Living in Bala, Muskoka

Where Bala sits

Bala is in the Township of Muskoka Lakes. The Township says it is located at the confluence of Lake Muskoka and the Moon River. The Township covers 781.6 km2 and has 80 lakes.

This site carries no price figures, so there is nothing here on what Bala properties cost. Ask Kirby through the contact page for current listings or a value.

Lakes, rivers and docks

The Township says lake levels are controlled by the dam in Bala and that the MNRF makes operational dam decisions. The Township’s public list for Bala shows 1018 Gordon St (dock, Lake Muskoka), 1061 Weismiller St (dock, boat launch, parking, Lake Muskoka), Windsor Park at 3040 Muskoka Rd. 169 (lake access and dock), 2871 Muskoka Rd. 169 Unit 3 on Long Lake (dock, boat launch), 1011 Portage St Unit 8 on the Moon River (dock) and 1017 River St on the Moon River (boat launch, dock). The page lists Windsor Park as closed for rehabilitation and does not state the year, so check before you plan around it.

Docks, boathouses and septic

These are Township of Muskoka Lakes rules from Zoning By-law 2014-14 (consolidated February 2023) and the Official Plan. For a dock on a lot with frontage under 61 m (200 ft) in a Waterfront zone, Table 4.1.7 sets a minimum side yard of 9.1 m (30 ft) and a maximum length of 20.1 m (66 ft). Maximum width is a share of frontage that depends on lake class. A boathouse may be up to 15.2 m (50 ft) long and 4.9 m (16 ft) high with no floor, with no habitable floor area. Its side yard is 9.1 m for one storey and 13.7 m for two storeys or a sundeck roof. Confirm for the specific lot with the Township.

For septic, section 3.46 of the by-law says a leaching bed distribution pipe on a lot abutting or adjacent to the high water mark is not to be within 30 m (100 ft) of it. A replacement or enlargement may use the existing setback or a minimum of 15 m (50 ft) and the full conditions were not read. The Official Plan does not permit a tile bed within 30 m (100 ft) of the waterbody. Confirm for the specific lot with the Township.

Roads, parks and services

Muskoka Road 169 runs through Bala and the District listing names Gordon St and the Frank Miller Memorial Route. Highway 118 and Highway 141 were not confirmed for Bala. A 2021 District announcement named Bala on a Thursday route running between Midland and Bracebridge and current service was not confirmed.

The Township lists Bala Falls, Cenotaph Park, Jaspen Park, Muskoka Lakes Sports Park and Windsor Park. No Bala trails are on the Township trails page. The library branch is at 1008 Maple Avenue. Bala is not among the five paramedic stations the District lists.

Taxes and permits

The Township of Muskoka Lakes 2026 total residential rate is 0.01000329 per dollar of assessment, about $10.00 per $1,000 of assessment. The Township lists an approved 2023 Official Plan as under appeal, so ask which plan applies to a lot.

What to check before you buy

• Which water the property touches (Lake Muskoka, Long Lake or the Moon River) and the dock limits for it.
• Whether an existing boathouse meets the length, height and side yard limits.
• The septic distance from the high water mark and the system’s age and inspection history.
• Whether the road is a District road such as Muskoka Road 169 or another road and who maintains it.
• Which Official Plan provisions apply while the 2023 plan is under appeal.

For waterfront buying steps, read the waterfront and cottages guide. Nearby communities: Gravenhurst and Port Carling.