Teens carrying HHSS badminton tradition

May 4, 2023

Student athletes Emmerson Wilson and Avery Horner will fly the Hal High flag at OFSAA next week, continuing the school’s long history of success in badminton.

The Grade 12ers will travel to Port Hope for the four-day competition May 10. They will compete in the senior pairs bracket against the best up-and-coming talent in the province. Fresh off a silver medal at COSSA – the regional championships – last week, the two are excited to hit the court and test their mettle against their fellow shuttlecock enthusiasts.

“This is my first full year of playing badminton – I’ve loved it. It’s been a really exciting season for us. When we first started, we were just hoping to make it to the Kawartha championships. But we meshed well, started to find our groove as a team and then the belief kicked in,” Wilson said. “It’s so amazing to make it to OFSAA.”

Given this is the duo’s first year playing together, The Highlander asked about their secret to success.

“It probably helps that we’re best friends, so working together on the court hasn’t been a problem,” Horner said. “We’re able to play to one another’s strengths really well and help and encourage each other when we’re out there.”

The girls won three of their four games at COSSA, at St. Peter’s Catholic School in Peterborough April 27. They secured a silver medal with a hard-fought win over a rival school from Belleville.

Wilson said the pressure was on heading into the final set, with a place at provincials on the line.

“That’s when I perform at my best, though. I love the pressure, the big moments. I was excited for us to show what we could do,” she said. “I didn’t let myself overthink it, we just focused on the basics, playing our game, and seeing where that took us. It was probably our strongest performance [of the season].”

The pair have been coached this season by Mike Gaffney and Bob Schmidt, with Jason Morissette assisting. Morissette said he was proud of the girls for achieving something they didn’t think possible at the beginning of the season.

He noted qualifying for the provincial championships sets a good example to the school’s younger players.

“It’s huge for the junior group, seeing what’s possible if you really put in the work. Emmerson and Avery have been excellent students of the game. They’ve put in the time during practices, and we’re seeing that pay off now. I couldn’t be happier for them.”

While securing another medal, this time at the provincial level, would be the stuff of dreams for the pair, Horner said they’re just savouring the moment and putting any ideas of winning to the back of their minds.

“I just want to see how we stack up, if we’re able to compete,” she said. “At OFSAA, we won’t be playing against other schools our size, we’re playing against the best players from the best schools. It’s going to be a great challenge.”

OFSAA kicks off in Port Hope May 11, hosted by the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association. For more information, visit ofsaa.on.ca/championship/ badminton.

Exhibit offers look at rural 19th century life

Mike Baker

May 4, 2023

A new exhibit debuting in Minden this week will shine a light on traditional folk music depicting what life was like for settlers in rural 1800s Ontario.

Peterborough-based artist Rob Niezen spent four years piecing together Cross Cut, a collection of 24 linocuts breaking down the meaning behind a host of historical ballads, including two locally sourced pieces. The project is more than a decade in the making and touches on the parallels Niezen, himself an immigrant, draws from his own life and the experiences of 19th century newcomers.

“This show has a special meaning to me… I wanted to show that humans haven’t changed a whole lot over the years. Technology has changed, and we’ve become, perhaps, a little more civilized, but we’re still people who do smart and stupid things,” Niezen told The Highlander. “There’s still war, there’s still love, death. These themes come up quite a lot.”

Niezen leaned heavily on the work of Edith Fowke, a popular CBC radio host and folklorist who collected field recordings of traditional Ontario songs during the 1960s. The origins of these songs date back to 1820 to 1920. Lyrics and tunes were adapted to local experiences, Niezen said, offering a reflection of society at different moments in time.

One of those songs, The New Limit Line, focuses on a group of workers who travelled up the old railway line connecting Bobcaygeon and Minden to work at some of the County’s lumber yards. Niezen said there’s evidence the workers made it as far north as Dorset.

“They’d travel in teams, with horses, and it would take them a good 12 or 13 hours to walk the route,” Niezen said. “There are a few names mentioned in the song that people may recognize.”

The other local piece is The Ballad of Bill Dunbar, retelling the tale of a now infamous Kinmount hotelkeeper.

“The story goes that, in the late 1870s, Bill and a few buddies went to the ice races on Little Lake in Peterborough, and coming back north they got a little lost in the fog… and ended up going through the ice,” Niezen said. “Legend says Bill threw his mitts up onto the ice, so people knew where to search [for the bodies]. Those mitts are still in the museum’s archives today.”

