Midland, Ontario facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Midland
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| Town of Midland | ||
Downtown Midland
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 Midland
Location in Simcoe County
Midland
Location in Southern Ontario
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| Country | Canada | |
| Province | Ontario | |
| County | Simcoe | |
| Incorporated | 1890 | |
| Area | ||
| • Land | 35.34 km2 (13.64 sq mi) | |
| • Metro | 199.94 km2 (77.20 sq mi) | |
| Population
(2016)
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| • Town (lower-tier) | 16,864 | |
| • Density | 477.3/km2 (1,236/sq mi) | |
| • Metro | 35,419 | |
| • Metro density | 177.2/km2 (459/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| Forward Sortation Area |
L4R
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| Area code(s) | 705 | |
| Website | www.Midland.ca | |
Midland is a town in Ontario, Canada. It is located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County. Midland is part of the Huronia/Wendat region of Central Ontario.
Midland is at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands. It is an important center for the area's economy. The town has a 125-bed hospital and a local airport. It is the main town in the southern Georgian Bay area. In the summer, the population grows a lot. Over 100,000 people visit the more than 8,000 cottages and parks nearby.
Contents
History of Midland
The town of Midland started in 1871. The Midland Railway of Canada chose a small community called Mundy's Bay. This was to be the new end point for their railway line. At that time, the railway ran from Port Hope to Beaverton.
The town area was mapped out in 1872 and 1873. The railway line to Midland was finished by 1879. People started moving to the area because of the easy train service. The railway company sold land in the new town, called Midland City. This helped pay for the settlement.
The village became officially recognized in 1878. It grew quickly because of shipping on Georgian Bay. The lumber and grain trade were also very important. Midland became an official town in 1890. Today, many light industrial companies are in the area. Tourism in the southern Georgian Bay area also helps the economy.
The 2010 Tornado
On June 23, 2010, an F2 tornado hit Midland. It caused about $15 million in damage. The worst damage was at Smith's Camp, a trailer park. Several mobile homes there were completely destroyed.
For the first time in 25 years, a "Red Alert" was issued. This was an extreme severe weather warning for most of Southern Ontario. It warned people about possible strong tornadoes. Residents were told to find shelter. Midland also declared a State of emergency. Power went out for a while, but no one was killed by the storm.
Geography and Climate
Midland is located at the south end of Georgian Bay. It is the northern anchor of Simcoe County.
Midland has a humid continental climate. This means it has four clear seasons. The weather is much like other parts of Southern Ontario. Summers are warm, and winters are cold. Thunderstorms, hailstorms, snowstorms, and freezing rain are also common.
| Climate data for Midland (Midland Water Pollution Control Plant), 1981−2010 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 14.0 (57.2) |
15.0 (59.0) |
23.5 (74.3) |
30.0 (86.0) |
34.0 (93.2) |
35.5 (95.9) |
34.5 (94.1) |
34.5 (94.1) |
32.5 (90.5) |
30.0 (86.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
35.5 (95.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −3.7 (25.3) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
3.0 (37.4) |
10.9 (51.6) |
17.4 (63.3) |
23.2 (73.8) |
25.6 (78.1) |
24.6 (76.3) |
20.4 (68.7) |
13.3 (55.9) |
6.4 (43.5) |
0.5 (32.9) |
11.7 (53.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
5.8 (42.4) |
12.2 (54.0) |
18.1 (64.6) |
20.8 (69.4) |
19.9 (67.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
9.3 (48.7) |
3.2 (37.8) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
7.1 (44.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −13.2 (8.2) |
−11.4 (11.5) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
0.7 (33.3) |
7.0 (44.6) |
12.9 (55.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
5.3 (41.5) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
2.5 (36.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −36 (−33) |
−36 (−33) |
−31 (−24) |
−16.5 (2.3) |
−3 (27) |
2.0 (35.6) |
4.0 (39.2) |
4.0 (39.2) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−19 (−2) |
−31 (−24) |
−36 (−33) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 109.8 (4.32) |
69.9 (2.75) |
65.7 (2.59) |
65.1 (2.56) |
92.8 (3.65) |
89.5 (3.52) |
72.7 (2.86) |
77.9 (3.07) |
99.1 (3.90) |
90.1 (3.55) |
103.6 (4.08) |
104.4 (4.11) |
1,040.6 (40.97) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 21.5 (0.85) |
20.9 (0.82) |
36.1 (1.42) |
59.3 (2.33) |
92.8 (3.65) |
89.5 (3.52) |
72.7 (2.86) |
77.9 (3.07) |
99.1 (3.90) |
88.0 (3.46) |
74.8 (2.94) |
27.5 (1.08) |
760 (29.9) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 88.3 (34.8) |
49.3 (19.4) |
29.6 (11.7) |
5.9 (2.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.1 (0.8) |
28.9 (11.4) |
76.9 (30.3) |
280.9 (110.6) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 17 | 11.7 | 11.2 | 11.6 | 13.1 | 11.1 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 12.9 | 15.6 | 16.4 | 16.8 | 158.6 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 3.2 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 10.1 | 13.1 | 11.1 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 12.9 | 15.3 | 12.1 | 5.3 | 113.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 14.7 | 9.4 | 6.7 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.70 | 5.5 | 12 | 51 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Fun Things to Do in Midland
Midland has many interesting places to visit. Around the town center, you can see several large murals. Most of these were painted by an artist named Fred Lenz. The biggest mural is on the silos near the main harbor. It shows a meeting between a local Indigenous person and a Jesuit missionary.
