What is there to do in Milton? Is Milton a nice place to live?

Absolutely. Hop in to my computer for a Google map tour of Milton Ontario. We dive in to the biggest attractions the town has to offer, including Crawford Lake - one of only 40 meromictic lakes in the world, and the Niagara Escarpment - a beautiful bed rock formation that starts in Niagara Falls and makes its way right here through Milton.

With so much to see and so, this video will highlight the best places in town that people are visiting.

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[Transcript]

Hi in this video we’re going to talk about one of the top cities to live in in Canada! For 10 years Milton Ontario was the fastest growing city in the country - its population has skyrocketed in recent years with people moving in left and right and so today we’re going to talk about why that is - I’ll show you all the top rated things to do in Milton, the most popular neighborhoods people are moving to, and I’m going tour you around on a map. That way you get a full picture of what it’s like to live in this outstanding Toronto suburb, and we’re gonna get in to it, right now. 

Hey if this is your first time to this channel and you want to know everything there is to know about living, working, eating, sleeping, playing, the good and the bad of Toronto ontario and the surrounding areas like right here in Milton, then subscribe below and tap the bell for notifications so you can be the first to know about the current market in MiltonOntario. My name is Rochelle for the last 7 years I’ve been helping people just like you! Make the move to Toronto Ontario and I absolutely love it. As a real estate agent here I want to help you make that move. So whether you’re moving in 9 days or 90 days be sure to give me a call, shoot me a text, send me an email, or even schedule a zoom call and i’ll be happy to help you make a smooth move to toronto ontario. So in this video as I mentioned I’ll be walking you through Milton Ontario. Let’s hop in to my computer and let me show you around!

So location wise Milton you can see here is west of Toronto, about 60 kilometers or an hour drive along the 401 which would be your main highway and closest highway to get anywhere out of town. Pre-pandemic you had a lot of commuters working in and out of the city and traveling downtown Toronto via the Go Train - right here is the Milton Go Train and Bus Station which takes you to Toronto. Recently we’ve seen a shift towards home office spaces but the Go Station is there if you need it. 

Now Milton you can see here is landlocked you’re completely surrounded by all this greenery and what’s great about that are all the natural scenery you get to take in. Milton is right along the Niagara Escarpment,  this huge rocky cliff that starts in the states and makes its way in to Canada and right here through Milton! - so residents get to enjoy amazing views of this bedrock. Right here Rattlesnake Point for example, this is a conservation area that’s famous for its views. There are people who go rock climbing here there are over 700 acres of hiking and camping spots. I recommend the Vista Adventure Trail it’s about 1.5 km and get 3 amazing lookout points, one of them being the Pinnacle lookout that has stairs to take you to the bottom of the escarpment and a trail that leads you to Crawford Lake which is another VERY popular place to see, because it’s a really rare type of lake, Crawford Lake - it’s actually a meromictic lake which means that its waters don’t mix, there’s no water turnover in the lower layers, so if something falls in, says corn pollen, then it stays perfect preserved which is really cool and there are actually less than only 40 known meromictic lakes in the world so definitely a neat place to check out since 1 of them happens to be right here around Milton. There’s a boardwalk that goes around the entire lake and next to that they have a restored Indian Village people like to take pictures of that basically speaks to the local history you can see how our ancestors lived. Oh and at the end of the trail you get this beautiful waterfall at the end! There’s a fire pit, they provide wood for you so, fun spot to just hang out bring some smores for the kids and just take in the scenery!

If you’re living anywhere here along Milton’s west side, that’s where you’re gonna get the best views of the Escarpment. But that does come with a price. Here in the neighborhoods of Scott and Harrison, the average price of a single family detached house is about $1.5 million, but homes with an unobstructed view of the Escarpment will easily run you over the 2 million dollar mark. It is at the higher price end but the land to the west of Tremaine Rd here is protected land so you won’t see any major developments, high rises being built blocking your view, you’re pretty much guaranteed your view except right over here at the southwest corner of Tremaine and Derry is where the proposed Laurier University campus will be built. That also happens to be right next to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre, which is the only Velodrome in Canada or cycling stadium to meet international cycling standards. 

If you wanna get a better picture of this neighborhood and some of the other most popular neighborhoods in Milton that people are moving to, everything from starter homes on a budget to estate homes with a view, then check out this video that rhymes off the top 7 neighborhoods in Milton - you get neighborhood demographics, amenities nearby, and a driveby tour of the homes so you can see the houses up close and personal, get an idea of what the neighbors are like, schools in the area and safety ratings, all so you get a good feel for what it’s like to actually live in Milton.

