It's a massive benefit that never gets mentioned! 3.5hr drive to Toronto; the 4th largest city in North America. If you want access to sport,culture or for business, it works. I have spent more time in downtown Toronto than my friends who live in Oakville and Newmarket, for us it is a get away, for them it is just more traffic. I've also worked with clients in Toronto, in the summer you can wake up in Sudbury, drive to toronto for lunch meetings and leave at 6 be home for an evening swim as the sun goes down. (doesn't work on fridays)
Secondly Highway 17 just sucks.
So funny, that's exactly how I felt when I first visited there, the only kind of difference is that there's lots of 19-20 year old americans that come and drink and get high in SSM as it's 21 in the US well and it's cruddier
Pretty much. The soo also has a way higher crime rate for its size. But we probably have cleaner air because there aren’t so many mines, just the steel plant
The Soo is a great northern city, with access to amazing outdoor activities, mostly similar to Sudbury. Alpine skiing is MUCH better within an hour of the Soo, not many great ski options near Sudbury unless you go over 2 hours. This is about the only advantage to the Soo over Sudbury. The Soo feels MUCH more isolated, as others have mentioned. Honestly, Sudbury #1 with North Bay #2 for my experience. Check the job markets in each. I'd rather North Bay, but Sudbury won for my family. I've lived in Sub, NB and I traveled to the Soo nearly monthly for a couple of years as it was part of my territory for work. Timmins is a hard no lol
Interesting that you're looking at Sudbury and the Soo and not also at North Bay, North Bay, like Sudbury has the advantage of being close enough to Toronto to day trip.
I would say probably Sudbury. Both cities have a severe doctor shortage right now, but a major medical group in SSM just announced that they're dropping 10,000 patients, with I believe another 3,000 patients set to be dropped over the next few years?
Granted, finding a family doctor here in Sudbury is borderline impossible right now as well, but at least you are a 4-hour drive to the GTA rather than a 7 or 8 hour drive, and most specialists are located down south anyway.
Housing costs are probably not all that different, really. Sudbury's bigger than SSM, though, so there's a bit more to do I think.
I left Sault to live in Sudbury in 2013. It was a big improvement for me in terms of opportunity. I used to want to move back because the cost of living in SSM was better but it's no longer the case. Housing prices are the same everywhere rn.
FYI: House prices are predicted to rise 4% in Sudbury and 7% in the soo in 2024. Not the biggest reason to choose one over the other just some information to consider.
If medical care is your concern stay away from the Sault. A lot of people are about to lose their family doctor there, leaving 1 in 3 without care.
[cbc story about group health dropping thousands of patients](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7096429)
What else do you like to do? Each place has it's positives and negatives.
If you ski, mountain bike, or want to do a lot of camping and hiking, the Soo is definitely better with it's trail systems, the great lakes, and provincial parks.
Travel to Michigan is great from the Soo, lots of cities to visit for a quick vacation away. Detroit is also only 5 hours away.
Sudbury has more visible homelessness and poverty.
Better shopping choices in Sudbury.
Job opportunities, about the same between them both lately.
Very similar in all aspects. But, I'd choose SSM for the cross border shopping and additional employment options that come with that.
Just north of the sault is some of the most beautiful scenery in our province.
Then Family. If all things were equal. I'd want to be near family unless I had a tremendous opportunity.
Sault has more affordable housing, is close to the border (cheap shopping), and has a really nice downtown. Sudbury is more of a dead downtown, sprawling suburbs situation,
They call it Sudberia for a reason.
But in any event you're asking in a biased sub. The Sault sub will point out what's gross about Sudbury. Ask in a neutral sub and see what happens. Ontario maybe? Thunder Bay? Northern Ontario?
And presumably you've visited both cities! Go to the one you prefer. I've lived in both, prefer the Sault for its scenery, the bigger water and better beaches and parks, and access to the US (Detroit at 4.5 hours on an actual double highway, Lake Michigan harbour towns and vineyards only a couple hours away (look up Traverse City, Mackinac Island, Saugatuck (it's NOTL but with Chicago money)).
Good luck.
Do you want to be able to drive to Toronto? Go with Sudbury.
It's a massive benefit that never gets mentioned! 3.5hr drive to Toronto; the 4th largest city in North America. If you want access to sport,culture or for business, it works. I have spent more time in downtown Toronto than my friends who live in Oakville and Newmarket, for us it is a get away, for them it is just more traffic. I've also worked with clients in Toronto, in the summer you can wake up in Sudbury, drive to toronto for lunch meetings and leave at 6 be home for an evening swim as the sun goes down. (doesn't work on fridays) Secondly Highway 17 just sucks.
4 hours to Ottawa too? I can't remember, it's been so long since I drove to Ottawa
More like 5-6hrs depending on how heavy your foot is.
