What Is the Best Province in Canada for Seniors?

Finding the right place to live is one of the most important decisions a senior has to make. You need to find the best place that meets the needs of senior citizens, which offers you the right services and gives you comfort as a citizen. You need to be aware of Canada’s programs and services for seniors to know what is expected from your chosen province. Since many factors come into consideration for this matter, the choice can be somewhat challenging and overwhelming. In this article, we intend to narrow down the choices among Canada’s ten provinces and, if possible, pick the best place for living as a senior, where is suitable for spending your days of retirement.

Where Is the Best Place for Seniors to Retire in Canada?

As we said, many factors play roles in choosing the right habitation for seniors. First, you need to find a place where living costs are affordable according to your salary or pension. Another factor to consider is the ease of access to vehicles in the province you want to live. Access to healthcare providers and medicines is also vital and cannot be neglected.

To make this choice easier for you, we will compare Canada’s provinces in terms of climate, living expenses, healthcare, and public transportation to see which province is best for seniors to choose to live in or retire.

Climate

Weather is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a place to live. All climates are not suitable for everyone. Generally, the southern part of Canada is more suitable for living than the northern part. In the northern part, summers last shorter, and the winters are colder, so it would be hard to adapt yourself to such an environment for daily life.

On the west coast, where cities like Vancouver are located, the weather is normally temperate. It rains almost frequently but rarely snows. Not too cold, not too warm, and although it rains almost half the time in winters, you get to enjoy the sunshine in summers. On the other hand, we have cold and snowy winters and hot and humid summers around provinces like Ontario.

Living Costs

According to SIMPLERATE, right now, the cheapest place to live in Canada is considered Quebec. The rents are affordable, the utilities cost less than other places, and the abundant sightseeing opportunities.

Ontario has four cities that are considered among the cheapest cities in Canada. These cities are Thunder Bay, St Catherines, Kitchener, and London.

In the report provided by Canada Buzz in 2021, living costs in Canada are influenced by rent, utilities, food, transportation, taxes, and other factors. The table below provides the living expenses in all provinces of Canada for one person.

Living Expenses in All Provinces of Canada
Province	Rent (per month)	House Price	Food and Groceries (per month)	Transportation (per month)
British Colombia	1885 $ CA	730,000 $ CA	342 $ CA	101 $ CA
Ontario	2212 $ CA	578,000 $ CA	336 $ CA	115 $ CA
Alberta	1249 $ CA	287,000 $ CA	315 $ CA	103 $ CA
Quebec	1602 $ CA	297,000 $ CA	307 $ CA	81 $ CA
Nova Scotia	1581 $ CA	249,000 $ CA	337 $ CA	80 $ CA
Manitoba	1278 $ CA	296,000 $ CA	315 $ CA	100 $ CA
New Brunswick	1019 $ CA	178,000 $ CA	328 $ CA	80 $ CA
Newfoundland and Labrador	1450 $ CA	246,000 $ CA	292 $ CA	86 $ CA
Prince Edward Island	950 $ CA	230,000 $ CA	320 $ CA	58 $ CA
Saskatchewan	1026 $ CA	288,000 $ CA	315.5 $ CA	86 $ CA

Please note that while this table classifies expenses according to different provinces, the situation might vary from city to city. For example, while the rents are usually higher in Quebec than in New Brunswick, renting a one-bedroom apartment in Sherbrooke (Quebec) will be more affordable than in Moncton (New Brunswick).

If you are worried about how you can make ends meet, maybe you should check tips for saving money after retirement.

Healthcare

There’s no need to say how vital healthcare is when you decide to move to another province. As a senior, probably the most important thing you need to know is your health and general status. Therefore, you should check the access to doctors and healthcare centers around you. You also need to check the availability of specific prescription drugs and whether you can afford them or not. According to Conferenceboard, the province that provides the best healthcare for seniors in Canada is British Colombia.

Lifestyle

Every city has its unique way of living and quality of life. You should know if your beliefs and interests match a certain city or not. Different lifestyles might be more tolerable than low-quality healthcare or high costs, but it is equally important since your environment greatly affects your wellbeing.

Transportation

When it comes to public transit, you need to pay attention to the fares, safety, and easy access. Another important thing is the facilities the transportation system designs and provides specifically for seniors. Currently, Ontario and British Colombia are considered to be the best provinces in terms of Transportation.

Quebec also comes close since the transportation services in cities like Montreal are of excellent quality.

Now that we have compared provinces in our intended terms, it is time to introduce Canada’s best provinces to retire.

Best Province to Retire in Canada

According to MoneySense, seniors’ best place to retire in Canada is nowhere but Toronto, located in Ontario. Other cities with high rankings, such as Ottawa, Burlington, and Oakville, are located in Ontario. British Colombia is only in the fifth rank and secures a spot and presents retirement-friendly cities like Langford, Colwood, or Vancouver. This ranking was based on population, taxes, traffic, weather, and healthcare issues such as doctors’ offices, drugstores, or family doctors.

