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.

Living in Canada - Why Choose Ontario?

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.

Living in Canada - economy of Ontario

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 +2.8% 3984.82 16.7/km2
Dufferin County 61,735 56,881 +8.5% 1,486.44 41.5/km2
Durham[e] Regional municipality 645,731 608,031 +6.2% 2521.23 256.1/km2
Elgin[f] County 50,069 49,556 +1.0% 1,845.4 27.1/km2
Essex[g] County 181,530 177,720 +2.1% 1,662.73 109.2/km2
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 +5.9% 4,076.08 4.4/km2
Halton Regional municipality 548,435 501,674 +9.3% 964.05 568.9/km2
Hastings[i] County 39,628 39,888 −0.7% 5,291.59 7.5/km2
Huron County 59,297 59,100 +0.3% 3,399.27 17.4/km2
Lambton[j] County 123,399 124,623 −1.0% 2,842.94 43.4/km2
Lanark[k] County 59,918 56,689 +5.7% 3,025.98 19.8/km2
Leeds and Grenville[l] United counties 69,819 67,958 +2.7% 3,350.08 20.8/km2
Lennox and Addington County 42,888 41,809 +2.6% 2,839.68 15.1/km2
Middlesex[m] County 71,551 70,796 +1.1% 2,821.02 25.4/km2
Muskoka[n] Regional municipality[c] 60,391 57,807 +4.5% 3,877.38 15.6/km2
Niagara Regional municipality 447,888 431,346 +3.8% 1,854.23 241.5/km2
Northumberland[o] County 85,103 81,657 +4.2% 1,892.56 45.0/km2
Oxford Regional municipality[c] 110,862 105,719 +4.9% 2,039.61 54.4/km2
Peel Regional municipality 1,381,739 1,296,809 +6.5% 1,246.95 1,108.1/km2
Perth[p] County 38,066 37,554 +1.4% 2,177.79 17.5/km2
Peterborough[q] County 55,783 54,786 +1.8% 3,769.18 14.8/km2
Prescott and Russell United counties 89,333 85,381 +4.6% 2,004.47 44.6/km2
Renfrew[r] County 88,072 86,534 +1.8% 7,426.2 11.9/km2
Simcoe[s] County 305,516 277,262 +10.2% 4,273.69 71.5/km2
Stormont, Dundas
and Glengarry[t]
United counties 65,353 64,824 +0.8% 3,236.45 20.2/km2
Waterloo Regional municipality 535,154 507,096 +5.5% 1,368.92 390.9/km2
Wellington[u] County 90,932 86,672 +4.9% 2,573.35 35.3/km2
York[v] Regional municipality 1,109,648 1,032,249 +7.5% 1,747.58 635.0/km2
Total upper-tier municipalities 6,622,900 6,261,144 +5.8% 87,449.74 75.7/km2
Province of Ontario 13,448,494 12,851,821 +4.6% 908,699.33 14.8/km2

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.