McMurrich/Monteith Township — most people know it simply as Sprucedale — sits in the heart of the Almaguin Highlands and is increasingly attracting buyers who want to build rather than buy an existing home. The land is beautiful, the community is genuine, and the price of vacant lots is a fraction of what you'd pay further south.

But building in McMurrich/Monteith — or any rural township — is not the same as building in a subdivision. There are layers of planning, zoning, and permitting that can catch buyers off guard if they haven't done their homework first. We've seen people fall in love with a piece of land, buy it, and then discover it doesn't work for what they had in mind. This post is written to help you avoid exactly that.

About the Township of McMurrich/Monteith

The Township of McMurrich/Monteith is a small, well-run municipality with its offices at 31 William Street in Sprucedale. The township phone number is 705-685-7901 and the general email is connect@mcmurrichmonteith.com. The office is more accessible than most people expect — and the staff are genuinely helpful. More on that in a moment.

The township website at mcmurrichmonteith.com has a well-organized planning and building section that is your first stop for any lot research. Bookmark it.

Start With Zoning — Before You Fall in Love With the Land

The single most important thing to do before making an offer on vacant land in McMurrich/Monteith is to understand the zoning. Zoning determines what you can build, where you can build it, how close to the lot line or water, and what the land can legally be used for. It's not bureaucratic noise — it's the framework that governs everything that comes after.

The Township's Planning Department page is where to start. From there you can access:

The Official Plan — adopted by Council in July 2025 and approved by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs in May 2026. This is the big-picture land use document for the township. It tells you how land is intended to be used across the municipality.

The Zoning Bylaw (By-law 16-2016, consolidated October 2025) — this is the detailed, lot-by-lot document that tells you exactly what is and isn't permitted on a specific piece of land.

The Mapping Schedules — Read These Before You Buy Anything

This is where a lot of buyers make their first mistake: they look at the zoning text and stop there. The mapping schedules are equally important, and in some cases more so. McMurrich/Monteith has seven schedules you need to review for any lot you're seriously considering:

Appendix 1 — Wildland Fire. This is not a detail to skip. Properties in or near high wildland fire risk areas may have additional construction requirements or restrictions that affect cost and design significantly.

Schedule A — Land Use. Shows the land use designation for properties across the township. Is the lot you're looking at designated Rural, Shoreline, Agricultural, or something else? This shapes everything.

Schedules B1 and B2 — Natural Heritage Features. These identify wetlands, significant woodlands, wildlife habitat, and other natural features that may restrict what you can build and where.

Schedule C1 — Development Constraints. Flood plains, steep slopes, and other physical constraints that limit what's buildable. A lot that looks flat and buildable on a satellite image can have constraints that show up here.

Schedule C2 — Aggregate Resources. Identifies areas with aggregate (gravel, sand) resources, which can affect development nearby.

Schedule D — Transportation and Infrastructure. Roads, access points, and infrastructure that affect how a property is serviced and accessed.

All of these are available directly from the planning page. Reading them takes time, but it's time well spent before you put money on a lot.

Building Permits — What They Cost in 2026

Once you've confirmed zoning works for your plans, the building permit is the next major step. McMurrich/Monteith uses Cloudpermit, an online system for submitting and tracking permit applications, available at ca.cloudpermit.com. You can access it 24/7, track your application status, and communicate with the Building Department through the platform.

Permit fees in McMurrich/Monteith are calculated based on the value of construction, at a rate of $12.00 per $1,000 of construction value. The township uses set construction cost benchmarks by building type:

A single-storey residential home is calculated at $225 per square foot. So a 1,500 square foot home would have a construction value of $337,500, divided by 1,000 = 337.5, multiplied by $12 = a permit fee of approximately $4,050.

For upper stories or 1.5/2 storey homes, the rate is $150 per square foot. Garages and boathouses are calculated at $60 per square foot, with a minimum fee of $300. Storage sheds, fireplaces, and swimming pools have a minimum fee of $225.

There is also a minimum permit fee of $300 across most categories, and if you build without a permit, the fee doubles — plus you're subject to orders and enforcement. Don't build without a permit.

For sewage systems — which on a rural lot you'll almost certainly need — the permit fees are separate: a Class 4 septic system (tank and bed), the most common residential system, costs $500 for the permit. Sewage system permits in this area are handled through the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority.

A driveway entrance permit is also required and runs $600, which includes your initial civic number sign and post.

Call the Township — Or Better Yet, Go In

Here's advice we give every buyer looking at vacant land in Almaguin, and it applies strongly in McMurrich/Monteith: call the township before you make an offer. Better yet, go in person.

The staff at the Sprucedale office are genuinely helpful. People in small Almaguin townships tend to be approachable, knowledgeable, and willing to have a real conversation. A 20-minute visit to the township office can tell you more about a specific lot than an hour of reading documents online.

Ask about the specific property. Ask what the zoning allows. Ask if there are any known constraints, pending applications, or considerations that affect the lot you're looking at. Ask what the process looks like for what you want to build.

You will not regret asking questions before you buy. You may very much regret not asking them.

Document Everything — This Is Non-Negotiable

This is the piece of advice that sounds obvious until someone wishes they'd followed it.

Every time you speak with anyone at the township — in person or by phone — write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with, and exactly what they told you. If someone verbally confirms a zoning or tells you that a particular use is permitted on a lot, note it: the date, their name, and what was said.

Zoning interpretations can be nuanced. Staff can change. Verbal conversations don't appear on title. If you rely on what someone told you without documenting it and a dispute arises later, you have nothing to stand on. A simple notebook or a note in your phone, dated and named, protects you.

For anything significant — written confirmation of zoning compliance, septic suitability, road access — get it in writing where you can.

A Few More Things to Check Before Building in McMurrich/Monteith

Beyond zoning and permits, a few additional items are worth investigating on any vacant lot in McMurrich/Monteith:

Road access and maintenance. Is the lot on a municipally maintained road? A private road? A seasonal road? This affects year-round access and matters significantly for insurance, mortgage financing, and day-to-day life.

Shore road allowances. If you're looking at waterfront land, be aware that most waterfront lots in Ontario have a shore road allowance between the lot and the water. Understanding whether it's been closed and conveyed, and what access rights you actually have to the shoreline, is essential.

Where to Start Your Research

Township Planning Department: mcmurrichmonteith.com/planning
Township Building Department: mcmurrichmonteith.com/building
Township Office: 31 William Street, Sprucedale | 705-685-7901 | connect@mcmurrichmonteith.com

We're Happy to Walk Through It With You

Buying vacant land and building in Almaguin is very doable — and for the right buyer, it's an incredible opportunity. But it requires more due diligence than buying an existing home. Between Tom's 30 years of local knowledge and Emma's appraisal training, we've seen a lot of land transactions go well and a few go sideways. We know the questions to ask and the steps to take before you commit.

If you're looking at a lot or thinking about building in McMurrich/Monteith or anywhere in the Almaguin Highlands, we're happy to talk it through with you.

📞 705-380-3136 | 🌐 emmabonnar.com/contact

— Emma & Tom | Calm Guidance for Real Life.