A decision by the County of Haliburton – on whether or not to partially fund SIRCH’s School’s Cool program – will officially be made April 8 after the March 11 council meeting was cancelled due to weather conditions.
Director of community outreach, Sue Tiffin, is recommending that a request for funding be approved.
Tiffin said the County has a community health and well-being levy to support funding of non-jurisdictional, but essential, community needs, as they arise.
The School’s Cool program organized by SIRCH Community Services did not receive federal funding this year, and executive director Gena Robertson told The Highlander earlier this month she thought it would not run in 2026.
But Tiffin said SIRCH staff had worked to raise partial funding from donors for the program to continue, but require up to $7,500 to be fully-funded. It’s estimated a single six-week program for 20 children costs $30,000.
“Funding for the School’s Cool program would be provided from the community health and well-being fund included in the community safety and well-being department’s operational budget,” Tiffin said.
The County of Haliburton developed the 0.5 per cent levy in the 2026 budget.
Tiffin said it is to enable the County to set aside contingency funds within the levy, ensuring the community can remain resilient in the face of external health crises or non-jurisdictional challenges.
Tiffin said, “by setting aside funds specifically for programs and supports, the reserve improves fiscal stability, enables timely responses to emerging social determinants of health and well-being, and reduces the need for ad hoc reallocations or emergency measures.”
She stressed that under the new program, the County does not transition into a program provider, but facilitates and supports initiatives by other service providers and groups.
“Potential program supports and initiatives will vary by year and in duration. Levy funds can support expanding existing programs, supplement programs, and respond to urgent community or organization and agency needs.”
SIRCH Community Services has run the School’s Cool program in Haliburton County for the past 25 years. It was designed to address a school readiness gap and prepare children for school before kindergarten begins. The program helps children build language fluency; practical emotional regulation; strengthen peer interaction; develop independence, and engage in structured, outcome-linked play.
Families pay $120 in fees.
The program is annually subsidized by the federal Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) grant; however, in 2026, while the CAPC funding received by SIRCH was approved, it no longer funds early learning.
Since announcing the program won’t run, SIRCH has looked for alternative sources of funding for the program and are now just $7,500 shy, Tiffin said.
Robertson told The Highlander that in 2025, CIBC pledged a corporate donation for this year earmarked for children, so they were able to direct it to School’s Cool. The donors raised half of the funds needed, and the County is expected to approve the $7,500 next month.
Tiffin said “should County council approve funding the remaining financial gap for the School’s Cool program, SIRCH Community Services would commit to reporting back to the County’s community safety and well-being committee on the program’s outcomes.”
