Consistency an issue for young Huskies squad

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October 23, 2025

Haliburton County Huskies head coach Jordan Bailey felt his young side played “one of our best games this year” after taming the visiting Aurora Tigers in Minden Oct. 18.

The blue and white rallied after two early goals put them in a hole, beating the Tigers 4-3 in a back-and-forth game at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena. The win was sandwiched between a pair of defeats – a 3-1 drubbing by the Pickering Panthers Oct. 17 and a double overtime 1-0 loss to the Toronto Patriots Oct. 21.

Bailey said he’s been preaching to his team the importance of playing a consistent 60 minutes of hockey and believes he got that last weekend against Aurora.

“The message is that no matter what the score is, let’s not waver from what we need to do. Our guys were able to do that. As far as a full 60 minutes go, that was one of our best games this year – and that’s a better Aurora team,” Bailey said. “I was really happy with the way we played and the way we stuck to the game plan.”

It was another slow start for the Huskies on Saturday, who gave the Tigers a two-goal head start in the early going – Anrijs Bundzenieks made it 1-0 just 85 seconds in, with Simon Howard doubling the advantage at 5:42.

Some fans were already making their way to the concession stand late in the first when Ryan Gosse notched his sixth of the year at 19:12, assisted by Julius Da Silva and Ronen Macfarlane. Cristian Giancola made it a chaotic end to the period, tallying the equalizer at 19:48, assisted by Da Silva and Gosse.

Declan Bowmaster fired his fifth goal in four games on the powerplay 1:22 into the middle frame, with Chase Del Colombo and Oliver Tang registering assists on the play. Harrison O’Connor then added his second of the year 11:58 into the third, assisted by Alex Rossi. That stood up as the game-winner after Bundzenieks gave Aurora hope with his second goal at 15:51.

After the game, Bailey was asked what changes he made in the first to swing momentum back to the Huskies.

“I don’t think we made any changes – it was just repeating what we had talked about before the game, which was the need to play a consistent 60 minutes, not worrying too much about outside noise or where we are in the standings. Just continue to build and create more consistent habits.

“Whenever you have a young team, it’s very easy to revert back to old habits. So we’re trying to make sure we do not do that anymore,” Bailey said.

Disappointing defeats

Bailey described the Oct. 17 loss in Pickering as one of the Huskies’ “worst games systematically.”

The team found themselves behind after just 51 seconds and didn’t make much of an impression on the road. A Carter Fogarty hat-trick, which featured rare even-strength, powerplay and shorthanded goals, downed the Huskies, who registered a consolation goal through Da Silva.

Carter Nadon made 32 saves in the loss, with the Huskies goaltender starting the past six games after his competition, Stephen Toltl, was traded to the Georgetown Raiders.

“It was the same message, which was that we need to start having more consistency and making sure we don’t have those lulls in a game. There were periods in the game where we didn’t play well at all,” Bailey said.

It was a late night for fans in Minden Oct. 21 as the Huskies dropped a 1-0 game to the Toronto Patriots in double overtime. Tate Collins had the game’s only goal, potting nine seconds into the second extra frame.

The topsy-turvy week left the Huskies in eighth place in the OJHL’s East Conference, with 13 points and a record of 5-7-3. The team is back in action this weekend, travelling to Markham for a tilt with the Royals Oct. 24 before part one of the ‘Battle of Hwy. 35’ against the Lindsay Muskies in Minden Oct. 25. Puck drop is 4 p.m.

A wild tie in Highland Storm action

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Submitted

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October 23, 2025

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The Highland Storm U15 Cheryl Smith RE/MAX team hit the ice Oct. 17 against the Brock Wild.

The Storm opened the scoring in the first period when Lucas Vale found the back of the net, assisted by Chase Kerr. Less than two minutes later, Kelson Bagshaw added another for the Storm with an assist from Bentley Bull, giving the home team a solid 2-0 lead heading into the second period.

Brock battled back in the middle frame, capitalizing on a scoring chance to make it 2–1. The Wild kept the pressure on in the third and managed to even things up with a late goal.

