City Information

City of Greater Sudbury

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Laurentian is a destination of choice for students from all across Ontario, the country and abroad. As the northern Ontario hub for health, education, government, mining and retail, the City of Greater Sudbury offers the unique advantages of a metropolitan area while remaining a truly tight-knit community. Combined with its enviable natural setting of freshwater lakes and boreal forests, it offers outstanding quality of life.

Sudbury’s multicultural and multilingual fabric makes us a global village of 160,000. We are French, Métis, Inuit and First Nations, Italian, Finnish, Polish, Chinese, Greek, Ukrainian and Croatian. Many cultural communities hold festivals and special events to celebrate their own rich heritage.

The Sudbury downtown core is only a seven minute drive from the university. Every student enjoys unlimited city bus service throughout the academic year, making it easy to come and go at a moment’s notice.

Things To Do

By land area, Greater Sudbury is the largest city in Ontario and as such, the great outdoors beckon with its vast expanse of lakes and waterways, varied terrain, forests and comprehensive network of trails. If you like hiking, biking, x-country skiing, quading, snow shoeing or snowmobiling, you’ll find trails in all parts of our vast community located on the Trans Canada Trail system.

Beyond the busy life on campus, you’ll find plenty to do and enjoy in your host city. From festivals to outdoor recreation and sports, to live theatre and museums, shopping, dining, socializing, it’s all within easy reach. Greater Sudbury has efficient and economical public transit and is relatively easy to navigate by car or on foot.

Leisure activities run the full gamut, from Adventure and Arts, all the way to Yoga and Zumba classes. There’s something here for every aspect of your personality, interest and energy level.

One of the city’s jewels and a favourite of the locals is Bell Park, an urban park which features a two-kilometre boardwalk that surrounds one of the lakes in the heart of the city.

It is the site of many of the city’s events and festivals, including the Northern Lights Festival Boréal, the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival, and an annual Pond Hockey Festival on the Rock in the winter months. In 2015, Greater Sudbury was awarded the Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) Award for Municipality of the Year. With its numerous beaches, pedestrian paths, gardens and a newly-renovated concert venue, Bell Park is a vibrant hub in the centre of the city.

Sudbury Tourism

Happiest City in Canada

In 2015, Statistics Canada declared Greater Sudbury as the happiest city in Canada based on Sudburians’ level of satisfaction with their lives and their sense of belonging to the community:

  • 68.4% of Sudbury residents feel a strong sense of belonging to the community
  • ​9+/10 Level of life satisfaction rating by 45% of Sudbury residents

 

The findings also revealed other key contributors to Sudbury residents’ happiness ratio:

  • An enjoyment of the great outdoors;
  • An appreciation for arts and music, and strong support for local bands;
  • Strong support for bilingualism: Sudbury has the largest franco- Ontarian population in Ontario;
  • Affinity to other residents and their down-to-earth personalities;
  • Recognition that the size of the community is perfect to support high quality of life and yet remain a close-knit community.

Our Campus

Located in the traditional territory of the Atikameksheng Anishinabek, our campus is nestled among five freshwater lakes the heart of the city, surrounded by lush green spaces. It stands to reason that pristine nature can be enjoyed from every vantage point on campus.

Boasting its own private beach, this natural setting is minutes from the downtown core, and comprises more than 765 acres of land owned by the university and adjoining the vast Lake Laurentian Conservation Area. Nature is at the core of the university’s identity, and learning here, in this awe-inspiring natural environment, is a true pleasure for the senses.

A transformation of our Sudbury campus facilities is currently under way with a $51 million investment commitment to student spaces and classrooms. On the main campus, Laurentian’s student amenities are conveniently located a short walk away from one another. There is no need to arrange for transportation, and getting that extra sleep in the morning is a real advantage for many students. Forgot something in residence? Not a problem as it is only a minute or two away, at break time.

Laurentian is attended by nearly 9,400 students, it is moderate in size, and amenities are close at hand. The downtown area, which is the site of the University’s new school of architecture, can be accessed within minutes by hopping on the many transit buses which commute back and forth to the main campus. Our McEwen School of Architecture, which is in full expansion, will see completion of its second phase of construction this Fall. It is located in the downtown core at the intersection of Elm and Elgin streets.

In addition to well-appointed classrooms, labs, auditoriums and libraries, student-centered amenities cover the gamut: Olympic-size pool, new indoor and outdoor tracks, a climbing wall, eight student residences, student lounges, kilometres of walking and hiking trails, reading rooms, coffee shops, dining halls, a private beach... there’s a favourite spot for everyone on campus. Whether you enjoy lakeside sunsets, quiet and cozy corners, or upbeat social spaces, you are guaranteed to find a space that’s all your own. There is plenty for you to discover and the best way to get acquainted is for you to arrange for a visit.