A new drinking water source protection plan for the Halls and Hawk lakes system has been completed and Algonquin Highlands deputy mayor, Jennifer Dailloux, believes the project could be scalable County-wide.

It’s a first-of-its-kind program in the Highlands, said Shelley Fellows, president of the Halls and Hawk Lakes Property Owners Association (HHLPOA). Commissioned with money provided by the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA), Fellows said the plan outlines several ways waterfront property owners could protect themselves and their lake.

A 60-page report with the tagline “protect every drop” was presented to Algonquin Highlands council May 7.

“Our goal was to understand, identify and communicate where we as individual property owners are within the wider region; what makes Halls [and Hawk] lakes unique; why protecting our drinking water is important; and what responsibilities we have to protect our drinking water,” Fellows said.

“We live in a special area and rely on a precious natural resource, our water, to sustain us. We have a responsibility to protect it because the individual choices we make affect it,” she added.

The local system was selected alongside two others in Ontario, in Sundridge and Perth, to lead a second phase of a FOCA pilot project seeking to protect valuable and vital sources of drinking water across the province.

Last March, Ontario’s auditor general released a report identifying gaps affecting drinking water safety for nearly three million people who rely on non-municipal systems. On Halls and the Hawks, where water is pulled from the lake and surrounding groundwater reserves, there’s no legislation requiring upkeep, meaning many systems are untested and unregulated.

HHLPOA started with a survey of its members, completed by 168 of approximately 350 properties on the lake chain. Fellows said she was startled to find that 55 per cent of respondents say they never test their drinking water, with 35 per cent testing annually. She said it’s recommended to have drinking water systems tested twice per year at least.

Water showing signs of decline

While water clarity has not changed significantly since measurements began in 1990, Fellows said there are several indications water quality has dropped in recent years.

“The system is healthy overall, but vulnerable because it is highly developed around the shoreline and showing signs of declining water quality.

“Historically, there have been higher populations of pollution-tolerant groups (mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies and caddisflies), which means a higher quality of water as these organisms would not be able to survive in low-quality water. Though, between 2020 and 2024, there have been significant decreases in the proportion of these groups in Halls Lake, indicating water quality has decreased,” the report reads.

Across five years of measurements, there has been a significant increase in “algal abundance” in the Halls and Hawk system. Of particular concern, Fellows said, is an increase in floating algae, which includes blue-green algae.

HHLPOA identified and mapped the drinking water systems that serve the community and the sources that supply water to those systems. They also tracked vulnerable areas where drinking water sources could be at risk from nearby activities.

“We used publicly-available data to describe and understand the geology, geography, hydrogeology and chemistry. There was a lot of science over the winter,” Fellows said.

The top four designated threats to water quality include: activities that reduce aquifer charge, which includes things like increased residential development and destruction of wetlands; problematic septic systems; road salt that runs from nearby Hwy. 35 into the water; and the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

Boat wakes, shoreline erosion, climate change and the Canada Goose were listed as undesignated threats – not listed within Ontario’s Clean Water Act.

“These threats can all result in contamination of our drinking water,” Fellows said.

To offset the risk, she recommended residents maintain their wells, naturalize their shoreline, keep on top of their septic systems and regularly test and treat their drinking water.

Fellows also advised against things like fogging for mosquitoes.

“Companies indicate it’s a plant-based natural product that’s used, but it is toxic to all forms of insects. So, in our efforts to reduce biting insects on our property, we’re actually causing larger harm, killing off beneficial insects,” Fellows said, noting insect population is one of the main indicators used in annual water quality testing through U-Links.

HHLPOA is hosting a plant sale at Elvin Johnson Park May 23, where it will be selling native species people can plant on their property. The group pitched installing some native shrubs at the park, which council approved.

Renaturalizing shorelines is the easiest way for lake residents to pitch in, with Fellows saying it’s important to have at least 80 per cent of growth be native plants.

“Studies show that natural shorelines reduce run-off of surface water directly into the lake and increases filtration through soil and roots, effectively reducing contamination of lake water. They also reduce shoreline erosion, resulting in clearer water,” the report reads.

Taking action

Fellows said HHLPOA is developing a water quality self-assessment tool that lake residents can use to identify threats. She noted drinking water test kits are available through Lakelands Public Health.

With eutrophication of the lake a concern, Fellows said the lake association plans to expand its annual monitoring programs.

The report has identified some gaps in data for Halls Lake, Fellows added, with HHLPOA committing to doing more research to assess threats and areas of vulnerability. One of those is the Halls Lake Causeway, which will be the focus of a thesis from a Trent University student in partnership with U-Links.

