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Development Fees and Charges

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Development Charges

Development charges are fees collected from developers at the time a building permit is issued. The fees help pay for the cost of infrastructure required to provide municipal services to new development, such as roads, water and sewer and other infrastructure.

You may be required to pay development charges for land development or redevelopment projects if you are:

  • Constructing a new building
  • Making an addition or alteration to an existing building that increases the number of dwelling units or the non-residential gross floor area
  • Redeveloping a property or making interior alterations that result in a change of use to all or part of the building.

Development Charges By-Law

Muskoka District Council passed Development Charges By-law 2019-49 at their regular Council meeting of December 16, 2019.  This by-law is set to expire on January 1, 2025.  Development charges are required to pay for the increased capital costs related to the increased need for municipal services arising from development in The District Municipality of Muskoka.

2019 District of Muskoka Development Charges Background Study provides additional information on the development fees and charges.

2021 Development Charges

Purpose of Development Charges

To recover the growth-related costs associated with the capital infrastructure needed to service new development and redevelopment.  

Development charge funds may only be used for the purpose for which they are collected. 

Development charges are based on the methodology that existing taxpayers should not be liable for the capital costs of new growth. At the same time, new taxpayers should not have to contribute more than the net capital cost attributable to growth in order to maintain current levels of municipal services. 

Term of By-law
By-law 2019-49 was passed on December 16, 2019 by Muskoka District Council and came into effect on January 1, 2020. By-law 2019-49 is set to expire on January 1, 2025.  
Development Charges Related Services

By-law 2019-49 imposes separate and distinct development charges:  

  • Muskoka Roads Development Charge, 
  • Urban Sewer Development Charge, 
  • Rural Area Septage Development Charge, and 
  • Water Supply Service Development Charge. 
Payment of Development Charges

You may be required to pay development charges for land development or redevelopment projects if you are: 

  • Constructing a new building 
  • Making an addition or alteration to an existing building that increases the number of dwelling units or the non-residential gross floor area 
  • Redeveloping a property or making interior alterations that result in a change of use to all or part of the building. 

Development charges are payable in equal annual installments for rental and non-profit housing, and institutional development.  The installments begin on the earlier of building permit issuance and first occupancy and continue for 5 years for rental housing and institutional development and 20 years for non-profit housing. 

For all other development, the default timing of payment is building permit issuance. 

Where any development charge, or part thereof, remains unpaid after the due date, the amount unpaid will be added to the tax roll and will be collected in the same manner as taxes.  

Development Charge

All development is categorized as either: 

a) residential; 

b) non-residential; or  

c) mixed use. 

  

NOTE:  Please refer to By-law 2019-49 for the rules associated with the calculation of each type of development.  

Calculation of Charge

The development charge payable is the charge that would be determined under the by-law on: 

  • The day of application for site plan control; or, if not applicable 
  • The day of application for rezoning; or, if both not applicable 
  • The day set out in the by-law. 
Indexing of Development Charges

The development charges may be adjusted annually on January 1st of each year,  

commencing in 2021, without amendment to the by-law, in accordance with the regulations if approved by the Finance and Corporate Services Committee and Muskoka District Council. 

Exemptions

The following types of development are exempt from payment of development charges: 

a) a non-residential farm building or structure; 

b) a cemetery and burial sites; 

c) development described in sections 2(3) of the Development Charges Act; 

d) buildings or structures owned and occupied by and used for the purposes of a municipality;  

e) buildings or structures owned and occupied by and used by a Board of Education;  

f) buildings or structures owned by a hospital approved as a public hospital;  

g) buildings or structures owned and occupied by a college of applied arts and technology or university; 

h) non-profit long term care homes; and 

i)the enlargement of an existing industrial building provided the enlargement is less than 50% of the existing floor area. 

