Dysart et al deputy mayor Walt McKechnie said he and the rest of the township’s council are supportive of the Haliburton County Farmers Market Association’s efforts to maintain a weekly merchant market in town, noting three options have been offered for the coming season.

As reported in last week’s Highlander, council has told market officials the event can return to Head Lake Park in the spring, following a one-year hiatus, providing they reimburse the township $5 for each vendor in attendance, for every market day.

HCFMA is considering the proposal, with no decision made as of press time, according to president, Kevin Fisher.

McKechnie said council has also offered for the market to be located at Rotary Beach Park or the Head Lake boardwalk at no cost.

Brian Nash, a member of the HCFMA board, told The Highlander recently he doesn’t believe there’s sufficient interest from vendors to return to Rotary Beach, which hosted the market last year. Attendance dropped approximately 30 per cent following the move, Nash said.

He noted the boardwalk wouldn’t be a good location as merchants would have difficulty setting up stalls and transporting their goods down the narrow stretch.

McKechnie felt the fees outlined by council for HCFMA to use Head Lake Park are fair and protect Dysart taxpayers.

“One of council’s mandates is to look after the assets of the municipality in an efficient, cost-effective manner… the area in Head Lake Park used for the farmers market is a problem area where damage can occur, especially when it’s raining or when vendors drive off the paved paths. This results in large ruts along the paths and damage to the grass area, requiring extra groundskeeping,” McKechnie said.

“Council has put considerable tax dollars into the park in the past few years – $600,000 for a new playground, $400,000 for the welcome centre – extra costs created by one organization should not be taken on by taxpayers… I don’t think $5 [for each vendor, each event] is too much to ask” he added.

The deputy mayor says there’s no agenda against HCFMA and that fees will be considered for every event being held at Head Lake Park moving forward.

“It’s an asset that is used by various groups throughout the year. Each brings something different; each gives something back to the community in some way,” McKechnie said. “As part of the Head Lake Park Master Plan, council will review all users of the park, including vendors and their relationship to the parent organization.

“We’re fortunate to have such an asset in this community. Council will continue to preserve the park for all to enjoy,” McKechnie added.

The Haliburton County Farmers Association (HCFA) says it has connected with a new veterinarian willing to come to the County on some Fridays.

HCFA secretary, Jean Schlicklin Tyler, said, “when there are a number of people willing to have a vet, they may come for ongoing vaccines and medical check ups for farm animals. This builds a relationship between the vet and the caregivers for future critical care, with the hope of participation in the Veterinary Assistant Program (VAP) for the County.”

Schlicklin Tyler added, “this is a win, win, win for everyone involved, if we work together.”

The HCFA held its annual general meeting Jan. 18 at Castle Antiques. Schlicklin Tyler said they continue to “flourish in a climate of challenge.”

She said a lack of access to a large animal vet in the County is the most significant problem facing farmers, other than a perceived lack of support by Dysart council on the Haliburton farmers market.

“The townspeople continue to see the benefit of farmers, so we keep working with the different provincial ministries and provincial organizations working on issues in agriculture. Our County is not alone in this crisis. The reduced number of graduating vets for large animal care, the change of regulations to access medical resources, the lack of vet technicians in the communities, emergency care of any kind, and the loss of local abattoirs to process meat has become a crisis across the province.”

At the meeting, Minna Schleifenbaum was reconfirmed for a second year as president, along with an active board of 11 executives and directors. Godfrey Tyler, as the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) representative, presented information for the Northern Producer Animal Health Network (NPAHN). He introduced Jordan Miller, of BFO, as the two organizations are working on the vet crisis from a provincial perspective, Schlicklin Tyler said.

“There are hopeful signs reported – money for a vet incentive for any clinic applying with a new vet. The VAP is being reviewed by the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. People are being urged to contact their MPP and other organizations involved in this crisis to bring solutions from the grassroots of our community,” she added.

Schlicklin Tyler said communications are locally growing “with a dynamic leadership and the membership of HCFA.” She said with community efforts, there has been a table at the farmers markets in the summer, co-hosted by BFO and HCFA, that gives free material and information about the local food providers and other groups involved in production.

There is ongoing work for more clinics and educational tours with the support of the County tourism office to learn more about food production. There is also a plan for a two-day environmental farm workshop that interested people can sign up for now, to be hosted in April.

The County began its budget deliberations Jan. 24, with taxpayers looking at a possible 7.81 per cent hike for 2024 if the document were to go ahead as is. It would mean an extra $18.41 per $100,000 of assessment, on top of what they pay to their townships and the school board.

CAO Gary Dyke said inflation is having a major impact, 23 per cent of the total requested levy increase. For example, he said the cost of maintaining vehicles, materials for public works and insurance premiums are all going up substantially. So is the cost of road construction, a five per cent increase to the health unit, more money to the City of Kawartha Lakes for shared programs, and the library is seeking an additional $45,000.

