Algonquin Highlands has taken a stand against Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), refusing to endorse updated federal regulations designed to speed up approvals for new cell tower installations.

Proposed changes to legislation covering radiocommunication and broadcasting antenna systems were issued by ISED in May. The body said the aim is to accelerate rural connectivity and 5G network expansion by “modernizing public notifications and streamlining municipal review processes.”

Township planner, Aaron Bell, broke down the changes for Algonquin Highlands council at a Sept. 17 meeting. The most impactful, he said, is the removal of local public consultations that tower applicants had to organize before a site could be approved. That will be replaced by a digital portal where people can comment on projects online.

“They intend this portal to function as the sole notification consultation mechanism for proposals all across Canada,” Bell said.

There will be no requirement for applicants to advertise new projects in local newspapers, while on-site signs will only require a QR code people will need to scan to get more information. Application fees, set at $500 in Algonquin Highlands, have also been removed.

The notification process is also changing. Currently, applicants must mail notice of a project to all property owners within 500 metres of a proposed tower site, or 1,000 metres if it’s close to a lake. Now, ISED is mandating that notice be given only to residents who live within three times a tower’s height. With most structures ranging from 30-60 metres, that means only properties 90-180 metres from a site will be notified.

“It’s quite a big change,” Bell said.

ISED said it will also be enforcing a 45-day review clock for residents and municipalities, with Bell saying a late or non-response will trigger automatic federal approval. While local councils retained the right to object to projects based on visual impact and environmental sensitivity before, they can now only oppose for federal procedural and safety breaches.

The township has maintained its own policy for cell tower approvals for more than a decade, but Bell said the updated federal regulations would supersede them.

Outgoing deputy mayor, Jennifer Dailloux, said she was very concerned about this new direction.

“I would say strongly none of these changes are in the best interest of the local population. Townships such as Algonquin Highlands have refined and improved our consultation and notification policies in direct reflection of the experiences we’ve had with these local communities and the lessons we’ve learned.

“The lakeside experience is very different from being in a city surrounded with high rises. We know what we’re doing here and why we’re doing it – because it’s in the best interests of our people and community,” Dailloux said.

Cell gap project

The issue is a big one in the Highlands given the controversy surrounding the Eastern Ontario Regional Network’s (EORN) cell gap project, which wrapped in August. Partnering with Rogers and the provincial and federal governments, the $300 million initiative delivered 657 new, co-located and upgraded towers.

“5G cellular services are now available across eastern Ontario, improving services for residents, businesses, first responders, municipalities, Indigenous communities and visitors in the region,” EORN said. The cell gap project targeted 99 per cent voice call coverage, 95 per cent standard definition video coverage, and 85 per cent high definition video coverage in populated rural communities and highly-travelled roads and highways.

In August, EORN said there was a 100 per cent completion rate for upgrades to existing towers, at 311, though only 234 of 257 planned new towers were built – a 91 per cent success rate.

Twenty-one upgrades to existing towers were completed in the County, with four new co-locations, though only 19 of 29 new towers are currently in service – a 65.5 per cent success rate.

Of the proposed new sites, 12 were set for Dysart et al, six each in Minden Hills and Highlands East and five in Algonquin Highlands.

The Highlander did not get confirmation on the 10 projects that haven’t been completed but know Algonquin Highlands council refused to provide concurrence for a tower on Hwy. 60 near Oxtongue Lake in 2023, which didn’t proceed. Minden Hills council also opted against supporting a tower slated for Bobcaygeon Road last fall.

Ward 2 coun. Sabrina Richards called the update “an attack to democracy at the municipal level” and pitched maintaining the local policy, despite having no teeth.

“Even though we have little control when a higher level of government comes in and wants to make changes, we have found when we vote against things we’re not supposed to vote against – like previous tower sites – they do listen,” Richards said.

Algonquin Highlands and Highlands East are the only two County townships with cell tower policies.

CAO John Connolly recommended council maintain what it has, with staff taking on the role of notifying residents within 500 or 1,000 metres of a site, depending on location, and organizing public consultation.

“This is a case of, are we going to get hit in the face or the gut? It’s not the kind of policy we want. We want to maintain the local autonomy. There will be difficulties for providing the advocacy – but I think we still need to do that,” Connolly said. “This is an important issue, a local issue, and I think we need to keep banging the drum.”

The Land Between’s Leora Berman has always harboured dreams of running an incubation program big enough to regenerate the Highlands’ turtle population. Now, she’s one step closer to achieving her goal.

