Highlands East ‘wizardry’ reduces tax hike

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March 20, 2026

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Municipality of Highlands East approved its 2026 budget March 10, finalizing a 4.71 per cent tax rate increase.

The approval of the financial document followed an effort by staff to pare down the initial tax hit, which was originally projected to be nearly six per cent last month.

CAO/treasurer Brittany McCaw said that the initial proposed increase discussed during last month’s special meeting of council was 5.96 per cent. However, during the final reviews and assessment adjustments, staff managed to lower that figure by more than a full percentage point.

“I think you’ve been, what I’m going to call it, a wizard getting stuff pared down and getting the things in order on he budget,” mayor Dave Burton said. “I’m extremely pleased with our rate that you’ve come up with.”

The final version of the budget included what McCaw described as a “minor change” following an equipment breakdown in the public works department.

Rather than putting $70,000 into a reserve fund for a future grader purchase, council agreed to reallocate those funds into the capital account to purchase and install a new transmission for an existing grader. McCaw noted that the reallocation of funds had “no impact to the budget” or the overall levy, but was essential because “otherwise, the grader would have been out of service.”

What that means for local taxpayers is that the 4.71 per cent municipal increase translates to an additional $27.98 per $100,000 of assessed property value for the municipal portion alone. When the County of Haliburton and education rates are factored in, the total tax bill increase rises to $42.52 per $100,000, the treasurer explained. S

he went on to describe how local tax dollars are distributed with 59 per cent remaining within Highlands East, 27 per cent to the County of Haliburton and 14 per cent for education.

As for the budget itself, roads account for nearly half of the municipal spending at 44.83 per cent, while policing and general government represent 15.59 per cent and 17.18 per cent respectively.

While deputy mayor Cecil Ryall made a lighthearted critique of the accessibility of the budget report, noting that he “needed a magnifying glass to read it,” the elected official was happy with the numbers. “You’ve done a wonderful job.”

School’s Cool may get County lifeline

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Lisa Gervais

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March 20, 2026

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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.”

Quicker process putting smiles on faces

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Mike Baker

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March 20, 2026

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It’s been a year since the federal government improved access to needed dental procedures for low-income Canadians and County denturist Steve Kerr said his Minden practice has never been busier.

Last March, the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) was expanded to people with a household net income under $90,000 – subsidizing treatments including cleanings, fillings, extractions and dentures. According to Health Canada, around 5.2 million people are eligible for support through the program.

“It’s gotten to the point now where more than half of my patients [qualify]. We’ve seen a big, big increase in demand, a lot more people coming through the door,” Kerr told The Highlander.

While the program was initially rolled out for seniors aged 70 and above, it’s now open to all adults, Kerr said.

One common misconception, he noted, is that people consider dentures to be cosmetic but Kerr said they can play a vital role in helping those with missing teeth chew, speak and smile more confidently. They can also prevent remaining teeth from shifting and are considered less invasive than dental implants.

Without CDCP assistance, Kerr said a set of full dentures – both top and bottom – costs around $3,100. Now, those who qualify for support pay significantly less, at $200-250 per denture.

“It’s not a free program – patients do still have to co-pay, but it’s nothing like it was before,” Kerr said. “In our area there are a lot of people living on fixed incomes… so it makes a huge difference.

“I’m seeing a lot of patients come in who have dentures that are 30 or 40 years old. Talking to them, they never thought replacing was something they could afford. So, instead of being something that’s completely out of reach, the cost is doable now for most,” he added.

Kerr said his office can run direct billing with Sun Life Canada – the insurance firm that administers CDCP. “From the patients’ perspective, it’s just like they’ve got pretty good dental benefits now.”

He estimates his business has seen a 30 per cent increase in patients over the past year. Open three days a week, Kerr said he typically sees 15-20 patients per day.

To keep up with increased demand, Kerr has invested in new technology to make the process for making dentures easier and quicker for patients.

In 2021, he transitioned from sculpting denture molds by hand, using wax, to doing them through a computer and 3D printer. That enabled patients to take test versions of their dentures home to try out.

