Victoria-Harbour, Simcoe

Victoria Harbour is a picturesque small town in Tay Township in the southern Georgian Bay region. It forms part of Central Ontario and is located in Simcoe County. The Victoria Harbour neighbourhood offers a slow-paced life by the beautiful water and has a rural and farming culture abundant with natural resources. Barrie and Midland are the prominent townships near Victoria Harbour, while Toronto is 90 minutes away. The neighbourhood of Victoria Harbour is complete with green parks and nature trails. Most of the town was established back in the 19th Century. The town has amenities such as schools, restaurants, shopping centres and churches. The housing market in the area comprises mostly independent bungalows and is a sought-after community by real estate investors because of the peaceful and friendly environment in the heart of nature that it has to offer.

Victoria Harbour is the best-ranked neighbourhood in the Tay Township and has a livability index of 71/100. The cost of living in the Victoria Harbour neighbourhood is not very high, nor is the housing properties market. However, the availability of amenities is a problem here, and the residents have to commute to the nearby prominent townships to avail large-scale amenities. Crime in Victoria Harbour is rated A+ and is 38% lower than the national average. The neighbourhood of Victoria Harbour is safer than 54% of the cities in Ontario. Residents here have a 1 in 38 chance of becoming a victim of crime. This makes the neighbourhood an appealing residential locality to settle in with family.

The Victoria Harbour neighbourhood has a decent median household income of $85,591 which is 4% higher than the national average. However, it is lower than the Ontario average by 2%. About 3.3% of people in the neighbourhood earn $20,000 or less, about 13.5% of people earn between $80,000 and $1,00,000, and about 1.7% of the people earn $3,00,000 or more. The majority of the people in the Victoria Harbour neighbourhood speak English; however, no one speaks French. The community is diverse, with Southeast Asian, South Asian and Filipino natives.

The Victoria Harbour neighbourhood offers all basic amenities such as schools, healthcare centres, places of worship, restaurants and retail stores. However, the community lacks the amenities of a metropolitan which can be availed by easily commuting to prominent townships and cities nearby.

Schools

Few schools in the area offer high-standard education to the children of the residents. These schools are as follows:

• Tay Shores Public School
• Antoine Daniel Catholic School
• Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board
• Ecole Secondaire Catholique Nouvelle Alliance

Restaurants

The Victoria Harbour neighbourhood is a posh locality and likewise has restaurants and cafes for the leisure of the residents. Some of the popular restaurants in the area are as follows:

• The Queen’s Quay British Pub & Restaurant
• The Explorers Café
• Harbour Palace
• The Boathouse Eatery
• The Arch Steakhouse and Tavern

Shopping Malls

Few shopping centres and malls in and around Victoria Harbour cater to the requirements of the residents. To avail of services of large commercial complexes, one has to commute to the nearby townships of Barrie and Midland. The shopping centres near the Victoria Harbour neighbourhood are as follows:

• Village Square Mall
• Stonebridge Town Centre
• The Harbour Centre
• Huronia Mall
• Downtown Midland

Hospitals

Many healthcare centres across Simcoe County cater to the residents of Victoria Harbour. These hospitals are equipped with highly-trained medical professionals and advanced technologies to meet the medical needs of the locals.

• Georgian Bay General Hospital
• Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
• South Muskoka Memorial Hospital
• Tay Medical Clinic
• Francis Memorial Hospital

Surrounded by beautiful provincial lakes and conservation areas, Victoria Harbour has much to offer when it comes to tourist attractions and places to visit. Some of the destinations people can visit from Victoria Harbour are as follows:

Georgian Bay

Georgian Bay has a rugged shoreline, sand beaches, windswept pines, and clear blue water. It is an adventure paradise for water sports lovers and offers opportunities to swim, fish, sail, paddle, ski and more. The Bay is the northeastern arm of the scenic Lake Huron and has the Bruce Peninsula National Park on its western side, which includes the Bruce Trail along the Niagara Escarpment.

Tay Shore Trail

Tay Shore Trail is a 10.5-mile point-to-point trail near Tay, which is generally considered a moderately challenging hiking route and is popular for bird watching and fishing. The best time to visit this nature trail is from March through October during the Fall when one can enjoy the colours of autumn.

Victoria Harbour Range Rear Lighthouse

Victoria Harbour Range Rear Lighthouse, located on William Street in Victoria Harbour, is a tribute to the glorious past of the harbour community. It is a historic site and opens a few times a year for public viewing. The top of the lighthouse offers a splendid view of Lake Huron.

