Best communities to retire in Canada 2019

This city’s vast network of health care services and robust public transportation offerings make it a top spot for retirement

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Toronto, Ont. (Peter Spiro/iStock)

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Toronto, Ont. (Peter Spiro/iStock)

Jila Jalali moved to downtown Toronto after her kids graduated from university, and the 68-year-old retired piano teacher has no regrets about choosing Canada’s largest metropolis as her retirement spot.

“My closest relatives live downtown, and when you’re older, you need family around you,” Jalali said. “Of course, it’s ideal to spend your retirement days on some sandy beach or low-key, cute little town, but your priorities differ when you get older.”

Jalali said that one of the most important factors for her choosing Toronto was access to health care. The results of this year’s Maclean’s ranking for the best communities for Canadians to retire suggest she made the right decision.

PHOTOS: Top 10 best communities for retirement in Canada

Bustling Toronto may not be the picture-perfect hamlet in the countryside that many imagine as a dream place to relax in their golden years, but when it comes to practicality, it has a lot going for it. The city shot to the top this year, thanks to its vast network of health care services, robust public transportation and ease of getting around by walking. Small-town living might be attractive in theory, but as we get older, these are some crucial factors to consider.

Toronto has top health care professionals and hospitals, including specialized centres, like the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. It has the highest concentration of family doctors in the nation, with 3,145 offices.

Seniors who move to small towns might find the lifestyle alienating. That’s because it can be hard to get from one place to another, especially when you’re too old to drive. Conversely, Toronto offers an excellent public transportation system, making it easier for seniors to get around.

MORE: See the full ranking of the best communities in Canada

Toronto’s retirees benefit from the city’s limitless recreation capacity. Indeed, Toronto is among the top 10 cities in our list for the percentage of its population that is employed in the arts and culture industry.

For Jalali, Toronto offers a perfect balance. She often gets to see her kids, and also she can do volunteer work, which she says is critical for her mental health.

“I can’t imagine what I would do now that I’m not working full-time. Loneliness is a huge problem for people my age,” she said. “Humans are social creatures, and I think to survive old age, you need to stay active and be around people. Toronto is a perfect spot for that.”

Our ranking of the best communities to retire is based on the same 10 categories as the main Best Communities ranking, but with the weightings adjusted based on what we think is most important to retirees. We bump up the importance of the weather and health care and eliminate labour market statistics. For more information, please see the methodology page.

Canada’s best communities to retire by region

Atlantic Canada: Halifax (no. 61)

Quebec: Westmount (no. 56)

Ontario: Toronto (no. 1)

Prairies: Saskatoon (no. 161)

Alberta: Calgary (no. 84)

B.C.: Langford (no. 5)

Search to filter by city or province:

RankCity nameProvinceProperty tax as percent of average incomeFamily doctors per 100,000 population in health regionPopulationAverage value of primary real estateAverage annual property tax billPercentage of population that walks to workPercentage of population that bikes to workPercentage of population that takes transit to workDays per year with rain or snowDays per year above 0CDays per year above 20C5-year average of Crime Severity Index in area covered by local police service (lower is better, national average = 73)Doctors' officesPercentage of population employed in arts and recreationCommunity index (higher is better)
1TorontoON1.9%1952988140$963,076 $2,4015.0%1.6%20.8%145.492641175831453.5%110
2OttawaON2.3%1451019693$543,814 $3,1894.6%1.6%12.3%160.65216117497792.6%108
3BurlingtonON2.4%102197381$887,657 $3,7771.9%0.5%5.0%135.77239125251972.3%111
4OakvilleON2.5%94210350$1,243,760 $5,3821.8%0.4%8.6%117.55222107252202.5%111
5LangfordBC1.2%17439476$748,387 $1,5802.6%1.5%4.0%148.63475761301.5%91
6ColwoodBC1.5%17417672$785,223 $2,0191.8%2.1%4.3%148.6347573571.4%102
7Central SaanichBC1.7%17417310$905,927 $2,5122.0%1.2%2.9%158.53347134132.1%112
8North VancouverBC1.2%16057278$1,190,600 $1,2766.7%1.6%13.8%181.229781751624.1%94
9KingstonON2.3%138135220$427,733 $2,5065.2%1.4%5.3%159.0622399631891.6%106
10New TecumsethON2.5%9738504$642,416 $3,4952.7%0.5%0.8%154.621612233131.7%114
11VancouverBC1.2%179670642$1,709,754 $1,4268.1%3.7%17.6%171.12331531099585.3%119
12Whitchurch-StouffvilleON2.0%9751376$2,263,573 $4,9041.3%0.3%3.8%165.1922111934102.1%111
13SaanichBC1.7%174117340$867,176 $2,2303.4%3.4%6.7%158.5133471401272.2%102
14SidneyBC2.0%17412105$718,024 $2,0215.7%1.7%3.1%155.13197939251.3%103
15SquamishBC1.5%16022328$836,807 $2,1053.7%2.4%1.7%178.42999383294.1%99
16VictoriaBC1.0%17491152$705,871$84013.8%6.7%8.8%155.05319791183183.2%101
17WhistlerBC0.9%16013613$1,891,866 $1,59110.8%6.6%9.3%179.721883105135.7%107
18EsquimaltBC1.2%17418528$652,518 $1,1446.2%5.1%8.7%148.63475711872.1%100
19TecumsehON3.0%9524277$426,474 $3,9601.0%0.4%0.6%149.524913924381.6%114
20AuroraON2.7%9760042$1,192,155 $5,1881.8%0.2%5.8%165.1922111934312.0%109
21Oak BayBC1.9%17418233$1,278,880 $3,8454.3%5.2%3.9%175.6293863163.2%113
22North SaanichBC2.0%17411395$1,173,815 $3,9541.4%0.9%2.7%158.5334712711.8%124
23West VancouverBC1.9%16044048$2,765,075 $5,3952.1%0.8%4.6%168.943247749573.5%117
24CollingwoodON2.4%10524127$557,988 $2,5424.5%1.4%1.4%163.0221610147442.3%105
25WhitbyON2.7%83138563$771,442 $4,1031.5%0.2%6.8%145.6823910040812.0%106
26MarkhamON2.6%97356416$1,407,357 $4,4921.0%0.2%7.9%165.19221119342381.8%112
27AjaxON2.6%83132250$916,990 $4,0171.4%0.3%9.4%145.6823910040801.7%98
28MiltonON2.0%94132508$1,229,291 $3,8701.3%0.3%5.2%138.8619612025631.7%104
29NewmarketON2.6%9789272$879,204 $3,8662.3%0.3%4.9%129.52211107341312.2%108
30West KelownaBC1.4%13734392$735,983 $2,1131.3%0.5%1.9%119.924612463201.7%104
31LeamingtonON2.2%9528984$325,763 $1,9482.7%0.8%0.5%129.3324612448360.8%105
32Richmond HillON2.5%97209207$1,317,026 $4,0681.3%0.2%7.6%165.19221119341842.1%107
33Salt Spring IslandBC1.6%17410734$1,151,782 $1,9044.0%1.3%1.3%1782787034104.9%109
34GrimsbyON2.5%10228631$682,614 $3,6141.6%0.3%0.9%162.824412153171.6%114
35BellevilleON2.3%13853111$377,571 $2,1713.1%0.7%2.4%148.6222911787981.0%105
36NelsonBC1.3%18210833$400,943 $1,14112.6%2.5%1.1%162.5326211589333.4%101
37CornwallON2.4%14547307$214,068 $1,7653.4%0.6%2.0%150.1122412082740.9%102
38KamloopsBC1.5%12894054$474,829 $1,7413.3%0.8%2.4%105.582461321141321.3%101
39East GwillimburyON2.6%9728053$1,026,055 $4,4100.9%0.1%2.7%129.52111073442.2%113
40New WestminsterBC1.4%9376759$934,680 $1,3114.0%0.7%19.3%183.132057901513.1%97
41DeltaBC1.9%88108065$1,146,307 $2,9211.9%0.5%6.6%1553446454722.1%114
42UxbridgeON2.6%8322590$1,058,486 $4,2232.3%0.3%1.8%143.122111940112.3%123
43Hamilton (City)ON2.4%102579105$595,593 $2,6492.1%0.5%5.0%156.23227120635691.6%104
44ComoxBC1.9%18514150$591,973 $2,2742.4%2.3%1.0%172.563167631481.6%109
45KelownaBC1.3%137136579$682,164 $1,6093.4%2.2%2.5%136.642151231092622.1%103
46OshawaON2.5%83173120$569,141 $2,6692.0%0.2%4.8%145.68239100401151.3%101
