Winnipeg or Québec - 1 Million

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

I think I've heard of that. It's near Saint-Louis-du-LMFAO! isn't it?

If I recall correctly, I believe a "ha-ha" is something like a portage.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

If I recall correctly, I believe a "ha-ha" is something like a portage.

Ha ha you are smart and curious man.

[MolsonExport]

The Commission de toponymie du Québec asserts that the parish's name refers to nearby Lake Témiscouata, the sense of haha here being an archaic French word for an impasse; see Ha-ha. The Louis may refer to Louis Marquis, one of the first colonists of the region, or Louis-Antoine Proulx, vicar of Rivière-du-Loup, or perhaps the abbot Louis-Nicolas Bernier. Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is the only town in the world with two exclamation points in its name, and shares the distinction of having an exclamation point in its name with Westward Ho!, a village in Devon, in south-west England (Wikipedia)

[Nouvellecosse]

Oh interesting! I always assumed they were just being whimsical.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Oh interesting! I always assumed they were just being whimsical.

I think Moncton's explanation has Indigenous origins.

Other theories:

- A ha-ha in old French is a kind of moat.

- Early explorers would have exclaimed "ha ha!" at the beauty of Lake Témiscouata when they first saw it.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The Commission de toponymie du Québec asserts that the parish's name refers to nearby Lake Témiscouata, the sense of haha here being an archaic French word for an impasse; see Ha-ha.

Yes, an obstruction (or impasse) - one you had to portage around.

This was actually an ancient portage route between the upper Saint John River valley at Edmundston and the St. Lawrence River in pre colonial times. The watershed was south of Lake Temiscouata where St. Louis-du-Ha! Ha! was founded.

I really like Lake Temiscouata - very scenic.

[Acajack]

We drove that highway hundreds of times when I was a kid, and this town was always a favourite toponym of myself and my siblings. Good for lots of jokes of course.

Imagine my excitement when they turned that segment of two-lane road into an autoroute and they installed these huge signs:

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.6731...8192?entry=ttu

[Hawrylyshyn]

Below are maps of buildings that are at least 12 floors or 35m tall within the SSP database for these two cities, as well Hamilton (third in the race to hit 1,000,000). I personally find it interesting to compare/contrast. (Grey = built, blue = proposed, green = under construction, yellow = on-hold)

Winnipeg: - Map Link


Quebec: - Map Link


Hamilton: - Map Link