Highland Yard to celebrate 50 years pounding the streets

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May 26, 2022

Registration for this year’s Highland Yard will open next week, and event organizers say they have something special planned to celebrate the event’s 50th anniversary.

A fundraiser in support of local nonprofit Places for People, the Highland Yard traditionally encourages participants to raise pledges ahead of gathering for a large, in-person race across the Highlands. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has had to switch gears a little bit, transitioning to a more personal event.

That will continue again in 2022, with participants having the option to complete a 2k, 5k or 10k run/walk in their own time. Registration opens June 1, with people having two months to complete their circuit.

While long time organizer Jack Russel said he would have loved to stage an in-person event again after a three year absence, he said the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and provincial restrictions earlier this year when planning forced his team’s hand.

“We just weren’t sure how things were going to unfold. It takes a lot of time to get the planning into action for this event. We’ve been there before (planning an in-person event that had to be cancelled) so we decided to play it safe and do another virtual run,” Russel said.

Now that things have calmed and people have, for the most part, returned to normal day-to-day life, Russel said he’s been able to plan an after party of sorts in recognition of Highland Yard’s 50th birthday.

“We’ve been trying for the past three years to celebrate… The first running of the Highland Yard was 1971, so while this will be our 52nd event, we’re calling it the ‘50th year of running’. We just want to squeeze in an opportunity to celebrate and mark the occasion,” Russel said.

A celebration will be held at Abbey Gardens Sept. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Following back-to-back record-breaking years, where Highland Yard has raised more than $30,000, Russel said he’s keeping his fingers crossed for another mammoth total in 2022. In the 10 years that Places for People has run the event, Russel estimated they have raised more than $150,000.

“So, what do we do with that money? Right now, Places for People is evolving and changing the way it operates. It’s moving from managing single dwelling units to larger scale multi-unit buildings… Places for People is stepping up to provide a much-needed service to the community,” Russel said.

The organization currently owns and manages seven units across Haliburton County. In recent years, management has been working closely with Dysart township on a large-scale development on Wallings Road (now affronting Halbiem Crescent), while further community projects are in the works.

Following 11 successful years at the helm of the local event, Russel will be passing along stewardship of Highland Yard to Rotaract Haliburton Highlands. All proceeds raised from future events will still benefit Places for People.

For more information on Highland Yard, or to register visit highlandyard.ca.

Looking for winged celebrities

By

Sam Gillett

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May 26, 2022

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Celebrities are flocking back to the Haliburton Highlands.

They’re floating by docks, flitting gracefully from feeder to branch. They’re indulging in juicy worms and gossip or singing songs more renowned than anything on the top 40 lists.

The birds of Haliburton County are back for the summer.

They’re the reason a group of intrepid fans arrived at 6:30 a.m. May 21 for the Don Smith Memorial Bird Walk, hosted by the Haliburton Highlands Land Trust.

As birder Ed Poropat welcomed the group to the Haliburton County Rail Trail, the birds had already begun singing.

“It’s been getting quite busy … we’re right in the peak of migration right now,” said Poropat. “We should have lots to see on our way,” he added.

With that, the group set off in the hazy late spring morning. On the path? Hushed tones and the crunch of gravel. In the trees? Thousands of conversations, tasty pine cone breakfasts and happy trills.

It was the first memorial walk, which board member Sheila Ziman said would hopefully be a yearly tradition to pay homage to Smith’s memory. Smith was a bird enthusiast, who led a Spring Warbler walk once a year for the Haliburton Field Naturalists.

“He was always keen. He was the one I learned from … he was so animated and happy to do it for us,” said Ziman.

Smith, who passed away in 2021, was a small mammal researcher, passionate about birds and creatures of all kinds.

Every few metres the group would pause and look up, glimpsing a member of the flying famous. A stork cut a dark shadow 300 metres out across Gelert Road. From behind pine needles a Bandit Warbler coyly observed awestruck fans.

A Scarlet Tanager dashed across the trail. “Hopefully we’ll get a good look at one of those up close,” Poropat said.

In a grove of evergreens, a Warbler performed its signature tune: “teacher, teacher.” Poropat explained how these tiny birds craft small nests under leaves expertly blending into their environments.

As is the case with all stars, there are copy-cats eager to emulate the greats. The Grey Catbird, calling down on the group from afar, mimics a range of birds, warbling along in a jumbled script that, for some reason, contains a “meow.”

