Ontario, Canada
Downsizing in Ontario, made straightforward
Where to look, what it costs, how land transfer tax and the principal residence rules fit into the plan and who can help with the move. Free, plain-language Ontario guides.
13 regions 17 55+ communities 25 guides No cost, no obligation
Photo: Fool4myCanon, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Where to downsize in Ontario
Thirteen regions from Toronto to Northern Ontario, each listing its municipalities, with full guides to 63 cities and neighbourhoods covering housing, health care, getting around and local taxes.
- Toronto
- Peel and Halton
- York and Durham
- Hamilton and Niagara
- Waterloo and Wellington
- London and Southwest
- Windsor and Essex
- Simcoe and Muskoka
- Grey, Bruce and Huron
- Kawarthas and Northumberland
- Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
- Kingston and Quinte
- Northern Ontario
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Barrie
A regional city on Kempenfelt Bay with a major hospital and its own transit.
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Greater Sudbury
Regional hospital for the northeast, GOVA transit and Conservation Sudbury mapping.
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Hamilton
A single-tier city with three hospital networks and its own seniors tax deferral.
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Kingston
A lakeside city with two hospital sites and its own transit system.
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London
Hospitals, Thames River trails, transit and flood mapping for London movers.
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Markham
Unionville, GO Stouffville line stations and a local hospital.
55+ and adult lifestyle communities
Land lease and life lease communities across Ontario, with what to ask about fees, rules and ownership before you commit.
- 55+ community St. Elizabeth Village Hamilton life lease community advertised as 55+ living.
- 55+ community Stoneridge Estates Pre-opening Niagara Falls life lease community for adults 55+.
- 55+ community The Bluffs at Huron Land lease bungalow community on Lake Huron north of Goderich.
- 55+ community Wilmot Creek Land lease community of single-storey homes in Newcastle, Clarington.
- 55+ community Sandycove Acres Parkbridge retirement community in Innisfil with three clubhouses.
- 55+ community Tecumseth Pines Parkbridge retirement community in New Tecumseth with an indoor pool.
Why Ontario homeowners move to less house
Stairs get harder, not easier
A two-storey house or a split-level works until it does not. A bungalow, a townhouse or a condo with an elevator can add years in the community you already know.
Upkeep someone else handles
In a condo, the corporation looks after the roof, the grounds and the snow, paid for through monthly fees rather than one surprise bill at a time.
Equity you can use
Long-time owners often have a large gap between what they paid and what the home sells for. Knowing the closing costs and how the principal residence rules work shows how much of it you keep.
Staying close
Downsizing does not have to mean leaving. Many Ontario cities have both houses and condo buildings, so the doctors, friends and weekly routines can stay the same.
Or moving further out
Land lease and life lease communities, small towns and lakeside areas are within reach of family in several regions. Check hospital access and winter driving first.
Tax rules worth knowing
Your buyer pays land transfer tax, you pay it on your next home and Toronto adds its own. Senior property tax relief differs by municipality. Plan the move around the details.
How to use this site
Start with a region
Browse Ontario's regions and cities for housing, hospitals, getting around and local tax relief.
Check the numbers
Use the net proceeds calculator and read costs and taxes.
Ask us anything
Email [email protected] with questions. A licensed agent on our team at eXp Realty can reply.
Guides to the parts people get stuck on
Land transfer tax, selling a principal residence, condos, life leases, flood insurance, helping a parent and moving day, researched from federal, provincial and municipal sources.
- Planning Aging in place or moving: an Ontario guide Home care through Ontario Health atHome, retirement homes, long-term care costs and the tax credits that may apply when deciding whether to stay or go.
- Selling Buy First or Sell First When Downsizing in Ontario The three ways to sequence a downsizing move in Ontario: sell first, buy first or line up the closings, with conditional offers and bridge financing explained.
- Buying Buying a Condo in Ontario: Status Certificate and Reserve Fund What the status certificate and reserve fund study tell you, how special assessments work and where the Condominium Authority of Ontario fits in.
- Money Capital Gains and Selling Your Principal Residence in Ontario How the principal residence exemption works, why you must report the sale, the 365-day flipping rule and the current 50% capital gains inclusion rate.
- Moving Clearing out your home and moving day in Ontario How to sort a long-held home, donate, sell contents, handle hazardous waste and hire help in Ontario, with named services whose own sites confirm what they do.
- Buying Condo, Townhouse or House When You Downsize in Ontario The trade-offs between a condo, a freehold townhouse with POTL fees, a bungalow and a life lease, and the questions that separate them.
Contact us
Questions about downsizing in Ontario? Write to us and a licensed agent on our team at eXp Realty can reply.
Common questions
Is Ontario Downsizing a real estate company?
Ontario Downsizing is an information resource operated by real estate professionals affiliated with eXp Realty. We publish free information about downsizing in Ontario, and messages sent to us go to agents on our own team. The site itself is not a brokerage and does not represent buyers or sellers.
Does it cost anything to contact us?
No. Contacting us is free and you are never obligated to work with anyone. Messages go only to agents on our team at eXp Realty.
Who pays land transfer tax when I sell my Ontario home?
The buyer pays it. Ontario charges land transfer tax to the person receiving the property, so a seller pays none on the sale. You will pay it on your next purchase, and Toronto adds a municipal land transfer tax on top of the provincial one. See the land transfer tax guide.
Do I pay tax on the profit when I sell my home?
If the home was your principal residence for every year you owned it, the gain is generally not taxed federally. You still have to report the sale and designate the home on your tax return. Part-year rentals, home offices and homes owned less than a year follow different rules. Read the principal residence guide and confirm with an accountant.
What does it cost to sell a home in Ontario?
Common costs include the real estate commission, which is negotiable and carries HST, legal fees, any mortgage prepayment penalty and adjustments on closing. Use the net proceeds calculator for an estimate and the costs and taxes page for what each item means.
Is a life lease the same as owning a condo?
No. A life lease buyer pays for the right to occupy a suite and does not usually hold title the way a condo owner does. Land lease homes are different again: you own the home and rent the land. Our life lease and land lease guide explains what to ask before you sign.