The Highland Companies

The Township of Melancthon sits in the northwest quadrant of the County of Dufferin in central Ontario. As a rural community, the main economic activities in the Township are derived from its natural resources. For many years, the local soils and bedrock provided the fuel for the area’s farming and aggregate businesses. As the movement towards green, renewable energy has grown, the largest wind farm in Canada has located here, harnessing the area's steady winds.

From a growth perspective, Melancthon is ideally situated close to market within the Greater Golden Horseshoe, but outside of the special planning designations related to environmental significance such as the Greenbelt and the Niagara Escarpment.

Although Melancthon is rich in natural resources, it faces the same challenges as other small rural municipalities: the impact of the worst economic conditions since the 1930s; area business closures, cutbacks and layoffs; a comparatively limited township tax base; reliance on diminishing provincial grants and, according to the Dufferin County Growth Management Study, the prospect of modest population and employment growth in the coming years.

Like other municipalities, Melancthon Township will benefit from an economy and revenue stream that precludes the need to consider such measures as reduced local services or increased township residential property taxes.