Downsizing in North Bay

Overview of downsizing in North Bay

North Bay is one of four cities we feature in Northern Ontario. The hospital describes its service area as Northeastern Ontario, so people from surrounding communities may rely on the same facilities you would.

Messages on this site go to agents on the operating team at eXp Realty. We quote no prices.

Condos and smaller homes in North Bay for downsizers

Downsizers here generally compare condominium units, townhouses and bungalows. We name no building or subdivision because none has been verified for this page. For a condominium, ask for the status certificate and reserve fund study; the condo buying guide explains them. Compare formats in condo, townhouse or house, and see life lease and land lease homes if a lease-based option appeals.

Getting around North Bay and winter driving

The City publishes routes and a trip planner on its North Bay Transit page. Use it to test the trips you make every week before choosing an address. For highway driving in winter, check Ontario 511 for road conditions, closures and cameras. See also getting around Ontario after 65.

Hospitals and specialist care in North Bay

North Bay Regional Health Centre, at 50 College Drive, says it serves Northeastern Ontario. Its site lists emergency and urgent care, surgical services, mental health and addiction programs, diagnostic imaging, women and children's services, rehabilitation, palliative care and specialized outpatient clinics such as cardiology, oncology and orthopedics. It also lists a Sudbury campus. Which services you can use locally depends on your referral.

If a specialist is 100 kilometres or more away one way, the Northern Health Travel Grant may help with costs. Ontario Health atHome (1-833-515-1234) coordinates home and community care.

Everyday life in North Bay

We have not verified individual parks, trails or shopping for this page. Visit the area you are considering in winter, and check the City's website for current recreation and trail information.

Flood mapping and regulated areas in North Bay

The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority regulates work near watercourses and shorelines under Ontario Regulation 41/24. Its Map Your Property tool shows whether all or part of a property is regulated, and a floodplain mapping page explains its flood mapping. The authority notes the mapping is approximate and may not show every regulated area, so ask it to confirm. If the property is regulated, building work may need a permit on top of the municipal building permit. Read flood and storm insurance when downsizing before you buy.

For wildfire, the province asks you to call or text 310-FIRE (3473) in the northeast, or 911 south of the French and Mattawa rivers, and publishes a live fire map. Check the map page for which number applies to a given address.

Senior property tax deferral and land transfer tax

The City's property tax deferral page explains that deferrals apply to assessment-related tax increases for owners who are low-income seniors or low-income persons with disabilities. A low-income senior is at least 65 and receives the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the increase must be at least $100 in a year. Deferred taxes remain owing as a special lien, due on the owner's death, on a change of ownership other than to a spouse or partner, or when the home stops being the owner's principal residence. Apply through the City at 705-474-0400.

Sellers pay no land transfer tax in Ontario. See the land transfer tax guide, the costs and money page and the net proceeds calculator.

Provincial money and support for seniors in North Bay

The City deferral above is local. Provincial support is separate, and it is worth knowing what applies before you sell. Several provincial programs apply wherever you live in Ontario. The Ontario Senior Homeowners' Property Tax Grant is the lesser of $500 and the property tax you paid, for owners aged 64 or older at the end of the tax year, and it is reduced as income rises. The Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit covers 25 per cent of up to $6,000 of medical expenses, to a maximum of $1,500, for people 70 or older, again reduced as family income rises. Both are claimed on your tax return, so ask your accountant whether they fit your income. The costs and money page and the resources page list more, including 211 Ontario for finding community services.

Questions to ask before you buy in North Bay

• Which of your specialists are at North Bay Regional Health Centre?
• Is the property inside an NBMCA regulated area?
• How would you reach appointments, pharmacies and groceries in January?
• Who clears snow, and is it covered by the condominium fee?
• What does the reserve fund study say?
• Does your insurer cover sewer backup and overland flooding here?

When you are ready, contact us.