Relocating to Orillia
Moving to Orillia: the relocation guide
Moving to Orillia from Toronto or elsewhere: costs, commuting, neighbourhoods, schools, healthcare and retiring, with figures from the City and the Province.
The short answer
Orillia is a city of about 33,400 people (2021 Census) where Lake Simcoe meets Lake Couchiching, roughly 90 minutes to two hours north of downtown Toronto by Highway 11 and 400. People move here for space, the lakes and a slower pace. In exchange they accept a much higher property tax rate than Toronto's, a longer trip to the GTA, and real winters. The guides below cover costs, commuting, neighbourhoods, schools, healthcare and retiring.
Moving to Orillia means trading the GTA for a small city of about 33,400 people on two big lakes. Lake Simcoe is on one side, Lake Couchiching on the other, and the Trent-Severn Waterway runs through. Most people who make the move are after more space, water close to home and a slower day. In exchange they accept a longer trip to the city, a higher property tax rate than Toronto's, fewer big-city services and a real Ontario winter. This hub covers every part of that decision, with figures from the City of Orillia, the Province, Statistics Canada, the school boards and the transit agencies.
Who these guides are for
They are written for anyone weighing a move to Orillia. That includes a Toronto family who now works from home most of the week, a couple in Vaughan or Mississauga planning to retire, and someone moving for a job at the hospital, the OPP's general headquarters or Lakehead University. If you are looking at the townships around the city, start with the area pages for Severn, Oro-Medonte and Ramara. They cover septic systems, wells and the other rural details that city lots don't have.
The order to read these guides
- Moving from Toronto to Orillia. Start here. What actually changes, the honest trade-offs, a step-by-step plan for the move, and whether to buy or sell first.
- Cost of living in Orillia vs Toronto. The 2026 property tax rates side by side, Orillia's water and sewer rates, why there is no municipal land transfer tax here, electricity, child care and insurance.
- Commuting from Orillia. Highway 11 and 400, the Ontario Northland coach, GO trains from Barrie, LINX county transit, Orillia Transit, winter driving and how to check broadband at a specific address.
- Orillia neighbourhoods. Downtown, the North Ward, the South Ward, West Ridge and Couchiching Point, plus the township areas just outside the city.
- Retiring in Orillia. Healthcare, the 55+ Active Living Centre, ways to downsize, getting around without driving, and winters.
- Schools and healthcare in Orillia. The four school boards, the current state of the Lakehead and Georgian campuses, Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, finding a family doctor, and child care.
Before you start
Home prices change monthly, so we don't hard-code them in these guides. Current Orillia figures are on our market page, and if you're selling in the GTA first, you can get a number for your current home at home value. For the buying side, the first-time buyers and closing costs guides apply anywhere in Ontario, and the land transfer tax calculator shows what you'll pay on a purchase here.
These guides explain how things work and where the official information lives. They are not legal, tax or financial advice. Confirm anything that affects your decision with your lawyer, your accountant, your lender or the City.
Questions people ask
How far is Orillia from Toronto?
Orillia is north of Toronto on Highway 11, which joins Highway 400 at Barrie. Ontario Northland's scheduled coach takes about 1 hour 37 minutes from Orillia to Yorkdale and about 2 hours 17 minutes to Union Station on its evening trip. Driving time depends heavily on traffic at the south end.
Is there a GO train to Orillia?
No. The closest GO train station is Allandale Waterfront GO in Barrie, the northern end of the Barrie line. From Orillia you can reach Barrie by car, by Ontario Northland coach or by the County of Simcoe's LINX Route 3.
Are property taxes higher in Orillia than in Toronto?
The rate is. Orillia's 2026 residential rate is 1.531692%, about double Toronto's 2026 rate of 0.767311%. Your actual bill depends on your home's MPAC assessment, which is still based on January 1, 2016 values.
Is Orillia a good place to retire?
Many people think so. About a quarter of residents were 65 or older in the 2021 Census. The city has a full-service hospital, a 55+ Active Living Centre and a walkable downtown on the water. The trade-offs are winters and the same wait for a family doctor that much of Ontario faces.
Do I need a car in Orillia?
Most households have one. Orillia Transit runs six routes about every 30 minutes, with a $2 fare until March 31, 2027, but there is no Sunday evening service and rural areas outside the city have no transit.
Sources · checked November 9, 2026
- 1.City of Orillia Summary of Tax Rates 2026 — City of Orillia
- 2.Property tax rates and fees — City of Toronto
- 3.Schedules 101 and 102: Toronto–Barrie–North Bay (effective February 2, 2026) — Ontario Northland
- 4.Transit Schedule and Fares — City of Orillia
- 5.Orillia (City), 2021 Census population and age groups (Statistics Canada data) — City Population
- 6.Allandale Waterfront GO Station — Wikipedia
Rules, rates and programs change. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice — confirm specifics with the municipality, your lawyer or your accountant. Spot something out of date? Tell Jordan.
Moving to lake country?
Plan your move with someone who made Orillia home.
Jordan can match where you want to live with how you live — commute, schools, water, space — and help you time the sale of your current home.
Jordan Rossman
REALTOR®, Sales Representative
Real Broker Ontario Ltd.