Local Services

Roads & Highways

• Hwy 26 to Owen Sound, Hwy 21 to Sarnia, Port Huron & Michigan
• Hwy 26 to Collingwood, Barrie & 400 to Toronto
• Grey Road #7 to Grey Road #13 to Flesherton and either Hwy 10 to Toronto or Hwy #4 to Durham and Hwy #6 to Guelph, Kitchener.

Coachlines

• Penetang-Midland Coach Lines Ltd. has a Meaford depot with daily service

Taxis & Limousine Service

• 2 taxi companies
• 1 limousine company

Air

• Collingwood Airport - 40 km
• Wiarton Airport - 50 km
• Billy Bishop Airport - 23 km
• Pearson International Airport - 160 km

Water

• Meaford Harbour has docking and maintenance facilities for 220 pleasure craft, up to 50 ft. in length.

Postal

• A postal station is located in the downtown area with delivery to all residents of the Municipality.
• In addition, a variety of local, national and international couriers are available.

Water Services

• The water system is owned and operated by the Municipality of Meaford. The 26,000 m³/day water treatment plant draws water from Georgian Bay. The average daily usage is approximately 1800 m³/day in 2004.

Garbage

• The Municipality collects garbage, compost, and recycling material on a regular schedule.

Sewage

• Operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency, the sewage treatment plant provides secondary treatment (aerobic digesters and sludge removal) and discharges into Georgian Bay. There are 3 sewage pumping stations in the municipality.

Energy

• Fuel Oil is supplied by local companies to residents and businesses. Many different types of fuel are supplied, including furnace oil, diesel, stove oil and gasoline.
• Natural Gas is available in the serviced areas of the municipality. Rates are subject to change upon approval by the Ontario Energy Board.

Preschool, Elementary and High Schools

• There are a total of seven nursery schools and day care centres located in the Municipality of Meaford for preschool children.
• There are two elementary schools, with optional instruction in French Immersion to Grade 8.
• The local high school has numerous extra-curricular clubs and sports, a 400 metre track, full size gymnasium, and cafeteria.
• There are also several alternative elementary and high schools, including Catholic schools and private academies located nearby, mainly in Owen Sound.
• Various night school courses, academic and general interest, are offered in two sessions through the Bluewater District School Board during the regular school year in the evening hours.

Post Secondary Institutions

• Georgian College, Owen Sound & Collingwood campuses

Recreation

• Baseball Diamonds in Meaford, Rocklyn, Bognor and Annan (with organized leagues)
• 9 Soccer Pitches (with organized soccer leagues)
• 1 Municipal outdoor swimming pool (The Blue Dolphin)
• Municipal Playgrounds
• Public Tennis Courts
• Rotary Skateboard Park
• 7 Beaches
• 9 Parks
• Lawn Bowling Club
• 5-pin bowling
• Curling Club
• 3 Golf Courses & Driving Ranges
• Mini-golf
• 3 popular & well maintained hiking trails (Georgian Trail, Bruce Trail & Trout Hollow)
• Groomed Snowmobile Trails (Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club)
• Camping facilities for RV and tents
• Ice Skating/ Hockey Arena & Community Centre
• East Grey Hunters & Anglers
• Alpine Skiing (Talisman, Blue Mountain)
• Sailing School for children and adults
• Meaford Public Library & Friends of the Library
• Numerous community centres and halls including Woodford, Bognor, Riverside - Meaford Legion Branch 32
• Meaford Hall, a premier arts and cultural centre (home of The Georgian Theatre Festival)
• ATC Meaford Coyote Running Club
• Meaford Karate Club
• Reef Boat Club

Municipal Administration

• Elected Government - Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Five Councillors
• Administration - Chief Administrative Officer
• Planning - Official Plan (Revised 2003)
• Population - 10,400 in 2003
• Assessment - $801,536,145 in 2003

Protection Services

Grey Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police

• 2 Sergeants, 4 Sergeant Team Leaders
• 59 Constables
• 1 Detective Sergeant
• 6 Detective Constables
• 6 Secretaries
• 1 Inspector
• Equipment- 23 cruisers, 4 ski-dos, 24 ft boat

