On July 28, 2025, following the direction of the Lake of Bays Council, the Township of Lake of Bays provided the Town of Huntsville with notice of their decision to conclude the shared Fire Department Administration Service Agreement. This decision reflects an understanding that the two communities are diverging in their fire service needs, and initiates an 18-month transition period during which time both municipalities will prepare to operate independent fire departments tailored to their community.
During this time, the Town of Huntsville will continue to provide services as outlined in the Fire Department Administration Service Agreement to the Township of Lake of Bays through the Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department (HLOBFD). The 18-month period will allow both municipalities to prepare for the transition while maintaining seamless service to residents, with the full operational transition expected to be in place by early 2027.
Quote from Lake of Bays CAO:
“We are grateful for the strong partnership we have shared with the Town of Huntsville since the original Fire Service Agreement was established over a decade ago. As both municipalities have evolved, Lake of Bays Council felt it was the right time to proactively review whether the current agreement will continue to meet the future needs of our community. Through this process, we identified a divergence in growth patterns, with each municipality facing different types of development and fire risk. Looking ahead, we recognised that a made-in-Lake of Bays approach will allow us to tailor staffing, training, recruitment, equipment, and emergency planning to suit our unique geography and work around the evolving needs of our community. Our municipalities have set a strong example of beneficial collaboration. We will continue to join forces where it makes sense, while also recognising that sometimes the best path is to tailor solutions around the unique needs of each community.” – Geoff Carleton, Chief Administrative Officer of the Township of Lake of Bays
Quote from the Huntsville CAO:
“The Fire Department Administration Services Agreement represented a great partnership with the Township of Lake of Bays and demonstrated the shared values and closeness between our two communities. We recognize the past few years have brought an enormous amount of change to the region and we are confident that, based on the solid foundation that has been established through the provision of the services, the Township is well positioned to provide independent administrative fire services within their community. We know the HLOBFD leadership and staff will handle this transition with the utmost professionalism and will continue to be a trusted and valuable community resource.” – Denise Corry, Chief Administrative Officer of the Town of Huntsville
Over the next 18 months, both municipalities will continue to provide updates on the progress made toward the transition.
