Scott Ovell, the County’s director of economic development and tourism, is on a road show – selling a municipal accommodation tax (MAT) to lower-tier governments.

He began his virtual tour with an April 9 Highlands East meeting, explaining that much like the short-term rental bylaw, the MAT will be the job of Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Highlands East and Minden Hills.

And it may very well be worth the effort, he indicated, estimating four per cent charged on short-term rentals could bring more than $2 million to County coffers. It is not known what the breakdown of that would be for each municipality. He did acknowledge, however, that the figure is based on full compliance, whereas they expect 65-70 per cent will play ball in the first year.

Ovell said the program has mandatory requirements, which include that at least 50 per cent of revenue go to one or more eligible tourism entities that are not-forprofit. The money must be exclusively used for promoting and developing tourism.

He noted there is some discretion with the other 50 per cent, which would go to Highlands East. All townships get half of MAT revenue. For example, he said North Hastings had used MAT tax revenue for roads, since travellers use the road network.

How it would work is the short-term rental host would have to collect the tax and remit it to Granicus, the company hired to help the County’s towns with its STR program. Ovell said it is for the room rate only, not amenity fees or service charges, such as parking, internet or cleaning. Bookings prior to the adoption of the MAT would be excluded from paying. It is expected to begin Oct. 1.

Referencing data collected from the Ministry of Tourism, Ovell said there were more than 150,000 reserved nights in the County in 2023 – up more than 90 per cent from 2019. He said the average daily rate, at more than $350, had climbed 47 per cent since 2019. There had been a 281 per cent jump in revenue in that time period as well, to more than $54 million. He divided that by the four per cent to come up with the more than $2 million in potential MAT tax revenue.

“From an economic development and tourism standpoint, these numbers are great. This means we have a lot of people coming to the County.” He said data also indicated the short-term rental users are spending more money and staying longer – “all really good things for us.”

As for next steps, he wants councils to pass the MAT at four per cent; direct nonmunicipally retained funds (50 per cent) to a municipal services corporation (MSC) created by the County, conduct public consultation on use of funds and prepare a draft service agreement between the MSC and the townships with the goal of having a consistent agreement amongst all four. He estimated it would take 12-18 months from the effective date of the bylaw to when local governments will have a proper understanding of revenue generated through the program.

Deputy mayor Cec Ryall commented it would be, “one of the most, if not controversial, unpopular, taxes we are going to put in place especially for STR providers. But it’s something we have to do. I don’t see a way around it.” He said he is in favour of managing short-term rentals, but at no cost to taxpayers.

Ovell added that besides presenting to all four townships, he will have a report for the County soon.

Five Counties Children’s Centre has a new home base in Haliburton County, with the organization signing a five-year lease to move into the Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) site in Minden.

Bill Eekhof, communications coordinator with Five Counties, confirmed the news April 15, noting programming began at the new location this week. The children’s centre will utilize approximately 700 sq. ft. on the second floor of the community health wing, just off the main entrance.

The organization had been without a permanent space in the County since 2020 – when it vacated its previous spot at HHHS Minden at the onset of the COVID19 pandemic. Scott Pepin, Five Counties CEO, said this was a homecoming for his organization and a big win for Highlands families.

“Re-establishing our presence in Minden will save local families the need to drive to Lindsay or Peterborough to access treatment and therapy services,” Pepin said.

Five Counties specializes in speech, occupational, and physical therapy treatments for youth aged 19 and younger in Haliburton County, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County. With the Minden addition, the organization now boasts five locations in its coverage area, Eekhof noted.

Services in Minden will be available by appointment and handled by staff from Five Counties’ Lindsay and Peterborough locations.

Eekhof noted Five Counties is celebrating its 49th anniversary this year, launching in Peterborough in 1975, and has been supporting families in the County since the late 1980s. Last year, it served more than 6,200 youth – including 250 in Haliburton County.

Those local services were provided virtually and through a temporary satellite location established at Archie Stouffer Elementary School (ASES) in 2023. Five Counties also offered some services at the Community Living Trent Highlands building in Haliburton in 2022 and 2023.

