CanoeFM paddles through pandemic year

By

Sam Gillett

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December 2, 2021

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In the months after Canada went into lockdown, CanoeFM developed a new slogan.

“Remember that in good times and difficult times, community radio brings us together.”

Paul Vorvis, the station’s new board chair, said the saying rings true.

“People have always responded to CanoeFM,” he said. “During the pandemic, we went from concern over what the future would bring to being so grateful for what the community has given to let us continue to do what we do.”

The annual radiothon raised a record high in 2021, and the station’s radio bingo became a Highlands tradition.

It raised an unprecedented $106,000, half of which is being gifted to 23 community groups.

Vorvis, who calls the bingo numbers, said he heard countless stories of cottagers bringing bingo cards back home with them, making the game a Canada-wide affair.

While the lottery, which raised $54,000, and bingo proceeds can’t go to salaries at the station, it can fund production expenses and purchases.

“It’s allowed us to really expand what we want to do to give back to the community,” Vorvis said after the station’s Nov. 23 annual general meeting.

A three-year voyage

“In my crystal ball I see that CanoeFM will make many changes in the coming few years,” station manager Roxanne Casey wrote in her AGM letter.

Many of those changes hinge on the station’s new three-year plan.

That includes focusing on financial stability, staff succession plans, volunteer recruitment, honing in on local content, and building the station’s tech infrastructure.

Vorvis said he’s particularly enthusiastic about cultivating local talent.

“We have a really rich musical community,” he said. The station will apply for funding to hire a production coordinator and mentor to help artists professionally record their work in the station’s Malcolm MacLean radio hall. “We want to make this an incubator,” Vorvis said.

CanoeFM is also working on increasing its listenership in remote areas of the Highlands.

“We want to represent Haliburton County but geographically there are places that don’t receive our signal as well as others.”

2021 fundraisers have helped reimburse volunteers who’ve spent hours driving Haliburton roads to map out signal strength from Dorset to Kinmount.

“We’re going to be able to analyze those results and find out what we’ll need to do to increase the signal,” he said. “We say we want to be the voice of Haliburton County… but people need to be able to hear us.”

Vorvis said CanoeFM is unique because of how board members often volunteer under the supervision of hired staff.

“You can see the impact of what you’re doing,” said Vorvis. “It allows us to see and then modify the policies and what CanoeFM does.

The station is built on the work of three staff members and 119 volunteers just like Vorvis, who spends about 20 hours a week hosting shows, bingo and now fulfilling the duties of board chair.

He said he encourages anyone looking to expand their skills or meet new people to get involved: no prior experience is necessary.

“I heard an ad they were looking for volunteers,” said Vorvis. “I never had any experience in the industry but I thought ‘ok I’ll give it a shot.’ I’ve never looked back, I enjoy every aspect of it.”

Board appointments

Ron Evans, John Ewing, Gabrielle Holmes and Simon Payn joined the station’s board of directors in November.

Past-president Tim Hagarty, Linda Heeps and Dan Sullivan finished their time on the board.

“Every one of you should be proud of our accomplishments this year and you, our volunteers, continue to make the magic happen,” wrote Hagarty in a letter to CanoeFM members. “We are the true voice of Haliburton County and a welcoming caring setting to volunteer.”

Community ‘go-getter’ touched lives

By

Sam Gillett

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December 2, 2021

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Margaret “Jane” van Nood (nee Mailloux) always made time to help people.

Whether volunteering with the Haliburton Lions Club, Friends of the Library, Abbey Retreat Centre, or the County’s Community Kitchen, Jane’s passion for her family, friends and the Highlands community shone through say many who knew her.

She passed away Nov. 22 at the age of 61. Her sister-in-law Shelley van Nood said Jane’s personality “sparkled” wherever she went.

“She was really engaged in life,” said Shelley.

“If you needed help, Jane was there,” said friend Linda Heeps, who also served with van Nood on the Friends of the Haliburton Public Library board.

“She would be the one driving people to doctors appointments in Lindsay,” said Heeps, mentioning fond memories of the “Six Super Sisters,” a group of friends who started out as a book club.

Jane was renowned for her love of Christmas and her decorations. The super sisters plan on taking down her Christmas decorations after the holidays.

She loved creating elaborate greeting cards and colourful jewelry; replacing customer’s lost earrings for free.

Shelley van Nood said her family loved getting Holiday cards from Jane. “When you got a Christmas card from Auntie Jane, you knew it was made special, just for you,” she said.

Heeps and many others also found solace in Jane’s company through a breast cancer support group she helped start. Jane also volunteered at the Abbey Retreat Centre as a retreat facilitator.

“She touched everybody’s lives,” said Heeps.

She was also a dedicated member of the Haliburton County Lions Club. A tribute page on the club’s website shows Jane helping out at a variety of Lions functions; never without a beaming smile.

“She was the most giving person there is in the world,” said Lion Marilyn Frost. During a Lions’ lady club retreat, Frost remembers Jane bringing “half the kitchen:” supplying all the kitchen equipment for delicious meals she helped cook for her friends. “That was Jane,” said Frost.

John Teljeur, Jane’s cousin through marriage, remembers her as a devoted friend with a dedication to friends, family and community projects.

“She dove into things,” said Teljeur. At Teljeur’s Canadian National Pond Hockey tournament. Jane was one of the first to volunteer. “I’m not going to let you fail,” Teljeur remembers her telling him.

“You look back in time and piece it all together: the way that she was. She was just a go-getter, and she would take things on probably when she didn’t even have the time,” he said.

