Most desirable neighbourhoods in northern Ont. to live in: RE/MAX

Here are the most desirable neighbourhoods in northern Ontario to live in according to a new real estate report that explores numerous factors. 

The 2024 Liveability Report, issued by Re/Max, examines neighbourhoods in cities across Canada by surveying local brokers and real estate agents.

Front porch of home on Woodbine Avenue in New Sudbury, one of the most desirable places to live in northern Ontario. (Amanda Hicks/CTV Northern Ontario)

Minnow Lake, New Sudbury and the South End were chosen among the most desirable neighbourhoods to live in in the Sudbury region according to the 2024 report.

In Cochrane District, the most desirable neighbourhoods are in the Mountjoy area of Timmins and and the River Heights area of Kapuskasing, the Liveability Report said.

In North Bay, popular areas include College Heights, Airport Hill and Birch Haven.

The Liveability Report explores the neighbourhood qualities that resonate most with Canadians and determines the best neighbourhoods according to those criteria, both nationally and regionally.

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“All of those neighborhoods are close to abundant green space and trails,” said Marissa Arnold, the owner and broker of record of Re/Max Crown Realty, which operates in both Greater Sudbury and Timmins along with neighboring communities in northern Ontario.

“They also offer a good mixture of entry-level housing for first-time buyers, but also feature beautiful upper-scale new neighborhoods for move-up buyers.”

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RE/MAX partnered with Montreal-based data analytics company Local Logic to compile the lists of neighbourhoods within some of Canada's biggest and growing real estate markets, based on liveability factors that Canadians said were most important to them when surveyed: affordability, proximity to work, easily walkable, access to green spaces and parks, proximity to health or medical services, low-density neighbourhoods, proximity to public transit, easily driveable, proximity to preferred childcare/schools, access to bike lanes/walking paths, a neighbourhood with diverse cultures and ethnicities and high-density neighbourhoods.

Realtors told CTV News that the goal of the report is to help buyers make an informed decision when looking at where to purchase a home.

“Affordability is definitely a factor,” said Arnold.

“Demand for certain neighborhoods, what neighborhoods are up and coming and when we're determining the livability of these neighborhoods, we consider all of those factors and we also consider access to services and access to green.”

Arnold added it is all about what people love and hate about the neighborhoods and the concentration and breakdown of the population.

Amanda Dennis is the chair of the Sudbury Real Estate Board and she said the communities of Minnow Lake, New Sudbury and the South End offer a good balance of nature and proximity to amenities.

Dennis told CTV News that the demand for homes in those areas has also increased.

"We're looking at a yearly average of $717,000 for a home in the South End,” she said.

“That's, you know, it's pretty high for an average. Whereas if you go to, let's say the West End, our average is $332,000 for the year so far … with Minnow Lake, the average is slightly higher as well – lower than South End at $513,000."

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The report also lists the communities of Minnow Lake, New Sudbury and the West End as ‘up-and-coming’ neighbourhoods.

Denis said the West End has seen considerable growth with new families purchasing properties and predicts it will be a neighbourhood to watch in the future.

The full 2024 Liveability report can be found here, with northern Ontario’s regional summary and Sudbury’s neighbourhood rankings also available on the Re/Max Blog.