HHLPOA also plans to launch a water guardian program where those who pledge to take specific actions to protect water quality will receive a medallion, which Dailloux liked.

“I think you’ve done a beautiful job… we have a lot to learn from your experience here because you’re really doing the work,” Dailloux said. “I think there’s real scale up potential here… where you take this to other lake associations, show them what’s been achieved and see if they’d be interested in doing the same.”

In closing, Fellows requested the township update its study on lake capacity, completed in 2006, to “better understand development pressure and guide future land use decisions.”

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With high water levels in the County’s waterways and dense forests, residents can expect a “dynamic” biting insect season this year, according to at least one expert.

Author and outdoor educator Rick Whitteker explained that following a wet spring, the abundance of standing and flowing water has created ideal breeding conditions for both mosquitoes and black flies.

“In terms of bugs, mosquitoes like still water and standing water, so there’s going to be more of that in the forest, assuming we don’t have a drought right off the bat this spring, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen,” he said. “So, with dead standing water or still water, mosquito larvae do particularly well, and black flies love clean moving water.”

While last year saw high bug activity, Whitteker said the current environmental opportunity provided by the high levels of water suggests a significant population increase might be on our doorstep.

“I’m assuming the black fly population is going to do quite well, because there’s still a lot of water in the system, and they need rocky, clean water,” he said. “So, larvae can cling to the rock underneath the river, and then eventually float to the surface as an adult black fly.”

The author explained that despite the fluctuations in temperatures, including nighttime lows of near-zero degrees, they are unlikely to hinder the population of the biting buggers.

“They’re all underwater,” Whitteker said, noting larvae are protected from air temperature changes. However, as daytime temperatures rise, the rate of metamorphosis accelerates, which could lead to an earlier onset of the season.

“For the most part, with these bugs, it’s about temperature,” Whitteker said. “The warmer the temperatures, the earlier they’re going to be able to metamorphosize or change. If you get a warm spring, then you’re looking at a more dynamic population.”

To help protect yourself from the biting bug season, the expert suggested wearing light-coloured clothing, and do the ticktuck (tucking pant legs into socks) before heading out to prevent ticks from reaching the skin.

“It’s dawn and dusk when they’re most active,” Whitteker said. “Mosquitoes, in particular, just thrive in warm, humid conditions. So if you have a sunny breezy day, that’s a much better prognosis for a bug-free experience than a day that’s damp and warm.”

As spring progresses, the expert also said it’s important to distinguish between biting pests and beneficial insects and that some personal research may be required before using broad-spectrum pesticides, as many bugs and other creepy crawlies play an important role in fertilizing crops and gardens.

“Don’t just assume any bug is a bad bug,” Whitteker said. “They have specific roles that they’re playing to pollinate… and actually fertilize our vegetables and our flowers.”

Haliburton County-based builders, Brown + Co, said a decision by the provincial government to waive the HST for any new home purchased, to become a principal residence, is “a very exciting announcement.

“We’re surprised, and delighted, such extreme measures are going to be taken to boost new home sales,” Benton Brown told The Highlander in a recent interview.

Brown+Co’s Stothart Creek has been building and selling Tarion Warranty homes in Haliburton for more than a decade and Brown said the news has the potential to save people $130,000 on a $1 million home.

On May 5, the province officially introduced the HST Relief Implementation Act to support 13 per cent relief on eligible new homes. The program is in partnership with the federal government.

The province said the initiative would provide buyers of most new homes in Ontario with up to $130,000 in relief and could stimulate an additional 8,000 housing starts next year, support up to 21,000 jobs, and boost Ontario’s GDP growth by $2.7 billion.

“We’re already seeing the positive impact of our commitment to remove the HST from most new homes, with more shovels in the ground on new homes across Ontario,” minister of finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy, said. He added, “our government will continue fighting to lower costs for homebuyers, keep the dream of homeownership alive in Ontario, and keep workers in our construction sector on the job.”

Buyers of eligible new homes valued at $1 million or less would receive the full 13 per cent relief, to a maximum of $130,000. Buyers of eligible homes at $1 million to $1.5 million would see relief of $130,000. For homes valued above $1.5 million, the HST relief would decline gradually to a maximum of $24,000 for homes of $1.85 million or more.

While applications for HST relief are not open at this time, those who meet the relevant eligibility criteria can apply once it launches. For example, purchasers of an eligible home acquired on, or after, April 1, 2026, and on, or before, March 31, 2027, would be able to apply at a later date to receive the HST relief, even though the application process has not yet open.

Impact on real estate

The proposed legislation also includes provisions that would enable buyers to assign the top-up to builders so that sellers can take the full HST relief amount off the price of a new home up front. The government continues to work with the federal government to implement the HST relief through federal regulatory changes and has asked the feds to administer the full HST relief program through the Canada Revenue Agency.