For each bird the group hushed, lifting binoculars or squinting up at the treetops. They caught flashes of an orange belly or a grey beak turned to the sun. Poropat quickly identified each, listing its unique features. Often, he’d withdraw a book containing detailed drawings of each species. No bird too small, too common, all rendered expertly down to each gleaming talon and shiny beak.

Some were just passing through, catching a bite to eat. Others, like so many ground-dwellers this time of year, will call the Highlands home again after spending the winter down south.

As the sun rose higher, the group rambled further and the woodland gossip continued. The Highlands’ winged and famous are back.

HHOA stocking effort makes 35,000 splashes

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Sam Gillett

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May 26, 2022

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Thirty-five thousand new fish are swimming through Haliburton lakes this spring thanks to the Haliburton Highlands Outdoors Association (HHOA).

The association raised 15,000 Lake Trout and 20,000 Rainbow Trout this year at its Gelert Road hatchery.

For 12 days, HHOA volunteers shipped out tanks of fish to 18 lakes around the County. Some were dropped by helicopter, others by boat.

“Stocking thousands of fish in multiple lakes is a very big job that involves a lot of moving parts and a lot of people power,” HHOA President Dan Smith said in a media release. “Timing is critical. Water temperatures have to be just right. It’s a lot of coordination and hard work but it’s well worth the effort to help maintain good fishing in our lakes.”

Hatchery manager departs

Hatchery manager Randy Charter is stepping down after seven years. Charter was the volunteer responsible for coordinating stocking efforts and completing other tasks around the hatchery.

“Randy has been a wonderful member and friend to the HHOA. His contributions have been outstanding. He will truly be missed and we wish him the best going forward,” Smith said.

Charter said the HHOA is a “wonderful organization with so many great people, with various life skills and experiences coming together to achieve a common goal.

I want to thank all our volunteers over the years for coming on board, working hard and helping to build an awesome team,” said Charter.

HHOA reports Walleye rise

The HHOA counted 2,100 Walleye at their Drag River monitoring site, exceeding 2021’s count of 1,334.

Volunteers observed the Walleye spawns nightly until April 29, counting young Walleye who hatched from eggs laid on the river’s rocky bottom.

“We think our efforts are going to have an impact,” said Tim Bahr, HHOA board member.

He said the next step is coordinating with Trent Severn Waterways staff to ensure the river gets adequate flow, to help the Walleye flourish.

“What we need to do is work really hard to make sure that water flow is maintained at the level it’s supposed to,” he said.

He encouraged anglers and fishery supporters to play the association’s 50/50 draw to help raise money for their Walleye preservation efforts.

“We’re going to keep at it,” Bahr said.

First 50/50 win reeled in

Kimberly MacDonald won the HHOA’s first 50/50 draw for 2022, totalling $2,270. Half the proceeds from the 50/50 draw fund HHOA’s walleye spawning rehabilitation efforts, stocking local lakes and other activities. Tickets can be purchased at bigcatch5050.ca.

Gooderham reservist kept vehicles running

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Lisa Gervais

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May 26, 2022

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Gooderham’s Peter Miller has just returned from Wainwright, Alberta where he worked as a vehicle technician during a Canadian Army training exercise.

A master corporal, the 57-year-old took part in Exercise Maple Resolve from May 10-22.

Miller said his shift started at 8 a.m. every day and he repaired vehicles used by the army to train soldiers.

“For the most part, when it was busy, it was a 12-hour-long day,” he said. “We removed engines and major components, anything that takes longer than two hours to repair.”

As a reservist with 32 Service Battalion in Toronto, Miller said he is still learning new things every day, despite his 30 years of experience as a civilian mechanic, and his 22-year career in the military.

“There are many things here that we don’t see as civilians, like armoured vehicles, so there’s still a lot for me to learn,” he said. “But you can bring your skills and knowledge here from civilian life. It’s a great experience.”

Exercise Maple Resolve is the Canadian Army’s largest and most complex exercise. It tests the skills of army leaders and soldiers through a force-on-force exercise. It’s planned and coordinated by the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre in Wainwright.

This year, the majority of participating soldiers were from 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group based in Petawawa. About 2,800 soldiers, including participants from the United States and the United Kingdom, took part.

Mega Munch takes bite into Haliburton village

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Sam Gillett

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May 26, 2022

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One of Haliburton’s popular outdoor eateries has found a new home.

Mega Munch food truck, now located across from the Haliburton LCBO, plans to fire up the grill and open their window in the coming weeks.