The Storm couldn’t find the go-ahead marker before the final buzzer, resulting in a 2-2 tie.

The team now travels to Sturgeon Oct. 20 for a 7 p.m. tilt before heading to Niagara Falls for the Harvest Fall Classic Tournament this weekend.

Fire between Bob and Beer Lakes

By

Lisa Gervais

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October 19, 2025

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The County of Haliburton issued this advisory on its Facebook page – date 9 p.m. Oct. 17

The County of Haliburton and local member municipalities are monitoring updates on active forest fires within the Ministry of Natural Resources Haliburton fire region.

• Haliburton 38 (HAL038) is 5.2 hectares and is being observed.

• Haliburton 50 (HAL050) is 13.4 hectares and not under control.

Ministry of Natural Resources firefighters are actively fighting a fire (HAL050) between Bob and Beer Lakes in Minden. They have deployed both ground and air resources. It is anticipated that rain in the weather forecast will assist current efforts.

For more information, please view the Ministry of Natural Resources Forest Fire Info Map. This map changes throughout the day to reflect up-to-date weather information:

Within Haliburton County:

In Ontario, a flashing green light means a volunteer firefighter is en route to an emergency in their personal vehicle. When you see a flashing green light on a vehicle, pull over and allow the vehicle to pass if safe to do so.

For information about any possible road closures, please visit https://511on.ca/.

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How to Help:

It is illegal to fly a drone within nine kilometres of a wildland fire. Doing so disrupts air traffic, putting the lives of pilots and fire crews at risk. Learn more at https://ontario.ca/Drones.

Waterbombers could be active in the area of wildfires. You can help fight forest fires by staying clear of waterbombers. When waterbombers approach a body of water, move close to the shore so they can perform their scoop safely and effectively. If encroaching watercraft on a lake or river pose a safety hazard, waterbombers will not scoop. This can cause delays in effectively and efficiently suppressing a nearby wildland fire, which could put the safety of the public, firefighters, and other emergency service personnel at risk.

Learn more at: https://www.ontario.ca/…/drones-waterbombers-restricted…

To proactively protect your property from wildland fires, please find more information about the FireSmart program here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/firesmart

Learn more about air quality and emergency preparation from Lakelands Public Health here: https://www.lakelandsph.ca/…/emergency…/wildfires/

Razzamataz getting silly for 40th year

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Mike Baker

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October 16, 2025

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Razzamataz Kids’ Shows is holding the line on its pricing for another season in Haliburton County, with four unique performances focusing on “different cultural experiences, exposing kids to things they may not have seen before,” said circuit lead, Nicole Stewart.

Celebrating its 40^th year in 2025-26, Razzamataz returns to its roots next week, bringing in Toronto-based contemporary dance troupe The Chimera Project for the group’s first public show in Haliburton County. They’ll perform Silly Billy at the Northern Lights Performing Arts Pavilion Oct. 26.

Stewart says Razzamataz’s volunteer board works with non-profit arts group Ontario Presents to book acts. Also on the agenda is Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, a heartwarming puppet play put on by British Columbia’s Axis Theatre, visiting Jan. 25; Wee Festival’s The Old Man and the River March 8; and the musical show Earth, Seas and Air, performed by Chris McKhool, on April 12.

“All these shows are going to be really fun, interesting and exciting for children. They’re all brand-new productions for our area and are all offering something a little different,” Stewart said.

She said the idea is to bring in groups boasting diverse and different cultural backgrounds who can open County kids’ eyes to the world that exists outside their community.

Malgorzata Nowacka-May is the lead director of Silly Billy, telling The Highlander the hour-long production brings western and Indigenous art forms together on-stage. Nimkii Osawamick portrays Billy and will, among other things, showcase his hoop dancing skills, with Emma Curtis performing ballet.

“The show has many layers – it works with very young audiences, but also kids in Grade 6 love it. And parents love it too, as we have many jokes in there just for parents,” Nowacka-May said.

