Best place in Ontario where a young family can live and enjoy the outdoors

[Fox]

I work from home. I'm in a position where I could move. I would love to move north but I just don't know where is a good place. I want the kids to have oppurtunity to have a good career and quality of life. I plan on visiting some of these northern towns this summer to get a feel for things. I appreciate the responses and insight..........

We are not that far from MikePal, we put 90km on the car a day to get into Ottawa but we don't seem to notice it too much.

Kemptville has everything you need and we are within 45km of Ottawa and about the same from the US, only 3 hours from Toronto and 2.5 hours from Montreal, so everything is accessible.

It is weird, when you say you want to enjoy the outdoors there is a huge swing, if you want to be able to hunt and fish you can go north but the amount of game is actually lower even though there is a lot of land that is public access. If you want to hike, snowshoe, ski, camp then your best bet would be southern Ontario as the trails there are maintained and it is a lot easier to get out for the day.

I like Eastern Ontario but then again I grew up in SW Ontario and it had its perks too.

My mom grew up in Northern Ontario, outside of Kapuskasing, she loved being up there but would never want to raise kids up there, it is a hard life and there is not a lot of opportunity, work is really hard to come by and there can be a lot of drug influences.

Good luck in your search.

[MikePal]

Just a quick point of living too far from some services....I was in the Eye clinic in Ottawa one day and the gal beside me was telling me that she lived up in New Liskeard and had hurt her eye and had to come all the way to Ottawa to see a specialist. It took her 18 hrs by bus for the round trip. Her appointment took less than 30 minutes...not to mention I think she said close to $300 in cost.

I've heard the same from folks who live up in the Valley and have to come to the city for some health care needs...it's a long drive, especially if your visiting a loved one who is in the hospital. Just because you have a local hospital, surgeries and trauma care, heart specialist etc. are not going to be found outside major city centers.

[TheProvider00]

I was having this discussion with a Buddy the other night. He's having a hard time making ends meat. His only saving grace is that he lives rural and the cost of living is cheaper. He only has a 10 minute drive to work, his kids will be going to school about 10 minutes away and the town has all the amenities. The sacrifice is the job doesn't pay as much as it would if he was working in the big city. Almost a $5/hr difference.

But as we discussed it, it was clear that the $5 extra would get eaten up pretty quick when you have to drive 45 minutes, pay for parking etc. My wife used to work in the city and it was 130Km round trip commute that cost her 2 hrs a day in time and well over a tank of gas a week plus $12 a day in parking.

Personally I'd rather mix paint at the local hardware store for a little less income, than sit in a cubicle in an office tower in the city. At the end of the month you will have pretty much the same disposable income in your pocket and more time with your kids. Most guys I think would prefer to be with them after school than spending that the same time commuting home from the office.


edit add: He's finding adjusting to a single income hard as they just had their second child and his wife is going to stay home.

Obvious small towns normally don't pay as well but real estate is normally cheaper (area depending.)

I like having my kids in the country and farm. Always lots for them to do whether its playing or working. We're 20mins from town. 1 mile from their public school. I have my mother, and 2 sisters one with kids my kids age all within 5miles. I walk to work and my wife is on mat leave with our 4 week old son. Can start hunting grouse, rabbits, predators, bear and waterfowl 30seconds after leaving my house.

Another note. Depending on the size of the town and school there's normally less kids in the classrooms making learning a lot easier for most kids.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

How about the Windsor/Essex county area?

Lowest real-estate values in Ontario. Sell your average T.O home for $650,000.00. Move here & spend $300,000.00 and get a mansion with land or water views & pocket the profits...

Highest unemployment in Canada but we have many job fairs going on & my company is having a hard time finding workers????

World class fishing for all fresh water species is all around our county. lake St Clair / Detroit river / Lake Erie.

Hunting - well if you can buy your own land you are golden. I drive 1.5hrs to 92B to hunt deer & turkey. Pelee island pheasant hunting cant be beat.

Cross border shopping @ hundreds of Michigan outdoor stores with-in a 30min drive if the dollar goes back to normal this is a bonus.

BTW - Wisers wisky is made here... LOL

[welsh]

World class fishing for all fresh water species is all around our county.

Really? World-class stream fishing for trout in Essex county?

Given my work, I could live anywhere within two hours of an airport, and I guess my take on this is that the best place to live for hunting and fishing depends entirely on the kind of hunting and fishing you're interested in. And no matter where you are, you're going to find good hunting and fishing for something ... as long as you're away from the GTA.

[trimmer21]

And no matter where you are, you're going to find good hunting and fishing for something ... as long as you're away from the GTA.

BINGO!! The key to a happy family life.

[FISH-ON]

Barrie or Peterborough

[bigtedd]

Really? World-class stream fishing for trout in Essex county?

Given my work, I could live anywhere within two hours of an airport, and I guess my take on this is that the best place to live for hunting and fishing depends entirely on the kind of hunting and fishing you're interested in. And no matter where you are, you're going to find good hunting and fishing for something ... as long as you're away from the GTA.

Still great hunting in Halton Hills, Caledon, parts of Milton and in durham. All part of the GTA.

But this would not be my first recommendation to live and raise a family

[welsh]

Still great hunting in Halton Hills, Caledon, parts of Milton and in durham. All part of the GTA.

But you have to admit that the closer to the GTA you are, the greater your problems with access and crowding.

[bigtedd]

But you have to admit that the closer to the GTA you are, the greater your problems with access and crowding.

No doubt about it.

Just sayin there's lot of pockets in the gta that haven't been totally ruined yet.