If you are looking to enjoy the maximum potential of plenty of professional opportunities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), but you do not want to live in a busy metropolitan city, Burlington, Ontario, is an excellent fit for you. It is located conveniently on Lake Ontario and offers a high quality of life with many growth opportunities for the residents. Maclean’s magazine also named it the “Best Community in Canada” in 2019.
Burlington’s quaint waterfront city offers family-friendly neighborhoods, a wide array of recreational activities, shopping malls, modern amenities of life, annual social festivals, and a booming economy. These are just a few perks of moving to this beautiful city. The city is in proximity to Toronto & Niagara Falls, located only an hour away from both. As a growing municipality, it has a current population of 175,000 multi-cultured residents living together in peace and harmony.
The area is rich in scenic natural places, ranging from well-preserved hiking trails along the Niagara Escarpment to equestrian trails for horseback riding. Moreover, the local authorities keep the feel vibrant with lively concerts, social gathering events, Jazz festivals, and art exhibitions throughout the year. You can also enjoy different comedy plays, theatrical performances, and skits at the Burlington Art Centre. This place offers a multitude of amazing perks for its residents. Keep reading below to find out what you can expect if you move here.
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What Are the Pros of Living in Burlington, Ontario?
Other than business ventures and professional growth opportunities, Burlington also brings many perks to the table. The unique lifestyle, multiple attractions, hospitable climate, events, and modern facilities make this a unique place for residents. The proximity to major industrial hubs also translates into plenty of financial and economic stability for the city. Let’s explore the different pros of living here.
Family-Friendly Neighborhoods
If you seek to enjoy a well-balanced life of urban fun and a peaceful living environment, Burlington, Ontario, is just for you. You can hop down to the downtown area to enjoy all the vast facilities or modern-era restaurants, clubs, bars, nightlife activities, etc. On the other hand, the residential area is engulfed in a serene environment that is ideal for relaxing and enjoying a good night’s sleep after a long day at work.
If you live with a family or are a young bachelor hoping to start a family in a family-friendly neighborhood, you will find plenty of residential areas here that will meet your requirements. There are malls, local businesses, chain restaurants, and other establishments that provide an enriched family-oriented experience to the residents. You can start with a small home for a small family and slowly make your way into a bigger home as your needs grow. There are also hundreds of amazing secondary and elementary education institutes here, aimed at offering one of the best experiences for your kids.
Outdoor Recreational Activities for an Active Lifestyle
Since this city is located along Lake Ontario’s magnificent shorelines, you will get to enjoy hundreds of different outdoor recreational activities here. The shoreline covers the southern and southeastern sides of the area, and residents can go for a swim, boating, canoeing, surfing, or fishing when the weather allows it.
With over 580.78 hectares of parkland, this city offers amazing fun opportunities for families, bachelors, and everyone living here. There are four well-maintained indoor pools and two outdoor pools in the area. Burlington is also home to splash pads, ice-skating rinks, community centers, and golf courses to cater to a wider set of audiences.
If you are looking to enjoy some quality time with your family and explore the area’s natural beauty, there are well-preserved hiking trails, such as the famous Bruce Trail and the Niagara Escarpment. There are two UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserves in the area that are the Niagara Escarpment and the Waterfront Trail on the shore of Lake Ontario.
If you are into exploring family-friendly parks, there are plenty of options in the area. One of the largest parks here is the world-famous Spencer Smith Park located on the lakefront, offering safe water-based activities for families. Other famous parks include:
- LaSalle Park
- Mount Nemo Conservation Area
- Lowville Park
- Sherwood Forest Park
- Nelson Park
You can also take your family to the Royal Botanical Gardens to see the world’s largest lilac collection known to man. The kids can run around the well-tended and well-preserved gardens, while you can appreciate the beauty of some of the most beautiful flower collections in the world. One of the only two naturally occurring magnetic hills is also in this stunning city. You will find this hill on King Road, north of Bayview Park. You can take the family to see the hill and make a day of it.
Modern Amenities of Life
Living in a suburban area does not necessarily mean that you have to give up on the modern amenities of life. Burlington, Ontario, is rich in terms of modern-era facilities, amenities, and options. You will find everything you need within the city limits, from chain stores and supermarkets to family-owned stores.
The two major malls here are the Mapleview Mall and Burlington Mall. These offer all the necessary items at an affordable price. From clothing items to electronic gadgets, there are shops for everything here. You can also find verified retail stores for Apple, Winners, Indigo, and Sephora inside these malls. If you are looking for more options, you can also enjoy libraries, health, and wellness centers inside city limits, along with coffee shops, book stores, hardware stores, and electronic shops.
Lively Festivals Throughout the Year
The local authorities like to kick off the summer season with the amazing Sound of Music Festival in Spencer Smith Park by the lakefront. This festival lasts for days, and it brings a multitude of amazing fun options to the residents. There are Burlington teen tour band concerts, stalls, kid-friendly playgrounds, dancing competitions, and eatery contests in the park to enhance the experience further. The residents also set up exhibitions for their art pieces, and the local businesses set up stalls for outsiders and residents.
The annual Ribfest festival is also another popular event that takes place near the winter season. There are food trucks, vendors, stalls, and local business shops during the festival that add to the festival’s existing charm.
What Are the Cons of Living in Burlington, Ontario?
The city may bring a lot to the table, but it also has a few drawbacks that may hinder a few people. Let’s explore the different cons to understand the area better.
Expensive and Fewer Real Estate Listings
First of all, there are fewer real estate listings, so buying your desired house in the area is nothing less than an ordeal. Secondly, the listings are quite expensive as compared to other cities near GTA. On average, the houses in Burlington are sold for $200,000 more than the surrounding regions. This is because the area is close to GTA, and therefore offers a higher quality of life and better options for professional career growth.
Additionally, the commute times to all the major metropolitan hubs are shorter from Burlington than other cities. This makes the real estate options limited in the area as no one wants to give up their residential property and move elsewhere.
Limited Inter-City Transit Options
Anyone living here would want to own a car, as it will take only 10 minutes to access the farthest corners of the city compared to the crowded and slow inter-city transit systems. There are only three GO transit stations in the city, and those stations are always crowded with young millennials looking to make their way to work. Adults and families tend to own cars for shorter commute times.
Moreover, highways 403, 401, and 407 are also crowded because this city is only an hour away from Toronto. The proximity can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. The jams on 401 or Gardiner are the worst, and these can easily turn a 10-minute drive into an hour-long traffic jam.
What Do We Have to Say?
If you are looking to live in a peaceful and safe place in Canada, there can be no better option than Burlington, Ontario. It has been called the “safest place to live in Canada,” and the only crimes that happen here are thefts or random acts of vandalism. You will find top-notch educational institutes for your kids, from elementary to secondary schools. If you want something even better, there are also 13 private schools for a unique learning experience for your kids.
With 115 parks and 580 hectares of parkland, you will find plenty of outdoor recreational activities for every member of your family. There are water-based activities, horseback riding opportunities, slides, amusement parks, and so much more. The city also hosts amazing festivals throughout the year to keep the community happy and together. It truly is a safe, lively, and friendly place to live in Canada.