Moving from Toronto to Orillia: the complete guide

Moving from Toronto to Orillia gets you a small, full-service city on two lakes. It has its own hospital, a university campus, a working downtown on Mississaga Street and public waterfront on Lake Couchiching, all within about two hours of downtown Toronto. What you give up is easy access to the city, a low property tax rate and Toronto's depth of services. Orillia's 2026 residential tax rate is about double Toronto's, there is no GO train, and winter is a factor four or five months of the year. If you plan the commute, your budget and the order of your sale and purchase before you start shopping, the move usually goes smoothly. When people skip those steps, those same three things are where problems show up.

This guide covers what actually changes, the trade-offs, and a step-by-step plan for the move. The companion guides go deeper on cost of living, commuting and neighbourhoods.

Why do people move from Toronto to Orillia?

The reasons come up again and again.

Space. The same budget usually buys more house and more lot than in Toronto, though how much more depends on the market. Current Orillia figures are on our market page.

The lakes. Orillia sits where Lake Simcoe meets Lake Couchiching, and both are part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Couchiching Beach Park, Centennial Park and the Port of Orillia are right at the end of downtown. If you want to live on the water, read buying waterfront on Lake Couchiching.

A real downtown. Mississaga Street has independent shops, restaurants and the Downtown Orillia Business Improvement Area's events calendar, and the Arts District runs along Peter Street South. It is a small-city main street, not a mall.

Size. The 2021 Census counted 33,411 people, up 7.2% from 2016. That is big enough for a hospital (Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital), a university campus (Lakehead University's Orillia campus) and the OPP's general headquarters, and small enough that you see the same people at the grocery store.

Remote work. Lots of people who moved here in recent years only go into the GTA a few days a week, or not at all. That changes the math on a two-hour trip completely.

What actually changes when you leave Toronto?

Pace and scale

Orillia's median age was 46.8 in the 2021 Census, and the city's pace reflects that. Traffic is local, stores close earlier, and Sunday buses stop at 4:45 p.m. If you like being able to get anything at any hour, you'll notice the difference. If you're tired of that, it's a relief.

Space and housing

Housing here ranges from older homes in the North and South Wards to newer subdivisions in West Ridge, plus condos and townhouses, waterfront on both lakes, and rural lots in the townships around the city. The neighbourhoods guide goes through each area. Just outside the city limits, homes often have a septic system and a well instead of city services. That's a different kind of ownership. The rural property checklist covers what to check.

Winters

Winter is a bigger part of life here than it is in downtown Toronto. Highway 11 north of Barrie and the roads through Oro-Medonte and Severn can be rough in a squall. Plan on good winter tires, a snowblower or a plowing contract, and a little flexibility on storm days. Ontario 511 (511on.ca) shows live road conditions, highway cameras and snowplow locations. The commuting guide has more.

Services

Orillia has a full-service hospital, which many smaller lake-country towns don't. Specialist care, some diagnostics and many big-box errands may still mean a trip to Barrie or Toronto. Finding a family doctor is a real issue across Ontario, so register with Health Care Connect (call 811 or apply online) as soon as you have your new address. The schools and healthcare guide covers this in detail.

One recent change to note: Georgian College closed its Orillia campus in summer 2026 and moved its programs to Barrie. Older websites still list it.

What are the honest trade-offs?

	Toronto	Orillia
2026 residential property tax rate	0.767311%	1.531692%
Municipal land transfer tax on purchase	Yes, tiered	None
Train to Union Station	Subway, GO, UP Express	None; nearest GO train is Allandale Waterfront in Barrie
Local transit	TTC, 24-hour network	Orillia Transit: six routes, about every 30 minutes, $2 fare until March 31, 2027
Typical lot	Smaller, urban	Larger in most neighbourhoods; rural lots nearby
Lakes	Lake Ontario	Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching, both on the Trent-Severn

Property tax. Orillia's rate is about double Toronto's, but your bill is the rate times your home's MPAC assessment. Ontario assessments are still based on January 1, 2016 values, so neither the purchase price nor the current market value tells you the bill. Before you make an offer, ask for the current tax bill for that specific house. The cost of living guide works through examples.

Distance. Coming from Toronto, you'll drive more. A household that had one car downtown often needs two here, especially outside the transit area.

Getting back to the city. Ontario Northland's coach and a drive to Barrie for the GO train both work, but neither is a subway. If someone in your household needs to be in Toronto five days a week, test the commute before you buy.

Making friends. Orillia has plenty of clubs, sports leagues, volunteer groups and arts organizations, but it takes some effort when you arrive without kids in local schools.

How should you plan the move?

Should you buy in Orillia before selling in Toronto?

Each order works. The right one depends on your equity, your lender and how much uncertainty you can live with.

Buying first

You can wait for the right house and write a clean offer without a condition on selling your home. The risk is owning two homes at once if your Toronto place takes longer to sell or sells for less than you expected. Bridge financing can cover a short gap between closings, but your lender sets the terms and the limits. Confirm them before you write an offer, not after.

Selling first

You know exactly what you have to spend, and you never carry two mortgages. The risk is having a closing date and no house. That's usually handled with a long closing, a rent-back from your buyer, or a short-term rental in Orillia while you look. Renting first also lets you live through a winter before you commit to a neighbourhood.

Buying with a condition on selling

You can make your Orillia offer conditional on selling your Toronto home. Sellers often treat that as a weaker offer, especially in busy markets, and it usually comes with a clause that lets them keep marketing their home. The offers and bidding rules guide explains how conditions work in Ontario.

What does it cost to move up?

Beyond the purchase itself, budget for Ontario land transfer tax, legal fees, title insurance, a home inspection, moving costs and adjusting your car and home insurance. If you buy outside city services, add septic and well inspections. The cost of living guide covers ongoing costs like property tax, water and sewer, electricity and child care.

Is Orillia right for you?

Orillia tends to suit people who want water, space and a town they can get to know, and who can live with a longer trip to the city. It is a harder fit if someone in the house commutes downtown daily, or if you rely on Toronto-level specialist care and transit. Plenty of people find a middle ground in the townships around the city, such as Severn, Oro-Medonte or Ramara, or by looking at Barrie, which is closer to the GO train. If you're planning for retirement, read retiring in Orillia next.

How Jordan can help

Jordan Rossman is a REALTOR® with Real Broker Ontario Ltd., Brokerage, and has worked in Orillia real estate since 2014. He can help you narrow neighbourhoods to fit your commute, show you homes in the off-season so you see what you're really buying, and plan your Orillia purchase alongside the sale of your current home. Call 705-345-0797 or get in touch at contact.