Ontario’s most affordable cities to raise a family

BY JAY BRIJPAUL

With the pandemic, families are moving away from the GTA to smaller communities. This trend will continue as more people are able to work from home. Many are leaving the confined space of condos and relocating to detached homes outside of the GTA that are more affordable to raise a family. These out of town homes are spacious and have generous land size.

Thunder Bay is one of the most economical cities to live in Ontario with an average house price of $265,000. The population is around 110,000 and the city is about 328 square kilometres. The award-winning Lakehead University is a magnet for students from everywhere. This makes Thunder Bay an ideal investment hot spot. This city has a dynamic work force in health care, business and education. According to MoneySense, “In the last five years, real estate prices in this Northern Ontario city of just over 100,000 have appreciated faster than in any other city in Canada.”

Greater Sudbury has an average house price of $310,000 with a household income of $80,000. The population here is 165,000. Sudbury is located in northeastern Ontario and in the vicinity of 390 kilometres from the GTA. If you are looking for a place with clean air and fresh water, there are 330 lakes. Employment opportunities such as mining, tourism, education health care, research, film and television are tremendous. Sudbury has a large Francophone population which plays a central role in building and keeping their traditions. The average rent for a 3-bedroom apartment is $1700.00. Most of the population is centred around the downtown core, leaving lots of land space for social distancing.

Windsor is located in southwest Ontario on the bank of the Detroit river. It is 365 kilometres from the GTA. Countless Canadians work in Detroit but live in Windsor because of the low cost of living. The average house price is $431,000 and property tax, $3,000. You can rent a 3-bedroom apartment for $1600. The population here is touching 336,000 and the median household income is $85,000. It is an ideal spot to raise a family in a mid-size town with all the amenities and cross-border shopping. The University of Windsor is well known and attracts students globally. Windsor is one of the most diverse cities after Toronto, with over 25% of visible minorities.

You can buy a home in Kingston for $480,000. An average 3-bedroom property rents for $1600. This city is on the eastern end of Lake Ontario and is about 267 kilometres from Toronto. It is a great city to live in and has one of the lowest unemployment rates. Known as the military city, it caters for about 10,000 military personnel. The population is around 600,000 so you won’t miss the big city lifestyle. There are tremendous job opportunities in areas such as transportation, research, manufacturing, tourism and higher education at the Queens university.

Coburg has a population of around 41,000. It is located about 95 kilometres east of Toronto. The average home price here is $561,000. Considering the proximity to Toronto, it is affordable. Coburg has been in the spotlight by MoneySense Magazine as “One of Canada’s Best Places to Live”. This town is blessed with an educated and skilled workforce, a diverse commercial sector and a helpful hand from the municipality.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a lovely town with a population of about 18,000. The median house price is $550,000 and property tax, $3,800. This town has a large work force of about 60% while retirees makes up another 23%. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a favourite spot for tourism and is home to one of Canada’s largest theatres, The Shaw Festival. Real estate in this town is on the upswing. The rental market is above average. This is a great town to invest.

It is worth the drive to Orillia. Commuting can be done in an hour and a half, a distance of 144 kilometers from the GTA. The city has a population of 31,000 residents. Home prices in Orillia are on the rise and in the past three months prices have shot up by 21% to a new record of $666,000. Orillia is the home of Casino Rama and is a destination for tourists.

Real estate in the GTA is getting out of reach for many. However, there are many beautiful towns outside the city that are affordable. With the promise of vaccines, the pandemic will subside. However, the effects of the pandemic are creating new tidal waves for real estate. More families are relocating out of town and soon prices in these towns will swell. Act fast!