Let’s determine our housing future

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December 1, 2022

To say local residents are divided over the passing of the province’s housing bill on Monday would be an understatement. There are two camps.

There are some municipal staff and developers who are delighted the Ontario government is reducing red tape to make it easier to achieve its housing target of 1.5 million more homes.

Then there are some councillors and environmentalists who are outraged by the passing. The swiftness with which the majority Conservatives turned the bill into an act is incredible, despite their assurances of transparency and public input.

Highlanders’ feedback didn’t even hit Queen’s Park before the decision was made. Last week, Minden Hills council joined municipalities across Ontario in rejecting it, as well as Bill 3, the Strong Mayor, Building Homes Act. Brought forward by Coun. Pam Sayne, council endorsed a petition declaring the rules pave the way for unsustainable development in the Highlands. Sayne said the bills weren’t constructive in creating more or better housing for Minden Hills. Her motion called for the province to instead build the municipal planning workforce, and speed up ministry of transportation planning approvals, for example.

Minden Hills mayor Bob Carter said we live in cottage country, where the environment is our livelihood.

If harmed or destroyed, we won’t need new housing because no one will want to come to the Highlands, he said. Also on Nov. 24, Leora Berman of The Land Between sounded the alarm bell at Environment Haliburton’s AGM. She said the bill puts wetlands at risk. In the Highlands, with its fractured bedrock, Berman said the wetlands are our environmental kidneys. They ensure our drinking water and water supply in general is healthy.

The now endorsed regulations change the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System. Berman has interpreted that to mean less consideration for endangered species and the delisting of some provincially-significant wetlands since they won’t qualify now.

She thinks as a result there will be few if any designations in future. She is also concerned that the Act takes the onus away from the recognized experts at the Ministry of Natural Resources, and instead puts responsibility on the backs of municipalities that may not have that expertise.

There is no doubt that citizens’ rights have been removed, with lessened requirements for developers and councils to notify the public about proposals in their communities.

Further, the premier and minister can usurp local authority, creating biased and closed markets. On the flip side, Haliburton County director of planning Steve Stone told council at its last meeting that Highlands’ growth had doubled what was predicted. There is a dearth of shovel-ready land for newcomers. He is not against Bill 23 per se, and is cognizant of the need to strike a balance between development and the environment.

And that is where the rubber will hit the road. As a community, we have to ask ourselves do we favour development at any cost? I think the answer has been, and will continue to be, a resounding no. But striking that balance won’t be easy.

We are already seeing that with the division over the Harburn Holdings development on the shores of Grass Lake. Stone said something that stood out for me – “We should be looking at, is it good for the community? If so, let’s find a way of getting it approved.”

But ‘is it good for the community?’ is subjective because some will say a certain development is, and others will say it is not. This is where our current councillors have to talk to their constituents to determine what that development vision looks like for our County.

We must determine what development is good for Haliburton County.

Highlands East roof repairs exceed budget

By

Sam Gillett

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December 1, 2022

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Roof repairs on two municipal facilities in Highlands East are set to cost $189,311 more than expected.

Both facilities in Tory Hill meet the criteria for repair under a 2019 facility conditions assessment. While both roofs were estimated to cost $80,000 each, council awarded one roof replacement to Irvcon Ltd. at a cost of $164,820, and another to Amherst Roofing & Sheetmetal Ltd. at a cost of $184,491.

At a Nov. 22 meeting of council, mayor Dave Burton initially proposed council defer the project until the spring and re-tender it. “I don’t think the building is going to fall down around us,” he said. “To me the prices are, I’m going to say, extreme.”

He asked public works manager, Abby Armstrong, if the roofs were in bad enough condition or if the projects could be re-tendered.

Armstrong said the roofs at both locations are in disrepair. The roof at one facility is required to be fixed in order to keep up with health and safety standards. Staff noticed leaks at both facilities.

Deputy mayor Cec Ryall agreed, but noted all the quotes were in a similar price range, which he said likely meant the prices weren’t unusual. “I’m wondering if this is just a sign of the times … I just don’t want to defer it to the point we close our options to the prices we currently have,” he said. Armstrong said the approved companies would hold their costs at the same level until the project began.

If not approved, the project would have to be re-tendered in the spring and with higher prices due to material availability, cost and rising fuel prices.

“The increase in costs for next year, they’re unknown. I know it’s a difficult situation to be bringing forward such an increase in costs,” Armstrong said. Council voted to approve funding for both roof replacements, with work expected to take place in spring or summer 2023.

Carter proposes roadmap for Minden Hills council

By

Sam Gillett

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December 1, 2022

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A strategic plan is key to tackling the township’s short and long-term goals, mayor Bob Carter said at Minden Hills’ first regular meeting of council Nov. 24. “Everybody has the items that are most important to themselves and has an idea of the order things should be done,” he told councillors. “To me, that is going to come out in a strategic plan.”

He said such a plan would use staff time more efficiently as they balance everyday operations and long-term reports and planning procedures.

“Oftentimes people have wonderful ambitions at the start of any term.

And life happens and things just don’t get done. I’d like us to have a plan moving forward and to be able to handle all those things,” he said. After the meeting, Carter told The Highlander a plan could be constructed in Spring 2023 but did not provide a set timeline.

He added council will determine whether such a plan will require outside help, such as consultants.

Carter also laid out a tentative schedule for when key discussions will happen in the council chambers this year and next. On Dec. 8, the township’s auditor will go over the financial statements for 2021.

He said the township’s committees will be on the docket Jan. 26. “Committees are going to be very important to us,” Carter said.

That meeting will also host a discussion of the township’s procedural bylaw, which dictates how council and committee meetings are run, for example. “Our procedural bylaw needs an overhaul,” Carter said “It may almost have to be totally re-written.” Asset management will also feature in upcoming meetings. That’s a provinciallymandated process that outlines the values of municipal infrastructure such as sewage lines and roads based on their replacement value. Budget discussions will occur Feb. 2, 16 stretching to March 2 and March 9.

Carter said the township’s goal will be to pass a 2023 budget on March 9. In 2022, council voted to approve its budget April 28. The budget was central in a subsequent discussion about building maintenance at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre. Director of community services, Craig Belfry, explained how rot and twisted logs in the Baily Barn have complicated efforts to fix the building’s foundation.

While an engineering review is pending, the project is likely to exceed the $30,000 budgeted for the fix in the 2022 budget. “I look at it and I don’t think I’d spend the $30,000 on it,” said coun. Bob Sisson. “Somewhere you’ve got to draw the line, right?” Belfry said the issue, “comes back to strategic planning. What you see as a value to what those structures are. From somebody who has worked in the heritage and cultural field for a long time, I would say there is a value in keeping these buildings up to show the history of Minden.”

Carter said the discussion would be best had during budget deliberations. “With all the priorities we have in the township, these are the type of items that are very valuable to have in the budget process,” he said.

“I think that’s when we should hold the debate on that. It’s like everything here, how much do you spend on the riverwalk, how much do you spend on this… at some point, there’s only so much money to spend.”

‘Growth warrants OPP commander’

Minden Hills has signed on to a letter from the County of Haliburton calling for the OPP to continue to have a detachment commander in the Highlands. The service has discussed the possibility of replacing the detachment commander with a manager, essentially making it a satellite of the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP. “With the growth we’ve seen here in the community, we deserve to have our own detachment commander,” said Carter. He said he expects similar conversations to arise on other provincial decisions. “I had a fear that various levels of government would try to look to cut costs… this is the first example of something we’re going to have to fight to get what we need, what we deserve and certainly what we’re paying for.” Deputy mayor Lisa Schell agreed. “We completely reject this proposition,” she said.

