MHTF 2.0 - Community Update June 2024

We are excited to share some important progress with our community as we continue our work to support the creation and maintenance of affordable and attainable housing in Muskoka.

Improvements to the Muskoka Affordable Housing Initiatives Program (MAHIP) - Capital Incentive Program

Earlier this year, the Task Force provided input and recommendations to enhance the District’s Capital Incentive Program, which is aimed at boosting the development of rental housing in Muskoka. This program offers funding for additional residential units and multi-residential rental units.

Our recommendations included changes to the application window, application evaluation, forgiveness period, and updates to uphold program integrity. These recommendations were supported by Muskoka District Council and became effective this past spring. The District has received a significant number of applications, and the program has almost reached capacity. This means more affordable units are becoming available to those who need them most.

The Big Move on Housing

The District has endorsed the ambitious "Big Move on Housing" plan, with a significant investment of $29.750M-$35.125M over 5 years to accelerate attainable housing initiatives. There are 3 focus areas of the plan which include:

1. Deepest Need: Addressing chronic homelessness and housing waitlists.
2. Attainable Market-Based Housing: Expanding supply of affordable rental units.
3. Capacity Building: Growing the workforce, technology, and production capacity for building housing in Muskoka

Recently, our focus has been on Capacity Building within The Big Move. We've invited stakeholders to our monthly meetings to present partnership opportunities and that can help create more homes in Muskoka. Through these presentations, we are discovering new technologies and local partnerships that can accelerate the construction of houses in our community. This valuable information will guide our recommendations to support future investments and partnership opportunities.

Education

What do terms like attainable housing, affordable housing, and the housing continuum mean? One area of focus in our mandate is Information Sharing and Outreach. We’re working on tools and resources that will be available this fall to help you stay engaged in the conversation about Housing for Everyone. These resources will help you have informed discussions that can make a difference in our community.

Next Steps

We're committed to keeping you updated on our progress. We ask that you share this update with your family, friends and community. Let them know they can subscribe to our MHTF 2.0 page to receive updates and information on our action towards housing for everyone in Muskoka.

Stay tuned for more exciting developments as we work together to make Muskoka a place where everyone has a home.