Spring Ice Storm 2025

Regular Support Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Note: This line will be closed on Friday, April 18th through to Monday, April 21st for the Easter holiday and will re-open on Tuesday, April 22nd. 

Residents can call for assistance with urgent needs such as:

• Food, water, or medication

• Medical devices or wellness checks

• Heating or fuel for generators

• Blocked municipal roads
• Clean-up support for storm yard waste

Requests will be prioritized based on urgency, with life-sustaining and safety-related needs addressed first.

When calling or emailing, please clearly provide:

• Your name

• A contact number

• The type of assistance you need
• If calling about storm yard waste, please include the type of clean-up support you require (i.e. someone to help you bundle brush for the curb, or help with transportation to one of the District transfer sites. 

Please note: response times may vary depending on volumes and the severity of requests, and we do not have restoration times for hydro services. 

In case of emergency, dial 911 immediately.

Properties that currently receive curbside collection for Leaf & Yard Waste in the spring and fall will receive this service starting April 21, 2025.

You can confirm your property’s eligibility by searching your address on the Muskoka Waste App or on the District’s website.

The District has updated curbside collection information so that these events will show up on your property’s specific waste collection schedule.

All bundles are to be prepared by securing sticks and branches with natural twine, in a brown leaf waste bag, or loosely in an open-topped tote or garbage bin.

The dimensions of the bundle is 2 ft x 3 ft and a maximum diameter size for individual branches of 2 inches.

Bundles or containers should not weigh more than 55 lbs to ensure they can be picked up by collection staff.

All Muskoka residents are able to transport their storm brush to District Transfer Stations (excluding Ridout and McLean) free of charge. Tipping fees are waived until at least April 30, 2025 to support residents cleaning up these materials.

For a period this summer, tipping fees will be waived again to support second home residents with their clean-up. The dates are to be determined.  

The curbside yard waste collection program utilizes rear-loading compacting garbage trucks. All material is manually lifted by garbage collectors into these vehicles. To make sure we can collect from as many residents as possible, collectors must be able to load the materials safely and efficiently.

Loose brush will not be collected, as it will take far longer to load at the curb.

Large-diameter brush can pose a safety risk when compacted and loaded within curbside collection vehicles. 

The Storm Yard Waste Curbside Collection is designed to collect along multiple routes throughout the week. What this means is that even though your materials are set out on Monday, they might not be collected until Friday, or the following week.

Please be patient and leave your bundled materials neatly at the curb.

Please also ensure the material is placed so that it isn’t on the road, sidewalk or interfering with any other public or private infrastructure. 

We will be patrolling the collection routes and determining how best to proceed with collection. Any material placed after May 5^th may not be collected through the program. To ensure a seamless collection, please ensure all bundled materials are placed out for collection no later than May 5^th.

Folks who have materials remaining after the storm waste curbside collection has ended, may choose to set out materials as part of the District’s Annual Leaf and Yard Waste program, beginning on May 12.

For those who are physically or financially unable to manage storm cleanup, support is available. If you or someone you know needs help with debris clean-up, please contact our Storm Assistance Line at 705-645-2100 ext. 4500. 

Please note that when support becomes available, you may be asked to provide proof of income or disability to help prioritize assistance. This is not required today, but we want to make you aware in advance.

Managing Spoiled Food Waste: Tips for Muskoka Residents

When it comes to managing food that may be spoiled from extended power outages resulting from the recent storm, we know what a frustrating challenge that can be. To help break it down as simply as possible, please follow these steps to help manage and sort this waste appropriately:

1. Separate and Sort: It’s important to separate spoiled food from other waste and use your green bin for as much of the compostable waste as possible! This is the best container for the job, and to help assist curbside residents during this time, residents may also place excessive amounts of food waste curbside in compostable bags inside a rigid container (up to 125 litres and a 25 kg maximum weight) clearly marked “Organics” to help our curbside contractor get those materials away from your property, and part of our composting operations.
2. Food Waste – Free of Charge!: Any food waste that is too much to handle for your green bin, or a priority to get out of your home, can be brought to any District Transfer Station and disposed of for free. No need to use a special green bin; use whatever container is handy for you to empty it within the dedicated earth bins on-site at the facilities. There is no limit on the amount of food waste you can bring to our facilities during their operating hours
3. Watch for Tricky Items: Raw meat unfortunately cannot be handled in our composting process – this material will belong in the garbage. Please also be sure to remove any wrappers, trays, etc., and have those disposed of in the right stream. Meat Styrofoam trays, plastic meat trays and plastic film, if able to be rinsed, can be placed within the recycling stream (all plastic film must be contained within a plastic bag and placed in your blue box or blue transparent bag).

For some quick tips on what goes where, please use our handy sorting guide, or visit the Waste Wizard for custom answers to all your waste sorting needs.

For a complete listing of Mental Health and Community Supports (including food), please visit our Food and Support webpage.

Crisis intervention service is available 24/7 via a telephone support service provided by Canadian Mental Health Association, Muskoka-Parry Sound Branch.  Any person experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis may call their local office between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm (see numbers below).  If you are already a client please ask for your worker.  If you are new to the agency please ask for a crisis worker.

• Bracebridge – (705) 645-2262 or 1-800-245-5036
• Huntsville – (705) 789-8891
• Parry Sound – (705) 746-4264 or 1-866-829-7049
• Sundridge – (705) 384-5392 or 1-866-829-7050
• Gravenhurst – (705) 687-1435 or 1-844-771-2474

Anyone experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis after our usual office hours please call 1-800-461-5424.

Crisis intervention and consultation is also provided within local hospitals, with hours varying depending on site.

Muskoka Victim Services: 24/7 Contact number: 1-844-762-9945

Muskoka Victim Services offers:

• Immediate on-site emotional and practical assistance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Assessment of victims needs, risk and vulnerability.
• Referral to appropriate programs and services within their community.

Your local town or township may be offering warming centres, charging stations, or localized supports. Please visit their website or social media channels for updates:

• Town of Bracebridge
• Town of Gravenhurst
• Town of Huntsville
• Township of Georgian Bay
• Township of Lake of Bays
• Township of Muskoka Lakes
• The District of Muskoka

View a list of Municipal Public Water Taps in your area.

The District is working closely with community food banks and service agencies to ensure vulnerable residents continue to have access to food during storm recovery. Residents who are able, are encouraged to donate non-perishable items or financial contributions to local food banks to help meet increased demand.

For a list of food banks in your area, please visit our Food and Support webpage.

• Treat every power line as if it’s live, even if it doesn’t appear to be
• If the electrical stack or pipe on your home is damaged, a licensed electrician is required to make repairs. 
• Experiencing flooding? If water is reaching outlets, heaters, or furnaces, call your hydro provider to safely disconnect power. Do not enter flooded areas until power is off.

Check your hydro provider’s outage map for the most up to date information. Some links are included below:

• Hydro One: https://www.hydroone.com/power-outages-and-safety/stormcentre-outage-map 
• Lakeland: https://outages.lakelandpower.on.ca/
• Elexicon: https://elexiconenergy.com/outage-map

Muskoka GeoHub allows you to interact with Flood line and LiDAR mapping and view real time water levels in Muskoka - right from your own home! Visit Muskoka GeoHub at: map.muskoka.on.ca

Sign up to Muskoka's emergency alert system - Voyent Alert! 

The District’s Be Prepared page offers tips on how to plan ahead for emergencies like floods. It also includes information on what to do after a flood to stay safe during cleanup. Being prepared is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your home during an emergency.