dbd33

Not quite the worst commute I've heard of but getting up there.

Siouxie

The OP's partner will be working in St. Catherines .. so no commute needed to Union
Concur that Port Dalhousie is nice - but small... and hardly cosmopolitan from what I recall from visiting there frequently up until a couple of years ago... and there is a lot of construction going on
https://nexthome.ca/neighbourhoods/s...lhousie/30095/


Niagara on the Lake is a tourist town - but quite lovely.. and lots of vinyards in the area, if you are into wine

spouse of scouse

I've always thought that being into wine should be one of the forum rules

HGerchikov

It's not???

dbd33

Something one can do in Niagara is to take one's classic motor on a tour of the vineyards. That's quite fun but all the wine is from those vineyards which is a shame as it's cumbersome to make stew at the roadside, it would be nicer to have wine for drinking.

Siouxie

https://henryofpelham.com/ Try their Baco Noir > Old Vines or Family Estate

Partially discharged

How droll..you must be a lot of fun at parties

I went here last summer https://www.sue-annstaff.com/ The owners gave us lots of free wine and we did end buying quite a bit. I'm more of a beer guy (stricly ale primarily IPA) but this was very good wine.

katehul

Many thanks for your comments so far. Having taken your advice on board I think we will rent initially. I think somewhere between St.C and Toronto is a good option to be in a position to easily experience big city and small town to get a good feel for when/if we buy. I was therefore thinking Burlington would be a good idea. Thoughts?

dbd33

I find Burlington to be charmless suburbia and isn't it on the wrong side of the bridge?

sharkus

That construction thing has been on going for a long time, at least five years. they tore down a few things and then it seemed to pause, not sure if it's actually going on right now, been a while since I've popped down that way.
Looking at google maps from june 2019 the housing stuff near where the old port mansion used to be isn't happening, but a lot can happen over a year.

NOTL is also very nice too. Not sure how affordable it is though. Spent time down there, mainly at the sailing club, and really do like the place.As you say, rather touristy, so in the summer months it can be a nightmare getting around.

Siouxie

I like Burlington, lots of festivals, some good pubs, restaurants etc., but a lot of new construction as well and more to come along the waterfront, sadly. There are a few streets in the 'core' downtown that have a small town feel but it's a sprawling City. It's not a cheap place to rent nor buy - a 3 bedroom townhouse (terrace) will cost around $2600 pcm to rent for anything half decent. Be aware that rentals are generally for a minimum of 1 year unless you get a sublet or an 'executive rental' which will be very expensive.
https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Renting-Canada
How about a beachfront townhouse on the edge of Hamilton if you don't mind spending 2.5k a month.. https://www.padmapper.com/apartments...73728,43.30388

Commuting to St. Catherines will be soul destroying after a while if driving, and getting stuck due to weather or traffic around the skyway bridge won't be a pleasant run at all. There is the option of taking the GoTrain / Bus etc., which will require over an hour travel time each way plus time to get to/from the Go Stations.

HGerchikov

I think the inconvenience of driving daily from Burlington to St Catharine's would hugely overshadow the longer trip into Toronto from St Catharine's compared to from Burlington. You can still enjoy Toronto from St Catharine's. As I mentioned before my son was at Brock for 5 years, the last year or so of that his girlfriend was in Toronto - he visited regularly with no problem (he had a car). Before he got the car he could also get in to the city via GO transit - I would sometimes catch the same train he was on as it went through Oakville.
As I also mentioned before - I am a real estate agent who doesn't work in St Catharine's- however my office is in Burlington and I would still advise you not to live in Burlington if you work in Niagara region.

I am I said

My advice is to move to St C. The QEW is a grim commute in all seasons, and the 'benefit' of being half way to Toronto is not worth it. If you need the big city fix, drive to one of the outlying Go stations and train it in. Port Dalhousie is fine [I grew up less than a kilometre from it], but the St C area is small enough that it does not really matter where you live; Brock and whatever else local is readily accessible. Having said that, driving the length of what is a small city to get to work can take longer than one might expect. Also, do not be on the eastern side of the Welland Canal [ie: Port Weller out to Niagara on the Lake, Queenstown, etc]. The charm of watching a laker traverse the locks during the shipping season wears out really quickly.

For access to Brock, alongside the aforementioned Thorold, you can also consider Fonthill, or a little further out, Welland. Welland is on the grim side and the 406 used to get very snowy up that way in the winter. Note that Brock sits at the top of the escarpment, St C is in the shadow. The difference in the amount of snow can be surprising. If I was returning to Brock [which is where I did my undergraduate], I would look to get within cycling distance of the place. Although remember the escarpment... And not every day in the winter is cycle-able, but a surprising number of days can be. So, areas like Burleigh Hill, Western Hill and Vansickle are all very accessible with a range of prices. I agree with the other posters - buying [and then selling] is expensive in Canada, take your time and be sure you are settled where you want to be before taking on the expense.

Good luck.

katehul

This is nice! Shame about the pylon outside though. This would be the type of property I would like. We currently have a waterfront property in UK which we love. After a long chat last night though I think we will rent in St.C so can cycle to work (weather permitting). Any advice on best neighborhoods in St.C would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

Siouxie

Good to know for future reference! Thanks for the helpful info