“We know that early intervention – especially when it comes to how a child talks or walks – is so important to help kids reach their full potential,” Pepin said. “Parents and caregivers are dealing with so much already if their child has been diagnosed or identified with unique needs that impact their development. That’s why making it easier for families to get the help they need, when they need it, in their own community, is so essential.”

Eekhof said Five Counties would continue to use the space at ASES for physiotherapy services and its school-based rehabilitation program.

Another service

HHHS president and CEO Veronica Nelson said Five Counties is a great addition to the Minden site.

It follows previous enhancements introduced since the ER was shuttered last summer, such as the urgent care clinic operated by the Kawartha North Family Health Team, and the community nursing clinic co-run by HHHS, SE Health, ParaMed Home Health Care, and Home and Community Care Support Services.

Nelson said, “HHHS is delighted to welcome Five Counties back into our building… their dedication to the community through therapy and treatment services to support children with physical, developmental, and communication needs is inspiring.”

Nelson said HHHS still had space to co-locate services in Minden and would entertain potential partnerships on a case-bycase basis.

“Health care in Ontario looks and feels very different than it did in the recent past. Not having access to care is not an option for our community. Thinking about health care in an innovative and collaborative way is critical for optimizing the wellbeing of Haliburton County,” Nelson said.

Operations at the Maple Lake landfill in Algonquin Highlands were brought into the 21st century this month following the unveiling of a new weigh scale – the first in Haliburton County.

The project had been in the works for around six years, according to Melissa Murray, the township’s environmental manager. The scale was a key component of a $1.5 million investment at Maple Lake, which included the construction of a new operations centre, which opened last summer.

The scale cost $135,000 to buy and install, with $100,000 funded through Ontario’s municipal modernization program and $35,000 from municipal reserves.

“A lot of people have been asking when the scale would be installed – there’s been a lot of buzz since this was announced,” Murray said.

Initial discussions were held in 2018, with the township’s previous council giving Murray the green light to investigate. The scale was approved in 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Murray spent two years getting quotes and ensuring technical studies required for the scale’s installation were complete.

Prep work began at the scale location in the fall of 2022. It became operational April 3.

Murray said the scale is a game-changer for ensuring there are accurate waste counts at Maple Lake moving forward, noting all Algonquin Highlands taxpayers will benefit.

“We’ve always had a disconnect between the amount of materials we received and the amount of materials we haul out. It always cost us more than we were receiving, because we charged by volume, using cubic yards, while now we charge strictly by weight. So, there’s no disparity,” Murray said. “The addition of this scale has made this a more equitable system for everyone.”

Under the old system, Murray said items that were small but heavy, or had been soaked with rain, were regularly undercharged, while things like insulation, which can be bulky but with little weight, usually overcharged.

She said before, around 50 per cent of items shipped to other landfills outside the County weren’t adequately covered by disposal charges, so fell on the township.

“It basically became part of our tax levy – all residents had to pay,” she said. Asked for a dollar amount, Murray said that’s difficult to quantify as the township has changed its tracking data and processes in recent years.

Residents won’t be charged for dropping off household garbage, scrap metal, and blue box recyclables – but bulky waste, construction and demolition waste, and furniture will be charged 22 cents per kilogram, or $220 per tonne, with a minimum charge of $15. Brush, leaves, mulch, wood chips and yard waste can be disposed of for $110 per tonne.

Murray was at Maple Lake April 3 for the scale’s unveiling and spoke with several residents who stopped by, with the response mostly positive.

While Algonquin Highlands might be the first township in the County to incorporate weigh scales at a landfill, it won’t be the last. Chelsea Cosh, manager of waste facilities in Minden Hills, said a recently approved re-design of the Scotch Line landfill will implement scales. John Watson, environmental manager in Dysart et al, said there are tentative plans for a scale at the Haliburton landfill.

There could be more to come in Algonquin Highlands, too.

