When the HKPR district health unit and its Peterborough counterpart decided to apply to the province to merge earlier this week, we had some questions.

We tried to get some of them answered on Monday – when the news was announced – but were told we’d have to wait until Wednesday for a media scrum.

Let’s hope this isn’t indicative of the likely new model going forward – and that a bigger health unit doesn’t mean diminished transparency for media and the public.

And, we really hope that, as with many of our local agencies aligned with Peterborough, or the City of Kawartha Lakes, that Haliburton County isn’t an afterthought as events unfold elsewhere.

With the two medical officers of health, Dr. Natalie Bocking of HKPR, and Dr. Thomas Piggott of PPH, bringing in a combined salary of more than $622,000, we wonder if there will now be one of them, taking nearly $300,000 out of the combined budget?

And, after a cursory glance at the Sunshine List for 2023, reporting for 2022, we were surprised to find there are more civil servants making more than $100,000 in HKPR, than in Peterborough. According to the stats, some 24 HKPR’ers are making about $3 million (including Bocking). Another 15 are pulling in nearly $2 million at PPH (Piggott included). That’s a combined $5 million in salaries and benefits alone. That is before a single program is even delivered.

Premier Doug Ford came after health units prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Remember his “modernization” of public health announcement on April 11, 2019? Many said modernization was a spin word for cutting public health. He planned to cut spending by $200 million, a 27 per cent budget cut, and reduce public health units to 10 from 35. Of course, he was urged to pause his modernization plans by, among others, the Association of Local Public Health Agencies until the COVID-19 emergency was declared over.

Incidentally, the province downloaded a greater share of the costs to municipalities.

About a year ago, his government offered voluntary mergers instead. Some health units, like HKPR and PPH could clearly see the writing on the wall, accepting the ‘volun-told’ invite.

We know the hard-working folks at the HKPR office in Haliburton have to be worried about what this means for them. They valiantly led the COVID fight for years and are now catching up on all of the programming that fell by the wayside – such as student vaccinations. They are only catching up on those now.

As members of the public, we want to know a few things, too. How much is this merger costing? We’ve heard $3.5 million. Is the province really going to fund this?

Will there be staff cuts? Will there be programming cuts? Will we still be able to take our well water to the health unit for testing? Will the health inspector be out at local restaurants? Will someone be keeping an eye on student vaping? How can we ensure that smaller towns and cities, such as Haliburton, Minden and Wilberforce, still have access to the public health programming they have had for years?

On the surface, one might say the public health system is bloated and needs to be streamlined. However, until we know what the other side of the coin means for us, it is hard to say whether this is a good thing, a bad thing, or a somewhere in the middle thing.

A little over three years ago, like many Highlanders, I was excited to learn that the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) had purchased the Frost Centre.

The welcome news came amid COVID-19.

Then union president, Warren (Smokey) Thomas, heralded the purchase in a Jan. 8, 2021 media release as setting up the historic Frost Centre “for new life and a major lift.” It was to be a members’ resource and training centre.

The site had been vacant for years, and, not surprisingly, deteriorating at an alarming rate.

At the time, union first vice-president Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida said preserving the integrity of the site was of the utmost importance.

The hyperbole of the day was thick. Almeida said they had a “duty” to preserve the property’s integrity, and were looking forward to working with Highlands’ community partners to reinvigorate the Frost.

Thomas retired, and Almeida was ousted in March 2022 union executive elections. Then, lawsuits began flying out OPSEU’s doors.

Since then, OPSEU hasn’t spoken with us much. They said they’d put together a project team to consider options for the Frost. They would not comment further, thanking us in advance for understanding.

Pressed by The Highlander, they said back in Feb. 2023, they’d have more information to share at a later date. They never did. Thanks to a source, we received news of the listing last week.

Meanwhile, we have also been told by the lawyer representing a Muskoka-based contractor hired to do work at the site – who sued the union for back pay and damages – that the claim had been settled. OPSEU had filed a defence and counter-claim. No further details are forthcoming.

Just as Barrie Martin, Carol Moffatt and Liz Danielsen express disappointment in the potential sale in today’s edition, we share their sentiment.

And, like them, we wonder what will happen to the property.

Based on pre-sale reports sent to OPSEU, the site does have challenges. For example, Algonquin Highlands successfully negotiated easements for the trails on St. Nora Lake and for the boat launch. There are also heritage designations on some of the buildings.
At present, the door appears open to limited residential development.

Some are encouraging Martin to rally the troops once again, to put the centre into local hands. However, while $3.5 million is not ridiculous for this prime piece of real estate and its buildings, it does not take into account the millions that will be required to restore aformentioned buildings and ensure wells and septics are functioning.

This is going to require very deep pockets, indeed.

Of course, with the provincial and federal governments both pontificating about the need for housing – and namely affordable housing – perhaps it is time for MP Jamie Schmale and MPP Laurie Scott to stop wringing their hands over the future of the Frost and begin some real dialogue as to how this site might be converted to housing – while still respecting easements and heritage. This could be a win-win for all of us. However, it is going to take the type of ‘out of the box’ thinking that Scott and Schmale are not exactly known for. They’ll revert to all the reasons it can’t be done, rather than finding reasons for why and how.

Enough with the chicken little.

The sky will not fall if all four townships sign off on the short-term rental bylaw.

