Upside Brown turning the lens on local

March 10, 2022

Some say Camp Rock, filmed at Camp Wanakita in 2007, launched the careers of Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers.

It inspired Brad Brown’s career too.

It was the local videographer’s first job in the film industry, thanks to a connection with Tammy Rea of Sticks and Stones Productions.

Fifteen years later, after a couple of years traveling regularly from his home in Minden to the GTA as part of his production company, the pandemic halted most of his work.

But there was a silver lining.

“It let me take a step back and reassess and see what I wanted to do,” Brown said.

What he wanted to do became clear: working closer to home in Haliburton County.

He said a video with a friend who led ice fishing tours “reintroduced himself to the County.”

Since then, he said one project has led to another. Throughout the pandemic, he’s worked with musicians, dancers, businesses and non-profits through his company, Upside Brown Production Services.

“It’s been really awesome, I can’t be happier to be working locally. I love that aspect of it,” he said.

That’s gotten easier over the years. Previously, it was faster to drive footage to Toronto rather than upload large files, with Haliburton County network speeds painfully slow.

All that’s changed, clearing the way for an efficient workflow within the Highlands.

“As I came back and started doing these video jobs, that’s an aspect of the job I like,” he said. “I get to learn about these things I didn’t necessarily know were here. There’s so much going on here.”

If you’ve watched videos from the Haliburton Sculpture Forest, Abbey Retreat Centre or musicians Nick and Benton, along with numerous other community mainstays, you’ve likely seen Brown’s work.

He said grants that emerged throughout COVID-19 might have equipped businesses and local groups with the funds to pivot to video, a decision that even a few years ago might have seemed daunting.

“People are realizing how important video is. Not that people didn’t know that before, but everyone’s a lot more aware of it now,” he said.

As a high schooler in Haliburton, Brown said he couldn’t wait to leave. Now, he said working in the County has shown him the community’s diversity.

“There’s a lot of great organizations and people passionate about what they do,” he said.

As the County’s population spiked by nearly 14 per cent in the past years, it’s likely Brown’s work is viewed by people who might be eyeing the Highlands as a tourist destination or even a place to live.

“I think it’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I think it’s important to show everything in the best light,” he said.

The Wolf Moon rises over the Highlands

Lisa Gervais

March 10, 2022

Reed Sacharoff needed a break when he left Toronto for his northern British Colombia home about two years ago. Then, COVID hit, forcing him to stay longer than planned. However, it gave him time to think about what he wanted to be doing with his life.

Once he got back to Toronto, he said he was speaking with one of his female friends who had just had a child and was also going through big life changes.

“I was telling her ‘I really just want to find a house in northern Ontario somewhere with commercial zoning on the main floor. I can open up a shop and live above it’ and that afternoon or evening I went on to Realtor.ca and saw this house was available.”

This house is at 15 Newcastle St. in Minden. In its most recent incarnation, it was Carole Finn’s artist centre before she left for B.C.

Sacharoff was familiar with the Highlands, having friends on Boshkung Lake and in Eagle Lake. Although he had not spent a huge amount of time in Minden, it was still somewhat familiar.

“I ended up coming up a couple of times after reaching out to the realtor, fell in love with the place, exactly what I was looking for and Carole had pretty much set it up for me.”

He has painted the interior and made it his own thanks to thrift shop finds, Facebook marketplace and IKEA.

When he moved, he had the security of still working remotely for Loblaw Digital so had an income while he created The Wolf Moon.

He describes it as “a queer-owned gift shop in Haliburton County focused on supporting Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC), 2SLGBTQ+, femme and female-owned small businesses.” In January 2021, he launched an online shop and opened the storefront in June 2021.

He said while opening a new business during a global pandemic has had its stresses, he also incorporated it into his business plan.

“I knew there was a lot of people coming up here. I knew people were spending more time at cottages and such. I knew there was going to be a larger market up here for the products I was selling.”

His original idea was skincare and wellness as well as household products, but it has expanded. He believes in ecoconscious brands. He is also a supporter of local businesses, with Living Libations, Woodsmoke and Lore and Wallings Studios having places in his store. “

As I’ve been having people come in, I’m just asking them what they are looking for in this area,” he said. “I’m tying to figure out what’s missing up here while trying not to step on other (competitors’) toes.”