“With the wax version, people got to try them for a few minutes, but if they tried to eat anything they would get destroyed instantly. Now I tell patients they have the chance to test drive before they buy,” Kerr said.

Last year, he upgraded his digital scanner that he said takes thousands of pictures to help enhance design. He says that investment has paid off – both for him and his patients.

“I’ve decreased the amount of time it takes to create each denture by more than 50 per cent. That frees me up to see more people and also means fewer appointments per patient.

“Doing it the old school way, people would be in my chair for a minimum of five appointments, sometimes as many as seven. Now, we’re cutting three appointments off on average,” Kerr said. “The quality of the product is just as good, if not better, and it can all be done much more efficiently.”

Ecopassages saving Highlands’ turtles

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March 20, 2026

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By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For turtles that call Haliburton Highlands home, survival is a numbers game with increasingly deadly odds.

According to researchers with the Turtle Guardians, a program of The Land Between charity, a single snapping turtle may have to cross a roadway up to 16 times in a single migration season.

“You can’t redirect a turtle,” Leora Berman, founder and chief operating officer of The Land Between and Turtle Guardians, said in an interview last week. “This is the problem. It’s an enormous problem for turtles. And for drivers, but really for turtles.”

The organization has been quietly mapping and studying turtle habitats since 2010, and has recently reached a major milestone by completing what is believed to be the longest road study of its kind in North America, Berman said.

“We’re beginning to use that data to look at hot spots, like where are the worst spots for turtles,” she said.

The Turtle Guardians identified 970 potential crossing sites on rural routes across the Highlands, 97 of those in Haliburton County alone. However, identifying a problem site is easier than fixing it, Berman said. After accounting for driveways and technical constraints, researchers found that only five per cent of these sites are currently feasible for highpriority infrastructure.

“There are no turtles left in the cities because of roads and habitat loss,” she said. “Here, we are working our butts off to make sure our great-great-grandchildren can still see them.”

The organization has been testing a “pioneering” ecopassage fencing system at four priority locations. Berman explained that while past industrial attempts, like those on

Hwy. 69, have faced failures due to frost heave and maintenance issues, this new local design focuses on durability and simplicity. “Hwy. 69 is a classic example where millions of dollars were spent on this fencing system with areas where animals could get off the road,” she said. “But there were so many failures in it that now there are hardly any animals left in that whole zone.”

The design uses repurposed materials like heavy-duty steel barrels and a “skateboard ramp” concept that can be entirely backfilled, ensuring small animals like snakes and frogs don’t get trapped on the road. Another design concept features a folding fence system for steep areas that can be deployed in the spring and removed for the winter.

The project is awaiting $10,000 in engineering testing and patent approval. Once it gets the green light, the design could one day be adopted as a standard by the Ministry of Transportation and municipal road departments.

Berman noted that long-time residents report a total absence of the massive snapping turtles that once dominated the waterways.

“Mortality is going up, not down,” she said. “If you lose 20 per cent of the turtles in your area, they’ll be extinct within 20 years.”

As the summer season approaches, Turtle Guardians is seeking volunteers for road patrols and support for the excavation and incubation program, now the largest in Ontario. Residents are also encouraged to call the hotline at 705-854-2888 to report injured or nesting turtles.

“Adults are essential for the next generations,” Berman said. “Without breeding adults, you’re done.”

Elbows up for Haliburton’s Doc(k) Day

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Lisa Gervais

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March 20, 2026

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Canadian wildlife artist, Robert Bateman, is just one of the special guests who will attend Doc(k) day in Haliburton April 11.

Those Other Movies (TOM) and Doc(k) Day, which organize the one-day documentary film festival, announced March 16 that Bateman, Bristol Foster, and director Alison Reid, of The Art of Adventure, will be coming to introduce their movie and answer questions after the screening.

Myra Stephen, on behalf of the committee, said “as young men in their 20s, Bateman and spirited biologist Foster embark on a globe-trotting adventure in the 1950s in a Land Rover they name the Grizzly Torque. It is a powerful story of environmental activism, youthful naivety, human connections and respect for all living things.”

