Terry Moore says he can see light at the end of the tunnel as his years-long mission to bring green burials to Haliburton County turns another corner.

Moore and his wife, Shirley, have been advocating for green burials since 2019. Following the passing of their son, Kyle, the Moores realized there were no environmentally-friendly burial practices available to County residents. They formed the Haliburton Highlands Green Burial Society and began educating people about the age-old practice.

“Traditional burials as we know them today are the furthest thing from green – they involve using different chemicals and toxins that eventually leach into the earth. Cremations release horrible emissions into the atmosphere… we wanted an alternative,” Moore told The Highlander.

By comparison, green burials are extremely simple. Bodies are typically wrapped in a biodegradable shroud, or placed in a biodegradable casket, then laid into a grave site. The spot remains unmarked, meaning it can be used again in future.

Moore has been working closely with Algonquin Highlands for more than two years to establish a green burial section at St. Stephen’s cemetery on Buckslide Road. Since March, he’s sat on a committee with municipal staff, councillors, and like minded activists to try and establish rules and criteria for green burials.

“We’re making really good progress from a vague idea into an operational plan. We’re encouraged and hopeful there will be a functional plan for green burials by this time next year,” Moore said.

Adam Thorn, the township’s public works director, said he’ll be presenting options to Algonquin Highlands council in September. He noted staff have identified three potential layouts that could see between 135 and 240 green burial spots opened at St. Stephen’s.

Deputy mayor, Jennifer Dailloux, has been a strong voice on the committee.

“I’m hugely in favour of green burial spaces, I think it’s a fascinating concept. We’re so divorced from death in our culture… from accepting the reality of death and decay, that our bodies will decompose and return to nature. Our culture struggles with that,” Dailloux said. “I think green burials bring us a step closer to the normalcy of those things. It doesn’t seek to preserve us; it’s a return to the earth in the most natural, environmental, and economical way possible.”

She said once council approves a plan – it supported the concept of green burials last summer – the township will need to get a new bylaw approved by the Bereavement Authority of Ontario to open green burials to the public. Council will also need to establish fees and determine how spots will be allocated.

Moore said conversations with other municipalities are ongoing. Highlands East is still yet to approve a plan for green burials at its Deer Lake cemetery, despite sitting on a draft bylaw for over a year. Municipal clerk Robyn Rogers said the draft bylaw would need to be readdressed by the current term of council before it can be approved. Pre-pandemic, there were talks to establish a green burial-specific cemetery in Minden Hills, but that has quietened down recently, Moore said.

“Once one of the townships takes the lead, irons out the details and goes through the learning curve to get something up and running, then my sense is that’s going to release a demand for this. If we can provide proof of concept, I think the other townships will come on board,” he said.

While not a sure thing, Moore said he’s hopeful Algonquin Highlands will also sign off on year-round burials. Currently, the four townships in Haliburton County do not permit burials between November and May.

Should green burials get the go ahead from council next month, Moore said his team can start assisting with design plans for the St. Stephen’s site. He’s already contacted the Haliburton County Master Gardeners to come up with ideas to “make sure the site looks as green, feels as green, and is as green as it possibly can be.” He wants to install a gazebo and a mural, explaining the benefits of green burials. A communal memorial stone, to record names of those buried, is also being proposed.

“We’ve spent a lot of time on this file, so we’re delighted things are finally moving. People would like to see green burials become a reality. We’re almost there,” he said.

Highlands East will remain with neighbouring County municipalities in a revised federal riding announced earlier this summer.

The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario had originally proposed that parts of Highlands East be split from the other County townships and join a new Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga riding.

However, Highlands East and Member of Parliament, Jamie Schmale, lobbied to keep the Haliburton County family together.

The commission has decided to retain Highlands East but take away Brock Township. It has added parts of Trent Lakes and North Kawartha.

The new riding has been renamed HaliburtonKawartha Lakes and now comprises the City of Kawartha Lakes, Dysart et al, Highlands East, Trent Lakes (except the islands of Curve Lake) Algonquin Highlands, Cavan Monaghan, North Kawartha and Minden Hills. It’s a population of approximately 119,150.

Highlands East mayor Dave Burton said, “we did fight the fight with it. I couldn’t thank Jamie and the bunch that helped us with it (enough). I’m extremely pleased that we’re staying put.”

Schmale added, “we had good community engagement on that, to get Highlands East put back into Haliburton County in the riding.”

