JasonParis
Moderator
I think that applies to Canada vis-a-vis Toronto at large, TBH.
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Considering a small town to retire to in 2030-35. Recommendations?
- Thread starter Admiral Beez
- Start date
p_xavier
Active Member
Exactly, there are so many things to do, you just need to join groups.
p_xavier
Active Member
Being from New Brunswick myself, I can see how you felt that way. Strangers are usually not welcomed to stay in a small knitted close-minded monocultural community. It's a recent phenomenon that people are heading to the Atlantic provinces so folks will need to adapt or their villages will stay in decay.
Something about the friendliness of Torontonians, when at a food court/publlic space strangers come sit and talk with you. It's something my friends didn't believe at all happens and I showed them last time I was there on how weird it is.
AlbertC
Superstar
I'll just slot this in here as Paris, Ontario has been mentioned in this thread before:
canada.constructconnect.com
Paris, Ont. church gets a new lease on life - constructconnect.com - Daily Commercial News
At a time when many mainstream churches are being demolished or turned into trendy condominiums because of dwindling congregations, a historic and architecturally significant church in southwestern Ontario is going in a different direction. Designed by L
canada.constructconnect.com
Towered
Superstar
Orillia is quite nice. Was just there today. Lots, of cool, interesting shops in the historic downtown. It's quaint. Cozy. Nice waterfront too.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I like the small towns on the VIA Corridor and those on the planned HSR route. Brockville, Smiths Falls, etc. Several of my older mates have moved to Port Hope and Cobourg for this reason - easy access to TO. There’s also SW Ontario on the Corridor, like Woodstock, but I’m an eastern ON fan.
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lenaitch
Senior Member
I really like Brockville and Gananoque. If we didn't decide to move closer to The Kid, I would have lobbied the missus for Brockville. I don't know that much about Perth or Smiths Falls but like the looks of Perth. I would imagine you would have to get east of Cobourg to get away from the 'Toronto-effect' of pricing.
PL1
Active Member
There was an article in the July 17th Globe about prices coming down in PEC... Not sure if that would make it affordable again. Also, Kingston is not cheap (at least downtown) due to Queen's (employees and students)
Towered
Superstar
Port Hope and Cobourg both have very charming, historic downtowns. Never been to Woodstock. And yes, lack of rail access is a big minus with Orillia.
lenaitch
Senior Member
"Coming down" would be relative. Even back in the late '80s before The County 'was found', I was almost transferred to Belleville. Even back then, there was a significant price difference between anything in The County and properties north of the 401 in places like Sterling, Foxboro, etc.
Many of the communities in eastern Ontario are like that, primarily because they were settled earlier and an abundance of Limestone for constructing durable buildings.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I do love any town with a British colonial fort. I was in Prescott last month and really like the place.
And look what $650k can get you!
Or $390k!!!
Though there seems to be zero means of getting from Prescott to a VIA station without a car.
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Towered
Superstar
I'm wondering what other gems there are that I'm not aware of. I will say however that two eastern Ontario towns come to mind that I thought totally sucked - Trenton and Cornwall.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
A lot of small towns have a big issue with junkies and their associated petty crime and urban decay.
The small-town opioid crisis hidden in the big-city shadow
Sault Ste. Marie and communities of similar size often face higher overdose rates than big cities, but they don’t get the same amount of national attention or resources. Local advocates say that has to change
www.theglobeandmail.com
I saw this when I lived in Atlantic Canada, where a cute downtown mainstreet would have closed up store fronts (or stores targeting the desperate) and a gaggle of the town's aimless youth congregated in the main square, drinking and shooting/smoking up in the middle of the day. Drug use is an issue all across Canada, but towns with manual/semiskilled employment and/or collapsed industry suffer worse. Belleville, ON has this issue.
So, look for a town with a local white collar, information/tech economy or government job base, or a strong, high end arts scene.
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afransen
Senior Member
I think a lot of people may visit the quaint old downtowns of these small towns and come away with a distorted impression. A lot of these towns have a lot of low income folks, drug use, homelessness that is maybe just a bit less obvious on the surface. My parents live in a small town of about 25k. In the last couple of years, I've gone on rides and found piles of used needles on a recreational path, and homeless encampments.
lenaitch
Senior Member
Every community, large or small, struggles with homelessness and drug use.
Everybody has their own opinions. I tend to lean to smaller. In eastern Ontario terms, that would mean places like Sterling, Merrickville, maybe even Carleton Place or Almonte or, is you want to get really rural, Eganville.
I tend to agree about Cornwall. I haven't spent a lot of time in Trenton but the last time I was there the businesses backing on the river seemed to be decent.
Everybody has their own opinions. I tend to lean to smaller. In eastern Ontario terms, that would mean places like Sterling, Merrickville, maybe even Carleton Place or Almonte or, is you want to get really rural, Eganville.