I hear some cities call the larger area as metro (Vancouver) and other cities call it greater (Toronto). Is there a functional difference? Generally speaking, is one more urbanized than the other?
I hear some cities call the larger area as metro (Vancouver) and other cities call it greater (Toronto). Is there a functional difference? Generally speaking, is one more urbanized than the other?
The “Metro” area generally refers to the main city and any other high density cities right beside it, probably linked together by high volume public transit with massive numbers of people commuting between each other every day. It would be pretty typical to live in City A, work in City B, and meet with friends or have dinner in City C all in one day.
The “Greater” area generally refers to a much wider area including many of the much smaller towns that even people in the same country won’t recognize, rural farmland, etc. Their economies and business are probably mostly dependent on the main city so they may be considered linked, even though there aren’t as many people moving back and forth between them daily. So someone living in Town D might commute into City A for work, but almost nobody living in city A/B/C is commuting out to town D for work.