6 great places to live

The main draw to Elliot Lake is affordable living. The low property prices combined with abundant health care and community services has attracted retirees from across North America.

Built right on the Canadian Shield and surrounded by boreal forest, Elliot Lake is home to abundant animal species, including bears, moose, deer and timber wolves. The city is within easy access to 4,000 beautiful lakes – an angler’s dream. The sandy beaches and crystal-clear water are perfect for summer enthusiasts. Golfers can hit the little white ball around the area’s golf courses. And the scenic landscape can be properly enjoyed along Elliot Lake’s many hiking trails.

Winters are hard, with an average temperature of -12 C and more than 200 cm of snowfall. But that fact also makes it a perfect winter playground, with a downhill ski run and numerous cross-country and snowmobile trails. There are many seniors groups and organizations as well 30 local art groups.

4. LONDON: Nature meets city

As the largest municipality in southwestern Ontario, London offers many of the features you’d expect from a major city without the crime, congestion and high cost of living. Located on the Thames River, city residents benefit from top-notch health-care facilities, the renowned University of Western Ontario and an abundance of educational and cultural opportunities.

Best known for being a hub to insurance and IT companies, London is also a very green city. The city is noted for its inviting array of parks and paths – especially The Thames Valley Parkway – the perfect settings for walkers, joggers, cyclists and rollerbladers. The way nature weaves its way into the urban setting makes it easy to see why it’s dubbed the Forest City.

London’s hot summers attract many festivals, most notably Ribfest, the second largest rib festival in North America, and Sunfest, a music and cultural festival. Winters can be cold and snowy, with annual snowfall averaging more than 200 cm. However, when the snow and cold become overwhelming, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy indoor activities.

London has five seniors centres, offering a wide variety of activities and events that are easily reachable by the city’s excellent transportation system. Orchestra London serves those with a taste for classical music. The Grand Theatre offers up professional drama, and the London Regional Art and Historic Museums is one of several museums and art galleries located throughout the city and on the University campus.

5. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE: Eat, drink and play

World-class theatre, prestigious wineries, fine dining, top golf courses, beautiful countryside and lakeside living all converge in the city of Niagara-on-the-Lake, making it one of Ontario’s prettiest and most desirable retirement destinations. Niagara-on-the-Lake is located along the south shore of Lake Ontario, about a two-hour drive from Toronto and 20 minutes from the American border. Its fertile soil and temperate climate make it a grape-growing region that produces 84 per cent of Canadian wines.

As home to the Shaw festival and its three theatres, the city has also become a major cultural destination, attracting visitors from the United States and around the world to its top-notch theatrical productions. Nearby Fort George and the well-preserved historical downtown hearken back to the War of 1812 era, when British redcoats fought against American invaders. The town was actually burnt to the ground but rebuilt by British Loyalists.