More information on food funding request

Councillors called for an in-person delegation and further details after the Minden Community Food Centre requested a $10,000 donation to keep up with demand for services.

It submitted a request due to a more than 15 per cent rise in usership in recent months. Nearly 800 households have sought help from the centre.

“As basic costs continue to rise with inflation soaring – housing prices, food, gas – families that were already on a tight budget are struggling even more to make these ends meet,” wrote food centre chairperson Don Veno. He added food expenses at the centre have increased more than $20,000 since last year. He said the donation would help fight rising costs and ensure the centre can maintain service levels. “I can’t support this request at all,” said coun. Bob Sisson. “Where do we come up with 10 grand? That would build a ball diamond in Irondale.”

Coun. Tammy McKelvey said it would be hard to allocate funds to one community group and not others.

“I struggle to take taxpayer money and donate it to any organization,” she said. Schell said she’d support the request, and pointed out council does donate funds to the food centre and other groups such as the YWCA Women’s Centre of Haliburton County. “I believe they do wonderful things.

They keep food on the table for people who can’t afford it,” she said.

While coun. Pam Sayne called for clarity on the request and how council has processed similar requests in the past, Carter said he hasn’t seen a similar request for such a level of funding during his time on council.

“It would seem to me we do need more answers,” he said. “…I also think if they want to make such an extraordinary request, they should do that through a delegation.”

Council will request a delegation on the topic from the food centre, as well as a staff report out

Highlanders help in ‘apocalypse’ aftermath

By

Sam Gillett

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December 1, 2022

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An Algonquin Highlands couple said travelling to Florida to aid in hurricane relief exposed them to the best of humanity amidst tragedy. When Yvonne and Cary Kreuzwiesner heard Hurricane Ian had ripped through the Florida community where her sister lived in early October, they immediately knew they wanted to help.

“We saw the disaster and we were planning to go anyway,” said Yvonne. “And I just said to Cary, we have to go now. We have to lend a helping hand.” They said their faith motivated them to go, too, and the couple received a blessing from their West Guilford church community before they left. She said it was a chance to put their faith into action.

“What do we come here (church) for? Just to meet and chat? Or is it real? Are we going to be real to people?” she asked. She temporarily closed her business, Skin Tech Face and Body Care, and after a 25-hour drive they arrived in Naples, Florida.

While the Kreuzwiesners got there more than a week after the storm had passed, they encountered scenes of devastation as they entered the coastal state. “It was like the apocalypse,” Yvonne said. According to NBC News, the late September storm resulted in at least 148 deaths, and left thousands without homes.

Rows of beach houses were entirely demolished, furniture and personal belongings strewn across the street. “We met people who were living in their porches,” Yvonne said.

“They didn’t want to leave.” They registered with the Patriot Volunteer Society, which coordinates civilian volunteer efforts in disaster zones around the U.S. and got to work.

Cary spent hours hauling debris from damaged homes, while Yvonne helped sort belongings outside.

Yvonne also served food to community members. It was on one of the food lines she realized she was next to a fellow Halls Lake resident. “It was not by coincidence at all. It was just for sure. She even said the same thing. I guess my parents and God brought us together.”

Yvonne said the trip was a watershed moment in her life.

“I look at materialism completely differently,” she said. Million-dollar homes were lost just as others lost one-bedroom “shacks,” she said. Yvonne and Cary also mentioned they saw “the best of humanity” exhibited in business owners devoting resources and staff to clean up, such as a brewery owner who traveled to Cape Coral and Fort Myers with a trailer of washing machines to wash and dry people’s clothes.

Canadians, Europeans and Americans from far-flung states had flown in to help, just like the Kreuzwiesners. “That’s what we saw – humanity coming together,” Yvonne said.

She said she saw Highlanders “step up” in times of need, such as the Minden floods, and encouraged anyone to assist when emergencies strike, no matter which country they may be in.