Niezen will perform both songs during an opening reception at Agnes Jamieson Gallery May 6. The exhibit will run until July 1.

Attendees can also listen to modern interpretations of the songs, performed by Niezen’s band The Backwoodsmen, by scanning QR codes built into the linocuts.

Shannon Kelly, Minden Hills’ cultural resource manager, said this exhibit is the first of three planned for the new season. In the summer, the space will showcase original paintings and limited-edition prints from the world-renowned Robert Bateman, a frequent cottager in the area. In the fall, there will be another show featuring works from the Ontario Society of Artists.

“We have some exciting things coming, but it’s great to kick things off with Rob. I saw this exhibit at Lang Pioneer Village last year, and it’s such a treat to bring it to Minden. Given the connection to the County, this is something anyone from this area can relate to. It’s going to be a really good show,” she said.

County endorses $50K economic development plan

Lisa Gervais

May 4, 2023

Some councillors expressed concern as the hired guns paid $50,000 to prepare the County’s economic development strategy presented their report to County councillors April 12 – endorsing the final document April 26.

Strexer Harrop Consulting Group (SHCG) did the work for director of economic development Scott Ovell and the County. They paid $42,300 plus HST from Safe Restart Funds.

After SHCG’s Tonya Kraan presented her firm’s work, Coun. Murray Fearrey commented while it was a “very extensive report … I don’t think there’s hardly anything there that any of us around this table didn’t already know.”

Some of the highlights in the report included recurring themes, such as employers having a hard time finding workers, succession planning, the need for all four municipalities to standardize policies and procedures, a call for public transit and support for businesses and entrepreneurs.

Kraan said when it comes to residents, there is a demand for more apartments, year-round recreational opportunities, such as an indoor swimming pool, increased business hours in the Highlands, and educating employers about the need to pay a living wage as well as a shift to a greener economy.

This sparked Coun. Bob Carter to comment that it costs more to live in the Highlands than cities. Yet, “it seems an awful lot of asks from the businesses. Get us apartments so we can hire more staff … what are the businesses willing to do? Are the businesses willing to pay more than minimum wage?” He added if paying minimum wage and offering seasonal jobs, how can employers expect employees to afford apartments and the cost of living in the County.

Kraan said as part of their work, they have put together information on what other employers across the broader region are paying their workers. She said the plan will be for Ovell to attend AGMs of various employer groups and share data on average wages, “not to shame anyone, but show there is room for improvement.” She said pay for agricultural and tourism jobs, in particular, are well below average in the Highlands.

Fearrey said he would like someone to talk to high school graduates about going into the trades. “I think that’s a huge opportunity locally. It hasn’t been done and I don’t know why it’s not being done, but I’m looking to our staff to initiate that.”

He also took exception to some of the suggestions, such as businesses expanding hours, when they have already said they don’t have enough staff.

“These things are easy to talk about, but they’re not easy to solve…same as transportation. We know about it and we’re trying to figure out how to do it but we just haven’t found it yet.”

Ovell told council, “we tried to tie the strategy and the timelines to your term in council so we can make this economic development journey together.” He added there were key performance indicators towards an action plan “to ensure this isn’t a document that sits on a shelf.”

Coun. Jennifer Dailloux also noted a mix of low-hanging fruit and big-ticket items and sought direction.

Kraan said one “big quick hit” would be convincing County residents it is okay to have basement apartments. She said people hear horror stories, but not positive stories, of good tenants, such as nurses and lab technicians, leasing apartments.

“We want to do those quick wins. Some of those communications tactics are quick wins. Big ticket items need to be invested in, but we don’t want you to sit on your thumbs.”

Ovell added he and director of tourism, Tracie Bertrand now have a starting point and can work with council towards achieving its desired goals.

He added objectives in the next 18 months are to help employers fill current and future job vacancies by increasing housing availability. He said they will be able to do that through a number of marketing initiatives, including supporting the townships with their outreach to developers and looking to connect employers with the green economy, which is a strong driver for the younger workforce.

Other goals include bumping up communication, the need for secondary suites, and showcasing the Highlands as an environmental, social and governance leader.

Coun. Cec Ryall felt they had received consolidated direction across the County to make things happen.” He said the first step was hiring Ovell, and the second now having an economic development strategy.

