A Place You Can Belong

Located just an hour on public transportation from Toronto, and even closer to Waterloo, Hamilton and Niagara, Brantford is a city that so many students call home thanks to its growing job market, affordable cost of living and safe community. It’s a thriving, dynamic city boasting both nature and culture – somewhere everyone can find their own space.

Be Facinated Everywhere

Brantford International Jazz Festival

Kickstarted in 2006 by local jazz musicians, the Brantford International Jazz Festival is today one of the largest and most musically diverse festivals in the region. With 28,000 people flocking yearly to enjoy all forms of jazz, this is an event music lovers won’t want to miss.

Brantford Lights at Glenhyrst

Christmas lights create a magical atmosphere every year in Brantford’s annual holiday tradition. Watch as thousands of lights turn the beautiful gardens at Glenhyrst Art Gallery into a Christmas dream come true.

Brantford Comedy Festival

Laugh your pants off at Brantford’s funniest festival featuring professional comedians and rising stars.

Brantford International Villages Festival

Explore heritage and culture through music, dancing, cuisine, and artistic and historic displays at this multi-day festival.

Community Charity Airshow

Be amazed by live demonstrations of aerobatic flying, get up close to military aircrafts, and enjoy live entertainment at the Brantford Municipal Airport.

WTFest Music Festival

Rock out under the stars at Brantford’s biggest outdoor musical festival, featuring local, regional, and international performers, a VIP area, food trucks, and shopping.

Downtown Toronto

If you’re looking for a cosmopolitan experience, why not explore Downtown Toronto, an hour away from the Brantford campus? Try the famous Kensington Market visit the Royal Ontario Museum; check out the views from the top of the CN tower, or enjoy access to some of the country’s biggest sports games and cultural events.

Sports and Wellness

River Kayaking and Tubing

Spend a day adventuring down the Grand River, a Canadian Heritage River, via kayak, canoe or inflatable tube with one of the many local guides and outfitters in and around Brantford. Take a group of friends for a day on the water and get to know Canada from a different angle.

Sports Teams

Located just over an hour away, Toronto is a great place for you to experience some of the world’s most exciting sporting events. Watch the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, or catch an NBA Raptors basketball game or a Maple Leafs ice hockey game at Scotiabank Arena.

Tournament Capital of Ontario

Sports spirit is alive and well in the City of Brantford. In 1998, the city was declared the Tournament Capital of Ontario, having hosted hundreds of local, regional and provincial tournaments each year. You’re invited to join the many sports clubs and organizations that operate year round.

Arts and Culture

Sanderson Centre for Performing Arts

Brantford is an epicentre of arts and culture, and home to the historic Sanderson Centre for Performing Arts. The century-old, iconic theatre and concert hall boasts gorgeous architecture and hosts entertainment that draws people from around the region.

Bell Homestead National Historic Site

Visit the very home where Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone almost 150 years ago. Catch a glimpse into the life of the Bell family and learn the Bell Homestead history.

Located on the grounds of the former Mohawks Institute Residential School, this cultural centre aims to honour, protect and promote the heritage of the Anishinaabe and Onkwehon:we peoples. Learn about Indigenous culture through its exhibitions, events, festivals, performances and so much more.

Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant

Discover Brantford’s visual arts scene and make a visit to the Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant. Located in the Glenhyrst Gardens by the Grand River (just a short trip from the WLIC campus), Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant offers year-round exhibitions, art classes, and dozens of public events each year.

Nature and Recreation

Grand River and Nature Trails

The beautiful Grand River is a designated Canadian Heritage River. Here, you can canoe, kayak, stand up paddle board (SUP) or just relax at Wilkes Dam. The river also weaves alongside over 70km of gorgeous nature trails, which you can explore by foot or bicycle. Local area outfitters can help you find the right bicycle for you, or simply rent one for the day and take a guided tour.

Green Spaces Galore

The city features large, lush parks where you can relax, cycle, have a picnic, play football or skate, and so much more.

Lakes and Beaches

Living in Brantford, you’ll be just half an hour from some of the famous Great Lakes and the many nearby beach towns. Why not take a trip to Port Dover to spend a day at the beach, or to Hamilton to visit waterside parks and lake conservation areas.