The local charity, founded by Berman in 2007, was awarded a $196,000 grant by the Ontario Trillium Foundation last week, with the money to establish a new Turtle Guardians nursery in Gooderham. Berman said she hopes to have the site up and running by June 2027.

“This is a reason to celebrate and a major milestone for the organization,” Berman said, noting the endowment is The Land Between’s first capital grant. “Our goal is to be on par with Scales Nature Park. They’re the largest incubation centre in Canada… we’re at the point now where, if we don’t do something soon, our kids will not grow up with turtles.”

Berman said staff and volunteers respond to calls from the public about turtles on roads, or in dangerous situations. Because turtle eggs are so vulnerable, they’re taken back to Turtle Guardians’ facility in Haliburton village, where they’re cared for and nurtured for 10 days before being released back into the wild.

This year, the facility took in almost 14,000 eggs from approximately 500 nest sites across the County. They have to maintain a 97 per cent success rate in hatchling survival to maintain their incubator permit. Berman said they’ve always hit that benchmark, but survival in the wild is slim.

Charity hopes to raise another $400,000

“We balance the odds from 1 in 1,400 eggs reaching adulthood [left alone in nature], but it’s 1 in 250 if we excavate nests and incubate,” Berman said. “So, even after all our efforts this year, we have 300 turtles reaching adulthood, we’re seeing an average of 1,000 dead turtles every year… so we’re not even coming close to replacing the dead ones.”

Since 2016, Turtle Guardians has been patrolling roads across Haliburton County, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes and Hastings Highlands, tracking data for rescues, injuries and fatalities. Berman said some areas are seeing losses of up to 40 per cent in turtle populations.

Because Turtle Guardians has only been able to care for hatchlings for up to 10 days before releasing them, Berman said they return to dangerous locations on the side of roads, where they’re prone to be hit by cars if they wander, or picked off by other animals.

To go along with funding for the new facility, Berman said she’s also secured an extension to the amount of time hatchlings can be under Turtle Guardians’ care, now up to two years.

“Now, we’re going to try to boost the turtle population ourselves. If we grow them for one or two years, the hatchlings are that much bigger when they’re released. They won’t be targeted by frogs or fish, and will be difficult for herons to take, so we’re cutting at least half the threats to them right away,” she said.

She’s aiming to take in 20,000 hatchlings next year, though hopes to grow to 30,000 when fully operational. Her upside limit is 50,000.

The 1,500 sq. ft. facility will basically be a turtle farm, Berman said. It will need to be bio-secure to keep new diseases away, with heated flooring required to maintain temperatures.

While thankful for the grant, Berman said she’s around $400,000 short of funding the project. That will cover construction, infrastructure and equipment costs, while also establishing an endowment fund for emergencies. Anyone interested in donating can contact info@turtleguardians.ca.

Once built, Berman said she’ll also be on the lookout for more volunteers to help run the space.

“I want this to be a community project. We want people named on the permits, out excavating nests, helping to raise the turtles and, eventually, release them. That way it becomes sustainable. It becomes a Haliburton project forever – that’s kind of my dream,” she said.

Twins update

Conjoined twin snapping turtles, Bert and Ernie, have beaten the odds thus far, Berman said. Recovered from Eagle Lake in August, the pair were still at Turtle Guardians’ home base in Haliburton as of Tuesday (Oct 6).

“They’re still doing well. I don’t think they’ll make it much longer, but they are still going,” Berman said.

The mini snappers were born with two heads but only one shell and body, a condition known as bicephaly. Conjoined twins occur once in every 100,000 cases among turtle hatchlings.

Berman said the pair would soon be shipped off to Simcoe County, where they’ll be cared for at another rehab centre.

There are positive and negative implications for property owners under proposed new floodplain mapping for Minden Hills, CAO Cynthia Fletcher told council’s last meeting.

A proposed zoning bylaw amendment for floodplain boundaries was presented at a Sept. 24 meeting with little input from the general public so far.

Fletcher said what is being planned, “does have an impact, both positive and negative, to some properties.” She said it was why the report was for information only, as staff feel there needs to be more public education and engagement.

Manager of planning, Amanda Dougherty, discussed proposed amendments to the township zoning bylaw for mapping, from 1988, and for the Gull River only. She said the changes would align Minden’s floodway zone and flood risk overlays with new LiDAR mapping the County of Haliburton did with the Ganaraska Conservation Authority. It would now also include coverage along the Burnt, Drag and Irondale rivers.