Now just east of here is downtown Milton aka Old Milton - you’ll find a lot of century homes, wide lots, built in the 1800s, everything from small, war-time bungalows to mansions but because a lot of the homes here are older we’re also getting a lot of people moving in who are either renovating, updating their homes to make them feel more modern so this area is great if you’re a handyman or woman or you’ve got a good budget for renos, or we’re seeing a lot of infills, where builders and investors are just tearing down homes completely and building custom homes on that same lot so it’s a really diverse mix of housing here but what really makes downtown Milton shine is its main street -  which is called main st here at the intersection of main and Martin you’ve got a good km stretch of restaurants and shops, have a drink on a patio you can see here a number of places. Take your kids to Rotary Park here they’ve got a playground and splash pad which is nice during the warmer months or over here at Mill Pond just chill out read a book, feed the birds, it’s all good and lively here in the heart of Milton. 

Now right here next to Old Milton downtown is the neighborhood of Bronte Meadows. Bronte Meadows is home to the Milton hospital right over here. Scattered around the neighborhood around here here and here you can see random pockets of shopping, fast food, specialty food stores, medical and professional office spaces. You definitely want to check out La Rose Bakery they have a tasty penne and sausage dish you can take out I tried the last time I was there. 

I’m gonna zoom out for a sec and show you another attraction that’s really popular with tourists and locals. Glen Eden Conservation here is home to Kelso Lake which has a beautiful beach that is more or less split in to 2 on one side you’ve got swimming and then on the other you’ve got a lot of ppl on their canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and paddle boards, and there’s even a small shop here where you can rent these things if you don’t have your own. 

The Glen Eden Ski & Snowboard Centre that’s located here as well where you’ve got downhill skiing, snowboarding and tubing during the winter months now fun fact Lake Kelso actually provides provides the cold water needed for Glen Eden to make their snow (when they need to make snow) so they don’t have to rely on the city’s main water lines. Now I think we’re starting to see a common theme here with all the trails and conservations we’ve looked at so far that Milton is great for the outdoorsy type people who want to be out and one with with nature.  

Further out here and also popular with locals and ppl coming in from out of town is Springridge Farm, it’s a family owned farm you can visit where - aside from the animals - they have chickens and goats that you can feed - but there’s also a wagon ride you can take to a cornstalk maze, hay bales you can climb, tube slides. I would honestly say this place is geared more towards toddlers and kids, families usually spend a whole day there and it’s right next to Escarpment so you get the most wicked views of it from the farm they have a huge hill you can climb that’ll give you great views of not just the terrain but the a good chunk of Milton as a whole you can see at sort of a bird’s eye view it’s beautiful but it does get busy on the weekends, just be mindful of that but if you do check it out make sure you bring home one of their fresh blueberry pies from their market bakery it takes like heaven.

If you do have a family, Dorset Park here is a neighborhood that attracts a lot of families because it’s right next to Old Milton so you’re walking distance to a bunch of amenities. It’s also known for all these small cul-de-sacs or dead end streets which are perfect for kids because you’re not getting a lot of street traffic just people who live in your court. there’s a  wide variety of homes to choose from - town houses, semi-detached, split level, detached houses and a range of prices to suit a range of budgets. You’re also right between highway 401 and the Milton go Station so this area is ideal for commuters as well. 

And then this area here in the neighborhood of Timberlea next door, right between Main St. and Nipissing the city has designated as an "Urban Growth" area, meaning it’s zoned for more densely populated buildings, you can build apartments up to 4-storeys high here so if you were looking for a smaller space then this area would be ideal. You’re close to Milton Mall which okay Milton Mall isn’t the most exciting mall in the area it is small and older than what you might be used to in bigger cities but you do have access to every day conveniences like banks - you’ve got an RBC, Bank of Montreal, Dollarama, Lowe’s, Fit4Less, and a bunch of dining options - pizza, Chinese - in case you don’t feel like cooking dinner then this mall is close and easy. 

Also close by if I just zoom out here you’ve got the FirstOntario Arts Centre which offers a bunch of arts programs, shows and exhibits. They’re closed right now because of the pandemic but right next door - in the same building actually is the Milton main branch library which is one of 3 public libraries in Milton. Right across the street is the Milton Leisure Centre which has a gym and two pools - not to be confused with the Milton Sports Centre right over here back closer to the hospital, the Sports Centre has outdoor beach volleyball, a bunch of hockey rinks, a skate park, you can even take swimming lessons there as well. 

