Options for Senior Housing in Thunder Bay Ontario

By Susan Weber

Image of Kakabeka Falls in Thunder Bay Ontario

Senior housing in Thunder Bay, Ontario, ranges from the grandeur of beautiful homes and apartments to the medical safety of nursing homes.

Living in Thunder Bay Ontario

Thunder Bay was created in 1970 as a combination of two cities - Port Arthur and Fort William. With a population of over 150,000, Thunder Bay is:

Ontario's fourteenth largest city.
An English-speaking, multi-cultural city with residents sharing strong European roots.
A gateway to summer and winter recreation, making Thunder Bay a great place for active seniors to retire.
A city surrounded by scenic beauty, including Kakabeka Falls.

According to the city government and city tourism information, Thunder Bay has many features, including:

Access
- 90 percent of the city is within 300 metres (1,000 feet) of a bus stop
- The Canada/United States border is 32 miles south. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the closest major U.S. city
- Thunder Bay International Airport is the third busiest airport in Ontario
World class sports and art facilities
- Canadian games complex that hosted the aquatic events of the 1981 Canada summer games
- Community Auditorium, one of the Canada's finest concert halls
Housing
- Long history of affordable, high-quality housing
- Housing prices growing below the Canadian average
- One of the highest percentages of single, detached home ownership in Canada
Health care
- Northwestern Ontario's major health care center with a growing focus on molecular medicine, DNA and cancer research

Available Senior Housing in Thunder Bay Ontario

Senior housing in Thunder Bay, Ontario, ranges from the independent living of single family homes to supervised group settings in nursing homes. Recent building activities have increased the number of senior apartment and assisted living facilities available for rent. Affordable single family homes are available with home prices remaining somewhat stable.

Homes and Apartments - There is a very active real estate market offering a full range of homes for purchase and apartments for rent or lease. Local realtors can be easily identified through their listings on the Internet. Contact the Lakehead Social Planning Council for leads to realtors who specialize in senior housing.
Independent Living - In recent years, an influx of upscale senior living facilities have been built. Seniors can rent an apartment and receive their choice of optional services including meals and housekeeping. Some of the larger facilities include:
- Chartwell Spectrum - This 16-unit townhouse complex includes self-contained apartments with attached garages.
- Glacier Ridge - This multi-building, multi-story complex offers 80 suites from studios to two-bedrooms. The monthly rate includes meals, housekeeping and linen laundry.
- Comfort Life - This retirement residence allows residents to select the level of independence and assistance they need. The monthly rental can include meals, housekeeping and laundry service.
Assisted Living - These facilities are designed for the senior who wants to live in their own suite and still have access to facilities and services which they share with other residents. One of the largest communities is:
- Hilldale Gardens - This retirement community is a three-story home with 68 apartment-style suites. Each suite is either a studio or one bedroom floorplan including a kitchenette, full bath, in-suite storage and individually-controlled heating and air conditioning. The monthly rental includes meals, housekeeping and laundry service.
Nursing Services - Some seniors require a higher level of involvement by medical personnel. The living situation is similar to the facilities in an assisted living facility with more focus on medical assistance. For example:
- Glacier Ridge Retirement Home - This retirement home is located in downtown Thunder Bay and is only a five-minute drive to the Intercity Mall. Residents receive medical services, meals and snacks.