Words
- by Roberto Rocha
- published from Canada
- on 2010.02.24
Vancouver and Montreal: a tale of two creative cities
According to some important-sounding economists you should know about, the leading cities of the future will those with the most creative populations. The measure of an economy’s importance is shifting from knowledge and information to inventiveness. The innovators, the dreamers, the right brainers will win.
Governments are listening and tinkering with their economies to foster creative industries like design, architecture, software, video games, and film. The benefits, those important-sounding economists say, are multiple: urban regeneration, higher wages as jobs upgrade from service and manufacturing, flourishing cultural scenes that attract tourism, modernized educational programs that generate talent… the list goes on.
I’m looking at how well-positioned Montreal, my home city, is for this new economy. What are the cultural and social structures that promote creative thinking? Where to the creative types gather to exchange ideas and launch projects? How effective are government incentives? How well do big companies scout creative talent and put their ideas to commercial use?
Vancouver, where I spent 10 days, can be considered Montreal’s rival creative city. Both provincial governments joust for the attention of foreign video game and film companies. Both have fairly liberal attitudes that attract artistic types. So my research has expanded into a comparison of both cities to see which has an edge.
Although both cities share much in common, they are astoundingly different: in attitude, in values, in expectations. Both have vastly disparate influences whether from immigration, natural setting, and political sensibilities.
It was fun coming up with single words that define each city and help understand their unique engines of creative thought.
Vancouver is water, Montreal is ice.
Vancouver is Asian, Montreal is European.
Vancouver is coastal, Montreal is continental.
Vancouver is mountain, Montreal is trees.
Vancouver is glass, Montreal is stone.
Vancouver is pot, Montreal is ecstasy.
Vancouver is nude, Montreal is lingerie.
Vancouver is an early bird, Montreal is a night owl.
Vancouver is androgynous, Montreal is feminine.
Vancouver is kayak, Montreal is patio.
Vancouver is organic, Montreal is cosmetic.
Vancouver is green, Montreal is mauve.
Vancouver is Javascript, Montreal is Python.
Vancouver is young and bold, Montreal is old and cautious.
Vancouver is extroverted, Montreal is introspective.
Vancouver seeks interaction, Montreal avoids eye contact.
Vancouver is latte, Montreal is café au lait.
Vancouver is India pale ale, Montreal is Weissbier.
Vancouver is sushi, Montreal is smoked meat.
What words would you use to describe both cities?
Comments
Having grown up on the west coast, and lived in Montreal for 8 years, I found your comparison very interesting (and very perceptive, especially if this is your first visit!).
The only one I wouldn’t entirely agreed with, is Vancouver/Mountains…Montreal/Trees. Yes the mountains are abundant out here, but whenever I have spent time out east and come back….the first thing that strikes me is the trees. The colour and the size. I would say Montreal is more leaves than trees
Perhaps this would fall under Vancouver=Green…Montreal=Mauve (or better yet…red, orange, and yellow!)
I guess my choice of mountains vs. trees related to the sanctuary of choice for each city. When Vancouverites want to escape the city, they head to the mountains. Montrealers don’t have them, so we go to the parks.
Clearly, I didn’t look at the West Coast trees closely enough, but I was struck at how deep the green is.
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