So all in all Milton Ontario offers a bunch of activities for families, singles, and couples alike. You’re about an hour away from Toronto but still have that hustle and bustle in areas like Old Milton along Main St, tons of nearby amenities, shopping and dining options to choose from. If you’re looking for a little more quiet then tons of neighborhoods along the borders of Milton where you’re surrounded by green space and all these natural wonders that other people travel long distances to see like the Escarpment and Crawford Lake, but residents get to enjoy in their own backyard. A good variety of housing to choose from to suit a range of different budgets and lifestyles..and so if you’re thinking of moving to Milton Ontario and want to take a closer look at which neighborhoods would best suit you, then give me a shout - I’d love to help you out! Whether you’re moving in 9 days or 90 days you can give me a call, shoot me a text, send me an email or even schedule a zoom call with me all my contact is down in the description below. We can hop on a zoom and I’ll show you around just like this, all so you get a good feel for what it’s like to live here in Milton - or anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area, I’d be happy to help you make that smooth move to Toronto. Until then don’t forget to subscribe to my channel - it really helps me to continue to help people just like you looking to make a move to the area, and check out this video that rhymes off all the pros and cons of living in Milton you definitely want to see all the negatives about this town not every place is perfect so this’ll give you that full picture of what it’s like so check it out. Thanks for watching everyone. I’ll see you there.

DON'T move to Milton Ontario! Just over 10 years ago Milton was named the fastest growing city in Canada - but that’s created a lot of problems for the town.  

So, if you’re thinking of moving to Milton then there are a bunch of things you need to consider like traffic, the fact that you need a car to get everywhere, and about 8 other reasons that I rhyme off in this video.  

If you want to know all the pros and cons of living in Milton Ontario Canada then watch this video! I give you all of the pros and cons of Milton Ontario so you know before you move.

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[Transcript]

Tons of people are moving to Milton Ontario - I mean tons! Just over 10 years ago Milton was named the fastest growing city in Canada - but that’s created a lot of problems for the town and so if you’re thinking of moving to Milton then there are a bunch of things you need to consider like traffic, and the fact that you need a car to get everywhere, and most importantly… well I’ll save that one for the end. Stay tuned because I’m about to drop the top 7 cons of moving to Milton Ontario.

Hey everyone I’m Rochelle and if this is your first time to my channel then welcome! This is where I show you everything you need to know about living, working, eating, sleeping, playing, the good and the bad of toronto ontario and the surrounding areas like right here in Milton. As a real estate agent here for the last 7 years I’ve been helping people just like you! Make the move to Toronto Ontario and I love it so if you’re planning on making a move to anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area then give me a shout, all my contact info is down below, and I’d be happy to help you make that smooth move to toronto. But for now? Let’s get in to the first con of living in Milton which is the traffic.

1. Traffic

Because Milton grew so fast in its early phases of development circa early 2000s, the infrastructure just couldn’t keep up. Tons of subdivisions were being built all over the place, but not enough roads. So now, there’s a lot of traffic and congestion when you’re trying to get to work in the mornings or coming home around dusk. If you live in south Milton for example just 10 kms from the highway,  you can expect a 20 minute drive before you even hit the 401.

2. You need a car

Now that does lead me to my next point, which is that you need a car. Milton is your typical suburban town where you’ve got local shops and restaurants in the downtown core but outside from the town centre you’re going to need a car to get to your everyday conveniences like grocery shopping or the gym. In most parts of Milton your walk score is not going to be that high.

3. Limited public transportation

And unfortunately if you don’t have access to a vehicle, then your public transportation options are quite limited as well. Bus schedules are usually active only on the weekdays and Saturdays. Traveling at night or on Sundays might be more of a challenge because stops aren’t as frequent.   

4. Limited arts and culture scene

Another thing you need to know about Milton is that it has a very limited arts and culture scene too. When it comes to theatre, museums, and the like, Milton pretty much has none of that. Milton was initially founded as an industrial area, and since then hasn’t really fostered much of an arts scene. There is the FirstOntario Arts Centre which is a newer, modern looking venue that hosts gallery exhibitions, art workshops, programs and events, but aside from that the art scene does tend to be bit lacking.

5. Limited education options

Education options you’ll find quite limited as well. There are tons of preschools, elementary and high schools all over Milton, but no post secondary institutions at all. So if you’re a parent with plans of sending your kids to college or university, then you’ll have to go out of town to nearby schools like Wilfried Laurier University in Waterloo, or Mohawk College in Hamilton. 

6. Far from Toronto

There are many other schools you can go to, say in the city of Toronto, it’s home to a bunch of world class options like the University of Toronto and even Humber College. But my next con is that getting to Toronto which is the closest biggest major city, is actually quite far away. From the eastern most tip of Milton to the western most tip of Toronto, that’s an easy 50kms, or 50 minute drive on a good day. So even though Milton is considered part of the Greater Toronto Area, it does sit on the outskirts of the GTA, making the city of Toronto feel like a whole nother world away.   

7. Limited entertainment options

And in many ways, Milton and Toronto are very different, especially if we’re looking at entertainment options. Milton is a small town made for people who want a slower pace of life. If you’re used to and wanting the hustle and bustle of a larger city then you may be disappointed with Milton’s lack of activity. It’s a quieter part of the GTA and although it may not make or break your decision to ultimately move to Milton, the lack of entertainment options here is definitely something worth noting. 

