It's more brand oriented and suburban than ever before.
Example: Toronto used to have a 'musical sound'. You could hear a band maybe know that it was from TO.
No such thing anymore.
TO is a large group of fairly well behaved and polite people from around the world getting along in the cold. And that's it.
Toronto has made me realize that culture cannot be invented, and that you can't just 'create' cohesion.
Sadly, most things that would have made the are unique - have been wiped out ... the suburbs of Toronto, Singapore, Denver, Amsterdam - are becoming more and more alike the only thing differentiating them is the weather. :)
I think we need a new version of globalization :)
Give me a friend who moved to Montreal over the Toronto lot any day.
Even thought most folks have some 'imported' culture to which they can belong and which gives them identity, it's rarely going to be common enough - or prominent enough - that it gives them any swagger or anything.
To your point: sometimes people make pop songs about Montreal, not so much Toronto, although Drizzy has been doing some calling out ... I just can't think that he's authentic.
Toronto reminds me a lot of Singapore these days: ex-English colony, well managed, secure, but no real culture of their own or swatter.
Again, not hating, I lived there for 20 years :)
But Toronto is mostly just a giant cold suburb, that is reasonably well run, but doesn't standout for any reason in particular.
It's the ultimate 'B' city.
It's consistently better than almost anywhere, and yet, not one aspect is really world class. I mean - San Francisco is 'missing' so many things that make it a truly all-round city, yet is so exceptional in many ways. Toronto 'has everything' but it really lacks a 'raison d'etre'.
And FYI I grew up there I can say what I want about it :)