City expatriates find room to grow in Hastings County — when will you join them?
Toronto teacher builds new, best life in close-knit community
Ten years ago, teacher Kelly Beaulieu bought a cottage in Hastings County as a calm refuge two hours east of her life in urban Toronto. Last spring, she and her son Nathaniel made their residency permanent.
“We spent every summer and every Christmas, here,” she says. “Walking to the lake and looking up at the night sky on New Year’s counts as among my most magical moments. In the summer, my son ran with the other kids like a pack of animals on the shore, playing, paddle boarding and kayaking. I couldn’t imagine a better place for him to grow up.”
Friends emailed her in early 2020 to report the availability of a very affordable Victorian home in Bancroft. She bought immediately, leaving her small
Toronto apartment permanently. Initially continuing to teach art and drama online for the Toronto District School Board, she now wants to spend more time on her business and has applied for a position as a supply teacher with the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.
Beaulieu and her son live upstairs while much of the first floor has been converted into an artist’s space. Here, she markets soap, sewing, knitting and woodwork created by local craftspeople under the name, The Good Daughter. She operates a kiln and potter’s wheel in the basement. She’s also been booked solid renting bed and breakfast space on weekends through Airbnb.
“It’s a charming space,” she says. “And I love the community. The artisans and craftspersons I speak to every day are lovely, generous people. I enjoy the local, organic produce and it isn’t a surprise to see that someone has left a bag of beets on the doorstep for us to enjoy.”
She’s involved in the local barter scene, most recently exchanging a hand-sewn tablecloth for a syrup-drizzled carrot cake baked at a nearby maple syrup farm. She’s also fashioned a traditional ribbon shirt for an Algonquin resident, in exchange for a supply of bear fat skin cream.
“I’m living a better, healthier and more fulfilling
life” she says. “Coming here just happened a little quicker than I imagined. If anyone is thinking about making the move, visit for a few days and see if it feels like home. I got that vibe right away.”
For more information on living your new, best life in Hastings County, contact your willing and able guides at www.hastings.ca.