Ranked #1 on MoneySense Magazine's Best Places To Live, Oakville has grown from being a small town not far from Toronto into an affluent suburb, attracting families and young couples alike. The draw? Its proximity to a prominent city (it’s a mere 30-minute drive to Toronto), several top notch restaurants, an upscale shopping district, and a strong sense of community, to name just a few.

Downtown Oakville

Oakville Downtown is a vibrant cultural and shopping district and essentially the heartbeat of this beautiful town. The area stretches along Lakeshore Road starting from Allan Street on the East-end and Navy Street to the West. Lakeshore Road and adjacent streets are filled with boutique style shops, pubs, high-end restaurants, and much more.  

The area is home to several events throughout the year more notably the Oakville Downtown Jazz Festival, Weekend Farmers' Market, and Taste of Oakville. In the Winter, local residents gather for the Christmas Tree Lighting, and end the year with the Santa Clause Parade. 

Opened in 1977, the  Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts is the foremost professional performing arts venue in town. Situated in the heart of downtown Oakville, on Navy Street, the centre presents over 50 performances a year, including concerts, international artists, and award-winning musicians. It also serves as the stage for local performers such as the Oakville Symphony, Burl-Oak Theatre Group, and more.

Schools

Oakville is home to some of the best public and private schools in the province and one of the key reasons many families are considering this city as their future residence.

Appleby College

Established in 1911, Appleby College is a private day and boarding school for students in grades seven to 12. It boasts a strong hockey program, with one of its teams winning the OFSAA Championship in 2011. Appleby alumni have even gone on to become senators and one U.S. Justice of the Supreme Court.

E.J. James Public School

Many Oakville elementary schools are top rated in the province based on Fraser Report rankings. E.J. James Public School, ranked as #3 in Ontario, is a single-track French Immersion school for grades one to eight. Based in southeast Oakville, the school offers a comprehensive academic program including French and English language arts, PE and health, and drama and dance. Its primary focus is on literacy and numeracy development, employing home reading programs to improve students’ literary intelligence.

Maple Grove Public School

Located in the prestigious Southeast Oakville, Maple Grove Public School began as a one room schoolhouse in 1872 and, after multiple additions, has grown to a K-8 school with approximately 600 students. 

Oakville-Trafalgar High School

A tradition of excellence since 1908. Oakville-Trafalgar (or more commonly known as OT) is one of the most prestigious public high schools in the province. The school was a major contributor to war efforts during  WWI and again in WWII, turning the school field where crops were grown to send overseas. During this time different sports and clubs were formed. The two most popular being Rugby and Hockey and often had a large fan turnout. In 1946, the districts of Trafalgar and Oakville merged and the school's name was changed to Oakville Trafalgar High School. In 1992 the school became too small and its location was moved to where it currently stands today on Devon Road.

Abbey Park High School

Abbey Park High School, commonly referred to as APHS, is a secondary school located in the Glen Abbey neighbourhood. The school opened at its present location in the wake of the closure of Queen Elizabeth Park High School, which was previously operating at its Bridge Road location, in Bronte. Abbey Park has more resources available to its students than other schools in the region because it inherited Queen Elizabeth Park's resources when it was closed. Abbey Park has been recognized as a very charitable school taking part in many annual fundraisers including the Terry Fox Run, Halloween for Hunger (H4H), and Pencils for Kids.

Things to Do

Trails

With your kids or your dog, on bike or on foot, you can experience Oakville’s many trails and parks including the  Waterfront Trail that takes you through meadows and wooded areas. Along the way, you can view harbours, formal gardens, and the historic Cornwall Canal. Or travel through the  Sixteen Mile Creek Trail, which runs through the center of the town—start at either side of Oakville Harbour and make your way to Lions Valley Park, where you can enjoy a picnic with your family by the river.

Golf Courses

Viewed as the “home of the Canadian open,” Oakville features many greens of varying levels for golfers of all skills to enjoy.  Glen Abbey Golf Club is a renowned golf course that is open to both the public and members (it’s also home to the  Canadian Golf Museum and Hall of Fame).  Oakville Executive Golf features two courses in one location: Angel’s View with nine holes, and Mystic Ridge with 18 holes. Those looking to perfect their swing can do so at  Tee Zone Driving Range where there’s over an acre of grass tee deck.

New Developments

Majority of the new residential development in Oakville is now taking place in the North end of the town along Dundas Street. Many new housing sub-divisions are being developed to accommodate rising demand and influx of new residents. New schools, parks, and commercial plazas are being developed. Real estate developers such as Mattamy Homes, Fernbrook, and Great Gulf are playing a major role in the overall growth of the town. 

“There’s no denying it’s an affluent community, but it’s a generous community,” Mayor Rob Burton says. “We’ve become a very attractive place for people of diverse backgrounds.” According to the research conducted by MoneySense, Oakville is also ranked best place to live among New Canadians.