Canada's Largest Cities — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and More

# Canada's Largest Cities — Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and More

Canada is highly urbanised — about 82% of Canadians live in cities. Knowing the major cities is helpful for the citizenship test. Here is a guide to the largest, with what each is famous for.

Toronto is Canada's largest city — about 3 million in the city itself and 6.4 million in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It is:

• Canada's financial capital — home to the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), the third-largest in North America
• The headquarters of the Big Six banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, National Bank)
• One of the most diverse cities in the world — over half of residents were born outside Canada
• Home to the CN Tower (553.3 m) — once the world's tallest free-standing structure
• The business and media centre of English Canada

Montreal is Canada's second-largest city and the largest French-speaking city outside France. About 4.3 million in the metro area. It is:

• The cultural capital of French Canada
• A major aerospace centre (Bombardier, Pratt & Whitney Canada)
• A global AI research hub (Mila — the largest deep-learning research institute in the world)
• Home to McGill University (English) and the Université de Montréal (French)
• The site of Expo 67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics
• Known for Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal), the Notre-Dame Basilica, and the Montreal Canadiens hockey team

Vancouver is Canada's third-largest city — about 2.6 million metro. It is:

• Canada's largest port and gateway to Asia
• Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains
• The third-largest film production centre in North America after LA and New York ("Hollywood North")
• The most ethnically Asian-Canadian city — about 40% of residents have Asian heritage
• Host of the 2010 Winter Olympics
• Has the mildest climate of any major Canadian city

Ottawa-Gatineau is Canada's national capital region — about 1.5 million metro. It includes:

• Ottawa (Ontario) — federal government, Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal
• Gatineau (Quebec) — many federal departments, Canadian Museum of History

For more, see [Why Is Ottawa the Capital of Canada?](/blog/capital-city-canada-ottawa) and [Parliament Hill and the Peace Tower](/blog/parliament-hill-peace-tower-canada).

Calgary (~1.5M metro) is the headquarters of Canada's energy industry — most major oil and gas companies are based here. Famous for the Calgary Stampede ("the greatest outdoor show on Earth").

Edmonton (~1.5M metro) is Alberta's provincial capital and home to the West Edmonton Mall (one of the largest shopping malls in North America).

Quebec City (~830K metro) is the oldest French-speaking city in North America, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. The fortified Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the only fortified city north of Mexico that still has its original walls.

Winnipeg (~830K metro) is the capital of Manitoba and historically the "gateway to the West." It is at the junction of the Red River and Assiniboine River. Home to the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Common citizenship-test questions:

• What is Canada's largest city? *(Toronto)*
• What is Canada's capital city? *(Ottawa)*
• What is the largest French-speaking city in Canada? *(Montreal)*
• What is the oldest French-speaking city in North America? *(Quebec City — founded 1608)*

Try our [free practice test](/practice-test) — it covers Canadian cities in the same format you will see on test day.