The popular food truck served hearty breakfast and lunch fare at its Hwy. 118 location for years before facing possible closure in October 2022 when they lost access to their longtime home.

“We were a little nervous we might have to leave town, said Wendy Vargas, who operates the business with her husband Adrian Vargas and their two sons Alex and Matthew.

They said they’re grateful to Adam Perecko and Chris O’Mara, owners of SolidState Computer Solutions and Prettypaws Pet Boutique, for providing space for the truck on their property.

Perecko said he and O’Mara value local business and were pleased to help the Vargas family find a new spot.

“Everybody wins,” Perecko said.

Mega Munch will soon have outdoor seating, and a stone pathway down to the river behind the truck will be a great place for picnics, Adrian said.

The food truck will now be open year-round. A winter menu will feature soups and hearty sandwiches.

Wendy said the people who frequent the truck are the best part of the job.

“Overall it’s a very positive experience. Everyone is happy with our service and our food. That’s what makes it rewarding,” Wendy said.

While inflation and supply chain issues mean Mega Munch has had to re-configure its pricing, Adrian said it prices its food “for local people.”

Many of those locals helped the family set up its new location, making time to help fill and dig the gravel base for the truck, install water lines and septic and more.

Other Mega Munch regulars have been honking their support or, most often, asking when they’ll be able to grab a bite to eat.

“A lot of people are very kind in this town,” Adrian said.

Mega Munch is aiming to open in June. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

New software helped Heat-Line grow

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Mike Baker

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May 26, 2022

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Highlands-based company Heat-Line Freeze Protection Systems has been highlighted in a new federal study as a shining example of how investing in digital technology can help to grow a business if used efficiently.

The Business Development Bank of Canada says while 91 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada spent money on new technology in 2021, only a fraction of those are using their new tech effectively.

Founded in 1988 by Lorne and Robin Heise, Heat-Line specializes in developing and manufacturing advanced heating cable, heat trace wire and water pipe freeze protection solutions for the residential and commercial markets. The business is located on Green Lake Road, adjacent to Stanhope airport.

After years of flirting with the idea of bringing their business into the 21st century from a backend standpoint, Heat Line recently took the plunge by spending on new enterprise resource planning software (ERP). Operations manager Matthew Roberts said the software, supplied by NetSuite has completely revolutionized how the company manages its financials, supply chain, operations, reporting and manufacturing activities.

“It really was a whole new world once we got things up and running,” Roberts said. “We went from having a dozen different people having to manually take information down and transport them from one place to another, to having a software that dealt with all of that… Something that before would have taken us 10, 15 minutes we could do now in a few seconds.”

But it wasn’t an easy transition. Roberts estimates he spent between 600 to 700 hours digging up data for NetSuite for the system build, while the company’s production manager Richard Mee put in another 200 hours.

The system eventually went online in July 2020, just a couple of months into the pandemic. The time, and money, spent developing the software paid almost immediate dividends, Roberts said. It put the company in a position to be able to handle the “incredible” growth it saw later that year.

“Without that new software there’s no way we would have got through the pandemic expansion. In the two years since we launched it, our business has pretty much doubled in size with a similar level of frontline staff,” Roberts said.

After seeing how successful the NetSuite system has been for them behind-the-scenes, Roberts said the company has this year rolled out a new e-commerce website that allows customers to purchase materials, look at previous orders and track their deliveries in real time.

“That’s been a big hit, and has been a huge help for us too. Before, half of our production manager’s job was fielding calls from customers looking for an update on their order. Now, they can check all of that out for themselves,” Roberts said.

He added, “We couldn’t live without NetSuite now… It’s almost become the heart of our company.”

County continues short-term rentals review

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Lisa Gervais

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May 26, 2022

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More than 1,500 people responded to a County of Haliburton survey on short-term rentals, consultants J.L. Richards and Associates Ltd. told County council May 25.

They said the first of two surveys – focused on gathering community perspectives and their interactions with short-term rentals – was “well received.” The survey ran from April 3-25.

Report authors Gursimran Saini and Tori Ruck said they would use the information to guide a second round of consultation with County-identified stakeholders.

“The second round will focus more on the different ways on how to address the issues associated with short-term rentals,” they said. In their report, they said the County has to balance advancements in the tourism industry, via websites such as Airbnb and VRBO, with the need to create a regulatory framework “to manage these new age vacation rentals.”

They also said it is largely a municipal responsibility. Currently, short-term rentals are not addressed in the County’s official plan.

