Why hundreds of newcomers have chosen to settle in Northeastern Ontario in the past three years

Many newcomers are choosing to settle in communities located in Northeastern Ontario over large cities like Toronto or Montreal.

Cities in Northeastern Ontario give newcomers the chance to create the life they’ve always wanted. Affordable cost of living, job opportunities, and many facilities and amenities give newcomers the chance to build their life quickly. In our beautiful region, you have a quiet and peaceful environment and everything you need to create a good and successful life.

Excel in your career or launch your business

Find job opportunities in mining, forestry, construction, retail, social services and healthcare. As the region continues to grow, more job opportunities become available for skilled foreign workers and young urban professionals looking to advance in their career.

Find a welcoming and supportive environment for entrepreneurship and innovation. Many local economic development organizations welcome young entrepreneurs, and offer programming to start, purchase or expand a business. Network with a well-connected entrepreneurship ecosystem and take your business to the next level.

Fast-track your dream of owning a home and starting a family

You can fast-track your home-ownership dreams with a lower cost of living, a high income potential, and more disposable income. Housing prices throughout the region are significantly cheaper than in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and other cities across Canada. In 2022, the average price of a house in Northeastern Ontario was $262,483, compared to the Toronto average which was $1,189,850.

Enjoy an enviable quality of life

Work-Life Balance

Residents of the area enjoy an improved work-life balance because of short commute times, no traffic jams and good public transportation system. Less time commuting to and from work gives residents the opportunity enjoy life.

Lifestyle

Sports and recreation enthusiasts can dabble in a range of activities like hockey, snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing, golf, cricket, fishing, camping, paddling and more.

Northeastern Ontario provides the opportunity to explore the outdoors during all four seasons. Traverse more than 300,000km of OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails and backcountry riding opportunities throughout northern Ontario. Easily access one of the many thousand lakes and waterways on your doorstep. Immerse yourself in the old growth pine forests in Temagami and the plentiful Provincial or National Parks, many just minutes from a city centre.

Access

Affordable housing and excellent work-life balance gives residents the chance to enjoy traveling to other areas in the province or exploring more of Northern Ontario. Multiple daily flights to and from Toronto’s Billy Bishop and Pearson International Airports operate out of the Timmins Victor M. Power Airport. A recently reinstated passenger train will create a more and integrated Northeastern Ontario. You have the best of both worlds when you live in the north by staying easily connected to southern Ontario and the rest of the globe while you create the life of your dreams.

Amenities and Facilities

The facilities located within the region also make Northeastern Ontario a great place to settle and start a family. All of the towns in our region are equipped with hospitals and medical assistance. The Timmins and District Hospital offers a full range of medical, surgical, critical care, maternity, newborn, pediatric, long-term care and mental health services to the region with 154 beds, 850 frontline staff and 70 physicians.

The northeast region is growing increasingly multilingual. More than 20% of Ontario’s French speaking population lives in the northeast, and South Asian and Chinese languages are increasingly being heard in smaller centres, along with Polish and Spanish. Find the best education at one of four regional school boards with English, French and French immersion curricula in both public and catholic settings. The region also has four post-secondary institutions that offer a wide range of programs in both official languages.

Immigration

Timmins was selected as one of 11 communities across Canada to participate in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP). The Timmins Regional Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP) was recently expanded to communities throughout Northeastern Ontario and is spearheaded and facilitated by the Timmins Economic Development Corporation and numerous community partners.

Newcomers who wish to live in the region long-term can accelerate your pathway to permanent residence (PR) via the Timmins Regional RNIP. The pathway to PR gives you the opportunity to truly settle in the region, afford a home and start a family.

Consider the Timmins Regional RNIP program as a pathway to establish your life in Northeastern Ontario and call Canada your home. Settle in one of the Northeastern communities, including Cochrane, Foleyet, Hearst, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Kirkland Lake, Matheson, Smooth Rock Falls, Temiskaming Shores, and Timmins. Find eligibility information at timminsedc.com/immigration.

Gain more time for the things you love

Gain more time for the things you love with an average 15 minute commute to work. Own a home faster, start a family and create the life you’ve always wanted. Newcomers and young professionals alike can breathe in a fresh new life in Northeastern Ontario.