Mike Iles’ legacy to ‘live on’ in Haliburton

By

Mike Baker

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December 1, 2022

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Haliburton’s Chris Iles lost more than just his dad this past weekend; he lost his best friend too. Surrounded by family at the Haliburton hospital, Dysart et al fire chief Mike Iles passed away Nov. 26 following a year-long battle with lung cancer. He was 61.

His death has reverberated around the community where he was born and raised. The township has lowered flags to half-mast at municipal facilities, and tributes have been pouring in, honouring a man many believe to have been one of Haliburton’s greatest champions. “It’s hard to accept he’s gone,” Chris told The Highlander.

“I’ve already thought lots this week about picking up the phone and calling or texting him when something comes up, or when I need the answer to something, but obviously I can’t do that anymore. It hurts, and I’m not sure if it’s something I’ll ever get used to.” Mike Iles’ fingerprints are all over the community.

He’s a graduate of Haliburton Highlands Secondary School and a former part-owner of Curry Chevrolet Buick GMC, where he spent decades as service manager.

He volunteered with several local service groups and was an avid hunter and angler, owning a small cabin in Haliburton Forest that he used for weekend and evening expeditions. Aside from his family – wife, Wendy, and daughter, Tessa – Iles’ true love was firefighting.

He had grown up around the downtown station where his father, Joe Iles, served as a firefighter for more than 40 years. He joined the ranks as a volunteer in 1993, becoming a captain in 2010.

After deciding to retire from Curry Motors, Iles pursued his “dream position” as Dysart’s fire chief, officially taking the title July 1, 2016. Township CAO Tamara Wilbee said Iles was, “extremely liked and well respected” by peers and co-workers, noting he led many positive changes within the department. “Mike is known for being a strong, yet fair leader. He was an excellent coach and role model and exuded a sense of calmness in tough situations, which always helped keep others focused on the job at hand,” Wilbee said.

Iles played a key role in leading Dysart through the early days of the COVID19 pandemic, sitting on the township’s emergency municipal control group. Dan Chumbley served as Iles’ deputy fire chief for several years.

He said he couldn’t have asked for a better mentor, with Iles going out of his way to ensure Chumbley was adequately prepared when he took over earlier this year. “Mike had this ability to instill everyone with confidence, no matter the situation.

He was always very positive with the way he ran this department and the encouragement he would give to me and all the other members,” Chumbley said. “Even when he got sick and was in poor health, he did not abandon the fire department.

He was always on top of getting back to me if I had questions, and popping in to check on us all, even right up until he went into hospital.” As good as he was at attacking blazes, Iles also specialized in putting out proverbial fires too.

Bob Bullock, general manager at Curry Motors, worked with him for several years and said he had a knack for problem-solving. “He was always very sharp when it came to dealing with General Motors and the larger corporation, he approached things in a unique way and wouldn’t give up on something because it was hard, or out of his department,” he said.

Bullock added Iles had a “stern, but courteous way of doing business” and knew how to keep his workers in line. Many of the technicians working at Curry’s today were brought in and trained by Iles, who was a mechanic. “He had a wealth of knowledge he was always more than happy to share, especially with younger people starting out. It’s been a hard week for many [in the shop] because Mike was held in such high regard and was so respected,” Bullock said.

Chris said his dad was a fighter. He survived a diagnosis of prostate cancer about a decade ago and refused to give up this time, even after doctors told him the cancer had metastasized to several other parts of his body and was inoperable.

Asked what he’ll remember most, Chris said, “he was an amazing father.

Growing up, he always had an open-door policy for me and my friends. He was close with a lot of those guys. Then it’s the little moments – the fishing trips in the spring, the long drives to complete training once he became chief and I became a captain. There are so many memories that I’ll hold close for the rest of my life. “He was just a big softy. He developed such a bond with my son, Joe. They were inseparable,” Iles said. “He was proud to be a firefighter, and he loved Haliburton. This place just won’t be the same without him.”

A small gathering will be held at the Haliburton Fire Hall Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a reception to follow at the A.J. LaRue Community Centre from 3 to 5 p.m.

