First settled by farming families, Midland has grown into a prosperous community that exemplifies the best of Georgian Bay living.

With its dynamic waterfront, the town bustles with activity in spring and summer as tourists and residents enjoy all of Midland’s recreational offerings – including a waterfront trail along the harbour for biking, walking and rollerblading, boating and many area golf courses. Downtown you’ll find an array of boutiques, restaurants and services.

Midland is also the economic centre of Simcoe County, with a 125-bed hospital and a local airport.  In the summer months, the town’s population of 16,300 swells to over 100,000, as seasonal visitors fill more than 8,000 cottages, resort hotels, and provincial and national parks in surrounding municipalities.

The origins of the town date back to 1871, when the Midland Railway of Canada selected the small community of Mundy’s Bay as the terminus of the railway.  The village, incorporated in 1878, thrived on the shipping, lumber and grain trades.  The town has attracted several light industrial companies, and has enjoyed the economic benefits of tourism in the southern Georgian Bay area.

Midland offers many local sightseeing attractions.  Murals by artist Fred Lenz adorn several buildings, including the large silos overlooking the main harbour.  The Jesuit mission of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is now a living museum of missionary life in the 17th century.  The Martyr’s Shrine is a Roman Catholic Church commemorating the Canadian Martyrs, five missionaries who were martyred in the Huron-Iroquois wars.  The Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre provides habitiat for Trumpeter Swans, Black Terns and Least Bitterns.

Midland’s easy access to the waters of Georgian Bay have the town a magnet for power boating, sailing and fishing enthusiasts, with a sailing club and several marinas based in town.  Midland has a growing cycling and mountain biking community, with a popular weekly Time Trial series, group rides, extensive trails for mountain biking, and many racing events.  Snowmobiling and ice fishing are popular in winter, and the Mountainview Ski Centre usually provides a large base of natural snowfall for its 6 runs and 25 kilometres of cross country ski trails.