“The floodway is an area of high-risk and is not generally permitted [for] development or site alteration. The flood risk area, also referred to as the flood fringe, is subject to flooding but to a lesser degree, and therefore may support development or site alteration providing such development can be safely achieved and without creating new or aggravated hazards,” she said.

Coun. Tammy McKelvey appreciated the report and said the township had to do better outreach.

“This is new mapping. It is definitely going to impact people’s properties, and is totally new for the Irondale, Burnt, and Drag.” She called for informal open houses, such as at the Irondale and Minden community centres, with large maps on the wall, so people can pinpoint their property to learn about potential impacts. She also wanted to make sure the mapping was accurate.

Coun. Pam Sayne felt now being consistent with the provincial planning statement will help the township progress applications faster. She said it was important the community also understands why the municipality is altering its mapping. She thought they could record a public event and share it to YouTube.

Coun. Ivan Ingram asked if existing maps were grandfathered for landowners. Dougherty said anything built pre-mapping changes would be allowed to remain.

Coun. Bob Sisson asked, “what happens if someone has paid a huge amount of money for a property and now it’s going to be zoned in this floodplain, what is the resale going to be for this property?”

Dougherty said while it might sound “crass,” property values are not a planning matter. However, she added, the concern “is not lost on staff.” She said she was already working with possible impacted property owners.

Mayor Bob Carter said the LiDAR mapping was done before COVID but then delayed in the aftermath. He said there had been presentations and public meetings. He agreed with staff he was surprised how little public comment there is now. He encouraged outreach.

“Some people will be overjoyed; some will not be very happy with this new mapping.” He said they would have much more accurate mapping, but “let’s go out and get the input from people and go from there.”

McKelvey noted it wasn’t just the river systems either, but “a lot of properties between lakes as well.”

The only member of the public to speak at the meeting was Patricia Walshe, who lives on Spring Valley Road. She said she had asked how the plan would affect their property but had not heard back.

She said they built in 2015 at “considerable cost” for things such as a flood survey, and had invested to prevent flooding impacts, such as three flying buttresses. She said they had done everything asked of the municipality after the 2013 flood.

With the changes, she said, “I’d like to know how this applies to us.”

With food insecurity at an all-time high across the Highlands, County farmer Godfrey Tyler put Dysart et al council candidates on the spot during a debate at the Haliburton Legion Saturday (Oct. 3), challenging them to do a better job of working with, and advocating for, local growers and suppliers.

Around 235 people attended the event, hosted by the Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project (HHHDP), which has organized forums in all four townships ahead of this month’s municipal election.

After candidates had a chance to present their platforms in a short one-minute introductory speech, and answer preset questions on amalgamation, lake protection and the future development of the township’s 92-acre property on County Road 21, it was the public’s chance to hold their feet to the fire.

Tyler was one of the first to step forward. For decades, he and his wife, Jean, have cultivated cattle, maple syrup and forestry operations at their Waverly Brook Farm property. He asked deputy mayor candidates Pat Casey and Walt McKechnie and mayoral hopefuls Greg Bishop and Andrew Nowell how they would help local farmers keep putting food on the table.

Bishop said he wanted to review the township’s bylaws around community and personal gardens, which would help with supply. He also promised to work closely with the Haliburton County Farmers’ Market to connect local vendors with Highlands’ stores and shops.

“Getting them on side to buy and supply locally within our institutions around the County is key,” Bishop said.

Nowell promoted homesteading, believing there’s more the municipality can do to support people starting out, while Casey and McKechnie liked the idea of more individual and community gardens – provided they can be protected from wildlife.

Margaret Cox, a volunteer with the Haliburton 4Cs Food Bank noted the organization is spending around $30,000 per month on food to give away to needy households. She asked the four leadership candidates if they would endorse the township providing annual funding to the food bank to support operations – Bishop,McKechnie and Casey said they would, while Nowell presented a different idea.

“We’ve got to look outside the box and bring more food sources into our area. I used to work with Sysco Canada and they usually have a surplus they give away each month,” Nowell said.

Elizabeth Cloutier asked each candidate if they’re aware of the funding streams available to municipalities needing to invest in failing infrastructure. McKechnie brought up a joint $1 billion commitment from the provincial and federal governments to assist townships who don’t issue development charges to builders.

“We’re lining up at the door… we have a team at Dysart working on this, and other grants, all the time. This is something that will be very positive for our community and will help in many ways, maybe even with the sewage plant expansion,” McKechnie said. The $14 million project is still awaiting regulatory approval.

