re certainly correct for homicide rate. Toronto comes in at #15 for Canadian cities. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-canada-become-more-culturally-public-transit-than-the-us/998809.md?page=7)