47KingsvilleON2.4%9522412$388,239 $2,5911.9%0.3%0.3%129.32461242301.0%107
48ClaringtonON2.5%83101237$677,003 $3,5261.4%0.2%3.2%146.3621911140171.5%96
49Niagara-on-the-LakeON2.6%10218652$738,139 $3,6441.3%0.5%0.3%150.72381285341.6%117
50CobourgON2.6%8320094$464,476 $2,7233.5%0.6%1.4%123.572249647201.3%107
51Salmon ArmBC1.7%12819153$428,517 $1,7114.0%0.5%0.8%137.9621410553421.5%108
52Carleton PlaceON2.4%14511039$349,851 $2,6293.6%0.5%1.3%153.81981175181.4%93
53WindsorON2.6%95226508$291,007 $2,0902.3%0.8%2.8%149.54249139853781.2%102
54RussellON2.2%14517391$419,917 $3,5441.9%0.2%2.4%163.6210782641.6%98
55BrantON2.3%10239263$572,728 $2,9561.5%0.2%0.6%135.621812539131.3%119
56WestmountQC2.8%12721219$1,600,094 $7,5068.5%1.9%10.1%163.321811775785.1%139
57Port MoodyBC1.6%9334898$1,228,701 $2,4191.8%0.5%9.7%170.41304724193.5%109
58St. ClairON2.3%9514488$327,983 $2,9951.3%0.3%0.3%137.62341293780.9%116
59BurnabyBC1.6%93247940$1,208,344 $1,7052.7%0.8%16.8%178.2732683801882.8%100
60Chatham-KentON2.5%95105118$259,647 $2,1722.3%0.5%0.7%137.0724713267750.9%114
61HalifaxNS1.6%145442442$378,512 $1,6234.8%0.6%6.9%161.7923478654531.9%102
62CoquitlamBC1.7%93150891$1,180,339 $2,2312.1%0.5%10.2%184.022969270842.5%92
63LoyalistON2.6%13817817$414,598 $3,2611.4%0.1%1.7%147.22391033691.1%102
64Mont-RoyalQC3.2%12721613$1,209,586 $7,4032.4%1.3%13.0%163.321811775253.4%130
65Middlesex CentreON2.8%11118621$582,446 $4,5461.2%0.2%0.6%156.62261253141.5%129
66WaterlooON2.4%100112385$677,337 $3,3754.0%1.3%5.0%165.9720811661862.2%107
67Prince Edward CountyON2.4%13825460$528,974 $2,8102.4%0.4%0.5%153.422411941261.6%118
68LincolnON2.3%10224891$780,608 $3,1351.7%0.3%0.8%162.824412153131.1%112
69Quinte WestON2.3%13845338$358,927 $2,3322.0%0.4%0.6%153.421711839210.8%110
70North GrenvilleON2.6%14517316$372,821 $3,2781.6%0.2%1.0%1622021113161.7%79
71St. ThomasON2.7%11141108$285,748 $2,3592.8%0.8%0.6%15923012840451.1%101
72LondonON2.5%111414219$422,045 $2,4843.1%0.7%5.0%168.02223122764461.8%104
73SookeBC1.4%17413960$681,289 $1,6912.5%0.7%5.6%158.6347576661.6%90
74PickeringON2.9%8397726$770,088 $4,2791.3%0.2%8.2%145.6823910040502.0%104
75GuelphON2.2%100141125$678,849 $2,6683.8%1.1%5.1%167.01206113531582.0%101
76RichmondBC2.0%88213474$1,247,480 $2,2132.4%0.8%10.1%183.84305100792022.1%105
77LaSalleON3.0%9531868$407,888 $4,0560.8%0.2%0.5%149.524913921121.2%108
78BrockvilleON2.3%13821854$300,591 $2,0395.1%0.6%0.9%154.922711179480.8%105
79Powell RiverBC1.8%16012893$450,258 $1,5923.9%0.8%1.3%179.133237864291.5%110
80VernonBC1.6%13741659$508,650 $1,5923.5%0.8%0.8%135.782491081381021.2%102
81SummerlandBC1.6%13711348$568,580 $1,8452.8%0.6%0.4%119.225512953101.6%109
82PentictonBC1.6%13733549$445,998 $1,4226.2%1.4%0.9%119.22255129132921.4%103
83White RockBC1.9%8820794$946,780 $1,8814.2%0.4%3.5%157.43446472323.1%105
84CalgaryAB1.4%1431372193$540,492 $1,9283.2%1.1%9.7%111.77171877114301.9%102
85Prince RupertBC1.3%16712541$303,883 $1,4776.9%0.9%2.7%243.82866142141.3%101
86NanaimoBC1.7%14595688$611,393 $1,7223.3%0.9%2.0%175.64294971081461.6%102
87BramptonON2.1%77691957$1,112,209 $3,1420.9%0.2%7.7%145.94229122423431.1%96
88Haldimand CountyON2.3%10247635$487,655 $2,5962.0%0.1%0.5%153.2324511742100.8%124
89Pitt MeadowsBC1.7%9319550$941,962 $2,3072.1%0.4%6.8%1842969269181.9%102
90Niagara FallsON2.6%10291908$475,972 $2,4832.0%0.4%1.1%170.6624112453941.1%103
91Saugeen ShoresON2.3%11114244$572,926 $3,8133.5%0.9%0.8%163.32091105571.2%121
92South DundasON2.3%14510909$265,114 $2,2092.0%0.4%0.4%170.72091183451.1%106
93TerraceBC1.4%16711935$257,965 $1,6495.8%2.0%0.8%206.8424855143231.5%101
94CourtenayBC1.8%18526467$536,928 $1,6053.4%1.5%1.6%172.563167696511.1%104
95SarniaON2.6%9574145$307,947 $2,7841.8%0.7%1.7%149.9823312179800.8%109
96North VancouverBC1.7%16090103$1,668,988 $3,3012.3%1.4%7.5%175.092123141184.2%106
97Maple RidgeBC1.7%9388611$1,036,416 $2,3802.2%0.4%4.7%188.12989487562.1%97
98LangleyBC1.7%88128154$1,342,970 $2,6891.7%0.5%2.5%194.4731210993922.1%105
99St. CatharinesON2.5%102135948$471,845 $2,3832.1%0.4%1.8%150.68238127532011.3%106
100VaughanON2.4%77330195$1,474,066 $4,6261.0%0.2%6.8%137.43212117342221.8%106