what is the most run down city or town in canada? not individual neighbourhoods but entire cities or towns

That would have to be somewhere really depressed and neglected. I don't want to upset anyone, but, as for larger centres, Sydney area NS, and Saint John NB come to mind. Suprisingly, St.John's Nfld is not run down because of the heritage preservation of the older areas.

Hmmm...tough to say. I suppose it depends on the size of the city you're referring to. For the major cities in Canada my own (Winnipeg) certainly has more than it's fair share of neighbourhoods that could use some work but I don't think I'd say it was the most run-down city in Canada. Truth is, the answer seems to be rather subjective anyway. One person sees old dilapidated housing and another sees trendy urban environment. If anything, about the best examples in Canada are probably going to be those smaller cities that are reliant on one industry for the most part. Usually in those cases, when the industry tanks, the communities follow suit pretty quickly. Those are probably the best examples of "run down" communities in Canada.

Probably Wallaceburg, Ontario. One of the most trashiest towns I have ever seen, a ton of factories closed there, and the economy and population and been ailing ever since. Sarnia, Ontario is also quite dumpy.

But for the most run-down downtown, that definitely goes to Brantford.

I hear Cornwall is pretty dumpy, but I have yet to be there, and I might travel there to take pictures for Ontario Trillium Photography.

Sydney is the worst city of any reasonable size in Atlantic Canada. I have never been to Saint John but it seems like it's better off in a number of ways.

Cities like Saint John, Trois Rivières, Thunder Bay, etc. are all in a pretty similar situation. I am kind of surprised that Saint John hasn't done a little better though. It has a lot more history than any of those other cities (it used to be the fourth largest city in the country) and fairly good connections to the US.

Partly it has been harmed by being turned into a company town, run by Irving. Sydney was the same way with coal and steel. There's very little in either city in the way of entrepreneurship and innovation. Saint John also has to compete directly with Moncton and Fredericton, and it hasn't gotten much support from either level of government.

Probably Wallaceburg, Ontario. One of the most trashiest towns I have ever seen, a ton of factories closed there, and the economy and population and been ailing ever since. Sarnia, Ontario is also quite dumpy.

But for the most run-down downtown, that definitely goes to Brantford.

I hear Cornwall is pretty dumpy, but I have yet to be there, and I might travel there to take pictures for Ontario Trillium Photography.

Brantford's downtown is actually in a reasonable state of repair. Just everything is boarded up and empty. I can think of other downtowns that are more lively but in shabbier condition.

Sarnia, over-all, I wouldn't consider dumpy, but nearer the refineries the neighbourhhoods obviously are. No surprises there.

prince rupert, bc.

it's because of the upside down economy.

Montreal?

Montreal?
What, really? Granted there are neighbourhoods that could use some work for sure but generally a run-down city? I wouldn't go that far personally.

didnt know canada had rundown citys if so can we see some pics

What, really? Granted there are neighbourhoods that could use some work for sure but generally a run-down city? I wouldn't go that far personally.

Well run-down? Ok, maybe not run down...for for a city our size, with our prominence in the world...
-Our city is dirty. Our parks and streets are covered in litter!
-Our infrastructure, roads, highways, bridges, are litterally falling apart.
-Some areas near downtown are just begging to be developed!

Compare Montreal to other 1st-world cities our size (i.e. Melbourne, Phoenix, Seattle, etc...), and Montreal will look like a dump. No joke!

Cornwall is pretty rough.

Kirkland Lake is probably the most run-down looking of Northern Ontario's towns and cities.

-Our infrastructure, roads, highways, bridges, are litterally falling apart.


certainly. Some roads in Montreal are so bad, it's unbeleiveable. I remember coming down Mount Royal (can't remember what street it was... near the General Hospital). The lane I was in looked like it had been washed away, no joke. And there wasn't even any temporary signs or barriers... I would have run my car off the road if I hadn't seen it. It goes to show how much Montreal can get away with.. it's a dump, but we still love it to bits!

