I bring up Anglo-Saxon 'standards' because Toronto's growth was for the most part based on Anglo-Saxon idealogies and people (before it became pan-European and then of course, global). There's nothing wrong with single family homes just minutes away from major streets because that is the way many cities in the 'new world' countries have developed. It is the preference of many (past and present) to live in low rise dwellings (along with the fact that it's possible for many to afford to do so) that has resulted in so many single family dwellings everywhere. Another interesting point is that Toronto is one of the most multi-family housing oriented cities in North America (or even new world countries) so at least Toronto is heading in the right direction (i.e. more mid- and high-rise towers and less low-rise dwellings as a proportion of total dwellings).
Other places, especially East Asia, are more dense because that's the only way to go for them. If they had an option to spread and sprawl, they would do so as well (perhaps not as much as the new world countries).
Another note, I'm assuming you're East Asian? Many East Asians seem to be very status-oriented and materialistic (not being racist just generalizing for the purposes of proving a point) and it's this demographic more than any other, i bet, that prefers big houses and flashy cars, designer purses, etc. and therefore the emphasis/preference of single dwellings will always remain in the new world countries from people around the globe. Look at Richmond BC; don't they have massive houses (single family) that are mostly owned by East Asians....obviously there's a reason they're choosing to leave the full-of-life East Asian cities and settle in small-town Vancouver....see what I mean?
new world = US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, by the way.
Finally, you've said multiple times in various posts on various threads that where you're from, everything is big, dense, etc. and yes, that is true of East Asian cities, however, just like how you tell many forumers here that they're not very open-minded as they're supposedly too North-America centric, you also are guilty of that, because you are too East-Asia centric (in terms of assuming North-American cities, barring NewYork, will be buzzing with highrises and 24 hour activity everywhere).
For many, the supposedly quiet and boring small-city feel that you seem to imply, is a positive (in that many like the fact that Toronto can offer quiet low-rise areas a short distance away from bustling streets, etc.).
Take a step back and look at the history, initial demographics and the way of thinking through most of the 20th century and you'll see why Toronto and other new world cities look the way they do.
