Apartments for Rent in Kitchener, ON
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Living in Kitchener, ON

Living in Kitchener has its pros and cons. Easy access to universities and colleges, an abundance of employment opportunities (particularly in the tech sector), a lively and young population, lack of crowds and traffic, a lower cost of living than some larger cities, and a friendly atmosphere are just some of the reasons why people should move to Kitchener.

Some of the cons when it comes to living in Kitchener include less frequent public transportation, and fewer attractions/events than some larger cities have.

Kitchener, ON employment & economy

Kitchener’s economy has traditionally been rooted in manufacturing, with about one-fifth of the population employed in the industry. Four business parks are home to many manufacturing and distribution companies, and these parks include the Bridgeport Business Park, Grand River West Business Park, Huron Business Park, and Lancaster Corporate Centre.

The city’s economy has become more diversified recently, with the digital media and technology, health science, and finance and insurance industries becoming increasingly present here. Digital media and tech companies that have offices in Kitchener include Desire2Learn, Communitech, and Google Inc. (for the development of the Gmail application).

The city has been working to redevelop its downtown area, making improvements to encourage businesses to move into the area. Kitchener’s unemployment rate is 4.7 percent, which is slightly lower than the national rate of 5.8 percent.

Education in Kitchener, ON

Some of the Fraser Institute’s highest-ranked Kitchener elementary schools include MAC Maple Grove, Lackner Woods, Our Lady of Grace, Blessed Kateri, and Williamsburg. The highest-ranked secondary schools in Kitchener are Resurrection, Cameron Heights, Huron Heights, Kitchener Waterloo, and Grand River. The Waterloo Region District School Board operates public schools in the city, and there are also several private elementary and secondary schools here.

Kitchener’s top colleges and universities include the University of Waterloo (School of Pharmacy, Centre for Family Medicine, Health Sciences Campus), McMaster University (School of Medicine), Conestoga College (one of Ontario’s top non-university educational institutions and one of Canada’s seven polytechnical institutes), and Emmanuel Bible College.