“Art offers a unique space for self-reflection through metaphor, image and energy, through stuff that we don’t have words for. Silly Billy gives that to kids. It’s about a creature that suffers because of being different… there’s mystery and unexpected things happening, which kids love,” she added.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children – same as the past few years, Stewart said.

She said each performance can cost Razzamataz up to $5,000 to stage. Most of that is recouped through ticket sales, though Stewart said the Haliburton County Development Corporation, CanoeFM, The Arts Council – Haliburton Highlands, Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners’ Association, and Haliburton Rotary contributed a combined $6,000 towards this season’s costs.

Some of that will be used to stage a free theatre experience for Cardiff and Stuart Baker elementary school students in March. The Old Man on the River will have a second showing in Haliburton March 9.

“We did this last year with Bboyizm, a street dancing company who did a public show and then one at J.D. Hodgson the next day. We had such great feedback – the kids were all screaming so loud,” Stewart said. “We know schools don’t have additional funding to bring in live theatre performances, so this is somewhere we’re trying to plug the gap.

“What’s so great about this show is that it’s designed without words, it’s just a puppet on the stage so is suitable for children of all ages and noise sensitivities,” she added.

Kids will have the chance to get up close and personal with the performers after the show, with Stewart confirming three follow-up workshops this season – after Silly Billy Oct. 26, Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch Jan. 25, and Earth, Seas and Air April 12. Each workshop can carry about 20 kids and costs an additional $8.

Since the pandemic, Stewart says Razzamataz shows have grown from audiences of 50-60 people to more than 120.

“We get people who came to shows when they were kids and, now, they’re bringing their kids, or their grandkids,” Stewart said.

Dysart to raise money for CR21 land development

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Mike Baker

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October 16, 2025

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Dysart et al council has committed to funding the first phase of development at its 92-acre property on County Road 21 (CR21), with mayor Murray Fearrey saying the township intends to launch a $3 million community bond program to pay for it.

At a special meeting Oct. 7, Paul Wilson, who once owned the parcel and is now consulting for the township, estimated the first phase will cost around $1.55 million.

He said this will cover technical assessments, such as traffic, environmental impact and hydrogeological studies and a stormwater management plan – all documents that County staff told Dysart would be needed to progress an Official Plan amendment, the next step in the process.

Money will also need to be spent developing key infrastructure such as roads, sewers, hydro lines and water wells. Phase one encompasses the front half of the property, closest to CR21, and includes space for a new arena and long-term care facility.

Dysart set aside $100,000 in its 2025 budget to advance the project, but council was told by Wilson last week that it will take significantly more to complete everything the County requires. The township wants to redesignate the land from rural areas and commercial uses to a mixed-use area. It also wants to extend the village boundary to cover the entire 92-acre parcel.

It’s been two years since Dysart purchased the property for $1.725 million from local realtor Andrew Hodgson, who retained a commercial lot fronting CR21.

“We’re going to go out for bonds, try to raise the $3 million to cover the price of the property and the improvement,” Fearrey told The Highlander. “Places for People did it last year and raised $800,000 in just a few weeks… this way, we don’t have to get into more long-term borrowing.”

Dysart planner Jeff Iles went through an updated site plan for the land last week – it included space for a public park, commercial space along CR21, a large parcel for a new recreation centre, four lots the township is holding for long-term care, and more than 20 lots for residential use.

Wilson, an Ontario Land Surveyor, was brought on board in January when council asked him to put together a high-level project plan.

Last week, Fearrey said council is in negotiations with Extendicare to move into the site. In February 2022, Extendicare and the Ontario government announced a new 128-bed facility had been approved for Haliburton County.

Fearrey said he hopes to have a deal with them done by the end of this year, but admitted Extendicare is looking at other sites. Earlier this year, the company said it was “in the process of identifying land to acquire for a new facility… our development team has visited a number of potential parcels of land, and we continue to work closely with municipal officials.”

Wilson said the key to landing Extendicare will be proving the township has enough capacity remaining at its sewage treatment plant, pre-expansion, to take them on – which wasn’t confirmed – and negotiating a price for the land.