He said his products range in price from $2 to $150 because “I wanted it to be accessible to everyone. I know this area is not one of the wealthiest areas. It’s nice for someone to come into here and be able to find something. Anyone can come in here and find a lovely gift for someone.”

He also wants it to be a safe space, “a space I would have loved to have growing up in a small town. I am wearing that queerness on my sleeve and making sure people understand my political views.” He has a sign outside that reads, ‘stomp out racism, stomp out homophobia, stomp out transphobia’. “There’s no space for that kind of talk in my world.”

For more, see the online shop thewolfmoon.ca or on Instagram at instagram.com/thewolfmoonshop/. For now, he is open Friday to Monday.

Epilepsy fundraiser hoping for last big year

Sam Gillett

March 10, 2022

For a decade, hundreds of Highlanders gathered at HHSS each summer to run and walk for epilepsy research.

Now, the Woudstra and Pogue families are bringing Katie’s Run to a close. “It’s an emotional ending to a big thing we’ve done for the last 10 years,” said Katie Woudstra, whose epilepsy diagnosis inspired the event.

The family made the choice due to a recent move to Nova Scotia, the uncertainty of the pandemic and Katie’s ongoing health challenges.

The Woudstras expressed thanks to attendees, event sponsors and prize donors who have made the event possible.

“The Haliburton community has been so supportive of this run in the last 10 years and stood by us,” said Katie.

She and her family put out a call to all attendees, asking for one last donation before they cease fundraising for the initiative at the end of March, which is epilepsy awareness month. So far, they’ve raised $399,700. “The beauty of what we’ve been able to do is we’ve partnered with other organizations over the years. We’ve been able to follow where every donation goes,” said Katie’s mom, Geri.

Katie and her family have had the chance to visit research labs and learn about cutting-edge neurological studies from leading medical professionals. Geri said one of the achievements of the fundraiser has been “the connections with other families, the community that was built through this, and the networking that’s come through it.”

Katie added how they started making professional connections in the medical community too, to help inform people living with epilepsy and their families. ‘We were able to help connect those two worlds,” she said.

Running for answers

Katie’s Run began in 2012, two years after Katie’s first seizure and ensuing journey to an epilepsy diagnosis.

“We started this run at the worst of the worst time, and we had no answers,” said Geri. “We still don’t have many answers for Katie. That’s the thing with epilepsy. They can’t often target why it’s happening, or the cause. Or the solution is often not there for families either.”

Many who came out to the fundraiser didn’t know about epilepsy. Afterward, people often approached Katie or her family to thank them for sharing about the neurological condition. “That would mean a lot to us,” Katie said.

The Woudstras encourage people to follow Epilepsy Canada online to learn more about the condition and to take part in Purple Day on March 26. At each run, Katie spoke to the crowd about her personal experience living with epilepsy.

“It’s been hard, to share such personal things,” she said. “But I felt it was a necessity. I don’t know exactly why but I felt it was an absolute necessity to share.”

Katie said at each event after she gave her speech, she would absorb the atmosphere.

“There was a moment of “I just can’t believe we did this,” she said. “And there’s a double-edged sword to that: I can’t believe we have to do this. I have this brain disorder that shouldn’t be. It makes me sad but it also makes me proud to look around and see that we’re doing something about it.” To donate to Katie’s Run, visit katiesrun.ca.

Home and Cottage show is returning

Mike Baker

March 10, 2022

After a forced two-year hiatus, the Haliburton Home and Cottage show is returning to the Highlands in June.

Put on by the Haliburton Curling Club, the three-day extravaganza is one of the largest and most popular events in the community according to organizer, Dave Taylor. It has been running since 1977.

The show will take place during the first weekend in June.

“It’s definitely nice to be back. We haven’t been able to run a show since 2019,” Taylor said. “Traditionally, this has been one of the big community kick-offs to the summer season. We have lots planned for this year’s show – lots of familiar faces will be involved, while we’ve also seen a lot of new vendors jump on board. I think it’s going to be a great event.”

The show will be taking place at the Haliburton Curling Club and A.J. LaRue Arena.

Taylor said he’s around 80 per cent booked up as far as vendors go, with around 160 local businesses and community groups to be featured. There will be businesses specializing in docks, indoor and outdoor furniture, sporting goods and water toys, sheds, gazebos, septic systems, building and contracting, and landscaping on hand over the course of the event.

