Huskies to round out roster after camp

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August 27, 2021

MILTON, ON - SEPTEMBER 13: Whitby Fury Head Coach Ryan Ramsay talks to his players in the first period, Whitby Fury vs Milton Menace on September 13, 2019 at Milton Memorial Arena in Milton, Ontario, Canada. (Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

The Haliburton County Huskies will hold their inaugural tryout hockey camp at the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena this coming Aug. 27-29.

The ice is in and team head coach and general manager Ryan Ramsay said the squad is looking to sign four players from the weekend camp.

There will be goalie evaluations Aug. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. and the forwards and defence will have an opportunity to show if they belong in the Ontario Junior Hockey League on Aug. 28 and Aug. 29.

Ramsay said he is looking to find one defenceman and three forwards.

“The OJHL is a fast league so they have to be able to skate,” he said of prospects, adding he is looking for a compete level and some urgency in the players’ games. He said top prospects tend to stick out at camp.

The Huskies got to evaluate their current roster during a tournament in Toronto the Aug. 20-22 weekend.

Ramsay said they played in seven shortened games, losing in the final, with “a lot of good positives we took out of the weekend.” He said part of the reason they went was to get their game timing after a COVID-impacted couple of seasons.

“It takes some time to get your timing back so that’s why we put a team in the tourney.”

The team will soon begin a month-long training camp. Players are to report to their billet families Sept. 5. Ramsay said they have about a 50 per cent player turnover from the Whitby Fury team that has now moved to Minden.

The squad also picked up goalie Nicolas Heinzle in a trade. Ramsay said the 19-yearold played last weekend for the first time in a Huskies jersey and “looked really good.”

The team has also gotten some of its players back that were loaned to other teams when the OHJL was shut down due to the pandemic.

“They’re back. Two defencemen and a forward. We’re happy. We’re excited to see their progress and how far they’ve come,” the coach and GM said. They will also be looking to some affiliate players to round out the roster.

Ramsay said renovations of the former Scout Hall at the arena to give the team its own dressing room, lounge, training rooms, officers and showers are underway.

“They are coming along nicely. We got really lucky with a local contractor, Tom Neville, who has really helped us out. Time is of the essence with players coming next week and he says he will have it done by next week.”

There will be a blue versus white game Sept. 11; a preseason clash with the Aurora Tigers Aug. 18 and a game against Collingwood Sept. 25.

The OJHL has also released the regular season schedule for the 2021-22 season. It will see the Huskies play 27 home games and 27 on the road. The season opener is Oct. 1 on the road in Lindsay. The squad will debut in Minden Oct. 2 against the Muskies. The season finale is slated for March 5 at home versus Trenton.

Ramsay said he is pleased with the schedule, which includes an early New Year’s Eve game and a Family Day clash.

He said season ticket sales are going well and added they will be working with the HKPR district health unit on capacity for the arena during COVID as well as vaccine requirements for entry.

He also plugged for area families looking to billet a player. He said they still need three homes for players that are coming soon. Billet families receive financial compensations, do not have to supply transportation and are given regular season and playoff tickets.

For more on the Huskies go to: huskieshockey.ca.

All-day biking challenge returns to Haliburton Forest

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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An eight-hour cycling race will test riders’ grit and endurance as they pedal through the Haliburton Forest Sept. 18.

The 8 Hours of Hurtin in Haliburton’ race began in 2019 and has attracted more and more riders each year who test their limits on the 27 kilometre gravel course. The idea is simple: complete as many laps of the scenic forest route as you can in eight hours.

“It’s just something unique compared to other places in Ontario,” said event organizer Marc Sinclair. “It’s fast and slow, it’s got beautiful vistas, lakes: tons of climbing to keep your legs hurting!”

It’s open to riders of all skill levels: some just want to compete a lap or two while others ride the whole eight hours.

Last year, one competitor completed eight laps or 216 kilometres.

“It’s a huge feat. But that’s part of the challenge: people really want to push themselves,” Sinclair said. “It’s super flexible and you’re not committed to a point-to-point race where you have to get rescued if you’re unable to make it to the finish line.”

Cyclists can also compete in a relay system, each taking turns speeding through the gravel roads lap after lap.

After completing the marathon, camping options are available with food vendors being announced in the coming weeks.

Sinclair said gravel cycling has become very popular with all types of cycling popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Registration has been very strong,” Sinclair said. “It’s hard to tell if that’s a boom in cycling or if that’s just interest in the race.”

Since the event is outside, COVID-19 guidelines will be easy to accommodate and Sinclair doesn’t expect issues with attendance limits.

This year, they’re starting an electronic timing system to account for the increase in participants.

It’s a gruelling challenge, but as the event website states, no more so than an eighthour work shift: “it’s easier than a day in the office.”

Registration closes on Sept. 4. For more information or to register visit valleyworks.ca.

Williams trusted his talent

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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“You have to know where you want to go. Otherwise, you’ll waste a lot of time,” said Taly Williams.

Williams hasn’t wasted much time. Originally from Haliburton, he’s a co-founder and managing partner of a water management firm in Los Angeles and an inventor with multiple patents for sports technology that’s used by top athletes. That’s not to mention his professional football career.

Now he has one more accomplishment to add to the list: a spot in the Haliburton Highlands Sports Hall of Fame.

“What’s interesting for me is I’ve never been one to chase awards,” Williams said, adding he greatly admires the work the hall of fame committee has done.

He, along with his sister, Lesley Tashlin, have been a big focus of the Haliburton County sporting community this year, with local students winning the push to have their murals installed on the side of the A.J LaRue arena. For Williams, the hall of fame and mural conversations have renewed his connection to the community he grew up in.

“To actually have this award and this mural, it really does provide a new level of connection,” he said.

Williams studied engineering at Waterloo. After that, he spent a stint playing football professionally for the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1994-96.

However, while playing, he was also working in engineering. He said he feels fortunate to have had the choice to switch into engineering full time after his playing career.

“Professional sports are very cutthroat. You, at the end of the day, are just a number to them, they’ll cut you in a second,” he said. The lessons he learned on the field spurred him on.

“To be a professional athlete and to ‘make it’ gives you a higher level of confidence in anything you do,” he said.

That confidence and desire to combine academics and sports led him to develop the Talynt Point system for golfers, a device which attaches to your arm to guide your swing.

“It’s actually about trust, talent, still executing something,” he said. The device was the result of hundreds of hours of practice,

“They always say ‘fail faster.’ They’re right. We played almost every day,” explains Williams.

He’s patented the TALY MIND set system with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

“Instead of focusing on the movement that you are attempting to execute, I give you a new point of focus that results in the action occurring correctly,” he explained in an email. It’s about knowing what to focus on and trusting the process along the way.

Trusting your talent (or Talynt, as the brand’s slogan reads) is a central part of Williams’ worldview.

“We all have a talent. In my opinion we are all the best in the world at something.”

His inventions have roots in the Highlands: “As with most things in my life it starts in Haliburton,” he said. That’s where he started playing golf and football.

Growing up in Haliburton

Williams circles back to the students at J. Douglas Hodgson elementary school who rallied for his recognition on the wall of Haliburton’s arena. All five athletes currently depicted are white.

“Diversity and inclusion in Haliburton is important. That wasn’t there when I was there.”

Being Black in a community almost exclusively made up of white people meant he had to tread carefully sometimes.

“I know that I had to be careful when I was up there,” he said. “Sure, Haliburton’s a fun cottage-loving town, but not everyone’s accepting of minorities up there.”

He said both the hall of fame and mural could be a chance to motivate change.

“I’m hoping that this opens up the conversation and starts allowing others who feel left out and not a part of Haliburton to start connecting to it.”

He attributes much of his early success to teammates and coaches at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School where he set multiple track and field records and starred as quarterback for the football team.

Through his life, Williams has seen how keeping an eye on the goal pays off. And that’s what he wants to share with the youth of Haliburton as a new inductee into the hall of fame.

“I would like kids to believe anything is possible, understand that they have a talent. Always differentiate themselves. Go the other direction and explore.”

Banquet postponed

The Haliburton Highlands Sports Hall of Fame has postponed its Oct. 23 inaugural induction ceremony. Chairman Scott LaRue said, “The board felt that it would be best to postpone the event due to the ongoing uncertainty around COVID. Naturally we are very disappointed but we look forward to the time when it will be safe to bring everyone together for a wonderful celebration of the inductees’ many contributions and accomplishments. We will be watching the situation closely and plan to reschedule when it looks appropriate to do so.”

The Turtle Guardians: saving turtles, a Tupperware at a time

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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By the reedy shores of Head Lake, Leora Berman gently scoops a baby snapping turtle from a Tupperware container and places it on a semi-submerged tree branch.

