By Private Dwelling Type
By Value
By Housing Affordability
By Housing Adequacy
By Housing Suitability
Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing
By Homelessness
Private Dwelling Type
According to the 2016 Census, there were 208,965 occupied private dwellings in Simcoe Muskoka. The majority of those private dwellings (75%) were single-detached houses. In Simcoe Muskoka the average number of persons living in a private dwelling was 2.5 compared to 2.6 in Ontario.
In Simcoe Muskoka, the majority (38%) of “other” dwellings were apartments in a building has fewer than five stories, which was consistent with the province.
Value
According to the 2016 Census data, the average value of private dwellings in Simcoe Muskoka was $415,905 ($416,640 in Simcoe County and $415,170 in the District of Muskoka). Meanwhile, the average value of private dwellings in Ontario was $506,409 in 2016. The chart below shows that housing prices have been outpacing inflation with housing prices increasing by 20% in Simcoe Muskoka between 2011 and 2016. Likewise, housing prices have increased by 30% in Ontario between 2011 and 2016.
Average monthly shelter costs for owners and renters have also increased over time with the average cost of rent increasing by a larger percentage compared to the average monthly cost for homeowners. For example, the average monthly cost of rent in Simcoe Muskoka increased by 9% from $983 in 2011 to $1,073 in 2016. In comparison, average monthly payments for homeowners increased by 5% from $1,229 in 2011 to $1,292 in 2016.
Housing Affordability
People who lack access to acceptable housing are more likely than those with adequate housing to experience physical and mental health problems and may not have adequate funds available for other necessities such as food, clothing and transportation. In 2018, a family of four receiving Ontario Works (see Household Food Insecurity) would have to spend 84% (Simcoe) and 83% (Muskoka) of their monthly after-tax income on food and rent alone. In comparison, a middle income family of four (not receiving Ontario Works) would need to spend 27% (Simcoe) and 28% (Muskoka) of their monthly after-tax income on food and rent combined.
Residents of Simcoe County and District of Muskoka receiving social assistance, pension income or a minimum wage would also need to use the majority of their income to cover basic food and housing costs. For example, when income from one full-time minimum wage job is the income source for a family of four, 60% (Simcoe) and 59% (Muskoka) of the family’s monthly after-tax income would be needed to pay for food and rent.
According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), affordable housing should cost less than 30% of total before-tax household income. The 2016 Census found that, tenant households in Simcoe County paid an average of $1,127 per month on shelter costs (i.e. rent, electricity, heat and municipal services), and 49% (or 18,847) of tenant households (excluding households on reserves or farms) spent more than 30% of their total before-tax household income on shelter costs. Renters in Muskoka District paid an average of $1,019 per month on shelter costs, and 51% (or 2,355) of tenant households(excluding households on reserves or farms) spent more than 30% of their total before-tax household income on shelter costs. The municipality with the highest average monthly payment for tenant households was Innisfil ($1,342) and the lowest was Georgian Bay ($907) in 2016.
Homeowners in Simcoe County paid an average of $1,400 per month on shelter costs (i.e. mortgage, electricity, heat, water, municipal services, property taxes, condo fees), and 20% (or 28,362) of owner households spent more than 30% of their total before-tax household income on shelter costs. Homeowners in District of Muskoka paid an average of $1,184 per month on shelter costs, and 20% (or 4,047) of owner households spent more than 30% of their total before-tax household income on shelter costs. The municipality with the highest average monthly payment for homeowners was Bradford West Gwillimbury ($1,749) and the lowest was Wasaga Beach ($1,066).
In comparison, tenant households in Ontario paid an average of $1,109 per month on shelter costs (i.e. rent, electricity, heat and municipal services), and 46% (or 712,792) of tenant households spent more than 30% of their total before-tax household income on shelter costs. Homeowners in Ontario paid an average of $1,463 per month on shelter costs (i.e. mortgage, electricity, heat, water, municipal services, property taxes, condo fees), and 20% (or 713,161) of owner households spent more than 30% of their total before-tax household income on shelter costs.
Certain household types were more likely to spend 30% or more of their income on shelter costs. Fourty-four percent (or 23,790) of non-census family households(i.e. either one person living alone or with a group of two or more non-related, non-common law individuals) in Simcoe Muskoka reported spending 30% or more of income on shelter costs, followed by 41% (or 7,605) of lone-parent families.
Housing Affordability by Municipality
Within Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka, municipalities with the highest percentage of tenant households spending 30% or more of their total income on shelter costs included Collingwood (55%), Adjala-Tosorontio (54%), and Huntsville (53%). Among owner households, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Collingwood and Lake of Bays had the highest percentage of owner households spending 30% or more of their total income on shelter costs at 24%, 24%, and 23% respectively.
In general, the percentage of owner households spending 30% or more of their total household income on shelter costs has remained stable or decreased from 2006 to 2016 while the percentage of tenant households spending 30% or more of their total household income on shelter costs has increased from 2006 to 2016.
Housing Adequacy
Adequate housingrefers to dwellings that do not require major repairs, as reported by their residents. Major repairs can include: defective plumbing or electrical wiring, or structural repairs to walls, floors or ceilings.
