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Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Older reportDetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell you
An older report. We have no 2024 report for Midland in the Province's latest release, so these pages use its 2023 report. It may simply be filed late.
Read by hand. We read Midland's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.
Ontario / MidlandUpdated Oct 5, 2026

Your town, in plain words

How Midland uses the money we share.

A clear, checkable guide to Midland's budget, taxes and council decisions. A town on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, with a mayor, a deputy mayor and seven councillors. Every figure links back to the public record.

Your typical 2023 property tax bill$3,492on a $220K home72% Town18% County10% SchoolsSee your tax bill explained →
Town spending, 2023$34.5MAbout $4,553 per household, up 2.7% from 2022.See the money →
Property tax change+7.1%Midland's own property tax came to $27M in 2023, against $25.2M in 2022.What changed →

Where it goes

Most of every dollar supports the everyday town.

Explore every service →
Police, fire and safety$9.2M · 27%
Running the town office$6.6M · 19%
Roads and snow$6.1M · 18%
Water, sewers and garbage$5.9M · 17%
Show all 6 servicesShow fewer
Parks, arena and library$5.6M · 16%
Planning and business$1.1M · 3%

Day-to-day spending in 2023, from Midland's report to the Province.

A fair comparisonHow does Midland compare?Among 72 similar Ontario towns, Midland's day-to-day spending per household is on the high side.Midland is here · 65 of 72, lowest to highestCompare Midland →

Questions worth asking

A closer look at the numbers.

Each one is a question, not an accusation. Every one lists ordinary reasons it could be true, and the documents it comes from.

All 8 questions
Worth askingOpenness

Why are Midland's latest posted audited statements for 2023, and why were they signed in April 2026?

April 23, 2026date of the auditor's report on the 2023 statements

Audited financial statements are the yearly report card on a town's money, checked by an outside accountant. The 2023 statements carry management's signatures dated April 8, 2026 and the auditor's report dated April 23, 2026, more than two years after the year ended. The Town's Financial Reporting page lists statements only up to 2023, and the 2026 budget shows the 2024 actual figures as "unaudited". The Town's own 2026 budget says completing the 2023 audit was a 2025 achievement and that completing the 2024 and 2025 audits is a major initiative for 2026. The auditor's opinion on 2023 is clean, and it draws attention to a restatement of 2022 figures.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Worth askingMoney health

How will Midland repay the negative Midland Bay Landing reserve now that the Town has decided not to award the project?

$4,765,147negative balance of the Midland Bay Landing reserve at the start of 2026

A reserve is money set aside for a purpose. The Town's 2026 reserve table shows the Midland Bay Landing reserve starting 2026 at (4,765,147), a negative balance, and ending at (4,606,147). The Town's budget summary says its Community-Wide Initiatives reserve keeps a minimum of $4M to offset the negative balance, and assumes the Town puts $15M into the development of Midland Bay Landing, with the debt on the property repaid in full in 2028. The budget was approved in December 2025. On June 5, 2026 the Town said it will not proceed with awarding the project.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Worth askingMoney health

How will Midland pay for a $9.7 million yearly gap in replacing its roads, pipes and buildings, with $78M of new borrowing planned?

$9.7 millionyearly gap between what the Town invests and what it needs to replace its assets (the Town's figure)

The Town values its roads, pipes, buildings and other assets at $656 million. It says it invests $10.0 million a year to replace them and has a gap of about $9.7 million a year, about $1,238 for each property. Its 10-year capital plan of $209M relies on $78M of outside debt. For 2026 the Town added $598,000 to reserve contributions, which it says is a 2% effect on the tax rate. The Town's own forecast shows its tax-supported capital reserves at a negative $20.5M in 2035 if contributions stay at 2025 levels, a path it says is not recommended. At the end of 2023 the Town's long-term debt was $20,418,696.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources

Show 4 more questionsShow fewer
Good to knowMoney health

Why did government grants in 2023 come in at $4,694,553 against a budget of $1,125,531?

$4,694,553government grants in 2023, against a budget of $1,125,531

A budget is the plan council approves. In 2023 the Town's statements show government grants of $4,694,553 against a budget of $1,125,531, and an annual surplus of $9,465,769 against an adjusted budget surplus of $6,923,749. The Town explains part of this: the council budget was prepared on a different basis from the statements, so the statements adjust the budget (Note 3). Note 12 splits the grants into $1,405,304 with conditions attached and $3,289,249 of other grants.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Good to knowHow decisions are made

What has council changed since the Ombudsman found its March 5, 2025 closed meeting broke the open meeting rules?

4recommendations the Ombudsman made to the Town

In August 2026 the Ontario Ombudsman reported on a special meeting of council on March 5, 2025, held in closed session for about two hours to hear consultants and take part in a "visioning exercise" for the Midland Bay Landing project. The Ombudsman found that part of the talk, about how to attract a developer, could be held in private, but the presentation and visioning exercise should have been in open session. The finding is that council contravened the Municipal Act, 2001. The Ombudsman also found the closed-meeting minutes were brief and broadly worded, and recommended that the Town record its closed meetings.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 3 sources

2023 tax year · Midland, Ontario

Your tax bill, worked out.

Enter your home's assessed value to see roughly what you pay in property tax each year, who gets it, and what Midland's share pays for.

Ontario still uses property values from January 1, 2016 for tax, so your assessed value is probably well below what your home would sell for today.

It is on your property assessment notice from MPAC, and on your tax bill. We filled in the typical value in Midland.

Source

a year in property tax, at 2023 rates

  • Midland
  • County or region
  • Schools

Midland council sets only its own share. County or region sets its share, the Province sets the school rate.

See what your Midland share pays forHide the breakdown

Roughly what your Midland share pays for

Source
  • Police, fire and safety
  • Running the town office
  • Roads and snow
  • Parks, arena and library
  • Planning and business

An estimate. It uses the residential tax rate, and splits Midland's share by what each service cost in 2023 after its own fees and grants (for example, water bills pay for much of a water system). Real bills also depend on your property class, local charges and any rebates.

  • Every fact, sourced

    Each number links to the public document it came from. Check it yourself.

  • No accusations

    We ask questions. Every one lists ordinary reasons a number could look odd.

  • Compared fairly

    Towns are only compared with places of a similar size and kind, from the same yearly reports.

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