One of the next steps will be drilling five wells at different locations to ensure the property has a water supply. Wilson said there’s a road built spanning half the property, which could connect to Industrial Park Road.

He told council the studies needed will likely cost around $300,000 and should be commissioned immediately. Fearrey confirmed a traffic study has been ordered. On the infrastructure side, he said sewer design is the first step.

Wilson said he’ll continue looking after things “for a while” but recommended the township start looking for a project manager. He indicated it could take a year to get all the studies and design work complete. Once done, that would open the second half of the property for development.

“Doing all this prep work now makes the northern portion more saleable. Then whoever buys it can do all the roads, the hydro, sewers,” Wilson said. “I think the chances of the municipality doing that second phase are pretty slim.”

Fearrey confirmed council wants to sell all future residential lots. The township will retain the land earmarked for a new arena, though the mayor said there’s no guarantees it will ever be built.

He wants to see a roundabout installed at the entrance to the property from CR21, rather than traffic lights. The mayor confirmed there are no plans to install sidewalks.

“We hope to get this first phase done, or as much of it as possible, by the end of this term [of council in October 2026],” Fearrey said. “Phase two will be up to the developer that takes this thing on. Those units are all two-acre lots, so whether they put one place in there or something big enough to accommodate six, eight or 10 units, there’s space for all kinds of housing there, I think.”

Smiles as VDO calls it a day

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Submitted

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October 16, 2025

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After seeing more than 1,300 patients from the Highlands, and doing in excess of $4.7 million worth of free dentistry since May 19, 2011, Volunteer Dental Outreach (VDO) has closed its clinic in Haliburton.

The charity confirmed on Oct. 12 that it had shuttered its doors. The board of directors made the voluntary decision at their Sept. 25 regular board meeting.

The winding down is a direct result of Canada’s new Dental Care Plan, in which low-income residents now have access to dentistry.

The board said the plan, “is a milestone that the VDO celebrates as a major win for dental access for those in need, which had always remained the goal of this important charity. This marks the end of an exceptional chapter in Haliburton County’s healthcare history.”

Co-founder Dr. Bill Kerr said they saw an initial drop of about 20 per cent of patients last year, when seniors 65 years old and up were covered under the plan. Over the summer, after the feds rolled out the plan for all ages in May, Kerr said they were mostly just transferring patients.

“By the end of August, there were only two dentists volunteering and we couldn’t fill our days.” Kerr saw his last patient Sept. 25, and is now just finishing up one denture case at his own office in Minden.

At the peak of the charity, they had seven dentists, a hygienist, a denturist, and several dental assistants putting in
volunteer time.

VDO leases the space from Dysart et al, with the lease up at the end of January. Kerr said when it comes to equipment, they have to get it all appraised and sold at fair market value. They will donate any leftover funds.
Kerr and his late wife, Lisa, established VDO.

“The community really rallied around us. I reached out to Janis Parker, who was on council at the time. The council
was very supportive and so many people volunteered and it was just such a huge community project. It was very humbling to have so many people come alongside us in terms of making this thing work.”

Kerr added it was “bittersweet. It’s been a part of my life for 15 years and Lisa was the backbone in terms of setting the tone and making sure no volunteer’s time was wasted and that every dollar donated was stretched to the max. Lisa would have loved the fact that the government finally stepped up and were looking after these people that were disadvantaged. I’m sure she would be so thrilled with how things are going, but she would also be thinking,
‘this was our baby’.”

Kerr reminisced about the many VDO golf tournaments, concerts by the lake, and bowling tournaments to raise money.

When it comes to wrapping things up, the dentist said the Royal College of Dental Surgeons has strict guidelines around closing a practice and managing records. They have paper charts and X-rays on the computer at VDO that will be moved to Dentistry in the Highlands.

If people want records transferred, they can contact VDO now, up until the end of 2025. Starting in January, they won’t be able to because the phone lines will be disconnected. Dentistry in the Highlands has agreed to take on the administrative task of distributing patient dental records to other dental offices with patient’s written consent.