You can see the entire plan on the April 12 County agenda.

Flood watch for Gull River watershed

Lisa Gervais

May 4, 2023

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) issued a flood watch bulletin for the Gull River watershed May 1.

A flood watch means there’s potential for flooding within specific watercourses and municipalities.

Water levels and river flows are expected to rise over the next several days with runoff from recent rainfall.

Residents in areas that are susceptible to flooding should take necessary precautions to protect property and continue to monitor developing conditions.

Residents are advised that sand and sandbags are available for use at the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena, at 55 Parkside St. Minden (upper-level parking lot). This resource is self-serve, so remember a shovel.

Residents are encouraged to think of their neighbours, don’t forget about those around you that may have difficulty with this task. Visit the flood information page at mindenhills.ca/floodinformation/ for help and resources regarding the proper procedures for the filling and placement of sandbags.

The public is advised to use caution around area lakes, rivers, creeks and other water sources such as ditches, as high-water levels and swift currents can create unstable conditions. Avoid driving on any roadways that are under water, as road conditions may be unstable and dangerous.

The township will continue to communicate in media and on its website.

For municipal emergency contact after hours call: 1-866-865-3247. For emergency services call: 911

Dysart working on site alteration bylaw

Mike Baker

May 4, 2023

Dysart’s chief building official is looking for public input as he drafts a site alteration bylaw he says will enhance protection and encourage the preservation of natural shorelines across the municipality.

Addressing council April 25, Karl Korpela said the new legislation, which he hopes to table later this month, will work with the County’s tree preservation bylaw to establish clear restrictions on what property owners can and cannot do on land fronting water and environmentally protected (EP) areas.

This comes months after council refused to sign on to the County’s new shoreline preservation bylaw, with mayor Murray Fearrey and deputy mayor Walt McKechnie telling The Highlander in a previous interview they believed a made-in-Dysart solution was the best way forward.

Outlining his current plans, Korpela is pushing to establish restrictions and permissions in the new bylaw that people can follow, rather than including permit requirements.

“Staff don’t have the time to deal with permits for site alterations,” Korpela told council.

He said the legislation would include penalties for non-compliance, but that a heavy emphasis would be placed on educating people about the new rules first. He wants to establish set fines for consistent, or flagrant abusers, which he believes should be high enough to act as a significant deterrent to would-be rulebreakers. He’s also suggesting a clause for restraining orders, which would only be used in “very serious matters” that required legal intervention.

Regarding shoreline setbacks, Korpela said “we’re not going to debate the science.” He noted Dysart’s existing zoning bylaw requires a buffer zone of between 20 and 30 metres for most new development on the water, hinting he would be looking to maintain that.

That bylaw does have some exemptions. Structures such as drop awnings, clothes poles, flagpoles, gates, garden trellises, retaining walls, stairways and walkways, boardwalks, decks and patios up to 20 square metres, fences less than 1.2 metres high, and plumbing fixtures such as water intake lines are all allowed within the buffer zone.

The County’s tree preservation bylaw also allows for the clearing of a five-metrewide path to provide access to the water; clearing for approved new construction (with a building permit) and five metres around those structures; and clearing for any approved accessory structures.

Korpela noted these allowances do not apply to lands adjacent to any recognized fish habitat areas and spawning grounds.

He didn’t outline precisely what this new bylaw would allow, saying he wanted to receive feedback from the public before making a final recommendation to council. A public meeting was held at the West Guilford Community Centre May 3, while responses to an online questionnaire, posted on the municipal website, are being accepted until May 10.

Korpela openly wondered if the township should include specific requirements around retaining walls, slope stabilization, erosion control measures and the type of equipment and machinery permitted for use on a shore front.

“I’m looking for feedback on all of this… and more… to see if it needs to be in the bylaw.”

The building official said this new bylaw would greatly improve protections of EP zones.

“There’s a lot of EP zones in our municipality, but we currently have no regulations for site alteration within them,” he said. “So, anything we do is going to be better than what we currently have.”

Still work to be done

Leora Berman, an environmental technologist and COO of non-profit The Land Between, said she was pleased the township was engaging with the community, noting she has high hopes for the new bylaw.

She did highlight some areas of concern, largely surrounding the definition of EP zones, and what she perceives to be two key accountability and transparency issues.

