Photo: Skeezix1000 · CC BY-SA 3.0A 14,586-vote win for Scott Aitchison made Parry Sound—Muskoka safer in 2021 than 71% of ridings
Gravenhurst’s council of 9 was elected in October 2022, with Heidi Lorenz as mayor. These names are from the 2022–26 term: Ontario’s municipalities voted on 26 October 2026, but the province’s open list of the results isn’t out. The riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP) covering Gravenhurst is Parry Sound—Muskoka, and Scott Aitchison (Conservative Party of Canada) represents it in the House of Commons. Northern Ontario’s provincial ridings differ from the federal ones, and no open file of them exists, so Gravenhurst’s riding for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario isn’t shown.
What stands out in how Gravenhurst is governed
High spending per resident
Per resident, Gravenhurst council’s 2024 spending tops 66% of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. Council money ↓
A safe federal seat
The 2021 winner in Parry Sound—Muskoka finished 26.3 points ahead of the runner-up (Liberal Party of Canada), a wider lead than in 71% of Canada’s 338 ridings. How Gravenhurst has voted ↓
Compared with the province’s municipalities of 1,000+ residents (2021 Census; MAMH, MMAH and Statistics Canada).
Three governments, and who does what
Gravenhurst, a town in Ontario, shares the work with the province and Ottawa.
Local services, by-laws and property tax.
Spends most on water, sewers and waste, then social services and child care (2024 return).
Schools, health care, highways, municipal law.
ola.org ↗Passports, pensions, EI, defence, immigration.
ourcommons.ca ↗Who to ask
Green: municipal. Gold: provincial. Grey: federal.
Above Gravenhurst’s council sits District Municipality of Muskoka, the upper tier, which runs services across all its municipalities.
From the council table to Ottawa
Every elected tier that speaks for Gravenhurst, from the most recent elections.
- 1Gravenhurst councilelected October 2022Heidi Lorenz
- 2Legislative Assembly of Ontario–
- 3House of CommonsParry Sound—Muskoka
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada
Who was elected to Gravenhurst council in 2022
Everyone elected in 2022, with their votes; Ontario’s file gives each seat’s votes but not the ward’s name.
- Heidi Lorenz
- Penny Varney
- Jo Morphy
- Michelle Robinson
- Randy Jorgensen
- Christina Hunter
- Sandy Cairns
- Erin Strength
- Peter Johnston
9 members and how they were elected
| Name | Seat | Votes | Share of the seat’s votes | On the last council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heidi Lorenz | Mayor | 2,155 | 44% | Yes |
| Penny Varney | Councillor | 931 | 66% | Yes |
| Jo Morphy | Councillor | – | acclaimed | Yes |
| Michelle Robinson | Councillor | 642 | 72% | No |
| Randy Jorgensen | Councillor | 505 | 72% | No |
| Christina Hunter | Councillor | 742 | 62% | No |
| Sandy Cairns | Local and District Councillor | 3,186 | 65% | Yes |
| Erin Strength | Local and District Councillor | 2,005 | 41% | No |
| Peter Johnston | Local and District Councillor | 1,833 | 37% | No |
Each ward chooses its own councillors on Gravenhurst council, while the whole municipality votes for the mayor. For mayor, Heidi Lorenz drew 44% of the votes. For one seat a single candidate came forward and was acclaimed.
Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario)
Gravenhurst voted less than most of Ontario in 2022
Turnout in the October 2022 municipal elections, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is Ontario’s median.
The nearest places to Gravenhurst with figures are 16–28 km away. 33% of those on the list cast a ballot for Gravenhurst council on 24 October 2022, fewer than in a typical municipality.
How Gravenhurst voted: same source as Councillors, above.
When Gravenhurst votes
The last and next general elections at each level; a by-election can come in between.
| Election | Last | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Gravenhurst council | 26 October 2026 | 28 October 2030 |
| Legislative Assembly of Ontario | 27 February 2025 | – |
| House of Commons | 28 April 2025 | – |
Under the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, Gravenhurst’s next municipal vote is on 28 October 2030, the fourth Monday in October every four years. Provincially the last general election was on 27 February 2025, for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario; federally, on 28 April 2025. This page stops at the 2021 vote: elections.ca keeps the 2025 counts under non-commercial terms.
Election dates: the legislatures, MMAH and MAMH
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario: riding not placed
Provinces and territories run schools, health care and municipal law; each riding elects one MPP.
Find your MPP on the legislature’s site
ola.org ↗Legislatures: their own member pages
Scott Aitchison represents Parry Sound—Muskoka in Ottawa
Each riding elects one MP to the House of Commons; the general election of 28 April 2025 chose the 45th Parliament.
Parry Sound—Muskoka · Conservative Party of Canada · first elected 2019
en.wikipedia.org ↗- Liberal Party of Canada71
- Conservative Party of Canada50
As Wikidata records them.
In Ontario, Scott Aitchison belongs to a minority: the Conservative Party of Canada has 50 of 122 seats, the Liberal Party of Canada 71.
The MP’s record
Elections Canada’s transposition of the 2021 vote onto today’s Parry Sound—Muskoka puts the Conservative Party of Canada first at 48%; Scott Aitchison held it for the party in 2025. First elected in 2019, Scott Aitchison is serving the 3rd term of a Commons career.
MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026
Parry Sound—Muskoka returned Scott Aitchison (Conservative Party of Canada) in 2021
Results in Parry Sound—Muskoka as drawn in 2013, the boundaries of the 2019 and 2021 elections; the riding was redrawn for 2025.
Back in 2019, Scott Aitchison took the riding on 42%. Scott Aitchison (Conservative Party of Canada) took Parry Sound—Muskoka in 2021 with 48% of the vote, 14,586 votes ahead of Jovanie Nicoyishakiye (Liberal Party of Canada). Turnout in Parry Sound—Muskoka reached 65% in 2021, against 63% nationally.
All 7 candidates in Parry Sound—Muskoka, 2021
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Aitchison | Conservative Party of Canada | 26,600 | 47.9% |
| Jovanie Nicoyishakiye | Liberal Party of Canada | 12,014 | 21.7% |
| Heather Hay | New Democratic Party | 9,339 | 16.8% |
| James Tole | People's Party of Canada | 4,184 | 7.5% |
| Marc Mantha | Green Party of Canada | 3,099 | 5.6% |
| Daniel Predie Jr | Independent | 169 | 0.3% |
| James Fawcett | National Citizens Alliance of Canada | 95 | 0.2% |
Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Gravenhurst council spends more per resident than most
The 2024 financial return: spending by service and revenue by source, per resident, compared only with Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities.
Spending per resident by service, 2024
What pays for it
Shares of revenue, town and province.
Spending by Gravenhurst council reached $2,221 a resident in 2024, well over the $1,901 median of Ontario’s lower-tier municipalities. The upper tier, District Municipality of Muskoka, adds $3,497 per resident of its own, mostly for water, sewers and waste. The return counts 94 full-time positions, 7.1 for every thousand residents. The largest line is roads and transit: 38% of the total, $835 a resident. At 62%, property taxes count for more of the revenue than the 42% seen across the province. Long-term debt at Gravenhurst council stood at $6.2M, or $472 a resident, above the $440 median.
Spending per resident nearby
Every service line, 2024
| Service | 2024 | Per resident | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roads and transit | $11M | $835 | 38% |
| Recreation and culture | $7M | $531 | 24% |
| Police, fire and protection | $4.6M | $353 | 16% |
| General government | $4.4M | $332 | 15% |
| Planning and development | $1.7M | $132 | 6% |
| Public health and paramedics | $273K | $21 | 1% |
| Water, sewers and waste | $223K | $17 | 1% |
Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
One seat for every 1,620 residents
Residents (2021 Census) per council seat, head of council included, beside nearby municipalities; the tick is the provincial median.
A seat on Gravenhurst council covers 1,620 residents; 54% of Ontario municipalities have fewer per seat.
Residents: 2021 Census; seats: the province’s council list
Having a say in how Gravenhurst is run
Check or update the federal list.
elections.ca ↗Every MP lists an office.
ourcommons.ca ↗Ridings, registration and voting dates.
elections.on.ca ↗What this data can and can’t tell you
- Council money. Per resident means the 2024 Financial Information Return’s totals over the population it reports. Since a county or region spends in its lower tiers too, those are compared only with each other.
- Council size. The council size includes the head of council; the population is the 2021 Census, the whole city’s for a neighbourhood.
- Election results. Ridings changed in 2023: the 2019 and 2021 results are on the old map, and the 2021 vote on today’s map is Elections Canada’s own estimate from polling divisions.
- Which riding. Where residents of the 2021 Census live decides the riding; any riding with 5% of them or more is named.
- Who holds each seat. A member who resigned or switched parties last week may still show here: the names are Wikidata’s.
- Not on this page. Party control (most Canadian councils sit without parties, and the open lists record none) and band councils.
Questions about how Gravenhurst is run
Who is the MP for Gravenhurst?
For Gravenhurst, it’s Scott Aitchison (Conservative Party of Canada), who holds Parry Sound—Muskoka.
Which party won Gravenhurst in the 2021 federal election?
In 2021 it was Scott Aitchison (Conservative Party of Canada), who represents Parry Sound—Muskoka still.
Who is the MPP for Gravenhurst?
Use the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s own list: every MPP is there by riding, though Gravenhurst isn’t placed in one here.
Who heads the council in Gravenhurst?
Heidi Lorenz was elected mayor in October 2022, for the 2022–26 term of Gravenhurst council.
How much does Gravenhurst council spend?
Gravenhurst council spent $29.2M in 2024 for about 13,157 residents; its largest service line was roads and transit, at $11M.
Which regional body is Gravenhurst part of?
Gravenhurst is part of the District Municipality of Muskoka, the upper tier, which runs district-wide roads, water and sewers.
How is Gravenhurst council elected?
Gravenhurst council: the mayor is chosen by the whole municipality, the councillors ward by ward.
What was the turnout in Gravenhurst?
Turnout for Gravenhurst council reached 32.8% in October 2022 (Ontario median: 35.5%).
Sources: MPs: Wikidata (CC0), 45th Parliament statements, read 7 November 2026; ridings: 2023 Representation Order, Statistics Canada · Councils: Ontario 2022 Municipal Election data, MMAH (OGL-Ontario) · Money: Financial Information Return 2024, Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Next municipal election: the province’s municipal election act · Municipality types: Statistics Canada census subdivisions · Federal results: Elections Canada, 43rd and 44th general elections and the 44th’s transposition to the 2023 ridings, via open.canada.ca. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · MPs’ records: Wikidata (CC0), positions held and party memberships, read 8 November 2026. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).