The Town of Bracebridge is reviewing its response to the 2026 spring flood after an event that affected approximately 1,300 properties, damaged municipal infrastructure and resulted in more than $111,000 in emergency response costs.
A staff report to General Committee on July 7 outlines lessons learned from the flooding, which was driven by rapid snowmelt, unusually heavy rainfall and above-freezing overnight temperatures in early April.
According to the report, precipitation was 150 per cent above normal in March and 200 per cent above normal in April. While the Ministry of Natural Resources carried out a winter drawdown of Lake Muskoka in March, staff note the measure was not expected to prevent or significantly reduce the impacts of a major flood.
Floodwaters affected about 716 residential structures, including approximately 334 permanent homes. Geographic analysis completed with support from the District of Muskoka’s GIS team identified roughly 1,300 impacted properties across Bracebridge.
Road closures also created significant challenges. Four District roads, 13 Town roads and about 18 seasonal and private roads experienced flooding. Firefighters conducted two rounds of wellness checks over eight days to ensure residents stranded by flooded roadways were safe. The District of Muskoka also installed coffer dams and an elevated access platform along Fraserburg Road and Beaumont Drive to maintain access for residents.
Although Bracebridge did not declare a municipal emergency or require military assistance as it did during the 2019 flood, staff say the event was equally severe in some parts of the watershed, with water levels exceeding 2019 records in certain locations.
The Town estimates it has spent approximately $111,400 on flood-related response efforts, largely for contractor services, equipment rentals and debris removal.
Additional repairs are expected to include about $74,000 for three damaged docks and nearly $38,000 to restore the washed-out Bracebridge Bay Trail. Staff plan to pursue provincial and federal grant funding to help offset those costs while incorporating lessons from the flood into future emergency planning and response efforts.
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