In the report, the consultants reviewed what’s been written about short-term rentals and looked at what nine other Canadian municipalities are doing.

Speaking to the literature review, they concluded, “generally, the research indicates that full-time, entire homes and multi listings are the underlying cause of various issues associated with STRs such as constriction of long-term rental markets and competition to traditional hospitality industry.

“Further, Combs, Kerrigan and Wachsmuth (2019) conclude that STRs are growing faster, concentrating faster, and removing housing from the long-term market faster in rural areas and CAs (Census Agglomerations) than in CMAs (Census Metropolitan Areas). This finding is important in context of the efforts to manage STR in Haliburton County, indicating foresight and a well-rounded approach is necessary in all relevant policy decisions.”

They looked at Blue Mountains; Whistler; Huntsville; Niagara-on-the-Lake; Lake of Bays; Prince Edward County; Vancouver; Kingston and Brampton for comparators.

Closer to Haliburton County, Blue Mountains regulates short-term rentals. They have a licensing application fee of $55; and two-year licensing for approximately $2,300 plus inspection fees. They have rules about density, occupancy, parking, landscaping, amenity space, health and safety. They also have a demerit point systems for various infractions by operators and guests, with licenses revoked if too many points are issued, and fines of up to $2,500.

Huntsville regulates the industry with an application fee of $55 and licencing fees of $500 to $750 with annual renewal fees. They also regulate occupancy, parking, and apply a municipal accommodation tax of four per cent.

Lake of Bays regulates via licensing, with three categories of fees, occupancy, parking and other considerations, such as setbacks.

“The best practices … have been adopted by various municipalities based on the local context … all municipalities contain general provisions in their relevant bylaws that require conformity of the units with other applicable regulations such as waste management bylaws, building code, fire code and noise bylaw,” the report stated.

“Additionally, there is a requirement of site plan, floor plan, parking management plan and emergency exit plan, together with site inspections to get [an] STR license in many municipalities. A responsible person who can respond to concern or complaints within a pre-determined amount of time is also a noted requirement in STR legislations.”

However, the planners also noted that the municipality of Collingwood, for example, does not permit short-term rentals, except in the form of bed and breakfast establishments.

Ultimately, they said it would be up to County councillors which direction the portfolio goes.

Referring to the first survey, they said, “there are several conflicting opinions regarding this topic, and we understand it can be a controversial one. This report is merely a summary of the comments received and is not indicative of the County’s or consultants’ position on the topic.”

See more in next week’s Highlander about what was decided at the meeting.

Stop-gap dam installed on Esson Lake

By

Sam Gillett

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May 26, 2022

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Two weeks after the erosion of a soil embankment on Esson Lake in Highlands East, Parks Canada crews have installed a temporary dam to shore up the breach.

In an update to landowners, Parks Canada said it is currently removing materials used to block a culvert dividing two sides of the lake. The dam was installed May 17.

The report estimated the lake would stay at mid-summer averages for the remainder of the spring and summer.

Currently, water levels at the lake are at a 2.5-metre average, far below historic lows for this time of year.

Below the breach, dozens of mature trees have toppled and parts of the soil hillside have eroded. On the lake, docks are sitting well out of the water.

Previously, Parks Canada estimated it will implement a long-term repair this winter when water levels decrease. “Residents and users of the lake are asked to avoid the aqua dam area in the interest of public safety,” said Parks Canada spokesperson Karen Feeley in a media release.

“Parks Canada would like to thank property owners for their patience and understanding during this time.”

Gardens of Haliburton all set to grow

By

Mike Baker

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May 26, 2022

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One of the owners of the Gardens of Haliburton retirement residence has said “we’re going to have [our second phase] built in a year” after the project was given the green light by Dysart council on May 24.

Bill Mardinae, who owns the facility alongside his brother Phil, said he was excited to move ahead with phase two, which will include the construction of a new four-story building containing 34 units.

The new structure will be located immediately beside the existing building, which was completed in 2021.

“Phase one was for 66 suites and they have all been leased, so we’re proposing to add another 34 suites to bring the total count to 100,” Mardinae told council.

“We’re not putting in any new services, no new roads… We’re going to have this built in a year.”

Specific timelines relating to a possible start and end date were not provided. Town planner Kris Orsan said the application, which required approval of an amendment to a previous site plan, met municipal standards and regulations. He recommended that council approve the project, pending a few minor adjustments.