One important historical site is Sainte-Marie among the Hurons. This was a Jesuit mission in the 17th century. Today, it is a living museum that shows what missionary life was like back then. The Martyrs' Shrine is a Roman Catholic church nearby. It honors eight missionaries who died during the Huron-Iroquois wars.
The Huronia Museum is a history and art museum. It features the Huron Village, which is a rebuilt Huron/Ouendat (Wendat) village. This shows how the Huron people lived.
The Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre is also close by. This marsh is a home for many birds, including trumpeter swans. The trumpeter swan is a symbol of Midland. There is a large statue of one by the harbor.
Midland hosts an annual Butter tart festival every June. It started in 2013. In 2016, over 100,000 butter tarts were sold! Many tourists come to Midland for this festival. There are two contests: one for home bakers and one for businesses. The day after the festival, there's a "Butter Tart Trot." It's a fun run for all ages.
Little Lake Park is a popular spot in the summer. It has a snack stand and many sports areas. You can find volleyball courts, a baseball field, a skateboard park, and a disc golf course.
The Midland Cultural Centre is a busy place for arts and culture. It is in the middle of downtown Midland. The center is home to the Huronia Players, Quest Art School and Gallery, and Rotary Hall.
Sports and Activities
Midland is home to The Midland Flyers Ice Hockey Club. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League. The Midland Minor Hockey Association also plays here. Both teams use the Midland North Simcoe Sports & Recreation Centre as their home rink. This center also has the Midland Sports Hall of Fame.
Boating is very popular in Midland. There are several marinas and a sailing club in town. It's easy to get to the calm waters of southeastern Georgian Bay. Some marinas include Bay Port Yachting Centre and Wye Heritage Marina. Fishing is also a great activity here.
Midland also has a growing number of cyclists. The Midland Tri Club has helped more people get into road biking. Many riders join weekly time trials and group rides in the summer. Mountain View Ski Centre has also helped mountain biking grow. It has many trails in town. The center hosts different races, including a weekly summer series.
In the winter, snowmobiling and ice fishing are popular. Mountain-view Ski Centre has 25 kilometres (16 mi) of cross-country ski trails.
Famous People from Midland
Many talented people have come from Midland, including:
- Born Ruffians – an indie rock band
- Sarah Burke – a freestyle skier and three-time Winter X-Games gold medalist
- Roy Conacher – a former NHL hockey player and Hockey Hall of Fame member
- Shayne Corson – a former NHL hockey player
- Adam Dixon – a paralympian in sledge hockey
- Peter Donaldson – a stage, TV, and film actor
- Glenn Howard – a world champion curler
- Russ Howard – an Olympic champion curler
- James LaBrie – a Grammy award-winning musician and lead singer of Dream Theatre
- John Muckler – an NHL coach
- David Onley – a former TV reporter and former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
- Susan Swan – a writer
- Steve Wolfhard – an award-winning artist for adventure time
Population of Midland
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1881 | 1,095 | — |
| 1891 | 2,088 | +90.7% |
| 1901 | 3,174 | +52.0% |
| 1911 | 4,663 | +46.9% |
| 1921 | 7,016 | +50.5% |
| 1931 | 6,920 | −1.4% |
| 1941 | 6,764 | −2.3% |
| 1951 | 7,206 | +6.5% |
| 1961 | 8,656 | +20.1% |
| 1971 | 10,992 | +27.0% |
| 1981 | 12,132 | +10.4% |
| 1991 | 13,865 | +14.3% |
| 1996 | 16,347 | +17.9% |
| 2001 | 16,214 | −0.8% |
| 2006 | 16,300 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 16,572 | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 16,864 | +1.8% |
In 2021, the population of Midland was 17,817 people. This was a 5.7% increase from 2016. The town has a land area of 35.33 square kilometers. This means about 504 people live in each square kilometer.
Transportation in Midland
Midland is served by the Simcoe County LINX bus service. This bus route connects Penetanguishene and Midland to Barrie.
Economy of Midland
Since 1952, a company called ELCAN has been in Midland. It was started by Leica Camera. Since 1999, it has been owned by Raytheon Technologies.
Media in Midland
MidlandToday.ca is an online source for local news. The Midland Mirror is a local newspaper that is printed.
