Thunder Bay Markets Itself as Canada’s Most Affordable City: Will This Attract New Workers?

As Canadian urbanites seek more affordable housing, Thunder Bay officials are promoting their northwestern Ontario community as one of the last cities in Canada with inexpensive homes for sale.

The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) has relaunched an advertising campaign targeting remote workers in urban centers who are looking for a lower cost of living.

Jamie Taylor, CEO of CEDC, said the campaign was revived after a Royal LePage study identified Thunder Bay as the most affordable city in Canada based on aggregate home price data and median household incomes from the 2022 Census report.

“We saw this as a great opportunity to capitalize on the positive press we’re receiving and hopefully attract more people to our community,” said Taylor.

The CEDC is focusing on major metropolitan areas such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Edmonton, she added.

“It’s really about reaching individuals who are mobile and can work from anywhere,” Taylor said.

While single people without strong ties to large cities are the primary target, they also hope to attract young families or those interested in working locally in Thunder Bay.

According to the Royal LePage report, Thunder Bay’s aggregate home price was just under $300,000 as of the first quarter of this year.

Although buying a home is much cheaper in Thunder Bay, the savings on rent are less substantial. The median rent in Thunder Bay is $1,200, according to 2023 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) data. This ranks 27th out of 58 census metropolitan areas in Ontario. Despite this, it’s still lower than the provincial median or median rent in Toronto, which were $1,500 and $1,750, respectively.