Parts worth thousands stolen from Haliburton car dealership

By

Sam Gillett

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November 30, 2022

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OPP said that on Nov. 29, they attended Haliburton Chrysler on Hwy. 118 in Haliburton for a report of several motor vehicles that had been damaged.

“Through investigation, it was learned that unknown suspect(s) had stolen catalytic converters from at least 11 motor vehicles,” OPP said. “This had occurred sometime over the previous 24-72 hours.”

The theft and resulting damage are estimated to be approximately $125,000.”

The investigation into this theft is ongoing. Haliburton Highlands OPP is requesting anyone with information about this or any other unlawful activity to call 1-888-310- 1122 or 705 286-1431.

Should you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a secure web-tip at khcrimestoppers.com, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward.

COVID-19 outbreak at Highland Wood declared over

By

Sam Gillett

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November 30, 2022

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JQ-HWood-5-web — The Highland Wood Long-Term Care home. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

A COVID-19 outbreak at Highland Wood Long-Term Care is over.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit issued the all-clear Nov. 29 after declaring an outbreak Nov. 20.

Two residents tested positive for COVID-19, with six residents in isolation at the time the outbreak was declared. During the outbreak outside guests, except essential caregivers, were not permitted at the home.

“It is a testament to the hard work and diligence of our staff, as well as the understanding and cooperation of residents and their family members, that this outbreak was brought to a swift end,” said Carolyn Plummer, President and CEO of HHHS in a Nov. 29 media release. “We appreciate everyone’s contributions and support.”
Visitors are now permitted back at the home.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures such as mandatory masking for staff in resident areas, mandatory vaccination of staff and essential caregivers, daily surveillance testing of all non-residents and COVID-19 screening before entry, as well as enhanced cleaning will all still be in place.

Missing child found in Wilberforce

By

Sam Gillett

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November 25, 2022

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A child reported missing Nov. 24 has been found in Wilberforce.

The Haliburton Highlands Detachment reported that a local resident found the child, who was reported missing from a Wilberforce school shortly after 12 p.m. Thursday.

Officers from Bancroft, the Haliburton Highlands, OPP Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), OPP Central Region Canine and the OPP Emergency Response Teams (ERT) searched the area after the child went missing.

“A short time later, police received information from an alert community member, who reported seeing the child. Thanks to the community effort, the child was returned safely to family,” reads a Nov. 25 OPP media release.

Storm make finals in silver stick tourney

By

Mike Baker

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November 24, 2022

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On Nov. 19 and 20, the U13 Cheryl Smith RE/MAX local league team took part in the 20th annual silver stick international tournament hosted in Haliburton.

Saturday was an action-packed day with the Storm playing three games.

Our first game was against the Apsley Flames and the Storm dominated the play, bringing home a 5-3 win.

Next, we played Huntsville with a 5-1 win and our last game was a 6-0 victory over Sturgeon.

Three wins took us to the ‘A’ semi-final game on Sunday morning, where we went head-to-head against the Storm’s U13 LL Minden Pharmasave team. Again, we pulled out a successful win with a 5-3 score in a great hometown match-up.

We are so proud of this team for making it all the way to the ‘A’ championship game against the Millbrook Stars. Unfortunately, Millbrook’s size got the best of us and we lost in a hard-fought battle 5-3, taking home the title of ‘A’ finalists.

This entire squad should be commended for coming together as a team the entire weekend. It’s a strong group of players who cheer each other on both on and off the ice.

With a total of only nine players, our goaltender, Colten Simms, played exceptional the entire weekend, keeping the puck out of the net.

Our offensive line saw Tyler Hughes dominate each and every game and light up the scoreboard with a total of eight goals and three assists.

Jacob Sutton skates fast and hard every time he hits the ice with five goals and three assists

Captain Lyla Degeer showed her size doesn’t matter in the final game versus Millbrook, going in against kids twice her size and coming out with the puck, adding three goals and three assists for the weekend.

