Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Huronia/Wendat region of Central Ontario. Located at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, with a 125-bed

hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...

and a local airport ( Midland/Huronia Airport). It is the main town of the southern Georgian Bay area. In the summer months, the area's population grows to over 100,000 with seasonal visitors to more than 8,000 cottages, resort hotels, provincial and national parks in the surrounding municipalities of Penetanguishene, Tiny,

Tay Tay may refer to: People and languages * Tay (name), including lists of people with the given name, surname and nickname * Tay people, an ethnic group of Vietnam ** Tày language *Atayal language, an Austronesian language spoken in Taiwan (ISO 639 ...

, and

Beausoleil First Nation Beausoleil First Nation ( oj, G'Chimnissing) is an Ojibwe First Nation band government located in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. The main settlement of the Beausoleil First Nation is on Christian Island, Ontario, Canada in southern Georgian Bay. ...

History

The town of Midland was founded when, in 1871, the Midland Railway of Canada selected the sparsely populated community of Mundy's Bay as the new terminus of the Midland railway. At that time the Midland railway ran from Port Hope to Beaverton. The town site was surveyed in 1872–3 and the line to the town was completed by 1879. Settlers, attracted by the convenience of rail service, soon began to move into the area. The company sold off lots in town (Midland City) to help finance the settlement. The village (incorporated in 1878) thrived based on Georgian Bay shipping and the lumber and

grain trade The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...

. Incorporated into a town in 1890, a number of light industrial companies have established themselves in the area and tourism in the southern Georgian Bay area also contributes to the economy.

2010 tornado

On June 23, 2010, Midland was struck by an F2 tornado, causing $15 million in damage. The most significant damage was reported at Smith's Camp, a trailer park at the south end of the town, where several mobile homes were completely destroyed. At one point, for the first time in 25 years, Emergency Management Ontario upgraded

Environment Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC; french: Environnement et Changement climatique Canada),Environment and Climate Change Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of the Environment ( ...

's Tornado warning to an extreme severe weather warning called "Red Alert" which was issued for most of Southern Ontario's cottage country due to the approaching severe weather and the possibility of violent tornadoes, informing residents in the area that they should seek shelter. In addition, a

State of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

was also declared in Midland. While electrical service was knocked out for a time, there were no fatalities caused by the storm.

Geography and climate

Midland is located at the south end of the Georgian Bay and is the northern anchor of the Simcoe County. Midland has a humid continental climate under the Köppen climate classification (Köppen ''Dfb'') and has four distinct seasons. The climate is nearly the same as much of Southern Ontario and has balmy summers and chilly winters. Thunderstorms, hailstorms, snowstorm, lake effect snow and freezing rain are also common for this city.

Local attractions

Around the centre of Midland there are a number of murals, most of which were painted by now deceased artist Fred Lenz. The largest, depicting a meeting between a local native and Jesuit Missionary Jean de Brebeuf is on the silos overlooking the main harbour. This work was completed by Lenz's sons following his death in 2001. Notable sites in or near Midland include the

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

mission of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, which is now a living museum depicting missionary life in the 17th century. The Martyrs' Shrine is a Roman Catholic church commemorating the

Canadian Martyrs The Canadian Martyrs, also known as the North American Martyrs (French language, French: ''Saints martyrs canadiens'', Holy Canadian Martyrs), were eight Jesuit missions in North America#Missions, Jesuit missionaries from Sainte-Marie among the H ...

, eight missionaries from Sainte-Marie who were martyred during the Huron- Iroquois wars. Pope John Paul II held a pastoral meeting at this site in September 1984. The Huronia Museum is a history and art museum which features the Huron Village, a reconstruction of a typical Huron/Ouendat (Wendat) village. The

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre The Wye Marsh is a wetland area on the south shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. The Wye Marsh National Wildlife Area was established on the location in 1978. It is designated a Provincially Significant Wetland by the Ontario Ministry of Nat ...

is nearby. The marsh provides habitat for trumpeter swans, black terns and least bitterns. The trumpeter swan is considered a symbol of Midland and a large statue of one has been erected by the harbour. Matyr's Shrine

An annual Butter tart festival, inaugurated in 2013, is held in early June. In 2016, the fourth annual Butter tart Festival sold more 100,000 butter tarts. Many tourists flock to Midland during the festival. There are two divisions: amateur and commercial. The day after the Butter tart festival is the Butter Tart Trot, a 5-km fun run for older people and a 2.5-km run for children under 5 years old. Little Lake Park is a tourist destination in the summer months. The park has a refreshment stand and a number of sports facilities including volleyball courts, a baseball field, skateboard park, disc golf course. The

Midland Cultural Centre The Midland Cultural Centre is a public multi-use complex located in Midland, Ontario, Canada. The 2787 m2 (30 000 sq ft) building is home to three main groups: Quest Art School and Gallery, the Huronia Players theatre company, and Rotary Hall, a ...

is a hub for various cultural activities, located in the core of downtown Midland. The Centre is home to the Huronia Players, Quest Art School and Gallery, and Rotary Hall.

Sports activities

Midland is the home of The Midland Flyers Ice Hockey Club of the Provincial Junior Hockey League in the Carruthers division in the

Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey As ...

