Why live in London?
London has a lot to offer its residents. Although it’s one of the largest cities in Ontario, boasting a population of 404,000 people, it still has a small town feel that many locals love. It’s also situated in a great spot geographically, providing convenient access to many other parts of Ontario, as well as the United States (it’s only an hour and a half from the Detroit, Michigan border). Even better, London has been nicknamed “The Forest City,” due to its plethora of forests and green space. The city and its surrounding area are home to over 200 parks, meanwhile, you’ll find several beaches on Lake Huron and even a ski hill (Bolar Mountain) nearby. As for culture, there are plenty of attractions for people of all ages to enjoy, like Covent Garden Market, Springbank Park, Budweiser Gardens, Banting House National Historic Site, Western Fairgrounds, and Eastpark. The city also plays host to several festivals throughout the year, like the Western Fair, Home Country Music & Art Festival, Sunfest, and Ribfest. There are even professional sports to enjoy, like London’s OHL team, the London Knights, and their NBL team, the London Lightning. Further, London, Ontario is a welcoming city with a diverse population, low crime rate, and a lower cost of living. World-class healthcare and education are also a major plus, which we discuss in greater detail below.
Quality and diversity of education in London
The city of London, Ontario is known for its abundance of top-tier educational opportunities. First, there are four school boards that operate in London: two English-language school boards, the London District Catholic School Board and the Thames Valley District School Board, and two French-language school boards, Conseil scolaire de district des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest and Conseil scolaire Viamonde. Between these four school boards, London residents have a wide variety of schools to choose from. Some of the largest public schools in London include A.B. Lucas Secondary School, B. Davison Secondary School, Central Secondary School, Clarke Road Secondary School. Then there are the many private schools that are in the area, like Agate Private School, London International Academy, Matthews Hall Independent School, and The Sycamore School. Meanwhile, post-secondary options abound in London. First, there is the University of Western Ontario (known as “Western,”) which is one of the top universities in all of Canada. Western educates more than 24,000 students each year and offers a wide range of programs in all kinds of faculties, like Science, Engineering, Art & Humanities, Education, Law, Health Sciences, and Social Science. The university is perhaps best known for its business school, Ivey Business School, which is consistently ranked as one of the top business schools in the country. There are also a number of post-secondary colleges in London, like Fanshawe College, Anderson College of Health, and Thames Valley College. If you want to venture outside of London for school, you have several options all within an hour and a half (or less) of the city. For instance, McMaster University is in Hamilton, the University of Guelph is in Guelph, and Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo can be found in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Then of course there are the many colleges and universities in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, like the University of Toronto, George Brown College, York University, Seneca College, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Sheridan College, Humber College, Toronto Film School, and the Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCAD).
Most populous cities in London
The main neighbourhoods in London are Bishop Hellmuth, Berkshire Village, Argyle, Byron, Cedar Hollow, Carling Heights, Blackfriars, Hazelden, Fox Field, Wortley Village, Old North, Sunningdale, Masonville, Oakridge, and Westmount.
Quality of infrastructure for London
The London Transit Commission provides public transportation services to the population of London in the form of buses. In total, the London Transit Commission operates over 40 routes that can take residents all over the city, such as to and from Western University, Fanshawe College, White Oaks Mall, Masonville Mall, Cherryhill, and beyond. London also has a Via Rail station, which allows residents to travel by train to Toronto Union Station or to other parts of the province and even Canada. Via Rail routes go all across the country, which means you can take the train to Windsor, Kitchener, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and beyond. Coach Canada and Megabus also run coach buses throughout Ontario, including to and from London. London has its own international airport, the London International Airport, which a number of major airlines fly out of (Air Canada, WestJet, Lufthansa, Air Transat, Emirates, Delta, and Sunwing, to name a few). However, you can also drive to Canada’s largest airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport in under two hours or John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in under an hour and 15 minutes. In terms of highway access, several major highways run through London and connect it with the rest of Ontario and the United States. These include Highway 401, Highway 402, Highway 2, and Highway 22. Moving on to healthcare. There are three main hospitals in London, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Victoria & Children’s Hospital, and University Hospital - London Health Services, as well as a number of walk-in clinics and family doctors’ offices.
Safety and security for London
The London Police Service is responsible for upholding the safety and security of the city of London. Emergency services can always be accessed by calling 9-1-1. London is considered a relatively safe city and natural disasters are not common.
London property market
The London property market is booming. Thanks to the annual influx of students coupled with the many families, young professionals, and seniors moving here, buyers will find a wide range of housing options. The good news is that prices are still fairly affordable, especially when compared with Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. The most common types of properties you will find in London include townhomes, semi-detached homes, detached homes, condos, and apartments.
Standard of living in London
London is a top destination in Ontario for a reason. The standard of living here is very high, thanks to its convenient location, abundance of green space, world-class education, affordable housing, and small town charm.
Something wonderful about London
The city of London has a long history that includes many brushes with fame. First, notable people who hail from London include Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Victor Garber, Hume Cronyn, Michael McManus, and director Paul Haggis. Further, several movies and television shows have been filmed here, like The Changeling, A Time To Kill, and BlackBerry. London was also the place where country music icon Johnny Cash proposed to his then-girlfriend June Carter (he proposed during his show at the London Gardens on February 22, 1968). Other musicians that are from London include Guy Lombardo, Rob McConnell, Tommy Hunter, and Meaghan Smith.
