York Region

Comprising the area from Toronto all the way north to the shores of Lake Simcoe, York Region contains some of the most highly sought-after locations in the Greater Toronto Area. Along its southern edge are the cities of Vaughan and Markham, which are linked by both Highway 7 and the Highway 407 toll road. Along Highway 7, each city has begun building what are intended to be new downtown cores for each city (known as Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Downtown Markham, respectively) that are walkable, transit-focused communities with numerous high-rise condo buildings – many of which have already been built, with a number of units already available for resale. Vaughan and Markham are also home to communities such as Unionville, Woodbridge and Thornhill, which are all known for their charming character and (in Unionville’s case) historic main street. Further north along Yonge Street, Richmond Hill, Aurora and Newmarket offer a vision of suburban tranquility, with virtually all necessities for everyday life being found there. After passing Newmarket and the community of East Gwillimbury, however, the landscape becomes decidedly more rural. The beach communities of Georgina and Keswick offer exceptions to this landscape, with their easy access to Lake Simcoe making them the perfect environment for those looking to experience cottage country-style living year-round. Finally, the eastern and western edges of the region are home to a number of towns that blend the best of suburban and rural living, with resale homes in areas such as Nobleton, Mount Albert and Whitchurch-Stouffville defining such offerings.

Transportation in York Region

York Region Transit provides bus service throughout the region, with its VIVA bus rapid transit corridors (featuring dedicated lanes designed to improve service reliability) running along major thoroughfares such as Highway 7 and Yonge Street. Many of the network’s routes feed into the Toronto subway system at various locations, such as at Finch or Vaughan Metropolitan Centre stations. Additionally, the Yonge North Subway Extension is planned to connect Finch station with the fast-growing Richmond Hill Centre development at Yonge & Highway 407, putting a large swathe of southern York Region just a one-seat ride from Downtown Toronto. For destinations further north or away from Yonge Street, the Stouffville, Richmond Hill and Barrie GO lines together offer direct service from virtually every major city in the region to Downtown Toronto, with the Stouffville and Barrie lines also featuring robust weekend service. Finally, drivers can take full advantage of the presence of Highways 400, 404 and 407.