But that does beg the question, with all these cons of living in Milton, everything that I just mentioned, why are people still choosing to move to Milton? Well as a real estate agent here for the last 7 years, I can tell you what locals have really come to appreciate about this small town, and why people from all over Canada are looking to call Milton home.  

PROS

1. Affordable Housing

For starters, Milton’s cost of housing is relatively low. Relatively is the key word here. I think we can all agree that house prices in all of Toronto are very high, statistically this is one of the most expensive metropolitans in North America but on a relative basis, when you compare Milton to other suburbs across the GTA, then you’ll find lower to average price points in Milton. The most common type of home here is a detached house, and the average price of a detached house is $1.56 million dollars. That may sound high but compare that to the average price of a detached house in Burlington next door which is $1.8 million, or its neighbor Mississauga to the east at 1.9, then Milton does start to look a lot more attractive. 

2. Lower property taxes

And along the same lines, if you’re looking at property taxes, Milton’s are appealing low as well. Currently sitting at a 3.4% residential property tax rate, that’s a lower cost to living compared to nearby Oakville at 3.9%, or even Brampton which also has more affordable real estate, but their property tax rate is 5.2%.

3. Family friendly

So that’s why many families have been moving to Milton over the last decade because of the more affordable real estate options here -  although I do mean families specifically. My number 3 pro of living in Milton is that it is very family friendly. It has this small town charm that’s safe for young kids, lots of parks and activities for children. While a lot of schools in Toronto are closing down, Milton can barely keep up where you’re seeing some schools housing 4 5 or even 6 kindergarten classes at a time so the growth of families moving here is pretty phenomenal. 

4. Nice views

One of my personal favourite things about Milton is that - and especially if you can appreciate nature - you get beautiful views of the Niagara Escarpment. The Escarpment is a huge bedrock that more or less starts along the Niagara River and then makes its way through Milton so from many places around town you get beautiful views of this natural wonder. Many residents can enjoy the sites and sounds of the Escarpment right from their own backyard. 

5. Conservation Areas

And then to go along with scenic views of nature and greenery around you, there are tons of conservation areas for nature lovers to enjoy as well. Rattlesnake Point offers over 700 acres of hiking and rock climbing. From there there’s a trail that leads to Crawford Lake which is one of less than only 40 meromictic lakes in the world - a meromictic lake is one where the layers of the water don’t mix so it’s a popular tourist attraction for visitors to Milton. Hilton Falls is popular amongst locals because it has a nice waterfall and firepit you can use. And then there’s Kelso Conservation which has a nice beach and warm water to swim in come spring and summer. 

6. Outdoor recreation

There are actually tons of outdoor activities to take part in, no matter the season. Residents enjoy hiking, biking, and other outdoor recreation throughout the year. Plenty of golf courses, like the Trafalgar Golf and Country Club, and Halton Country Golf. And of course there’s Glen Eden where you can ski or snowboard, or even take lessons through their Snow School as well. So in terms of outdoor play, Milton has you covered because really, where else can you find a ski hill and a beach within 15 minutes from your front door?

7. Community feel

And last but not least the 7th pro of living in Milton is that it does have a nice community feel. The town hosts many events throughout the year; popular amongst locals is the Milton Farmers Market which is one of the best places to spend a Saturday morning. Open mid-to-late May it’s a yearly summer staple with vendors showcasing fresh produce, talent, and artisans from all over town. And the downtown Milton Street Festival is another popular summer attraction that takes place every June. That’s where you’ll get your yearly dose of live performances and entertainment, they usually have a food truck zone along main street, and you’re likely to see people from all across the GTA attend this festival to get a taste of what Milton has to offer.

So there you have it! Those are your top pros and cons of living in Milton Ontario. And truth be told the cons aren’t that bad. Especially now that you know what they are and you know what to expect, you can easily find yourself living comfortably in this beautiful town. And so if you are considering making that move to Milton Ontario then definitely give me a shout I would love to help you out! Whether that’s in 9 days or 90 days you can give me a call, shoot me a text, send me an email or even schedule a Zoom call all down in the description below. I’d be happy to help you and your family make that smooth move to Toronto. Until then, check out this video I made on the top neighborhoods in Milton that people are moving to. You get drivebys of the area so you can see the houses and nearby amenities up close and personal. I walk you through neighborhood demographics, safety ratings, schools in the area. All so you get that full picture of what it’s like to live in Milton Ontario. So give it a watch, don’t forget to like this video and subscribe to my channel so you’re the first to know about the current real estate market in Milton and the surrounding Greater Toronto Area. Thank you so much for watching everyone - I’ll see you around town.