Casey said money could also be used to support expensive bridge repairs and installed necessary infrastructure at the County Road 21 property. Nowell and Bishop said they’d look to staff to provide direction on what the township can apply for and do with the money.

All four committed to doing some work to repair the road into the village at the intersection of County Road 21 and Gelert Road.

With short-term rentals now permitted on licensed shoreline properties, another resident asked if any of the candidates were open to allowing bed and breakfasts. She first came to the Highlands as an arts student 30 years ago and, for the next 20 years, made annual visits, staying at different B&Bs. They’ve mostly disappeared in the years since, she said.

Bishop and McKechnie said the issue is a big one and should be decided by all council, with guidance from staff. Nowell said he would be open to investigating, while Casey noted he’d be in favour.

“I struggle with it, being on the lakes… but the conversation on the other side is Airbnbs. If we’re allowing them in that zone, and B&Bs comply with getting a STR licence, I would support that,” Casey said.

Voting will be done via telephone or the internet in Dysart again this election, with polls opening Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. and closing Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. If you don’t receive your voter information letter by Oct. 16, contact the Dysart municipal office at 705-4571740.

by Adam Frisk

Tents came down at Head Lake Park on Tuesday (Oct. 6) as the Haliburton County Farmers’ Market wrapped up its 2026 season, capping a summer that saw strong crowds and an increase in vendors at both the Haliburton and Minden markets.

Market manager Lexy Feinstein said peak attendance in Haliburton topped 2,000 visitors on some Tuesdays, while Saturdays in Minden regularly drew more than 1,000 people. Nearly 70 vendors took part at some point during the season, including 34 fulltime booths during the busiest part of the summer.

“The biggest win is getting new vendors to expand the community and to have more people coming to be with us,” Feinstein said.

Spending remained steady despite the economic pressures facing consumers, Feinstein said. The market also attracted a number of young entrepreneurs this year, including an 11-year-old who sold cookies.

With the 2026 season over, planning for next year is already underway. Feinstein said she wants to bring in more growers and food vendors for 2027. This Saturday is the final Minden market day.

The permanent closure of Fast Lane Bowling in Minden Hills “has affected a lot of people in our community who enjoyed participating in the sport,” said Trina West, who oversaw bowling for the Haliburton County Red Wolves Special Olympics.

Business owners, Kandice and John Head, announced the shuttering Sept. 30.

On social media, the Heads said they had made the decision “with broken hearts. After struggling with ongoing issues inside the building for the past eight months, we are unable to not only financially keep the business going; it has now become a health and safety concern for our family and our bowlers to be in that environment.”

However, landlord, Amit Khera, told The Highlander Monday (Oct. 5) that while he understands the closure is disappointing for the community, he does not agree with “the impression that they neglected the tenant or failed to help.”

In an interview with The Highlander Oct. 5, Kandice Head said, “I’m sure it was known through the town we’ve had some issues.” She said they had no heat from December until mid-March. She said a heating unit was installed in time for March break and they re-opened. However, in mid-April, she said they had to call the fire department when they noticed a burning smell. She said there were hydro issues. They closed, again, for the summer. She said they decided in mid-August they could not reopen.

Head said the landlord did not charge rent for awhile and offered to replace lights so their hydro bill would be cheaper, which was “great, but a little late.” She said there was water coming into the building, and they also found what they think is black mould. Khera said he was not aware of any black mould issue.

Khera said he purchased the property in August 2025. He said that before the furnace stopped working in mid-December, the Heads had not informed him it was malfunctioning or needed replacement.

He said when they contacted him, they provided a quote of more than $50,000 for a new unit. He said he looked into other options and arranged to have it replaced at a cost of approximately $30,000.

“Securing and installing a commercial heating unit of this size takes time, but I took action after the problem was reported and paid for the replacement,” Khera said.

He said he also “provided substantial rent relief to help her through this period… and other concessions … this was a significant effort on our part to support her business, in addition to paying for the new heating unit.”

He said the owners did not ignore reported building problems.

Head tells a different story. She said they did not know there were any furnace issues. “All we knew was that it took forever to heat the building and the cost to heat was extremely high. When the unit stopped working (Dec. 8), I spoke to Amit right away.”

She said Khera’s decision to get someone else to do the work caused delays, and they did not have confidence in the work crew.

The Heads told the leagues in August they would be closing.