Cruize Neave works hard to control the play and is very skilled at assisting defensively when in need. He added two goals and three assists.

Katie LeValle is showing improvement every time she hits the ice, adding four assists.

Landyn Simms gets himself positioned perfectly in front of the opponent’s net and brought in two goals and two assists.

Our defensive team had three players rotating through, with Levi Rowe proving his abilities in back checking consistently throughout every game and bringing in five assists.

Lucas Vale brings to our team size and grit as well as adding to the scoreboard with two goals and two assists.

Hunter Hamilton stands his line well keeping the puck in the offensive zone and taking scoring opportunities when he can, bringing home two goals and five assists.

Head coach Mike Hamilton, trainer Marcus Rowe and assistant coach Cory Simms do an amazing job keeping this team focused and competitive all while having fun.

A huge thank you to all teams for attending this past weekend and all the parents and fans for coming out and cheering us on.

Craig and Tammy Smith always do an amazing job organizing these silver stick tournaments and we are forever thankful.

Ponders on ice – again – for 2023 event

By

Lisa Gervais

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November 24, 2022

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Unable to secure a venue, organizers of the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships have cancelled the event for 2023.

Owner John Teljeur publicly announced the news on the championship’s Facebook page Nov. 16.

They were last held at the Pinestone Resort and Conference Centre in the winter of 2020, but have been iced due to COVID the previous two years.

Teljeur told teams and volunteers via Facebook that, “our months of trying to engage venue management to discuss the 2023 event have failed and we no longer have time to put together a successful event.”

However, he vowed, “this is not the end. We are committed to running an event in 2024 and will have information regarding this in the next couple of months.”

In the meantime, Teljeur said they’d be reaching out to teams that have paid deposits to discuss options. They had rolled over about 80 teams from a planned event last January that they had to cancel because of COVID.

Teljeur bought the championships in 2016 to move the event from Hunstville to Haliburton.

However, he said it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep them in the Highlands without a suitable venue. He’s been looking at other options but cannot find a good fit.

“I need a host venue that is capable of holding 500 to 600 players at any one time for the stuff indoors. Plus, I need the convenience of having a water feature (a pond or lake) somewhere close by so the players don’t have to drive to get there,” he told The Highlander in a Nov 17 interview.

He said some players want more private accommodation, but the majority like being under one roof so they can socialize on the weekends. “The majority want to drop their keys on Friday and not pick them up until Sunday morning, so the challenge is we need rooms but also the means of having the pond. There’s a fine line of where all the things that you need converge in one spot.”

Teljeur said the Pinestone “is, ultimately, the greatest location for that, but you have to have a partner that is interested in getting involved.”

The Highlander asked owners of the Pinestone to comment, but did not receive a response as of press time.

Teljeur said while he brought the event to Head Lake in 2013, it was not ideal as they had to bus players to and from the Pinestone, which was expensive. The players, also, were not keen on that arrangement.

Teljeur said his back is somewhat up against the wall.

“It comes down to a clear choice. If Pinestone is not going to be involved going forward, it’s either one of two things for us. One is to cease operations altogether, which would be a shame, or to move it to another community, which is contrary to what I wanted to do.”

He said since making the announcement, his phone and email have been “blowing up” but there is nothing he can do about it.

He added it’s unfortunate since they had an uptick in interest, including potential teams from Scandinavian countries.

He added he loves the way the players have embraced the event, making it an annual get-together, many playing in costume. He said it is a lot of work but when organizers and volunteers see the players enjoying themselves so much, it’s worth it. And that’s why he is not giving up just yet.

“If something is worthwhile doing, you keep pushing until there’s just no other way to do it. I told the players and some of the volunteers I have been able to reach in the last 24 hours, we’re not quitting on this thing. I still believe that this thing can work but we need to have community engagement, especially from our accommodators and the venue.”