Also returning is the popular doggy daycare service that debuted in 2019. “That was a big hit when we introduced it. It’s something we do at no charge,” said Glenn Scott, who has helped organize the show for several years. “Basically, we’ll take care of your pet for a couple of hours while you’re browsing around. We have a couple of ladies that provide the services, and they’re really great at what they do … People liked it because they could bring their pets, and then others enjoyed stopping by to see all the dogs.”

While the event has typically drawn between 2,500 and 3,000 visitors in the past, Taylor said he expects the recent surge in new residents in Haliburton County to have an impact on attendance.

There will be several non-profit groups with booths, including Haliburton Rotary and Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation.

“We think this could be a great way for those new to the area to come out and learn about some of the services, some of the groups we have in our community … We strive to make sure this show has variety, that there’s lots of different things for people to check out,” Taylor said. “It’s also a pretty big [economic] driver. It brings people into town.

“We’re just excited to be putting on a show again. It’s been a rough couple of years for everyone, so having something like this to look forward to is really nice,” Taylor said.

Show hours are 4-9 p.m. June 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 4 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 5. Admission is $3 for adults, while kids can get in for free. For more information, visit haliburtonhomeandcottageshow. com. To enquire about becoming a vendor, contact halibhomeshow@gmail.com.

Dorset Tower reopening for May holiday

Mike Baker

March 10, 2022

One of the Highlands’ most iconic landmarks, the Dorset Tower, will be reopening to the public in a couple of months.

Having been closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the facility should be open in time for the May long weekend, says Chris Card, parks, recreation and trails manager with Algonquin Highlands.

“COVID regulations have changed and a number of restrictions relative to recreational programming and these type of attractions have been eased recently. We asked members of the Algonquin Highlands Emergency Operations Centre to review the possibility of the tower reopening, and they gave their blessing,” Card told council March 3.

Some clean-up is required at the site before it can be reopened. Card says township staff will be tending to ditches and culverts in the area, and resurfacing part of the road into the site as soon as the ice has melted.

A new pre-sale ticketing system has been established, in partnership with Camis Inc., so staff can track and, if necessary, limit the number of visitors at the site on any given day.

Council was unanimous in its support of reopening the tower, with deputy mayor Liz Danielsen particularly enthusiastic over the decision.

“I really like to see that the tower will be reopening. I know everybody has missed being able to go up there and enjoy the facilities,” she said. “This is good news.

” Some recreational programs were also approved to start up again, with Card saying specific details over activities and locations would soon be posted to the township website.

2022 budget approved

Home owners in Algonquin Highlands are facing a 2.33 per cent increase on the municipal portion of their tax bill this year after council signed off on its 2022 budget March 3.

That equates to an increase of approximately $8.20 per $100,000 of assessment for residential properties. In total, the township expects to spend just shy of $6 million this year. The biggest departmental expense is transportation, coming in at just over $2.4 million. Protective services, including fire and police, will cost around $2.1 million, while the parks and recreation budget came in just north of $1 million. Waste management will set the township back around $763,000 this year.

Municipal reserves will take a battering over the next 12 months, with the township drawing just under $4.3 million to offset several expensive capital expenditures. Treasurer Jean Hughes projects a 30.5 per cent decrease in total reserves this year, with a projected end-of-year balance of $6.3 million – down from over $9 million by the end of 2021.

There was a clear pattern during last week’s meeting, with the township’s elected officials opting to use reserves to pay for some last-minute projects tagged onto the budget. They decided to draw an additional $25,000 for the Stanhope Airport accessibility project, having already allocated around $200,000 to the initiative. A further $85,000 was dedicated to an ongoing cultural plan, AVL system upgrades, and dock replacements at the Raven Lake Landing.

At an earlier budget meeting, held Feb. 16, it was noted the township would use reserves to pay for the reconfiguration of the Maple Lake landfill ($1 million), repairs at the airport ($638,700), public works vehicle replacements ($202,000), new firefighting equipment ($130,000), upgrades at the township office ($135,000) and the installation of a new lightning strike system at the Dorset Tower ($129,000).

Mayor Carol Moffatt commended staff and her fellow councillors for toeing the line again this year and delivering a budget with what was described as a modest tax increase for area ratepayers. “It’s quite remarkable, really,” Moffatt said in response to the final numbers reported by Hughes.