He asked that Mardinae consider planting some trees on the north side of the property to create a barrier between a neighbouring property, and asked that parking lines for spaces to the east of the property be repainted, as they “are difficult to follow.” Orsan also recommended that an existing temporary rope divider installed around an outdoor patio be upgraded to fencing so as to create a greater barrier between the patio and parking lot.

Mardinae felt these issues were minor, and while he agreed to plant the trees and take care of the lines on the road, he felt installing a fence around the patio was unnecessary.

Deputy mayor Pat Kennedy agreed, saying he’d be happy to approve the application as is.

“I think this is just a fabulous project, and I really look forward to phase two getting shovels into the ground… Bill has been a good developer so far, the building looks nice and is well looked after… I think we can waive all of these points to get the project underway,” Kennedy said.

Coun. Walt McKechnie made a motion to approve phase two, seconded by Coun. Larry Clarke and it was passed unanimously by the rest of council.

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock election candidates sound off on chamber questionnaire

By

Sam Gillett

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May 25, 2022

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The following is submitted by the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce

The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce membership identified five questions for provincial election candidates.

1. What strategies will you be putting forward to address the housing crisis in Haliburton County?

2. The County’s labour shortage and non-participation of many who could be upskilled to fill roles is a major concern for businesses. What will you do to address this issue?

3. Haliburton County relies heavily on our tourist economy. With inflation and the rising cost of gas, how will you ensure this industry is not negatively impacted?

4. What is your plan to improve upon high speed, affordable internet access within the County?

5. This is an exceptional time requiring exceptional measures. With this understanding are there plans to remove red tape, barriers, and reduce costs to ensure strong economic development in the County? Is there a strategy to incentivize the development of “primary home” and market rent accommodations?

Here are their edited responses for newspaper size constraints.

Laurie Scott, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

1. At the end of the day, the biggest issue fueling the housing crisis is not enough homes. Our PC team introduced legislative, regulatory, and policy changes to help build new homes. We are fixing barriers to building new homes while protecting the environment, the Greenbelt, and agricultural lands. Our housing supply plan helped over 100,000 new homes start construction last year, the highest in more than 30 years. We continue to work with municipalities to reduce barriers to build different types of residential housing.

2. Encouraging apprenticeships, jobs in the skilled trades and allowing colleges to grant 3-year degrees. We are working with our local employment organizations and Fleming College to help connect more people with good jobs and upgrade their skills. In April, we announced over $1.6 million for three projects at Fleming College and Trent University to help get recent graduates into the labour market, and support local employers to fill skilled job vacancies. Fleming is also part of a $5-million dollar SkillsAdvance Ontario project to help 150 job seekers and 300 employed workers gain the skills and work experience they need to find jobs or advance their careers in wood product manufacturing and producing. We also created the Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit to help workers retrain, improve their skills, or prepare for a career shift.

3. We are implementing a long-term plan to address the housing crisis, informed by the Housing Affordability Task Force’s recommendations and temporarily cutting the gas tax by 5.7 cents per litre and the fuel tax by 5.3 cents per litre for six months, beginning July 1, 2022. We continue to support households with the Ontario Electricity Rebate for residential customers, small businesses and farms and are proposing to provide an additional $300 in Personal Income Tax (PIT) relief, on average, to about 1.1 million taxpayers by enhancing the Low-income Individuals and Families Tax Credit. We also introduced the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit that allows residents to get back up to 20 per cent on their eligible accommodation expenses for leisure stays in the province this year.

4. As a part of the 2021 budget, our PC team is making an historic investment of $2.8 billion for broadband infrastructure, ensuring every region in our province has access to reliable broadband services by 2025. On top of previous investments, this increases our total investment to nearly $4 billion. This builds on the Cell Gap Project announced last spring with a provincial investment of $71 million to improve cellular service in Eastern Ontario with 300 new telecommunication sites to be built and over 300 existing sites upgraded across the region over the next five years.

5. Our PC team has a plan to help keep costs down by increasing housing supply, making it less expensive to drive, and providing targeted tax relief. We’re eliminating and refunding licence plate renewal fees for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, and as mentioned temporarily cutting the gas tax and fuel tax. Also the previously referenced income tax relief; lowering child care fees for parents and securing a fair deal for Ontario by signing a $13.2 billion agreement with the federal government in an important step towards achieving an average of $10-a-day child care by September 2025.

Barbara Doyle, Ontario New Democratic Party

1. The NDP has a Homes in Ontario Program that will provide a 10 per cent stake in the homes to help buyers qualify for the down payment and reduce mortgage costs.

