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London trumps Toronto as centre of Facebook universe

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 7:48 AM EDT 26/07/07

Once the largest city network on the popular social site, the Big Smoke is now second best ...Read the full article

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  1. Ross Snowden from Hamilton, ON, Canada writes: Gosh ... where have I been? I though Facebook was out.
  2. Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: TO is the Big Smoke,but not London ? Shome mishtake surely.
  3. Nelson C. from Toronto, Canada writes: Wow. Slow newsday.
  4. Stop! Think! from Canada writes: Who came up with this moniker "Big Smoke" anyways...Must have been a western paper...
  5. Eric B from Ottawa, Canada writes: Ah, Nelson C, I agree with you that this type of generally useless (yet somewhat interesting) article would not have typically appeared in a traditional newspaper except, maybe, on a slow news day. However, I welcome you to the world of internet, where new sites are not limited by the capacity of their in-house staff to write articles, or by the number of pages in their paper....the G&M online can pretty much post an endless amount of freelance articles for what I presume to be a very low cost....so why not throw it on, it did catch me (and your) attention.
  6. Muhammad G from Etobicoke, Canada writes: It's interesting that I only find out about Canadian triumphs once they become second to some thing and never mentioned in the news when they were first.
  7. Paul Hume from oakville, Canada writes: Muhammad G from Etobicoke, Canada writes: It's interesting that I only find out about Canadian triumphs once they become second to some thing and never mentioned in the news when they were first.

    Then you haven't noticed that fact that TO was advertised constantly on radio and news. It has been out there, you just didn't notice it. No stress, no problem, just pointing out that it has been trumpeted.

    No worries, I'm sure that Londoner's will get bored of it after a few months like I did.

    :)
  8. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from Vancouver, Canada writes: Stop! Think! from Canada writes: Who came up with this moniker "Big Smoke" anyways...Must have been a western paper...

    Sorry to burst your Western bashing bubble, I first heard of the Big Smoke moniker on CBC show "Street Legal" back in the early 90's. A show set in the Big Smoke itself.
  9. G B from Canada writes: Big Smoke? more like big smoking gun....TO is turning into our own little Detroit...keep it gangsta T.O. keep it gangsta!
  10. Tyler Phillips from Vancouver, writes: G B from Canada writes: Big Smoke? more like big smoking gun....TO is turning into our own little Detroit...keep it gangsta T.O. keep it gangsta!

    http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/050721/d050721a.htm

    Unfortunately you're just plain wrong. Toronto is safer than:
    Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, and Halifax. Ontario also happens to be the safest province.
  11. Ian Kelso from Toronto, Canada writes: Let us not forget that the population of Metro Toronto is approx. 5.5 million (which means almost 13% of the population are on Facebook) while metro London has upwards of 14 million (putting its current Facebook penetration at less than 6%). Toronto is still double per capita.
  12. Robert Lilley from Canada writes: Tyler Philips writes: Toronto is safer than:
    Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, and Halifax. Ontario also happens to be the safest province.

    WRONG! Look at the article again buddy. It is based on PER CAPITA. Which just happens to mean that, as Toronto has what, about 6 million in the metro area?, that it's homicide rate is still higher than any other city in Canada. Who cares about the rate? More folks get broken into, raped, and killed in TO than any other city.
  13. Nathan Weatherdon from Canada writes: Just wait until one of the big companies buys it and people will move onto the next thing. Hey what do I know, I haven't been on the site.
  14. Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: Ian Kelso The population of London in the 2001 census was just over 7 million.The highest it has ever been was 8 million in 1939.Metro London is as meaningless as downtown London,there's no such place.
  15. Pieter Funnekotter from Canada writes: Diane's right. London doesn't have the urban sprawl of Toronto so its population can accurately be stated as 7 million. And it actually has a character of its own - a real world city... No Oshawas or Hamiltons nearby. There are some commuter towns, but it's nothing like the GTA.
  16. Raymond Hum from Canada writes: "Ian Kelso from Toronto, Canada writes: Let us not forget that the population of Metro Toronto is approx. 5.5 million (which means almost 13% of the population are on Facebook) while metro London has upwards of 14 million (putting its current Facebook penetration at less than 6%). Toronto is still double per capita. "

    WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!
  17. Steve Bremner from Homeandhearth, Canada writes: Wow, an article about the number of Canadian Facebook users vs. London users and some posters still manage to turn this board into a "slag Toronto" discussion...some people have no shame.
  18. Philip Van Bergen from Hashima, Japan writes: London is the actual centre of the universe, and I don't know who
    or why anyone ever thought it was Toronto. London is the international
    business and financial capital (especially since 9/11), and the music
    and publishing centre of the world. Toronto is the centre of Ontario,
    and that's about it. It's a cool city, but not a global one.
    As for Facebook- it's another American success story in Canada and
    around the world (but not Japan).
  19. Will Iam from Toronto, Canada writes: Phil: Don't be so smug. It offends my delicate Canadian sensibilities. Toronto as the centre of the universe is a Canadian joke. You might only get it when you log on to Facebook (when it gets to Japan, natch) and join a Toronto discussion group. Until then, keep taking everything literally, brother!

    Others: I always thought the Big Smoke nickname came from the industrial era. I could be wrong, though.
  20. Tyler Phillips from Vancouver, writes: Robert Lilley from Canada writes: WRONG! Look at the article again buddy. It is based on PER CAPITA. Which just happens to mean that, as Toronto has what, about 6 million in the metro area?, that it's homicide rate is still higher than any other city in Canada. Who cares about the rate? More folks get broken into, raped, and killed in TO than any other city.

    You're absolutely right, it's per capita. I assumed most people were intelligent enough to figure that out.

    Town A: Population: 1,000. Homicides: 500.
    Town B: Population: 1,000,000. Homicides: 501.
    Robert Lilley thinks Town A is safer. Good luck to him.
  21. B to the A to the R to the T from the left coast, Canada writes: Phil... Toronto not a global city? I think you've had too much sake. I don't think there are may cities that can match Toronto as a center for commerce, art, film, and multi-culturalism. There may be bigger cities, but few more global than Toronto.
  22. D. Todd Caslick from Canada writes: Using wikipedia, Greater London = 12,000,000 to 14,000,000; Greater Toronto = 5,500,000. London proper has a population of 7,700,000, but it has extensive suburbs...just like Toronto.
  23. Randal Oulton from Toronto, Canada writes: >> B to the A to the R to the T from the left coast, Canada writes: Phil... Toronto not a global city? I think you've had too much sake. I don't think there are may cities that can match Toronto as a center for commerce, art, film, and multi-culturalism. There may be bigger cities, but few more global than Toronto.

    LOLOLOLOLOLOL! Next you'll be telling us about how extensively traveled you are and therefore know all this for sure first hand....

    Anyway, who cares, Facebook is like so 2 hours ago.
  24. Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: D.Todd From Wikipedia Greater London(GLA) had an estimated population of 7517700 mid-2005.See my census figure above for 2001.
    As for those who consider TO to be on a par with London you obviously have never been there or went around with your eyes shut and ignored the multitude of changing events there.The "sights" of TO could be covered in a day.Casa Loma and Ontario Place,not much else.
    As for finance in TO try and find the TSX in a British paper's financial section.They all show Sydney's All Ordinaries but it is rare to see the TSX.TO and Canada are not on the horizon in Europe I regret to say.
  25. Ian Kelso from Canada writes: Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: "Ian Kelso The population of London in the 2001 census was just over 7 million.The highest it has ever been was 8 million..."

    So "London" and its buroughs have 7.5 million and Toronto the city has 2.5 million. My point is only that per capita, Toronto still has a much higher participation on facebook. That is not to say that Toronto is somehow more cosmopolitan or important or anything of the kind. Only that it is curious that a social network site from the U.S. somehow spread so voraciously in Toronto.

    Whether facebook will the next Google or the next hotbot (does anyone remember hotbot?) or whether you're more likely to get knifed in Dartmouth or the Danforth, I leave that to much greater minds with fewer distractions to ponder...
  26. Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: Ian Kelso Perhaps Torontonians are bored living in such a dull city and have nothing better to do.

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