Homes For Sale in Guelph, Ontario

Why live in Guelph?

There are plenty of reasons to live in Guelph. First, the city offers an extremely high quality of life. The cost of living is low, considerably lower than in Toronto. Plus, the city has a low crime rate and an extremely low unemployment rate. Speaking of employment, Guelph has its own thriving economy, with some of the area’s biggest employers being the University of Guelph, Linamar Corporation, Guelph Manufacturing Group Inc., Polycon Industries, and The Co-operators. Further, due to the city’s rapid growth, there are a plethora of housing options to suit everyone from families and seniors to university students. Homes tend to be more spacious than in Toronto and there are an increasing number of townhomes, condos, and apartments available for purchase. Plus, Guelph is very community-oriented, which means there are plenty of recreational programs, from sports to the arts, that residents can enjoy. For example, many locals love heading down to the Sleeman Centre to support Guelph’s OHL team, the Guelph Storm. Meanwhile, the city has a number of cultural institutions and attractions, like the River Run Centre, Art Gallery of Guelph, McCrae House, and Civic Museum. Beyond art and culture, the area’s natural beauty and abundance of green space are appealing to many. In the city, you will find urban parks like Riverside Park, Eramosa River Park, South End Community Park, Exhibition Park, and Hanlon Creek Park. Just outside of the city, outdoor recreation abounds at Guelph Lake Conservation Area, Rockwood Conservation Area, and Starkey Hill Conservation Area, among others. One final reason to call Guelph home is its convenient location. Just over an hour from Toronto, 45 minutes from Hamilton, and 30 minutes from Kitchener, the city is ideally situated. You can even travel to Niagara Falls or be across the border in an hour and a half. If convenience, affordability, and culture are for you, then you’ll love living in Guelph, Ontario.

Quality and diversity of education in Guelph

The Upper Grand District School Board is responsible for offering public education to Guelph residents. Some of the schools it operates include King George Public School, Sir Isaac Brock Public School, and College Heights Secondary School. If you prefer to give your child a private school education, some of the private institutions in and around Guelph are Trillium Waldorf School, Wellington Hall Academy, and Montessori School of Wellington. When it comes to post-secondary options, you couldn’t be better situated than you in Guelph. First, the city is home to the University of Guelph, one of the top public research universities in the province. Then, less than half an hour away, you have the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. In Hamilton, there’s McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts. Of course, by travelling into Toronto, you will also have access to 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 Guelph

Guelph is made up of a total of 32 neighbourhoods. Some of the top neighbourhoods in the city are Kortright Hills, Priory Park, Hanlon Creek, Parkwood Gardens, Two Rivers, Onward Willow, Guelph Junction, Clairfields, Exhibition Park, Riverside Park, Waverley, and Grange Hill.

Quality of infrastructure for Guelph

Guelph’s infrastructure is nothing to be concerned about, whether you’re discussing public transportation, education, or healthcare. Plus, as the city grows, which it is projected to, infrastructure will only improve. For now, Guelph residents can enjoy their own local transit system operated by Guelph Transit. This makes taking a bus around the city as easy as can be. Guelph also has a train station that is served by Metrolinx GO Transit and Via Rail. Both connect passengers with Toronto Union Station. However, GO Transit offers regional transportation to the City of Toronto and the rest of the GTA, while Via Rail offers nationwide train travel across the country. With GO Transit, Guelph residents can get to Hamilton, Mississauga, Toronto, Markham, Oshawa, and beyond, and with Via Rail, they can travel to major cities like Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Windsor, and more. As for air travel, Guelph has its own municipal aerodrome, Guelph AirPark, but locals will need to travel farther to get to an international airport. The Region of Waterloo International Airport is the closest international airport to Guelph. However, they do not operate nearly as many flights at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the largest airport in the country, or John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (both are roughly 50 minutes from Guelph in opposite directions). The reality is that most people get around by car. Guelph residents can easily access many major highways in Ontario, like Highway 7, Highway 401, and Highway 6. Further, Guelph is home to Guelph General Hospital, though Grand River Hospital in Kitchener and Chedoke Hospital, Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital, and St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton are all nearby. You can also take advantage of Toronto’s many top hospitals, such as Toronto General Hospital, North York General Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Humber River Hospital, and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Safety and security for Guelph

The Guelph Police keep the city safe. That said, crime rates are low and the city is not prone to natural disasters. If there is ever an emergency, you can dial 9-1-1 at any time.

Guelph property market

The Guelph property market is heating up, but thankfully, it still remains an affordable place to live. For those who are tired of the rising housing costs in Toronto and are looking for a bit more space, Guelph might be for you. The city’s property market is largely characterized by townhomes, semi-detached homes, and detached homes, though there are also a growing number of condo units available for purchase.

Standard of living in Guelph

Guelph’s standard of living is incredibly high. A booming economy, lower cost of living, plenty of recreational and cultural activities, low crime rate, and top-notch schools make it a great place to call home. It shares many of the same attributes as Toronto, which was recently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world. More specifically, The Global Liveability Index 2023’s Liveability Report ranked Toronto as the ninth most liveable city in the world based on factors like healthcare, stability, education, and culture & environment.

Something wonderful about Guelph

Guelph has a rich and fascinating history that begins with the First Nations people. Though Europeans first arrived in the late 18th century, it is believed that First Nations had inhabited the land for over 11,000 years. After the British arrived and settled, they created the first planned town in Canada, which was known as the “Canada Company.” The city was officially founded and was given the name of Guelph on April 23, 1827, also known as St. George’s Day. “Guelph” was chosen as a nod to the House of Welf, which the word Guelph is derived from and which the reigning British Monarch at the time, King George IV’s family descended from.

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