This all goes along with our general affordability measures: raising minimum wage, supports for small businesses, $10/day childcare, pharmacare, dental care and mental health brought under OHIP, and bringing down the price of gasoline. Working together, it all leads to stable housing markets for homes that our community can afford.

2. Our Green New Democratic Deal will create one million jobs, and transition the economy to an equitable, just and green future. By building on regional strengths, our innovation hub strategy will foster new skilled trades and economic opportunities in local areas. The NDP are making important investments in post-secondary education and workforce development to prepare for the in-demand jobs of the innovation economy.

An NDP government will work with manufacturers to develop a manufacturing and labour force strategy for the province, while also supporting small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits for government procurement and our Buy Ontario program.

An NDP government will raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour. We will remove the minimum wage exemptions that allow students to be paid less than every other worker in the province.

3. Increasing funding to these sectors is proven to increase the economic benefit to the communities around them.

We would extend the Staycation Tax Credit but this is only helpful for those that can afford the immediate cost of the vacation. Reducing costs on everyday items such as child care, health care, and education will provide more disposable income that families can use to travel across Ontario.

We will also address the price of gas. The NDP will give the Ontario Energy Board a mandate to monitor the price across Ontario to reduce price volatility and unfair regional price differences but will also regulate the retail price and wholesale mark-up of petroleum products.

4. The NDP is committed to ensuring that Broadband is made available across Ontario, with priority to rural areas like ours. This is also directly linked to supporting our agriculture industry and food supply chain networks. Real time access to markets and processing is essential in today’s agri-economy.

5. Municipalities know what types of housing they need to meet the needs of their communities while also providing room to grow. This may mean addressing current zoning to now allow for tiny homes, basement apartments, duplexes and triplexes or townhome developments. Density can be rethought, and innovation happens. Looking at how the province and local government can work together to build affordable market and non-market housing, eliminating the wait lists for subsidized housing, while at the same time providing room for growth for larger houses is not an either/or proposition. It can all be done at the same time. We can have social supports while also addressing high end needs as well. What we can’t do is build only high-end subdivisions while ignoring the local housing crisis and growing waitlists.

We must ensure larger investments in local hospitals, dedicated doctor recruitment programs, investing in local schools, taking the profit out of long-term care and ensuring more beds and new builds that are smaller, more home-like and better staffed. Looking at the core community supports, along with housing developments, create a community infrastructure to support more growth.

Tom Regina, Green Party of Ontario

1. Green policy is to build 182,000 new permanently affordable community rental homes over the next decade, including 60,000 permanent supportive homes. Greens would mandate inclusionary zoning and require a minimum of 20 per cent affordable units in all housing projects above a certain size. Greens will create a seed fund for co-operative housing through direct funding and mortgage support.

Greens will partner with the federal government under the National Housing Strategy to renew 260,000 community rental homes over the next decade. Greens will partner with non-profits, co-ops and community land trusts to use public land for permanently affordable rental housing and attainable homeownership options through low-cost long-term leases. Greens will consult on and develop a down payment support program to help low and middle-income first-time home buyers. To help pay for these programs, Greens will implement a multiple property speculation tax on people and corporations who own more than two houses or condominium units in Ontario. The tax will begin at 20 per cent on the third home and increase with each additional property owned. Greens will work with all levels of government and housing experts to develop regulations to ease the financialization of both our affordable rental stock and single-family homes.

2. An affordable housing strategy is required to allow young families and workers to find a place in our community. Creating more, truly affordable housing will enable willing workers, professionals and entrepreneurs to find a place for themselves in our community.

3. Greens support increased staycation tax credit to include dining in restaurants. Greens will improve opportunities for small, local businesses and non-profits to win public contracts through targets and by decreasing current financial and informational barriers. Greens will allow Ontario’s craft spirits, brewers and wine producers to open independent, off-site stores; allow boutique wine, craft beer and artisan spirit retail outlets: improve the distribution network to work for small businesses; and allow access for hospitality to purchase from these suppliers at a wholesale price of up to 20 per cent.

4. The Green Party is committed to connecting people with better broadband. Greens will make broadband internet an essential service and roll out highspeed access across the province. Greens will use regulations to level the playing field for small, local internet service providers and support provincial funding for programs to study best practices for tele-working as a climate-friendly alternative to commuting.

