Cochrane Real Estate

Living in Cochrane

Cochrane sits at the end of Highway 11 in northeastern Ontario, the last significant town before the road turns to gravel and the boreal forest takes over in earnest. But Cochrane's real distinction is what leaves from here: the Polar Bear Express, operated by Ontario Northland, the passenger train that makes the 300km run north from Cochrane to Moosonee on the James Bay coast. The Moosonee run is not a tourist gimmick — it is the only year-round surface transportation link to Moosonee and the James Bay Cree communities it serves. The polar bears themselves appear in the Churchill-facing Hudson Bay lowlands further north, but the train is named for them and for the territory it opens. Cochrane is the gateway to one of Canada's great northern experiences.

For permanent residents, Cochrane provides a hospital (Lady Dunn Health Centre), schools, an arena, and the services of a functioning northern Ontario town. The Greenwater Provincial Park nearby offers camping and lake access. Polar Bear Habitat, a research and educational facility that has housed polar bears since the 1990s, is one of Cochrane's unique attractions — you can actually see polar bears here outside of Churchill. Real estate prices are predictably low: the distance from southern Ontario, the limited employment base, and the northern climate mean that properties cost a fraction of what comparable square footage costs in the south. For remote workers, retirees, or people committed to northern Ontario life, Cochrane offers a complete small-city experience at extraordinary prices.