Reid uses footage taken by Foster and artwork by Bateman.

The other special guests are Ron Mann and Mairéad Filgate, who’ll discuss their film project, Clairtone. Mann directs this tale about the rise and fall of Clairtone Sound Corporation, an audacious Canadian electronics company founded by Peter Munk and David Gilmour during the vibrant 1960s. It features dancer and choreographer, Filgate.

Haliburton audiences have delighted in Filgate’s performances locally in Dusk Dances, Sculpture Forest Re-imagined, Note the Weather and more.

Stephen said they’ll bring four documentaries: three full-length and one shorter film to the Northern Lights Performing Art Pavilion for this year’s event.

“It is an opportunity to come together as a community to learn, reflect, and be inspired. We are excited this year to present an allCanadian line up with films that touch upon the immigrant experience, the natural world, artistic pursuits, community contributions, dementia care, entrepreneurship and adventure.”

Other films include I am the Art: Nobuo Kubota, which explores the life and artistic journey of 92-year-old Nobuo Kubota, a Japanese-Canadian artist whose work spans painting, sculpture, sound, music, installation, and film.

The other is We Lend a Hand: The Forgotten Story of the Ontario Farmerettes, which reveals the true story of the Ontario Farm Service Force. It put 40,000 volunteer teenage girls to work between 1941 and 1952, arriving from different parts of Ontario and Quebec to many locations in Southwestern Ontario. Their job was to ensure critical food production during a perilous period of modern history. Most had no prior farming experience. They worked under relentless weather conditions and schedules and produced hundreds of thousands of tons of food that was shipped to the frontlines to feed starving European populations and even prisoners of war. Many of the women are now in their late 90s.

VIP passes for the full day are available at thoseothermovies.com – $30 for Those Other Movies seasons pass holders and $35 for general public. A limited number of single tickets for all films will be for sale on April 11, starting when doors open at 9 a.m.

The schedule:

● 10 a.m. I am the Art: Nobuo Kubota (85 min.)

● Picnic lunch. Bring your own lunch; eat and chat together in the cafeteria.

● 1:30 p.m. Clairtone (73 min.)

● 3:30 p.m. We Lend a Hand – The Forgotten Story of Ontario Farmerettes (49 min.)

● 7:30 p.m. The Art of Adventure (90 min.) + Q&A with director Alison Reid

Training the next generation of actors

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Mike Baker

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March 20, 2026

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Instead of perfecting pirouettes and practicing advanced dance routines, a group of County kids have been learning the art of theatre at Haliburton’s Skyline Dance Studio in recent weeks.

Skyline has partnered with local performing troupe Ctrl-ART-Del to offer guided instruction to seven youth, teaching basic stage skills every Saturday morning since Feb. 7. The 90-minute sessions, led by Ctrl-ART-Del volunteers, were made possible thanks to a $6,135 donation from the Arts Council Haliburton Highlands and the Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners Association.

“This is a three-part connection, where Skyline offers the space, Ctrl-ART-Del leads programming and the Arts Council funds it,” said Ella Leis, stage and production manager with Ctrl-ART-Del. She said the initiative got underway after a chat with Skyline’s executive director, Amanda Conn, last fall.

“They have a musical theatre program they run as a dance class and get so many kids coming out for it, who absolutely love it and wanted an opportunity to learn more,” Leis said. “There aren’t too many theatre opportunities or classes for young children in Haliburton County. We normally work with teens but have wanted to branch out to younger demographics for years.”

Hannah Klose, the troupe’s assistant director and fellow founding member, said she was one of the first instructors to volunteer. Over the past few weeks, she, Leis and other Ctrl-ART-Del members have worked on performing building blocks, including movement and voice work.

The key, she said, is teaching youth to find comfort within their body so that when they do take to the stage, they can keep a handle on their nerves. They started with fun games before advancing into practicing monologues and performing scene studies.

In week three, the students performed a piece from The Wizard of Oz. On March 14, at their final gathering, they took turns delivering individual segments from favourites such as Oliver Twist and The Little Mermaid.