Kerr said it will take a full six months to wind down, including voluntarily giving up their charitable status and dissolving the non-profit corporation.

To honour the volunteers, donors, and patients, a celebration event will be held in the spring of 2026. VDO’s phone lines will remain open for inquiries for the next few months at 705-457-3111

Tourism department says ‘quite a good summer’

By

Lisa Gervais

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October 16, 2025

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While they have no statistics yet, the County of Haliburton’s tourism department says it was “quite a good summer” for industry businesses and operators.

Manager of tourism, Angelica Ingram, gave her third quarter report to councillors last Wednesday.

She told them her department had done a lot of marketing in 2025, especially in the spring and summer.

“A lot of the data we were seeing was showing there were some real shifts in travel this year with the political climate …there was a lot of appetite and desire for Canadians to stay in Canada and from other travellers from other
countries looking at Canada as a new option for travel, so we wanted to take advantage of that.”

Without getting into specifics, she was referencing how some Canadians, and residents of other countries, are
avoiding travelling to the U.S. under president Donald Trump.

“We did a lot of marketing to Canadians, to some new markets, and we’re starting to see some results of that.
We think it was quite a good summer in terms of business and travellers to the area. We don’t have hard data yet, but anecdotally we have heard some very good things from a lot of our tourism businesses and operators and we’re
hoping this continues throughout the fall and winter and into next year,” Ingram said.

She added they had more hits on the My Haliburton Highlands website. In July, the website reached 36,200
views, and in August, 35,300, an increase of 31.5 per cent over the same months last year.

While the growth was partly driven by the integration of the Hike Haliburton Festival into the site, which generated
more than 3,100 page views, Ingram said that, even without the addition, traffic rose by 19.2 per cent.

“Google Analytics shows 18,000 active users in August, with 17,000 of those being new visitors.”

The most visited pages highlight what attracts visitors to the region, with the Home page, What’s Happening, Hike
Haliburton, Hiking Trails, and Live Entertainment leading in views.

“Traffic sources also show that the site is reaching beyond the County, with the majority of users coming from organic Google searches (12,000 sessions), followed by direct visits (7,600), County of Haliburton referrals (1,000), and social media (Facebook referrals at 451).

“These results confirm that the website is performing as a central tourism tool, both engaging new audiences
and directing them to key seasonal experiences in the Haliburton Highlands.”

Looking ahead to 2026, staff are already working on furthering the marketing strategy by creating a campaign that promotes shoulder season tourism, as well as looking at ways to improve the functionality of the website.

Ingram added they are working with a lot of different partners into next year, including hosting some workshops with the Haliburton County Development Corporation, and some cross promotion with different cultural institutions in the area, on some new ideas for next year.

The manager of tourism told council her department was also “really thrilled with how our fall Hike Haliburton
Festival, Sept. 18-21, went. We were able to grow the festival with a grant we got and through some additional
planning and organizing that Eric (Casper) and I and the team did.” They got a $25,000 grant from the federal government. She said they had more than 1,870 participants, in 44 guided hikes. Further, more than 85 volunteers leant a hand.

Another highlight was the annual business summit Sept. 23, for which Ingram reported, “we had a good turnout of
speakers and participants and we got some good feedback on how we can evolve that event going forward next year
and we’re hoping to continue that as well.” She noted 40 people attended.

Granite Shores comes back to council

By

Lisa Gervais

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October 16, 2025

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Highlands East residents, and organizations such as the Paudash Lake Conservation Association (PLCA) and the Crowe Valley Conservation Authority, have reiterated their concerns about the Granite Shores development on Centre Lake – even though the proponent has made more changes to its original plans.

Highlands East held a public meeting Oct. 7 on a proposed official plan and zoning bylaw amendment.

Municipal planner Chris Jones said Granite Shores wants to build a subdivision on 115 hectares of the 431 hectares owned. The land abuts a 200-foot Crown Reserve, with the first 66-feet an original shore road allowance established prior to the reserve.

