Moncton vs Barrie

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Moncton (; French pronunciation: ​[mɔŋktœn]) is one of three major urban centres in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, along with Saint John and the capital city of Fredericton. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces. The city has earned the nickname "Hub City" because of its central inland location in the region and its history as a railway and land transportation hub for the Maritimes. The city proper has a population of 71,889 (2016) and a land area of 142 km2 (55 sq mi). Greater Moncton has a population of 144,810 (2016), making it the largest city and census metropolitan area (CMA) in New Brunswick, and the second-largest city and CMA in the Maritime Provinces. The CMA includes the neighbouring city of Dieppe and the town of Riverview, as well as adjacent suburban areas in Westmorland and Albert counties.Although the Moncton area was first settled in 1733, Moncton was officially founded in 1766 with the arrival of Pennsylvania Germans immigrants from Philadelphia. Initially an agricultural settlement, Moncton was not incorporated until 1855. The city was named for Lt. Col. Robert Monckton, the British officer who had captured nearby Fort Beauséjour a century earlier. A significant wooden shipbuilding industry had developed in the community by the mid-1840s, allowing for the civic incorporation in 1855.

However, the shipbuilding economy collapsed in the 1860s, causing the town to lose its civic charter in 1862. Moncton regained its charter in 1875 after the community's economy rebounded, mainly due to a growing railway industry. In 1871, the Intercolonial Railway of Canada had chosen Moncton as its headquarters, and Moncton remained a railway town for well over a century until the closure of the Canadian National Railway (CNR) locomotive shops in the late 1980s. Although the economy of Moncton was traumatized twice—by the collapse of the shipbuilding industry in the 1860s and by the closure of the CNR locomotive shops in the 1980s—the city was able to rebound strongly on both occasions. The city adopted the motto Resurgo (Latin: I rise again) after its rebirth as a railway town. The city's economy is stable and diversified, primarily based on its traditional transportation, distribution, retailing, and commercial heritage, and supplemented by strength in the educational, health care, financial, information technology, and insurance sectors. The strength of Moncton's economy has received national recognition and the local unemployment rate is consistently less than the national average.

Source: Wikipedia

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Barrie is a city and manifesting regional centre in Central Ontario, Canada, located on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. The city is located geographically within Simcoe County, however it is a politically independent single-tier municipality. It is within the historically significant Huronia region of Central Ontario, and is part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, a densely populated and industrialised sub-region of Ontario. As of the 2016 census, the city's population was 141,434 making it the 34th largest in Canada in terms of population proper. The Barrie census metropolitan area (CMA) as of the same census had a population of 197,059 residents, making it the 21st largest CMA in Canada. The city itself has seen significant growth in recent decades due to its emergence as a bedroom community for Toronto. The affordability of housing and robust job market perhaps contribute to a Toronto buyer's appeasement with Barrie. GO Transit offers daily service to and from the Greater Toronto Area from two stations in the city. Barrie is located 85 kilometres (53 mi) north of Toronto, 355 kilometres (221 mi) northeast of Detroit and 335 kilometres (208 mi) west of Ottawa. This represents the city's highly centralised and historically advantageous situation, providing an ease of access to major centres and airports across the region.The Barrie area was first settled during the War of 1812 as a key supply depot for British forces.

It would be named 20 years later after Sir Robert Barrie, who frequently commanded forces through the region. The 1980s and 1990s would be a period of immense growth for Barrie, with the population tripling in the span of twenty-five years. In 1981, the city had a population of 38,423; in 2006, Barrie had 128,430 residents living within city limits. Barrie's ongoing success would be punctuated by high-rise condominium development along Kempenfelt Bay, instigating a sort of downtown renaissance. Great investment by the city into their beachfront amenities would culminate in Barrie becoming a prime tourist destination. With several ski resorts in the vicinity and a picturesque waterfront, Barrie is known not just for its tourism, but also as the 'Gateway to Cottage Country'. The city's economy is diverse, with education, healthcare, information technology and manufacturing all prevalent sectors. The Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre is Barrie's largest employer, with nearly 3,000 workers. Retail in the city has flourished too in recent decades, bolstered by the completion of Park Place in 2008. Barrie experiences cold, snowy winters with an average January minimum temperature of −12.4 °C (9.7 °F). Summers are hot and humid, with an average July maximum temperature of 26.3 °C (79.3 °F).

Source: Wikipedia