Ramara real estate

Ramara is the township on the east side of Orillia, with 10,377 people (2021 Census) living along the northeast shores of Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. It covers everything from the Atherley Narrows, a few minutes from downtown Orillia, to the canal community of Lagoon City and the farm country around Brechin and Udney. The 2026 residential tax rate is 1.126271%, a handful of communities have municipal sewer, and waterfront owners near Lake Simcoe are in a mandatory five-year septic re-inspection program.

What is it like to live in Ramara?

Ramara was formed in 1994 when the townships of Rama and Mara amalgamated. It is a lakeshore and rural township: the Township says it has 104 km of shoreline, five public beaches on Lake Simcoe, 13 Township parks and two provincial parks, Mara and McRae Point.

It skews older than anywhere else in the Orillia area. The 2021 Census put Ramara's median age at 54.4, and of 6,166 private dwellings, 4,408 were occupied by usual residents. That means more than a quarter of homes are cottages or otherwise not someone's main residence, which you will notice in how quiet some roads are in February and how busy they are in July.

The township surrounds, but does not include, the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, a self-governing First Nation on the east shore of Lake Couchiching. Rama First Nation has its own government, services and facilities, and is the host community for Casino Rama Resort, one of the largest employers in the area. Rama First Nation is counted as its own community in the census, separate from the township.

Your checklist in Ramara depends on how you will use the place. If you are moving here full time, confirm year-round road maintenance, internet options and the drive to Orillia for groceries and the hospital. If it is a cottage, look at the septic program, shoreline permits and winter access. In Lagoon City, ask about the canals, docking and sewer service.

Communities in Ramara

The Township lists nine settlement areas.

Atherley-Uptergrove

Just east of the Atherley Narrows on Highway 12, a few minutes from downtown Orillia. If you want Orillia's services and a township tax bill, this is the closest you get.

Brechin

Brechin is Ramara's administrative centre, with the Township office at 2297 Highway 12 and the Ramara Medical Centre. It has municipal sewer, shared with Lagoon City.

Lagoon City

Lagoon City is a waterfront community on Lake Simcoe built around a network of canals and lagoons, so many homes have a boat slip at the back door with direct access to the lake. Its private beaches, parks, canals, footbridges and footpaths are managed by the Lagoon City Parks and Waterways Commission, a five-member body set up under a 1986 provincial act and Township bylaws. Lagoon City is on municipal sewer.

Bayshore Village

A lakeside community with its own municipal sewage works (WWTP-202), separate from the Brechin and Lagoon City system.

Longford Mills, Gamebridge, Udney, Sebright and Cooper's Falls

Smaller hamlets and rural areas. Longford Mills is on Lake Couchiching. Gamebridge is home to Lock 41 of the Trent-Severn Waterway, which connects Lake Simcoe to the Talbot River. Udney, Sebright and Cooper's Falls are small rural hamlets.

Washago

Ramara lists Washago as one of its settlement areas, and so does the Township of Severn. Check the tax bill or MPAC record for the exact property. See our Washago guide.

What kinds of homes are in Ramara?

Almost everything is detached. The 2021 Census counted 4,025 single-detached houses out of 4,410 occupied dwellings, plus 270 row houses and very few apartments. You will find:

• Canal-front homes in Lagoon City, many with boat slips.
• Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching waterfront, year-round and seasonal.
• Village and subdivision homes in Atherley, Uptergrove and Brechin.
• Rural homes, acreage and farms in the north and east of the township.

Live market numbers appear on this page and refresh automatically. If you are comparing shorelines, see Lake Couchiching shorelines compared.

How much are property taxes in Ramara?

Ramara's 2026 residential tax rate is 1.126271%, from the Township's 2026 Municipal Tax Rates and Levies schedule:

Portion	2026 rate
Township of Ramara	0.652038%
County of Simcoe	0.321233%
Education	0.153000%
Total residential	1.126271%

That works out to about $1,126.27 a year for every $100,000 of MPAC assessment. Properties in the septic re-inspection area also see a $30 charge on the final tax bill each year of the five-year cycle, and Lagoon City and other serviced properties pay for water and sewer separately.

Water, sewer and septic

Municipal sewer and water

The Township owns two wastewater treatment facilities: one serving Brechin and Lagoon City (WWTP-201) and one serving Bayshore Village (WWTP-202). The Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA) operates the Township's municipal water systems; for water quality concerns, call OCWA at 705-484-5600. Seasonal owners can book a curb-stop shut-off in the fall and turn-on in the spring through OCWA.