Climate change challenging townships

Lisa Gervais

March 10, 2022

LG-Dysart winter maintenance 2 — Goodyear winter tire testing at the Automotive Enviro Testing Facility in Baudette, Minnesota. Photography By LewStampPhotography.com

As County climate change coordinator Korey McKay makes the rounds with her recently-released corporate climate change adaptation plan, Dysart et al discussed some of the impacts of new weather norms at its March 8 meeting – including two heavy duty snowplows sliding off of icy roads.

Director of public works Rob Camelon said the trucks sustained significant damage, with one likely being a complete loss and another out of service pending repairs.

The first incident occurred Feb. 17 when a truck slid off of Haliburton Lake Road. The second happened Feb. 18 on Ridgeview Road when a truck slid backwards into a ditch and flipped onto its side.

Camelon said the first incident produced minor injuries and no injuries were reported in the second.

As a result, his department is short two trucks but has borrowed one from the County to ensure full coverage of routes. He added they have a new truck scheduled to arrive in the summer so will be back to normal once it’s delivered.

“February was a particularly challenging month for road crews,” he said. “Along with nearly 90 cm of snow that accumulated, the roads network experienced two sustained rain events of 10 mm and 20 mm.”

He added, “Ice build-up and frozen culverts along roadways are becoming a concern for the travelling public and staff. Ice build-up from 75 mm to 250 mm has been observed in areas where ice has been removed. There are 23 frozen culvert sites being monitored.”

According to charts he presented to the committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, the use of sand tells an emerging climate story. Since Jan. 1, the township has used 5,707 tonnes of sand, or a 47 per cent increase over last year. In February, it was a 65 per cent increase. He assured council while he doesn’t have final numbers there is not going to be a big surplus in winter maintenance costs this year.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said it has been a “busy, stressful and very challenging” winter.

She asked Camelon about the condition of culverts going forward. “We’ve had this up and down crazy weather, some warmer temperatures, the concern of course is if we get a lot of precipitation or a lot of melt and the culverts are still frozen, water goes over the road as opposed to through the culverts. Where are we at with that?”

Worst year ever

Camelon said they had worked on the problem March 4-5. He said they have anywhere from three to 10 inches of ice on some roads, so culverts have to be checked regularly. “This is the worst year from frozen culverts that I certainly remember.” He added there is so much snow, the water does not quit running.

Camelon further told councillors, “We’ve used chains more in the last two-and-a-half weeks than we have in the last 20 years.” He added he’s never seen anything like the conditions of late.

He said he is hopeful it is a “one and done” season and they will get back to “nice easy winters.” However, Coun. Larry Clarke said he does not think that is going to happen. “This is going to be more frequent than what we’ve seen in the past. It may not be every year but we have to be geared up to deal with this kind of winter going forward,” he said.

Camelon said they have been doing things such as deepening ditches and upsizing culverts or the situation could have been much worse. He said they also have a public works administration assistant to help forward calls to the road crews quicker.

McKay presented her report to County council Feb. 23 and is now taking it to the townships.

It outlines some of the challenges municipal operations and services will face as weather patterns shift, while including some suggested mitigation measures.

She is highlighting how the weather is changing in Haliburton County. It is trending towards higher temperatures, resulting in more heat waves and less snow. It also means increased precipitation, with rainfall concentrated in more intense events with longer dry spells in between. That will result in increased flood risk, as well as lake levels that experience higher highs and lower lows. There will also be more frequent and intense storms of all kind, including ice and thunderstorms.

Clarke said the changing climate is challenging residents, too.

“Individual homeowners trying to keep ahead of the ice … layers and layers of sand and still not going into it, so it’s a challenge.”

McKay will next shift her focus to climate impacts to private property, business operations and community wellbeing in the development of a community climate action plan.

Is it time to change government?

Lisa Gervais

March 10, 2022

When voters go to the municipal election polls Oct. 24, 2022, they’ll find not much has changed since they cast their ballots four years ago.

The names of people vying to represent them may have altered, but they will still be voting for 24 people, of which eight will automatically become County councillors, for a total of 32 elected officials for a County estimated to have 20,571 people over 4,000-square-kilometres.

By contrast, the City of Kawartha Lakes will again elect eight councillors for its population of about 75,000 people over 3,000 square kilometres.

The need for a governance review was discussed in the lead-up to the 2018 municipal election.

However, more than three years later, nothing has been done on that front. Instead, councillors have opted for a service delivery review, which will take until at least 2023 to complete. Some in the County, such as Glenn Evans of the Haliburton County Home Builders Association, Terry Moore of Environment Haliburton! and outspoken Minden resident Patrick Walshe think that isn’t good enough.

