Alexandria, ON
Alexandria, Ontario is uniquely Canadian in that it's one of very few places west of Quebec with French as its official language. Its population is a near-perfect mix of English and French speakers. It’s part of a collection of Eastern Ontario towns and townships (like nearby The Nation or Russell Township) that are highly rated for affordable real estate and low crime rates.
There’s a lot more to like about the town of Alexandria, if you’re looking for a peaceful, idyllic place to live. There's a hospital right in town, for one thing, and plenty of both local history and natural beauty, including the cathedral of Saint-Finnan, and Alexandria Island Park, on Mill Pond. Another rarity about this town is its relative proximity to not one, but two major cities. Ottawa is only an hour away, and Montreal is an hour and a half. For hikers, skiers and nature lovers of any other ilk, Mont Tremblant is less than 2 hours away, too.
Living and retiring in Alexandria
Find an excellent place to retire in Alexandria, or learn about 55 plus communities in Eastern Ontario.
Bradford, ON
Bradford and West Gwillimbury, Ontario was shortlisted by MoneySense in 2017, noted for its low crime, high average annual income, and homes’ high net worth. We love how it epitomizes rural living “north of Toronto.” And living here, now, is more appealing than ever. You can find everything you need in the area, plus you’re situated perfectly halfway between the playground of Ontario’s cottage country and the attractions and activity of Toronto. Golf lovers will love Nottawasaga Resort and other nearby golf courses. Both Barrie and Newmarket are conveniently close for shopping. Scenery lovers will enjoy any trip that takes them through the rolling hill country here, and hikers love the proximity of the Bruce Trail. Like so many towns on this list, we like the way it combines idyllic small town living with proximity to world class attractions and recreation.
Living and retiring in Bradford
Hilda Anderson is one senior who loves her home in Bradford. “There are so many good people here,” she'll tell you. Find excellent places to live in Bradford or, for anyone 55 and older, read reviews of active adult living in Central Ontario.
Canmore, AB
Travel west from Calgary on the Trans Canada, up into the Rockies, and your first stop has to be Canmore, couched between rugged peaks like Mount Rundle, Grotto Mountain, and many others. The town is full of progressive, touristy shops, but step away from the main drag, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by beautiful mountain scenes. You'll want to stay longer.
The town of Canmore was ranked #7 in MoneySense’s rankings of the best places to live (of any size) in all of Canada, in their last rankings. There’s a vibrant arts scene here, and the local economy is positively booming. It’s a great place to invest real estate dollars while enjoying a long list of local activities like skiing, hiking, fishing, climbing, etc. There's even an array of local golf courses (six in all!) Get a look at more Canmore at explorecanmore.ca.
Living and retiring in Canmore
The liveliness of the town is a big draw for people. Amelia moved here from the Athabasca area. Since finding a home here, she says, “I feel a lot better. You socialize here [so much]. It's so healthy!"
Duncan, BC
To be honest, we would not be remiss to populate this entire list with Vancouver Island small towns. This is a retirement destination not just for Canadians but for the world. Among Island locations, though, Duncan is exceptional for its climate. It’s an inland lee, boasting a Mediterranean climate right here in Canada. It also offers surprisingly reasonable real estate costs (relative to BC, that is) and reliable small town friendliness. Then there’s the proximity to the panoramic, eye-filling natural beauty of Genoa Bay, Stoney Hill, and, well, all of the east coast of the Island. We could go on about the beauty of the area but if you’ve never been, have a small preview here and here.
Living and retiring in Duncan
"I love it here," says Thelma, who has retired to Duncan. "I have no regrets at all about moving here. Everyone is really nice and treats you really good. I certainly say you should move in here."
Read more testimonials from people who have retired in Duncan.
Goderich, ON
Legend has it that Goderich was called "the prettiest town in Canada" by Queen Elizabeth II when she visited in the 1950’s. The town is one of very few places in Canada built on a hub model: all the streets radiate outward from the downtown core. The town's central square is landscaped beautifully during summer months. From downtown, you can easily walk to one of three local beaches on Lake Huron. Further along the coast both north and south, you'll find more popular beachfront hangouts including Grand Bend, Sauble Beach, and others. It’s also home to several historical buildings, including the Historic CPR Station, the Huron Historic Gaol and the Huron County Museum. For all of that, it’s the downhome friendliness of people here that will reel you in.
Living and retiring in Goderich
Goderich is home to a number of excellent retirement homes in Goderich. Nearby, there are also a number of adult lifestyle communities suitably close to Lake Huron.
