The Megaregions driving the global economy

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

Toronto and Ontario have more in common with Montréal and Quebec than with Detroit and Michigan. The biggest trading partner of Ontario is Quebec and vice versa.

Originally Posted by The North One

LOL in what world does anglophone Toronto have more in common with Quebec than Windsor and Detroit? How exactly are you slicing this?

Ontario and Michigan are basically twins only difference is Ontario gets tons of immigration because it's in Canada.

I agree with GreaterMontréal: Toronto and Montreal are the same country, same laws, same history, similar and diversified economies. Exchange between them are several times larger than anything crossing international borders.

[Cirrus]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

I agree with GreaterMontréal: Toronto and Montreal are the same country, same laws, same history, similar and diversified economies. Exchange between them are several times larger than anything crossing international borders.

So let's make it more interesting: What about Windsor? More in line with Detroit or more in line with the rest of the Ontario/Quebec corridor?

And if the answer for Windsor is that it's more in line with Detroit, then where would you draw the unofficial cultural/economic boundary?

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

And if the answer for Windsor is that it's more in line with Detroit, then where would you draw the unofficial cultural/economic boundary?

London. Where Wings/Tigers fandom transitions to Leafs/Blue Jays fandom.

[The Chemist]

The populations for the Chinese megaregions make absolutely no sense. They take Hong Kong and Shenzhen, but ignore the rest of the Pearl River Delta (Guangzhou, Dongguan, Foshan, etc)? They take Shanghai and Hangzhou but ignore the rest of the Yangtze River Delta (Suzhou, Changzhou, Wuxi, Kunshan, Jiaxing, etc)?

[The North One]

Originally Posted by yuriandrade

I agree with GreaterMontréal: Toronto and Montreal are the same country, same laws, same history, similar and diversified economies. Exchange between them are several times larger than anything crossing international borders.

I don't think you know much about Canada to say Quebec has the same history as Ontario beyond very early French colonizing which includes Detroit.

Canada is heavily dependent on US trade with a total of $562.46 billion in trade in 2019. In 2014 total inter-provincial exports was valued at $378 billion and Quebec/Ontario trade account for little over half of that so say $195 billion. Imports from Ontario to Quebec at about $42 billion likely around the same for Ontario. That's not near the amount of trade with the US and I doubt much has changed.

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/...1/1059-eng.htm
https://www.ustradenumbers.com/country/canada/ BTW take a look at the largest by far trade border, oh and the 2nd one too.

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Yes. Because the United States has zero immigration. Michigan doesn't get a lot of immigrants, the United States does.

Actually no, Michigan gets pretty decent immigration and has a higher percentage of foreign born people than any US state around it but Illinois. https://www.mlive.com/news/erry-2018...ighest-po.html

the United States does.

Compared to Canada? lol hell no! US Immigration in 2018 dropped to a pathetically low 200,000 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/26/u...migration.html

As opposed to Canada (not even a fraction of the size of the united states) welcoming 303,330 people in 2018 and that number is growing. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...nts-in-canada/

[The North One]

Originally Posted by Cirrus

So let's make it more interesting: What about Windsor? More in line with Detroit or more in line with the rest of the Ontario/Quebec corridor?

And if the answer for Windsor is that it's more in line with Detroit, then where would you draw the unofficial cultural/economic boundary?

The answer to that is glaringly obvious Windsor and Detroit are fully joined and both well connected to Canada's main economic corridor. There is no magical line to draw. Gradually around Ottawa probably becomes more culturally similar with Quebec.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by The North One

I don't think you know much about Canada to say Quebec has the same history as Ontario beyond very early French colonizing which includes Detroit.

Canada is heavily dependent on US trade with a total of $562.46 billion in trade in 2019. In 2014 total inter-provincial exports was valued at $378 billion and Quebec/Ontario trade account for little over half of that so say $195 billion. Imports from Ontario to Quebec at about $42 billion likely around the same for Ontario. That's not near the amount of trade with the US and I doubt much has changed.

