Bracebridge calls for provincial action on flood mitigation

The motion also calls for activation of Disaster Recovery Assistance and Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance programs

Bracebridge General Committee endorsed a resolution calling on the province to act on flood mitigation and water management issues within the Muskoka River watershed during the June 2nd meeting.

The resolution, brought forward by Councillor, Barb McMurray, references the significant flooding experienced in Bracebridge and surrounding communities during the spring freshet and the ongoing impacts felt by residents, businesses and municipalities.

McMurray expressed that a discussion was essential because of the Town’s unique location within the Muskoka River. She said, “Bracebridge is compromised not just in one way but two ways,” with impacts both upstream and downstream.

The correspondence notes that the flooding caused widespread damage to municipal infrastructure, private property, roads and the natural environment, while leaving many residents facing financial hardship, displacement and continued uncertainty associated with elevated water levels.

The resolution also points to growing concerns among municipalities in the Muskoka River watershed regarding increasing flood frequency, changing climate conditions and the need for coordinated and transparent flood mitigation planning.

Committee heard that more than $4 million in provincial funding was announced in 2021 to support technical studies and initiatives aimed at examining conditions within the watershed and identifying opportunities to reduce flooding impacts. While those studies and the Flood Mitigation Review Project have largely been completed, the resolution states many residents and municipalities remain concerned that findings have not yet resulted in meaningful mitigation actions.

The correspondence further references a November 2024 commitment from Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources to review and amend the Muskoka River Water Management Plan.

Councillor, Debbie Vernon, particularly expressed concern about the erosion of riverbanks, including on her own property. She said, “It’s really thought provoking,” and emphasized the importance of protecting wetlands and tree coverings, especially those “cut down for development purposes.”

Councillor, Don Smith, concurred. He said, “What happens in the forest has a huge impact on what happens to the watershed.”  

Through the resolution, Bracebridge is requesting the province reconfirm and advance their commitments, establish a formal implementation framework with publicly reported timelines and deliverables, and hold public information sessions within affected watershed communities.

The motion also calls for activation of Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians and Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance programs for communities affected by the flooding event and requests that seasonal and second residential properties be considered under provincial disaster assistance eligibility criteria.

Copies will be forwarded to provincial ministries, municipal partners, First Nations, the District of Muskoka and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.