The next federal election is expected on or before Oct. 20, 2025.

Schmale made a public appearance at the committee hearings last September. He pitched the status quo, but didn’t quite get it. With Brock on the move, Schmale said, “it’s always sad when you lose part of the family. We’ve been together as a riding since the 1990s. They’re (Brock) now going back into the York-Durham riding, which they were part of from 1977… It’s obviously sad o see them go. On the flip side, we also gain North Kawartha and Trent Lakes, which had been in the riding…,” he said.

Riding loses Brock Township

“You hit on emotions. You’re losing part of the family but you’re also gaining part of the family that you had lost, so it’s going to be different.”

Under the Canadian constitution, federal electoral districts must be reviewed after each 10-year Census to reflect population shifts.

The population of Central East Ontario – which included the ridings of Peterborough-Kawartha, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, Northumberland-Peterborough South, HastingsLennox and Addington, and Bay of Quinte – grew by nine per cent, from 535,322 in 2011 to 583,287 in 2021.

The commission shifted boundaries to balance the population of the districts across Central East Ontario.

Schmale said it takes Elections Canada about seven months to implement the changes, so if there were a snap election called prior to April 2024, the former Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock would remain in place for such an election. After April, the new Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes riding comes into being.

Schmale said he is planning to seek re-election for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes.

“You take nothing for granted. You run scared or you run stupid. I’ll keep plugging away and not take anything for granted because in this day and age anything can happen.”

To see more, go to Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes – Final boundaries – Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution (redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca).

Haliburton County Huskies head coach Ryan Ramsay said Sunday’s home exhibition against the Renfrew Wolves will be a good chance for some of his young charges to lay down a marker ahead of the new OJHL season.

It’s been a busy summer for Ramsay as he prepares for his third season in the Highlands. With just five players returning from last year’s roster – Patrick Saini, Jack Staniland, Lucas Stevenson, Lucas Marshall and Zack Morissette – recruitment has been the coach’s first order of business

Players reported for training camp Aug. 17, with a mix of vets and young affiliate players put through their paces

“We brought 20 guys in for camp – some coaches like to bring in a lot of players and run big sessions, but I only bring the guys that are signed or who we’ve committed to as affiliate players. That’s made for a really competitive camp – I think we’ve got a great group of guys again,” Ramsay said.

He said players came back in peak condition. “It’s probably the best fitness testing I’ve ever done, so kudos to the players for staying in shape. That could give us an edge as we get ready for the new season,” Ramsay said.

After finishing third in the South/East conference last season and making a run to the second round of playoffs, Ramsay is hoping to go one step further this year. While he acknowledges it may take some of the new additions time to get up to speed with ‘Huskies hockey’, Ramsay is confident he has all the ingredients to make a championship run.

“Fans can expect to see a similar brand of hockey to what they’re used to. We like fast, intense hockey – players that play with a bit of an edge. We have a lot of quality hockey players signed this season,” he said.

The newest addition is 20-year-old power forward Aidan Yarde, acquired from the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canada Hockey League. The six-foot-threeinch, 220-pound winger will provide a physical presence for the Huskies, Ramsay said. He’s still exploring the trade market ahead of the new season, with three max-age roster spots open

The squad travels to Stouffville to kick off the pre-season Aug. 24 for a tilt with the Spirit. They’ll do so with a new face behind the bench – Matt Comand is replacing Jordan Bailey as associate coach, joining the Huskies after three years with the Collingwood Blues. Owen Flood, the team’s long-time strength and conditioning coach, has also been named an assistant coach for the 2023/24 season.

The team will be at home Aug. 27 against the Renfrew Wolves. Puck drop at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena is 2 p.m. Tickets are $5.

“It’s a chance for our fans to see a new team from a different league. I’m excited to see how we stack up, it’s going to be a learning curve for some of these guys. I just want to see them work and compete,” Ramsay said.

Haliburton County Huskies defenceman Jack Staniland is seeking redemption as he prepares for his final year of junior hockey in the Highlands.

The 20-year-old right shot is looking to make up for lost time after having his sophomore season cut short by a broken leg last spring. He watched from the sidelines as his teammates were swept by the Wellington Dukes in the second round of the OJHL playoffs, leaving him with a sense of unfinished business.

Returning to S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena last week, Staniland had an extra spring in his step after being named an alternate captain for the 2023/24 season. It’s the culmination of years of hard work for the near six-foot blueliner, who has grown from prodigious talent in his rookie season to become one of head coach Ryan Ramsay’s most trusted lieutenants on the ice.