Fire

• 1 Chief
• 1 Deputy Chief
• 1 Chief Fire Prevention Officer
• 4 Captains
• 1 Fire Safety Officer
• 1 Mechanical Officer
• 1 Training Officer
• 12 Firefighters
• 2- Pumper Trucks
• 1 - Tanker Truck
• 2- Rescue Vans
• 1- Rescue Boat with Ice & Water Rescue Equipment
• Car Extrication equipment

Canadian Coast Guard

• Search & Rescue station at Meaford Harbour, staffed 24 hrs/day 7 days/wk from mid-March to early Dec. There are 2 crews on rotating shifts. Each crew is made up of 1 Captain, 1 Engineer, 1 Cook/Seaman and 1 Seaman/Rescue Specialist. The station has a 47 ft Motor Life Boat, self-righting, with total 900 hp and cruising speed at 25 knots.

Meaford Public Works

• 15 employees

Health Services

Medical

• 30 in-patient bed hospital and emergency services, administered by the Grey Bruce Health Services, Owen Sound, where an additional 208 beds, up-to-date diagnostics, and many medical specialists are located
• 7 full-time general practitioner physicians, complete out-patient facilities
• 3 dentists
• 1 optometrist
• 3 chiropractors
• 1 chiropodist
• 1 pharmacy
• 1 day spa / esthetician
• Registered Massage Therapists
• Canadian Red Cross Society, Blood Donor Clinics
• VON (Victorian Order of Nurses)
• Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Local Branch
• Other various health care practitioners & estheticians
• 4 group homes for developmentally disabled persons as of 2004

Ambulance

• 2 radio-dispatched ambulances
• 24 hour dispatch service
• Helicopter landing site at the hospital

Retirement/Senior Facilities

• 3 County operated Senior Citizen Apartments, with total of 62 units
• 3 non-profit complexes, with total of 109 units
• Meaford Long Term Care Centre with 24 hr nursing care, 77 beds

Media, Service Clubs, Tourist Attractions & Miscellaneous Features

Media

• Radio CFOS (560 kHz), CIXK (106.5 FM), CKYC (93.7 FM), Owen Sound and The Peak FM (95.1), Collingwood
• Rogers Cable T.V., Owen Sound
• Newspapers
• The Meaford Express, weekly
• The Owen Sound Sun Times, daily
• Internet Service - 5 different servers available locally, including high speed & fiber optic capability (check local service providers for availability)

Service Clubs/Non Profit Organizations

• Meaford & District Chamber of Commerce, Agricultural Society, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Boy Scouts & Girl Guides, Adopt-A-Garden, East Grey Hunters and Anglers, Friends of the Library, Georgian Bay Steam Club, Georgian Quilters Guild, Golden Age Club, Golden Town Outreach, 4-H Club, Junior Field Naturalists Club, Masonic Lodge, Meaford BIA, Meaford Family Resource Centre, Meaford Golden Flyers, Kinsmen & Kinettes, Kiwanis, Lions and Lioness, Niagara Escarpment Commission, Rotary Club, Branch 32 Royal Canadian Legion, Block Parents, Welcome Wagon, Meaford Garden Club, Spanish Club, Coyote Toastmasters, Georgian Camera Club, GBHS Meaford Auxiliary, The Goldenaires, Sweet Adelines, Heritage Meaford, Meaford Creative Arts Association, 55+ Friendship Club.

Miscellaneous Features (as at 2004)

• 3 banks
• 6 Motel/Lodge, 16 Bed & Breakfast, 1 Resort, 4 Campgrounds
• 28 restaurants
• 9 churches
• Public Library, including Children's and Audio-Visual Sections
• 3 grocery stores

Tourist Attractions

The Municipality of Meaford has a variety of interesting attractions for both tourists and local residents. The community enjoys both cultural and recreational activities in a four-season setting. The list of attractions includes, but is in no way limited to the following:

• Beautiful JoeT Park
• Bognor Marsh
• Bruce Trail
• Christ Church Anglican Stained Glass Windows
• Georgian Trail
• Historic Leith Church & Pioneer Cemetery
• Meaford Museum
• Storybook Park
• Riding Toy Museum
• Meaford Hall Arts & Culture Centre
• Trout Hollow Trail