What Makes Oakville One of the Best Places to Live in Canada?
Maclean’s Magazine named Oakville as the number 1 best place to live in Canada in 2018. Data was gathered from 415 cities across the country, and they were ranked in 10 categories: affordability, wealth and economy, taxes, population growth, commute, crime, weather, access to health care, amenities, and culture. Environics Analytics provided the majority of the data. The analysis not only showed that Oakville was #1 in the “Canada’s Best Places to Live” ranking, but it also ranked Oakville in third place for the best place to retire, and fifth best place to raise a family.
Oakville received the highest marks for access to education, a good job market, and a welcoming place for new Canadians. Oakville has made it into the top 20 best places to live for 5 years in a row. This recognition on the national stage is a testament that Oakville truly is a great place to live, work, and play.
Reason #1: Welcoming Place for New Canadians and a Strong Community with “Small Town” Feel
Oakville is dubbed as “a city that calls itself a town and acts like a village”. It has a strong community feel where neighbours know and help each other.
Based on census data over the past 10 years, the percentage of visible visible minorities in Oakville has increased from 18% to 31%. The 2016 census data indicated that 30.8% of Oakville residents are visible minorities. There are programs offered to help new immigrants get settled, polish language and job search skills, and provide opportunities for volunteer and job placements. These programs are offered by the town and through public libraries and community centres. Schools also provide English as a Second Language (ESL) program for children of newcomers to Canada.
Housing options range from affordable townhouses and high-rise condominiums to upscale detached houses. All of these factors make Oakville a welcome place for new Canadians, while maintain a strong community etiquette and “small town” feel.
Reason #2: Good Job Market and Ease of Access to Major Economic Hubs
A strong job market is one of the categories that Oakville excelled in, according to Maclean’s ranking of the best places to live in Canada. Major industries in Oakville are education, healthcare, and municipal government. Top employers in Oakville include: Halton Catholic District School Board, Halton District School Board, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Halton Healthcare, Sheridan College, and the Town of Oakville.
Oakville residents also enjoy the economic opportunities in Toronto, since Toronto is only a 45 to 60-minute drive away. The Queen Elizabeth Way, Highway 403, and Highway 407 run through Oakville, making it easy to get to places in and around the GTA. Toronto is also accessible via daily public transit routes along the GO Train line. GO Transit commuter rail and bus service operates from Bronte and Oakville stations.
Oakville Transit is the local bus service provider. Travelling to outside of the GTA is also easy with Via Rail, which operates from Oakville station and provides transportation along the line between Windsor and Quebec corridor.
Reason #3: High-Quality Education
Oakville’s school boards comprise of public, Catholic, English, and French school boards (Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir). There is a mix of public and private elementary and secondary schools in Oakville. The town has one of the highest ratios of private schools to student population in the country.
Secondary schools in Oakville (White Oaks Secondary School and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School) offer the International Baccalaureate Program. Graduates are able to obtain university-level credits for certain courses, and usually go on to top universities in the country such as University of Waterloo, Queen’s University, University of Toronto, and McMaster University.
Appleby College, a highly ranked private school for students in grades 7 to 12, is located in Oakville. It has been providing high-quality private school education since 1911. Another highly notable private school in town are is St. Mildred’s-Lighbourn School, an independent all-girls school. Oakville is home to one higher education facility, the Trafalgar Campus of Sheridan College, which offers post-secondary programs in the arts and business studies.
Reason #4: Prosperous and Safe Neighbourhoods
Oakville’s real estate is known to be one of the most desirable and highly prized in the GTA. Average household incomes in Oakville have consistently been above regional and provincial incomes. The average household income of $162,000 is the 10th highest in the country, while the value of the average primary residence is the 13th highest in Canada. This prosperous town continues to experience an upward trend in real estate prices due to its safe neighbourhoods and low crime rate. Based on data from the Halton Regional Police Service, the total crime rate in 2018 was well below the national and regional crime rates.
Reason #5: Amenities
Oakville may have a “small town” feel, but it does not mean that it is low on amenities. Recreation and leisure activities abound in Oakville. For the hiking enthusiasts and those who like to get out in nature, Bronte Creek Provincial Park provides 6.4 square kilometres of forested trails that are great for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. It is located on the western edge of the town. Campsites, historic farmhouse, and outdoor swimming pool are also available in this park.
Some of Oakville’s attractions include the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (where you can learn about the history of golf in Canada), Glen Abbey Golf Club (which has hosted 25 Canadian Open Championships to date), Jack Nicklaus Golf Course, Oakville Harbour, and Burloak Canoe Club (where you can watch canoe regattas).
Various festivals are regularly held in Oakville, such as the Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival (free concert on 9 different stages), For the Love of the Arts Festival, and Oakville Family Ribfest.
Downtown Oakville is not to be missed, especially if you’re looking for a stroll along Lake Ontario or Lakeshore Boulevard. Old Oakville has a quaint village feel to it, complete with great restaurants, bars, art galleries, and retail stores.
Browse our current listings to see which properties are currently for sale in Oakville, and contact us if you have any questions or would like to book a showing.