5. Greens would like to create more pathways to home ownership, for example, allowing single family dwellings to be divided into multiple condominium units to create more attainable home ownership opportunities within existing neighbourhoods. Similarly, Greens will increase incentives and streamline the application process for first-time homeowners to add affordable rental units to their primary residence to help pay down their mortgage.

Gene Balfour, Ontario Libertarian Party

1. One dimension is the ability to pay for housing with after-tax earnings. Fact: The average Canadian pays more than 53 per cent of annual income to governments at every level; this has risen from 38 per cent since 1961. Excessive taxation clearly affects ability to pay. Excessive regulations in the housing sector are another root cause. The red tape and constraints that these burdens impose on builders and property owners adds greatly to both the cost as well as the time it takes to meet the demand for affordable housing by residents. Libertarians advocate for Less Government in order to unshackle all of the resources needed to make goals like affordable housing possible for everyone. Our approach is to pare back all unnecessary laws and regulations while ensuring the right balance for public safety.

2. If elected, I would take great pride and satisfaction in using my expertise to help the County formulate a plan to eliminate the current labour shortages. No other political candidate can bring as much productive value to this issue as I can. However, like most issues, some of the problems arise from counterproductive government regulations. Like housing, these unnecessary constraints can only be repealed through the efforts of many appropriately-motivated and qualified MPPs in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

3. Take complete ownership of the issue at the County level and create your own strategy to mitigate these risks. Engage local stakeholders who have “skin in the game” so that you will have better control and buy-in of all needed resources. I recommend that the County’s tourism stakeholders employ the use of SWOT for each tourist season. This will ensure that they employ a proven and disciplined approach to make the industry more resilient to the changing circumstances that will inevitably evolve.

4. Become better informed about the existing plans for rolling out these services within the County. I am aware that the federal and provincial governments have already committed sizeable expenditures to accelerate the rollout of fibre-optic cable across Eastern Ontario where current access is poor. Addressing any problem begins with understanding its details and then becoming an informed facilitator to achieve the intended goals. Like all large projects, the schedule for this rollout has already been established. If the implementation schedule is not satisfactory to your residents, then this is something that can be addressed through negotiations or by other means. Of course, StarNet is already available for residents who are not prepared to wait for the promised fibre-optic cable services. Prices are another matter. I do not favour government subsidies and prefer to investigate more creative ways to address these costs. I generally have little confidence in receiving timely and cost-effective ‘help’ from government institutions or promises made by Big Government politicians.

5. I have been an Advocate for Less Government since 2007 when I first discovered Libertarianism and the Austrian ‘school’ of Economics. My commitment to reducing governments’ size, cost and scope of authority has been long-lasting and unwavering. In my view, the pendulum has swung too far in favour of concentrating power in government institutions. Our public sector is overly bureaucratic, excessively controlling, and far too expensive. Libertarians have been trying to hold back the pendulum from causing further harm. We hope to inspire our citizens to demand that it reverse direction.

Kerstin Kelly, Ontario Party

1. Simply put, the supply of homes is too low and demand for homes is too high, and, on both fronts, our current politicians are mostly to blame for this crisis.

The solution is not government funding funnelled to new homeowners. As recent history shows, when government money is made available, the market responds with proportional increases to home prices.

One of the Ontario Housing affordability Task Force objectives is to build 1.5 million new homes within the next 10 years. For the province to confirm the available land supply to accomplish this objective, we need to remove red tape and excessive legislation restricting single-family zoning in Ontario’s most housing-deprived areas. Property owners must be given more freedom to construct larger multi-unit residential buildings, and to add tiny houses to their properties, while we protect agricultural land. It should not take six to 18 months to get building permits. We would advocate for establishing an Ontario-focused purchasing ban on foreign investors on residential homes and vacant land, as well as, striking up a money-laundering task force charged with rooting out corruption and instituting needed regulatory changes related to real estate sales and purchases. The Landlord Tenant Board of Ontario has created a crisis by making it impossible for good landlords to get rid of bad tenants, so now they are reluctant to take anyone else in. This needs to be corrected, so people once again open up their homes to rentals.
The most effective way to enhance building will be to get government and regulations out of the way, cut the red tape and use sound non-obstructive planning. To make it easier for first time house buyers to get into the market, allowing affordable tiny homes and multiplexes. The conversion of appropriate underused and unused commercial properties to create more homes is an excellent example of cutting the red tape and stimulating home building. We need the community to use innovative and creative solutions and get out of the way of allowing solutions to happen.