The measures build on existing provincial housing tax supports to help increase the supply of affordable homes, support housing development and foster a robust housing industry across Ontario. This includes removing the full eight per cent provincial portion of the HST on qualifying purpose-built rental housing. The province is also providing historic housing-enabling infrastructure funding through the $4 billion Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and the $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund, which rewards eligible municipalities that make real progress in getting shovels in the ground to build new homes.

Brown said his company has fared “quite well” through a difficult post-COVID housing market, plagued by tariffs and high building prices. He estimated their costs are up 35 per cent. He said it’s left some contractors and sub-contractors looking for work, while some builders have paused construction. “It’s really tough out there.”

He said last Tuesday’s announcement is “a targeted shot in the arm for new builds, and hopefully has a good impact on the economy. I think the cost is the catalyst of why this announcement has come out.”

Brown said it will be interesting to see what impact the new rebate has on the Highlands’ real estate market, since a lot of people might be interested in saving HST on a new home but have to sell an existing one in a saturated housing market. He added people looking to buy will be more attracted to a new home with the potential of saving on HST versus an existing home that is not included.

“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it’s a once-in-a lifetime opportunity in terms of potentially saving a considerable amount of money and getting a head start on the equity in your home.”

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Haliburton Rotary Club is moving into the second phase of the Skyline Park restoration project, with a 2027 completion date still on target.

Charles Wheeler, chair of the Skyline Park project committee, said that despite some logistical shifts, the project remains on budget and on schedule for the 2026 construction season.

A main component of this year’s work is the construction of a second timber-frame picnic shelter. While the first shelter was completed through Diezel Woodworks and Haliburton School of Art + Design, the club had to pivot this year.

“Unfortunately, another municipality has snagged Diezel Woodworks to do a timber frame structure for themselves,” Wheeler explained, with Algonquin Highlands securing the firm for a gazebo project at the Dorset Heritage Museum. “So, we’re just in the process of evaluating bids from five different companies to build a second picnic shelter.”

A winning bid was expected to be finalized in April, followed by manufacturing, and installation planned for July or August.

A second component slated for completion this summer is the year-round, fully accessible washroom building that the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) committed to supplying, saving Rotary about $65,000 in capital costs.

“We originally asked the province to help fund us, and they originally said no,” Wheeler said. But with the assistance of Laurie Scott, our local MPP, she was able to convince the Ministry of Transportation, which owns Skyline Park, to take on the washroom building.”

The facility will replace the seasonal Porta-Potties that were used from May through October, providing a permanent solution for year-round visitors, including winter snowmobilers.

Further accessibility upgrades include the new upper viewing platform, constructed from donated granite, to allow those with mobility challenges to still enjoy the view without having to navigate the steep slope to the lower viewing area of the park.

Also on the list for the 2026 season is the installation of the six historical display boards that include the history of Skyline Park and an Indigenous land acknowledgement. The panels were funded through a $15,000 partnership between the Rotary Club, Haliburton County, and the Municipality of Dysart et al.

Wheeler said that the project remains on budget at $200,000, with the MTO assuming the cost of the washroom facilities; the Rotary’s net financial responsibility is about $135,000.

The Rotarian said that the work done to date was the result of significant volunteer labour. “It has been a real Rotary team effort to get the project to this point, including the Skyline Park project committee and the many other Rotary Club volunteers who assisted on site when needed,” Wheeler said.

It’s 6:45 a.m. on a Tuesday morning and Joyce Jones is on her way to Hal High to help make sure teenagers start their day in the right way.

She’s one of seven volunteers assisting with the school’s breakfast program. Each morning, two or three will arrive at hospitality and tourism teacher Darla Searle’s kitchen around 7 a.m. to prepare hearty meals for youth.

There are quick options such as fruit, granola bars, mini muffins and parfait, but the team also prepares one hot dish every morning. Recent offerings have included bagels with cream cheese and western sandwiches. Jones said the team prepares about 50 each day and puts them out in the hall, along with the quicker grab-and-go items, for 8:30 a.m., just in time for students arriving on the bus.

Searle said the program has been running for many years, though demand has increased significantly since 2022. That’s coincided with a change in program delivery – kids used to have to go inside Searle’s classroom to help themselves to items, but she felt that limited numbers.

“There might be 15 or 20 kids who would come in – but I know there were a lot more who could have used a morning meal but just didn’t want to be seen,” Searle said.

“We wanted to take away the stigma piece. Kids don’t need to feel embarrassed, but they’re teenagers and if they feel someone may make fun of them… they’d rather go hungry.”

