Whether you're part of a family or couple, a single professional, entrepreneur, or retiree, the Windsor-Essex region has something for you. Highlighted by 160 km of beautiful shoreline along Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River, Windsor-Essex's lakefront living, temperate climate and small-city lifestyle with big-city amenities are why it's a prominent, rapidly growing part of Canada.
Learn more about what Windsor-Essex has to offer!
Quality of Life 360-Degree Video
Climate
As the southern-most region in Ontario (sharing the same latitude as Northern California), Windsor-Essex enjoys the warmest climate in all of Ontario. Windsor-Essex enjoys seven months of short-sleeve weather with the average temperature reaching above 10°C for 223 days of the year.
Weather facts
- Sunny climate including summers with a generous number of warm or hot sunny days.
- Four distinct seasons, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the great outdoors with activities such as swimming, kayaking, scuba diving, pond hockey, cross country skiing, hiking on trails, and bird watching.
- The climate lends itself to a picturesque environment. The region is surrounded on three sides with the natural beauty of bodies of water including Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River.
- Longest growing seasons in Canada, extending from April to October.
- Snow depths of greater than 1 cm are seen on about 53 days each year in Windsor-Essex, compared with about 65 days further north in Toronto.
Sports and recreation
Many Windsor-Essex residents are proud sports participants and enthusiasts. With storied franchises like the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires, Windsor Express professional basketball team and the University of Windsor Lancers athletics program, there is never a shortage of opportunities to cheer on the home team.
The area also features exceptional amateur recreational and leisure programs for residents looking to get active. Our municipalities' programs and facilities offer exceptional experiences to meet others and get involved.
Surrounded by lakes, the region is a boating and fishing paradise. Robust trail networks and golf courses of all types, from shorter par-three courses to championship layouts, welcome hikers and golfers from near and far. Cycling, camping and birding are also popular activities.
Entertainment and shopping
From annual festivals and events full of rich culture offering food and dining options from all over the world, to waterparks, animal sanctuaries, indoor trampoline and dodgeball, escape rooms, a raceway and Caesars Windsor Casino, there's never a dull moment in Windsor-Essex.
Our vibrant night life includes live entertainment with renowned musicians, movie theatres and stage performances, and multiple pubs, lounges, cocktails and nightclubs.
Our boutique shops, specialized shopping districts, farmers' markets, shopping centres and outlet mall offer everything you need as well as special gifts for loved ones.
Arts, culture, heritage and dining
Whether you're dining, exploring our area's history, taking part in our community festivals throughout the balmy, extended summer months, or simply out and about, our celebrated, diverse communities offer a rich, cultural experience. From local craft beer to culinary delights including Italian, Lebanese, Thai and Vietnamese options, your taste buds will certainly enjoy the ride. We also feature an award-winning wine country to explore.
Our communities' art galleries and public art installations showcase the creativity of the area, while specialized museums, historic sites, walking tours and heritage villages allow you to explore our storied past.
Windsor-Essex is home to Canada’s southernmost award-winning symphony orchestra: The Windsor Symphony Orchestra (WSO). The WSO is under the helm of the critically acclaimed Music Director, Robert Franz. His passionate approach towards music making and technical control have been hailed as “viscerally thrilling!” The 100-year-old historic Capitol Theatre, located in beautiful downtown Windsor, is home to the WSO and continues to be a permanent fixture in Windsor’s Art Community.
We're also well-known as a two-nation destination, with even more offerings available a short hop away across the Windsor-Detroit border!
Housing, commuting and low crime rates
While currently booming, Windsor-Essex is still one of the most affordable places in Ontario to find the right property for you. We also feature one of the lowest worker commute times in Canada, with easy access to major transportation routes. You can get where you need to go by way of personal vehicle or reliable public transit.
Our communities of LaSalle, Amherstburg and Kingsville are among the top 10 safest communities in Canada, with very low crime rates according to Statistics Canada.
As well, every community in Essex County is ranked within the top 30 per cent of all communities in Canada by Maclean's Magazine in the publication's Canada's Best Communities feature (2019).
Affordable housing rates
Windsor-Essex boasts a bevy of affordable properties available, compared to other larger, urban centres across Ontario.
| City | Average resale detached home price, residential | Year-over-year increase |
|---|---|---|
|
Windsor-Essex |
$655,800 |
+39.6% |
|
London |
$840,000 |
+29.0% |
|
Kitchener-Waterloo |
$1,100,000 |
+35.0% |
|
Hamilton |
$1,115,000 |
+28.9% |
|
Toronto |
$1,565,000 |
+27.2% |
Local Chambers of Commerce
View more information on our area's Chambers of Commerce: