Haliburton County’s highest ranking medical official says COVID-19 remains a “very real threat” moving into the new year.

Dr. Natalie Bocking, medical officer of health for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) district health unit, told a Jan. 19 meeting of her board that, despite seeing provincial and federal authorities abandon most COVID-19 safety measures last year, the virus was still present and likely would be for some time.

“Despite our best wishes, this thing is not over,” Bocking said. “It’s fair to expect continued emergence of new Omicron subvariants. Since January 2022, we have seen waves of new subvariants every three months or so. Omicron transmits so easily and so quickly, and has so many opportunities for mutation.”

The dominant strain emerging in North America is XBB1.5, accounting for around 70 per cent of reported cases across the northeastern U.S. over the holidays. Bocking said she expects to see an increase in infections locally come February, but that symptoms are mostly mild.

One concern, she said, is that these new variants are starting to adapt to some vaccines and medications. Recent tests found that Evusheld, a medication used to protect people with compromised immune systems from COVID, was not effective in combating XBB1.5.

“There continues to be new twists in the road. As each new subvariant arises, there may be something slightly different about it. Vaccines might not work as well, medications might not work as well, so people need to make sure they’re using other layers of protection,” Bocking said, encouraging people to wear masks when in crowded settings, and stay home when sick.

Reflecting on 2022, Bocking said that, statistically, it was the worst year of the pandemic for HKPR. There were 162 outbreaks across the region, with 340 hospital admissions and 120 deaths.

“In 2022, we saw 74 per cent of our total hospital admissions throughout the pandemic, and 77 per cent of all deaths, locally, that have been attributed to the virus,” Bocking said. “This is why I don’t think we can say COVID-19 is gone, is not influencing the health of our communities, or influencing the burden on our healthcare system.”

Looking at 2023, Bocking said the health unit will focus on four key priorities – adopting a new strategic plan to kick in in 2024; maintaining its COVID-19 response; addressing ongoing concerns, such as the increase in mental health issues and substance abuse; and chipping away at public health program backlogs, with the immediate focus on the region’s youth.

“It will take us years to catch up with our school-based immunization program. We also went multiple years without any oral health screenings in schools, so that needs to be a big focus,” Bocking said.

She also plans to consult with provincial officials to advocate for increased long-term funding.

“While we appreciate and need one-time funding for our COVID response, the fact it continues to be one-time, without any increase to our base, significantly impacts our ability to recruit employees to [manage our pandemic response],” Bocking said. “Knowing that COVID-19 is here to stay, we need to integrate it as part of our routine programs. We need to work towards funding this appropriately in the months and years ahead.”

Seven years after a public boat launch was closed on Bob Lake in Minden Hills, Bob Lake Association (BLA) members Robert Roszell and Dave Roberts made yet another plea to council Jan. 12.

Their pitch is to lease a township-owned unopened road allowance on Claude Brown Road to build a launch at no cost to taxpayers.

Roszell said long-standing members of their association had been unable to launch their boats since 2016, unless they’ve built private launches at their own homes and cottages.

“We hope with this delegation we can move forward to re-establish a Bob Lake community boat launch,” he added.

In an overview, Roszell said, “the Bob Lake Association will pay for all construction, continued maintenance, and insurance.” He said they had used the township’s latest survey and worked with EcoVue Consulting Services Ltd. and Tatham Engineering on design and planning. He noted they had shared the cost of a legal opinion with the township.

He said it would be a simple concrete slab with no parking. He further added it would be on township property, in the area of an old launch site. He said the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry have indicated there will be no impact on fish spawning beds.

Roberts added it will be better for the lake’s shoreline to stop people putting in private launches. He said it would also provide access to the lake for emergency services, such as OPP, fire, and medical; the MNRF, Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association, as well as island inspections for septics and building inspections.

Coun. Tammy McKelvey said closing off an original shoreline road allowance to water in this way contravenes planning policy. Another concern is erosion and the road ending up in the lake, she said. McKelvey further asked how the association would ensure it did not become a public launch.

“While I really want to see a public boat launch on Bob Lake, I definitely don’t think this location’s ideal,” McKelvey said.

Roberts replied that, in the past, they’d submitted “exhaustive” assessments and, “while it might not be the ideal location, it certainly meets all the criteria.” He reminded McKelvey it was a public boat launch until about the mid-70s. The BLA’s said they have also been assured there’ll be no natural erosion.

Roberts said their first priority was a lease agreement and they would work out details later. However, he suggested they could have a combination locked gate and signage.

Mayor Bob Carter said the issue had been before council for a number of years, and the township has spent a considerable amount of money, time and effort on it. He wanted the delegation received for information with a staff report to follow.

We’ve also received some comments from the public … some are for, and many against, so we have to do all those considerations.”

Roszell followed up by saying they surveyed lake owners in 2021. He said 65 per cent responded, with 99 per cent supporting restoration of a public boat launch. He added only 48 per cent had been able to make arrangements with existing private launches, 36 per cent had sold or dry docked their boats and 16 per cent did not have a boat.

Coun. Pam Sayne said, “this has been going on way too long.” She felt the safety aspect of having emergency services accessing the lake was important. She thought it was the “only reasonable” location.

“I think we need to look at this new approach because some of the opposition was the cost. We have so many boat launches that we need maintenance for. And the BLA, with others in the community, have found ways to get around that situation and not make it a financial burden to the municipality. I think that’s a very important point.”

She’s also concerned that it has become a private lake for those with boat launches as opposed to a public lake.

She concurred with staff looking at the proposal and coming back to council “with hopefully some more information and finally get this thing on the road.”

Roszell said they had the support of 14 local businesses. He further estimated property values had decreased with a loss of $70,000 to $105,000 to the township.

Discussions surrounding future investments at the Haliburton landfill site dominated second draft budget deliberations of Dysart et al council Jan. 13.

After John Watson, the township’s manager of environmental services, informed council his department was looking at a $400,000 year-end shortfall in 2022, due to a substantial increase in construction and demolition waste costs, some elected officials sought further clarity on what Watson called “a tough situation.”

Through 2022, Dysart saw a 38 per cent increase over the prior year in the amount of construction and demolition waste dropped off at its three landfill sites, a 41 per cent increase in the number of hauls completed, and a 112 per cent increase in the cost of hauling. All municipal waste collected in Dysart is shipped out of town.

“This dramatic increase is reflective of our local economy – people are renovating their homes extensively, so the amount of material we’re managing has increased dramatically and the price to haul and process construction and demolition waste has increased dramatically,” Watson said.

To offset this increase, Watson is proposing the township up its waste collection fees. Furniture drop-offs are doubling, up to $20; the cost per cubic yard of construction and demolition waste is going from $60 to $100; while a mixture of garbage, recycling, construction, and demolition waste is going from $120 per cubic metre to $200.

Watson said the main issue is the township charges for waste per cubic metre, while its hauling contractor bills per metric ton. Since Dysart doesn’t have a scale at any of its landfill sites, it’s not capable of charging per metric ton.

Deputy mayor Walt McKechnie suggested council approve the purchase of a scale, estimated to cost around $150,000. The township has $120,000 in reserves earmarked for the project. Coun. Pat Casey also suggested the township explore building a shelter to store all construction and demolition waste, so the municipality isn’t incurring extra costs in water weight if materials get wet.

CAO Tamara Wilbee said staff would work on bringing proposals back for each project later this year.

Tax increase sitting at 2.34 per cent

Treasurer Barbara Swannell said the township’s second draft of the 2023 budget called for a 2.34 per cent increase to the municipal portion of resident’s tax bills, down from the 8.9 per cent that was included in the first draft.

This increase would equate to an additional $7.22 per $100,000 worth of assessment for residential properties, $10.71 per $100,000 for commercial properties, and $12.41 per $100,000 for industrial properties.

Total expenditures across the municipality are just north of $21 million, with $11 million to be covered by the tax base, $6.7 million from other non-tax revenue and $3.5 million from provincial and federal grants. Individual department expenses are as follows: general governance $1,659,148; protective services, including police, fire and EMS, $3,791,443; transportation services $7,587,495; environmental services $4,404,970; recreation and culture $2,908,304; planning and development $697,644; health services $190,250; and social and family services $20,501.

Capital expenditures for the year will top out at just over $5.2 million, up from around $3 million in 2022. Over $2.1 million will be spent on roads construction, with $1.1 million earmarked for new vehicle and equipment purchases. There’s also $300,000 included to purchase new playground equipment for Head Lake Park.

Municipal reserves are expected to take a hit in 2023, down to $4,056,972 from $5,601,472 in 2022.

“When we first started out, our [tax rate increase] was over 20 per cent, so we’ve done a pretty good job of tearing it down,” said mayor Murray Fearrey.

“I think this is a great budget,” remarked Coun. Barry Boice.

Council will reconvene for further budget talks Feb. 10.

Tracy Gualberto and husband John Sexton were heading home from the Minden Curling Club about 10 p.m. on a recent winter’s night.

Driving north on Hwy. 35 towards their home on Boshkung Lake, Gualberto said they were surprised to see a deer on the road in front of them at the Ransley Road intersection. Travelling at 80 km/h, it was impossible for them to brake in time to avoid a collision.

