Some 18 years after they were booted out of the official Northern Ontario region, the District of Muskoka is looking to find a way back in.
During this year’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa, representatives from the District told Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry Greg Rickford they would officially like to be re-designated as part of Northern Ontario to help access support through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. In a PowerPoint presentation to the minister, the Muskoka representatives argued that the change would reflect the unique economic and labour market challenges that the region faces based on topography, geography, and population.
In 2004 the Northern Services Boards Act was amended to remove Muskoka from Northern Ontario designation. The District argued that the removal of that designation has had a negative impact on Muskoka’s economy, and re-establishing that designation would help assist with the creation of economic diversification, living wage jobs, affordable housing, transportation options and increased investment in infrastructure.
The District pointed out a number of factors which distinguish the region from other areas to the south. For example, in 2022 the median non-waterfront home cost was some $790,000, according to District stats, which is more than double the $337,000 the same house would have cost in 2018.
While 28% of the year-round population in Muskoka is over the age of 65 the provincial average is just 18%. This leads to greater pressures on healthcare, the District argued.
The median income in Muskoka is roughly $27,000, according to the District, as compared to $34,000 for the rest of the province. In addition 68% of residents have a yearly income of less than $40,000.
Last year Muskoka’s unemployment rate was 9.1% versus the provincial average of 8%.
The District also cited a number of other concerns such as the higher cost of infrastructure projects in the region and the lack of affordable housing.
During the presentations, the representative said putting Muskoka back into the northern designation will help get them access to provincial funding but without Northern designation Muskoka cannot address the challenges they’re facing and the economy and social well-being of the region will continue to decline.
Calls and emails to the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry were not returned.
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Leslie Talbot says
I am so pleased this is being revisited as this will benefit the economy here, but more importantly, the full-time residents, who have been hoping and praying for Muskoka to go back to being part of Northern Ontario, where it belongs
Doug Austin says
Agree.
We never should have been taken out of Northern Ontario.
Brian Tapley says
If you drive north on Hwy 11 you have to note that as you cross the Severn River the rocks change from limestone to granite and the topography goes from flat farm land to rugged pine forests and swamps. In other words, you have changed from one geographical area to another.
If you keep going north you don’t see flat farm land in quantity again. All the way to Hudson’s Bay you see trees and rocks and lakes and less and less people.
There are smaller towns, less roads, less services. All the “north” looks much like this. In this area one needs to travel larger distances to get medical services. There is less public transit (if any actually) so one needs a car to live in Muskoka.
South of the Severn there are more people, more farms, bigger towns, larger hospitals, heck even Costco stores!
Muskoka is mostly in this northern area and would better be considered to be in Northern Ontario.
It would be really good if the Province and Federal governments agreed on the boundary and used the same one.
Paul Whillans says
Brian Tapley: you obviously have not traveled Northern Ontario much……The area between Nipissing Shores and Kirkland Lake is one of Ontario largest farm land areas….all flat and grassy…..In fact if you are interested, a friend of mine has a 460 acre farm for sale in Earlton…….
In any event, the Northern Heritage Fund when announced in 1987 was an economic package to supplement Northern Ontario’s tax base….Even today, North Bay for example has a property tax rate double that of Muskoka
It seems to me that before these ignorant and “entitled” District of Muskoka politicians try to steal 10% of the Northern Heritage Fund (based upon population), they first should try doubling their residential tax rates to be comparable to what North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie; and Thunder Bay have already had to do.
But that is a Muskoka thing….always get someone else to pay their share
Peter Gagnon says
Paul Whillans nailed it! I have no idea what the rate is in Muskoka, but the rate in SSMarie is second highest in the province, so if North Bay is double Muskoka’s, we’re even more! Raise your taxes on those million dollar homes/cottages!
Ben Chensler says
Hmmm,weird how one of the richest areas,where none can afford to buy needs government money. Why dont you ask the wealthy land/cottage owners.
Thomas R Spivak says
Mr. Williams and Mr Gagnon,
I think your views are very short sighted.
Yes, I agree that there are a large number of expensive home in Muskoka but they are as you might imagine owned by chiefly non resident individuals in income brackets that would would not affect them if the property tax were to increase. As well, many of these properties are waterfront and already pay a premium tax rate here. The monies collected for municipal taxes do not cover many of the programs that are included in the Northern designations.
Further, increasing the tax rate is not a pick and choose according to your income and would adversely affect the people that are already struggling to survive in an area with limited jobs, a lack of affordable housing, and higher cost of living. When I moved here 45 years ago I paid about $500 a year for tax and now it’s over $3000 on the same property with the same crappy road and less services.
Make no mistake, I have a modest home not on water so this is no bargain and when you are retired it’s a significant expense. It’s like a mortgage you never pay off.
I don’t know how this turned into a “we don’t want to share” discussion but no one has talked about taking anything away so let’s let cool heads and common sense prevail. Muskoka used to be a part of the Northern designations and did that adversely affect you at that time?
Best to all!
