Moving to Ontario
Depending on where you’re coming from, moving to Ontario can be a large undertaking. By itself, the province is quite wide, so driving to either end of it will take a lot of time, more than you might expect if you’ve just cruised through the prairies, for example. What helps is knowing that your belongings are being safely transported by a moving company you can trust, which is why Trans Canada Movers is here to help.
Whether you’re coming from the other side of the country or up from the US, Trans Canada Movers can help you settle into your new home in Ontario. We’ll take care of the stress that comes with moving so you can focus on the more important things. In the meantime, check out some additional information about the province in this helpful guide!
Why Move to Ontario
As Canada’s most populous province, Ontario is home to the nation’s capital, Ottawa, as well as the largest city, Toronto. With Hudson’s Bay in the north and the Great Lakes to the south, Ontario is a pretty interesting province geographically. With these things in mind, here are some things about Ontario that are pretty great.
Points of Interest. When you think of Canada, you don’t really think about castles, do you? Ontario, specifically Toronto, happens to be home to Casa Loma, North America’s only full-sized Gothic castle. This, along with Canada’s National Gallery and the CN Tower, makes for some exciting man-made points of interest in the province.
Natural Wonders. For more natural points of interest, as mentioned above, Hudson’s Bay and the Great Lakes bookend the province from the Arctic and the US, while Niagara Falls creates a gorgeous natural border between Ontario and New York State. There’s also Algonquin Provincial Park, the Tobermory/Bruce Peninsula, and Bridal Veil Falls.
Four Distinct Seasons. While you’ll definitely get to experience a true Canadian winter in Ontario, the colours you’ll see in autumn before the snow hits are beautiful enough to make that transition from a hot, humid summer a little easier. If you’re near one of the many, many lakes in the province, your experience of all four seasons will be sublime. That’s not to say that the cities don’t offer some unique seasonal experiences; you just won’t have the same appreciation for them.
Where to Live in Ontario
Ontario is divided into 15 – 16 regions, 12 of which are packed into the southeastern tip between Toronto and Ottawa. In the interest of time, we’re going to try to merge these areas into 4 main distinctions for you here:
The Greater Toronto Area – We’ll include Southwestern Ontario in this grouping. This is the area in and around Toronto that is largely connected by Go Transit and includes Kitchener, Hamilton, Burlington, Niagara Falls, etc. This area is surrounded by three of the Great Lakes (Huron, Erie, and Ontario) and is the most densely populated area, as so much of it has that easy commute into Toronto. This means that people can work in the big city, but live further out where it’s more affordable.
Ottawa and Southeastern Ontario – In addition to being the capital of Canada, Ottawa has some pretty cool history, notably as the place where Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was born while the Dutch Royal Family sought refuge during World War 2. This connection has led to Canada’s annual Tulip Festival, a major springtime event in the area after the Dutch Royal Family sent thousands of tulip bulbs to Ottawa in thanks. You can also walk from downtown Ottawa into Gatineau, Quebec, via the Alexandra Bridge.
Algonquin Park Region– This section of the province includes Algonquin Park, Parry Sound, Huntsville, and Muskoka. These towns are in what is known as cottage country, typically where people from the GTA have summer cottages to spend their summers in. This is the British Columbian equivalent of spending summers on the Shuswap at the cabin, for context. The area contains many lakes and some of the most iconic landscapes Ontario has to offer.
Northern Ontario – This region is where we get the stereotypical Canadian accent with “oot and aboot” and “eh” from. In the northeast are Sudbury, North Bay, and Timmins, while the northwest has Kenora and Thunder Bay. When one thinks of Northern Ontario, one typically thinks about plaid, maple syrup, and lumberjacks, and it probably doesn’t help having a giant lumberjack statue in the Iroquois Falls Museum (it was previously out on Highway 11). All jokes aside, Northern Ontario is absolutely gorgeous and offers so many opportunities for outdoor activities.
Make Your Move to Ontario with Trans Canada Movers
No matter where your final destination is when you’re moving to Ontario, you’re sure to love the down-to-earth, friendly people that are all over this massive province. Let Trans Canada Movers help you get there and get settled with less stress. We are experts in coast-to-coast and long-distance moves and can take care of the heavy lifting so you can get out and meet your neighbours sooner. Choose our team for your next move.