Living in Huntsville, Muskoka

What Huntsville is

Huntsville is a lower-tier town inside the District Municipality of Muskoka. The Town collects its own share of property tax and runs its own building department, while the District sets a separate general rate. Port Sydney is a community within the Town; its guide is at Port Sydney. For how the towns and townships fit together, see Muskoka towns and townships explained.

Housing figures for Huntsville were not published on the sources checked. Ask Kirby for current information on homes and land.

Lakes and water

The District’s lake stewardship page names Mary Lake, Lake Vernon, Fairy Lake and Peninsula Lake in its Huntsville section. It lists Peninsula Lake as Huntsville and Lake of Bays. The pages checked did not name a river.

Arrowhead Provincial Park covers 1,237 hectares and lists Huntsville as its nearest town. The park page describes about 15 km of hiking trails and three sand beaches on Arrowhead Lake. Its stated operating period is 1 January to 31 December 2026.

The Town’s building page says docks require a permit and site approval. Shoreline rules were not stated on the pages checked, so confirm them with the Town. Read more on waterfront and cottages in Muskoka.

Roads and getting around

Huntsville Transit is run by the Town with four buses. Regular routes run Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm. On-demand service is booked four hours ahead. There is no statutory holiday service.

The District’s Corridor 11 Bus runs three times a day Monday to Friday and links Huntsville to Orillia through Port Sydney, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Kilworthy and Washago. It does not run on statutory holidays. No fare was given on the page.

A route description for Highway 11 through Huntsville was not found. The nearest airport named on the pages checked is Muskoka Airport (YQA) in Gravenhurst.

Services

Huntsville District Memorial Hospital Site is at 100 Frank Miller Drive. Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare operates it and states that emergency care is available 24/7 at both of its sites. Huntsville Public Library is at 7 Minerva Street East.

The Town’s facility map lists 75 results, including Avery Beach Park at 8 Yonge Street North and Brunel Locks Park at 561 Brunel Road.

Property taxes and permits

The Town lists these 2026 residential rates: Town general 0.52376%, District general 0.34364% and education 0.153%. Separate charges are Healthcare Facilities 0.00904%, Waste Management 0.08212%, District Water Urban Area A 0.0870% and District Sewer Urban Area A 0.19920%. The page totals are 1.39776% with no BIA and 1.11156% excluding water and sewer.

The Town of Huntsville Building Department can be reached at building@huntsville.ca or 705-789-1751 option 4. Upgrading or repairing a sewage system needs a building permit. Septic applications go through the Town’s Cloudpermit portal. The homeowner is responsible for permits.

What to check before you buy

• Which lake or water body the property touches and whether the Town requires a dock permit and site approval.
• Whether the property is on a municipal water and sewer service or a private septic system.
• For a new single-family or seasonal dwelling, whether the septic system is approved before dwelling permits are issued.
• The current tax rate that applies to the property and which separate charges apply.
• What the Town says about shoreline rules for the lot.
• Which bus routes and hours are current when you plan to use them.

Ask Kirby to help you put these questions to the Town.