Aging adults in Canada have some amazing options for senior living communities. There are plenty of specialized services for assisted living, memory care, and more. Ontario senior living providers range from intimate settings to more community living environments. Making the decision to transition into a senior living home is a big step. How do you differentiate from one property to the next? What are all the costs involved? What services are included?
We know how complicated searching for senior living can be, for the last 11 years our team has managed over 19,000 senior care listings across Canada and the U.S. That’s why we’ve made our lists for the top 15 communities in every Province. All the locations below are highly rated and respected in their neighborhoods. Even if your city didn’t make it to our list, don’t worry. Our senior living directory is full of other highly rated communities that you can filter to easily find one near you. If you’d like to consult a professional advisor, do not hesitate to contact us and we can guide you through your search.
Converting a Life Insurance Policy to Pay for Senior Living in Ontario
While you’ll surely find an Ontario provider that matches your budget, it’s still not cheap, and having additional options to cover costs is never a bad thing. If you’ve been paying into a life insurance policy for a decade or more, withdrawing the cost basis (the amount paid in premiums) is a viable option. By withdrawing the cost basis, you avoid owing tax. You can also sell the policy to a life settlement funding company. This is typically a lump sum (up to 75% of the policy’s face value plus tax).
Ranking The Best Senior Living Facilities in Ontario
Ranking the top 15 senior living centers in Ontario was no easy task. By considering online reviews alone, there are some really exceptional offers in Ontario. In conjunction with reviews left on our own website, we collected reviews from Google, Facebook, and similar platforms. We then assigned a ranking to each center. Our 1 to 5 scale resulted in a quality list, but we wanted to make sure that none of the final top communities had any outstanding violations or citations reported to the Ontario Department of Health. After double-checking, we arrived at the list below.
The median price for an assisted living facility in Ontario is approximately $3,200 per month. You can expect to pay much more for memory care or nursing home, but the care provided is highly skilled and around the clock. Independent living is much cheaper but rarely provides any skilled staff or care services.
Top Rated Ontario Senior Living Facilities
4.8/5 Average Rating of Facilities
474 Total Reviews
The Windsor Retirement Residence
24 Park Crescent
Amherstview, ON K7N 1L8
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living
5.0/5 Average Rating
27 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about The Windsor Retirement Residence:
My Mother just spent six weeks in the Bayshore section of The Windsor Retirement Residence. The staff were friendly, food excellent and the care exceptional. Loved the pictures from “around the world” in the hallways. Each walk to the dining-room was a new adventure when you could view the lovely pictures. Great place to recuperate!
-Caroline Keyes
The Redwoods
2604 Draper Avenue
Ottawa ON K2H 9B1
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living
5.0/5 Average Rating
25 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about The Redwoods:
I have been a resident of The Redwoods for nearly 2 years. I find the staff very helpful and accommodating… enjoy all the activities I can. I have made some good friends who have been there for years. It is a great place to live….
-Claudette Cameron
Evergreen Retirement Community
820 Scollard Court
Mississauga, ON L5V 0A1
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care
4.6/5 Average Rating
26 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about Evergreen Retirement Community:
The sale process was remarkably easy and the team did a great job in preparing my Moms unit for her arrival. There were a nice variety of designs to choose from. When she first moved in, my mother raved about the meals and all the activities. Unfortunately Covid hit two months later and based on provincial guidelines the many fun things had to be curtailed. Throughout this trying ordeal, the staff have been wonderful. They seem to really care. Email inquiries are answered promptly by management and we hope that things can soon get back to normal with lots of social activities for the residents.
-Kim Harkins
Manotick Place Retirement Community
1145 Bridge Street
Manotick ON K4M 0G8
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living
4.7/5 Average Rating
19 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about Manotick Place Retirement Community:
I am very happy to live at Manotick Place because our Activity Leader is No.#1. There are many friendly people here and I have made many new friends. The staff that help me mornings and night are very good. The workers in the dining room are always helpful and friendly. My suite and the rest of the home are always very clean.
-Karen Ashton
HomeWatch CareGivers – Mississauga, ON
Areas Served: Mississauga and surrounding locations
Living Types Available: Home Care
5.0/5 Average Rating
1 Total Review
What residents and loved ones have to say about HomeWatch CareGivers – Mississauga, ON:
Homewatch Caregivers of Mississauga, owned by [name removed], provided us with wonderful care and assistance for my sister both before and during her final illness. They took her to her doctors’ appointments and hospital visits when the family was not able to, and they were a bright spot in her day during a very difficult time. During the last days of her illness, they provided companionship and wonderful 24-hour nursing care at the hospital when we felt that she wasn’t getting the care that she needed from hospital staff. The women Homewatch Caregivers sent to help my sister were caring and compassionate and a tremendous help both to her and to our entire family. The company offers a variety of services, are very professional and reliable and I would strongly recommend them to anyone who needs help.
-Leslie
Richmond Hill Retirement Residence
70 Bernard Avenue
Richmond Hill ON L4C 0W7
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living
5.0/5 Average Rating
8 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about Richmond Hill Retirement Residence:
My mother was one of the original residents, just moving to Long Term Care. Not enough could possibly be said about how fantastic RHRR and their caring, compassionate staff are, from top to bottom. Would give more stars if possible.
-Ian Macmillan
Meadowlands Retirement Residence
1248 Mohawk Road
Ancaster ON L9K 1P5
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living
5.0/5 Average Rating
26 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about Meadowlands Retirement Residence:
Since moving in during the Covid 19 pandemic, the wonderful staff has gone above and beyond to keep our mother engaged. With a constantly changing menu, plus activities on their in house channel to keep everyone motivated. They work with the Community members to keep everyone safe.
-Brian Kiernan
The Ravines Seniors’ Suites
626 Prado Private
Ottawa, ON K2E 0B3
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care
5.0/5 Average Rating
10 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about The Ravines Seniors’ Suites:
My home, since December 2019.It is a beautiful, peaceful and safe place to be at during our senior years. The building is spacious, bright and clean situated along the Ravines that run into the Rideau River…home to interesting fowl. The Ravines management team cares about the residents…example: Covid-19 first phase we were cared for by complete isolation with meals delivered to our rooms, with a Friday afternoon surprise. Our devoted manager Sam heading the parade with special treats for us. If you are looking for a New Home away from home, the Ravines Senior Suites is the place to be at. Come see it for yourself.
-Adeline Turcotte
City View Retirement Community
151 Meadowlands Dr W
Nepean ON K2G 2S3
Living Types Available: Independent Living, Assisted Living
5.0/5 Average Rating
26 Total Reviews
What residents and loved ones have to say about City View Retirement Community:
My aunt-in-law has been a resident at City View for 11 months and she is very happy. The staff are amazing, they treat everyone like part of their family. Food is exquisite thanks to the chef Mark and his team. The building is also maintained with quality and care. I highly recommend City View as it truly cares about its residents.
-Rex Gazelle
More Highly Rated ON Senior Living & Care Facilities
Scarborough Retirement Residence
Park Place Seniors’ Suites & Retirement Residence
Stouffville Creek Retirement Residence
VIVA Barrhaven Retirement Community
Credit River Retirement Residence