Nor do some County councillors, most notably Minden Hills mayor Brent Devolin. However, many others, including prominent political science professors and a number of councillors say the service delivery review must be completed first.

There can be no cart before the horse. They say its implementation may, or may not, lead to a look at governance. Examining the City of Kawartha Lakes’ forced amalgamation of 20 years ago offers some insight into what can be gained by becoming a single-tier municipality. It isn’t about cost savings. However, it’s greater efficiency with better customer service. Or so we’re told.

We have yet to see any studies that back that up. A majority of County councillors believe implementing recommendations in the service delivery review will result in cost savings and efficiencies.

It’s certainly been worth looking at what Strategy Corp. is suggesting and making changes. But the question becomes, is that going to be enough? The provincial government, for now, says it won’t force amalgamations in Ontario.

In fact, it’s the province that supplied the money for the service delivery review and is pleased it’s been spent and a report tabled. It doesn’t appear to have much interest beyond that.

We’re not hearing words such as amalgamation or annexation. The will for change – if the community wants it – will have to come from Haliburton County’s elected officials. The community needs to start asking some tough questions: is the service delivery review and its expected efficiencies and cost savings enough? Or is it time for one level of government or a hybrid model?

It’s been 20 years since the last local amalgamation created the four townships we now have. Is it time for a serious look into what governance will best suit us going into the future? We’ll be asking these questions in a series of stories that kicks off today. If you have strong opinions on the subject, email editor@thehighlander.ca

Is it time to discuss County governance?

Lisa Gervais

March 10, 2022

LG-amalgamation part 1 - Patrick Walshe b — Minden resident Patrick Walshe has long called for a review of local governments. Photo by Lisa Gervais.

When campaigning to be mayors and deputy mayors in 2018, Haliburton County candidates were asked about amalgamation.

In his opening remarks to a debate audience at Haliburton School of Art + Design, Minden Hills mayor Brent Devolin was the only candidate to address the issue.

“Our current municipal structure of 24 persons in 32 political positions in a County of less than 20,000 permanent residents [now 20,571] is not sustainable,” he said at the time.

He added, “A four-year term of council is enough to assess, consider, plan and execute the possible changes in time for a municipal election in 2022.”

During question period, voter Patrick Walshe pushed the issue, saying, “I really don’t want to hear you guys say we should talk about it or we might talk about it. I think amalgamation has to be looked at.”

More than three years after that debate, there has been no study into a governance review for Haliburton County and its four lower-tier municipalities.

Instead, there has been a service delivery review, paid for by the province, “to understand, identify, and evaluate opportunities to achieve a more efficient and effective service delivery model across the Haliburton municipalities while maintaining adequate service levels.” Haliburton County CAO Mike Rutter said, “The focus of staff is really not on the governance question. Our focus has been on ensuring there is a process in place that will provide our councils with sufficient information to make decisions on the [service delivery review’s] recommendations.”

Warden Liz Danielsen said they are already working to eliminate duplication and streamline the way things are done via the ongoing service delivery review – which is expected to take until 2023 to complete.

She noted that every department at every municipality is taking part in the discussions. For example, the warden said they know contractors who work in all four townships are in some cases dealing with four different sets of rules.

“Even if we can resolve something like that, we’ve made progress,” she said.

Service delivery review first

She emphasized the service delivery review will have to play out before there is talk of a governance review.

Danielsen added, “Just because there’s duplication doesn’t mean that we have to amalgamate to resolve the issue.” She said amalgamation might eventually be the answer but she’s not convinced of widespread council support.

“Obviously, all of this started with thoughts of amalgamation. It’s fine to say ‘we need to amalgamate and stamp our feet’ but that doesn’t mean we need to amalgamate. Is it the answer? Will it be cheaper? We’ve seen some examples where it’s not cheaper?”

Devolin said it isn’t necessarily about saving money. “This is about being more efficient and getting value for money.”

Danielsen said she’s personally come around to the point where “I am open.” She said the service delivery review process “has opened my eyes. You find yourself thinking, maybe we should be doing this, that or the other. More councillors may be coming to that conclusion. Maybe amalgamation is inevitable.”

Devolin has never wavered.