With a “plop” the turtle’s shiny green shell disappears underwater as it begins life in the big wide world of Haliburton.

Its chance of surviving just increased tenfold because of the care of a dedicated crew of Turtle Guardians.

That turtle is just one of thousands which Berman and her colleagues at The Land Between nurture at their hatchery.

The creatures are scooped as eggs from their nests around the County to keep them safe from predators including humans.

“Little ones don’t know where water is instinctively. They would scatter and they would get run over easily,” said Berman beside Head Lake.

She explains how nests around the County are monitored. Once a mother lays her eggs in the late spring, the group comes in and brings the turtles to the hatchery on Gelert Road, where they’re stored in cool, humid conditions until they hatch.

Then Berman and her volunteers spend much of August transferring turtles to their new homes or making sure the miniature guests are happy and healthy at the hatchery.

But how can you tell if a turtle is ready for the adventure?

“See this little belly button?” Berman points to a little bump on the turtle’s soft underbelly.

“As soon as it’s flush then they’re ready to go. Then they’re good swimmers.”

She explains how since turtles have great memories, it’s important to release them where they were born in case they’re drawn back to the area.

“Instantly they start memorizing these pathways that they walk,” she said.

And turtles are in trouble. Eggs make a tasty treat for many animals and despite awareness campaigns and monitoring by groups such as Berman’s, hundreds of turtles are hit by cars each year. Adults also need longer to reach reproduction age than most animals.

“Since it takes so long to replace themselves, the populations are really dumping,” she said.

In order to help the turtle population, it’s important for her and The Land Between to know the genetic makeup of locations around the County too. That’s why each Tupperware travels back to where the eggs were found.

“We can’t just put them anywhere.”

With each Tupperware, Berman and her team release a new generation of turtles into the Highlands’ vast ecosystem of wetlands, rivers, ponds and lakes; spreading hope for a species at risk along the way.

It’s all about the wood at The Toolbox

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 27, 2021

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Opening a side door to The Toolbox in Minden, one is greeted by T-Rex, the German Shepherd, and the smell of wood.

There are trademark Haliburton Garden chairs, a more age-appropriate version of the Muskoka chair. There’s wood everywhere and tools can be heard in the back of the store.

The Toolbox has taken over the former Organic Times building in Minden, just over the main bridge.

Opening over the Victoria Day long weekend, it’s an extension of Lakeland Millwork and Windows, which Andi Schollig has owned and operated for nearly 30 years.

Schollig sits at a wooden table with daughter, Kirsten Schollig, who is handling marketing, and store manager, Krista Hoover. T-Rex circles the table and Mike Thompson operates tools at the back.

Lakeland Millwork and Windows has been around 28 years, doing construction and cabinetry, including millwork at the local hospitals, and pretty much every school from Haliburton County to Cobourg, Schollig said.

“Cabinetry is my forte. Windows, doors and trim is my passion. Stairs and furniture. In all of that, we’ve always needed a place to do it,” she said. “I’ve always had a shop of some sort.”

Schollig moved to Toronto in 2009 with her family while still owning a home and serving loyal customers in Minden while traveling between the two areas before permanently returning home to Minden in 2019. After losing her shop in Oakville, she was looking for new space.

One day in 2019, after tending a public garden her late wife had planted, she was walking down Bobcaygeon Road in front of the former Organic Times which was up for sale.

“I’m sure I’d walked past the sign 100 times but this particular day it was like she [her wife] hit me in the back of the head with a two by four and said ‘buy it’ so in doing that, it just opened the whole idea.”

That idea is that Lakeland Millwork and Windows continues to operate out back while The Toolbox is its own enterprise out front. That storefront will also be a project venture place.

“I love Lee Valley, it’s an impression of mine as to what a good tool store is. Yeah, we rely on hardware stores but this is going to be a different tool store. It’s unique tools for the people in the area, the artisans, the home hobbyists and people who just want to do something different,” she said.

For example, the Bosch tools that they are promoting will be accessible. “You can try them out. We’ll have a full work bench with full access on any tool. So, you can fit yourself to the tool you need.

“If you need extra help with the parts that you need for your project, we can facilitate it in our 1,000 square foot shop at the back.”

She said artisans and others will be welcome to come and use the space, including if they have their own wood but need it milled.

“Anything to do with wood, we can facilitate for the customers.”

She also talked about venue nights.