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/...1/1059-eng.htm
https://www.ustradenumbers.com/country/canada/ BTW take a look at the largest by far trade border, oh and the 2nd one too.



Actually no, Michigan gets pretty decent immigration and has a higher percentage of foreign born people than any US state around it but Illinois. https://www.mlive.com/news/erry-2018...ighest-po.html



Compared to Canada? lol hell no! US Immigration in 2018 dropped to a pathetically low 200,000 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/26/u...migration.html

As opposed to Canada (not even a fraction of the size of the united states) welcoming 303,330 people in 2018 and that number is growing. https://www.statista.com/statistics/...nts-in-canada/

Thanks for the partisan article. I don't care about net immigration, I care about how many immigrants are welcomed here. That number is around 1 million. We 'get' tons of immigration, like Canada.

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by The North One

The answer to that is glaringly obvious Windsor and Detroit are fully joined and both well connected to Canada's main economic corridor. There is no magical line to draw. Gradually around Ottawa probably becomes more culturally similar with Quebec.

It depends on what you call “culture”. Culturally, Quebec is the biggest outlier region in all of Canada and the US. On the other hand, a lot of what defines Quebec’s unique type of French language North Americanism is its relationship to its neighbours, most specifically Ontario. And what defines Canada, originally, is the pairing of Ontario and Quebec and their different value systems. And none of this has anything to do with Michigan. The average Ontarian might be more similar to a Michigander than a Quebecker, but that’s like saying a monkey has more in common with a hippopotamus than a fish. Most Ontarians have never been to a football game and probably can’t remember the last time they ate Mexican food.

As for the economic connections between Ontario and Quebec, a lot of it might not be measured in trade since there’s a lot of intra-firm business between Montreal and Toronto. Most major Canadian companies that are HQed in Toronto operate a secondary office in Montreal to cater to the different demands of the French/Quebec market and vice versa. The industries that have a Montreal-Toronto connection are a lot more diversified than the [shrinking] automotive sector. There must be a little something going on between Montreal and Toronto if western politicians whine about a Toronto-Montreal elite and there are something like 50 flights a day between the two cities.

[MonkeyRonin]

It's always great when Americans tell you they know more about your own country than the people who actually live there.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

It's always great when Americans tell you they know more about your own country than the people who actually live there.

the problem is that i think americans subconsciously think of canada as something closer (although not completely) to an adjacent set of states than a separate country, quebec excepted. even california has border checkpoints between adjacent states (not talking about mexico) so its not the biggest stretch. crossing into california once i had to open my car and cooler up to inspection which has never happened crossing into canada.


reviewjournal.com

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

even california has border checkpoints between adjacent states (not talking about mexico) so its not the biggest stretch.


reviewjournal.com

holy shit, WTF?

i've lived in the US for 43 years and i've never seen anything like that between US states. that kinda blows my mind. what are they inspecting for? illegals?

i've been to cali a handful of times, but i've always flown, so i had no idea that cali had border checkpoints between itself and other states.

are there any there US states that have border checkpoints at their borders with other states?

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

holy shit, WTF?

i've lived in the US for 43 years and i've never seen anything like that between US states. that kinda blows my mind.

i've been to cali a handful of times, but i've always flown, so i had no idea that cali had border checkpoints between itself and other states.

are there any there US states that have border checkpoints at their borders with other states?

california is probably the most extreme example, with the california republic flag flapping overhead the border, and along with texas has the strongest sense of sovereignty when you cross the border by car. crossing into texas you get a somewhat similar vibe but theres no checkpoint.

i've experienced less disruption crossing from minnesota to ontario than into california (or washington state to bc for that matter), though.

[Steely Dan]

it just blows my mind.

it seems so fundamentally un-american.

what are the californina authorities inspecting for?