The shoreline has been arguably the most contentious issue to date. Highlands East council did not support the disposition of the Crown Reserve in 2021. It also voted not to close and convey an unopened road allowance in 2024.

Jones said the revised plan calls for 18 lots, and two island lots, for detached dwellings; 13 backlots for detached
dwellings; four open space blocks; a block for commercial use on Hwy. 118 and a common private road.

He said the policy exemption being sought, in part, “would acknowledge public ownership of the Crown Reserve and shore road allowance, and the right for the public to continue passive recreational use of the shoreline.” The rezoning would be to open space for recreation, and shoreline residential. Further, natural features and
recommended buffers would be used for environmental protection.

Ritee Haider, a planner at Arcadis, said they had heard concerns since 2021 about loss of public land, impact on the
environment, the scale of the development, appropriate servicing and health impacts. She said they had made changes, with more refinement to come. For example, they removed a wellness centre and 60 hotel suites.

She said they are now looking at up to 33 seasonal cottages, with the Crown Reserve and shore road allowance not included. “It’s still accessible to the public …” She said the cottages would be pushed back from the shoreline, have their own septic and wells, and there would be public hiking trails and lake access. She added they would have commercial development and a condo road would be maintained by a condo corporation. She said technical studies found the plan “was environmentally feasible” provided mitigation measures were followed, such as setbacks from wetlands and minimal tree removal. She added they believe the lake has enough capacity and found no significant highway traffic impacts.

“Centre Lake will continue to be used as it is today, whether it be for boating, fishing, kayaking or paddleboarding, That will not change.” She further said they would provide an additional and safer public boat launch and campers would not see the cottages.

“In our opinion, the revised proposal conforms to the relevant planning documents, it supports tourism while
protecting significant natural features on the property, conforms to the County of Haliburton official plan, and meets the intent of the Township of Highlands East’s official plan.”

Deputy mayor Cec Ryall asked, “is there any way to restrict access from those cottages to the lake directly or will they be able to put trails and boats in?”

The proponent said lots would be adjacent to Crown Land, which is open to the public, including cottagers. However, there would be minimal tree removal for trails and no docks.

Ryall responded, “If someone was to go deeper into that 200-foot with development, how are we going to ensure that gets resolved, if not stopped?” A number of people spoke out against the project, and a petition was tabled.

PLCA concerns

Mike Thomas of the Paudash Lake Conservation Association touched on most of the concerns.

“While the new application does not contain the 60-unit condo resort building or the 200 ft. wide Centre Lake Crown
shoreline reserve, we continue to have concerns about the future implications of the development as well as its current impact,” he said.

He suggested Highlands East or the County assume ownership or management of the reserve from the MNRF to maintain public lake access, or support a First Nation doing so.

People are also worried that another developer has applied to purchase the public Crown reserve on the other side of the lake to build 35-40 cottage lots.

The PLCA wants to ensure the public can still camp; they’d like fencing between the private lots and public reserve, with gates to access the shoreline; they feel the proponent is overstating economic benefits; uncertainty over the use of the unopened municipal road allowance; the type of ownership and seasonal use of the cottages is unclear; the impact on municipal infrastructure; radon gas; and the need to monitor lake health.

Neither Highlands East council or the County of Haliburton has made a decision on the file.

No help yet for rec ratepayers

By

Mike Baker

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October 16, 2025

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Algonquin Highlands council has opted against offering township residents a discount on parks, recreation and trails
user and rental fees for now, though will be approaching Lake of Bays about contributing funds towards the operation of the Dorset Rec Centre.

At an Oct. 2 meeting, parks, recreation and trails manager Chris Card brought forward a recommendation that the township apply a 20 per cent discount to local ratepayers for facility rentals, recreational programming, water trails use, and entry to the Dorset Tower.

He estimated the move would cost the township around $6,800. Factoring in 1.9 per cent inflation, he suggested the township could recoup the money by upping its trails fees 2.3 per cent, canoe rentals 11 per cent for 16-foot boats and 16 per cent for 17-foot boats, Dorset Tower entry by 2.91 per cent, and all recreation programming 8.28 per
cent.

