Guelph, Ontario

This vibrant university town bustles with sophisticated culture, a booming downtown, and a thriving arts scene. It may be an old town, but Guelph is a community that keeps reinventing itself.

The heart of this city of 100,000 is the University of Guelph, one of Canada's most highly regarded universities. It brings in thousands of students who liven up the city's great bar and café scene and are the backbone of Guelph's strong counter culture. This "alternative" outlook can be seen in the continuing survival of independently owned stores and restaurants along the city's main downtown strip. Quiet bookstores, theaters, and clothing stores fill the stately historic buildings that line the central avenues. Of course, there are plenty of chain restaurants and stores on the outskirts of Guelph, but there's no question that this community maintains a solid balance between big and small.

Guelph is an authentic town. Local festivals fill up the social calendar and bring the community together. For a classical experience, check out the Guelph Spring Festival, a celebration of opera and chamber music. To speed things up, enjoy the Guelph Jazz Festival or head to the neighboring town of Fergus for the Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games, a Celtic extravaganza of piping, dancing, and strength events such as the sheaf toss. Guelph also has a multicultural festival, a fiesta of Italian heritage and the alternatively inspired Hillside Festival, a three-day series of concerts, spoken-word events, hand-drumming, and environmental workshops. Guelph definitely has something for everyone.

Besides festivals, enjoy fine retail therapy at downtown Guelph's newest shopping development, an indoor heritage restoration called Old Quebec Street. Once the credit card is maxed, take in a massage at a downtown spa or kick back with a beverage from a local winery or brewery.

Guelph not only has history and culture, it's also located in one of Ontario's most successful economic regions. So, it's not much of a stretch to say that Guelph really does have it all. Community, prosperity and beauty – they're definitely doing something right in Guelph.

See our 12 Jobs in Guelph, Ontario