History of Secondary Highway 632:
Secondary Highway 632 is a local highway in the District of Parry Sound that serves as an access road to Rosseau and Highway 141 from the Minett area of Muskoka. At
one time, Highway 632 extended south from Rosseau through Port Sandfield to connect with Highway 118 near Port Carling. Highway 632 was first established in 1961,
when the Peninsula Road was acquired by the Department of Highways of Ontario (DHO) as a new provincial highway. A Preliminary Assumption Plan was prepared by the DHO
in July 1961, which showed the proposed assumption of the Peninsula Road from the Highway 118 Junction near Port Carling northerly to Rosseau as a new Secondary
Highway. The new highway was formally designated as Highway 632 by an Order-in-Council, effective July 20, 1961. The highway was already paved at the time of
designation. The highway's route was initially 16.6 miles (27 km) in length. A small revision was made to the route of Highway 632 north of Port Sandfield, when a new
bridge was built over the Joseph River in 1966.
As originally established in 1961, the entire route of Highway 632 was under the jurisdiction of the DHO, except for a small section of the highway lying within the
Village of Rosseau. The section of Highway 632 from the Highway 532 Junction (now Highway 141) to the former village limits was under municipal jurisdiction. This
non-assumed section of the highway through Rosseau was designated as a Municipal Connecting Link by an Order-in-Council, effective November 9, 1961. This section of
Highway 632 remained under municipal jurisdiction for several years, but was ultimately assumed as part of the highway. On January 24, 1968, a Preliminary Assumption
Plan was prepared which showed the proposed assumption of approximately 0.6 miles (1 km) of streets through Rosseau. The plan was registered on February 12, 1968, and
the new highway was formally designated as a part of Highway 632 by an Order-in-Council, effective March 7, 1968.
Up until 1971, there was no intermediate road agency between the DHO and the local townships within Muskoka District. The creation of the District Municipality of
Muskoka on January 1, 1971, changed the way road services were administered within the District. As a result, many of Ontario's Secondary Highways lying within the
District were transferred to this newly-formed tier of municipal government, particularly those which served as local access highways. Jurisdiction over the route of
Highway 632 from the Highway 118 Junction northerly to the Muskoka-Parry Sound District Boundary near Mary Jane Lake was transferred from the province to the District
Municipality of Muskoka, effective April 30, 1972. Jurisdiction over the old bypassed loop of Highway 632 at the Joseph River Bridge was transferred to the Township
of Muskoka Lakes, effective April 9, 1981.
The route of Highway 632 has not changed significantly since the southern section of the route was transferred in 1972. The highway is presently just under 11 km in
length. Unless posted otherwise, the speed limit on Highway 632 is 80 km/h (50 mph). There are no services available on Highway 632, but services are available on
Highway 141 in Rosseau.
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