While the two were unhurt, and their 2013 Toyota Camry’s air bags did not deploy, the deer and the front end of the car did not fare as well. The deer was killed and the car suffered extensive damage and is now at Minden Collision awaiting repairs.

“At 10 p.m., we didn’t expect to have a deer in the middle of the road,” Gualberto said. She said they usually slow down in Haliburton village because they know people feed deer there and the animals are on, and near, roads.

Gualberto and Sexton called OPP and said the officer who responded told them it was the sixth such callout for a vehicle-deer collision in the same area over the past month or so.

The couple called friends who were still at the club, and live nearby on Kushog Lake, to see if they could pick them up since their car was being towed.

Gualberto said that couple then had a buck cross the road right in front of them and a second crash ensued in the same area. Again, the occupants of the vehicle were not injured but the vehicle and the animal were not so lucky.

Gualberto said she thinks the collisions were due to people feeding deer, which attract them to the area and cause them to cross the highway.

“Everyone wants to feed deer,” she said, “but they are actually killing them. They think they’re doing a kind thing, but they are not doing these deer any favours.”

The Highlander asked Haliburton Highlands OPP about vehicle-deer collisions in the area. They did a threeyear review of Hwy. 35, between Horseshoe Lake Road closest to Minden and Judge Jordan Road. Between Jan. 1, 2020 and Jan. 18, 2023, there were 34 deer-vehicle collisions. Nine were within 300m of the Ransley Road intersection. Forty-one per cent were between 5 and 7 p.m. They were primarily in December and January. There were no injuries but vehicles were damaged.

The Wolf Centre at Haliburton Forest is sometimes the recipient of deer killed in these collisions. The carcasses are used to feed the wolves.

“We do get a fair bit in the way of deer roadkill,” co-ordinator Marena Wigmore said. She added, “typically spring and fall are the peak times for it, but we have been getting some this winter as well with the minimal snow banks along the highways. Our local OPP and roads departments, as well as locals, are great about calling us when there has been a collision and some even bring the animal right to us.”

“We do get a fair bit in the way of deer roadkill,” co-ordinator Marena Wigmore said. She added, “typically spring and fall are the peak times for it, but we have been getting some this winter as well with the minimal snow banks along the highways. Our local OPP and roads departments, as well as locals, are great about calling us when there has been a collision and some even bring the animal right to us.”

The MNRF adds that feeding deer can make them dependent on artificial food sources; they can lose their natural fear of humans and pets, and become more prone to conflict; artificial feed is not healthy for them; animals concentrating to feed can spread parasites and diseases, and destroy natural habitat. They further say it puts people at risk as feeding can attract unwanted animals, animals can learn to associate humans with food and become problematic, and at times aggressive.

Household dos and don’ts:

Do:

• appreciate wildlife from a distance.

• keep household waste, compost and pet food out-of-reach from wild animals.

• attract wildlife to your property by improving natural habitat.

• work together with your neighbours to help keep wild animals wild.

Don’t

• put out food to attract wildlife.

• try to approach or touch wild animals.

• feed pets outdoors or allow pets to roam free.

• put garbage out until the morning of collection.

Source MNRF

Dysart et al council has agreed to reserve around a fifth of the township’s available sewage capacity for a proposed 88-unit development overlooking Grass Lake.

Paul Wilson, owner of Harburn Holdings, has been working with the township for more than two years as he seeks to develop 2.5 hectares along Peninsula Road. His proposal is calling on the municipality to rezone the lands, which he wants to split into four lots that would each house multi-storey apartment and condo buildings.

Dysart’s previous council supported the project in principle last September. It will be discussed at the upper-tier County of Haliburton next month and, if an amendment to the County’s official plan is ratified, will come back to Dysart for final approval.

Speaking to Dysart council Jan. 24, Wilson said he was nervous about the potential for delays, with outside entities able to lodge a complaint with the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT), even if both municipalities approve the project.

“Your consultants have advised me that my project will require 70 ERUs (Equivalent Residential Units) of sewer capacity… the problem I’m having is that I’m already two years into this and could be another two years away [from getting shovels in the ground]. At some point, I need to have some assurance from the township that I will get these ERUs,” Wilson said. “I’m told they are available right now, but not necessarily assigned to me.”

He said he doesn’t want to run into a situation where other potential developments leapfrog his and take up the township’s available sewage capacity.

In Dysart, a single ERU connection is valued at $4,700. Costs to tap into municipal sewer lines are typically paid by a developer once a project has been officially approved. Wilson said he is prepared to pay for 35 connections up front to secure the 70 ERUs his development requires, reserving them for up to two years at a cost of $164,500.

