On December 7 the District of Muskoka unveiled its 2024 budget, which included various measures and supports for much-needed affordable housing.
Most of this support will come through the Muskoka Affordable Housing Initiative Program (MAHIP). This program includes rent supplements, capital incentives for new construction, and support loans for home ownership. District funding for this program has steadily increased from $325,000 in 2013 to an estimated $3.2 million in 2024. Of that $3.2 million, $600,000 is new funding in the 2024 District budget. This new funding will be financed through a levy increase and reserve contributions.
Affordability has been an increasing issue within Muskoka. Presently the price of a one-bedroom apartment in Muskoka is $1,736 per month, while the permanent population of the district has increased by 14.9 per cent between 2012 and 2022 meaning housing demand is increasing.
Another issue is the increasing incidence of homelessness. Muskoka By-Name, a list that seeks to maintain an up-to-date list of those within Muskoka experiencing homelessness, reports that there are currently 170 individuals who are homeless, with 79 being chronically homeless.
Other initiatives from the District are support for affordable housing unit construction. Since 2008 a total of 311 affordable units have been built. This represents a 54 per cent increase in the affordable unit supply within Muskoka.
Another initiative is greater use of rent-geared-to-income units and non-profit units, both of which provide subsidized affordable housing units within Muskoka. Currently, there are 476 rent-geared-to-income units and 98 non-profit units. However, the budget report acknowledged that the current waitlist for rent-geared-to-income units was pretty much the same number of individuals or families as there are units.
The report states that these measures are helpful but there must be a greater mix between municipally built affordable units and units built by the private sector.
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Gert Frobe says
As long as a million plus people are coming into Canada each year (almost 500,000 from July to end September this year) there will be less housing for Canadians. Higher rent and prices for Canadians the result. Does this make sense? Why do our politicians not talk about this? More public housing is not a solution. Why don’t our young people say enough is enough.