Municipality of Grey Highlands

What Municipality of Grey Highlands does

The Municipality of Grey Highlands is a lower-tier municipal government in Grey County, Ontario, Canada, formed in 2001 through the amalgamation of the Village of Markdale with the Townships of Artemesia, Euphrasia, and Osprey. It delivers the full range of statutory municipal services to residents and businesses within its boundaries, including property taxation and tax certificate issuance, building permits and inspections, waste collection and recycling (via RecCollect scheduling), roads and winter maintenance, fire and emergency response, water and wastewater utilities, by-law enforcement, planning and development approvals, recreation facility rentals (arenas, halls), cemeteries, animal control, marriages, library services (Walter Harris Memorial, Kimberley branches), and museum operations. Service delivery is supported by an integrated digital stack comprising a Govstack-powered website, CloudPermit building-permit platform, Paymentus payment processing, iCity Online property/utility account portal, UniverusREC and BookKing facility booking, CivicWeb council meeting management, Geo.Grey.ca GIS, BurnPermits.com, and the Connect Grey Highlands community engagement platform.

The municipality's revenue model is statutory and non-commercial, anchored by an annual property tax levy ($20,151,616 approved for 2026, a 5.9% blended increase) supplemented by user fees (building permits, planning applications, facility rentals, dog tags, marriage licenses, tax certificates at $75, waste disposal), recurring water and sewer utility billing, and provincial/federal grants (including a pending $5M grant for the Markdale Connecting Link project). Its 2026 capital program totals $21.8M, funded through the levy, reserves, development charges, grants, and debentures, allocated across roads ($4.7M), bridges ($2.45M), the Connecting Link, and recreation facilities. The municipality also operates the Grey County Regional Training Centre out of its Markdale fire station (training 136 firefighters in 2025) and shares waste management infrastructure with the Township of Chatsworth.

Governance operates under Ontario's Strong Mayor, Building Homes Act, 2022 framework, with an elected Mayor (Paul McQueen) and Council supported by a Chief Administrative Officer and department directors (Finance, Environmental Services, Transportation, Corporate Services, Community Services). The 2026 budget cycle was the first full process under this expanded mayoral authority. Recent operational disruptions include the August 2025 Markdale Arena fire (closure and repair) and the July 2026 Rocklyn Arena temporary closure for health and safety assessment, both of which affect recreation service continuity and may divert capital. The municipality is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026 and is not a commercial enterprise — it has no parent, no subsidiaries, no shareholders, and no equity instruments, serving as a public-sector entity with diversified, captive revenue streams.

Name

Municipality of Grey Highlands

Legal name

Municipality of Grey Highlands

Website

https://greyhighlands.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Municipality of Grey Highlands is a lower-tier Ontario municipal government delivering property taxation, building permits, waste collection, fire services, roads, water/sewer utilities, recreation facilities, and planning services to residents and businesses across Grey County, funded by property tax levies, user fees, utility billing, and provincial/federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Other General Government Support (92119), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Sanitary Services (4950), Water Supply (4941), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Property tax collection
• Waste recycling services
• Fire emergency response
• Public infrastructure maintenance

Headquarters

HQ city

Markdale

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Levy: Annual municipal property tax levy collected from residential and commercial properties within the municipality boundaries to fund municipal operations and capital programs
2. User Fees and Service Charges: Various fees including building permits, planning applications, facility rentals, dog tags, marriage licenses, tax certificates, and waste disposal fees
3. Provincial and Federal Grants: Funding from upper levels of government for specific projects including infrastructure, community safety, and emergency preparedness
4. Water and Sewer Utility Billing: User-pay utility services for water and wastewater management

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Municipality of Grey Highlands delivers statutory local government services to residents, businesses, and visitors within its boundaries. Core offerings include property tax billing and collection, curbside waste and recycling collection, building permit issuance and inspection, fire suppression and emergency response, municipal road and sidewalk maintenance, water and wastewater utility services, recreation facility rentals, cemetery and animal control services, marriage licensing, short-term accommodation licensing, and planning and development approvals. Delivery combines in-person service at municipal offices with online self-service via the eServices portal and third-party platforms (CloudPermit, Paymentus, UniverusREC, ReCollect, iCity Online).