Mayor Murray Fearrey doubted whether any developments would progress enough over the next two years to get to the ERU application phase. After Coun. Barry Boice asked how many ERUs were available now, Fearrey said “around 400, I think.”

The mayor told the rest of council that he believed they were “safe” accepting Wilson’s offer. There is an out clause included, with Dysart to return Wilson’s money should his proposal be denied, or if he decides to walk away. There’s also a clause stating Wilson and Dysart could negotiate an extension should this issue not be resolved in the next two years.

Following the meeting, the Friends of Grass Lake community group, which is opposing the project, put out a press release expressing their concern over this latest development.

“We believe as a publicly-funded utility, this type of decision requires more thorough consideration than the time it was given,” said Carolyn Langdon. Wilson’s presentation and subsequent discussion ran just over eight minutes.

“There are too many unknowns about this proposal for an extraordinary decision to be taken… we believe Dysart council should not be tied up with business that has yet to make its way through the relevant approval authorities,” Langdon added.

Dysart et al has purchased a new 60-foot temporary overpass to be installed over the Koshlong Lake Road bridge, which will remove weight limitations imposed in December – although mayor Murray Fearrey has warned it could take the municipality around a month to install it.

The issue was debated during a Jan. 24 council meeting, where Frances Hill and her husband, Ken, spoke of the difficulties they and many neighbours have had navigating the township’s new bylaw in recent weeks.

On Dec. 13, Dysart’s director of public works, Rob Camelon, asked that council approve new legislation limiting the weight of vehicles crossing the bridge. Engineering firm Tulloch completed a study of the 60-year-old bridge last fall that found it was not up to modern safety standards and needed replacing.

“The year of construction of the structure was 1960, therefore Tulloch has assumed it was not originally designed for current truck loadings and therefore [recommends] a [new] load posting for the bridge, given its age and conditions,” the study reads.

As a temporary measure, the township decided to lower the allowable weight limit to 16 tons for single-unit vehicles, 29 tons for two-unit vehicles and 42 tons for three-unit vehicles for the next five years.

This has caused a major problem for the Hills, who were overseeing construction of a new home on Koshlong Lake.

“The new load limits have put our project in some jeopardy… the bridge is the only access point to our property, and now our contractors are unable to get there,” Frances told The Highlander. “We’re out thousands of dollars and don’t know when we’ll be able to finish our home.”

She told council that, after surveying other properties in the area, these new restrictions were impacting at least 147 residences in Dysart and Highlands East.

Koshlong Lake Association wants long-term solution

“It’s more than just construction – I’m worried about things like power outages, house fires, and ice storms… because of these new weight limits, many fire and utility trucks won’t be able to cross the bridge. Many people may not be able to get propane needed to heat their buildings, or have their holding and septic tanks pumped,” Ken said.

Rob Camelon, Dysart’s public works director, said the township had approved an exemption that would allow the township’s fire department to cross the bridge with pumper trucks in the event of an emergency. He also said he’s working on a proposal to replace the bridge in 2024.

The Hills say they were not informed of the change by the township, instead learning via their contractor who said he would have to cease work on their property.

Bridge closure ‘unacceptable’

Laurie Bruce said this issue was a major concern for many members of the Koshlong Lake Association. She called on council to find a solution, noting it was unacceptable to simply limit the weight of vehicles crossing the bridge for the next several years. She proposed several short-term solutions, including having the bridge redesignated as a one-lane thoroughfare.

“Could the permitted weight be raised then? If yes, there is a solution that could provide immediate relief [to residents] with minimal cost to Dysart township,” Bruce said.

Fearrey told both Bruce and Hill that council was “taking this issue seriously,” but noted there was no quick fix. He said the township is obliged to follow the recommendations outlined by Tulloch for liability purposes.

“I think they’re taking the safe route, but we can’t go against the engineer’s report,” Fearrey said. “Bear with us here, we will get you an answer and will work as fast as we can to bring a solution.”

Later in the meeting, CAO Tamara Wilbee read a motion coming out of closed session stating the township would be purchasing a temporary bridge for $188,533 plus HST. While no information was given relating to the bridge, where it was coming from, or when it would be installed, Fearrey told The Highlander he expected it would be a month before it arrived and is set up.

Dysart et al has come up with a temporary solution to remove weight limitations on the Koshlong Lake Road bridge. Dysart et al.

The Minden District Fur Harvesters held their first trapper’s workshop since COVID19, when they gathered at the Lloyd Watson Community Centre in Wilberforce Jan. 15.

Spokesman Ted Nottage said it was good to be back. He said attendance was a lot better than he thought it would be “considering the change of venue and being the first one after three years.”

He added they would have had more vendors but there were some last-minute cancellations.

The workshop featured pelt preparation and fur handling.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and The Land Between also had booths.