Another city that deserves mentioning is Hamilton. I love Hamilton, but I remain very critical of it. Pick your poison... the steel mills are impressive, but are very ugly. Whole industrial areas look like they've been forgotten. Alot of houses are in despicable shape (paint peeling, leaning to one side, general disrepair). Alot of roads are racked with potholes. Even new buildings are often built cheaply, and will not take long to look 'run down'. It almost seems that alot of citizens don't even care. I yelled at a girl who was ripping pages from a book and tossing them everywhere while walking through a park. Her parents didn't care. What the fuck is wrong with people???

my list is as follows...

Montreal (relatively speaking)
Hamilton
Cornwall
Brantford

thats all I know

certainly. Some roads in Montreal are so bad, it's unbeleiveable. I remember coming down Mount Royal (can't remember what street it was... near the General Hospital). The lane I was in looked like it had been washed away, no joke. And there wasn't even any temporary signs or barriers... I would have run my car off the road if I hadn't seen it. It goes to show how much Montreal can get away with.. it's a dump, but we still love it to bits!

Yup, that would be Cote-des-Neiges. I take that route every day. That barrier you were talking about was actually under construction. It's now built, but there are still a zillion pot holes littered all over that street.

How about Windsor? I heard it's pretty bad.

Where'd you hear that? A lot of people I've met think that because it's next to Detroit, it must be bad - but the cities are real opposites.

There are definitely run-down neighbourhoods in Windsor but no more than other cities its size.

potholes are a problem in Montreal. We have a really bad weather, plus a lack of funding.

The city is redoing many many streets in the city and will need a billion or so to do everything. its not impossible if that money from the gaz tax passes on to the cities.

I don't think its a major problem per se, it can be fixed.

Filth and litter is a problem too, but the mayor has enacted some new bylaws to fix these things wich are more present in poorer and crowded areas.

I could name some streets that are rundown but its always related to economic conditions. Poorer areas always suck compared to richer ones like any other city.

My most vivid memory of filth comes from Toronto tho, i was getting off the bus near chinatown early in the morning and i had to walk thru to go to my hotel. The Staunch and odour was out of this world, I nearly vomitted on the spot. I never witnessed anything like that ever. (Toronto is a clean city generally speaking).

I am kind of surprised that Saint John hasn't done a little better though. It has a lot more history than any of those other cities (it used to be the fourth largest city in the country) and fairly good connections to the US.

Partly it has been harmed by being turned into a company town, run by Irving.
This is due to various factors. Yes, the Irvings have a huge monopoly- really all over Atlantic Canada and many New England States. However, this isn't the biggest problem.

Also, Saint John has a very OLD population which generates very little revenue for the province when there is no income to tax, but only pensions to give.

As well, when you have idiotic mayors who sign land tax deals at a flat rate of $500 000/yr for 20+ years to a major corporation, you don't get a whole lot of cash flow! The actual taxes were SUPPOSED to be several million per year. However, the mayor was in fear of losing "jobs" because if our city council didn't sign on, the company "would" have left Saint John- bullshit. Yeah, those 20 jobs sure would have sent us down the shitter eh? Fucking idiot.

We have a strong tourism industry. Last year alone Saint John weclomed ~ 140 000 cruise ship passengers. That is impressive.

Sarnia

Uranium City

Sydney, N.S. would get my vote. Not to slag off the place too much, but I've been in alot of 3rd world cities and every time I'm back home in Sydney I seem to notice a very 3rd worldish vibe. All the major industries there have pretty much collapsed in recent times and there is a massive ecological disaster right downtown. I love the place to death, but for sure it has to be the most rundown city I have ever seen in Canada. For pics of Sydney you can check out this link....
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=139669

I think I found the answer!

Any city which was built for sole purpose to be next to a mine.

Mine closes, nothing left or almost.

does anybody have pictures of any of there places, i would especialy like to see uranium city, and kirkland lake or places similar

Montreal has always had a rather large amount of grunginess...even back in the Expo/Olympics days...and definetely before then...remember, it's always had a lot of poor people. it's probably less so now than ever in it's history.


I would definetely put Cornwall in the running...it's depressing in all the usual ways...but it does everyone better, by actually smelling really bad on top of it.






KGB

Cornwall. Good call.

