At the one-year anniversary of news the Minden emergency department would be closing, health care lobbyists are accusing the Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) of a 36 per cent jump in CAO salary last year; have panned the Ontario government budget; and gone to Queen’s Park to provide feedback on Bill 180 (the budget).

It was announced April 20 of last year that the ER would be closed effective June 1.

Richard Bradley, of the ‘Save Haliburton County Emergency Healthcare Group’ issued a media release claiming, “as the Minden emergency department was closed, the Haliburton Highlands Health Services increased CEO pay by 36 per cent in one year, and 62 per cent since 2016, according to the Sunshine List.”

The Sunshine List is annual reporting of public servants making $100,000 or more.

Bradley said his group, and impacted residents, “find the 36 per cent pay increase quite offensive as the CEO of the Haliburton Highlands Health Services is apparently rewarded for failing the County.”

The 2023 pay was $245,351 salary and $562 benefits for a 36.3 per cent rise from 2022.

No reward

However, HHHS board chair David O’Brien says that isn’t the case at all.

O’Brien, on April 26, said the 36 per cent represented unpaid holidays owed to former CEO Carolyn Plummer at the time she left the organization.

“It’s very simple why this happened. When Carolyn left, we paid out her unused vacation. She never took a vacation during COVID at all. She couldn’t. There was just no time to do it because the hospital was in constant emergency. She had about a dozen or so weeks of vacation to be paid out. That’s exactly what it is. Nothing more than that,” he said.

Meanwhile, founder of ‘Minden Matters and Reopen the Minden ER’, Patrick Porzuczek also issued a release.

He said in the recent Ontario budget, “rural communities like Minden have been overlooked, leaving residents without essential healthcare services and transportation options to hospitals.

“Despite a four per cent increase in overall healthcare spending, Minden, with a closed emergency room, continues to face significant challenges in accessing necessary medical care and transportation to Haliburton hospital.”

He added it has created “a distressing situation” for residents. Porzuczek said it is “particularly worrisome for the elderly and retirees who specifically chose Minden for its proximity to one of the best emergency rooms in rural Ontario.”

Minden groups return to Queen’s Park

The group went to Queen’s Park April 22 to participate in the public hearings on Bill 180. Porzuczek said, “our aim is to advocate for the necessary resources and support our community’s desperate needs, extending beyond Minden to the entire catchment area.”

When it comes to the four per cent base hospital funding, O’Brien said HHHS didn’t know yet what they will be getting. He added they don’t just have Haliburton and Minden hospitals, but also two long-term care homes and community service delivery. He said most long-term care homes are run by municipalities.

“I can’t answer the question whether we’re going to get four per cent because I don’t know where it’s going to be applied to.” He said HHHS expected to know within a month, and in time for the upcoming AGM.

The Highlander also asked about the impact of Bill 124. O’Brien said “the government is paying us but it’s coming in chunks. They will make us whole. They have committed to that.”

He estimated HHHS’ deficit, as of April 26, at approximately $3-$3.5 million.

The Minden Paper also appeared before the standing committee on finance and economic affairs regarding Bill 180 (the budget). They discussed their work, as reported in the April 11 Highlander.

Spokesperson Jeff Nicholls told the committee 25 per cent of Ontario hospitals posted a deficit in 2022, and 75 per cent in 2023. He added one health service, however, posted a large surplus and received in the neighbourhood of 24 per cent funding, compared to four elsewhere.

“The funding allocation inequities suggest disparities and necessitate a review of funding processes to ensure fair distribution and a transparent, data-driven approach to meeting each hospital community’s needs and concerns while maintaining system integrity,” Minden Paper told the committee.

They further panned chronic year-overyear underfunding, Bill 124 hindering recruitment and retention efforts, and forcing a dependence on high-paid agency nursing.

Nicholls added hospital financial reporting, and board meeting minutes, were also inconsistent. The group made recommendations to close those gaps and create standards. They also pointed out what they believe to be “a systemic disregard for community input in healthcare decisions.”

While the Ontario government is touting a new “out of sight, out of mind” cell phone policy at schools provincewide, Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) says it has had rules in place governing their use for some time.

Education minister Stephen Lecce sent a letter to parents and guardians with children in the public school system April 29, stipulating cell phones be banned from in-class use between kindergarten and Grade 6, and heavily discouraged for students in Grades 7 to 12.

