Task Force to host event on homelessness awareness

The event is aimed at challenging negative attitudes and building empathy toward people experiencing homelessness

In the October 21, 2025, Gravenhurst Council meeting Councillor, Christina Hunter, announced that the Muskoka Housing Task Force 2.0 (MHTF) will be hosting a homelessness awareness event.

The event created by the MHTF will be held on National Housing Day (November 22^nd) and will showcase homelessness and the collaborations surrounding it.

Hunter said, “It’s going to be a morning of learning and connection, where we will learn about the realities of homelessness in Muskoka, [and] hear how local services and supports are working together to discover how individuals and community groups can be a part of the solution.”

She explained that the idea was a result of a recent video posted online in a neighbouring community about a person in a crisis situation “and the comments online were very negative towards this individual.”

She continued, “By putting on this event, we are trying to be more inclusive about the homelessness community, learn about the supports that we have currently in our community that can help out these individuals, and hope to build some empathy around homelessness and sort of dispel some of those negative comments around the homelessness community and our community.”

The MHTF, which includes area municipal Councillors, staff, and community members, indicates that it’s designed for “supporting the creation and maintenance of affordable and attainable housing in Muskoka.”

They act as an advisory group for the District of Muskoka with tasks that include making recommendations for ideas and advocating for change for housing options.

They add, “The MHTF 2.0 recognizes that solving the housing crisis will take multi-levels of government and community-wide efforts – we cannot do this alone.”

Hunter indicated that invites for the event will be sent out soon, however, people can also register online at the engagemuskoka.ca page under the MHTF tab and will receive an email with details.