La Ville De Kenora

Kenora is the second largest city in Northwestern Ontario with approximately 15,000 residents. It offers a laid-back lifestyle with the right amount of big city culture and village ambience, together with a lot of natural beauty…a rare combination in Ontario or anywhere.

Surrounded by forests and lakes, the Lake of the Woods name perfectly describes the Kenora area. Residents choose to live here both permanently and seasonally. They are attracted by the best of nature in the summer and winter months but also by the high quality of life, the safe neighbourhoods, the occasional famous resident, the luxury cottages and by the welcoming spirit that tourists, newcomers and retirees bring to community life.

One of the biggest advantages of moving to Kenora is the variety of unique and affordable real estate. Housing prices range from $60,000 for a 3-bedroom country home to $1 million and up for a luxury waterfront mansion. Kenora Home & Cottage Realty Inc., Century 21 and Royal Le Page provide real estate expertise to Kenora and the surrounding areas.

Residents are also provided with excellent local infrastructure and municipal services by the City of Kenora, which earned it a place on the list of 21 Intelligent Communities in the World in 2009.  Local homes have access to municipal owned telecommunications, hydro, sewer and water services. Other public assets such as the Kenora Public Library, the world-class Lake of the Woods District Hospital, five public beaches and quality transportation make this city an ideal place to live.

Learn more about living in Kenora.

Kenora is an attractive place to work. Our local businesses and organizations offer employment prospects in both new and traditional industries, short commuting times, good wages and some of the best working conditions. Where else in the world can you finish work at 5pm and be on your own island by 5:10pm?

The Top Ten Major Employers in Kenora are:

• Lake of the Woods District Hospital
• District of Kenora Home for the Aged
• Trust Joist
• Canadian Pacific Railway
• Wal-Mart
• Kenora-Rainy River Child & Family Services
• Kenora Public Library
• Canada Safeway
• Kenora Catholic District School Board
• Zellers Inc.

The City of Kenora is a major employer in the Lake of the Woods areas and has over 240 full-time and part-time employees.  Employment opportunities with the City include permanent and seasonal positions and vary from administrative and technical jobs to management roles.

Many of the employment opportunities in Kenora are seasonal and are based in the outdoor recreation, tourism and hospitality industries. During the summer months, Lake of the Woods is a busy place with returning seasonal residents and tourists filling local shops, restaurants, motels and attractions. Job postings become available around the month of March for the coming summer season.

Find updated job postings and information about jobs, assets and money through the City of Kenora website.

Kenora residents really experience the benefits of a city infrastructure combined with a small town character when it comes to the local education sector.

There is an impressive selection of learning options available that cater to people of diverse ages, abilities, cultures and specialty interests.

In addition to traditional elementary and secondary education programming, learning options include French Immersion, Fine Arts Programs, Sports Schools, Gifted Child Programs, Aboriginal Institutions, Adult Learning Centres and Distance Education, to name a few.

Confederation College, headquartered in Thunder Bay offering programs in Business, Community Service, College Access and Upgrading, Health and various specialty training courses.

The City of Kenora Portal provides a complete list of educational links for Kenora.

Kenora is officially open for business and is seeking entrepreneurs and companies to start new projects or buy existing businesses in the area.  In addition to the high quality of life, infrastructure and open for business attitude, there are many more reasons to choose Kenora  as a business destination.

Kenora’s business community is largely comprised of small and medium sized businesses—many of them family owned and operated, with a focus on the services and tourism sectors. There are however many new and emerging opportunities in non timber forestry products, film, recreation and mining, among others. The City of Kenora Economic Development Office can provide current information about local Economic Development Plans and investment opportunities, as well as the latest information about business support services.

With the upgrading of area telecommunications networks and other business resources, Kenora is fast becoming a hub for entrepreneurs and business owners who want a peaceful place to work away from the big city. With sophisticated mobile, internet and telephone connections, more local residents are making their own offices at the lake.

Whatever the size or nature of your business, there is a range of traditional and online support services available to assist you in Kenora. From funding programs through Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHFC) or mentoring through the Women’s Business Network, to networking through the Kenora Chamber of Commerce, you will find the business resources you need to be successful.

You could not ask for more to see and do than in Kenora. Here are just some of the highlights…

Endless Outdoors

What could surpass 65,000 miles of shoreline and 10,000 pristine islands? The City of Kenora is nestled in an unspoiled area known as Lake of the Woods and serves as an outdoor playground for residents, visitors and the area wildlife. Whether you choose to explore the area’s lakes and countryside by canoe, boat, bike, horse or foot, there is no better place than Kenora for nature lovers. Visit Tourism Kenora for a complete list of outdoor adventure opportunities.

Sports & Recreation

This is a region with a long history of recreational passion, of producing sporting heroes, and of investing in sport. Kenora’s recreation centre exceeds expectations and includes a lap pool and family fun area as well as a hot tub and sauna. A first class weight room featuring elliptical, rowing, bike and treadmill machines overlooks the Lake. Fitness classes and programming run throughout the day from 6 a.m. until the late evening.

Kenora offers the best downhill skiing between Thunder Bay and Alberta. It is host to the Mount Evergreen Ski Centre; a family oriented ski, snowboard and cross country centre. Nordic skiing occurs on the 25 kilometres classic and 10 kilometres skate trails in the area.The trails are solar lit for night skiing and rentals and lessons are available.

Arts & Culture

Kenora provide a cultural oasis in the centre of Canada, filled with museums, festivals, theatre, artisans and talented performers, including the Lake of the Woods Arts Collective, Kenora District Festival of the Arts, Lake of the Woods Museum and the TryLight Theatre Company to name a few. Kenora’s Lake of the Woods Museum has been labeled the “coolest little museum in Canada”.

The Harbourfront is a popular location for major festivals and events throughout the summer.  Popular events on the community social calendar include Habourfest, the Kenora Bass International, K-Town Blues, the Farmer’s Market, Jam Nights, Festival of the Arts and the Coney Island Festival.

More information about tours, attractions, historical sites and events can be found online at Kenora Tourism.

The Multicultural Association of Kenora & District provides a full range of settlement services. A settlement worker provides newcomers with practical assistance for the challenges of everyday life in a new country. Services include referral, community information and orientation:

Immigrant Settlement & Adaptation Program & Newcomer Settlement Program

• Immigration & citizenship

• Community services

• Language training

• Advocacy

• Health issues

• Information

• Education

• Housing

• Legal Services

• Employment

• Job preparation skills

• Medical services

• Canadian Law

Contact DARLENE SMEATON makd@kmts.ca 1 (807) 468-7140

Community Interpreter Access Service (24 hours) 1 (807) 468-9443 or 1-888-242-5661

Other Services for Newcomers

• The Bank of Nova Scotia in Kenora offers a Welcome to Canada Program for newcomers.

Manpreet Jassal

Our experience in Kenora has been wonderful. Mo (Mohammad) had received an offer to work at the Wal-Mart here and was excited since he had heard great things about Kenora. 
 I had just finished my Business Admin at Red River College and was also looking for a job related to my field. I was lucky since I also got a job in Kenora, with Meyers Norris Penny. 
 We moved to Kenora in July and have loved every second of it. Kenora not only has beautiful landscape but great people. We noticed that Kenora residents were very warm and welcoming to us. We have made great friends from work, and local residents. Attractions like The Farmer's Market, M.S.Kenora, and local activities have kept us busy. 
 As winter is approaching, Kenora is started to look like a Winter Wonderland. Beautiful, crisp air in the morning is what excites us. We hope that others can cherish the beauty of Kenora, just like us!