General Finance and Planning Committee recommendations from the September meetings were adopted at the Council meeting on October 7, 2026.
Committee and Council Highlights - October 2026
In these Council and Committee Highlights you will find a monthly digest of featured news and updates coming out of the Council and Committee meetings.
October Council Highlights
Adoption of Committee Decisions
Council passed all by-laws noted in the October Council Agenda, except By-laws 2026-112 and 2026-113 which received a first and second reading only.
2026 Delegated Procurement Projects to Date
Staff provided an informational list of the procurements awarded by staff in 2026.
Municipally Significant Event Designation Request
Council designated the Emily Bowman Benefit Concert, to be held at the Milford Bay Community Centre on November 21, 2026, as "Municipally Significant" for the purpose of a Special Occasion Permit required by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
2026/27 Municipal Insurance Program Renewal
This report provided an overview of coverages and the renewal premium starting Oct 1 2026. Committee voted in favour of staff recommendations.
Noise Exemption Permit Application Fee
This informational report provided information respecting the proposed fee of $250 for a Noise Exemption Permit Application, as created by the Noise By-law 2026-069.
October Committee Highlights
Council decision-making at the Township of Muskoka Lakes typically starts at the Standing Committee level. These committees review and discuss staff reports, and make recommendations for Council who ultimately make a decision or provide direction to staff. Recommendations coming out of Standing Committees are not 'decisions' until Council 'adopts' them as a whole, which typically happens a month later at the next regular Township Council meeting. Information reports are also shared at these meetings.
These Committee Highlights provide updates coming out of the General Finance Committee and Planning Committee meetings.
Planning applications are not included in the Committee Highlights. For information about October Planning Applications, please see the Planning Committee Agenda.
Road allowance on Acton Island to be used for hiking trails
Rodney Gill and Jared Davis attended the meeting to express concerns regarding the use of the road allowance on Acton Island for hiking trails. Michael Lewis and Donnie Mills attended the meeting to respond to the concerns raised by the above. No actions were directed by Committee.
Staff presented a standardized conceptual fire station design for the Township and Joel Tremblay attended the meeting to answer questions from Committee. This report was provided for information only.
2027 Operating Grant Applications
This report summarized staff’s review of the 2027 Operating Grant applications and Committee directed that staff's conclusions be recommended to the Mayor Elect for consideration in the 2027 municipal budget.
Declaration of Municipally Significant Events Policy
Staff presented a proposed policy to establish a process for declaring public events to be “Municipally Significant Events” for the purposes of obtaining a Special Occasion Permit from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Committee approved the policy and forwarded a draft by-law to Council that delegates authority to the Clerk for declaring events to be “Municipally Significant”.
Looking for additional information on the Committee meetings? Check out the October Agenda Packages or watch the meetings online.
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