With word spreading that a bylaw is imminent, short-term rental operators are coming out of the woodwork making emotional pleas for why they should be able to continue to run unregulated businesses in areas that are not commercially-zoned.

They have had it good for a very long time – and now do not want their nest-eggs disturbed.

One delegate to a Highlands East meeting this week said they’d only made $6,000 in their first year of renting. Only $6,000. How could they possibly pay a $500-a-year licensing fee?

Let me preface my comments by saying I am not anti-short-term rental. I do believe STRs offer needed accommodation in the Highlands. I have stayed in many out-of-town ones. However, I do have an issue with the fact that hundreds, if not thousands of them, are essentially operating illegally with no remuneration to local government.

I believe the townships are within their rights to charge an annual fee. The detractors argue there are bylaws already in place that can be used, such as noise, parking and fireworks. Many of these people are fairly new to the area so may not understand that some of our townships only have one or two bylaw enforcement officers. They are not just answering STR complaints. These folks are chasing dogs on the run, monitoring trailers and sea cans, trying to find the folks lighting fireworks when they shouldn’t and ensuring property standards. Check out a Highlands East bylaw report on an agenda and you can easily see there are not enough people to do all of the jobs required. The reason is County townships don’t have the money for the hires. The idea behind the licensing fee is to generate enough money to bolster their ranks.

Further, there has been somewhat of a movement the last few years to better protect our waterways. After all, without healthy lakes, we are nothing. So, how can someone argue against a bylaw that ensures STRs are not over-populated, thus putting a strain on holding tanks and septics – which up phosphorous in lakes and lead to tourism-killing algae blooms?

What is wrong with ensuring these STRs are up to code and safe for renters?

The STR operators now vigorously fighting legislation need to look beyond their personal needs. As said, they have had it good for a long time. They’ve made substantial income. It is time to pay the piper.

Let’s emphasize that the townships are not planning to make money off of the STR bylaw. They simply want to cover the costs of making sure they are safe and not harming our lakes. They do not want taxpayers subsidizing a STR program.

Is the bylaw perfect? Of course not. But how can the County get a handle on the industry – and make no doubt about it, it is an industry – without dipping their toes in.

Starting in August, we should have a better idea of how many short-term rentals there are in the County. The first year will expose the problems with the bylaw. The County will then refine as needed. The Highlands isn’t exactly going rogue here folks. Short-term rental bylaws exist in numerous Ontario and Canada townships.

It’s time we all sucked it up for the common good. And if a STR owner out there cannot make it work, is it the worst thing in the world that they might have to sell? After all, we are desperate for housing in the Highlands and STRs are contributing to a desperate shortage.

I had circled Jan. 31 on my work calendar as that was the day of the last TOK Coachlines bus going from Haliburton to Toronto.

With a service having operated for more than 30 years coming to an end, I thought I should ride that last bus to the city in the morning, and take it back home again that evening.

I easily ordered the ticket online, only having to decide whether I would get off in Scarborough or Vaughn. I did a little online research and figured there would be more for me to do in and around the Scarborough Town Centre for the close to six hours I would be waiting for my bus back. The cost was $58.50 one way or $117 return.

I was doing this for a story. Taking my journalism hat off, and thinking like a rider, I asked myself if I would ever take the service otherwise. I hadn’t before. I’m lucky enough to own a car and while I am not crazy about it, I am capable of driving to the city. But what if I didn’t own a car, or couldn’t city drive?

Initially, I thought it was a bit pricey. However, when I factored in that I would be riding the bus for nearly eight hours… it worked out to less than $15 an hour. After some initial interviews with the driver and some passengers, I was able to just settle in from about Norland on. There was nowhere to plug in my laptop and there was no Wi-Fi so earlier plans of working as I drove along flew out the door. But that wasn’t entirely a bad thing. I sat and looked out the window and watched the world go by. It was relaxing. I’d also packed a book.

It definitely took longer than if I had been driving myself. But I was in no rush. I was gathering research and taking photos. Had I been going to a specialist appointment in Toronto, I would have had time with that nearly six-hour gap. If I was not coming back that night, three hours and forty-five minutes was not that big of a chunk out of my day.

At Scarborough, I had a short walk to Scarborough Civic Centre. They have a branch of the Toronto Public Library so I was able to get my laptop set up and Wi-Fi to work from there. After a few hours, I was then able to pop into the Scarborough Town Centre for a quick shop and to grab an early dinner before making my way back to the bus stop.

On the return trip, I was greeted by Stephen and Mieke Foster who were on their way to Haliburton. We chatted as the GTA receded. On the highway to Lindsay, we all settled into our own little worlds. There was a stop at Lindsay to let some people off. Some stretched their legs. Others grabbed coffee. Then it was onto Norland and home. This nearly four-hour ride did seem long – and by the time we got to Haliburton, I was happy to get off the bus. I’d left at 8 a.m. and it was now 9:30 p.m.

On the drive, I learned that a new company is taking over the service. My advice to them? They need to market. A lot of people do not know about the bus and word of mouth is not a good advertising plan. I was told there were only two passengers on their Feb. 2 inaugural trip to Toronto. The new operators might have a Minden connection and want to ensure people are not left without a service but their patience will thin if they cannot cover the cost of fuel, maintenance and a driver. And for the people of Haliburton County the message is also clear: they need to use the service or they will most definitely lose it.