In Montreal the quality of the projects around the Bell centre is pretty mixed, the use of glass curtain is good but the architecture itself is pretty banal. There wasn't anything in Griffintown that caught my eye, although some projects did at least incorporate some measure of brick in deference to neighbourhood history. Lots of opportunity there though, especially along the canal and its connection to the old port. Perhaps with the new REM station and corresponding growth we might start seeing some better looking buildings in that neighbourhood. In Montreal I'm more excited about conversions and additions- it's the juxtaposition of old and new that the city really shines.
As for Toronto, I definitely agree on the overuse of spandrel and window wall, it just seems to be the go-to material for the majority of projects. Despite the value of the property- the buildings usually end up looking cheap and downmarket to me. Where many developments really fall short though is at street level or ground plane. There's not enough variation in building materials, lack of imagination in design, and generally too many uninteresting and characterless podiums.