Lifestyle and Daily Life

Transportation

In North Bay there are many options for getting around. Some of these options include:

• Public Transit. There is public transportation with bus services throughout the city. 
• Taxi Services. There is also Taxis servicing the city. 
• Airport Access. The Jack Garland airport is the largest airport located north of Toronto. The airport is conveniently located within the city.

Income & Cost of Living

North Bay is a very affordable city compared to the average cost of living within Canada. Some key facts about income and cost of living include:

• North Bay received an excellent rating from Areavibes in regard to cost of living, crime, and housing compared to the Provincial and National averages. 
• The overall cost of living is 21% less than the Ontario average
• Real Estate prices are a full 63% lower than the Ontario average
• Rental prices are 56% lower than the Ontario average.

Housing

Whether you are looking to rent or own a home, one advantage of the community is affordable housing.

• The average sale of a 3-bedroom home is $351,000. This represents a lower-than-average rate. For more information visit Zolo. 
• According to Areavibes.com, the average rental price is around $1,000 monthly.

Child Care

In Ontario, home-based childcare is regulated by the Children Act 1989 and the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. Unregulated childcare providers can offer babysitting services of up to three children under the age of four and their own children.

Post Living Differential (PLD)

The PLD (Post Living Differential) is support designed to reduce the adverse financial impact on military members and their families when posted to a Post Living Differential Area (PLDA). Please confirm your eligibility and most current rate with the local Orderly Room.

Tax Information

To learn more about tax rates visit the following links to make sure you keep up to date with all the current rates and can plan your finances accordingly.

• Provincial Taxes
  • Income Tax Rates
  • Provincial and Territorial Tax Rates
  • Retail Tax (HST)
• Federal Taxes
  • Federal Income Tax Rates for 2022

2SLGBTQ+

North Bay, as a community, is committed to providing a discrimination and harassment free environment, especially for marginalized communities. There are many supports for the 2SLGBTQ+ community including area clubs and organizations, as well as having many 2SLGBTQ+ affirming mental health practitioners.

Employment

North Bay has many employment opportunities, with the primary key industry sectors including manufacturing, aviation, aerospace, education, technology, mining supply and service. North Bay is expected to experience continued market growth in the coming years. 

For further information about labour mobility and transferring credentials, contact the Provincial Labour Mobility Coordinator.

Provincial Services

Updating vehicle registrations, drivers’ licenses, and health cards can be a real chore. Fortunately, this process (relatively) straightforward. Information on these various Provincial services include:

• Provincial Documents. Service Ontario is where you get your provincial documents such as Drivers Licences, Marriage Licences, Birth Certificates, and more. 
• Vehicle Registration. Out of Province Vehicles - If you have purchased a vehicle in another province and are going to register it in Ontario it will require an inspection prior to registration. You will need to visit our office with your ownership documents (Bill of Sale or your current registration from the other province). Military personnel can use their NDI 20 and NDI 21 Department of National Defence issued military identification cards to prove their name, signature and date of birth for vehicle transactions. As well, Military personnel from outside of Ontario with licence plate validation from another region can convert any remaining time on the validation onto an Ontario licence plate sticker. A letter from a military commanding officer is no longer required. 
• Health Care: To apply for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) or make changes to your information:
  1. Download and complete the appropriate form
  2. Send the completed form to Service Ontario online or in-person.