2. We must encourage and value trades in schools. We would lower the cost of tuition for those post-secondary programs leading to careers with the most labour market demand. Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) loans will also be made more easily available to students accessing those high demand programs and make it virtually free for qualified applicants to train in the skilled trades.

Currently the Ontario government, or more precisely our province’s taxpayers, cover nearly half–about 46 per cent–of a post-secondary student’s program costs. That funding is not allocated by job market need: a student in a program proven to have few related job prospects after graduation can access the same levels of government funding as others (while their levels of funding are the same, their levels of defaulting on repayment is significantly higher). An Ontario Party Government will incentivize students to funnel into those post-secondary programs for which there is the most labour market demand and greatest opportunity for personal career success. Immigration should also be targeted to those persons bringing those in demand skills. Retraining the unemployed into skilled trades as part of the requirement to accept unemployment payments, and ODSP where possible, may also be an area to explore.

There are 9 Essential Skills:

1. Reading

2. Writing

3. Document Use

4. Numeracy

5. Computer Use

6. Thinking

7. Oral Communication

8. Working with Others

9. Continuous Learning

These skills are not presently the primary focus in our schools, and we need school reform, where students learn times tables, printing and writing again. Library programs, Toastmasters, and creative and innovative coaching mentorship and education programs should be encouraged to provide these necessary skills.

3. We must remove all mandates, ineffective restrictions to business, lower taxes, less regulations and red tape to allow our creative entrepreneurs to innovate and to thrive. There is no sound reason that we do not have cheap energy and lower taxes. CERB, UBI etc. all have the negative impact of keeping people from working and driving prices up. Excess taxes and legislation drive prices up and this must be curtailed.

4. Haliburton has many challenges with its highlands, rocks etc., making it difficult to promise high-speed and affordable internet access, but satellite internet is coming rapidly, and many private companies are competing to provide service. Making it profitable for them over such long distances and low density has been a barrier and high taxation, preventing them from keeping their profits has been a deterrent to providing service. Removing red tape and providing tax incentives would be some of the steps we could consider to promote rural service, to those in need.

5. There are plans to remove red tape, barriers and reduce costs to ensure strong economic development in Haliburton. There is a strategy to enable homes and rental facilities to be built. Removing all mandates and making a better plan is the core of the Ontario Party Platform.

Don McBey, Liberal Party of Ontario

1. The Ontario Liberals will double the pace of home building until 1.5 million residential units have been constructed, 138,000 of which will be deeply affordable. We will tax owners of empty development-ready land to create incentives for new housing starts. We will end the blind bidding process which drives up house prices.

2. We will train and hire more healthcare professionals and repeal Bill 124 to attract currently qualified professionals back into healthcare and education. We will double OSAP and eliminate interest on provincial student loans. We will double the existing skills grant for apprenticeships and skilled trades. We will increase the minimum wage to $16 dollars an hour starting in 2023 and from there we will create a structure of regional living wages across the province. All workers will receive 10 paid sick days and access to portable dental, drug, and mental healthcare benefits at an affordable cost. The Liberals will also provide $10 dollar-a-day childcare with flexibility to accommodate irregular schedules and shift work. We will raise the minimum PSW wage to $25-an-hour and cover tuition costs for medical and nursing students who will work in rural and remote communities. We will also create 25,000 green jobs and 2,000 internships for high school graduates in green sectors.

3. We will restore funding for the arts, music, and cultural sectors. We will invest $25 million a year in these sectors starting in 2023-24, and also invest $5 million for the Indigenous Culture Fund, which was scrapped by the Conservatives in 2019. For rural Ontario, we will be making community transportation grants permanent. We will waive two years’ corporate tax for small businesses whose revenues were devastated by the Ford shutdowns, on a sliding scale up to 100 per cent. We will also be supporting restaurants by eliminating the HST on prepared food under $20.

4. The Ontario Liberal Party has committed to connecting all Ontarians with high speed, affordable wireless internet before 2025.

5. By reintroducing rent control, we will put more money into the hands of prospective home buyers and reduce speculation in the housing market. We will work with municipalities to end exclusionary zoning policies and allow the building of homes with up to three units and three stories as well as secondary and laneway suites. We will also create an Ontario Home Building Corporation to cut red tape in the home building process and provide $300 million in incentives to municipalities to expedite the housing approval process. We will unlock more land for homes by expanding the Brownfields Tax Incentive program to provide tax relief for the conversion of underutilized commercial space into homes. We will create a digital platform for development applications.