Product overview

The Municipality of Grey Highlands provides digital and in-person services through an integrated platform combining eServices portal, physical facilities, and third-party systems. Core offerings include property tax management (via iCity Online), waste and recycling collection (via ReCollect), building permits (via CloudPermit), facility bookings (via UniverusREC), roads and transportation infrastructure, fire and emergency services, and senior services. The 2026 capital program ($21.8M) funds ongoing infrastructure improvements across roads, bridges, recreation facilities, and waste management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grey Highlands Fire & Emergency Services: Fire and emergency services department providing fire suppression, prevention, and emergency response
• Grey Highlands Public Library
• Grey Highlands Museum

Products and services

• eServices Portal Digital self-service platform enabling residents, property owners, and businesses to access property tax accounts, utility accounts, building permits, service requests, address changes, and online payments for municipal services.
• Property Tax Services Annual property tax billing, collection, and payment services for residential and commercial properties, including e-billing, pre-authorized monthly payment plans, four-installment annual plans, and tax certificates. Tax certificates cost $75 each (non-refundable).
• Waste & Recycling Services Curbside waste collection, recycling programs, waste diversion site access, and collection scheduling for residential and commercial properties, supported by the ReCollect platform and the Holland-Markdale Waste Disposal Site.
• Building Permits Building permit applications, plan review, inspection scheduling, and compliance verification delivered via the CloudPermit platform for property owners, contractors, and developers undertaking construction within Grey Highlands.
• Facility Bookings Rental of municipal recreation facilities including arenas (Flesherton Arena, Markdale Arena, Rocklyn Arena, Osprey Arena), community halls, and the Flesherton Kinplex, booked online through the UniverusREC and BookKing platforms.
• Roads & Transportation Services Municipal road and sidewalk maintenance, winter road conditions monitoring, entrance permits, load restrictions, and the Adopt-a-Road volunteer program for residents and road users across the municipality.
• Fire & Emergency Services Fire suppression, fire prevention, public education, emergency response, burn permits (via BurnPermits.com), and operation of the Grey County Regional Training Centre providing certified firefighter training to fire departments across Grey County.
• Seniors Services Age-friendly community programs, seniors advisory committee coordination, health fairs, transportation services, and community resources for senior residents of Grey Highlands.
• Municipal Elections (Electronic Voting)

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% increase in Markdale Wastewater Treatment Plant capacity (2,580 m3/d)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Township of ChatsworthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Joint partnership for shared waste management services at the Holland-Markdale Waste Disposal Site. Both municipalities jointly funded and operate a new waste shredder at the site, enhancing waste processing capabilities and extending landfill lifespan while reducing costs.
• Ontario Fire CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial fire service training institution that partners with Grey County Regional Training Centre to deliver high-quality, provincially recognized training courses to local and regional firefighters.
• Grey County MunicipalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership through Grey County Regional Training Centre to provide shared firefighter training services to fire departments across Grey County, reducing travel costs and supporting certification.
• Ontario Provincial Police (Grey Bruce Detachment)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOPP provides policing services to Grey Highlands under contract. Municipality provides equipment and data-sharing support through Community Safety and Policing Grant, including electric bikes and traffic monitoring equipment.
• Ontario Ministry of TransportationcoreOthersProvincial ministry responsible for Highway 10, with municipality advancing OPP regional facility project. New OPP detachment planned to serve as reporting centre for Grey and Bruce County.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Town of Erin: Small rural Ontario municipality of comparable population scale offering the same municipal service mix (taxes, permits, recreation, fire, roads); useful peer for digital transformation and capital-program benchmarking.
• Town of The Blue Mountains: Adjacent Grey County municipality of similar rural-resort character; comparable in providing property tax, recreation, building permits, waste, water/sewer, and roads services to a small population base with seasonal tourism exposure.
• Township of Chatsworth: Grey County partner municipality with whom Grey Highlands jointly operates waste management infrastructure at Holland-Markdale; similar small-municipality service mandate and shared-service collaboration profile.
• Municipality of Meaford: Neighbouring Grey County municipality with overlapping service portfolio—water/wastewater, recreation facilities, fire services, property tax administration, and capital road programs—making it directly comparable in scale and rural service delivery model.
• Municipality of North Perth: Rural Ontario municipality formed via amalgamation with similar budget scale, agricultural-economic base, and full municipal service mandate including recreation, fire, water/wastewater, and roads.
• Municipality of West Grey: Grey County municipality formed via amalgamation similar to Grey Highlands; comparable operating scale, rural service delivery, multi-community governance model, and recreation/waste/road service portfolios.
• Town of Pelham: Small Niagara-region municipality with comparable operating scale, rural-urban transition service demand, and similar reliance on property taxes, user fees, and provincial grants.
• Township of Clearview: Adjacent rural Ontario municipality with comparable population size, agriculture-tourism economic base, and full-service municipal mandate including recreation arenas, fire services, and water/wastewater utilities.

Broad incumbents

• Town of Collingwood: Larger South Georgian Bay municipality offering the same core municipal services but with a much larger population and budget; useful as a scale-up benchmark for Grey Highlands' digital services and capital program approaches.

Others

• CivicWeb (by Granicus): Vendor of the CivicWeb meeting management portal used by Grey Highlands for Council agendas/minutes; representative of the broader gov-tech vendor ecosystem that supplies municipalities of Grey Highlands' profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqtJwM3NIAjy3QQeRFKDbBg
• Facebookfacebook.com/MunicipalityofGreyHighlands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/greyhighlands
• Instagraminstagram.com/greyhighlands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Municipality of Grey Highlands