From student bashes like homecoming to packed nights out on Richmond Row, some not be surprised to hear that Uber has declared London, Ont., as the top party city in Canada.
The Forest City received the ride-hailing app’s number one spot based on the volume of rides between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
With “nighttime escapades making a major comeback” as COVID-19 restrictions ease, Uber Canada’s first-ever Nightlife Index compiles data from between September 2021 and September 2022.
“Wild London may not have the most Uber accounts than any other city, the number of people using Uber during these late hours is the highest when you compare it to other cities across the country,” said Keerthana Rang, corporate communications lead for Uber in Canada.
Uber’s top 10 partying cities in Canada:
- London
- Toronto
- Kitchener-Waterloo
- Kingston
- Saskatoon
- Vancouver
- Winnipeg
- Regina
- Edmonton
- Ottawa
Not only is London the top party city, but Londoners also stay out partying the latest, according to the index, with the most rides recorded between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Rang said that no matter how late people decide to stay out, it’s about getting home safely that counts.
“That’s actually one of the things we’re also trying to promote with this index, along with our partner, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Canada,” she said. “No matter how you got to the party, we want you to get home safely.”
Rang also recalled being initially shocked to see London beat out some other larger Canadian cities such as Toronto.
“But the more I looked at the list, we’re seeing smaller cities up at the top because those cities do have colleges and universities and I think they’re really helping boost the rankings,” she said.
The Nightlife Index followed the return to Western University’s first in-person homecoming since 2019. Roughly 6,000 to 7,000 people gathered on Broughdale Avenue and surrounding streets at the height of an unsanctioned event on Sept. 24.
However, Mayor Ed Holder reacted to London’s ranking, calling it an “exceptionally positive one.”
“It talks about how important it is for anyone that’s gone out, and may have had a drink or two, has decided to take a ride home safely,” he said. “I think that’s an incredibly important statistic. In fact, I would rank London as the most responsible city in Canada.”
Holder said that while no city will never be able to get rid of parties, he stressed the importance of partying responsibly, saying that he “couldn’t be prouder of Londoners and the students of Western and Fanshawe.”