“I want to know who the township is going to use as experts to determine fish habitats… because the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry doesn’t have that capacity anymore,” Berman said, noting she would be willing to partner with the municipality.

“Also, who will be making the decisions over applications for adjustments [to the bylaw for work along the shoreline]? Is it council? Will it be a committee? I think that needs to be clarified.

“There needs to be more clarity provided on EP zones. They are defined in the provincial policy statement… as being significant wildlife habitats, flood zone hazard lands. They are clearly defined, and Dysart is missing that whole piece,” she added.

Fearrey said he was pleased to see Korpela’s draft include several “encouragements” for things like leaving existing natural shorelines undisturbed or restoring them back to a natural state.

“Based on conversations I’ve had, I think the best thing to do is to keep this thing general – go out to the public, get feedback and massage this into something that works,” he said. “I don’t want something that’s going to be onerous… the biggest thing is to make this as practical as we can.”

Harburn developer awaits possible appeal

Mike Baker

May 4, 2023

Although Haliburton County council officially ratified an amendment to its Official Plan April 26, opening the door for Harburn Holdings to proceed with a proposed 88-unit development fronting Grass Lake, landowner Paul Wilson is anticipating a lengthy court battle before the project can go ahead.

Through the project, which was brought forward in 2021, Wilson is seeking to repurpose 2.5 hectares of land along Peninsula Road in Dysart et al into four lots that would each house multi-storey apartment and condo buildings, with one unit featuring a commercial component.

Dysart’s previous council supported the build last September. County approved the project last week, after being satisfied that a lingering issue between Wilson and adjacent property owner – Dr. Aimee Coysh, who owns and operates Haliburton Veterinary Services – over the long-term impacts the development could have on well water quality, will be addressed.

Speaking to The Highlander, Wilson said the next step is to apply for severances for the four lots. He’s holding off on that until a 20-day appeal period, where any opposing party can file with the Ontario Land Tribunal, has passed. Any grievance must be submitted by May 16.

Carolyn Langdon and Catherine Swift, representing the Friends of Grass Lake advocacy group, told The Highlander last month they intend to file an appeal. Because the Friends group isn’t a registered corporation, it cannot file an appeal, leaving it up to an individual to complete the process. As of May 2, Langdon said an appeal had not yet been submitted.

“We have 20 days to respond. We have had initial conversations with an environmental lawyer and will be following up [before the deadline],” she said.

Wilson noted if no appeal is forthcoming, he will immediately proceed with his severance application. The developer has gone on record to state he isn’t interested in building the units himself, and will instead look to sell the property once all approvals are in.

Addressing County council last month, Wilson said his primary focus is ensuring the land is managed properly through the construction phase. He noted he’ll “be picky” over who he sells to and will retain final say on any development proposal.

Planner ‘excited’ by provincial policy changes

County planner Steve Stone said the “fulsome changes” implemented to Ontario’s provincial policy statement last month could bring far reaching benefits to the County.

“It’s been changed to promote and streamline planning approvals to allow for more homes to be built in Ontario,” Stone said. “I’m quite excited about them.”

Some of the more significant changes deal with the timely examination of settlement areas for potential modification and expansion. He said this would allow for local and regional councils to implement changes in these areas without the need for a lengthy municipal review process.

Stone said the province is also loosening restrictions for rural development.

“There may be greater opportunities for this area to look at things like rural subdivisions… this could all allow for some additional growth [in the County],” he said.

Warden Liz Danielsen asked Stone to bring a full report back to council, outlining the full range of benefits and any negative impacts the new legislation may bring.

Citizen group continues to fight Minden ER closure

Lisa Gervais

May 4, 2023

The Save Minden ER grassroots group this week demanded an urgent public meeting with HHHS’ CEO and board chair, calling for full transparency on the decision-making process, a reassessment of timing and access to a transition plan.

Spokesman Patrick Porzuczek said the community also wants information on the impact on vulnerable populations, healthcare staff, regional growth, and local infrastructure.

“It is crucial to postpone the closure of Minden hospital and engage in a transparent and inclusive decision-making process that involves the community, local elected officials, nursing professionals, EMS personnel, and other stakeholders,” Porzuczek said.

On April 26, more than 3,300 signatures were gathered to deliver to the Provincial Legislature with plans to continue collecting signatures and making another trip in May.