Despite the 7.81 per cent, Dyke said “in comparison to other counties within the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus, the County’s tax rate continues to be the second lowest (of 12).” There is also 1.54 per cent of assessment growth.

Of the estimated $32 million in expenses, 44 per cent goes to wages and benefits. Staff are asking for a half-a-million increase for wages and benefits.

Dyke, worried about an infrastructure funding gap, has suggested introducing a specific one per cent tax levy. To go with that, in 2025, he said staff will look to develop a capital project prioritization model.

The library budget garnered a lot of attention at the meeting. They are asking for just over $1.32 million. The primary driver is an increase in monthly programming and operating hours, along with the reintroduction of the Dorset branch in Algonquin Highlands.

Coun. Murray Fearrey questioned the library budget. He said Dysart and Minden, the two largest towns, have one each; with Algonquin Highlands soon to have two (Stanhope and Dorset) and Highlands East four (Cardiff, Gooderham, Highland Grove and Wilberforce).

He said he knows libraries are important, but $1.3 million, on top of what the municipalities pay for looking after the library buildings, concerns him. He asked if staff could research how the County compares to other municipalities.

“I’m not questioning that there’s anything wrong. I’m just questioning how we stack up with others. And are we looking for any reduction in the number…”

Coun. Bob Carter said he’s also a library user, but the increase is substantial. “Is there a way to reduce the amount of staffing that is in the buildings at any one point in time?” he asked.

Factoring in all costs, he said the County is probably spending $2 million on libraries, at $100 a citizen, “and there are other things that we need to be spending money on.”

Warden Liz Danielsen, who sits on the library board, said, “libraries have an extraordinary capacity for other community services. And I think we have to remember it’s not just a matter of books… there’s so many more things that the library service does.”

Dyke said he’d identified staffing gaps, needing an engineering technician, administrative assistant, payroll and benefit administrator, and a business solutions and GIS supervisor. He is also recommending two paramedic supervisors.

“Front line supervision is the industry standard and it has been identified that the County is the only Eastern service without these positions,” Dyke said. “With the continued increased call volume, these positions will assist with the increased workload of the chief and deputy chief and allow for enhanced focus on long-term strategic planning and goals.” He said the impact on 2024 is $240,309.

Carter wondered if they could hire one this year and one next. But coun. Walt McKechnie said his number one priority is healthcare. He supported the hiring and any money that can go towards recruiting doctors and nurses.

Dyke said, “County staff have reviewed and re-prioritized spending and refocused these efforts in the area of sustainable longterm fiscal planning and management. This renewed focus will, in some cases, alter previous areas of spending to mitigate the identified fiscal and economic impacts while being mindful of the need to recognize the impact of tax rate increases on County residents and businesses.”

County council has found a contractor to oversee the short-term rental bylaw that looks to be near finalization at the upper-tier, before going to Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Highlands East and Minden Hills for expected adoption.

While the company was not named at a Jan. 24 meeting, it is believed to be Granicus, the same company that handles the file for Niagara-on-the-Lake, Georgian Bay Township, Kawartha Lakes and Lake of Bays.

They were the sole bidder after council put out an RFP Nov. 9, and were chosen by a committee Dec. 19.

Director of planning, Steve Stone, said the company will register all active STRs and drive bylaw compliance. They would also collect the municipal accommodation tax, if adopted by councils.

Stone said they “can provide a full suite of surveillance software modules, including address identification, license compliance monitoring, permitting and registration, 24-hour hotline service and STR activity monitoring.”

When all the townships have signed off on the hire, Stone said they will let Granicus know they are the selected bidder.

The contract would be for three years, with the townships splitting the cost; Dysart just over $130,000, with Highlands East, Algonquin Highlands and Minden Hills just over $60,000 a year. It’s estimated Dysart has 515 STRs, with HE at 253, AH at 287 and MH at 297.

Stone noted implementation will take 22-24 weeks, which puts council’s wish of a spring start in jeopardy. They hope it can be ready to go for the May 24 weekend.

Warden Liz Danielsen said she was disappointed in the timeline “as I’m sure a number of those who have been concerned about short-term rentals are in the time that it takes to get this going live.” She asked if there was any way to move it along in time for the May 24 weekend.

Acknowledging it is about six months of lead time, director of economic development, Scott Ovell, said one benefit is it gives the townships time to communicate what they are doing.

CAO Gary Dyke said he is meeting with the other CAOs and relevant staff Feb. 12, and will provide a verbal report Feb. 14. Dyke said, “I think whatever we can do to accelerate the program, we will do that.”

Dyke added, “in fairness to the people that are being impacted by these bylaws, once the documentation has been passed and adopted by the municipalities, it’s also inherent upon us to develop an implementation program.”

