The District of Muskoka is enticing home builders and investors to put their money towards affordable housing through a variety of initiatives, including a recent development (pun intended) called The Chair’s Spotlight on Housing Series.

District of Muskoka chair Jeff Lehman’s series features targeted ways to increase housing options – particularly on the affordable and attainable side of the coin – in the form of “spotlights.” These spotlights will focus on specific affordable housing opportunities and highlight what is being done.

In order to increase affordable and attainable housing stock in the region, the District is reaching out to the housing industry and developing opportunities to make it easier and more cost efficient to build housing in Muskoka. 

The hope is that will translate into more affordable housing for the public at large.

“Creating more rental housing, faster, means finding new ways to partner and making the most of our resources,” said Lehman via media release. “We’re listening to the people who build housing, and this series is all about showing what’s possible when local action is focused on real solutions that work.” 

According to the District, the first spotlight focuses on rental solutions, including the call for proposed head lease arrangements. This approach encourages new construction by partnering with builders to make rental apartments easier to build and more affordable for tenants.   

The District posted a Request for Information (RFI) on its website in August that is inviting landlords, housing providers, and developers to share ideas on how head lease arrangements could work in Muskoka. The deadline date for the RFI is September 15, 2025 at noon.

Under this model, the District would lease units from landlords and sublease them (at a much lower rate) to residents in need of housing. 

This specific head lease approach was suggested by those in the housing industry via the Muskoka Housing Task Force, as one step that could be taken to construct more affordable housing units in the region.

The Spotlight on Housing Series will feature new themes each month, including planning reforms, homeownership supports, and infrastructure investments. This initiative is in line with the District’s Housing for Everyone commitment.

“There is a housing crisis in Muskoka,” said Lehman at the series launch event. “We know that the housing crisis is making it hard for people to find homes that they can afford, either to buy or to rent. Creating more rental housing, faster, means finding new ways to partner and making the most of our resources.”

To follow the series and learn more about housing in Muskoka, visit www.muskoka.on.ca/housing. 

Featured Property

Check out this listing in Huntsville – it has everything a savvy investor could want in a property and ties in nicely with some of those grant programs the District of Muskoka is rolling out.

R2 zoning means mulitple residences could be built on the property – a duplex or perhaps even a multi-unit bungalow – as well as being close to the Campus Trails health hub, the hospital, a popular public school and walking distance to town.

Perfect to create an affordable rental unit or not – build a place for you to live in while renting a unit to provide monthly income. The accessibility of this location along with having town water and sewer services, meaning no need to worry about well water or septic tanks, is a huge selling point.

At under $200,000 for around half an acre of land, it’s in line with comparable land for sale, and is the perfect to start your Huntsville and Muskoka property investment.

Full Listing: https://findahomeinvaughan.ca/ListingDetails/X12362188/538-muskoka-road-n/1

NOTE: Though not being advertised in the listing, I know that the four bedroom, two bathroom home next door is available as a combo purchase with the land . . . for the right price. This place is also a good investment opportunity for those looking to get into the rental game and secure some grant funding.

Having a home and a piece of land to build on is what could take your income to the next level.