“We’ll pick a night and say ‘sanding’. Learn how to sand from start to finish. Or, we’ll have finishing if you want to finish what you’ve just sanded. We’ll have finishing products as well, just simple style or suggestions on how to finish your products.”

Schollig believes there is a need in the area with a lot of interest expressed to date.

“A lot of people just want to come and see me work a day in the shop so that they pick up some of the ideas on how to do something. They’re willing to help me a day so that they learn. That experience.”

They also plan to have a display area so artisans can have a storefront for a month and offer their own show and tell evenings.

Other plans include a kitchen, barbecue, living room assembly, full working shower and bathroom for use, but to show off the kind of work they can do.

They will donate money from proceeds of chairs to mental health, no cutoffs are wasted as they are made into garden markers and it is an LGBTQ+ safe space. “Everybody is welcome here,” Schollig said.

Hoover said it’s been a great experience to date for her. “I love everything to do with woodworking. I love that Andi actually shows me how to do everything while we’re making projects, just different things that people have ordered, it’s just been amazing.”

For more information, visit lakelandmillworkandwindows.com or call Schollig at 416-427-9050.

Kennisis Lake Marina aims to be community ‘destination’

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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On a sunny Saturday in August, Kennisis Lake Marina and Storage is full of conversation and laughter. People play corn hole with a scenic view of the lake, chat dockside or sip lattes and eat ice cream outside the newly refurbished store, cafe and ice cream bar.

Gary Bouwmeister, Chad Burden and Jim Dale said their goal is to create a community “destination” that’s a whole lot more than a place to store boats.

Bouwmeister, in an interview beside the marina, gestures to a crowd of corn hole players chatting in the sun and tossing bean bags across the parking lot.

“Stuff like this brings people together,” he said with a smile.

The trio met on the lake: Bouwmeister and Dale, longtime cottagers, joined up with Burden to buy the marina last year. Burden had been leasing the space from its previous owners.

“The three of us got together and talked about what the future could bring here,” Dale said. They all had a part in planning changes, and getting the marina operational for the summer. Now Burden handles most of the day-to-day operations.

“I can’t ask for better partners, they’ve been great,” Burden said of Dale and Bouwmeister. He mentioned how the first goal of the renovations was to make use of all the marina’s property.

The renovated storefront and cafe, cleaning up the lot and installing pickleball courts came together fast. Those spring renovations meant they could open for the 2021 cottage season. Kayaks, water skis and paddle boards are available to rent and the trio is planning self storage units to be available in the future. Dale said they’ve also chatted about expanding food and beverage options in the main store.

Whether through corn hole tournaments, pickleball games, concerts or their busy storefront, Dale said he wants to invest in the community through the marina.

“It’s a very tangible thing. People on the lake can see it and experience it,” said Dale, who works in the financial industry in Toronto. And for the owners, it was important the marina become a place they’d want to hang out as well. “We’re cottagers here too, we want it to be fun as well,” Dale said.

Throughout the marina’s grounds, staff and customers greet Bouwmeister, Dale and Burden by their first names. They pose with the corn hole tournament winners and chat with onlookers in the hot summer sun.

On Aug. 28, they’re inviting the community to the famous annual “Rock on the Dock” concert at the marina, with proceeds going to SIRCH Community Services.

“It’s a business venture,” Dale said, “but it’s a lot more than that to us as well.”

Schmale puts focus on post-COVID economy

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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THE HIGHLANDS VOTES

MP Jamie Schmale’s campaign for a third term in office is well underway.

“Besides the heat, it’s been pretty good,” said Schmale.

He said this campaign includes a lot of younger volunteers helping out alongside “veterans” as the team goes door knocking with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.

“We knock on the door, we step back. Most people have been very good, a lot of good conversations.”

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock has been Conservative since 2004, however 2021’s election is shaping up to be entirely unique as issues such as COVID-19 take center stage. For Schmale and the Conservatives, the focus is stimulating the post-COVID economy

“I think the one that’s on a lot of people’s minds is jobs and the economy, what we’re trying to do to move things along.”

He highlights support for small business owners, which includes incentives for new hires and $200,000 loans for small and medium-sized businesses.

A central talking point in the Conservative’s economic plan is an overhaul of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit, which Schmale suggested is a key factor in why there have been staffing shortages around the County.

“As our vaccination rates increase, as the economies re-open we need to incentivize employees to go back to work where possible. We also need to ensure the business owners, who have been hanging on by their fingernails, are on stable ground,” he said.

