Why Choose Ontario when Living in Canada?
There’s a reason Ontario’s slogan was “Yours to Discover” for decades. Ontario is chock full of hidden gems, scenic routes and rich history. With more than 250,000 freshwater lakes, rivers and waterways, and bordering four of North America’s five Great Lakes, Ontario’s landscapes are shaped by water and dramatically transform with each changing season. It’s no wonder when living in Canada, newcomers choose Ontario as the province to pursue their new lives. In 2020, 127, 191 immigrants settled in Ontario– this is double the amount of any other province in Canada.

Economy in Ontario
Ontario has a reputation of being the centre of most activity in Canada and has created a hub of economic, social, and political opportunities. In fact, the Federal government is the single largest employer of Ontarians.
Ontario’s economy thrives through its unique combination of resources, manufacturing expertise, exports and a drive for innovation. Ontario generates 37% of the national GDP and is home to almost 50% of all employees in high tech, financial services and other knowledge-intensive industries.
Mining has been an economic factor for more than 130 years, supplying the world with more than 30 kinds of metal and minerals. The many rivers in the province have created numerous opportunities in the hydroelectric energy field, with much of the country’s electricity originating here. Ontario now has more than 1,000 wind turbines with a capacity of more than 2,000 megawatts, making Ontario the Canadian leader in wind power.
Southern Ontario provides fertile ground for the effective production of small grains and fruit farming, especially close to the beautiful Niagara Peninsula.

Cost of Living in Ontario
Ontario has a reputation for having high costs of living in Canada, but salaries and the minimum wage of $14.35 are some of the highest in the country. Known for cleanliness, safety, and an abundance of quality public services, it is no wonder that more than half of the immigrants in Canada choose Ontario.
Though Ontario has high taxes and living costs, their high salaries ensure that residents enjoy one of the highest quality of life rankings in the world.
List of upper-tier municipalities in Ontario
Name[13] | Municipal sub-type[6] |
2016 Census of Population[12] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population (2016) |
Population (2011) |
Change | Land area (km²) |
Population density |
||
Bruce[d] | County | 66,491 | 64,709 | 3984.82 | ||
Dufferin | County | 61,735 | 56,881 | 1,486.44 | ||
Durham[e] | Regional municipality | 645,731 | 608,031 | 2521.23 | ||
Elgin[f] | County | 50,069 | 49,556 | 1,845.4 | ||
Essex[g] | County | 181,530 | 177,720 | 1,662.73 | ||
Frontenac[h] | County | 26,677 | 26,390 | +1.1% | 3,336.57 | 8.0/km2 |
Grey | County | 93,830 | 92,568 | +1.4% | 4,513.50 | 20.8/km2 |
Haliburton | County | 18,062 | 17,056 | 4,076.08 | ||
Halton | Regional municipality | 548,435 | 501,674 | 964.05 | ||
Hastings[i] | County | 39,628 | 39,888 | 5,291.59 | ||
Huron | County | 59,297 | 59,100 | 3,399.27 | ||
Lambton[j] | County | 123,399 | 124,623 | 2,842.94 | ||
Lanark[k] | County | 59,918 | 56,689 | 3,025.98 | ||
Leeds and Grenville[l] | United counties | 69,819 | 67,958 | 3,350.08 | ||
Lennox and Addington | County | 42,888 | 41,809 | 2,839.68 | ||
Middlesex[m] | County | 71,551 | 70,796 | 2,821.02 | ||
Muskoka[n] | Regional municipality[c] | 60,391 | 57,807 | 3,877.38 | ||
Niagara | Regional municipality | 447,888 | 431,346 | 1,854.23 | ||
Northumberland[o] | County | 85,103 | 81,657 | 1,892.56 | ||
Oxford | Regional municipality[c] | 110,862 | 105,719 | 2,039.61 | ||
Peel | Regional municipality | 1,381,739 | 1,296,809 | 1,246.95 | ||
Perth[p] | County | 38,066 | 37,554 | 2,177.79 | ||
Peterborough[q] | County | 55,783 | 54,786 | 3,769.18 | ||
Prescott and Russell | United counties | 89,333 | 85,381 | 2,004.47 | ||
Renfrew[r] | County | 88,072 | 86,534 | 7,426.2 | ||
Simcoe[s] | County | 305,516 | 277,262 | 4,273.69 | ||
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry[t] |
United counties | 65,353 | 64,824 | 3,236.45 | ||
Waterloo | Regional municipality | 535,154 | 507,096 | 1,368.92 | ||
Wellington[u] | County | 90,932 | 86,672 | 2,573.35 | ||
York[v] | Regional municipality | 1,109,648 | 1,032,249 | 1,747.58 | ||
Total upper-tier municipalities | 6,622,900 | 6,261,144 | 87,449.74 | |||
Province of Ontario | 13,448,494 | 12,851,821 | 908,699.33 |
Whether you’re interested in living in Canada you can choose – settling in the beautiful Niagara region, the country’s capital in Ottawa, or the bustling city of Toronto, Ontario is vast and varied with unmatched wonders to discover and endless ways to unleash your wanderlust.