The Most Underrated City in Canada

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

Everyone loves Nanaimo. Nobody has ever, ever said something negative about Nanaimo. Not underrated.

I've heard a lot of mildly negative things about Nanaimo - mostly that it lacks interesting things do do (bathtub races notwithstanding). I'm not sure how much truth there is to this. I remember hearing a singer/comedian on CBC from Nanaimo when I was young ripping on the city, two jokes were memorable:

Q: How is Nanaimo like the moon?
A: Zero atmosphere

Q: How is Nanaimo different from a bowl of yogurt?
A: Yogurt has culture



However I've never been there myself, and if it's anything like the rest of BC, then it's probably great.

[Beedok]

In my experience pretty well no one in Ontario seems to realise that anything other than Victoria and Vancouver is actually a city.

Also Brantford seems utterly forgotten, though I'm not sure there's that much to say about it other than that it exists.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Beedok

In my experience pretty well no one in Ontario seems to realise that anything other than Victoria and Vancouver is actually a city.

Also Brantford seems utterly forgotten, though I'm not sure there's that much to say about it other than that it exists.

To me Brantford is "that city that I get confused with Brampton"

[Mrs Sauga]

Saint John, Trois Riveres, Kingston, New Westminister and Hamilton

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Also Brantford seems utterly forgotten, though I'm not sure there's that much to say about it other than that it exists.

And that part of its downtown core has recently ceased to exist.

On this urbanism/architecture forum, its biggest claim to fame is the mass-wiping-out of a few pre-war blocks in the city core. And maybe Bell.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

Good point, though, I still don't think Edmonton gets the rating it deserves.

Do you think the Oilers get the rank they deserve?

At least that's one aspect of Edmonton that's not underrated...

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Hali87

To me Brantford is "that city that I get confused with Brampton"

I have a feeling a lot of Canadians hear Oshawa & think Ottawa or hear St. John's & think Saint John all the time (or vica versa)

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by lio45

And that part of its downtown core has recently ceased to exist.

On this urbanism/architecture forum, its biggest claim to fame is the mass-wiping-out of a few pre-war blocks in the city core. And maybe Bell.

I'm not saying they deserve a great reputation, but I do find it odd that a metro of ~120k is practically forgotten. Heck living in Hamilton it pretty much never came up.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Hali87

London - Everyone who lives there seems to hate it (or is at least ambivalent towards it) but it was a fun place to visit. Southern Ontario in general feels like the most stiflingly "normal" place on earth to me, but London has a sort of self-aware sense of humour (not self-hating like Winnipeg or Oshawa) - deliberately tacky bar/restaurant names in dignified old neighbourhoods, for example, and one of the main streets is called "Wonderland Road". Cool downtown markets and yuppie-in-a-good-way culture (plus, admittedly, a lot of extremely generic anywhere-in-Canada cul-de-sac neighbourhoods) UWO kids sure know how to party! Every single girl I met in London was beautiful. Literally.

Beautiful girls, yes, but as a generalization I found them very stuck up and snobby. While I was turned down to even go on a first date with anyone I ever knew in London throughout 5 years of high school and 6 years of university and college, it took me only 3 months once I left the city to date anyone.

If it weren't for the fact my family still lives there, I wouldn't bother visiting that place ever again.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by lio45

its biggest claim to fame is the mass-wiping-out of a few pre-war blocks in the city core. And maybe Bell.

Plus hometown of The Great One

[logan5]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

Everyone loves Nanaimo. Nobody has ever, ever said something negative about Nanaimo. Not underrated.

Nanaimo - Surrey by the sea.

[yaletown_fella]

Originally Posted by Beedok

In my experience pretty well no one in Ontario seems to realise that anything other than Victoria and Vancouver is actually a city.

Also Brantford seems utterly forgotten, though I'm not sure there's that much to say about it other than that it exists.

I think most of Brantford's historical core was, sadly, torn down.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Beedok

I'm not saying they deserve a great reputation, but I do find it odd that a metro of ~120k is practically forgotten. Heck living in Hamilton it pretty much never came up.

Being forgotten and being underrated are not the same thing. Imho, Brantford pretty much defines the distinction.

[LFRENCH]

Originally Posted by RyLucky

Everyone loves Nanaimo. Nobody has ever, ever said something negative about Nanaimo. Not underrated.

Edmonton of the Island

[RyLucky]

Originally Posted by LFRENCH

Edmonton of the Island

Originally Posted by logan5

Nanaimo - Surrey by the sea.

Slow clap.

[Canada1]

For B.C. -
Chilliwack- Yes the downtown is horrible, but improving and the variety of events and activities are overwhelming for a small city. Also it has stunning natural surroundings.

Nelson- Awesome architecture and culture combined with its natural beauty make a great little city!

[MolsonExport]

As a semi-frequent visitor, I have to say that Brantford is pretty damned wretched. The best part was recently amputated. It's mostly shitty.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Some good chatter here, though I think some posters are confusing unknown with underrated.

I'll also echo what was said earlier about GTAers almost irrational hatred/ disgust of Hamilton. What was once a healthy rivalry between two industrial powerhouses has evolved into something very different with suburbanites leading the attack.

Torontonians, however, are moving down the highway in increasing numbers, so word's getting out that there's more to Hamilton than what you see from the Skyway Bridge.

[The Jabroni]

Thunder Bay, Ontario.

For a city of its size, it is surrounded with sheer beauty of the Canadian Shield on land, and the vast waters of Lake Superior.

Yes, it has its fair share of problems, but you cannot deny how nature is literally in the city's backyard.

[isaidso]

Hamilton. Maybe Saint John.