Card said ratepayers accounted for two per cent of all trails sales, which includes rates for camping, equipment rentals and ski passes; five per cent of all visits to the Dorset Tower; five per cent of facility rentals; and 30 per cent of all recreational programming.

Mayor Liz Danielsen said, “I think this is too much for too little,” noting she didn’t support the plan. Deputy mayor Jennifer Dailloux suggested that, since Algonquin Highlands residents had paid for these facilities and services through their property taxes, that they should be given a break. Coun. Sabrina Richards agreed.

Danielsen said she and CAO, Angie Bird, will meet with Lake of Bays administration to see if they’d be willing to contribute to the facility’s running costs.

Danielsen, Barry and coun. Julia Shortreed opted against applying the discount, though talks continued on how the township could cut costs. It was noted Algonquin Highlands manages trail systems in Minden Hills and Lake of Bays, with Richards suggesting those municipalities pay their way.

Card was asked how much events lik the Dorset Snowball cost to run – he said he would bring a report on the event’s revenues and expenses to a future meeting. He will also bring back another suggestion to implement a ratepayer discount for programming at the Dorset Rec Centre only.

Fire department ‘in pretty good shape’

By

Lisa Gervais

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October 16, 2025

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Consultants, the Loomex Group, presented a fire master plan to Minden Hills council Sept. 25 with just eight recommendations. It also contains 24 other initiatives.

The first was that fire chief, Don Kruger, work with members to develop a recruitment and retention program designed to recognize volunteer firefighters.

The second was developing a firefighter health and wellness program, including for mental health.

Third, Loomex suggested the fire chief investigate the possibility of developing a training facility in Minden Hills for
practical training. Now, they go to Algonquin Highlands.

Next, it was recommended council provide financial support to the firefighters to maintain their DZ driver’s licences to drive fire department vehicles.

Loomex said Kruger should continue to monitor department response and “focus on whether the fire department needs to increase its staffing levels, particularly during regular business hours, weekends, and holidays.”

It also encouraged council to continue to properly fund the department for upkeep of the new fire hall.

Another recommendation is that Minden Hills should do a water supply study for the non-hydrant-protected area of the community.

“The study should aim to determine whether it is feasible to install dry hydrants in those locations. The study should also identify the best locations for dry hydrants in the township,” the consultant said.

In addition, councillors were told they should continue to use the budgeting process to provide the department with
funding it needs to replace fire apparatus and fire service equipment that has reached its life expectancy.

Coun. Pam Sayne said the report was very informative. She liked the recommendation about licences in particular, noting the cost of a DZ licence is very expensive. She also asked what a dry hydrant is. The consultant said it is a pipe put deep into a body of water so it does not freeze and remains in place to be accessed by pumper trucks.

Coun. Tammy McKelvey queried whether they ask for dry hydrants now for large developments. Kruger said they can ask for cisterns to be installed.

Mayor Bob Carter asked about the need for a training facility.

“Did we consider the fact we have four departments in Haliburton County that have mutual aid plans instead of Minden Hills developing this; that one be developed that is shared.”

Kruger said there is a facility in Algonquin

Highlands used for new recruits. Butfor weekly training, it’s “quite a drive to get there.” It means they cannot respond quickly if there is a call in the community while they are away. He added it would allow them to do more live fire training.

Carter also wanted to know how realistic it was for rural fire departments to do the work suggested in the recommendations and initiatives, such as formalizing handshake agreements about mutual aid. The consultant agreed “the administrative side of it is a nightmare, especially when it’s a one or two person show that’s doing it.”

He added it is not uncommon for Loomex to recommend 30, 40 or 50 things, but Minden Hills’ fire department “is in pretty good shape comparatively … you really need to support that and build it up.”

CAO Cynthia Fletcher asked council to receive the report as information only.

“Every one of these recommendations would almost be mini business cases. If we were to bring them to council, they need to be fleshed out with much more detail.”

She added they may partner with other townships on some recommendations and initiatives and would report back quarterly.