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

it just blows my mind.

it seems so fundamentally un-american.

what are the californina authorities inspecting for?

its an agricultural checkpoint so they are looking for invasive species. its sort of like when you go to a place like new zealand...california being surrounded by desert on most sides is a bit of an ecological island in some ways. i remember explaining some grapes or something with my cooler pulled out...crossing into canada at bc was basically just a quick passport check and a quick question and that was it.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

holy shit, WTF?

i've lived in the US for 43 years and i've never seen anything like that between US states. that kinda blows my mind. what are they inspecting for? illegals?

i've been to cali a handful of times, but i've always flown, so i had no idea that cali had border checkpoints between itself and other states.

are there any there US states that have border checkpoints at their borders with other states?

I don't think that type of checkpoint is at every land crossing. I don't recall ever seeing a checkpoint when driving into California on I-15. According to The Google, they have a checkpoint on I-80, going into northern California to check for invasive species from other regions of the country. Because I-80 connects the western states to the Midwest and Northeast, I guess it makes sense to put one there if it is a concern.

[Steely Dan]

doing a bit of research, i found a map of all 16 of california's border inspection stations:

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/PE/Ext...StationMap.pdf

and here's the one on I-15: https://www.google.com/maps/@35.5172...7i16384!8i8192


it's kinda funny how i had no idea that anything like this existed anywhere in the US.

[Buckeye Native 001]

It's a joke, mostly. I traveled I-10 a lot between Southern California and Arizona when I was in college and was almost always waved through. If I was stopped, they'd ask if I had any produce, I'd say no, and they'd let me go on my way.

The only thing greeting you travelling east on I-10 into Arizona is...a sign that says "Welcome to Arizona"

[iheartthed]

California's getting ready to secede...

[Razor]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

the problem is that i think americans subconsciously think of canada as something closer (although not completely) to an adjacent set of states than a separate country, quebec excepted. even california has border checkpoints between adjacent states (not talking about mexico) so its not the biggest stretch. crossing into california once i had to open my car and cooler up to inspection which has never happened crossing into canada.


reviewjournal.com

Yes, Canada feeling almost like, an extension of the States is a common narrative from a lot of Americans. I know from my perspective, driving across from Ontario into Quebec feels more familiar to me then crossing into upstate New York and beyond, and that's with the Quebec culture being more pronounced then Ontario's, or Ontario's lack of defined culture. It's probably psychological, because of the familiar stores, signage, etc..It's been years since I've been into Michigan, but from what I recall, it felt different as well.,.Again, most likely psychological. If I was actually born and raised in Windsor, then the transition would be smoother.Maybe, Montana into Alberta, may feel more like a an easier transition, but coming from Eastern Ontario into New York certainly feels like you are definitely in the States..The restaurants, flags, etc. There's also a lot of Amish in Upstate New York, which I haven't seen too much of on this side of the Saint Lawrence..my first experience ever going into the States was crossing into Niagara Falls years ago, and the first thing I saw was a high school marching band. Batons and all..Go figure!

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Razor

Yes, Canada feeling almost like, an extension of the States is a common narrative from a lot of Americans. I know from my perspective, driving across from Ontario into Quebec feels more familiar to me then crossing into upstate New York and beyond, and that's with the Quebec culture being more pronounced then Ontario's, or Ontario's lack of defined culture. It's probably psychological, because of the familiar stores, signage, etc..It's been years since I've been into Michigan, but from what I recall, it felt different as well..Again, most likely psychological. Maybe, Montana into Alberta, may feel more like a smoother transition, but from Eastern Ontario into New York certainly feels like you are definitely in the States..The restaurants, flags, etc. add to that There's also a lot of Amish in Upstate New York, which I haven't seen too much of on this side of the Saint Lawrence..my first experience ever going into the States was crossing into Niagara Falls years ago, and the first thing I saw was a high school marching band. Batons and all..Go figure!

Maybe this is because America is a more culturally diverse place. Michigan feels far more like Ontario than it does to Texas. From an American perspective, other than the different retail stores, bilingual signage, and British English spelling habits, Ontario feels very much like the U.S. states that it borders.