Meanwhile, Minden resident Sandra Bradley has filed a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, seeking $1 million and a moratorium on the closing on the basis of age, disability and access to goods, services and facilities.

The statement in the filing to substantiate the monetary compensation reads, “I believe this is the value of my life if I die due to an unreasonable delay in being transported to my closest emergency ward.”

Bradley lives 18 kilometres from the Minden ED and the closure will add an additional 25 to 30 minutes to the next closest emergency ward in Haliburton.

“We all have the right to safe and accessible health care and that includes emergency department services,” Bradley said.

Take a collective deep breath

Lisa Gervais

May 4, 2023

It’s been two weeks since Haliburton Highlands Health Services announced it would be closing the Minden emergency room and consolidating ER and acute care services at its Haliburton site.

There has been an outpouring of shock, anger and fear ever since. There has also been a lot of information dispersed.

Might I now suggest we all stop for a minute and take a collective deep breath.

I applaud politicians and grassroots groups for being so passionate in their fight to delay – or reverse the decision. We’d all love for that to somehow happen.

If it cannot, we all want to feel assured that the Haliburton site will be ready for the thousands that will pass through its doors starting June 1. Towards that end, we all anxiously await the plan that HHHS has in place.

And while the various Facebook groups that have sprung up give a voice to the shock, anger and fear, there are many misplaced comments, untruths, and words that are simply fanning the flames.

We urge everyone in the community to think before they post. Is what you are saying helping the situation or hindering it? Do suggestions such as boycotting the Foundation or the Kinmount Fair due to MPP Laurie Scott’s affiliation with Kinmount, really help? Or does soliciting support from the likes of actors Michael J. Fox, or Ryan Reynolds really contribute to the cause?

By all means, we should see if there is any way to have a sober second look at the situation. In the meantime, we also have to consider how we might turn our collective angst into better planning for our health care future. After all, some might say our history did not serve us well in the initial building of two hospitals just 25 kilometres apart. What can we do now to ensure we get the best result for our County going forward?

It’s been suggested to me that mobile ERs are a thing. A quick online search reveals that a mobile ER is a modern, mobile medical unit that provides preliminary treatment for a broad spectrum of illnesses and injuries, potentially life-threatening and requiring immediate medical care. Imagine if something like that existed here and patients could already be en route to a bigger hospital when needed.

In Dorset, the late Herb Hickling launched the health hub, bringing accessible primary and preventable health care closer to citizens of that County. He facilitated community efforts to join with the District of Muskoka and begin discussions with the province, seeking and achieving their support. He built a strong alliance with Lake of Bays and Algonquin Highlands. Could something such as this be done in Minden? Herb worked with community groups, and got monetary and volunteer time donations.

These are just two examples. Maybe it’s time to stop the finger-pointing and start doing what has been, perhaps, lacking to date – look at our health care services and plan for what it will look like in five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and beyond.

Clearly what we have, not only locally, but across Ontario and much of Canada, is not working. Maybe Haliburton County can set an example of how we, and other communities, might do better in future.

Loss cannot be overstated

Lisa Gervais

May 4, 2023

HHHS’ decision to close the Minden ER has stirred up a hornet’s nest, especially in Minden Hills, which will be most impacted by the move to consolidate ERs and acute care in Haliburton.

We feel for the residents of Minden and surrounding areas. Having an ER that is close to where you live, work, and play brings a sense of comfort to all of us.

It will be particularly hard for those who live in the south and western parts of the township. The folks in Moore Falls and west of Carnarvon, for example, are going to be worried about the extra travelling time to Haliburton, or if their ambulance is even going to take them to Haliburton now, as opposed to Lindsay or Bracebridge or elsewhere.

Social media has been flooded with very personal stories about how the Minden ER has saved lives over the years.

The loss cannot be overstated.

However, it should not come as a complete shock to people. HHHS has been threatening possible temporary ER closures for 18 months. Remember those check-stop-go warnings?

And while some in the community say there has been zero consultation, HHHS has been pretty transparent for some time that staffing shortages are having a very real impact on the viability of keeping two ERs open.

That said, there is a big difference from telling the community there may be temporary ER closures and announcing a permanent closure. A lot of people only found out last week – including politicians, and employees of HHHS.