Ramara has recently extended sewer to new areas. The Maple Trail, Lone Birch Trail, Ridge Avenue and Simcoe Road servicing project is complete, and owners there have until December 31, 2028 to connect, which means a building permit, a grinder pump and decommissioning the old septic or holding tank. If you are buying in that area, ask whether the connection has been done and how the project cost is being repaid.

Septic re-inspection program

• Inspections run on a five-year cycle, usually spring to fall. The inspector checks the visible system and leaves a notice at the door.
• Owners must submit a pump-out certificate from a certified septic hauler within the inspection year (or a maintenance report for tertiary systems).
• The program fee of $150 is collected as $30 a year on the final tax bill over the five-year cycle (Bylaw 2023.34).
• If a system fails, the owner gets a deficiency letter with a deadline.

The Township's GIS maps show which properties are in the program and their inspection year. As a buyer, ask the seller for the last inspection result and pump-out certificate, and still get your own inspection. See septic inspections and wells and water testing.

Schools

Ramara is served by the Simcoe County District School Board, the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board and the French-language boards. Many Ramara students attend secondary school in Orillia. Attendance areas depend on the exact address, so check each board's school locator before relying on a particular school.

Healthcare

The Ramara Medical Centre in Brechin has added in-person family physicians, working with the Couchiching Ontario Health Team and the Orillia & Lake Country Physician Recruitment Committee. For hospital and emergency care, Ramara residents use Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital at 170 Colborne Street West in Orillia, a short drive from Atherley.

Getting around

Highway 12 is Ramara's spine, running from the Atherley Narrows south through Brechin toward Beaverton and Durham Region. Highway 11 and Orillia are minutes from Atherley. There is no municipal transit in Ramara, so plan on driving.

Downtown Toronto is about 125 to 135 km away, roughly two hours without heavy traffic. The nearest GO Train stations are in Barrie. Read commuting from Orillia for the trade-offs.

Internet

Rural internet is still uneven. Ramara was included in a 2023 federal and provincial funding announcement to bring high-speed internet to underserved households, with Rogers building fibre in parts of the township. Check the exact address with providers before you buy, especially if you work from home.

Recreation

Ramara's draw is the water: five public beaches on Lake Simcoe, Mara and McRae Point provincial parks, Lock 41 at Gamebridge on the Trent-Severn, and boating out of Lagoon City. The Township maintains 13 parks, a trail network and snowmobile trails, and the Ramara Public Library runs events and programs. Casino Rama Resort, on Rama First Nation lands, brings concerts and dining a few minutes from Atherley.

What should buyers know before buying in Ramara?

Lake Simcoe shoreline rules

Ramara is a participating municipality of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA), which regulates development near Lake Simcoe, rivers, streams, wetlands and floodplains under Ontario Regulation 41/24. Building, filling or altering a shoreline in a regulated area can need an LSRCA permit as well as a Township building permit. Check the LSRCA regulation mapping for the property, and ask about permits for existing docks, boathouses and shorewalls.

Lagoon City canals and shorewalls

In Lagoon City, ask about the condition of the shorewall, the depth at the slip and the canal maintenance schedule. Under Fisheries and Oceans Canada approval for 2026 to 2028, in-water canal maintenance such as weed harvesting cannot start before July 15, with one harvesting pass per season recommended. Weed growth in early summer is part of life on the canals; the Commission posts updates and routes.

Short-term rentals are expensive to license

Every short-term rental in Ramara (stays under 28 consecutive days) needs an annual licence costing $3,000 under Bylaw 2020.11 and its amendments, most recently Bylaw 2026.38. Factor that into any rental income plan.

Seasonal homes and roads

With so many seasonal homes, confirm whether the property is on a year-round maintained road, whether the water line is winterized, and whether the home is insulated and heated for winter use. See seasonal vs year-round and our rural checklist.

Selling a home in Ramara

Buyers in Ramara are often retirees, GTA buyers looking for lake access, and Orillia-area families who want more land. They will ask about septic re-inspection status, water source, sewer connection where it applies, and permits for anything on the shoreline. Pull those together before you list, along with your short-term rental licence if you have one. In Lagoon City, a buyer will want to know the slip depth and shorewall condition. Our guides on costs of selling and pricing your home cover the rest.

How Jordan can help

Jordan Rossman is a REALTOR® with Real Broker Ontario Ltd., Brokerage, based in Orillia and working across Ramara since 2014. He can help you read a Lagoon City or Lake Simcoe listing for what matters, line up septic, shoreline and permit questions early, and price a sale against the right comparables. Book a consultation or call 705-345-0797.