When he announced in the fall that he won’t be seeking a third term as mayor, he said one of his greatest regrets is that he was not able to push his colleagues to consolidate local government. In a lengthy interview, he elaborated “I still think that 32 political positions for a population of less than 20,000 people [now 20,571] is absurd.”

He said COVID has caused an explosion of growth in the Highlands and highlighted labour shortages in municipal government.

He said it’s easier to attract candidates to larger governments. With a background in forestry and cars, he added those industries had to consolidate to survive and it’s no different for local government. “I’m just a huge believer in a proactive stance rather than a reactive stance.” That being said, the current provincial government has no plans to move forward with changes to regional governments, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Rather, “The province encourages municipalities to look for opportunities to work together and supports locally-developed solutions that are mutually beneficial,” Conrad Spezowka said. As for Walshe, he thinks the service delivery review does not go far enough.

“If we’re doing a performance analysis and it is going to be made by cutting jobs, for example, and your job is going to be cut, how objective are you going to be? I’m not saying you’re dishonest or disloyal, but it is far from a thorough review of them managing funds, and providing the best level of government in this part of the world.”

He thinks there would be “a whole other level of service improvements, streamlining and a gazillion other benefits” that would come from amalgamation. “This is 2022. We can’t be running things the way we were in 1982. It makes no sense. I don’t think there’s any real thirst for meaningfully improving the services government brings to this part of the world. We’re still stuck in the 1980s.”

Next week: It isn’t about saving money

How County councillors feel about a governance review

Dysart et al mayor Andrea Roberts

I think there is so much on County council’s plate right now what with the shoreline bylaw still not resolved and now we have started the process for a short-term rental review.

I would say the issue of municipal governance in general will become a hot election topic. Amalgamation has been talked about before, but there has never been a review on if it would actually be better or worse for the people of Haliburton County. It will be interesting to see where things start to go once the election period begins.

Dysart et al deputy mayor Pat Kennedy

I do think that eventually we will move to a single tier.

Fiscal savings as a result of such a decision? Doubt it, and in many instances operational costs and property taxes (especially for the taxpayers of Dysart) will increase. I still believe, as I did in 2018, that a confederation model is the best approach, where services are assigned to upper or lower tier. This to me is the most efficient model while still remaining responsive to local challenges.

Minden Hills mayor Brent Devolin has always supported having a single-tier government. [See quotes in story]

Minden Hills deputy mayor Lisa Schell

To be honest, I’ve never had a strong opinion one way or the other regarding having a one-tier governance; however, I have been a strong proponent of the [services delivery] review in order to see if it makes sense financially. I think if it is established that it is feasible financially, a governance review would definitely be warranted as well.

Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt

I believe the County needs a governance review not only because it’s our responsibility to continually assess our raison d’etre, but also because the phrase “form follows function” is part of our commitment to the service delivery review.

I’ve done a lot of research on governance models and while there are no financial savings to be had in moving to single-tier, the public may prefer the efficiencies of one bylaw or fire department, or a countywide landfill system. However, if the upper and lower tiers reconfigure their working relationships in accordance with the recommendations of the SDR, a full-on amalgamation may not be necessary. Either way, when the time comes, there’s going to have to be a detailed analysis of potential gains and losses so that the difference is clearly understood. For me, the pandemic has brought to light myriad more reasons to have that review in order to genuinely craft this community’s future.

Algonquin Highlands deputy mayor Liz Danielsen said she is open-minded about the possibility. [See quotes in story]

Highlands East mayor David Burton

My viewpoint hasn’t changed during the service delivery review. We are mid-stream going through the recommendations of the final service delivery review report and a discussion of governance would be premature at this point. I am pleasantly surprised on how many joint initiatives that are transpiring now.

Highlands East deputy mayor Cec Ryall

I believe that a single level government for Haliburton County will eventually happen. However, my position has been and continues to be that we need to complete the majority of the service delivery review before we consider how the County is governed. So far, we have investigated, and in some cases resolved, many challenges that were identified and those solutions will contribute to a stronger Haliburton County. Items like economic development and procurement are in progress as we speak. That still leaves important issues like waste management, fire and roads that will require revised solutions. More complex issues like the building, official planning and shoreline preservation must also be addressed.

We know these challenges are there; they can be significantly improved; and in my mind carry a higher priority at this moment. (Lisa Gervais).

Huskies weather Rangers’ rally in big win

Sam Gillett

March 10, 2022

The Haliburton Huskies scored in double-overtime to break a resurgent North York team March 8.