While hindsight is always 20:20, HHHS should have anticipated the backlash over its decision. Perhaps a public meeting or town hall in advance of such a major closure would have been prudent. At least then, the public could have had its say. It hasn’t and that is why Facebook groups are popping up, as well as GoFundMe campaigns and petitions. Perhaps all of this reaction still would have happened – even with a public meeting or town hall – but we’ll never know.

We would ask hospital management and the board, however, to still hold a public meeting or town hall. The public wants questions answered. The answers may not mollify them, but at least they will feel they have been involved somehow. There will be an iota of transparency.

Some of us also wish we could turn the clock back. What would the situation be like today if the County politicians of the day had agreed to build just one hospital more geographically centered in the Highlands? Perhaps we would not be going through this today. Our parochialism is sometimes a gift, but often an impediment. It’s no different than Minden Hills going it alone on a new arena and recreation centre, instead of working with the entire County to build a larger facility that maybe could have housed an indoor swimming pool. We’ll never know because Minden was looking after Minden.

At the end of the day, all we can do is deal with what we are facing today.

Will having one hospital improve health care in the Highlands? Time will tell. Will we be able to attract more doctors and nurses and get more diagnostic imaging, such as a CT scanner? Time will tell.

One thing that isn’t productive is continuing to be parochial and suggesting downright stupid reactions such as withdrawing funding from the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation in protest of the Minden emerge closure. That mentality just hurts us all.

We do, however, look forward to HHHS coming up with some innovative solutions for the dearth left by the closure of the Minden emerge, whether it is a walk-in clinic, or something such as the Dorset Health Hub’s nurse practitioner-led model.

A positive announcement in that regard would go a long way to making Mindenites feel a little bit better about this decision.

County pushes HHHS for long-term plan

Lisa Gervais

May 4, 2023

Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) was “just one step away” from temporarily closing one or both County emergency departments with very short notice more than 20 times last summer, CEO Carolyn Plummer told Minden Hills council last week.

Plummer and board chair David O’Brien asked to attend the April 27 Minden Hills council meeting as a delegation. Later in the day, they met with County council behind closed doors.

HHHS announced on April 20 that it would be consolidating all ER and acute care at the Haliburton site effective June 1.

Plummer described how they had asked nurses more than half way through very long shifts if they could go home to get a few hours of sleep, and then return to commence a second shift to avoid an ER closure. She said they inevitably said ‘yes’ as they did not want to be responsible for an ER being shut down. Plummer called it, “a huge weight to carry on their shoulders.”

She said that had been the case for 18 months and “staff can’t go on like that.” She said HHHS needed to give them clear direction on an ER plan going forward.

O’Brien also clarified that it was the hospital services board that made the “operational decision” based on staffing, with HHHS management supporting it.

Mayor Bob Carter said HHHS may believe it consulted with the townships and County but, “we did not hear what you thought you were telling us.” He said they may have discussed temporary ER closures in the past but “at no point was there a discussion that one of these facilities would have to close permanently.”

Plummer said heading into the summer, HHHS was facing multiple, short-term, shortnotice, unexpected closures of one or both sites, which posed a risk to the community. She said some of the closures could have occurred with just two hours’ notice.

Deputy mayor Lisa Schell pushed Plummer and O’Brien on the 20-plus near misses, asking which ER was under threat of temporary closure. Plummer said it was the Haliburton site.

Carter asked if they would consider pushing back the June 1 date, to Nov. 1 or later. However, Plummer and O’Brien indicated they would not.

County weighs in

Following HHHS’ meeting with the County, the upper-tier government said in a press release, “council remains extremely concerned and dissatisfied” in the decision and its timing.

“We also continue to be disappointed in the absence of communication between County council, the community and HHHS over the last number of months while this step was being considered.

“We will continue to advocate on behalf of our residents to ensure that HHHS responds to questions about reorganization and ongoing service delivery in the County, including identifying and attracting services to work out of the Minden site.”

It went on to say council will be asking HHHS to present its implementation plan at a special meeting in May.

“Council has voiced a willingness to advocate with upper levels of government for improved financial resources to ease pressures and help with the implementation of improvements. We will also continue to review how our EMS (emergency medical services) and community paramedicine programs can assist, as well as how they may be impacted.”

The County said HHHS has agreed to involve them in the completion of their operational strategic plan as well as working on the capital master plan due to be finalized this fall.

“Council is committed to ensure that effective health care services continue to be provided to all residents of Haliburton County and the visitors we welcome.”

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