This ranking, which lists the top 100 cities for retirees, is located either in Ontario or British Colombia. Occasionally, provinces like Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Alberta also appear on the list. But when it comes to Retirement, No province in Canada can compete with Ontario, and if you insist on having a second option, British Colombia. Here, we will give you the list of Top 10 cities, all located in Ontario or British Colombia, where it’s certain that you are going to like retiring and living.

1- Toronto (Ontario)

Climate: Humid continental
Living Costs: 1,226C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 195 doctors and 321 specialists per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Casual and multicultural
Population (2019): 2,965,710 

The city boasts a major cultural scene at the heart of Canada, along with top-notch health care providers, although the housing prices are higher than in other areas. In summers, Toronto is warm and humid. In winters, however, the weather is mostly windy and cold.

2- Ottawa (Ontario)

Climate: Humid continental
Living Costs: 1,192C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 145 doctors and 151 specialists per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Vibrant and cosmopolitan
Population (2019): 1,028,510

Great access to medical care and affordable living costs has made the country’s capital a great place to retire and live for seniors. Moreover, summers are warm, humid, and generally a very nice time to visit Ottawa. But winters are cold, and it snows pretty often.

3- Burlington (Ontario)

Climate: Humid continental
Living Costs: 899C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 102 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Casual
Population (2017): 205,960

This city has excellent food and sights. In terms of climate, Burlington has warm and humid summers and cold and dry winters. Although, what you need to know is that Burlington’s housing and transportation expenses are higher than average.

4- Oakville (Ontario)

Climate: Humid continental
Living Costs): 1,280C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 94 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Social and active
Population (2017): 211,382

Oakville is more expensive and has fewer doctors per capita than Burlington, but it still has stunning scenery and good access to health services. The climate in Oakville is cold and temperate, and it rains pretty frequently. But overall, this city is a very good destination for retirees.

5- Langford (British Colombia)

Climate: Temperate
Living Costs: 750C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 76 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Calm and relaxing
Population (2016): 35,342

Langford is a tranquil, safe city with plenty of amenities. You can easily find a magnificent lake, many parks, and good restaurants in this city. Summers are warm and temperate in Langford, but it might rain a lot in winters. The best thing about Langford is probably its relatively low cost of living, which is 3% lower than in Canada.

6- Colwood (British Colombia)

Climate: Warm and temperate
Living Costs: 666C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 76 doctors and 15 specialists per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Social and artsy
Population (2016): 16,859

Colwood is one of the safest cities in Canada, where approximately no crime takes place. Seniors can also enjoy a high quality of life and affordable living costs in this area. Like Langford, Colwood has warm and temperate summers, with cold, rainy winters. It is said that Colwood has one of the most pleasant weather in Canada.

7- Saanich (British Columbia)

Climate: Warm and temperate
Living Costs: 748C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 148 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Calm and relaxing
Population (2017): 119,229

A temperate climate and proximity to the sea make Saanich a very healthy place to live. Low property tax rates also make the city an excellent option for living. Saanich also has an acceptable level when it comes to healthcare providers.

8- Vancouver (British Colombia)

Climate: Moderate oceanic
Living Costs: 1472C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 136 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Multicultural and vibrant
Population (2017): 675,218

While Vancouver might be more expensive than other places, you will be happy to live there if your budget allows you since the city offers excellent healthcare and amenities for seniors. Although rainfalls are common in this city, Vancouver still has the warmest summers in Canada so it is one of the best provinces to live in Canada.

9- Kingston (Ontario)

Climate: Cold and temperate
Living Costs: 1,076.93C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 138 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Calm and relaxing
Population (2017): 136,685

Kingston offers a wealth of amenities and is situated within easy reach of Toronto and Montreal, making it one of Canada’s finest retirement destinations. Good weather and a better chance to enjoy sunny days also add to this city’s benefits. Kingston is not a very big city, but the living costs are still high. It is why it probably ranks lower on the list.

10- New Tecumseth (Ontario)

Climate: Cold and Temperate
Living Costs: 757C$ monthly without rent for a single person
Healthcare: 97 doctors per 100,000 residents
Lifestyle: Friendly and calm
Population (2019): 41,439

As a municipality, New Tecumseth offers good accessibility to healthcare and affordable costs, making it an ideal place to live, especially if you’re interested in a town with lovely rural surroundings. But you need to know that in New Tecumseth, the climate is generally cold and temperate, and it rains a lot.

Conclusion

So if we have to decide on the final two best provinces for seniors, the awards go to Ontario and British Colombia.

Remember, all this information is only statics-based. Numbers indeed play a significant role in picking the best province. Still, if you are a senior retiree and looking for a place to feel comfortable and enjoy your retirement years, the first thing you need to consider is your heart’s content. Will you be happy in your chosen place? If yes, then you probably should start packing because any province you like enough will be the best province to live in Canada.