Huntsville is a vibrant and growing community nestled in the heart of Muskoka. With its natural beauty, cultural attractions, and thriving economy, Huntsville continues to attract new residents and businesses. As part of the Town’s Strategic Plan, we are committed to balanced growth, and working with our partners to strive in meeting our housing needs.
We strive to collaborate with the District, other levels of government and community partners to create attainable housing options and effectively communicate their programs to Huntsville residents.
What is Affordable Housing?
Affordable housing means housing that costs 30% or less of a household’s before-tax income. This definition comes from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and helps ensure people can afford other basic needs like food and transportation.
Huntsville has a higher share of lower to modest income households, with 55.3% of households earning less than $80,000 per year after tax, compared to 50.3% in Ontario and nearly 38% of households earn less than $60,000 a year after tax.
Huntsville is working to provide affordable housing for households with moderate incomes. The province has set thresholds for each municipality to establish affordable homes for the purpose of Development Charges, these thresholds can be found on the Ontario Data Catelogue.
- For homeowners, affordable housing means homes priced at $355,700.
- For renters, affordable housing means monthly rents of $891 to $1,391.
In addition, Huntsville has set affordable rates through a Town policy and adjusts the thresholds annually through the fees and charges by-law (schedule D).
Why Affordable Housing Matters
Affordable housing is important because it:
- Helps workers live close to their jobs.
- Supports seniors and people on fixed incomes who need safe and affordable places to live.
- Makes it easier for young families and professionals to build their lives here, which helps our economy grow.
- Reduces homelessness and housing insecurity, making our community stronger and more connected.
Without affordable housing, communities can face challenges like labor shortages, homelessness, and rising living costs.
Affordable Housing Developments Supported by the District
The District of Muskoka supports affordable housing with several programs, such as:
- New Housing Projects: Working with developers to build affordable homes and rental units.
- Rent Assistance: Helping renters cover housing costs with subsidy programs.
Learn more about these programs on the District of Muskoka’s Affordable Housing page.
The Towns Role in Housing
Huntsville works to support affordable housing by:
- Planning: Using zoning and bylaws to allow for affordable housing options like apartments and basement suites.
- Partnerships: Teaming up with non-profits, builders, and government agencies to create housing solutions.
- Advocacy: Asking the provincial and federal governments for funding to support local housing projects.
By taking these steps, the Town helps create more housing options for people with different needs and incomes.
The Town offers programs for both deferral of development charges and affordable housing rebates for development charges, planning and building fees. Please send us an intake form to get further details on programs available for your project:
Affordable Housing Rebate and Development Charges Deferral Intake Form
Social Housing
Social housing provides affordable rental units for people with low incomes. The District of Muskoka runs these programs, which are available to those who qualify based on income and family size.
For more information, visit the District of Muskoka Social Housing page.
Housing Needs Assessment
In September 2024, the Town of Huntsville conducted a Housing Needs Assessment which residents were able to take a survey and attend the Housing Needs Open House. The Housing Needs Assessment Survey submissions were evaluated and reviewed.
To learn more, visit the Housing Needs Assessment Project.