Because the volunteers don’t man the table, they’re unsure of the number of students they’re serving. Though, volunteer Brenda Bain said most of the food is gone come clean-up time.

The program is funded through Food for Kids. The organization launched in 2000 as a pilot project at Stuart Baker Elementary School and has since expanded to all County schools.

Aaron Walker, owner of McKeck’s restaurant in Haliburton, is the group’s lead facilitator. The non-profit gets money from the province and other resources, such as Breakfast for Learning, Breakfast Clubs of Canada and President’s Choice Children Charity, but still has to fundraise annually to meet local demand.

“Children that eat breakfast demonstrate enhanced academic and behavioural patterns more so than children who do not. Many children do not have access to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food,” Walker said in a message on the Food for Kids website.

“The outcome [from the program] is that young people of Haliburton County develop lifelong healthy eating habits, optimize their learning at school, and focus on education and not hunger,” he added.

There are others who offer support, too. Community members, parents and the Minden Legion usually make generous donations, Searle said. Volunteer Pat Hicks said Haliburton Foodland also regularly donates food to the cause.

“Brad Park [Foodland owner] always helps out – if we need bagels, eggs, we know all we have to do is mention it to him and we’ll have it,” Hicks said.

While the program’s primary focus is helping youth dealing with food insecurity at home, Searle said anyone is welcome to partake – even teachers.

She sees the program running long into the future – of the seven volunteers, five are brand new. Helpers include Jones, Hicks, Bain, Cynthia Handler, Barb Winn, Tessa Barnes and Sara Burtch.

“This is a great way to give back to the community,” Searle said.

Anyone interesting in volunteering can contact 705-457-2950 or infohss@tldsb. on.ca

Environment Haliburton’s Susan Hay said there were three main items volunteers collected during a litter clean-up at Head Lake Park May 9 – cigarette butts, plastic drink containers and coffee cups.

A dozen people collected six large bags of garbage from the park in advance of Ontario’s Day of Action on Litter, which happened May 12. Hay said it was an eye-opening experience for her.

“I walked through the park on Friday with a friend and I thought to myself it didn’t look too bad, that there wasn’t much litter. But once we got down to the lake shore and the ditches, there was a significant amount of garbage,” Hay said. “In an hour, we must have picked up more than 500 cigarette butts.”

With drink containers also high on the list, the Hays are calling on the provincial government to expand deposit returns in Ontario.

“It would be a win against littering – keeping billions of bottles and cans from piling up in our parks, neighbourhoods and overflowing our landfills,” Susan said, noting Ontario’s current recycling system only captures 43 per cent of all used beverage containers.

By establishing a deposit system, she believes those numbers could climb as high as 90 per cent.

“A recent poll by Environmental Defence found that 81 per cent of Ontarians want a deposit return system for nonalcoholic beverage containers,” Susan said. “It’s estimated that 1.7 billion plastic drink bottles have ended up in landfills, incinerators and the environment over the past year.”

She said Ontario is one of two provinces in Canada without a comprehensive deposit return system for all drinks containers.

“As a result, we have the worst beverage container recycling rate in the country,” Susan said. “We need Ontario to regulate a fair and convenient deposit return system that ensures strong environmental outcomes and prioritizes ease of use and convenient access.”

While returns for alcoholic beverages have long been accepted at Beer Store locations provincewide, the closure of the Haliburton shop last November has left people in the village without a local drop-off. The closest return sites are the Beer Store locations in West Guilford and Minden.

As of Jan. 1, grocery stores across Ontario that sell booze were supposed to be ready to accept empty alcohol containers, but the province handed down an exemption, said Haliburton Foodland’s Brad Park.

“It would have been a nightmare for me to try to figure out how and where to do it,” Park said.

With nowhere to drop off in Haliburton, Park felt that it could open the door for one of the community’s service clubs to take on collection – something he feels could be a good revenue generator. Containers one litre or less can be returned for 10 cents, with anything over one litre paying 20 cents.

Asked if there was anything coming for Haliburton residents enabling them to dispense empties in the village, MPP Laurie Scott was noncommittal.

“The Beer Store is responsible for the Ontario Deposit Return Program for alcoholic beverages until at least 2031… they are working to add new return partner and explore locations across Ontario to join the recycling program,” Scott said.

On a broader return program for all drinks containers, Scott indicated there was nothing forthcoming.

“I spoke to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks and together we continue to look for ways to improve on our recycling system and advance our circular economy. Our focus remains on keeping costs low for people and businesses,” Scott said. “As we work to improve recycling rates, Ontario’s existing recycling system will continue to provide a strong foundation to build on.”