The Unity Plan is Huntsville's Guide to a Sustainable Future. It tells about our town's promise to living in a way that thinks about the balance between people, planet and profit.
Click through the photos to learn about some of the projects that make Huntsville a better place to live.
Environment and reducing pollution
Battery recycling program |
Keep batteries and their unsafe chemicals out of the landfill by recycling them instead. Drop your dead batteries off at the:
Even better: save batteries from your school or office and bring them in for recycling. |
Don't feed the deer |
In most winters, deer simply do not need food from humans as they can cope with winter conditions just fine. Part of the beauty and responsibility that comes with living in Muskoka is living alongside wildlife. Appreciate deer from a distance. |
Earth hour |
Every year in March, people around the world show they care about the environment by turning off anything electronic in their home for an hour. Some celebrate with board games by the light of glow sticks. Others go out to gaze at the stars or to a neighbourhood event. Visit the Earth Hour website. |
Earth week |
Earth Day happens every year on April 22nd but the Town has events all week long! Join us for crafts and stories at the Huntsville Public Library, a compost giveaway and Seedy Saturday event. |
Idling |
The environment and the air we breathe is important to keep clean. A vehicle that idles for extended periods of time impacts this by:
How residents can help
Exemptions
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Orchard park apple picking festival |
Enjoy the fruits of summer with a family trip to Orchard Park to pick apples. Bring a basket or a bag for the apples you collect and your friends in late August – we supply the apple-picking tools. |
Outdoor lighting |
We love our night skies and a nice view of the stars here in Huntsville. If you're from the city, this might be something you rarely get to experience. We want to keep Huntsville attractive and minimize light pollution. This helps protect our beautiful natural environment. Types of outdoor lighting
BenefitsBy using only the energy we need, removing harsh lights, and being sensitive to the environment, we can have:
How residents can help
Next stepsWe began making changes by replacing streetlights in town with LED. These now comply with dark sky recommendations. Follow our lead and make sure your lighting is dark sky friendly before it is required in 2026. More about light pollutionVisit the International Dark-Sky Association website. |
Residential waste |
Huntsville is a beautiful town with many natural resources we like to protect. Our clean yard by-law is in place to help avoid properties from getting messy and out of control. Types of residential waste
How residents can help
DisposalHuntsville and area has a number of landfill and transfer stations, operated by the District of Muskoka. Visit our garbage, recycling and waste page for collection and drop off details. |
Sharrows |
These markings attract cyclists and remind two-wheeled and four-wheeled road users to share the road with each other. When we are polite towards other road users, the roads are a safe place to drive and cycle. |
Smoking |
Tobacco smoke is hazardous to the health of our people and our planet. The Town of Huntsville has a smoke free by-law which asks that smokers respect the environment of other residents and visitors and refrain from smoking on Town property and facilities, including parks/trails/beaches. How residents can help
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Streetlight conversion to L.E.D. |
L.E.D. streetlights use less energy than the ones they replaced. This means less electricity costs and less greenhouse gas emissions. They also cost less to maintain and provide a safer level of lighting in our town. |
Trees |
Before considering tree removal, please consider the environment. Our trees provide us with valuable oxygen. If the tree must be removed, make sure to confirm the location of your property lines. This is to ensure that the tree is not on a neighbouring property or public land. Town of Huntsville does not have a tree cutting by-law for private property, however we do have a by-law for public land. |
Carbon Calculator
What is a carbon footprint? Why is climate change an important topic? What does it mean to live sustainably? Check out the carbon calculator page.
Energy
Energy Consumption
Through Ontario Regulation 397-11, the Ontario provincial government requires that municipalities report energy consumption from their buildings that use electricity and that are heated and/or cooled. These reports are due each year on July 1. Town of Huntsville submissions:
- 2019 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2017)
- 2018 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2016)
- 2017 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2015)
- 2016 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2014)
- 2015 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2013)
- 2014 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2012)
- 2013 Town of Huntsville Energy Report (for data year 2011)
Energy Conservation
Each municipality must submit an Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan, or CDM. The CDM is a 5-year plan to reduce energy use in Town buildings that use electricity and that are heated and/or cooled (i.e. the buildings for which we report energy consumption in the list above). In 2014, Council approved the Town of Huntsville Energy Conservation & Demand Management Plan (2014-2019). In 2019, the Town must submit a revised CDM.