About Kitchener

Everything you need to know about living in Kitchener

Kitchener is a busy city, especially during rush hour in the morning and late afternoon, so renters may find location is an important factor in choosing an apartment to rent. Public transit is provided on a regional basis with Cambridge and Waterloo, so transit users can get around the region on a single bus system. Commuters heading into Toronto will probably find it easiest to drive, although buses connect the city to the GTA and VIA Rail operates daily trains.

Kitchener is connected to other cities in southern Ontario by Highway 401, which heads east to the GTA and west to London and Detroit. Guelph is about 20 km east along Highway 7, and Stratford 30 km west along Highway 8.

Residents will find Kitchener has much to offer, most famously the annual Oktoberfest which celebrates Bavarian culture (including drinking culture) and hosts social events and parades. Major employers in Kitchener include Budd Canada and a number of smaller companies, while Cambridge has a major Toyota plant and Waterloo has two universities. Numerous grocery stores, shopping malls and plazas, and other basics are found mostly in Kitchener's suburbs, although residents of the downtown, where many high-rise rental apartments are located, get to enjoy the city’s cultural and social heart, especially attractive to singles and couples.