Dysart et al council has approved a near$26,000 spend to fix airflow issues at the Haliburton Family Medical Centre, though staff have warned that may not completely solve the odour issues that have plagued the facility in recent months.
CAO Tamara Wilbee told council April 28 that engineering firm Pinchin investigated the site in March and found a shortfall in outdoor air ventilation supply to some units within the building. While mould wasn’t a concern, Pinchin discovered elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 13 of 27 tested locations on the first floor – with some three times the standard amount. On the second floor, three of nine locations exhibited elevated levels of CO2.
In its report, Pinchin stated the building’s airflow system was likely contributing to the issue. When temperatures within units reach their set amounts, airflow is reduced meaning less outdoor air is brought into the building, which increases CO2 levels.
The township hired Walker’s Heating and Cooling to complete an air audit of the facility. Council approved the firm installing new HRV heating systems in the Haliburton Vision Care, Hill Chiropractic and Physiotherapy and LifeLabs space and the downstairs hallway for $23,913. Another $2,000 will be spent on electrical work.
While the project wasn’t included in the 2026 budget, treasurer Brayden Robinson said it could be pulled from the $45,000 council committed to putting into a medical centre reserve fund this year.
Most businesses at the centre have remained open, but LifeLabs has been closed since March 25. Wilbee said LifeLabs has written a letter to the township asking for updates.
“They want to know what we’re doing to fix these problems,” Wilbee said.
Mayor Murray Fearrey said he’s heard from many Haliburton residents who are upset about the closure, forcing them to leave town for bloodwork. With the work still expected to take a couple of weeks to complete, the mayor asked if there was any other local facility LifeLabs could use in the interim. Councillors Nancy Wood-Roberts and Pat Casey suggested the legion.
“They need an area to do blood collection… they would need a chair, a fridge to put samples and that’s about it. It doesn’t have to be rocket science for a short-term stay,” Wood-Roberts said.
Wilbee said a trailer could also be brought into the medical centre parking lot, though noted LifeLabs has not made any request.
The CAO also suggested council put out an RFP to complete a full excavation of three sides of the building to re-waterproof it. She said pooling groundwater, which has entered the rear of the building before, is contributing to the bad odour.
Casey said that would likely be an expensive fix and could take up to a month to complete. A full report on costing and project timelines will be presented at council’s May 26 meeting.