“It’s always in the back of our mind from a planning perspective – we’ll see how things go at Maple Lake,” Murray said. “Pine Springs and Oxtongue Lake don’t receive enough material to justify having a scale there – but the Dorset Transfer Station, while a small site, could be a nice location.”

For more information on new disposal fees at Maple Lake, visit algonquinhighlands.ca.

Minden Hills council gave Chelsea Cosh, its manager of waste facilities, the green light April 11 to complete a Bee City Canada application to designate the township a Bee City.

Council also supported the celebration of national pollinator week, annually held the third week of June.

Founded in 2016, Bee City Canada is a federally-recognized charitable organization with the goal to educate Canadians about the importance of pollinators and to inspire action to ensure pollinator habitat protection.

Cosh said it supports collaborative efforts of communities and organizations committed to helping pollinators by offering four designations: Bee Cities, Bee Partners, Bee Schools and Bee Campuses.

“Bee City Canada’s mission is to recognize and support municipalities, Indigenous communities, campuses, schools, and other organizations that are taking action to protect and promote pollinators,” Cosh said.

She added, “they offer programs which recognize communities and organizations that are taking steps or are committed to future initiatives to help pollinators.”

Cosh noted pollinator species worldwide are at an increasing risk of population decline due to habitat loss, climate change, pesticides and pest diseases. Since plants form the building blocks of all ecosystems, disruption to their pollination and subsequent reproduction is likely to result in a decline in plant species diversity, and can adversely affect animals and birds that rely on them.

Pollinators play a critical role in maintaining healthy native plant communities and in ensuring that flowering plants produce seeds. In addition, these pollinators play a significant role in crop production, Cosh told council.

She said the Bee City designation “is an annual commitment a municipality can make to ensure that pollinators are protected, and recognizes the municipality’s efforts towards pollinator protection.”

Currently, there are 82 Bee Cities in Canada with 44 in Ontario.

“The Bee City Canada designation builds upon existing initiatives and can establish new approaches and partnerships that advance numerous municipal objectives,” Cosh added.

She said to qualify for the title, a municipality has to create and conserve habitat, and educate and promote healthy, sustainable habitat for pollinators. They must also mark national pollinators week.

She added that staff have to oversee the programs, and she thinks this can be done in-house.

One staff member, let’s call them a queen bee, would be the key liaison, who would then create a pollinator team. It costs $150-a-year for resources. There is also commitment to creating and maintaining habitat, and public education.

Cosh noted it would not just be about council, but getting the community onboard to do things such as establishing their own pollinator gardens and becoming involved in environmental stewardship.

Some of her ideas include: planting wildflowers and native seeds for landfill final cover, creating pollinator gardens or a wildflower meadow at township parks, properties, land, etc., a pollinator week kids colouring contest, Bee a Hero garden challenge (create a pollinator habitat in your own backyard), wildflower seed packet giveaway, collaboration with Archie Stouffer Elementary School on pollinator initiatives; look at possibilities to collaborate with local groups and expand involvement.

“The Bee City designation will recognize Advertorial the township as a leader in biodiversity protection and set an example for surrounding municipalities,” Cosh said. She added it “offers the opportunity to effectively engage residents with Minden Hills’ natural environment and help the township achieve sustainability.”

Councillors were abuzz over the prospect. Coun. Pam Sayne commented, “I’m really pleased to see this coming forward. People are probably saying, ‘we’re such a rural area, why is this an issue?’ but if we don’t put these in place, we’re going to be paved over in no time. To see these kinds of initiatives coming now, and put in place for our long-term development, is really nice to see.”

If you’re new to Haliburton County – recently retired but now looking for something meaningful to do with your free time – you might want to plug May 1 into your calendar.

The Haliburton Highlands Volunteer Coalition is holding a volunteer engagement fair at the Minden Community Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Brigitte Gebauer, volunteer coordinator for HHHS, is coalition lead. It’s made up of people from a variety of organizations that rely on volunteers.

