Huntsville road salt use policies under review

The uses a mix of 5% salt and 95% sand on most town owned roads

Huntsville General Committee agreed to review the Town’s road salt policies, in the January 28, 2026, meeting.

Staff reported the goal as reducing salt application while continuing to meet provincial minimum maintenance standards for winter road and sidewalk safety.

The direction follows a request from Friends of the Muskoka Watershed (FOTMW) last fall for financial support for its SALTYMuskoka initiative.

Staff provided Committee with an overview of how road salt affects freshwater ecosystems and how the Town currently manages winter maintenance.

According to the report, chloride from road salt is a known contaminant that threatens freshwater lakes and rivers, aquatic plants and animals, roadside vegetation, and drinking water supplies. Once applied, salt can enter waterways through runoff, and traditional buffer systems are not effective at removing chloride ions. As a result, limiting salt use wherever possible is considered important for environmental protection.

Staff explained that the Town is required under Ontario Regulation to meet minimum winter maintenance standards. Huntsville currently uses a mix of approximately five percent salt and 95 percent sand on most roadways, with full salt application limited to select areas with steep topography. Winter maintenance vehicles are calibrated monthly to control dispersal rates, and salt usage is tracked throughout the season. In the spring, crews clean roadside basins and remove leftover materials to prevent contaminants from entering waterways.

Staff also highlighted the potential benefits of constructing a covered sand storage structure. Storing sand indoors could reduce salt concentration to as low as three percent, saving an estimated 300 tonnes of road salt annually and approximately $30,000 to $33,900 in operating costs.

The estimated capital cost of a sand dome is approximately $1.6 million, with funding potentially included as part of the future Operations Centre Redevelopment.

While no direct funding is available in the 2026 budget for SALTYMuskoka, staff recommended that FOTMW be advised to apply through the Town's Community Grants program.

Committee emphasized the importance of having more information, including a comparison of salt usage with other municipalities, so they can move forward with the issue,

Deputy Mayor, Dan Armour, indicated, “Gravenhurst is having a hard time in Muskoka Bay with it.”

Committee directed staff to review the usage policies, including consideration to a storage structure, assist the Friends of Muskoka Watershed Council with the Town’s community grant program, and report back.