. It is also home of the Midland Minor Hockey Association. Midland North Simcoe Sports & Recreation Centre is the home rink to these teams. The NSSRC is also the location of the Midland Sports Hall of Fame. Boating, both power and sail, is very popular with a number of

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...

s and a sailing club based in the town. The town has easy access to the relatively sheltered waters of south eastern Georgian Bay. Among the

s nearby are Bay Port Yachting Centre on the northwest side of the bay, and

Wye Heritage Marina Wye may refer to: Place names *Wye, Kent, a village in Kent, England **Wye College, agricultural college, part of University of London before closure in 2009 ** Wye School, serving the above village **Wye railway station, serving the above villag ...

along the southeast shore. There is also good fishing. Midland also has an ever-growing and active cycling base. The Midland Tri Club has increased the number of road riders in the area. Many of these riders also participate in the popular weekly Time Trial series and group rides that run throughout the summer months. Mountain view Ski Centre has also encouraged the growth of mountain bikers, with an extensive trail system in town. The Centre hosts a variety of races, including a summer long weekly series, as well as a night race, high school event, and 9 hour relay. Also, an MTB club has been borne of the Centrw, and is expanding its breadth into competition and other pursuits. The provincial cyclo-cross championships are to be hosted in Midland on November 13, 2016 as part of the Silver Goose CX Race. In the winter, snowmobiling and ice fishing are popular activities. Mountain-view Ski Centre has of cross country ski trails.

Notable residents

John W. Bald John Witherspoon Bald (born April 7, 1868, Parsonstown, Ireland - died 1961, Midland, Ontario, Canada) was a Canadian photographer who produced portraits, landscape and other commercial photographs. He recorded life in his community from 1890 until ...

, photographer * Born Ruffians, indie rock band *

Mark Bourrie Mark Bourrie (born 1959 or 1960) is a Canadian journalist and author. He has worked as a contract lecturer at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. In 2020, his biography of Pierre-Esprit Radisson, ''Bushrunner: The Adventures of Pi ...

, author * Sarah Burke, freestyle skier, three-time Winter X-Games gold medalist * Roy Conacher, former NHL hockey player and

Hockey Hall of Fame , logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg , logo_upright = 0.5 , image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg , caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992 , map_type = , former_name = , established = 1943 , location = 30 Y ...

inductee *

Shayne Corson Shayne Paul Corson (born August 13, 1966) is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas Stars. During hi ...

, former NHL hockey player *

Adam Dixon Adam Dixon (born August 13, 1989) is a Canadian ice sledge hockey player. Life and career Born in Midland, Ontario, Dixon was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in his right tibia in 1999 at the age of 10 and underwent a 10-hour surgery to remove ...

, paralympian (sledge hockey) * Peter Donaldson, stage, TV & film actor (Stratford Festival, Road to Avonlea, The Sweet Hereafter) *

Herb Drury Herbert Joseph Drury (March 2, 1896 – July 30, 1965) was a Canadian-born American ice hockey defenseman who played six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Quakers. Internationally he played fo ...

, former NHL and Olympic hockey player * George Dudley, inductee of the

, president and secretary-manager of the

Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...

* William Finlayson, politician and lawyer *

Jack Hendrickson John Gunnard "Jack, Jake" Hendrickson (December 5, 1936 - June 27, 2016) was a Canadian ice hockey player who played 5 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings between 1957 and 1962. The rest of his career, which lasted from ...

, former NHL hockey player * Glenn Howard, world champion curler * Russ Howard, Olympic champion curler *

Scott Howard Scott William Howard (born July 11, 1990) is a Canadian curler. As an alternate for his father, Glenn Howard, Scott Howard won the 2012 Tim Hortons Brier and the 2012 World Men's Curling Championship. Personal life Howard attended Penetangui ...

, world champion curler * Wayne King, former NHL hockey player * James LaBrie, Grammy award winning musician, lead singer of

Dream Theatre Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of ...

since 1991. *

Alex McKendry Alex McKendry (born November 21, 1956) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 46 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders and Calgary Flames from 1978 to 1981. The rest of his career, which laste ...

, former NHL Hockey player * John Muckler, NHL coach * David Onley, former CITY-TV reporter and former

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

of Ontario * James Playfair, businessman * Mike Robitaille, former NHL hockey player * Angela Schmidt-Foster, former Olympic athlete *

Susan Swan Susan Swan (born 9 June 1945) is a Canadian author, journalist, and professor. Susan Swan writes classic Canadian novels. Her fiction has been published in 20 countries and translated into 10 languages. Born in Midland, Ontario, she studied at ...

, writer * Steve Wolfhard, award-winning artist with adventure time *

Richard B. Wright Richard Bruce Wright (March 4, 1937 – February 7, 2017) was a Canadian novelist. He was known for his break-through 2001 novel ''Clara Callan,'' which won three major literary awards in Canada: The Giller Prize, the Trillium Book Award, and th ...

, writer

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Midland had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.

Transportation

Midland is served by the Simcoe County LINX inter-community bus service on its Route 1 - Penetanguishene / Midland to Barrie.

Economy

Since 1952

ELCAN Raytheon ELCAN Optical Technologies, also simply ELCAN ( Ernest Leitz CANada),

(Ernest Leitz CANada) is located in Ontario; it was founded in 1952 by

Leica Camera Leica Camera AG () is a German company that manufactures cameras, optical lenses, photographic lenses, binoculars, Telescopic sight, rifle scopes and microscopes. The company was founded by Ernst Leitz in 1869 (Ernst Leitz Wetzlar), in Wetz ...

and is owned by Raytheon Technologies since 1999.Leica Barnack-Berek-Blog 28 October 2016, ELCAN - Ernst Leitz Canada limited, retrieved 1 November 2020.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Lower-tier municipalities in Ontario Populated places on Lake Huron in Canada Towns in Ontario