The event comes on the heels of National Volunteer Week and Gebauer said they wanted to capitalize on the momentum by holding the fair about six weeks earlier this year.

Gebauer said there continues to be a dearth of volunteers, a trend that started before COVID and has continued. She added it isn’t just in Haliburton County.

“Volunteer Canada is trying to spark a national strategy around volunteering. Australia just put a 10-year plan into place and Ireland put a five-year plan into place a couple of years ago. So, on a national level, the rates are significantly down on volunteering.”

She said stats have been declining in the last 10 years. “So, there’s a significant pressure on all of the organizations that utilize volunteers and I think nationally, we’re starting to recognize that, and that’s the basis of forming this coalition as well… to try to bring the visibility up and to put some energy behind creating a countywide strategy around volunteering.”

She noted the County of Haliburton and HCDC are financially contributing to the May 1 event, and Mulligans is donating refreshments. She said there would be approximately 30 employers on hand.

Gebauer said a lack of volunteers greatly impacts the community. At HHHS, for example, she said they don’t have enough helpers for long-term care or to do friendly visiting in the community. She added they are down on community drivers, having to tell people who have out-of-town medical appointments they cannot always take them. “That’s really tough.”

However, the coalition hopes to capitalize on new Highlanders.

“I think, collectively, the group is thinking ‘we’ve got this crop of new folks in the area. Often, it takes a year or two to settle in. And then, all of a sudden you start looking around, asking ‘what can I do and how do I keep myself busy?’ Those are the folks that we’re hoping show up.”

She added, “this County runs on volunteers. It’s the backbone of the County.”

If interested in a booth, contact Gebauer 705-457-1392 ext. 2927 or bgebauer@hhhs.ca or Andrea Mueller 705-457-1740 ext. 635 or amueller@dysartetal.ca.

Ken Mott remembers what it was like before Wilberforce had a food bank.

People were struggling, often turning to family, friends, and neighbours to put food on the table. This was pre-2002. Before two local women started a movement that still stands strong today.

Chris Foster-London and Clara Burt ushered in a new era in Highlands East. Their grassroots initiative, where they would anonymously leave food and money on the doorstep of families they knew to be struggling, took hold. They started a part-time operation at the outreach centre in Highland Grove – the community’s first real food bank.

Mott was one of the early beneficiaries.

“I had a heart attack and was in the hospital for a while. When I got home, there was a cheque for $50 and food sitting on my table these two ladies had dropped off. I decided I wanted to be a part of this, do my bit and help wherever I could,” he said.

That was a little over 20 years ago. Mott is now recognized as one of the longest tenured volunteer with Central Food Network – the organization that runs the food banks in Wilberforce and Cardiff.

It’s now a “well-oiled machine”, said Mott – who manages the food hub in Wilberforce, and its community cooks program. But it wasn’t always that way.

For the first couple of years, Mott said the food bank relied on community donations. He would get calls from Ontario Works, telling him there was food somewhere that he could go pick up, so he’d hit the road. Mott did his job with a smile on his face, realizing the difference he was making.

Highlands East township got involved in the early 2010s. The township donated land behind Lloyd Watson Memorial Arena, and the food bank was opened in late 2015.

It’s open two days per week – on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. People are welcomed inside, given a shopping cart, and left to roam for non-perishable foods. Milk, produce, and meats are also available from the food banks’ fridge and freezer.

Mott said the food bank is busier than it has ever been – it’s not uncommon for him to find 10 people lined up at the door on days they’re open. He said around 30 people will stop by during opening hours, from 1 to 3 p.m.

“The price of everything has gone up, so it’s no wonder people are struggling. And with the struggle comes extra demand, extra dependency on the food bank,” Mott said.

Mott spends multiple days a week at the food bank, helping to sort and put away food, while he also assists with the delivery program.

Asked what has kept him going these past 20-plus years, Mott said it’s always been about the people.

“Seeing the smiles on faces when they’re walking out the door – for me, that’s what it’s all about. Making a difference one person at a time,” Mott said.