“All around, just devastated. But all the leagues, everybody, 100 per cent understood and supported me, which made it even harder,” Head said.

West said, “the closure of the bowling alley has been extremely upsetting and disappointing for our athletes. Bowling was the most popular and well-attended Red Wolves sport.

“It is a very unfortunate situation. Bowling is a sport that everyone can enjoy. Children, seniors, special needs individuals are all affected by this closure. Bowling accommodated all age levels and skill levels. Hopefully, at some point, someone will come along with a vision and build a new one.”

The 29-year-old Bancroft resident killed in a watercross racing incident at Pinestone resort in Haliburton on Sunday (Sept. 27) is being remembered as a man who put others ahead of himself.

Thomas Yanch was the victim of the fatal collision, which occurred on the second day of the Ontario Watercross Racing Association’s (OWRA) annual fall gathering in Haliburton. Club president, Carm Sawyer, said the incident happened in the early afternoon.

“It was a complete accident,” Sawyer said, speaking on behalf of the OWRA board. He noted Yanch’s machine – a modified snowmobile that skips and jumps across the water – started to sink mid-race. He was then struck by another racer.

“I know guys all over the world that are racing and nobody has ever had an incident like this,” Sawyer said. “It was just a fluke, a complete fluke.” He confirmed it was the first major injury or death recorded at an OWRA event.

Yanch was an experienced racer, Sawyer said, and a longtime OWRA member. He and his family were staples of the racing community, Sawyer added.

When he wasn’t racing a snowmobile or dirt bike, Yanch enjoyed hunting. He was an HVAC technician in Bancroft and a volunteer firefighter with the Hastings Highlands Fire Department. Flags were lowered to half-mast in Bancroft and Highlands East in remembrance of Yanch.

Firefighter ‘exemplified very best of public service’

Highlands East paid tribute in a statement on Monday.

“Tom served our community with dedication, courage and an unwavering commitment to public safety. His contributions and spirit will be remembered with profound gratitude… his dedication to protecting others exemplified the very best of public service,” the township said.

Haliburton Highlands OPP told The Highlander officers arrived shortly before 1:30 p.m., but Yanch was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation into the collision was conducted with assistance from the OPP Central Region Traffic Incident Management Enforcement (TIME) team.

Ashley Taylor, the OPP’s central region media and communications co-ordinator, confirmed no charges have been laid in relation to the incident.

Asked about OWRA’s safety protocols, Sawyer said officials hold a drivers’ meeting each morning to go through how the race will run and communicate rules to participants.

Any time someone falls into the water, or their vehicle submerges, they’re supposed to raise their arms and alert the nearest official. In case of emergency, officials use a horn that alerts other racers and on-site paramedics. Anytime a racer is vulnerable in the water, other drivers are supposed to complete wide passes, but Sawyer indicated the racers were in close proximity on that leg with little time to react.

“Nobody’s holding [the driver who hit Yanch] to blame. There’s no reason to penalize him… he is not an unsafe driver,” Sawyer said. “He’s absolutely mortified.” With the incident making provincial news, many people have expressed concern over the safety of watercross racing, but Sawyer said there’s risk involved with most things.

“Racing is a high-intensity sport. Everybody takes the risk. It’s no different than snowboarding or downhill skiing, or any other [extreme sport]. Everybody knows the risk and they sign up for it. We never think it’s going to happen, and we always hope it never happens, but unfortunately, it happened and we’re just so sorry for the family,” Sawyer said.

The remainder of the event was immediately cancelled, with racers and spectators coming together in near silence, Sawyer said. They lined the road down to County Road 21 and saluted as Yanch’s body was taken away.

“Not a word spoken – just tears… a lot of people are really upset about this. The racing community is like one big family,” Sawyer said.

Tributes poured in from all corners, with the U.S.-based International Watercross Association (IWA) raising funds for Yanch’s family. The OWRA also donated proceeds from the weekend event to the Yanch family.

“Watercross is more than racing. It is a family built around a shared passion, countless weekends together, and friendships that reach far beyond the race site. We may race under different series names and in different parts of the world, but we are all part of the same watercross community,” the IWA said.

Despite Sunday’s incident, Sawyer said there are no plans to cancel future races.

“He would not want us to quit racing because of this,” Sawyer said. “For us, this isn’t just a race. It’s family bonding, community building. We have people come from Quebec, New York state, Tennessee, lots of locals… it’s in their blood.”

A celebration of life for Yanch is being planned with details to be announced once they are confirmed, the family said.