Thirteen-year-old Joshua Morgan said this was his first exposure to any kind of in-person acting class, noting he was grateful for the opportunity to learn from experienced performers.

“Acting is one of my passions. I really like to make people laugh,” Morgan said. “The biggest thing I learned was that punctuation means pause.

“On a scale of one to 10, I’d have to say this was an 11,” he added, saying he’d like to take what he’s learned to the stage some day through Ctrl-ART-Del.

Leis and Klose say that’s the ultimate goal – sparking enough interest to create the theatre group’s next generation of performers.

“We try to instill the important foundations of theatre so that when these kids start to mature, they already have an understanding of how to stand on stage, how to be still, how to breath and speak loudly,” Klose said. “It’s all about making them feel comfortable in a theatre setting.”

With the theatre-based program proving popular, Leis said they’re hoping to run another next year. There are two further sessions coming up before that, also funded by the Arts Council. One is more musically focused, working on songwriting, and the other on pottery.

“The music one is going to be more teen focused, with the pottery for younger kids in that seven to 12 range. They’ll be running throughout spring and into summer,” Leis said, noting they’re free to participants thanks to the Arts Council money. Register at Leis at info@ctrlartdel.ca.

Flipping for funds

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Lisa Gervais

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March 20, 2026

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Haliburton Youth Unlimited had a successful second annual pancake fundraiser March 7 at Lakeside Church.

More than 100 community members attended to help them raise money to support their spring programs.

Weekly, Youth Unlimited provides free after school programs for youth Grades 4-12 at the Bridge Youth Centre in Haliburton.

Community director Leanne Young said more than 80 youth attend regularly, “benefitting from the free programming and positive community and activities.”

For more information about programs, or how to donate to support programming, go to www.yfc.ca/haliburtonhighlands/ or contact them at haliburton@kawyu.ca

Horsing around in the snow

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Mike Baker

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March 20, 2026

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Walkabout Farm Therapeutic Riding Association took a late winter flurry in stride March 14, proceeding with its planned ‘Hike with Horses’ event despite overnight snowfall.

Owner Jennifer Semach said about a dozen people attended, enjoying strolls around her property’s trail system with Walkabout’s 10 horses – Coconut, Sweet Pea, Poppy, Sassy, Apollo, Monty, Gracie, Valentino, Julia and Ginny.

The non-profit offers equine-assisted therapy programs through spring, summer and fall.

Semach said there will be another Hike with Horses event April 11, with the popular Friendship Fri-YAY community drop-in resuming May 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The recreational equine assisted participation (REAP) program, where Semach takes some of Walkabout’s miniature horses into local long-term care homes, starts again in May, running every Monday.

For more information, visit www.walkaboutfarmtra.com.

Seniors find connection at active living fair

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March 20, 2026

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By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Haliburton Legion was buzzing with conversation and connection last week, as more than 50 residents gathered for the Seniors Active Living Fair.

Organized in partnership with the Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario, the March 13 event featured resources, education, and perhaps more importantly, connection.

“We love the opportunity to bring people together, to share information and community resources,” Sue Tiffin, the director of community outreach for the County of Haliburton, said. “We jumped at the chance to host this.”

Last June, the County of Haliburton became a Seniors Active Living Centre (SALC) operator. The fair featured 16 exhibitors and a handful of guest speakers, covering everything from health and safety to emergency preparedness and community programs.

Jon Louch, a Haliburton resident who attended with his wife, said the amount of support available within the community was eye-opening.

“I thought as a senior it was something that I could benefit from, and I was right,” Louch said. “The most surprising thing [was] just how many resources are available to seniors and how to access those resources.”

While some seniors struggle to find a way to stay active, Louch credited his family for keeping him moving. With a son living and working in Haliburton and two grandchildren nearby, his retirement is anything but slow.

“Instead of going to work every day, my time is entirely my own and my wife’s,” Louch explained. “Our grandchildren keep us motivated and busy and active… an event like this just helps us discover what else is available to us.”

When asked for advice on how to encourage other seniors who might be hesitant to step out or get active, Louch had a simple message.

