7 ways the Muskoka Lakes Association strengthens the community

Did you know the Muskoka Lakes Association (MLA) does much more than protect Muskoka’s lakes?

For more than 130 years, the MLA has been bringing all residents and cottagers of Muskoka together to protect the place they love. Through community events, volunteer initiatives, educational programs and support for local organizations, the MLA helps build a stronger, more connected Muskoka.

Serious issues are important, but let’s face it, a trip to the cottage is all about having fun with family and friends.  That’s why the MLA supports, funds or operates a variety of cottage-focused events, including our annual aquatic regatta, sailing regatta, a winter curling bonspiel and seedling day. We also host a bi-annual antique boat show, produce a high-quality Yearbook, and keep our members up-to-date on Muskoka happenings with regular newsletters.

Here are seven ways the MLA makes a difference in the community:

1. Helping Local Families Through the Annual Food Drive

Each fall, MLA volunteers organize a food drive supporting local food banks. What began as a simple community initiative has become an annual tradition, providing much-needed assistance to Muskoka families experiencing food insecurity.

2. Investing in Muskoka’s Future

Since 2016, the MLA has awarded a $5,000 annual bursary to a graduating student from a Muskoka-area high school who demonstrates financial need in order to pursue post-secondary education.

Thirteen students have already benefited from the program. By helping young people pursue their educational goals, the MLA is investing in the next generation of Muskoka residents and environmental stewards.

3. Supporting Local Charities

The MLA works with organizations that help strengthen the Muskoka community, including the YWCA, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and Children’s Foundation of Muskoka.These partnerships support initiatives that improve the lives of local residents and reinforce the spirit of community that has long been part of Muskoka.

4. Connecting With the Community

Throughout the summer, MLA volunteers attend 28 Farmers’ Markets across Muskoka. These popular gatherings provide an opportunity to meet residents and visitors, answer questions about environmental issues, discuss responsible waterfront development, explain MLA programs and welcome new members.

Just as importantly, these events allow the MLA to listen to community concerns and learn what matters most to people who live in and visit Muskoka.

5. Bringing People Together Through Events – Everyone is Welcome!

Each summer, two regattas welcome participants of all ages and abilities. The MLA Aquatics Regatta at Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club on Lake Rosseau is the oldest continuing water sporting event in Canada, and features several swimming, canoeing and rowing events.

The MLA Sailing Regatta at Beaumaris Yacht Club on Lake Muskoka brings together sailors from across Muskoka to celebrate friendly competition and a shared love of sailing. Competitors range from children as young as six to lifelong sailors competing into their eighties. Whether you’re racing or cheering from the shoreline, both regattas celebrate Muskoka’s rich waterfront heritage.

In winter, the MLA Mixed Curling Bonspiel, now in its seventh decade, attracts curlers from across the region for a weekend of friendly competition and camaraderie.

The MLA also hosts the Antique Boat Show in Port Carling every second year. For more than 50 years, the show has celebrated Muskoka’s rich boating heritage and attracts hundreds of visitors. The 2026 show, for example, featured Celebrating Hotel Boats, highlighting classic vessels built locally by Ditchburn, Minett and Duke Boats.

6. Helping Restore Healthy Shorelines

Every spring, Seedling Day gives waterfront property owners an opportunity to purchase native trees and shrubs for their properties. Native vegetation helps improve water quality, stabilize soil and reduce erosion while providing valuable habitat for birds, pollinators and other wildlife. It’s a simple, practical way for property owners to enhance their shorelines while helping protect Muskoka’s lakes for future generations.

7. Keeping Members Informed

Protecting Muskoka begins with being informed. Throughout the year, the MLA provides members with information about environmental issues, local planning decisions and community events.

MLA Members receive monthly NewsBites email updates, the quarterly Shorelines newsletter in print and digital formats, the seasonal Muskoka Flood Watch during the spring freshet, and the annual MLA Yearbook. Together, these communications help members stay informed about the issues shaping Muskoka and the decisions that affect its future.

Join the MLA Today

Being an MLA member is about more than supporting environmental advocacy. It’s about becoming part of a community. There are many ways to get involved, whether by volunteering at a regatta or Antique Boat Show; helping with water-quality monitoring; recruiting new members; or contributing your expertise to an MLA committee or the Board of Directors.

Broaden your commitment to Muskoka by joining the MLA today at mla.on.ca/Membership. Since 1894, the MLA has worked to protect Muskoka’s natural environment while bringing people together. With the support of members and volunteers, that work will continue for generations.

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