Vancouver vs. Edmonton: Which city is really ‘winning’?

Article content

The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks never really had a thriving rivalry. Until now. The next week or two should spark a wave of “my city’s better than yours” trash talk between fans as the teams clash in the second round of the NHL playoffs.

Article content

To get the potty-mouthed party started, let’s take a look at which city is “winning” off the ice — which has hopefully melted outside Edmonton’s arena by now.

Article content

The people

Edmonton has always been a blue-collar town, along with a bunch of public servants and students, and plenty of international migrants attracted by its reasonable cost of living and plentiful jobs.

Vancouver has always been a town where it looks like nobody has a job whenever the sun comes out.

But are they nice? A recent Condé Nast Traveler survey put Edmonton in the top five worldwide for friendliness, as well as Calgary — but their hockey team sucks.

A recent survey of Vancouverites had all of them hanging up their phones in a huff and complaining they were late for yoga.

Article content

Residents have been talking for decades about how unwelcoming people are in Vancouver, but they do so over pints with a bunch of close friends at a packed microbrewery. So maybe we’re being too hard on ourselves?

Winning? Nevertheless, let’s give this one to Edmonton. It’s the nice thing to do.

The cost

There’s really no contest on the cost of living between the two cities. Rents in Edmonton are half Vancouver’s insane rates, and well-appointed homes in the City of Champions (ahem) are a fraction of what you’d pay for a veritable dump in Van City.

Gas is way cheaper, too — although that’s not necessarily an issue for the 50 per cent of Vancouverites who either drive Teslas or ride around in a cloud of smug on their e-bikes.

Article content

Article content

Winning? Edmonton in a runaway. Also, can I borrow fifty bucks, Oilers fans? I’m craving avocado toast.

Crime and social disorder

People in Vancouver and Edmonton are equally frustrated with gang shootings, open drug use and dealing, property crime and vandalism, and upticks in violent crime in general. Parts of both cities have become places you wouldn’t want to wander alone at night, at least not without a Rottweiler by your side.

Ask a longtime downtown resident how it feels in Vancouver these days, though, and you’ll get an earful about the general vibe being worse than ever.

But here’s the clincher: Ask someone in either city if they want to go downtown to enjoy Game 7. I think we all know the answer.

Winning? Edmonton, at least until they lose Game 7.

Article content

The weather

You can complain all you want about feeling soggy all winter in Vancouver, but have you ever stepped out of your house in Alberta and had your entire face freeze in an instant? During hockey season, it’s a place for polar bears, not people.

If I may digress with a personal memory: Last time I was in Edmonton, I was helping out in the Journal newsroom and it was minus 25 C every night. Still, the police scanner reported more than once that people had been spotted wandering the streets in the nude. Edmonton’s down-and-outers clearly have a heartier breed than Vancouver’s.

While it’s true that no Vancouverite ever really golfs in the morning and skis in the afternoon, the point is that we could.

Winning? Vancouver, duh.

Article content

The celebs

Tommy Chong was born in Edmonton. Where did he spend much of his life? Michael J. Fox was born in Edmonton. Where did he wind up? Nathan Fillion was born in Edmonton and is now a US citizen. kd lang was born in Edmonton and went vegan after growing up in the heart of cattle country. See a pattern?

Meanwhile, West Coast hero Ryan Reynolds is so devoted to his hometown that his X handle is vancityreynolds. Seth Rogen launched his comedy and film career from Vancouver and recently listed his Yaletown condo for sale. Bryan Adams has had a music studio in the city for ages. See a pattern?

It helps that Vancouver has become a Hollywood satellite and is thus swarming with celebrities all the time. Still, it’s the kind of place people want to be in — not from.

Winning? Charlie Sheen says Vancouver, all the way.

Article content

The culture

Both cities can boast a hearty dose of cultural cachet, from Edmonton’s Fringe Festival to Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach. Both have well-regarded folk, jazz, pride, children’s and film festivals, so in that sense they’re comparable.

Both have decent but diminished live music scenes and a club culture often beset by lunkheads from the ‘burbs.

Edmonton skews whiter, though, and Vancouver has more established neighborhoods of residents with Chinese, Italian, Greek and South Asian roots. And outside Whyte Avenue, Edmonton is a far less safe haven for obnoxiously bearded and tatted hipsters.

Winning? Vancouver, if you can handle the weed stench.

The arenas

This one is close, so close they practically have the same name. Seriously, Rogers Arena and Rogers Place? Shades of the CFL’s Roughriders/Rough Riders nonsense.

Article content

Edmonton’s Rogers Place is newer, having opened for the Oilers’ 2016 season. Vancouver’s arena — originally General Motors Place (and yes, we still miss calling it The Garage) — is 20 years older but is in the midst of a $150 million reno that includes a big new video board and comfy black seats throughout.

Both can get rocking when the teams are good, but have endured long stretches when attending was like going to a lively council meeting.

Of course, parking around the arena is much easier to find and cheaper in Edmonton, but everything is cheaper and easier to find in Edmonton. Except bags of road salt.

Winning? Let’s call this one a draw.

The hockey teams

Of course, the only thing that matters to anyone in either city right now is which hometown team has what it takes to get a step closer to the Stanley Cup.

Article content

The Canucks had the better regular-season record, but the Oilers were better in the latter half and surged to within five points of Vancouver. Edmonton has an unmatched superstar in Connor McDavid, but Vancouver can counter with Quinn Hughes, JT Miller and Elias Pettersson — at least until the missing person reports went out for him in the playoffs.

Winning? We’re about to find out.

[email protected]

It’s game day! Read more of our Canucks vs Oilers Round 2 playoff coverage:

Article content

• Canucks viewing parties: Here’s where to watch the Canucks vs. Oilers Round 2 playoffs
• 5 crucial questions facing the Canucks in Round 2
• Could Thatcher Demko really play vs. the Oilers?
• Canucks vs. Oilers: All a bloodless rivalry needs is a playoff series
• ESPN seems to hate Vancouver
• Canucks this week, playoff edition: Underdogs against the Oilers — just the way we like it
• Pearl Jam leaves Vancouver with a special Canucks message
• Like Rocky Balboa, Arturs Silovs wants to go the distance against Stuart Skinner
• After half a century on the back burner, could the Oilers-Canucks rivalry finally be heating up?
• How Pius Suter makes the Miller line go from good to dominant
• ‘I can’t stand’ it: Canucks coach Rick Tocchet tired of embellishment in playoffs
• Underdogs? Quinn Hughes ‘prepared to play my best hockey’
• JT Miller on matching up against Connor McDavid: ‘He’s different than anybody’
• Unplugging Edmonton’s potent playoff power play is top priority

ROUND 2! SIGN UP TO GET YOUR FREE CANUCKS PLAYOFF POSTERS: We are proud to partner with the Vancouver Canucks to bring you this year’s edition of the longtime Province tradition, the Canucks Playoff Poster series. CLICK HERE to get a new player poster emailed to you every game day, plus all the posters from Round 1!

Article content