Gravenhurst Council Highlights - May 13, 2025
Tall Pines returns to Gravenhurst in July
Kevin Goodman of the Tall Pines Music and Arts Festival provided council members with an update on the upcoming event.
Tall Pines will take place Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19 in Gull Lake Rotary Park.
Musical acts this year include Matthew Good and His Band, The Strumbellas, Moist, and Sloan.
Goodman outlined some operational concerns regarding the festival.
Mayor Lorenz thanked him for the presentation and noted staff will review the concerns.
Gravenhurst Health Hub update, council commits to funding project
Bruce Hemphill, chair of the Gravenhurst Health Hub, provided an update on the progress of the project, including upcoming fundraising events.
Later in the meeting, council passed a resolution stating the town will fund up to $200,000 to support the establishment of the hub.
The town’s financial support will involve using money from the Terence Haight Reserve Fund.
The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst and the Cottage Country Family Health team are partners in the health hub project.
The hub project involves plans to develop the vacant second floor of the health team’s medical centre next door to the Gravenhurst municipal office.
The space will offer a variety of medical services.
Mayor Lorenz said the town is pleased to support the project.
Watch the discussion regarding the town’s funding.
Access agreement ends
Council agreed to reconsider an October motion regarding the Picard Lane Unopened Road Allowance and Easement Agreement with Rumble Excavating Inc.
The motion, originally approved, directed staff to enter into an easement agreement with Rumble to allow temporary use over an unopened portion of Picard Lane as a means of alternate access to 1076 Xavier St.
Council considered the motion again and this time voted ‘no’ as access is no longer required.
Council remuneration review will look at cost-of-living
Council passed a resolution suspending plans for a comprehensive market review of the Council Remuneration Policy and directed staff to report on council remuneration from a cost-of-living perspective.
Staff to draft council event attendance policy
Council members directed staff to craft a policy for consideration regarding council attendance at invited events of special interest groups and associations.
The proposed policy would be to ensure equitable attendance and outline stipulations so that an illegal council meeting doesn’t inadvertently occur at an event.
Council approves final tax rate bylaw
Council received the 2025 Final Tax Rate Bylaw Report for information.
“The purpose of the 2025 Final Tax Rate Bylaw Report is to bring forward the 2025 Final Tax Levy Bylaw for adoption,” deputy treasurer Rob Rosilius wrote in the report.
Later in the meeting, council passed the related bylaw.
Each year, pursuant to provincial legislation, council must adopt a tax bylaw that establishes tax rates for municipal property taxation in the Town of Gravenhurst.
Tax rates are set for each property class: residential, multi-residential, commercial, industrial, landfills, aggregate extraction, pipelines, farm and managed forest.
What Gravenhurst residents should expect to see on their “all-in” 2025 property tax bill is an average increase of 5.6 per cent for rural property owners and a 4.5 per cent increase for urban property owners.
These increases vary from the 5.4 per cent projected increases when the budget was approved.
For rural property owners, the higher-than-expected increase is a result of the higher-than-expected increase to the waste management tax rate.
For urban residential property owners, the lower-than-expected increase is attributed to the decrease in the Sewer A tax rate, along with a slight increase in the Water A tax rate.
These changes translate to an average increase from 2024 to 2025 of $58 for rural property owners and $59 for urban owners, per $100,000 of assessment.
Council OKs Housing Action Plan
Gravenhurst council members approved the town’s Housing Action Plan.
“This is an important step in our ongoing efforts to bolster the supply of affordable housing in our community,” Mayor Heidi Lorenz said.
Melissa Halford, director of Development Services for the Town of Gravenhurst, said the plan focuses on actions the town can take over the next decade to increase the supply of affordable housing.
Council approves $3.6 million in road rehabilitation work
Council approved awarding road rehabilitation work for 2025 to Fowler Construction Company Ltd. at a negotiated tender price of $3.6 million, excluding HST.
The roadwork will involve a four-kilometre stretch of Peninsula Road and a 3.8-kilometre section of Baseline Road.
Work will begin this spring and should be mostly finished by the end of August.
Savings from Fairview Drive project will support Oriole Crescent work
Council received the Oriole Crescent Drainage Improvements – Additional Budget Request Report for information.
Due to an unplanned increase in capital costs, council OK’d using savings from the Fairview Drive Rehabilitation project to offset the Oriole project’s additional expenditures.
Council also authorized staff to sign the related District of Muskoka construction contract.
Muskoka Watershed Council Update
Councillor Peter Johnston provided his monthly update on the Muskoka Watershed Council.
Johnston noted the council is expanding its public engagement strategy in order to better connect with residents on watershed matters.
He noted they have hired a marketing company to assist with outreach.
Watch the update to learn the latest.
OSUM conference report
Councillor Michelle Robinson provided a report on the recent Ontario Small Urban Municipalities (OSUM) conference in Collingwood.
The conference took place April 30 to May 2.
Watch the update to learn more.
District of Muskoka Planning and Community Services update
Councillor Erin Strength provided an update on Planning and Community Services at the District of Muskoka.
Among the items she discussed was the launch of the district’s Climate Hero program at the end of April.
Strength also touched on the district’s recently launched and expanded Demand-Responsive Transit system, noting it has been a tremendous success.
Watch the update to learn more.
Update from the mayor
Mayor Heidi Lorenz provided her monthly update.
The mayor reminded the public about the upcoming Mayor’s Tea on June 11.
The mayor also noted the Gutsy Walk is Sunday, June 1 at Gull Lake Rotary Park with registration at 9 a.m.
The event is a fundraiser for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada with money raised supporting research and programs.
The mayor said the town’s FoodCycler project was a huge success, adding all 100 units were reserved in a matter of days.
Mayor Lorenz also mentioned she is hoping council can find a day to participate in a community cleanup through the Clean Muskoka Together initiative.
She also provided an update on the provincially-owned Muskoka Regional Centre property.
She said the town has learned notice has gone out for a virtual open house hosted by the potential developer, Cliff Bay Muskoka Corp.
The mayor stressed the open house is not a town public meeting.
She said the open house – set for Tuesday, May 27 at 7 p.m. – is an opportunity for the developer to unveil their plans for the property.
She added that if the process moves ahead, the developer is seeking a Ministerial Zoning Order, a provincial planning approval.
Mayor Lorenz also discussed the province’s recently announced ‘Strong Mayor’ powers.
Effective May 1, 2025, Ontario granted strong mayor powers to Mayor Lorenz and several other mayors.
These include powers to:
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Appoint and dismiss the chief administrative officer
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Hire certain municipal department heads
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Establish and reorganize municipal departments
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Create committees of council, assign their functions, and appoint chairs and vice-chairs of committees of council
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Propose the municipal budget, subject to council amendments, and a mayoral veto
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Veto certain by-laws if the mayor is of the opinion that all or part of the by-law could potentially interfere with a provincial priority
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Submit matters for council's consideration if the mayor believes it will advance a prescribed provincial priority
Mayor Lorenz noted she has delegated to council the power to appoint or dismiss the CAO.
She has also delegated to the CAO the power to determine the organizational structure of the municipality.
Current and future mayoral delegations and decisions will be made available on the town’s website.
Council Highlights
Council Highlights is prepared as an overview of the council meeting. For the official record, please refer to the agenda and minutes on the town website at www.gravenhurst.ca.
Watch the meeting
Contact Us
Town of Gravenhurst
3-5 Pineridge Gate
Gravenhurst ON P1P1Z3
T: 705-687-3412
TF: 1-855-687-3412
info@gravenhurst.ca