Homeless encampments are not just something that happens in big cities.
According to the District Municipality of Muskoka, which looks after housing, between April 1 and Oct. 8, 2025, it distributed 17 tents in Huntsville to people experiencing a housing emergency.
“In some cases, tents may still be provided as a last resort when no other options are available and when individuals are unable or unwilling to use options such as motels or transitional housing. Tents are not a permanent or suitable housing solution, and they are not adequate in cold weather,” explained Arfona Zwiers, Commissioner of Community and Planning Services for the District of Muskoka, via email correspondence with Doppler.
Zwiers stated that providing a tent is a very short-term measure while staff work with people to connect them to more appropriate and stable housing. There are also situations where a tent is not suitable for an individual due to health or other challenges.
“When someone is in crisis, our first step is always to explore the best options for them. This might mean reconnecting with friends or family, arranging transportation to another community where shelter and supports are available, or linking them to local services. When no other safe alternatives exist, short-term motel stays may be used as a temporary solution. We know motels are not ideal, and we are actively working to reduce reliance on them by expanding more suitable and permanent housing options.”
Zwiers said homelessness in Muskoka takes many forms. Some may be living outdoors, some outdoors in encampments, others stay in motels or couch-surf with friends, or sometimes rely on temporary arrangements that are neither stable nor secure. “However it appears, each situation reflects the real housing challenges our neighbours are facing here at home,” she said.
“Alongside housing supports, our team connects people with mental health and addiction services, primary care, food banks, and other community resources. District staff and community partners also carry out regular outreach and wellness checks to ensure people living rough or in encampments are supported. We are currently working with the Muskoka Paramedic Services Community Paramedic Team and other community partners to develop a dedicated homelessness outreach partnership that will strengthen our ability to reach people where they are across Muskoka and immediately provide supports,” she added.
It is difficult to determine precisely how many people are homeless in Muskoka, but according to Zwiers, there is a Muskoka By-Name List (BNL) of people who are known to be experiencing homelessness. The list is maintained by District staff, community partners, and outreach agencies. “When people connect with services or outreach workers, they may be invited to join the list, providing some basic information with consent. The list helps coordinate supports, track individual situations over time, prioritize those in urgent need, and help make the best match for available housing options,” she explained. “While there are currently 139 people on the BNL, we know the actual number of people experiencing homelessness is higher. Not everyone chooses to engage with services or provide consent to be included on the list. The BNL reflects those we are actively connected with.”
Still, there are people living in tents as colder weather sets in, and the problem may get worse for neighbouring communities as the encampments in Barrie are dismantled.
“We are aware of the challenges being highlighted in Barrie and recognize that homelessness pressures in neighbouring communities can have ripple effects in Muskoka. Our focus here is on working with local partners to address immediate needs while continuing to build long-term housing solutions. In the short term, this includes working with local motels to ensure capacity is in place during the winter months. Over the longer term, our work is guided by the Big Move on Housing, the 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, and Council’s priority of Housing for Everyone, which focuses on advancing new housing developments, increasing access to affordable housing, and supporting prevention programs across Muskoka.”
By the numbers
- Between April and October 2025, the District supported people with more than 11,000 nights of accommodation in local motels. The number of motel vouchers provided this year is down by 24 per cent when compared to the same period in 2024. This decrease is partly due to fewer motel rooms being available in 2025.
- As of October 2025, there are 658 applications on the District’s housing waitlist. This includes people waiting for different housing types, such as rent-geared-to-income, market rent, affordable, and transitional units. Because applicants can choose more than one municipality when they apply, the numbers by town reflect preferences, not exclusive choices. Of these applications, 349 include Huntsville as one of the preferred locations.
Ultimately, addressing homelessness is about more than just programs, said Zwiers, it’s about community. “People experiencing homelessness are our neighbours, and this work requires a shared mindset of helping others, reducing stigma, and ensuring that everyone is supported with dignity. By working together as a community, we can build stronger, more resilient Muskoka communities for the future. In line with this, this fall, the Muskoka Housing Task Force 2.0 will host a homelessness awareness event to build understanding and highlight the collective work underway to address homelessness in Muskoka.”
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I mean no disrespect here, but ‘hunting camps’? In our downtown areas and fringes? Someone cutting loose with the family 38/55 in a crowded parking lot will sure draw attention. By-laws against that. Am I/we being jived here?
We were talking the other day about this and my friend said that maybe this was an actual comment. Hunh??
I don’t see these people as being heavily armed: for hunting purposes. So their method for taking game would be traps, snares? By-laws again. Pursuing game and dispatching it by hand? You need to be quite fleet afoot to take on the average bunny. Would like to see that.
I’ve occupied bunks in a good number of hunting camps and can assure the commenter that most camp
accommodation is a couple of stars or four above what you see jury rigged about our towns. Be that good or bad, that’s the way it is.
With winter approaching, life won’t be easy for these people. And they are not hanging out in ‘hunting camps’. Pretty sure.
We need more geared to income housing like Sabrina Park. Im glad that the homeless are getting some help. Carney is suppose to be looking after Canadians. I pay taxes to the town and to the district. We need more help and less taxes.
Nothing wrong with boycotting paying someone else’s mortgage with rent payments. A tip for my homeless Canadian friends: -40 and -50 degree celsius sleeping bags exist.
Arranging transportation to another community doesn’t help homelessness one bit. It’s been documented that many people have received the support and services throughout their lifetime by the place where the issue is happening. Why would other communities accept new people when they themselves are overwhelmed with the homeless situation?
