Can You Picture Living and Working in the Kawartha Region?

Eastern Ontario is an amazing place to live and raise a family. The region is full of culture, vibrance, and economic prosperity. To help you decide if the eastern Ontario region is a place you’d like to relocate to, we’ve compiled a list of the benefits of the towns in the Kawartha area and what they have to offer job seekers.

Introducing the Kawartha Region: Relax by Cobourg’s Waterfront

Cobourg is a town of 19,000 people, 95 kilometres away from Toronto. It’s the biggest town in Northumberland county, and is easily accessed from the Highway 401.

Culture: In operation since 1960, Cobourg’s Art Gallery of Northumberland offers year-round exhibits, public lectures, and school trips.
Entertainment: The Northumberland Mall offers many shopping opportunities, as well as a movie theatre and a bowling alley.
Recreation: Cobourg has 67 parks, making it a great place for families.
Education: The town has excellent access to childhood education: four public elementary schools, one public high school, three Catholic elementary schools, and one Catholic high school. And just a ten-minute drive from Cobourg is one of Canada’s oldest and most-respected private schools, Trinity College School, which teaches grades 5-12.

Kawartha Lakes: Live in the Home Region of Neil Young

Kawartha Lakes has a population of 75,000. It’s name originates from the Anishinaabe language, meaning “land of reflections.” Omemee, one of the small towns that makes up Kawartha Lakes, is the place where famous singer-songwriter Neil Young spent his early years.

Culture: Lindsay’s popular Concerts in the Park series is a friendly, casual free-concert tradition that is in its 28th year.
Entertainment: At the Lindsay Drive-In Theatre, you can catch a film in a pet-friendly environment, under the stars, just like the old days.
Recreation: Since Kawartha Lakes is the houseboat capital of Ontario, you can plan a trip along the 386 km Trent-Severn Waterway and make other houseboat friends along the way.
Education: In Kawartha Lakes, you’ll have access to 19 public elementary schools and four Catholic elementary schools. There are four high schools (three public and one Catholic), two alternate learning centres, and a Fleming college campus in Lindsay, renowned for its School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences.

Find a More Relaxed Pace in Peterborough

Peterborough is situated approximately 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto and 270 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, and has a population of 81,000. Peterborough is often put on lists of the best places to retire in Ontario, due to its programs for seniors and low cost of living.

Culture: Peterborough used to be known as the “Electric City” because it was the first town in Canada to adopt electric streetlights. The Canadian Canoe Museum is of particular cultural importance to the area, having the largest collection of canoes in the world.
Entertainment: Peterborough has a great Reptile Zoo that is an excellent place to take the family for a day out.
Recreation: There are lots of ways to stay fit in Peterborough, as the town has many recreational facilities, including: beaches, pools, basketball courts, arenas, a marina, sports and wellness centres, youth centres, and more.
Education: There are more than 30 elementary and secondary schools in Peterborough, divided between a public, Catholic, and French school board. Peterborough is home to Trent University, Fleming College, and Master’s College and Seminary.

Discover One of the Best-Preserved Main Streets in Ontario in Port Hope

Port Hope is located 109 kilometres east of Toronto, and 159 kilometres from Kingston. It has a population of 16,000. The town has over 270 heritage buildings, contributing to the distinct historical flavour of the town, particularly its downtown.

Culture: Every April since 1980, the town has put on a “Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny” ten kilometer race down the Ganaraska River (the “Ganny”).
Entertainment: At the “Float Ur Funny” comedy festival you can see dozens of comics perform over a period of six days.
Recreation: Port Hope is a High Five accredited community, meaning it has rigorous sport and recreation programs for children ages 6-12, among many sporting leagues for adults.
Education: There are four public elementary schools in Port Hope, one public high school, one Catholic elementary school, and one Catholic high school.