Please contact The District Municipality of Muskoka for further information on eligibility for development charge exemptions: 

  

Phone:  705-645-2231  

            1-800-461-4210 (within 705 area only) 

Redevelopment
  • A credit will be provided against development charges owing where buildings or structures have been demolished to permit the redevelopment of the property. 
  • The eligibility for demolition credits is restricted to demolitions that occur within five years of the redevelopment of the property. 
Statement of the Treasurer
The Treasurer of The District Municipality of Muskoka is responsible for the development charges reserve fund. The Treasurer’s Annual Statement, identifying opening and closing balances and development charges reserve fund transactions during the year, may be viewed by the public at www.muskoka.on.ca or in printed version in the office of the District Clerk during regular business hours by the end of September each year. 
Development Charges Rates
Residential Charge by Unit Type (1) - (Schedule B-1)
 Single Detached, Semi-Detached and Duplexes
Single, Detached, Semi-Detached and Duplexes Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $3,689
Wastewater Services $6,162
Water Services $2,766
Rural Area Septage $320
Total Serviced (i) $12,617
Total Unserviced (ii) $4,009

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 2.90

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

Low Density Multiple Unit Development (2)
Low Density Multiple Unit Development (2) Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $3,053
Wastewater Services $5,100
Water Services $2,289
Rural Area Septage $265
Total Serviced (i) $10,442
Total Unserviced (ii) $3,318

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 2.40

(2) Includes townhouses, row homes, triplexes, quadraplexes and other greater multiples.

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

High Density Multiple Unit Development (2 Sleeping Areas of Greater)
High Density Multiple Unit Development Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $2,417
Wastewater Services $4,037
Water Services $1,813
Rural Area Septage $210
Total Serviced (i) $8,267
Total Unserviced (ii) $2,627

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 1.90

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

High Density Multiple Unit Development (Fewer than 2 Sleeping Areas)

 

High Density Multiple Unit Development Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $1,654
Wastewater Services $2,762
Water Services $1,240
Rural Area Septage $143
Total Serviced (i) $5,656
Total Unserviced (ii) $1,797

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 1.30

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

Per Occupant Charge

 

Per Occupant Charge Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $1,273
Wastewater Services $2,125
Water Services $954
Rural Area Septage $110
Total Serviced (i) $4,352
Total Unserviced (ii) $1,383

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 1.00

(i) Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

Non-Residential Development Charges (Schedule B-2) (Commercial Accommodation Premises)
Single Detached, Semi-Detached and Duplexes
Single Detached, Semi-Detached and Duplexes Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $3,689
Wastewater Services $6,162
Water Services $2,766
Rural Area Septage $320
Total Serviced (i) $12,617
Total Unserviced (ii) $4,009

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 2.90

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

Low Density Multiple Unit Development
Low Density Multiple Unit Development (2) Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $3,053
Wastewater Services $5,100
Water Services $2,289
Rural Area Septage $265
Total Serviced (i) $10,442
Total Unserviced (ii) $3,318

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 2.40

(2) Includes townhouses, row homes, triplexes, quadraplexes and other greater multiples.

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

High Density Multiple Unit Development (2 Sleeping Areas or Greater)
High Density Multiple Unit Development Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $2,417
Wastewater Services $4,037
Water Services $1,813
Rural Area Septage $210
Total Serviced (i) $8,267
Total Unserviced (ii) $2,627

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 1.90

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

High Density Multiple Unit Development (Fewer than 2 Sleeping Areas)
High Density Multiple Unit Development Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $1,654
Wastewater Services $2,762
Water Services $1,240
Rural Area Septage $143
Total Serviced (i) $5,656
Total Unserviced (ii) $1,797

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 1.30

(i)  Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

Per Occupant Charge
Per Occupant Charge Effective January 1, 2021
Roads and Related $1,273
Wastewater Services $2,125
Water Services $954
Rural Area Septage $110
Total Serviced (i) $4,352
Total Unserviced (ii) $1,383

(1) Based on Persons Per Unit of: 1.00

(i) Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

Non-Residential Development Charges (Schedule B-3)
Service Per Square Meter Per Square Foot
Roads and Related $1.98 $0.18
Wastewater Services $8.04 $0.75
Water Services $7.82 $0.73
Rural Area Septage $1.87 $0.17
Total Serviced (i) $17.84 $1.66
Total Unserviced (ii) $3.85 $0.35

(i) Includes Roads and Related, Wastewater and Water charges

(ii) Includes Roads and Related and Rural Area Septage charges

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70 Pine Street
Bracebridge, ON P1L 1N3

Phone: 705-645-2100
Fax: 705-645-5319

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