My most vivid memory of filth comes from Toronto tho, i was getting off the bus near chinatown early in the morning and i had to walk thru to go to my hotel. The Staunch and odour was out of this world, I nearly vomitted on the spot. I never witnessed anything like that ever. (Toronto is a clean city generally speaking).

LOL... yeah, I used to live near there. Chinatown reaches levels of filth that are hard to imagine. The garbage can pile up 6' sometimes.

Of course, it serves as a very busy market. A very busy, dirty, filthy market.

Kirkland Lake is probably the most run-down looking of Northern Ontario's towns and cities.

How about Timmins?

Where'd you hear that? A lot of people I've met think that because it's next to Detroit, it must be bad - but the cities are real opposites.



Yeah...Windsor stands out in contrast to Detroit.

On the opposite end, my vote for most run down city in Canada (that I've seen) is Fort Frances, Ontario, especially when contrasted with its neighbor across the Rainy River, International Falls, Minnesota.

How about Timmins?

The two places have a similar look to them in their older residential neighbourhoods, although Kirkland Lake also has many vacant buildings and gaps from buildings lost to fire in the downtown core, whereas Timmins does not. Timmins is also a much bigger and more resilient community than KL.

I don't like Hamilton or Windsor........but neither of them are run down.
Here's one: which city is a fast growing city that is run down........Abbotsford BC.
About 100,000 and it is a mess. Growing suburbs but rotting to the core. Ugly, depressing, foul little place. So little planning that even places built in the 80's already look run down. Thing about Abbotsford to is that it is in the FrazerValley which is home to beautiful countryside, stunning views, mild climate, 70km to vancouver, and no mining or forestry at all.
The place is just a rundown dump, pure and simple.

I was just there today, and know the city fairly well. The population of Abbotsford is closer to 160,000. It is a bit of a boom city. Its downtown has been hurt by big box developments at the edge of the city, but the downtown is small and not all that bad.

Sorry to say this ssiguy, but your description of Abbots. is probably the most inaccurate description that I have ever read on this entire forum. Abbotsford is largely a young, rapidly growing city.

:bash:

I don't like Hamilton or Windsor........but neither of them are run down.
Here's one: which city is a fast growing city that is run down........Abbotsford BC.
About 100,000 and it is a mess. Growing suburbs but rotting to the core. Ugly, depressing, foul little place. So little planning that even places built in the 80's already look run down. Thing about Abbotsford to is that it is in the FrazerValley which is home to beautiful countryside, stunning views, mild climate, 70km to vancouver, and no mining or forestry at all.
The place is just a rundown dump, pure and simple.

I was waiting for someone to say Windsor.

HAANG HIM!

Nah Windsor isn't as bad as it seems. Detroit truly is the opposite of Windsor.
Windsor isn't any prize compared to some Canadian cities, but it's definatly not even close to the bottom 30.
Maybe in the bottom 10 for Canada's biggest cities.

^^^ :ohno: Very inaccurate indeed. Beautiful place, well planned, booming.

Can anyone post pictures of what you call "run-down" areas in Canada? I'm interested to see the difference between American ghetto's and Canadian ghetto's

The poorest borough in Canada is Park Extension and trust me it has nothing to do with your worst areas.

THere's no real ghettos in Canada.

The poorest borough in Canada is Park Extension and trust me it has nothing to do with your worst areas.

THere's no real ghettos in Canada.

I didn't think it did either. But I am still interested to see what you guys consider bad areas.

Here's a fairly good article about one of Calgary's most blighted areas (well, at least one of the most talked about areas), the East Village (which I heard from the Herald last week was being renamed to Riverside District or something like that).

East Village (http://www.maisonneuve.org/blog/index.php?itemid=754)

Hopefully all the plans go through and this area will be drastically changed...

Here's a fairly good article about one of Calgary's most blighted areas (well, at least one of the most talked about areas), the East Village (which I heard from the Herald last week was being renamed to Riverside District or something like that).

East Village (http://www.maisonneuve.org/blog/index.php?itemid=754)

Hopefully all the plans go through and this area will be drastically changed...

