Living in Windsor: A Community Guide

Community Overview

The city of Windsor is located on the southern shore of the Detroit River, sitting between the gorgeous Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie. Windsor’s proximity to the lakes creates a beautiful climate with milder winters compared to the rest of Canada. As the third-largest city in Southwestern Ontario, Windsor has a population of about 217,200 residents. 

Residents living in Windsor have convenient access to major city amenities while enjoying a mid-sized city feel. Since Windsor is the largest city in Windsor Essex County, it offers public transit, two hospitals, entertainment venues, shopping centers, restaurants, universities, and an airport. Despite its urban landscape, Windsor has an abundance of greenspace interspersed throughout the city. 

Windsor’s close proximity to Detroit, Michigan provides residents with a larger set of amenities. Under normal circumstances, Windsor residents often visit Detroit’s shopping malls and restaurants. Sports fans often journey over to Detroit to watch the Detroit Lions (football), Detroit Pistons (basketball), Detroit Tigers (baseball), or the Detroit Redwings (hockey) play live. Though Windsor has an airport, residents may choose to fly out of one of Detroit's major airports for U.S. or other international travel. 

In addition to its local offerings and access to international amenities, Windsor is known for its safety, affordability, and cultural diversity, which is why many people choose to call Windsor home. 

Housing Options and Neighborhoods

Despite it being a major source of jobs, providing an array of amenities, and offering a high quality of living, Windsor is extremely affordable compared to other housing markets in Canada. Windsor is known for its variety of housing options in addition to its affordability. 

Windsor offers traditional style homes, Tudor architectural style homes, and several heritage properties. Buyers also have a choice of new construction homes as well as contemporary condominiums.

The city is home to many new and historic neighbourhoods with their own community flair. Some of the larger neighborhoods include Downtown Windsor, Riverside, Forest Glade, Walkerville, South Walkerville, West Windsor, and South Windsor. 

City Gems

As the region’s urban centre, the city of Windsor has so much to do for locals and tourists. Entertainment ranges from placing bets at Caesars Windsor Casino to enjoying lakeside greenery at Windsor Riverfront. As for dining options, Windsor’s diverse population makes for incredible restaurants! The city is known for its Italian, Greek, and Indian cuisine! Those who like to indulge in the arts are captivated by Windsor’s thriving art scene which converges on the Art Gallery of Ontario. There are several events and attractions to attend as a resident of Windsor, but here are a few city favorites. 

The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor

The Colosseum is a performance venue housed inside the Caesars Windsor Casino and Hotel that sees many famous concerts and comedy acts throughout the year. Musical performances range from rock artists like Styx and Steve Miller band to pop artists such as Jason Derulo and Ke$ha. The Colosseum even hosts concerts for the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. Though kids are not allowed in the casino, they are allowed to attend family-friendly performances in the Colosseum!

Parks and Recreation

With 204 public parks, Windsor's Department of Parks and Recreation maintains over 2,500 acres of greenspace and 64 km of multi-use trails. The parks include nature conservancies such as the Ojibway Nature Centre that offer views of wildlife and recreational parks like Mic Mac Park that offer spaces for baseball, soccer, biking, and sledding. Windsor also has several waterfront parks including Sandpoint Beach, an urban beach located on Lake St. Clair across from Peche Island.

Windsor has many aquatic centres with lap pool and water park options. The Windsor International Aquatic & Training Centre is a 71m x 25m, 10-lane pool that can be adjusted into several configurations. It hosts programming year round including children’s swimming lessons and adult fitness classes. The Adventure Bay Family Water Park offers family fun in the summer months with attractions like water slides, a wave pool, a splash pad, and a lazy river.

Festivals

Under normal circumstances, residents of Windsor enjoy several community fairs festivals throughout the year. Most are family friendly, and with the range of options, there is a festival for everyone to enjoy. 

Below is an interactive list of community festivals held in Kingsville. Click the links for more details about the events:

• Rib Fest
• Craft Beer Festival
• Summer Fest
• Bluesfest Windsor
• Carrousel of Nations
• Whiskeytown Festival

Devonshire Mall

Those who enjoy shopping sprees can frequent Devonshire Mall. With over 150 stores and eateries, the mall has a little something for everyone! Devonshire mall is anchored by popular stores including Old Navy, Hudson’s Bay, H&M, and Indigo. It also houses a Cineplex Entertainment theatre that shows popular movies throughout the year. 

Schools

Parents may choose between four different school boards for their children’s education with public and private, faith-based options. 

School boards available to Windsor:

• Greater Essex County District School Board (Public)
• Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board (Catholic)
• Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence (Catholic French)
• Conseil Scolaire Viamonde (Public French)

For students seeking local postsecondary education, Windsor is home to several major research facilities and institutes of higher education including the University of Windsor and St. Clair College. The University of Western Ontario partnered with the University to form a full-program satellite medical school -- The Schulich School Of Medicine and Dentistry, Windsor Campus. 

Business

Windsor's economy is primarily based on manufacturing, tourism, education, and government services. These industries as well as several others create a plethora of job opportunities for residents in Windsor and surrounding communities. In addition to the local employers, Windsor residents also have the option of finding work in Detroit. 

Known as the “Automotive Capital of Canada,” Windsor is home to several automotive plants. These plants are among the largest employers in the manufacturing sector with the FCA Canada, Ford Motor Company, and several tool and die and automotive manufacturers being the most prominent. Detroit is also a manufacturing hub that offers employment opportunities that are open to Windsor residents. 

Being the main city in the region, Windsor offers a lot of employment options in the tourism industry and complementary sectors. Caesars Windsor, one of the largest casinos in Canada, is one of the biggest local employers in the city. 

Windsor is also home to companies involved in pharmaceuticals, alternative energy, insurance, internet, and software, which contribute to the city’s economy and job market. Windsor's two hospitals,  Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and Windsor Regional Hospital, provide work options for those in medical professions. 

Given the abundant job opportunities in Windsor, there is no question why it is the destination of most commutes in Windsor Essex County. 

Windsor Real Estate

Thinking about buying in Windsor? Contact Kris Ramotar at 519.259.9310 to learn more about the Windsor community and to find a property that fits your needs!