“To help reduce distractions in our schools, starting this September, we are denying cell phone usage during instructional time so that students can focus on getting back to basics and learning foundational skills like reading, writing, and math,” Lecce said.

Younger students are being told to keep phones on silent and out of sight during school time, while those in Grades 7 to 12 are still allowed to use their phones on school property but will have to gain special permission from a teacher for use in the classroom.

Carolynne Bull, TLDSB director of communications, told The Highlander TLDSB has had a similar policy in place for several years, through its student code of conduct.

Lecce said the province is also removing social media access from all school networks and devices “to help strengthen in-person relationships, communication, and socialemotional skills.”

Moving forward, he noted report cards would also include comments on students’ distraction levels in class.

The ministry is also updating its rules on vaping in schools, with a new zero tolerance policy coming into effect.

“Parents will be immediately informed and vapes will be given up and disposed of,” Lecce said. “There are immediate consequences for students caught in possession of illegal substances.”

Lecce said the province is paying for schools to install vape detectors to help combat “an alarming rise” in youth vaping. The province is also investing in wraparound supports for students looking to stop vaping.

The education minister said information on these new policies should start at home.

“To truly change behaviour, we are asking for your support and collaboration to hold conversations at home about the new expectations,” Lecce said.

Bull noted TLDSB will be updating its policies to reflect the changes in the near future.

“The revisions are intended to help foster positive school climates that support the achievement and wellbeing of students in Ontario. This is aligned with the goals outlined in our strategic plan, so any initiative to further our goals is welcomed,” Bull said.

Minden Hills taxpayers will begin contributing to an infrastructure levy, as the township moves towards an infrastructure renewal reserve.

Director of finance, Greg Bedard, broke it down for the public, and council, at an April 25 meeting.

Council has endorsed a compounding one per cent levy to be included in the 2025 levy and subsequent years’ operating budgets as contribution to the reserve.

Bedard said, “it is widely known municipalities across Ontario struggle with funding to keep their assets in a state of good repair. The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario estimated the municipal infrastructure backlog, as of 2020, to be about $52 billion. This represents the cost of bringing assets to a state of good repair, but where funding does not exist to do so.”

The director said that to combat the backlog, many municipalities have adopted an infrastructure levy.

“This levy represents funding to be used in the short-term and long-term to move forward planned and unplanned infrastructure projects where funding does not otherwise exist.” He added the intent is for the levy to be compounding. In other words, the existing infrastructure levy would form part of the next year’s base budget, with a new infrastructure levy calculated in addition to the tax levy, and so on, for each subsequent year.

Bedard said once the township gets its updated asset management plan later this year, it will have a better understanding of its backlog. However, he said the discrepancy was noted during budget decisions. On March 26, council approved the new levy. It represents one per cent of the township’s annual tax levy requirement. In 2024, it is $110,000.

Bedard stressed the levy does not mean the township should stop contributing to other reserves.

“However, balancing financial planning and taxpayer affordability often results in reserve balances that are underfunded. An infrastructure renewal reserve provides the opportunity to fund projects where existing specific purpose reserve balances are inadequate,” he said.

He added the availability of uncommitted funding in an infrastructure renewal reserve may increase the township’s ability to take advantage of grant funding programs.

“Programs that may benefit the township are often announced with immediate and short application timelines, during which the township must commit to funding its share of the project. The availability of funding in an infrastructure renewal reserve may allow the township to pursue these programs and stretch the township’s dollar further without impacting the tax levy, reprioritizing planned projects, or the planned use of specific or departmental reserves,” Bedard said.

Mayor Bob Carter said while the consumer price index (CPI) has dropped down to the three per cent range, that is not the case when it comes to materials and labour associated with infrastructure, and still running around 7.5 per cent.

“So, infrastructure is very difficult to stay on top of, and it’s very difficult to catch up, particularly when you have the 7.5 per cent cost increase each year. I’m sure there’s a lot left to do. But this will at least be a start.”

Coun. Pam Sayne said the move is key now, “because we haven’t found other ways for the province to assist us with the infrastructure costs that are going up across municipalities, as well as the downloading that continues.”

