In 1867 Canada was founded on the principles of peace, order and good government. Over the next 139 years, we’ve used those principles to establish world-class education programs, an extensive universal health care system and job-training and social programs that lead youth toward higher education and jobs.

Peace gives people the freedom to thrive and cities the opportunity to build a cosmopolitan character. Order lays the foundation for safe neighbourhoods, stable economic conditions and easy, equal access to government services. Good government responds to citizens’ needs and promotes economic growth based on knowledge and sustainability.

Affordable homes, products and services

For a world city and business hub, Toronto’s housing market is refreshingly affordable. Even in central Toronto, middle-income residents can choose between spacious houses, apartments with amazing views or chic waterfront condos.

Despite Toronto having a higher per capita income, house prices are half those of Los Angeles. In Toronto the median house price is 4.4 times the median income, compared with 7.9 in New York and 6.9 in London. A study of the housing markets in major English-speaking cities found that Toronto is the most affordable among those with more than four million residents.

The cost of living is equally low: in a 2006 global ranking of living costs, Toronto placed 47th.

Sources: Demographia, Mercer Human Resources Consulting.

Canadian real estate agents have a common list of properties.
Check out average house prices in Ontario by region.

Transport: simplicity defined

Subways, streetcars, commuter trains, buses and ferries make it easy to work or play in Toronto without taking the car. The subway operates every two minutes in rush-hour and commuter trains will whisk you from the farthest suburbs to the heart of downtown in 40 minutes or less.

If you do take the car, you’re safe on our roads: Ontario has the lowest accident rate in North America. Eight of Toronto’s nine expressways are toll-free, including the world’s widest. The highway system features state-of-the-art monitoring and information systems to alert you of delays.

In the central city public transport is provided by the Toronto Transit Commission. GO Transit operates regional service. The Official Road Map of Ontario is available online.

Excellence in education

Ontario guarantees children a high-quality education with access to all the resources needed for success in today’s knowledge-based economy.

Our university educated teachers are required by law to maintain an inclusive classroom environment free from discrimination, violence, bullying or harassment. As a result, most upper-income Ontarians send their children to public schools despite the availability of private education.

High academic standards, frequent experiential learning activities and excellent athletic programs lead many high school graduates to win scholarships to top universities around the world.

Ontario offers students a range of educational options after graduation. Tuition fees for college are university are affordable, allowing students to attend the most prestigious universities without incurring massive debt.

Click to find out more from Ontario's Ministry of Education and Ministry of Universities, Colleges and Training.

Health care that works

Anyone who permanently moves to Ontario automatically becomes a member of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).

Members can choose their own doctors and access health services throughout Canada. OHIP pays the entire cost of basic medical services, which includes visits to a family doctor, non-cosmetic surgery, tests, imaging and prescription drugs administered in hospitals.

The public health care system drastically reduces benefits costs and frees up resources so companies can offer potential workers attractive benefits such as insurance for prescription drugs taken at home, dental care and prescription eyewear.

Recreation: something for everyone

Whatever your interests, you’ll find something rewarding in Ontario.

Located in Canada, it goes without saying that you’re near world-class ski hills, thousands of square kilometres of publicly accessible wilderness and harbours for recreational boating in almost every city and town.

In downtown Toronto, you’ll find a packed house at every Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game, while people in the eastern part of the province go to Ottawa to cheer for the Senators.

The Blue Jays (professional baseball), the Raptors (professional basketball), the Argonauts (professional Canadian football) and the Rock (professional lacrosse champions) all call Toronto their home, as will the Toronto FC (professional European football) starting in April 2007. The Tiger Cats, another professional Canadian football team, attract some of North America’s most dedicated crowds to their home games in Hamilton, just west of Toronto.

If cheering isn’t your thing, there’s a world-class arts scene to discover. Toronto’s numerous concert halls, including the recently opened Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, home to the National Ballet and the Canadian Opera Company and Ottawa’s National Arts Centre attract international opera, ballet and classical music performances, as well as elite singers and theatre companies.

Toronto offers dozens of attractions, from the dizzying CN Tower – the world’s tallest free-standing structure – to the seven-storey domed movie screen at the Ontario Place Cinesphere.

Ottawa features some of the top museums in North America, including the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Both Toronto and Ottawa have major interactive science centres geared toward families.