Oh wow. That place doesn't look bad at all. Of course maybe it is because the snow is covering a lot in the pictures? Anyways...

Uranium City

I wouldn't really call Urainium city a city... it isn't all that substantial.
according to this site (http://communitylink.kcdc.ca/profiles/uraniumcity.php) its population is 212 ;). but you were probably joking...

roads all over saskatchewan are pretty poor... but from what I've seen I wouldn't say either Saskatoon or Regina is run down... sure there are some shitty areas... but they aren't all that bad.

I don't like Hamilton or Windsor........but neither of them are run down.

Have you ever been to Hamilton? if it is not run down then my ideas of what is nice versus falling apart are quite skewed!

Calgary's east village is similar to Edmonton's east Jasper. Both need revitalization. But Neither city is even close to being the most run down in Canada.

^ Very true. Plus, these are just two small areas in midsize cities so it is out of the question to even think that Calgary and Edmonton are run down. I mean, even our worst areas don't have the garbage or graffiti of areas in Montreal.

Have there been any significant plans for East Jasper as of late? Sorry if I just haven't been paying attention...

Well run-down? Ok, maybe not run down...for for a city our size, with our prominence in the world...
-Our city is dirty. Our parks and streets are covered in litter!
-Our infrastructure, roads, highways, bridges, are litterally falling apart.
-Some areas near downtown are just begging to be developed!

Compare Montreal to other 1st-world cities our size (i.e. Melbourne, Phoenix, Seattle, etc...), and Montreal will look like a dump. No joke!

Of course Montreal is gonna have some areas that are in bad shape...it's by far, the oldest major city in this country(I'm not including Q.C.). You can't compare it to cities that are less than 200 years old,or even 100years old(Phoenix!!)

In case you forgot, Montréal is 363 years old!!!

Of course Montreal is gonna have some areas that are in bad shape...it's by far, the oldest major city in this country(I'm not including Q.C.). You can't compare it to cities that are less than 200 years old,or even 100years old(Phoenix!!)

In case you forgot, Montréal is 363 years old!!!

Yeah, but a lot of what makes Montreal look dumpy are buildings built in the twentieth century, not the seventeenth.

The poorest borough in Canada is Park Extension and trust me it has nothing to do with your worst areas.

THere's no real ghettos in Canada.

Malek is right, it is statistically at least the poorest neighbourhood in Canada. It is a nothing more than housing project in the middle of the city than looks like commie blocks build close to one of richest and most jet-set neighbourhoods in Montreal: Mont-Royal. Maybe the contrast makes it appear worst than it really is. IMO it is all right place, nothing to write about really, I have seen much uglier hoods in Eastern Europe.

If you really think that Mtl, Hamilton or Windsor is the most run down city in your country then you all need to close the computers and travel a bit ;)

Personally, I have seen some run down one industry towns in Ontario and Quebec. Some examples: Iroquois Falls, Val Gagne. Kirkland Lake in Northern Ontario, Rouyn Noranda, Tashereau, Cadillac, Murdochville in Quebec are pretty crappy. Nothing to do but to drink and bang your cousin ;) The really problem is that the economy is tied up to either prices of paper, metals or abundance of fish so when the natural resources become scarce or are not in demand the municipal budgets get a 50% cut ...

Of course Montreal is gonna have some areas that are in bad shape...it's by far, the oldest major city in this country(I'm not including Q.C.). You can't compare it to cities that are less than 200 years old,or even 100years old(Phoenix!!)

In case you forgot, Montréal is 363 years old!!!

Its funny you mention cities 100 years old. Calgary was incorporated in 1885 and Edmonton (1904) celebrated its centennial in October. While Alberta does in a couple weeks.

when i was on the greyhound in northern ontario, there were signs up everywhere about saving the children from sexual abuse. it seems to me like there is alot going down up there that we have no idea about at all. lots of social problems that seem to go along with poverty and isolation. does anybody have any info on these signs

What about Sarnia, Ontario? I hear it's a real shit hole.