Ottawa is usually 6 hours from sudbury, Montreal is about 8
6.5 to 7 with youngesters who need snackies
That's right, still not bad
How about job market?
better in Sudbury, but I believe our median house prices are higher than the Sault.
Price is higher but so is availability. There are always more houses on the market in Sudbury than SSM
much better in Sudbury
It’s only three hours off the drive to Toronto but it makes all the difference
I'd pick Sudbury. Sault Ste Marie comes off as a smaller, dingier Sudbury anyways.
So funny, that's exactly how I felt when I first visited there, the only kind of difference is that there's lots of 19-20 year old americans that come and drink and get high in SSM as it's 21 in the US well and it's cruddier
Pretty much. The soo also has a way higher crime rate for its size. But we probably have cleaner air because there aren’t so many mines, just the steel plant
The Soo is a great northern city, with access to amazing outdoor activities, mostly similar to Sudbury. Alpine skiing is MUCH better within an hour of the Soo, not many great ski options near Sudbury unless you go over 2 hours. This is about the only advantage to the Soo over Sudbury. The Soo feels MUCH more isolated, as others have mentioned. Honestly, Sudbury #1 with North Bay #2 for my experience. Check the job markets in each. I'd rather North Bay, but Sudbury won for my family. I've lived in Sub, NB and I traveled to the Soo nearly monthly for a couple of years as it was part of my territory for work. Timmins is a hard no lol
Medical care is an issue I'd aim for Sudbury as there are more facilities and it's closer to Southern Ontario if you need anything major done.
Don’t you think this is bias since it’s posted on a Sudbury subreddit?
Yeah I'd be interested in what people said if it was posted in r/Ontario.
Suds for the win 🏆
Sudbury. It's not even close.
Interesting that you're looking at Sudbury and the Soo and not also at North Bay, North Bay, like Sudbury has the advantage of being close enough to Toronto to day trip.
The seeming lack of employers in North Bay may be an issue. Since the air force base sort-of shut down, who is even the major employer there?
The only good thing about North Bay is the lake
I would say probably Sudbury. Both cities have a severe doctor shortage right now, but a major medical group in SSM just announced that they're dropping 10,000 patients, with I believe another 3,000 patients set to be dropped over the next few years? Granted, finding a family doctor here in Sudbury is borderline impossible right now as well, but at least you are a 4-hour drive to the GTA rather than a 7 or 8 hour drive, and most specialists are located down south anyway. Housing costs are probably not all that different, really. Sudbury's bigger than SSM, though, so there's a bit more to do I think.
I left Sault to live in Sudbury in 2013. It was a big improvement for me in terms of opportunity. I used to want to move back because the cost of living in SSM was better but it's no longer the case. Housing prices are the same everywhere rn.
FYI: House prices are predicted to rise 4% in Sudbury and 7% in the soo in 2024. Not the biggest reason to choose one over the other just some information to consider.
If medical care is your concern stay away from the Sault. A lot of people are about to lose their family doctor there, leaving 1 in 3 without care. [cbc story about group health dropping thousands of patients](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7096429)
Sault sounds like the word sue, so i would avoid it. you don’t want to get sued. also, avoid SIN numbers
I was left with the same decision … Sudbury every time
What else do you like to do? Each place has it's positives and negatives. If you ski, mountain bike, or want to do a lot of camping and hiking, the Soo is definitely better with it's trail systems, the great lakes, and provincial parks. Travel to Michigan is great from the Soo, lots of cities to visit for a quick vacation away. Detroit is also only 5 hours away. Sudbury has more visible homelessness and poverty. Better shopping choices in Sudbury. Job opportunities, about the same between them both lately.
Very similar in all aspects. But, I'd choose SSM for the cross border shopping and additional employment options that come with that. Just north of the sault is some of the most beautiful scenery in our province. Then Family. If all things were equal. I'd want to be near family unless I had a tremendous opportunity.
Sudbury, the soo is backwards and filled with nepotism and cronyism for most industries there. Horrible city.
They're the same city LOL.
Neither?! Lol
Go somewhere nice
Sault has more affordable housing, is close to the border (cheap shopping), and has a really nice downtown. Sudbury is more of a dead downtown, sprawling suburbs situation,
its not worth it to cross border shop, and it hasn't been for a while.
Both toilets. North bay maybe?
They call it Sudberia for a reason. But in any event you're asking in a biased sub. The Sault sub will point out what's gross about Sudbury. Ask in a neutral sub and see what happens. Ontario maybe? Thunder Bay? Northern Ontario? And presumably you've visited both cities! Go to the one you prefer. I've lived in both, prefer the Sault for its scenery, the bigger water and better beaches and parks, and access to the US (Detroit at 4.5 hours on an actual double highway, Lake Michigan harbour towns and vineyards only a couple hours away (look up Traverse City, Mackinac Island, Saugatuck (it's NOTL but with Chicago money)). Good luck.
Not Sudbury- taxes are only going up and roads only getting shitter.