The Township of Muskoka Lakes is seeking public feedback on amendments made to the Community Improvement Plan (CIP).
The plan, which currently provides grants and fee rebates for positive community projects, is being updated to include a new suite of enhanced housing-focused incentive programs aimed at stimulating the development of attainable and employee housing throughout the area.
“When we invest in housing, we invest in people,” said Mayor Peter Kelley. “By broadening the scope of this program to address critical housing needs, we’re working to create the conditions for families, workers, and businesses to be able to establish lasting roots and thrive in Muskoka Lakes.”
The proposed amendments include the addition of five new housing incentive programs designed to stimulate attainable housing development.
These new incentives include the attainable housing feasibility grant program to help developers evaluate project viability, the additional dwelling unit program to encourage the creation of secondary units in existing residential areas, and the municipal fee grant program to help reduce upfront construction costs.
Additionally, the Township will offer the development charges grant equivalent program, which provides rebates on municipal development charges, and the tax increment equivalency grant program, which provides financial incentives over a 10-year period to offset increased taxation following a new attainable housing development.
Officials said grants for shoreline structures, ecological spaces, business structural and mechanical upgrades, and business accessibility and façade upgrades remain unchanged and continue to apply to the Bala and Port Carling project areas.
According to the Township, since the CIP was adopted in 2023, Council has approved 19 applications, awarding over $316,000 in grants and leveraging over $1.2 million in private investment.
Officials said as of October 2025, approximately $102,000 remains in this year’s budget, with an additional $100,000 proposed in the 2026 budget.
Feedback on the proposed amendments will be accepted via an online survey until Nov. 26. The input collected will be reviewed and presented at the planning committee meeting on Dec. 11.