According to Schmale, that could boost employment in heavy-hit industries such as tourism and hospitality in the Highlands.

Housing and long-term care

Affordable housing options, either to rent or buy, are scarce in Haliburton County.

“Housing is one of the top three concerns we’re having here,” Schmale said. His party proposes to free up 15 per cent of Crown land for housing developments. The plan would also temporarily block foreign buyers from purchasing real estate in Canada. He supports foreign investment, but said “the problem is, it’s gotten a bit out of control where we as a government have to step in.”

“Stepping in” also applies to helping out long-term care facilities. Schmale was critical of the Liberal approach to investing in long-term care support, including increasing transfers to the long-term care funding system.

Similarly, Schmale detailed how the Conservatives would replace a hallmark Liberal campaign promise, $10 a day childcare.

“The kids that are in daycare now are going to be paying this back. The question is how are they going to be paying that back?”

Schmale’s party would introduce a 75 per cent tax credit, paid throughout the year, to help fund childcare.

Vaccine hesitancy

Conservative leader Erin O’Toole will not support vaccine passports or mandatory vaccines for federal public servants or travellers. That’s a position Schmale agrees with, though he urges people to get vaccinated.

“Personally, I think the best way to combat this pandemic is to get vaccinated,” he said.

Some claim that vaccination requirements infringe upon privacy and their rights. Others claim a workplace’s obligation to provide a safe work space means mandating vaccines for employees, or requiring vaccine passports, is a necessary next step in the battle against COVID19. A poll from Abacus Data reports Conservative voters are the most likely to oppose mandating vaccines for employees, or requiring vaccine passports.

Dysart calls for security camera feedback

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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Dysart et al has launched a community survey about surveillance cameras in Head Lake Park.

Residents can share their opinion on the cameras and their usage through a threequestion survey on the municipality’s website.

A recent uptick in vandalism around the park, including graffiti scratched onto the Rotary band pavilion, sparked the idea.

“We’re looking at various areas in the park that have received vandalism and not so much positive activity in the last while,” said CAO Tamara Wilbee.

Only certain municipal staff, such as Wilbee, would be able to view the footage.

“This isn’t general surveillance that anyone can access. It’s only accessible by certain staff like myself if there was an incident,” Wilbee said. “It’s not so we can watch everybody. It’s for a very specific service.”

The municipality will also only store surveillance video for seven days, and let people know through signs when cameras are in use. Those policies, as well as public consultation, are mandated through the Municipalities Video Surveillance Policy.

On the survey web page, the municipality claims a lack of video surveillance “makes it more difficult for the municipality and law enforcement to prove what happened in a particular incident, whether that be vandalism, an altercation or someone getting injured.”

Mayor Andrea Roberts said that surveillance could be a good step in apprehending vandals.

“When there is a vandalism report, the first thing the OPP do is ask for our surveillance,” she said. “The OPP are completely in support of this.”

She said reports of vandalism at the park are “disheartening.”

After receiving responses, staff will present the survey’s findings to Dysart et al council. To access the survey, go to dysartetal.ca

Renters dump waste

By

Sam Gillett

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August 27, 2021

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It isn’t unusual to see bags of garbage, discarded household wares or even furniture lying roadside around Haliburton.

Students and faculty from Fleming College’s sustainability program wanted to find out why.

In partnership with U-Links, Fleming College’s sustainability program produced a new study which sifts through reasons people might dump garbage illegally, and steps Dysart Township could take to stop the problem.

While they couldn’t determine if illegal dumpers were aware that they were breaking laws, they found nearly half of Dysart’s Airbnb listings didn’t mention waste disposal. The students suggested mandating clearer instructions about how tourists can deal with their waste.

“To make waste management really front and centre for people booking online: that, to me, was a really great take away,” said John Watson, Dysart’s environmental coordinator.

The study also recommends signage at garbage “hot spots” as well as monitoring illegal dumping instances and creating flyers to be distributed to short-term rental sites.

Coun. Larry Clarke said he hopes the study’s findings will influence the County’s rules for short-term rentals in the future.

“I think it’s important that if somebody is not stepping up and providing a process for people dealing with their waste their license should be pulled. It shouldn’t be on the short-term rental market,” he said.