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre is a wetland area on the south shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario. It has beautiful nature trails, lakes and abundant flora and fauna to explore. The Wildlife Centre offers many guided programmes for canoeing and kayaking. It has an observation tower, floating boardwalks, a waterfront monitoring platform, wildflower gardens, a bee house and much more.

The Victoria Harbour neighbourhood has a beautiful waterfront for boating, outdoor activities, nature trails and much more. The residents of the area will find themselves amidst an array of options to stay engaged while enjoying the close-knit community living.

Biking, Hiking or Skiing

The nature trails around Victoria Harbour offer stunning natural views and are a delight for those who enjoy activities like biking, hiking or skiing. These nature trails are safe and easy to access in all seasons. The Horseback Trail and the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre are among the areas that offer such nature trails and various outdoor activities to engage in.

Water-Sports

The sand beaches along Georgian Bay open opportunities for various water sports all year round. Swimming, sailing, paddling, cycling, surfing and skiing are the adventure sports that locals and visitors can enjoy. Fishing is also a popular recreational activity here. There are various waterfront campsites along the Georgian Bay where tourists can enjoy camping.

The neighbourhood of Victoria Harbour offers easy connectivity to other prominent towns of Ontario and the cities of Canada. Some of the important localities close to Victoria Harbour are as follows:

• The township of Midland is 13.3 km away from Victoria Harbour and can be reached in about 12 minutes by car.
• Barrie is 55.9 km away from Victoria Harbour and can be reached in 33 minutes by car.
• Toronto is 163 km away and can be reached in 1 hour and 47 minutes via ON-400 N Highway.
• The Toronto Pearson International Airport, which is 143 km away, can be reached in 1 hour and 16 minutes via highway route.

The Victoria Harbour neighbourhood has various popular local markets to cater to the shopping needs of the residents. There are full-scale grocery stores for all daily essentials, a furniture market, a farmers’ market and more that the locals can explore.

Southern Georgian Bay Farmer’s Market

Southern Georgian Bay Farmer’s Market, more popularly known as The Harbour Market, is the traditional market in the area that connects the community to the local farmers and artisans. The goal of the market is to promote sustainable food and create awareness about local businesses and products. One can purchase fresh farm produce, poultry, meat, bakery items, as well as handicrafts such as paintings, jewellery and much more from here.

Port Severn General Store

Port Severn General Store is a convenient grocery store complete with freshly delivered farm produce, dairy and bakery items. It has a speciality butcher counter selling high-quality steaks and fresh meats. The neighbourhood shop also has a gift boutique and choices in apparel. The store has a fast-food kiosk for shoppers to grab a bite while shopping.

Huronia Mall

Huronia Mall in Midland, near the Victoria Harbour neighbourhood, is a mid-priced shopping complex with food outlets, apparel stores, jewellery stores, home décor and more. Giant Tiger, Service Ontario and Jimmy’s All-Day Breakfast are some of the prominent outlets in the mall. The mall is only 15 km away from the neighbourhood and is open on all days from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm.

The demographic characteristic of the neighbourhood of Victoria Harbour is quite diverse. It has a total population of 4,088, with a sparse population density of 534 per square kilometre. With a median age of 47.2 years, the majority of the population of the Victoria Harbour location is middle-aged. Furthermore, 69% are married couples, while only 37% of the families have kids at home.

There are various amusements around the Victoria Harbour location for residents to engage with their kids, such as the biking and hiking expeditions on the nature trails along Georgian Bay. These trails offer scenic views of Lake Huron and are moderately challenging when it comes to biking and hiking adventures. Pets are welcome on these nature trails and may be off-leash in some areas as well. Various water sports activities are also at the disposal of the children on the beautiful sand beaches of Georgian Bay. Residents can swim, paddle, sail, ski and fish in these waters with their children. Residents can also take their children to Newton Street Art Barn, a local artisans’ market with gifts and toys for children. The Art Barn hosts regular bus tours, workshops and many play activities to engage with children. There are also many parks in and around Victoria Harbour where you can take your pets.

The cost of living in Victoria Harbour is 9% lower than the national average and is rated A. The cost of goods & services, groceries and healthcare is at par with that of Ontario, while transportation and utilities are slightly on the higher end. Victoria Harbour's real estate cost is 60% lower than the Ontario average and 52% lower than the national average.

The median house price in Victoria Harbour, Ontario, is $958,000. The housing properties here are mostly independent bungalows, detached houses or condos with a common configuration of three or four bedrooms. Location plays an essential role when finding homes for rent. The Victoria Harbour location is one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the township of Tay and a sought-after one as well, owing to the peaceful and friendly family life it has to offer away from the hustle and bustle of the city, nestled amidst nature.