Communities should be supporting the people who are from the area not passing the buck or promising better things in different communities.
You know it seems a shame that the Leslie M Frist centre which is south of Dorset, sits basically empty with dozens if not hundreds of rooms available and has a “for sale” on it. This might not solve today’s crisis but could be a solution for the future.
Are You Sure they’re Homeless?
I Always Assumed that these Sites were Hunting Camps…
It’s not Like, Exaggerated?
If it isn’t and there are People Out there that cant Handle the Elements and Lifestyle and have No Options; then Forsure Offer them Help or when they Ask Help them; but if they’re alright, I would say Leave them be.
Some People Love Primitive Living; in a World of Competitive Chaos it Makes them Feel in Control, Natural and Connected to the World.
This is such an ”Walking on Egg Shells,” kind of Thing to Make Assumptions…
But if they Need it and are Suffering; I’m Sure everyone is Willing to Support them if they Want the Help.
I know of families who were renters all their lives. Chose that instead of home ownership. They were responsible people who respected the property they rented and the people they rented from. I imagine there are still those individuals and families out there.
It does seem however, that there is getting to be more and more who don’t own and don’t respect what others own. We have all heard the stories. I’ve seen the damage renters have inflicted on property and watched as the court deemed that the owner must be prepared to accept “some wear and tear on the building”. But the boot left in the hole about 6 feet from the floor shouldn’t be construed as ‘wear and tear’. Never seen it around my home. Too bad about the judges’. Apparently he/she has.
The Town and Province are crying for affordable housing, but the courts (justice and fairness for the owner) happens at a snails pace compared to the reality of the boot through the wall. Or in the case of Suzanne Thompson, the wanton destruction of the property by the renters, on their way out.
In reading the ladies comment the most damning part for me, is the councils reaction to the episode. No help for the lady in restoring the buildings insurance or getting the facilities repaired. Nope!! Their response was, as these vandals wreck your property, you make sure they are warm and comfortable while they do it. Or we will fine you!! Lord preserve us from unhappy vandals. Makes you want to run out and buy a unit or two to rent out. Totally different attitude when it was their (or the tax payers) out house that was being trashed.
Nah! Ten men and sharp sticks wouldn’t get me to rent out. Way to go council!!
There are many many reasons and circumstances that cause persons and now families to end up without shelter temporarily or long term. Drug and alcohol addiction are health problems like other mental health problems- just as impairment by other chronic diseases that restrict sufficient gainful employment. Sudden job losses( think about all those jobs lost to the trade war, technological changes, specific downturns in construction due to rising costs and decreasing demand) and even costs of managing catastrophic health concerns can plunge hard working families into precarious financial positions. Long term unemployment has effects on behaviours and functioning that become barriers to successful job search. Not everyone has the skills, confidence and faith in living to turn things around by themselves.
Suzanne Thompson you should not have been left to struggle without timely intervention from the LTB or others. I hope your story reaches our MPP and MP- both have specific responsibilities for housing. I have in-laws who have had some bad experiences with the responsibilities of being landlords. I think only one still has rental units.
People have been doing winter camping or going to Mount Everest and living in tents for centuries I do not feel sorry for these people they have no respect for anyone not even themselves. I have 2 apartments in my home that I had just started to rent out I had a man living in the middle level and his friend a woman rent my bachelor apartment in June 2024 by the 3rd month they both stopped paying rent. and she had moved 4 other people into her apartment and each one was getting money from somewhere because none of them worked and they had nice clothes went to Tim Hortons and had food ordered and delivered every day. I was struggling to make ends meet and keep my home of 20 years. In March when my house insurance company came to inspect the property they saw all kinds of drugs and bongs all over the place in the basement apartment and they had every light on in the place TV and stereo going heat on and the windows open. My insurance company cancelled my house insurance. I was struggling to pay my mortgage all the utilities and the bills of the house to the point my hydro and water Internet was cut off and I’m a 64 year old single woman I had to live that way for a few months until I got a job and paid the bills. These people complained to the town for me not suppling essentials who said that if I don’t have it turned back on they are going to give me a hefty fine. But I had no money coming in from my renter’s 5 extra people using the utilities and I had depleted my savings to pay my mortgage. Finally the LTB awarded me the eviction of the tenants in July 2025 but not before they destroyed the apartment knocked holes all over the place ripped the vanity and towel bars off the wall broke the stove and flooded it out and left a fridge and freezer and cupboards filled with food most of it not even open cost me a ton of money to take to the dump and repair the apartment. I will never be a landlord again 😭
Same questions are being asked everywhere I would no answers where are they coming from?
Are they local residents are they from somewhere else are they from the immigration issues?
How about Knowing the actual numbers Or close to it?
Male female Etc. The rage Very important are the seniors Another very important Are they Ones with true mental health issues Or they just drug addicted Breaking down the matter of homelessness needs to be done to understand it. I currently have family out this way so I’m always reading the news but here in Oshawa we have categories and majority of them are what we call Yahoo’s we have people between a young ages of 19 to 30 just don’t want to deal with life Rebels without a cause and just are handed stuff hand over fist without any argument.
Then we have the mental health issue cause from the abuse of drugs which likes to hand out like candy on Halloween. Which is the problem then the problem becomes let’s keep putting Band-Aids on the problem like buying tents which cost money instead of buying the real things that are needed like stop paying politicians when they can’t make proper laws stop the availability of drugs in the accessories to get them resolve these problems resolve all problems.
Well my son and I live in parry sound ont and we are homeless..we have a trailer we live in with no hydro and we cook out on a open fire.its getting bad every where and there is no help at all