If you can tolerate the crazy politics and French, I grew up and live in Montreal central-ish neighborhoods, and have a very independent teen in high school who

If you can tolerate the crazy politics and French, I grew up and live in Montreal central-ish neighborhoods, and have a very independent teen in high school who takes public transport or bikes to go just about everywhere in the city. It's not always efficient, but teens have time (saving a few minutes by using a car would make me waste a ton of time). Personally I have a car, but I bike most of the time to go downtown because it's 15-20 mins away and there are those new bike paths that are clean in winter too (and much faster/fun than driving).