I'd like to counter some people's saying on Windsor being the most run-down city in Canada. Sure, Windsor does have its bad areas, but what cities don't? Besides, it looks a lot better than Detroit across the river, which as people say is one reason Windsor gets a bad reputation. But you know what some people say, "The worst neighborhood here looks better than the best neighborhood over there" or something which is the way it is with Windsor and Detroit. Besides, when I came down to Windsor the first time a few years ago, people told me it was run down and dirty place, but it didn't really look that way to me, and I was impressed with the waterfront, and felt that Windsor was a very vibrant city at that time. Downtown is as good as it has ever been before. Saying that, Windsor is definitely NOT the most run-down city in Canada. People who say it is obviously have distaste in Detroit or Windsor or something. In fact, ever since I started coming down there for things, it feels a lot more like a cleaner smaller midwest city than a Canadian city, which is one thing I like about it, it feeling different than other Canadian cities like Toronto. Coming to Windsor/Detroit for big city events was probably the smartest and best decision I have ever made. They need support from people like me, and are getting it, slowly but surely. Also, the riverfront of Windsor will get even better I think this year! :)

I haven't been to Hamilton too often, but I think it's a case of the infamous steel mills that give it a bad reputation. I have been through Hamilton a few times, though. I can agree that some things in Hamilton are older-looking, but again, not nearly as bad as some other North American cities. I don't think Hamilton's environment is any different than Toronto's, except it's smaller and other things.

I have definitely got to get to Cornwall sometime so how dumpy it really is.

I don't understand... how is Windsor the trashiest city in Canada... Detroit across the harbour is even more trashy~

As others have mentioned, the real run-down cities are the smaller ones. Wallaceburg comes to mind and I'm sure there are a number of them in northern Ontario.

As for Windsor - it has a much higher proportion of older neighbourhoods than most Canadian cities. The city proper did not grow in population at all between 1965 and 1995. So there is much less sprawl in Windsor then say London or Kitchener, but flipside to that, there are more run-down areas. The city has grown a lot in the past 10 years though.

More often than not, when I tell someone that I'm from Windsor, in return I get some stupid joke about Detroit. All the good things about Windsor like the riverfront and the historic neighbourhoods get overlooked by Detroit's crappiness - and they always will be. We're a victim of geography...I'm sure if this city were located somewhere else, it would have more respect.

It is amazing how differently we Americans view the term "ghetto" or "rough area" from Canadians.

When I searched online for Canadian ghetto's I found these:

http://img55.echo.cx/img55/5219/stjamestownghetto4wn.jpg

http://img215.echo.cx/img215/6796/stjamestownghetto29mk.jpg

http://img93.echo.cx/img93/5862/torontoghetto5uf.jpg

When I searched online for ghetto's here in the United States I found these:

http://img63.echo.cx/img63/5899/balt84vq.jpg

http://img202.echo.cx/img202/4835/brooklyn13tf.jpg

http://img221.echo.cx/img221/7134/newark15wa.jpg

http://img232.echo.cx/img232/4194/southbronx0kg.jpg

^I can definitely tell you that the above examples of a Canadian "Ghetto" aren't too accurate. Somebody on the internet might have thought that that's what we think of as a ghetto but it's not the case.
My city has plenty of neighbourhoods that (while not as bad as the ones you show for the US) would probably end up on a list of ghettos if they were in the US. About the only difference between the areas in Winnipeg and the areas you have cited is the amount of garbage. But otherwise, boarded up houses, high crime, empty lots in otherwise full neighbourhoods, graffiti everywhere, gangs, dilapidated housing, social problems and large-scale poverty are clearly evident. As I say, they aren't as bad as their US counterparts in the big cities but nobody would mistake them for wealthy or even middle-class areas. They are, if not ghettoes, slums.

Yeah, I remember the infamous Winnipeg skid row. Indeed, it was by no means too pretty. I heard those areas have been greatly fixed up though.