It’s not an issue unique to Dysart, however illegal garbage disposal has an environmental and financial impact on the township. Rob Camelon, director of public works, estimates crews spend 20-25 hours responding to illegal dumping complaints and Mayor Andrea Roberts recounted how nearly every morning garbage bags are found lying around Head Lake Park garbage bins.

Fleming’s study compared how municipalities across Ontario deal with the issue, as well as how residents can report garbage being dumped on roadways.

Watson said that information has already helped Dysart improve its own reporting practices. Currently, people can submit details and photos of each instance on Dysart’s website. That information helps municipal staff create maps and databases that highlight areas which see a lot of garbage. Watson said the students and faculty’s hard work is helping Dysart “[build] practices and procedures here that will really help keep our community clean.”

The study is available to read on the municipality’s website on the agenda for the Aug. 10 committee of the whole meeting. Faculty from Fleming College declined an interview request.

Haliburton County sees recent increase in opioid overdoses

By

Lisa Gervais

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August 27, 2021

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An international overdose awareness week event slated for Head Lake Park in Haliburton Aug. 31 is promising “a safe space for community members to remember loved ones who died from overdoses, share stories, provide support and help break the stigma.”

In announcing the 10 a.m. to noon event, the HKPR district health unit said it will also have a flag where individuals can place a pin in honour of a departed loved one to keep their memory alive and wave with pride.

“We encourage everyone to come out and show their solidarity and support,” the health unit said.

The week comes on the heels of the health unit issuing an opioid alert for Haliburton County Aug. 18.

“In this situation, Haliburton EMS notified the health unit about an increase in overdoses involving Fentanyl,” said Cathy MacDonald, the substances and harm reduction coordinator for the health unit. She said their hospital data corroborated the finding, resulting in the alert.

She did say “as is the situation in Haliburton County, the safety of the drug supply can also lead to overdoses. Some ‘street’ drugs are more dangerous and could be contaminated or poisoned, meaning they are more potent and likely to cause severe overdose reactions.”

Asked for local numbers, the health unit said it could not separate out from a region that also includes The City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County.

Department of emergency services director, Tim Waite, said he did not have the exact numbers, however, local EMS usually see a “few” opioid-related incidents but had six to eight ambulance responses for possible opioid overdoses over a two-week period.

Haliburton Highlands OPP added on Aug. 24 that last week, officers attended five overdoses, including one resulting in death.

“So far in 2021, the Haliburton Highlands Detachment have investigated four drug related deaths, which is an increase from the 2020 year, when two drug related deaths were investigated,” they said.

MacDonald said the numbers are trending upwards not only in the HKPR district health unit region, but across the province and country, particularly during COVID.

She said there’d been a “worrying” increase in opioid overdose-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations and deaths in the region since the start of the pandemic.

“In recent weeks, both Cobourg and Haliburton County have seen a rise in overdose incidents,” she said.

She said the regional numbers doubled between April 2020 and March 2021, compared to April 2019 to March 2020.

There had been 208 emergency room visits in 2020, 29 hospitalizations from January to September 2020 and 37 deaths in 2020. “These are more than statistics.

These are real people who are overdosing and dying in our communities,” MacDonald said.

She added, “Let’s remember that overdoses are a health and social issue, and that with increased community awareness and action, we can save lives.”

She attributed the increases to more people using drugs during the pandemic, in part to try to cope with COVID-related challenges such as social isolation, losing a job, poor mental health and concerns or anxiety about the virus. She added people may also be using alone, due to COVID-19 precautions and restrictions.

The event in Head Lake Park is in partnership with PARN, the John Howard Society, Fourcast Addiction Services, local health care providers, Haliburton EMS, and Haliburton Highlands OPP.

“Equally important as preventing overdoses is changing the conversation about substance use. We need to look at substance use as a health and social issue. With increased community awareness, understanding and action towards overdoses, we can save lives. We need to work together, setting aside personal concerns and opinions, and treat people impacted by opioids with compassion and dignity to get to the root of this issue,” MacDonald said.

Safety measures

MacDonald also provided some safety measures, such as: test a small amount of any drug before using; never use alone; if alone, call the National Overdose Response Service virtual safe consumption at 1-888- 668-6677 or practice the buddy system and call a friend; call 9-1-1 in the event of an overdose; keep a naloxone kit on hand. They are available at pharmacies and needle exchange sites; avoid mixing drugs.

If you see someone overdosing, you are also asked to intervene by calling 9-1-1 and giving naloxone, knowing you are protected by the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act