Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

MUSKOKA — What price your living and district government doing business?

As Trump tariff talks send more shivers out than next week’s polar vortex, yesterday the District of Muskoka passed a first two-year budget that lets you plan core housing expenses for 2025 and 2026.

A district release said officials said relied on a survey of 371 respondents for input on budget priorities.

As result of this budget approval, residents will see a 4.52% increase in 2025 and projected 3.62% increase in 2026 on the district portion of their municipal property taxes to fund municipal services. Town and education taxes are on top, says a district release today.

Part of that is a 0.34% increase in 2025 and a projected increase of 0.32% in 2026 for Muskoka’s ‘Local Share’ contribution to the redevelopment of the two hospitals in south and north Muskoka for about the next seven or eight years.

Overall, both represent an annual impact of approximately $15.69 in 2025 and $13.34 in 2026 per $100,000 assessed residential property value district-wide.

In other words: If your home is assessed at $300,000, the next two years you’ll pay $47.07 and $40.62 respectively; and at $500,000 it’s $78.45 then $66.70; and at $700,000 it would be $109.83 and in 2026 $93.38.

If you have a million-dollar property, the next two tax hikes will be $157 and $135.

The first multi-year budget passed Thursday is part of the district’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan commitment to future thinking.

This coming year’s tax-supported budget reflects an operating levy of $101million and an investment of $109 million in capital.

The 2026 tax-supported budget has operating levy of $106 million, but only $56 million in capital investments.

Among them new charges for the Silver Bridge repairs in Bracebridge after was closed last Monday when it was suddenly discovered tilting over the Muskoka Falls.

What will those millions in taxes provide Muskokans?

2025-2026:

This budget maintains all service levels and acts on the priorities identified by residents in the District of Muskoka’s Strategic Plan.

Key investments include:

• $53M to continue to invest in the redevelopment and expansion of Fairvern Long-Term Care Home, scheduled to open in 2026 with 160 long-term care beds that will be essential in supporting Muskoka’s aging population.
• $20M over 2 years to significantly invest in community housing, affordable housing and homelessness in Muskoka, including the Big Move on Housing initiative led by Council.
• $17M over 2 years for paramedic services to provide further care in the community, including an expansion of service in East Muskoka in mid-2026 and the completion of the new paramedic station in Glen Orchard.
• $81M to improve Muskoka’s road and bridges network including resurfacing, major and minor capital upgrades, and a new investment in low volume roads and roadside safety upgrades.

Earlier this year, residents provided input into the budget process by identifying top priorities they felt most important for the District to address in the 2025-2026 budget.

As noted in the key investment areas above, these comments have directly influenced priorities in the 2025-2026 budget. Learn more about the budget survey results.

A 2025-2026 rate-support budget for District water, sewer and garbage services was approved by District Council on October 21, 2024. These services are funded partly by user fees, which are determined by the service levels and vary across the District’s six area municipalities.

Learn more about the 2025-2026 budget by visiting www.muskoka.on.ca/budgets.

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