Ontario is a popular destination for newcomers in Canada. Already home to Canada’s largest immigrant population, Ontario is the Canadian region with the most employment opportunities & lifestyle with the most employment opportunities & lifestyle freedom across the nation, along with having Canada’s largest housing market. Here’s everything you need to know before moving to Ontario.
Housing
With a housing market that includes over 5.4 million properties across the province, Ontario has the largest housing market in the nation.
Note: As is the case in any Canadian province, housing prices & available property types in Ontario can change depending on factors such as your desired settlement location, family size, etc.
According to the recent National Rent Report by rentals.ca, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment & two-bedroom housing unit is as follows in Canada’s CMAs, i.e., Census Metropolitan Areas: Toronto, Ottawa, & Hamilton.
- One-Bedroom: Toronto ($2,592), Ottawa ($1,951), & Hamilton ($1,855)
- Two-Bedroom: Toronto ($3,370), Ottawa ($2,358) & Hamilton ($2,271)
Commuting
For moving to Ontario, Commuting is another key element that one must know about. In each of Ontario’s CMAs, a minimum of 80% of residents live less than 500 meters away from a ‘public transit access point.’
Public transportation alternatives in Ontario differ by city, but Toronto has the TTC, i.e., Toronto Transit Commission) system as an example. Meanwhile, Hamilton has a dedicated Hamilton Street Railway system, while residents of Ottawa have the Ottawa-Carleton Transpo System, which the OC Regional Transit Commission runs.
Despite the heavy presence of public transportation in Ontario, more than four in every five Ontario residents use a car, truck, or van as their main mode of commuting. For this reason, it is vital for Newcomers to Ontario to understand the following about driving in this province:
- For the first 60 days as a new Ontario resident, immigrants above the age of 16 might use their home country-issued driver’s license in this province.
- At the end of 60 days, immigrants in Ontario should obtain an Ontario’s driver’s license from the provincial government.
Employment
In Ontario, the three most prominent industries in order of employment are as follows:
- Trade Professions: Retail & Wholesale Traders
- Healthcare & Social Assistance: Nurses, Doctors, & Social Workers
- Manufacturing: Lab Technicians & Mechanical Engineers
Healthcare
The universal healthcare model funds Canadian public healthcare. This implies that resident taxes help pay for healthcare services in this nation, including Ontario.
Ontario is one of the two Canadian provinces & territories that do not require newcomers to wait to be eligible for provincial healthcare coverage. Instead, any newcomer to Ontario who possesses a valid health card can obtain free healthcare.
Usually, a health card offers residents free access to public health services via OIHP, i.e., the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. However, specific medications & treatments will require the recipient to pay out of pocket. This is where private health insurance becomes essential for Ontario residents.
Education
Education is another key element one must know before moving to Ontario. From the time the children of immigrants to Ontario reach the age of six, they start participating in the province’s education system.
Note: Ontario has over 400,000 licensed childcare spaces across the province.
Ontario’s public school system enables parents to send their children to school for free from the age of six until the end of high school. In addition, the province also has a range of private schools as well as boarding schools, although tuition must be paid out of pocket if a parent wishes to send their children to acquire a private education.
Home to over 500 DLIs across the province, Ontario has numerous post-secondary alternatives for newcomers to Canada. Many of these post-secondary alternatives can enable newcomers to graduate & obtain a PGWP.
A PGWP, upon completing one year of work experience in Canada, enables the holder to become eligible for more Canadian immigration pathways than they would be without the permit.
Taxation
Sales tax in Ontario is known as Harmonized Sales Tax, having replaced the previous Federal Goods & Services tax (5%) & Retail Sales Tax (8%). Thus, the HST rate in Ontario is 13%.
Income taxes in these provinces vary based on personal income for each eligible resident & all working Ontario residents are charged taxes based on their income bracket.
Newcomer Services In Ontario
Ontario newcomer services are available to both the private & the provincial government. These settlement services are available for immigrants Know Before Moving To Ontario.
One popular resource used to look for settlement services in Ontario is 211 Ontario. They can be contacted via phone or by visiting their official website.