Help prepare Midland’s Waterfront Master Plan
By Town of Midland, May 23, 2025
The Town of Midland is preparing a Waterfront Master Plan that will create a guide for future decisions about the Town’s waterfront.
Get involved
Register to attend a Waterfront Master Plan workshop on June 19, 2025 at Midland’s recreation centre (527 Len Self Blvd.) inside the main hall, located on the second floor. There will be three workshop sessions, starting at 1:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. Each session will begin with a presentation and will be followed by workshop activities. View the official Notice of Public Workshop.
Open the registration form to sign up for one of the workshop sessions.
About the Waterfront Master Plan
The Town of Midland is preparing a Waterfront Master Plan with consultants from The Planning Partnership (TPP) to create a vision for Midland’s shoreline. This plan will guide and manage how Midland’s waterfront will change over time.
Creating the plan is a collaborative process, where the public will have opportunities to get involved. Building the plan will include exploring ways to enhance public access, protect natural and cultural heritage, create more recreation opportunities, and support well-designed development for new residential and commercial use.
To follow the project
Visit the Waterfront Master Plan page, subscribe to the page to be notified when there are updates.
Developer pitches two, 12-storey tower projects near Bay Point Marina
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, May 23, 2025
Residents voiced their concerns, objected, and haggled during a Midland council public meeting on Wednesday, with the focus toward a proposed hotel and condominium project four times taller than the town’s maximum allowance.
The proposal requested council to amend zoning for 1191 Harbourview Drive, near Bay Port Marina, from a highway commercial hold zone (HC-H) to a site-specific highway commercial zone (HC-XX), which would lift the holding symbol.
The structure would consist of two 12-storey towers linked by a four-storey podium, offering 416 residential condominium units, 88 hotel units, 106 square metres of retail floor area along with other parking, amenity, and accessory uses.
As well, the Bayport Tower proposal aimed to add an apartment building (mixed use) as a permitted use, and increase the maximum building height from 11 metres (36 feet) to 44 metres (144 feet).
According to the applicants, Kaitlin Corporation, the justification was due to a 2021 application for a single building hotel proposal to have its height increased to six storeys, which was approved by the committee of adjustment at the time; since that had been approved, the current request from 11 metres to a two-building 44-metre structure was pitched.
“The economics and the viability of this project no longer makes sense at (the previous) height,” said Katilin’s director of business development, Devon Daniell, during the public meeting. He cited inflation, the pandemic, engineering and electrical changes as reasons for rising costs.
“What we’ve landed on right now is 12 storeys, which is in line with the other approvals that have been approved by Midland and previous councils around the bay. We thought that that was an appropriate height, and we’ve somehow managed to sort of make this work where, economically, this project will be able to proceed,” said Daniell.
Coun. Bill Meridis challenged the notion that it couldn’t be economically viable at a lower scale, comparing the proposed application to another project in town. His comment received applause from residents appearing at the public meeting who were strongly opposed to the height increase.
As well, concerns were raised regarding increased traffic within the potential 500 units on Marina Park Drive, with pleas for a pedestrian study over a traffic study.
However, the public meeting took a lighter tone when residents spoke off-microphone and away from the podium, addressing applicants and council directly.
While brief questions were thrown around and quick answers provided – such as how long the project would take, with Daniell replying up to 30 months if started as soon as possible – the unofficial interrogation turned to negotiation, which Mayor Bill Gordon allowed but with a gentle reminder to keep things on the record for the public.
One resident asked if locals could have access to the proposed hotel pool and gym, prompting Gordon to say with a laugh: “We can’t really do this; you guys can have these negotiations because you know how to reach – there’s some wheeling and dealing happening, but we’re not supposed to have that at the planning meeting.”
“Suddenly the height’s not so big an issue if the pool perk is involved,” Daniell immediately quipped to the resident.
The public meeting concluded with the presentation being received for information, and all comments taken by town staff.
The slideshow presentation and staff report for 1191 Harbourview Drive are available in the council agenda on the town of Midland website.
Council meetings are held every third Wednesday, and can be viewed on Rogers TV cable channel 53 when available, or through the livestream on the Rogers TV website. Archives of council meetings are available through Rogers TV and on the Town of Midland’s YouTube channel.
Midland to explore more public input but wary of ‘dumpster fire’ deputations
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, May 26, 2025
Members of Midland council recognized the value of public input during their recent committee of the whole meeting, while cautioning about the ‘dumpster fire’ of deputations in neighbouring municipalities this term.
To speak before the Midland committee of the whole currently, a deputation form must be filled out with a limit of two 10-minute deputations for each meeting.
Presented by Deputy Mayor Beth Prost, a notice for which motion was given addressed the feasibility of implementing a public comments section at the beginning of regular meetings of council.
The topic was raised near the midnight hour after a lengthy council meeting filled with several presentations and lengthy discussions of council matters.
Mayor Bill Gordon provided the context that the proposed motion occurs in other municipalities.
“We see this in place in Tiny (Township),” said Gordon. “It’s gone through some changes because they’ve had to clamp down on it – but I don’t know if that was so much the procedure or the topics, because they’ve got some contentious stuff going on.
“There’s plenty of (other municipalities) where it doesn’t happen,” Gordon added, “because it can become a real dumpster fire, real quick if it’s not managed well.”
He stated that his perception was that the current council climate was accessible to the public through many avenues such as through email or in person, but he would look forward to a report on the subject.
Prost acknowledged there would need to be changes made to the procedure bylaw to accommodate resident engagement, and simply asked for a report if council were interested in approving the motion.
“It’s all about bringing the public in, and making them feel like they can come in and say something to us, or ask a question. It’s better than emails and phone calls sometimes,” said Prost.
“I’m being honest… I don’t think a lot of people are going to be lining up at the door to have their whole two minutes at the beginning of the meeting. I think it’s going to be fine, and we can learn from Wasaga Beach, from Penetang, from Tiny. There’s lots of things we can learn from, and we can make it really simple – and if it’s a dumpster fire, we put it out and it’s over,” said Prost.
In contrast to the majority of council showing favour toward a report on the reconsideration, Coun. Catherine MacDonald objected to allotting staff time to a report – perhaps due to the late hour or because she had been chided moments before on a different matter – using council’s words back at them that staff would be busy as budget season and next year’s election cycle approached.
“I would prefer to introduce it when we’re reviewing the bylaws entirely instead of – because the staff’s pretty busy,” said MacDonald to the amused reaction of fellow councillors.
Town clerk Sherri Edgar stated that if it were the will of council, a report could be brought by September, but cautioned: “When we make changes to the procedure bylaw, it’s for the next term of council… (although) it’s not fair to do it three-quarters of the way through the term, and then it would be for the new council.”
Prost replied: “That’s all I ask. A report comes back and it’s up to council if they want to do something to involve the public or not, so if it doesn’t go it doesn’t go but I tried.”