Moose Jaw, SK
It’s not only cool to tell people that you are a "Moose Javian," this is a town with class — and lots to do! People visit here for the mineral springs, while there’s also a casino. The eclectic array of historical attractions in town includes the above-mentioned Moose Jaw Tunnels, Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village, the History of Transportation Western Development Museum, and the storied SnowBirds, who make their home here and put on an annual free show. “The Jaw” is a great place to live, listed in MoneySense's top 250 best places to live across Canada, noted for its accessibility to health care, home affordability, and low taxes.
For arts lovers, there’s a vibrant community of local artists, and you’ll also enjoy the annual Saskatchewan Festival of Words. Nature lovers will enjoy the many local parks, most of those found on the South Saskatchewan River meandering through town; Old Wives Lake is also a beautiful place. In addition, there’s a waterpark and other activities for kids to enjoy. The town is growing at a moderate pace, too, with a slow but steady population change over the last ten years.
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Picton (Prince Edward County), ON
Picton is the jewel of Prince Edward County, a retirement destination for people who want to leave behind the hustle of Greater Toronto and enjoy life in a colourful town that’s also close to Lake Ontario. The County is one of the province’s up-and-coming wine regions. Picton itself has flair, exemplified by colourful local shops, artisans’ boutiques and markets that make it a pleasant weekend getaway. Sandbanks Provincial Park is one of the best beaches on the Lake. Picton is shortlisted by MoneySense as a top place to live, cited for its easy access to health care and the local arts scene.
Living and retiring in Picton
Picton is home to one of the best adult lifestyle communities in central Ontario. There are also several excellent retirement communities in Trenton and area.
Simcoe, ON
Simcoe is the epitome of a quiet place to get away to. Hamilton, the nearest big city, is about an hour away. Similar to nearby towns like Aylmer, Caledonia, Cayuga, and Dunnville, it's far away from the hustle and bustle of major highways, urban sprawl and the heavy traffic of the rest of southern Ontario. Activity in town picks up during summer months, though, with cottagers and boaters passing through on their way to Long Point, Turkey Point, or other Lake Erie destinations.
Proximity to the Lake makes it a good place to retire to: fishing and boating on Long Point Bay are idyllic retirement tranquility. Family from out of the area will enjoy visiting, especially if you take them to nearby Long Point or Port Burwell, some of the province's best kept secrets in terms of beautiful beaches.
Living and retiring in or near Simcoe
Anyone 55 and older should discover the world of active adult living in Ontario.
West Kelowna, BC
The province of British Columbia is full of cheerfully beautiful small towns where people love the lifestyle. We dedicate a whole page to its great small towns. West Kelowna epitomizes peaceful BC interior living, surrounded by glorious Rockies' mountainscapes. There’s everything you need here, thanks to over 1500 local businesses. Typical of the province, it’s home to hundreds of dedicated green spaces. Of course, there are numerous local ski resorts, and innumerable hiking trails through old growth forest. The town is ranked high on Moneysense's list of best places to live in Canada because of its low taxes, healthy economy, and the local climate, tempered by chinook winds and Lake Okanagan. For all that, there’s a community spirit, identifiable in the way local businesses participate happily in charity ventures.
Local senior, Mary Lou, says that in West Kelowna, "I know I'm safe," a fact that's also assuring to family from outside of town. West Kelowna offers beauty, vitality, safety, and contentment, a combination that makes it a great Canadian small town.
Learn more about great places to live near West Kelowna.
Windsor,NS
How quintessentially Canadian is Windsor, Nova Scotia? It prides itself as the “birthplace of ice hockey” and also boasts Canada’s oldest hockey rink. Those facts should make it a mecca for hockey fans, but other factors cited by MoneySense make it a great place to live; these include low taxes, housing affordability and low crime. Like so much of Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, it’s wonderful in the summertime, a vacation destination for families from across the country. The storied tides of Fundy are just one of many reasons to visit. During winter, it’s sheltered from Atlantic storms, thanks to its being an inland lee.
Many houses in the area sell for less than $100,000, making Windsor and West Hants a worthy retirement destination. You can also find deals on beautiful local homes, priced reasonably compared to markets elsewhere. Mary Ruth and Ervin Cohrane are two people who have retired here and vouch for the area. “The people here help each other,” they tell us. "Everyone here is just really friendly."
Find a great place to live near Windsor, NS.
Sources for data used above
canadianrealestatemagazine.ca
city-data.com/canada
Moneysense.ca/canadas-best-places-full-ranking/
Moneysense's Best places to retire in 2017
thegreatwaterway.com/../prince-edward-county/
zolo.ca
*Since we are looking at excellent small towns nationwide, this list does not necessarily match up with our regional and provincial lists. As noted in some text, we pick towns that epitomize certain types, factors, or regions, helpful for people from out of the province or country. This list also contains a variety in both appeal and ethos.