Yeah, I remember the infamous Winnipeg skid row. Indeed, it was by no means too pretty. I heard those areas have been greatly fixed up though.
^Yes and no. North Main has traditionally been considered the 'skid row' of Winnipeg and some parts of it further towards downtown have indeed seen some positive developments over the last decade or so. Mostly though, that's because it falls within the Exchange District where rejuvenation is steamrolling along. The rest is pretty much the same as it ever was. Nevertheless, the areas I'm referring to are places like Point Douglas, West Broadway, the West End, and anything along Selkirk Ave. north of the CPR main line for about two or three kilometers. Those areas are definitely not pleasant little enclaves of suburbia.

im suprised this thred did so well, all the other ones i started went nowhere, keep the posts coming

It is amazing how differently we Americans view the term "ghetto" or "rough area" from Canadians.

When I searched online for Canadian ghetto's I found these:

http://img55.echo.cx/img55/5219/stjamestownghetto4wn.jpg

http://img215.echo.cx/img215/6796/stjamestownghetto29mk.jpg

http://img93.echo.cx/img93/5862/torontoghetto5uf.jpg

When I searched online for ghetto's here in the United States I found these:

http://img63.echo.cx/img63/5899/balt84vq.jpg

http://img202.echo.cx/img202/4835/brooklyn13tf.jpg

http://img221.echo.cx/img221/7134/newark15wa.jpg

http://img232.echo.cx/img232/4194/southbronx0kg.jpg

I believe those pictures of the american ghettos are from the 60's.

I don't know, it didn't say the date where I found them. The point I was trying to make is that whether those pics are from the 60's or not (and I doubt all of them or even a couple are from the 60's) a lot of Canadian ghettos wouldn't be classified "ghetto" by americans. As Looseloginthepeg said, maybe the pics I posted of the Canadian ghettos were not all that accurate. I really would not know as I have never been to Canada. But I just find it interesting that a lot of the bad Canadian ghettos might only be minor in our (american) eyes. And a lot of our minor American ghettos may be considered really bad to Canadians. It makes sense if you think about it. But interesting to me nonetheless.

Damn... I could easily mistake any one of those American ghettos for a war zone...

http://img232.echo.cx/img232/4194/southbronx0kg.jpg

What the hell happened here? Friggin carpet bombing?

^^^^^
That pic must have been taken in the seventies. I'm assuming that's South Bronx.

From what I've read, landlords would burn down their tenements to collect insurance money back in the day.

Malek is right, it is statistically at least the poorest neighbourhood in Canada. It is a nothing more than housing project in the middle of the city than looks like commie blocks build close to one of richest and most jet-set neighbourhoods in Montreal: Mont-Royal. Maybe the contrast makes it appear worst than it really is. IMO it is all right place, nothing to write about really, I have seen much uglier hoods in Eastern Europe.

park extension isn't a housing project and it has no "commie blocks." it's an ordinary neighbourhood with a building stock of duplexes, triplexes and, above all, four-storey postwar apartment buildings. there are commercial streets and parks and it's home to large greek and south asian populations. it's only poor because 60% of its residents immigrated to canada less than 10 years ago.

Damn... I could easily mistake any one of those American ghettos for a war zone...

What the hell happened here? Friggin carpet bombing?

Heh, that photo is of the South Bronx in I believe the 80's. Most of South Bronx looked like that, excluding a few areas. As Buster said, building owners would burn down the buildings to collect insurance money. Often buildings with residents in them would be painted dark colours, and sometimes even the windows would be painted black in order to look abandoned, so no arsonists would burn them down. The streets were filled with trash (literally covering every square foot), and looked no different from the Warsaw ghetto of WW2. Buildings would become abandoned, and collapse, and nobody would clean the mess up. Sadly these were the living conditions for many people, mostly minorities. "Since the city couldn't seem to stop the arson they tried to make the buildings look inhabitated by using a plastic covering with curtains and plants stenciled on over the boarded up windows."

http://img182.echo.cx/img182/8430/bronx22wv.jpg

http://img182.echo.cx/img182/4679/bronx0jv.jpg


Anyways, as for run down Canadian cities, I wouldn't know any. Without bashing on my own City, Kitcheners downtown, or at least areas are really run down. An example (socially run down) would be the Cedar Hill neighbourhood, which is basically the cities first low-income ghetto. But, as for physically run down, other then those small towns with 500 people, Canada has no real run down cities.

What about Sarnia, Ontario? I hear it's a real shit hole.

Sarnia is pretty shitty.