“There are many resources available. They’re easily accessible,” he said. “Just do a Google search on anything, and you’ll probably find something of interest.”

Social isolation is a primary concern for older adults, particularly those who have recently lost a partner or are new to the area. Tiffin said the fair aimed to tackle this by encouraging attendees to introduce themselves to their neighbours and explore group activities. She recalled an encounter from the SALC’s initial launch last year that highlights why these programs are vital.

“One person came up to me, she was 80. She had been a caregiver her whole life… she had recently decided that it was now time in her life to do what she wanted and to look after herself,” Tiffin said. “She was really excited about the programming opening up so that she could get out and live her life.”

The director of community outreach said she was pleased with the turnout at the event and noted that many of the names on the registration list were new to her.

“Some people have come alone, some people brought a friend or got a ride from a neighbour,” Tiffin explained. “It’s a great event to see everyone come together and start looking at the program and asking, ‘What are we going to go to together?’”

Serving pro volleyball to Haliburton County kids

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Mike Baker

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March 20, 2026

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After years of university play and pro-level volleyball training through Athletics Canada, Josh Edwards is preparing to pass on everything he’s learned to the County’s next generation of athletes.

Launching the non-profit Ascension Volleyball Club this month – the Highlands’ first organized volleyball organization – Edwards said he has a long-term goal of establishing the County club as one of the best in Ontario.

“Volleyball is the fastest-growing youth sport in the province right now… our high school has had some amazing success with teams this year, both boys and girls,” Edwards said. “But once the school season is done there’s minimal opportunities locally for our players to develop. They have to travel out of town if they want to enhance their volleyball experience.”

The Hal High junior and senior girls teams won Kawartha championships in February, with the junior and senior boys winning silver at the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA) finals in November.

While Edwards knows there’s enough interest in running a program for high school athletes, he’s testing the waters with younger kids too.

Spring volleyball programs will begin in April for youth in Grades 2-5, 6-9 and 10-12. Sessions will be held Monday and Wednesday evenings at J.D. Hodgson and Archie Stouffer elementary schools.

“That will help us to gauge interest levels in the area; to see how many kids would be willing to commit to more court time outside of their school circuits. The goal is to develop both a passion for the game as well as the skills required to reach even higher levels of competition,” he said.

Ascension is an initiative he’s had in the back of his mind ever since relocating to Haliburton County in 2023. Edwards said he has the backing of Volleyball Canada, who connected him with people from the Markham-based Unity Volleyball Club for pointers on building a program from the ground up.

He also has his own experience to draw from. From 2009 to 2016, he represented the Windsor Lancers in Ontario University Athletics play. He was a two-time all-star as a middle blocker. Upon graduation he received carding status from Athletics Canada – meaning he was paid to train fulltime with the country’s national volleyball program.

While he never appeared in international competition, Edwards spent 18 months from 2016 to 2018 honing his skills alongside some of Canada’s best players.

“In that program, we looked at volleyball almost as our trade. We needed to ensure our volleyball IQ, passing, reading and serving ability were all at the highest level…I got to compete with and learn from members of the national team who have been to the Olympics,” Edwards said.

Local high school coaches Allie Paul and Mike Gaffney will be assisting with the upcoming camps, which will run until June. Edwards said he’ll be teaching basic skills in passing, serving and blocking as well as how to attack and defend different tactical systems. The younger groups will focus more on play and getting a feel for the game, with the older groups getting more advanced training.

He said volleyball is a great sport for developing athletes as it teaches teamwork and discipline – key skills that he says benefit anyone no matter what their goals are in life.

Edwards has also partnered with the Ontario Volleyball League (OVL) and hopes to launch competitive teams in the fall.

“We’ll have access to tournaments over the next year within the OVL and will see if we can go to some exhibition tournaments in Barrie, Orillia and Peterborough as well,” Edwards said. “This is an exciting new adventure and we’re in it for the long haul. I can’t wait to get the ball rolling here.”

For more information, visit ascensionvolleyball.com or contact ascensionvolleyballhc@gmail.com.