According to the 2016 Census, 6% (or 12,465) of dwellings in Simcoe Muskoka required major repairs. Approximately 31,415 (or 6%) of Simcoe Muskoka residents were living in dwellings requiring major repairs.
In Simcoe County, 6% (or 10,290) of dwellings required major repairs in 2016. A higher proportion of rented dwellings required major repairs (8% or 3,185) compared to owned dwellings (5% or 7,075). Approximately 26,255 (or 5%) of Simcoe County residents were living in dwellings requiring major repairs.
In Muskoka District, 9% (or 2,175) of dwellings required major repairs in 2016. A higher proportion of rented dwellings required major repairs (11% or 495) compared to owned dwellings (8% or 1,670). Approximately 5,160 (or 9%) of Muskoka District residents were living in dwellings requiring major repairs.
In comparison, 6% of dwellings in Ontario required major repairs in 2016. A higher proportion of rented dwellings required major repairs (9% or 136,605) compared to owned dwellings (5% or 177,705). Approximately 6% (or 804,290) of Ontario residents were living in dwellings requiring major repairs.
Certain population groups were more likely to be living in dwellings requiring major repairs. In particular, 10% (or 1,790) of lone-parent families and 7% (or 3,605) of non-census family households(i.e. either one person living alone or with a group of two or more non-related, non-common law individuals) reported living in a dwelling that required major repairs in Simcoe Muskoka in 2016.
Approximately 11% (or 2,605) of the self-identified Indigenous population, 10% (or 6,290) of those living in low income according to the Low Income Measure (After-Tax), 4% (or 1,440) of the visible minority population, 4% (or 2,720) of all immigrants and 2% (or 65) of recent immigrants living in Simcoe Muskoka were living in dwellings requiring major repairs in 2016.
Housing Suitability
Suitable housing refers to having enough bedrooms for the size and makeup of resident households (according to the National Occupancy Standard [NOS] requirements). According to the 2016 Census data, tenant households in Simcoe Muskoka were less likely to live in suitable housing than owner households in 2016. In Muskoka District, 6% (or 285) of tenant households and 2% (or 350) of owner households were living in a dwelling below NOS requirements. This is similar to 7% (2,590) of renters and 2% (or 2,975) of homeowners in Simcoe County that were living below the suitability standards.
In Ontario, 12% (or 185,290) of tenant householdsand 3% (or 124,025) of owner households were living in a dwelling that was below the suitability standards in 2016.
Subsidized Housing
According to the 2016 Census, 3% (or 5,435) of households (homeowner and tenant) in Simcoe Muskoka were living in subsidized housing. Among just tenant households, subsidized housing accounted for 13% of tenant housing. Municipalities in Simcoe Muskoka with the highest percentage of tenant households living in subsidized housing included Gravenhurst (22%), Bracebridge (20%), Midland (19%) and Orillia (19%).
Certain population groups were more likely to report living in subsidized housing than others. For example, in Simcoe Muskoka 20% of lone-parent tenant households were living in subsidized housing and 16% of non-census family tenant households (i.e. one person living alone or with a group of two or more non-related, non-common law individuals) were living in subsidized housing in 2016.
Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing
According to the 2016 Centralized Waitlist Report by the County of Simcoe, Simcoe County has access to 2,772 rent-geared-to-income housing units. In 2016, there were 2,979 eligible households on their waitlist for social housing. This means that for every occupied rent-geared-to-income housing unit, there was approximately one household on the waitlist.
In 2016, 299 households were housed in rent-geared-to-income housing units in Simcoe County. Of these households, 156 came from the chronological waitlist and 143 were special priority applicants. The wait time for special priority populations, those who are or were victims of domestic violence, was approximately 7.1 months in Simcoe County in 2016. The average wait time for other applicants, excluding special priority applicants, ranged from 3.7 years for a household with dependents to 6.3 years for households with no dependents in 2016.
According to Muskoka District’s Muskoka 10 Year Housing & Homelessness Plan, there were 683 households on the waitlist for rent-geared-to-income housing in 2017. With 574 social housing units, there was approximately one housing unit per 1.2 eligible households on the waitlist.
According to the 2016 Waiting Lists Survey Report by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association, in 2015, 61 households in Muskoka District were housed in rent-geared-to-income housing units. The average wait time for special priority populations was approximately 4 months while the average wait time for other applicants ranged from 2.5 years for households with dependents to 5.8 years for households with no dependents in 2015.
Homelessness
In 2017, under section 19.1 of the Housing Services Act, 2011, the Minister of Housing directed that each County and District conduct an enumeration of persons who are homeless starting in spring 2018 and every two years afterwards.
According to Simcoe County’s 2018 Homeless Enumeration Report, 697 individuals were counted as experiencing homelessness between April 24 to 27 2018. Among the survey participants, 16% were youth aged 16 to 24, 3% were seniors aged 65 years or older, 57% were chronically homeless (experienced at least 180 days of homelessness in the past year) and 29% self-reported Indigenous identity or ancestry
According to Muskoka District’s 2018 Homeless Enumeration Report, 142 individuals experienced homelessness between April 12 to 18 2018. Among these 142 individuals, 14% were youth aged 16 to 24, 2% were seniors aged 65 years or older, 44% were chronically homeless, and 17% self-identified as Indigenous.