Chris Mcinty says
If they are going to consider this then they need to also take in Tobermory, Minden, Haliburton, Bancroft, Apsley, Cloyne, Denbigh, Plevna, Griffith and Calabogie and all area in between and north of these towns. Muskoka has so many advantages over all of these areas and over the rest of the north. Good hwy access, close to the gta, a huge seasonal tax base to draw on, etc. Northern Ontario starting at the French river makes sense.
Christopher Gregory says
Muskoka is definitely not northern Ontario geographically. Also it’s developed itself for decades as primarily a vacation, retirement and tourism location housing multimillion dollar retreats, retirement communities and summer homes for the rich and famous. Instead of trying to take advantage of other regions limited funds why not instead have the politicians better manage their region. Higher tax rates for new developments or better regulations on local wages and labour might be more helpful but more so would be to find a way to attract larger businesses so they could generate higher paying long term full-time jobs. They need to market themselves less like a play zone if they want to have the same benefits that the rest of the south seems to be able to take advantage of by focusing on jobs for their constituents. 🤷♂️
Paul Whillans says
Mr Spivak: I think you have missed the point of the argument. The only reason the District want to be back in Northern Ontario is to tap into the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (NOHF).
I again note, that the NOHF was set up to address the lack of economic diversity and the lack of commercial/industrial property tax base. to offset community services (as provided to southern Ontarians…including Muskoka)…… Even after raising residential property taxes taxes to double that of Bracebridge/Huntsville, northern Ontario communities can’t provide the services enjoyed in Muskoka.
So now we have the District of Muskoka trying to “steal” funding from Northern communities. With a population of some 62,000, Muskoka would then become 8% of their envisioned new Northern Ontario and presumably demanding 8% of the NOHF.
The point then is this…….Northern Ontario has done their share to meet their fiscal needs and still fall short. If Muskoka wants to go that route, then they too need to double their residential property tax rate to then claim equivalency to the Northern communities that they wish to join
Bill Beatty says
Among the many shaftings Muskoka took from the government of the time ! Time to right the wrong !
steve chadwick says
Muskokans are just pissy because of the covid restrictions under the simcoe muskoka health dept. good riddance and say bye bye to my tax dollars that are being transferred up to no jobs ville.
Shannon Cotter says
I am hopeful that if approved, this triggers a change in the health unit inclusion as well. Muskoka should not be included with the Simcoe district (North Simcoe Muskoka) health unit. It gets lumped in with the greater Barrie area with all processes and decision making that you would expect of a metropolitan area. Except that Muskoka is not metropolitan, it is rural, it is vast and it’s health care teams are much smaller but must cover larger ground. The district of Muskoka would be much better served if it was part of the Parry Sound health District (North East).
Thomas R Spivak says
Paul Whillans, So “the only reason” means Muskoka wants to take the NOHF monies and use it to buy sports equipment, swimming pools for the politicians backyards, Caribbean vacations, or what?
What do you actually KNOW about how this money will be used?
I’ve had 3 cat scans in the last couple years and they were all in Toronto, in the winter, at 1:30 am.
Have you had to sit for 4 hours in an emergency room while having chest pains waiting for a doctor?
We in Muskoka cannot control who buys the land where we live and your erroneous and broad assumption that we are all wealthy and rich living the good life in the Hamptons of the north is flat out wrong.
There is widespread lack of housing, not a lot of industry, this is not an agricultural based area and if it were not for the construction industry which can be very seasonal still there would be little to offer in jobs.
We have a labor shortage but that is a reflection of the lack of affordable housing for the kind of jobs that need to filled, our roads suck because the municipalities are challenged with repairing them on an ongoing basis because of our unique climate, soil, and topography.
I am once again amazed at how individuals such as yourself continue to make broad statements about percentages, where money is going to be used, how its being stolen, or whatever with not one single bit of fact or data to back it up.
We listened to a certain yellow haired politician from the U.S.A. make these sort of wild statements for 5 years and still going on.
Can you tell me how you know that your figures are correct, how you know that money will be taken away from your area?
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t think the wealthy landowners are not paying their fair share considering the strain they put on the housing market, environment, but please don’t lump us all together as most of us are not in that income base and remember if you don’t know and I don’t think you do, that Muskoka has over 25%of the population at over age 65 as compared to the province at about 15.5 % so this means less disposable income, more demand on heath care, and less available work force.
Do some homework.
Adrianne Prinsen says
In response to Brian Tapley: From 2010 until 2017 my family lived in Muskoka – without a car. We took a taxi or Ontario Northland bus or walked. In the summer Bracebridge had the free trolley service which we used to do big shops at WalMart. I was constantly ridiculed by my neighbours for not having a car – and my next door neighbour for two years used my driveway to park his in! “You don’t have one so why can’t I use it?” My landlord had to talk to him constantly about keeping his vehicles in his own drive and on his own property (they only owned two) It is possible to live in Muskoka without a vehicle and in the winter months the taxi companies do appreciate the business!