Retiree

Housing Options 
Houses in Northwestern Ontario are among the most affordable and varied in the world. You can find homes of every type and setting, from waterfront cottages and city condominiums, to suburban townhouses or rural mansions.  There is also endless and inexpensive vacant land if you want to build your own dream home. 

Transportation Services 
Northwestern Ontario has extensive transportation services that provide residents and visitors with several ways to navigate its towns and wider region. In addition to reliable public transportation in our municipalities, there are also private transportation services that include car rental companies, taxi services, ferries and aircraft.

Shopping 
Northwestern Ontario offers unique shopping experiences. Exclusive gift shops, art & crafts stores and specialty boutiques can be found in even our smallest regional towns.

Government Services 
Northwestern Ontario’s municipal, provincial and federal government bodies all have an important role in servicing the people who live in our cities and towns. Government services refer to the basic services and programs that all residents receive in exchange for the taxes they pay.

Seniors Care Services 
Support services are widely provided for seniors as well as for their families and caregivers. Seniors care can be provided in the home or in alternative care settings such as seniors’ residences, hospitals and palliative care facilities. The goal of all seniors’ services is to help the aged live independently and with dignity for as long as possible.

Emergency Services 
The emergency services in Northwestern Ontario are divided into different organizations, but the 911 system allows you to quickly contact all of them – the fire service, ambulance service, municipal police, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the coastguard.

Adult Upgrading and Continuing Education 
Northwestern Ontario residents have access to various programs for adult education.  These programs offer a wide spectrum of courses ranging from introductory English as a Second Language, Literacy and Basic Skills programs and Adult High School Diploma courses, to career skills training and post-graduate degree programs. 

Libraries 
Most of the libraries in Northwestern Ontario are served by Ontario Library Service – North (OLS-N), a Transfer Payment agency of the Ontario Ministry of Culture.  OLS-N provides a wide range of support services to public libraries throughout the region. Their mandate is to deliver programs and services that promote the provision of quality library services to the public.