There’s been a long simmering battle in the Toronto and south central Ontario area. Two very urbanized areas have laid claim to Golden titles. The Golden titles refer to built up urban areas, which on maps are commonly represented by yellow. The Golden Horseshoe stretches along the shores of western Lake Ontario and includes Toronto, Hamilton and into the Niagara Region (which includes St. Catharines and Niagara Falls). The Golden Triangle Includes the three points of Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener.
Toronto and Hamilton are included because they are the first and third biggest cities in the province. That’s why they are in both. Metro Kitchener and the Niagara Region are smaller and about the same size as each other.
You might think that Kitchener folk say Golden Triangle and Niagara Region people say Golden Horseshoe. And you’re largely correct. But what do the inhabitants of Toronto and Hamilton say? Well for years, official Ontario maps showed blow ups of the Golden Horseshoe not the Golden Triangle.
The Golden Horseshoe stake was here first, so I suspect it has made more inroads with Torontonians and Hamiltonians.
And indeed, the Golden Triangle concept was developed to explain Ontario’s former status as a manufacturing engine, not as the most built up area of Ontario. It used to be said that 50% of all manufacturing in Canada was done in the Golden Triangle.
I hail from Metro Kitchener so I should take the Golden Triangle tack. But I don’t. You see triangles are everywhere, all you need is three points. Horseshoes are more unique and a Golden Horseshoe sets a part of Ontario apart from the rest of the world.
Still, we’re gunning for you, Golden Horseshoe. You see, Metro Kitchener is growing faster than the Niagara Region and has been for many years. So by dint of sheer numbers, the Golden Triangle might rise.
As for the uniqueness thing, that could change. Toronto has already shown it likes to expand into Lake Ontario. And with ever increasing housing costs, expanding into the lake becomes cost effective. So sometime in the future there will no longer be a western end of Lake Ontario and Toronto will border St. Catharines directly. What would the horseshoe be then? The Golden Blob?
No, I say the Golden Triangle will then have Kitchener, Toronto and Niagara Falls as it’s three points. Hamilton will fit inside this construction. And the Great Lake of Ontario will no longer be so mighty.