The 3-2 win brought the crowd at the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena to their feet.

From puck drop, the Huskies pressed against the disciplined GTA squad. First-period play was back-and-forth, with neither team claiming advantage of fast, free-flowing hockey. In the second, the Huskies bounded into action.

A short cross from Patrick Saini in front of the Rangers’ net was converted by Lucas Stevenson, who flicked the puck into the bottom left corner. Shortly after, Stevenson slotted another with eight minutes to go in the third period.

With the seconds trickling down, the Rangers pulled their goalie, turning the game on its head.

The red and blue battered the Huskies with an extra attacker, crowding the Dogs’ net, slicing a shot past Christian Cicigoi to make it 2-1, and then 2-2 in quick succession.

Coach Ryan Ramsay said he’s never seen a team score two goals with a goalie pulled. “It’s something that doesn’t happen too often in a game. Hats off to them, they hemmed us in a little bit,” Ramsay said.

As the third period drew to a close, the Huskies’ crowd thundered into life, urging the boys up the rink.

A taut overtime followed, with shots from Saini, Sooklal, Tarr and others coming tantalizingly close to glory. It was Simon Rose who broke the ice deep in the second period of overtime, assisted by Patrick Saini.

The boys in blue flooded the ice to celebrate.

“The boys are playing well, they’ve responded well. Obviously, there’s some confidence coming back into their game,” said Ramsay.

Triumph over St. Michael’s

The Huskies trounced St. Michael’s in a 4-1 away win March 4.

Nicholas Athanasaskos opened the scoring in the second minute, assisted by Cameron Kosurko. That prompted a flurry of goals in the period, with Rose capitalizing on a powerplay to bulge the netting, assisted by Stevenson and Saini.

A Payton Schaly goal followed shortly after. St. Michael’s only goal came during a powerplay during the closing seconds of the period.

The Huskies turned on the cruise control, weathering St. Michael’s attacks until the 18th minute of the last period when Christian Stevens snuck home a shot on an empty net.

Ramsay said the return of four-day practice weeks helps prepare the team for these late-season battles as playoffs loom.

“You can slow things down and really teach a lot. Since then, we’ve recorded two big wins,” he said. The Dogs return to play March 11 at home against Trenton before facing fierce rivals Lindsay March 12 at 4:30 p.m.

Province to end masking mandate

Sam Gillett

March 9, 2022

Highlands businesses and indoor public spaces won’t be obligated to enforce mask-wearing as of March 21.

All remaining COVID-19 health measures will be dropped by the end of April, announced Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Keiran Moore, at a Mar. 9 press conference.

The Highlands’ top doctor Natalie Bocking said Mar. 8 that masks are still key in preventing the spread of the virus.

“We know that masks are an effective and easy way to slow transmission of COVID-19,” said Dr. Bocking, Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge’s chief medical officer of health at a media information session Mar. 9.

“What is key is we continue to be aware COVID-19 is still in the community, there are still people who will get COVID-19,” she said.

Dr. Moore said with increasing immunity and high vaccination rates mean Ontario “has the tools to deal with the impact of this virus” without mask enforcement.

He said the decision to remove the mandate “does not mean the risk is gone” and that Ontarians should expect to see a case count increase as people “increasingly interact with one another.”

Masking rules will still be in effect for congregate living settings, public transit, long-term care homes, shelters and jails.

Bocking said “time will tell” whether the decision to remove masking rules comes too soon.

“It does place the onus on individuals to assess risk for themselves, and assess the impact on other people,” she said.

Bocking added that businesses and other settings have the ability to maintain masking rules, acknowledging the possibility the decision might prove contentious.

“The pandemic has been a long pandemic and certainly has the potential to continue on: it’s very unfortunate in some settings [masks have] become divisive,” she said.

Currently, Haliburton has two lab-confirmed unresolved cases of COVID-19, with 413 lab-confirmed cases to date.

Isolation rules change

If you’re over 18 with a booster dose or considered fully isolated, you won’t need to isolate if someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19. The isolation period for vaccinated people remains five days. For unvaccinated people who have COVID-19, as well as unvaccinated close contacts, the isolation period remains 10 days.

As of Mar. 11, the Province also will change how it reports COVID-19 deaths. It will specify whether COVID-19 caused a death, contributed to a death or if the cause of death is unknown.

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