Staniland is the first to admit, though, that he had some help along the way.

“I sat beside [former Huskies captain] Nathan Porter during my first year here. He really took me under his wing and showed me what it takes to lead and be a voice inside the locker room. I learned a lot from him,” Staniland said.

Asked how being handed the ‘A’ will change things this season, Staniland said, “my mindset is still the same. We’ve got a job to do – we want to win a championship. That’s our goal. For me, I know I need to be a little louder in the room, use my voice on the ice and try to be a calming influence. I want to step up, help settle players down and remind them of the expectations that come with being a Husky.”

In two seasons in the Highlands, Staniland has played 106 games and tallied seven goals and 31 assists. The highly dependable puck carrier enjoys driving play from the blueline. While he has impressed in spells, the Port Perry native feels he has more levels to his game and can’t wait to showcase those.

“Ryan likes us to play a fast, physical game. I took that in stride last season, which really helped my development. Now, I’m ready to push on again and be a difference maker. I want to lead by example and show guys what’s expected, but also express myself and show what I can do,” Staniland said.

He’ll be in the lineup Aug. 24 as the blue and white travel south to take on the Stouffville Spirit in pre-season action. The Huskies will welcome the Renfrew Wolves to S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena for a home exhibition Aug. 27, before the Spirit visit Sept. 2. The team kicks off the regular season Sept. 8 with a road tilt against the Lindsay Muskies in the ‘Battle of Hwy. 35’ and has its home opener the next night, Sept. 9, against the Pickering Panthers.

“I’m counting down the days. Stepping out onto the ice in this rink, with the crowd in there, it’s a hard feeling to describe. The fans create such a great atmosphere. It’s a great place to play hockey,” Staniland said.

He’ll be in familiar surroundings away from the rink again, billeting in Haliburton with the Boice family, as he’s done for the past two seasons.

While this will be Staniland’s final year in the OJHL, he’s hoping it’s just the beginning of his hockey adventure.

“I want to play at the highest level possible, sticking around in the game past this season is my primary goal. I’d like to play in the NCAA,” he said, noting he’s had discussions with several colleges south of the border.

He believes the Huskies provide him with the best platform for future success.

“This is home away from home for me. It’s a top class organization and I know the coaches are going to push us to be our absolute best again this season. I feel like there’s a little something to prove, but we’ll thrive on that pressure,” he said. “I think we’re in a great position to have a big year.”

This year’s Rock on the Dock will have more impact than ever, says SIRCH Community Services, as money raised will go towards ensuring the kitchen gets an infusion of much-needed funds.

Organized by Gary Bouwmeister, the annual event is now in its fourth year, with all money raised supporting SIRCH. Rock on the Dock invites anyone to boat, swim or paddle to a live music concert on the shores of Kennisis Lake. This year’s event will take place Aug. 26 from 2-4 p.m. A rain date of Aug. 27 is planned.

The event was conceived by Bouwmeister as a way of giving back to the community.

“Since the 1990s I have been spending time in Haliburton and I’ve always donated to SIRCH,” he said. “It’s amazing what they do to help people.”

The concert will feature live music by Tim Magwood and admission is by donation. All funds will go towards supporting Community Kitchen, a charitable food program SIRCH operates that distributes approximately 1,400 free meals, plus soups and desserts each month to vulnerable individuals. The program tackles food insecurity in Haliburton County and the meals are distributed through 12 partner agencies. Since COVID, the demand for meals has steadily increased, as has the cost to produce them, SIRCH said.

With funds needed to keep this program going, Bouwmeister is happy to support the cause

It’s so important that everybody in Haliburton, and everywhere, can have a sufficient amount of food to eat,” he said.

SIRCH executive director, Gena Robertson, said the impact the Community Kitchen meals have on individuals is “incredible.

“The feedback we get from recipients is a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation,” Robertson said. “One recipient told us, ‘this year, I think, may in fact have been the scariest and most challenging to survive and move forward. I’m in deep water with everything, but most of all I haven’t had enough food to provide my family since COVID, and it’s getting harder and harder.”

For the past few years, hundreds of individuals have attended and donated and Bouwmeister hopes this year is no different. The event has raised thousands of dollars for SIRCH. Even if you can’t attend the event, organizers are encouraging donations.

More information about SIRCH and Rock on the Dock, including how to donate, can be found at sirch.ca/DONATE.