Quebec City’s old quarter, Quartier Petit-Champlain, is filled with sidewalk cafes, boutiques and artisians shops in historic buildings and street entertainers.JIM FOX/The Canadian Press
Winnipeg's St. Boniface neighbourhood is home to one of Canada's largest francophone communities west of the Great Lakes. Calgary's Inglewood has more than 200 shops, cafés, restaurants and live-music venues.
In Kitchener, Ont., the Victoria Park area features varied architectural styles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
They're among finalists in the neighbourhoods category of this year's Great Places in Canada contest, along with Quartier Petit Champlain in Quebec City and Old East Village in London, Ont.
The top streets are La rue du Petit-Champlain in Quebec City and Great George Street in Charlottetown.
In the public spaces category, the finalists are Antigonish Town and County Library (the People's Place Library) in Antigonish, N.S.; Blockhouse Island in Brockville, Ont.; the waterfront in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.; Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark system in Hamilton and Burlington, Ont.; Kiwanis Memorial Park in Saskatoon, Sask.; Broadmoor Lake Park and Centre in the Park in Strathcona County, Alta.; and McAdam Lake Campground on Wauklehegan Lake in McAdam, N.B.
Nearly 14,500 votes were received from Canadians in the contest conducted by the Canadian Institute of Planners.