He said there would be education on the application and inspection processes, for example. “Everything related to it would be part of a document or communication piece that would go to the users. So, it’s not like we’re going to pass it and cross our fingers, but work with the lower-tiers, work with the users of the bylaw…

Elizabeth Oakley, who spoke to Highlands East council in opposition to the passing of the bylaw, said they have a petition that is nearing 700 signatures.

She said they are “requesting a pause to the County’s STR legislation. Things are in flux with some councillors beginning to see how discriminatory, unfair and costly it will be for STR hosts. There have been numerous emails and phone calls made to members of all the municipalities as well as County Council,” she said.

Oakley added, “this issue will have a negative impact on tourism in our region, which goes against what the elected officials say they’re trying to attract.”

However, as recently as the Jan, 10 meeting, all councillors expressed interest in going forward.

A planned 47-unit student residence for the Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD) could be in jeopardy, Fleming College president Maureen Adamson confirmed this week.

Post-secondary institutions nationwide have been left reeling after immigration minister Marc Miller announced Jan. 22 the federal government will cap the number of international student permits it issues over the next two years.

Miller said his department will approve approximately 360,000 new undergraduate permits in 2024 – a 35 per cent reduction from last year. He noted each province and territory will be allotted a set number of permits, with some provinces to see drops as high as 50 per cent. The number of permits issued in 2025 will be assessed at the end of this year.

Adamson said it would be a big hit for Fleming, with the institution having around 3,500 international students in classes for the 2023/24 school year. That accounts for half of the student body, Adamson said. She did not disclose the split of domestic to international students in Haliburton. The school also has campuses in Lindsay, Peterborough and Cobourg.

“This announcement has an immense and adverse human and economic impact for Fleming College… [it] poses a threat not only to the educational experiences of all students, but also to the vitality of our regional economy,”

Adamson said. “The economic impact… will be a staggering loss to our communities, including Haliburton.” Adamson would not confirm whether the $16 million residence would proceed. As of Jan. 31, there were still workers on-site.

She said Fleming is developing a mitigation strategy that will look at all the college’s operations and commitments, before deciding “the best steps [we] can take to build a viable and robust future.” The process will wrap up next month.

Federal cap on foreign students

“This new reality includes the elimination of Fleming’s existing key revenue streams that enable us to invest in developments like this residence,” she said. “It’s too early to say more – no final decisions have been made.”

Why the need for a cap?

Miller said changes target institutional “bad actors” such as small private colleges, which he claims have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses and reneging on supports promised to students paying exorbitant tuitions – often three or four times that of a domestic student.

The minister also believes a reduction in foreign students may have a positive impact on Canada’s housing crisis.

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Jamie Schmale believes something needed to be done to “fix our broken immigration system.” He said it’s no secret Canadian colleges and universities have used international students to address budgetary shortfalls, particularly over the past few years.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada data shows 621,565 study permits were issued in 2021, ballooning to more than 800,000 in 2022. Numbers for 2023 have not yet been disclosed.

The Ontario government has been criticized for its lack of investment in post-secondary education in recent years. Adamson said provincial funding for domestic enrollment was first frozen in 2017, then slashed by 10 per cent in 2019 with no increase since. Quoting a report published by Ontario’s blue-ribbon panel, Adamson said Ontario provides $6,891 for each domestic student, while the Canadian average is $15,615.

MPP Laurie Scott didn’t address those concerns when questioned by The Highlander. She said the province is implementing measures to address challenges.

“These include enhancing oversight to ensure program quality, aligning education with labour market needs, and mandating housing guarantees for international students,” Scott said. “We’ll also pause new public college-private partnerships, strengthen oversight of existing partnerships, and improve regulation of career colleges to ensure educational standards are maintained.”

Mishal Venu is an international student in the visual and creative arts diploma program (VCAD) at HSAD. He arrived in Canada from Bahrain in September 2023.

Asked how he would have responded had these new limits come down before he moved, Venu said, “it would be a pretty disheartening situation. I feel for any student impacted by this. You set your heart on going away to study, to maybe build a better life. Some people are looking to escape from countries where you’re not acknowledged, where you don’t get good pay. A lot of those people will be stuck now, not able to come here.”

Dysart mayor Murray Fearrey is remaining hopeful Fleming will build the residence. The township donated almost four acres for the build and invested six figures into developing a new clubhouse for the Haliburton Highlands Nordic Trails Association, whose previous facility sat on land Fleming wanted to build on.

However, Fearrey said there was no contract or signed agreement that stipulated Fleming had to follow through.

“I am worried in case this doesn’t happen. The township has been very cooperative with the college. I’d be really disappointed for the community if it doesn’t go ahead,” Fearrey said.