Minden Hills coun. Pam Sayne – during an April 25 meeting in which the township approved a four per cent municipal accommodation tax (MAT), said it’s not “a tax grab.”

Putting it in “a larger context,” Sayne said, “municipalities cannot run a deficit. This proposal being put forward to us… has to do with making sure we can pay for the things we have to pay for. When we see an increase from the province of what we are responsible for without the money to match that, we’re in a situation where we have to pull the money from somewhere. So, this is not a tax grab. This is saying we cannot run a deficit and have to maintain services as a municipality.”

She added the township has to find a way, other than through residential, commercial and industrial taxation, to support the increased costs of running municipalities.

“So, I support it (the MAT). It’s a bigger picture,” Sayne said.

All four townships have now made decisions about charging a MAT on short-term rentals. Algonquin Highlands, Highlands East and Minden Hills have all set the rate at four per cent. County director of economic development and tourism Scott Ovell said 95 per cent of Ontario municipalities have followed suit, falling short of calling it an “industry standard.” Dysart et al, with mayor Murray Fearrey saying, “Dysart dares to be different” has set its rate at two per cent.

Ovell has indicated collecting the tax is worth the effort, estimating four per cent could bring more than $2 million to County coffers – a figure that will lessen with Dysart’s decision. It is not known what the breakdown of that would be for each municipality. He did acknowledge, however, that the math is based on full compliance, whereas they expect 65-70 per cent of STR owners will remit 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. That money must be exclusively used for promoting and developing tourism. A municipal service corporation (MSC) must be created.

The other 50 per cent of revenue goes directly to townships.

“And you can do whatever you choose with that 50 per cent,” Ovell said. “You could apply it to your roads budget, you can apply it to your capital budget. There’s no strings attached to it and it can change year by year as to how you prioritize that funding.”

The short-term rental host will collect the tax and deliver it to Granicus, the company hired to help the County’s towns with its STR program. It will be for the room rate only, not amenity fees or for parking, internet or cleaning. Bookings prior to the adoption of the MAT will be excluded from paying. It is expected to begin Oct. 1.

As part of next steps, Ovell said towns will have to do public consultation, likely via a survey and talking to stakeholder groups.

He estimated it would take a minimum 18 months from the effective date of the bylaw to when local governments will have a proper understanding of revenue generated through the program.

“Dysart dares to be different,” said township mayor Murray Fearrey, shortly after he and his council endorsed an adjusted municipal accommodation tax (MAT) April 23.

That was in response to Scott Ovell, the County’s director of economic development and tourism, who brought Dysart council up to speed on the MAT tax and its potential benefits at council’s monthly meeting.

While Algonquin Highlands, Highlands East and Minden Hills have supported the new bylaw at a four per cent tax rate, Dysart has opted to introduce it at two per cent.

“You’ve done a lot of work on this, and I sincerely appreciate it. I supported it at the start, but I’m starting to think now… I just don’t know how much tax we want to pile onto people,” Fearrey said, proposing the reduced rate.

Ovell said council was within its right to adopt whatever rate it deems fit. Of the 30 or so municipalities in Ontario to embrace a MAT, most have done so at four per cent, Ovell said. He noted the City of Niagara Falls introduced a two per cent MAT in 2022.

The County director had estimated the MAT could boost municipal coffers County-wide by more than $2 million per year at a four per cent rate. He noted at least 50 per cent of revenues must be allocated to eligible non-profit tourism operators. The County is investigating setting up a municipal services corporation (MSC) to handle those funds.

Townships would be free to utilize the remaining 50 per cent where they want, Ovell said.

Referencing data from the Ministry of Tourism, collected via short-term rental operators like Airbnb and Vrbo, Ovell said there were more than 150,000 nightly stays in the County in 2023 – up more than 90 per cent from 2019. Fearrey felt those numbers represented peak STR usage in the Highlands and that revenues would be down for most operators this year.

Coun. Pat Casey agreed with Fearrey.

“Everyone’s discretionary income is slowly getting eroded and we don’t want to kill the entrepreneurial spirit of someone making a dollar,” Casey said, noting that money is often reinvested into the community via cottage renovations and downtown shopping.

The MAT is expected to begin Oct. 1. It will be handled by Granicus, an international firm specializing in digital communications and government services, which will also oversee the County’s short-term rental bylaw.