The Town of Huntsville is calling on the Ontario government to take immediate action following the severe flooding that affected the community this spring, including a comprehensive review of water management practices, expanded disaster assistance, and greater transparency around flood mitigation efforts.
A resolution unanimously passed by Huntsville Council on June 22, 2026, cites the extensive impacts of this spring’s flooding, which damaged municipal infrastructure, private properties, businesses, roads, and natural areas, while disrupting the lives of residents throughout the municipality.
The resolution notes that many residents experienced significant financial hardship, property damage, displacement, loss of access to their properties and ongoing uncertainty as water levels remained elevated.
Council’s request comes amid growing concerns across the Muskoka River watershed about increasingly frequent flooding events, changing climate conditions and the effectiveness of existing watershed management practices.
The resolution points to a provincial investment of more than $4 million announced in 2021 to fund 13 projects examining flood risks and watershed health in the Muskoka River watershed. Those studies, known collectively as the Flood Modifications Review Project, have largely been completed and produced extensive technical analysis and recommendations. However, many residents and municipalities remain concerned that the findings have not translated into meaningful action or concrete flood mitigation measures.
Council is also asking the province to honour commitments made by the Ministry of Natural Resources in recent years. In November 2024, then-Minister of Natural Resources Graydon Smith committed to reviewing and updating the 2006 Muskoka River Water Management Plan to better address flood risks throughout the watershed.
The resolution further references a January 2025 provincial commitment to assess recommendations from the Muskoka Watershed Conservation and Management Initiative, including updates to the water management plan and a public consultation process involving municipalities, dam owners and other stakeholders.
Among the requests, municipalities are asking the Ontario government to establish a formal framework for reviewing and updating the water management plan, including defined deliverables, public milestones, completion timelines and regular progress reports.
The resolution also seeks one or more public information sessions within affected watershed communities to allow residents impacted by the 2026 flooding to share their experiences, receive information about water management decisions leading up to and during the spring freshet, and have their questions answered on the public record.
Recognizing the financial toll of the flooding, council is urging the province to activate both the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program and the Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance (MDRA) program for affected communities and to expedite the approval process so residents and municipalities can access support more quickly.
In a move that could have broader implications for cottage country communities, the resolution also calls on the province to expand DRAO eligibility to include seasonal and secondary residences. Council argues that owners of seasonal properties contribute significantly to the local tax base and provincial economy and can face substantial financial losses during flood events.
The resolution will be forwarded to the Premier of Ontario, the ministers responsible for natural resources, municipal affairs and the environment, the Parry Sound–Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith, First Nations and municipalities throughout the watershed, the District Municipality of Muskoka and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
The resolution reflects growing frustration among residents and municipal leaders who have questioned whether lessons from previous flood events and years of technical studies have resulted in meaningful changes to flood management across the Muskoka River watershed.
“Frankly, after all of the studies and all of the money that has been spent on analysis of what causes the flooding and doing all of that, there’s been silence from the province. So, given the last flooding event that we just experienced… it was very difficult in Muskoka Lakes and Bracebridge. There’s real urgency for them to review this plan. So that’s what this motion does, and it supports our neighbouring municipalities,” said Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
0 Comments