Beautiful place, but pretty expensive
We moved here recently from the GTA to be closer to our family. I was advised that I might be surprised by high water costs. Without consuming any water, the annual cost for the service in 2021 was $1,127, plus another $500 or so. My annual water bill in the GTA was about $480. I made my concerns in writing to Kawartha Lakes with a copy to the mayor.
We are finding that Kawartha Lakes is an expensive place to live. Vision care is 60 per cent higher here than in the GTA. Hair styling/cutting is also more expensive. Restaurants are also not less expensive here. Housing prices are also getting out of the realm of prospective home buyers’ purchasing power. Other than that it is beautiful country, except a little too cold and we will survive.
I think we need a total turnover of the next council. I have found The Lindsay Advocate to be more focused on social justice compared to the other news media that are, in my opinion, centre right to alt right. I find the Advocate reasonable and pertinent to the residents of Kawartha Lakes and beyond.
Barry King, Lindsay
I agree
I grew up here. It is more expensive now than ever. Gentrification is a part of that, many locals can’t afford to purchase homes here unless they already have significant equity. If I ever want to own a home I will have to move away from my family and everything I know. Why did you move here if you’re going to complain about the costs?
I 100% agree with you Megan.. I am in the same boat because people from the GTA moved up here only to complain about the smells, the tractors, the prices (which they contributed in raising). If I ever want to own a home I will have to move away from my family…or stay at home indefinitely.
If people from GTA find it so expensive, move back to the city. Save yourselves the gas prices.
We’re saving a ton of money since we moved from the GTA to Kawartha Lakes, we’re on a well so automatically no more water bill, our hydro is a lot less since the new house is way more energy efficient even though the new house is a lot bigger! We’re thrilled and the surrounding environment is truly amazing!!
Exactly. The housing prices and costs associated have increased dramatically-due to the influx of city folks escaping the cities during covid. They have sold their GTA homes for big numbers and purchase in small Northern communities for silly high prices. This pushes property to the point that young families, etc., etc., are completely excluded from home ownership. Don’t get me started on Air B& B. Thanks. Have a great day.😁
Buying and renting a home anywhere is costly. The cost to purchase a home is almost unaffordable anywhere. Why are so many locals complaining about people moving in from the city? People are allowed to change their lifestyle and move to places that are within their means. Housing prices all over the GTA have risen – that’s just a fact. Also this article is noting a fact… who said they were complaining? They also moved here to be closer to their family.
The issue of higher utilities and tax rate are, there is a lot less people to draw from, but people are expecting Toronto things here. Yes I will agree about the actual cost of buying/renting a home in the city of kawartha lakes is way to high for the set wages that are here, ie: 15 to 22 an hour will not buy a 400 thousand and up home.
Yes I agree if people from the GTA di not like Lindsay then they should go back to the big city.
My parents ages 91 and 96 still live in their own home on a lovely court here in Lindsay where all their neighbors are are wonderful…always dropping in, waving to them as they go by and evev dropping in with cookies, etc.
New neighbours from the city moved in behind them. They have knocked their bird houses off Mom and Dad fence claiming they looked like outhouses. The two birdhouse s were given to them by their granddaughters who bought them from an artistins who did a beautiful job decorating them with cardinals and flowers.
They took the top of my parent’s fence and replaced it with one that does not match the rest of their fence, they have called my parents crazy they told visitors that my mother listens in on their conversations while my mother is only watering her flowers and new sod
My father is a gentleman who would not say anything to anyone. He is blind in one eye and vision in the other is blurred
My mother is kept busy looking after him and keeping their home in order.
The wowman has raised her voice at me and lied to me about a number of thimgs
I do not believe in elder abuse nor bullying which this woman exercises quite frequently.
I have found the people of Lindsay always young and old to be warm, polite and courageous. It is a shame when outspoken urban newbies move in and treat long time Lindsay residents wiyh such disdain and disrespect.
I could not agree more with Barry King. My husband (a Canadian citizen) and I moved to Lindsay from the North of England in 2014. We love it here but it IS expensive, especially the water which is ridiculously priced and often not fit to drink! That said, when we came here it was a great deal cheaper than life in Britain and I love my neighbours, who are almost all incredibly kind and friendly. We wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, so we grit our teeth about the rapidly rising cost and, to use the Canadian vernacular, “suck it up”.
I have recently moved to Lindsay from Pickering. It was one of the few places I could afford to purchase a home. I love it here and am so happy I moved. I have noticed that groceries are more expensive than in the city, even at the so called discount grocery stores and so since I work in Markham a couple days a week I tend to purchase my groceries there so I can take advantage of stores like No Frills, Walmart and Costco. Even the clothing stores in Lindsay have expensive Toronto boutique prices, that quite frankly scare me from shopping there. Restaurants are priced the same so no savings there, but running errands such as renewing licenses or passport updates are a dream in comparison as hardly any line ups.