Manitoulin resident Heli Cotnam picks leeks.

Retirement Miramichi resident Mike Frost chats with CBC Living East host Heidi Petracek in his yard while cameraman Justin Grant takes the footage.

Manitoulin Living is a partnership of municipalities and businesses that promote the island as a desirable place for retirees. Pictured here is Meldrum Bay.

PART ONE of two on non-urban communities recruiting retirees

This month: Miramichi, Manitoulin Island

Next month: Elliot Lake, Manitouwadge

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When Heli Cotnam first laid eyes on a vacant lot on the eastern side of Manitoulin Island in 1985 it was love at first sight.

Soon after, she and her husband, Gary, bought the property near the village of Maniowaning and, after using it for camping and trailering for several summers, in 2003 left Sudbury for good and built a home on the site.

They've been enjoying a happy retirement on the Island ever since.

"I told myself I had to have the lot," recalls Cotnam. "Since we moved here, I haven't looked back, not for an instant."

The Cotnams' praises are music to the ears of Manitoulin Living, a partnership of municipalities and businesses that in recent years has been promoting the 100-mile by 40-mile island as a desirable place for retirees and near-retirees, families and entrepreneurs to set up a household or a business.

"We are encouraging seniors and others to come and live here, to move their small businesses here or their home-based businesses, especially those who do consulting work or work on the internet and who can do their jobs miles away from their clients," says Manitoulin Living project coordinator Patrick Kiley, who has lived on the Island since 2003.

The message appears to be catching on: Kiley can't say how many people are moving to Manitoulin but says traffic to Manitoulin Living's website since 2005 has increased from 200 visitors a month to nearly 4,000. Not long ago Kiley was sending five or six information packages in the mail to interested parties; in May he sent 200.

"We are finding interest from people looking to retire and younger families too,'' he says, noting that a recent survey of 350 retirees and near retirees indicated that Manitoulin Island, which is about a two-hour drive from Sudbury, has the lifestyle and amenities many 55-plus Canadians are seeking.

Property is far less expensive than in and around most cities and vacation areas such as Muskoka, says Kiley, and the same goes for taxes. But an even stronger draw are intangibles such as the small-town, country atmosphere and sense of community where residents know their neighbours and are happy to look after one another.

"Life moves at a slower pace, there is an enjoyable rural lifestyle, many pristine forests and great views, clean air and if people want it, we have an active lifestyle and a very lively artistic community," he says.

Manitoulin Island offers a variety of housing choices ranging from resale and new homes in towns, rural areas and on the water, to cottages, condominiums and rental properties. Kiley estimates properties on water that would cost $500,000 in Muskoka can be purchased for $150,000 on the Island. Property taxes are half or less of what people in nearby cities pay.

A look at various real estate websites finds resale homes ranging from $60,000 to $500,000. Condos near the community of Little Current sell in the $250,000 range. Some residents have purchased cottages and turned them into year-round homes. A wide range of lots is available for people who want to design and build new homes.

There are two nursing homes on the Island, one in Gore Bay, a community of 1,200 the other in Little Current, which has a population of 1,500.

A key draw is the Island's health care services. Manitoulin, according to a recent health care availability study, has the highest doctor-to-patient ratio in Ontario; there are hospitals in Little Current and Mindemoya and Gore Bay has a health care centre. Islanders have access to a podiatrist, masseuses, dentists and a blood specialist, says Kiley.

"You are no more than 30 minutes from a hospital, no matter where you are on the Island," he says.

For more information about Manitoulin Island, contact Manitoulin Living at 866-368-2933 or 705-859-3768 or by email: contact@manitoulinliving.com. The website is: manitoulinliving.com

Another retirement spot receiving plenty of attention is Retirement Miramichi in New Brunswick, on the Miramichi River, which is famed for its salmon fishing. It was created in 1997, after the closing of CFB Chatham left the military personnel housing standing vacant.

An economic development initiative, it was designed to capitalize on the boom in the Canadian retirement housing industry as the first waves of baby boomers hit mid-life. Operated by a non-profit corporation, funded through the rental income, it provides affordable accommodation for retirees.

Every year brings more stories of the success for the initiative. Last year, the 10th anniversary, the community was at about 75 per cent occupancy of the formerly vacant Canadian Forces homes. As of this June, reports Terri Cormier, in charge of marketing and client cervices for Retirement Miramichi, there are over 350 tenants and 85 per cent occupancy.

Residents praise the area for its friendliness and gorgeous natural scenery. The town has a wealth of parks, nature trails, and the river on its doorstep, plus the most hours of sunlight north of the Virginias. It's a half-hour drive from the Atlantic Ocean.

Retirement Miramichi has its own recreation centre, a gathering place for social events or educational seminars and private parties and a city recreation centre with an indoor pool and gymnasium is a short walk away. There area also restaurants, shopping, a community college, library and marina plus a state-of-the-art hospital.

There are more than 250 rental houses in 14 different styles, including detached and semi-detached homes, bungalows and four-bedroom, two-storey homes with a fireplace, den and garage. All homes have hardwood floors, full basements and generous lot sizes. Maintenance including snow shoveling, lawn mowing and leaf raking is taken care of. Residents may add garden areas and customize their homes in any way that doesn't involve structural changes and pets are allowed. Rents range from $482 to $671 per month.

For more information or a free brochure call 888-844-2001 or check on-line at retirementmiramichi.ca

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SAMPLE 2008 MONTHLY RENTAL RATES AT RETIREMENT MIRAMICHI: