District of Muskoka - Community and Planning Services Department

The Community and Planning Services Department has responsibilities for Community Services including Social Assistance, Children's Services, Housing (including Affordable Housing Programs) and Seniors Programs and Services.

Social Assistance:
Ontario Works is a form of social assistance and helps people who are in financial need.

View separate program Community Services - Ontario Works

Housing Division:

• Case Managers work one-on-one with homeless individuals to secure housing.
• Transitional Housing (Alex's Place) provides safe, affordable and supportive housing on temporary basis for young people aged 16 to 24 that are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. See website for more information.
• Social Housing Program provides affordable rental housing for people whose income prevents them from finding adequate housing in the private rental market (through rent-geared-to-income or subsidies).
• Offers the Rent Supplement program to tenants providing eligible applicants with a monthly Rent Supplement that is paid directly to their landlord.
• Offers Gateway Homeownership Program (Forgivable loan program to assist with down payment of affordable housing).
• Offers Ontario Renovates Program (Program for low and modest income households that provides funding for necessary home repairs, home accessibility modifications for persons with disabilities and for the purchase and installation of energy-saving products).
• Offers Capital Incentive Funding for developers, builders and home owners toward new homes for sale or personal use.

Housing Support Fund:

• Offers one time assistance to avoid arrears, eviction or secure permanent housing.
• Utility and mortgage assistance may be available for heat, hydro, water, mortgage, utility deposits or other one-time or unusual costs - visit I Need Help - Emergency Assistance and Homelessness webpage for more information.
• Has a homelessness community worker to assist individuals with housing information, eviction prevention, rent supplement, and housing allowance programs.

Children's Programs and Services:

• The District of Muskoka is responsible for Muskoka's Child Care system. Offers programs, subsidies and information for parents and child care providers. In addition to Licensed Child Care Centres, there are options for licensed home based child care through the Muskoka Home Child Care Agency or through YMCA Simcoe Muskoka.
• Offers subsidized child care assistance to working or in-school residents in the form of a fee subsidy.
• Offers EarlyON Programs throughout Muskoka communities. For programming schedules and locations or to learn more, visit: https://www.muskoka.on.ca/en/community-and-social-services/earlyon.aspx.

Senior's Programs and Services:
The District of Muskoka's Seniors Programs and Services help support health and well-being, socialization, and community engagement for seniors in Muskoka. Provincially designated as a Senior's Mobile Active Living Centre, brings programming to various locations throughout Muskoka. For programming schedules and locations or to learn more, visit: https://www.muskoka.on.ca/en/community-and-social-services/Seniors-Programs-and-Services.aspx.

Community Hubs

​There are three Community Service Hubs located throughout Muskoka:

• Gravenhurst: 141 Main St
• Bracebridge: 70 Pine St
• Huntsville: 1 King William St Suite 5

• Not all addresses in these postal codes fall within the District of Muskoka, but when you call intake they will use GPS information to check and if not, will direct you towards either Simcoe or Parry Sound as appropriate.