Teljeur said he hopes to host the tournament again this year, in Jane’s honour.

“Her family should be so proud,” Teljeur said. “She was only on the earth for 61 years but she impacted so many.”

Principal outlines plan to improve student reading levels

By

Mike Baker

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December 2, 2021

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Archie Stouffer Elementary School (ASES) principal Dawn Sudsbury admitted reading levels among her students are “a bit alarming” in a presentation to TLDSB board trustees Nov. 23.

Since beginning her new role in September, Sudsbury has been working hard to create a new School Improvement Equity Plan (SIEP) at ASES after being surprised by some of the reports coming in from teachers regarding individual student reading levels.

“Currently, 15 per cent of our students in Grades 2 to 8 are reading at a grade equity level. Our goal, by June, is we want 100 per cent of our students to demonstrate growth in reading, which includes accuracy, fluency and comprehension. We have a goal to have 51 per cent of students reading at a grade level by June,” Sudsbury informed trustees.

“I can’t say I was shocked, but I found that 15 per cent was a bit alarming,” she added, after being asked to reflect on the numbers by trustee John Byrne.

Through her analysis, Sudsbury noted that some of the problems are different throughout the various age groups. Students from Grade 2 to 4, for example, are having a hard time looking at words and being able to properly sound them out, while some of the more junior and intermediate students are struggling with comprehension.

Improvement begins and ends in the classroom, Sudsbury said, and she’s been leaning on her teachers to implement individualized plans to try to get the best out of each of their students.

“Guided instruction is a great tool, and what that means is having instruction that is very specific for each student,” Sudsbury said. “All students can achieve … we just need to think a little differently to tap into their potential.”

Return to regular semesters

Director of education Wes Hahn said secondary schools have been given the go ahead to return to regular semesters starting in February.

“There are definitely benefits to moving back to a regular semester. Over the next week or so, we will be working with staff to iron a few things out and then hope to have an announcement about what we’re going to do,” Hahn said. “We’ll be making the best decision possible for students.”

He said there were a number of factors to consider before making the jump back, most notably how staff would deal with transitioning to a regular schedule from the quadmester system the board has been using since September.

While those conversations are at an early stage, Hahn believes teachers have shown how versatile they can be throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Every time we’ve gone to a different model we’ve been successful to the best of our abilities. Even when we were working in octomesters, which weren’t ideal, staff and administrators made that work,” Hahn said. “Staff have done an extraordinary job under extraordinary circumstances.”

Outbreak at Stuart Baker

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Stuart Baker Elementary School last week after two students were found to have contracted the virus.

TLDSB spokesperson Sinead Fegan says a positive case was identified at the school on Nov. 24 and a number of students were sent home to isolate. Then, on Nov. 26, the board was notified of a second positive case. Fegan said the two cases are linked, with bus No. 32, which transports students from SBES, J.D. Hodgson Elementary School and Haliburton Highlands Secondary School, identified as the source of the outbreak.

As of press time, no further cases had been confirmed. Fegan noted that some students were still isolating at home.

Director award

It was a busy meeting for Sudsbury, who was also presented with a director’s recognition award for her early work as principal at ASES. She was nominated for the award by vice principal Mike Gervais.

“Dawn is a highly passionate leader who prioritizes the need of all learners at her school, and makes plans to support their learning and enhance their educational experience. When staff and students walk into ASES, it’s clear they’re stepping into a community focused on student achievement and equity,” Hahn said.

Since her arrival, Sudsbury has worked with staff to streamline and enhance their teaching practices, and placed an increased focus on individualized learning for students.

Hahn noted her efforts have “created a strong team environment” at ASES, making it a great place for staff to teach and students to learn.

Providing a platform for young artists

By

Mike Baker

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December 2, 2021

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A group of young, Haliburton-based artists are inviting residents to “step into their mind” and experience a pop-up art show debuting this weekend.

The Limbic Collective is made up of 10 artists who, through a variety of media, have expressed their take on personal identity, emotions and the nuances of human existence for the series, opening Dec. 4 in unit four downstairs in the Stedman’s Mall on Highland Street. There’ll be an official opening at 6 p.m.

Joey Varga is the heart and soul of the movement. An aspiring painter, Varga said they’ve often found it difficult to find avenues to showcase their pieces – something they believe is common among those looking to break into the industry.

“I first conceptualized this some time ago, while I was a student at Haliburton School of Art + Design. Another student and I started talking and thought it would be really great to have something in town that wasn’t elitist, ultra-competitive or difficult to get into,” Varga said. “We wanted to provide an opportunity for young artists to exhibit their work, but more than that to make them feel like they really belonged.”

The ‘Step Into Our Mind’ art show will run until Dec. 11 featuring installation, video, performance, painting, 3D printing, wearable, sculpture, and poetry.

Speaking to their medium, Varga said, “Installation art is unique – rather than inviting people to look at a painting, a video or a sculpture, it’s like you turn a specific space into a piece of art. So that means putting things on the ceiling, on walls and on the floor. My goal is to have something that people can walk through to experience as more of an atmosphere rather than simply something to look at.”

The event is being part sponsored by the Ethel Curry Gallery and Rails End Gallery and Arts Centre.

Plans are in place for the Limbic Collective to host more events in the community.

“The idea for this collective is not to just have one event and for it to be over … Maybe there’s opportunities for some artists to rent studio space together, to hold individual events, or do big seasonal shows at different times of the year,” Varga said.

“We’re just starting out, and we’re growing, which is really exciting.”

The opening ceremony will run from 6 to 8 p.m., with the show open daily from Dec. 5 to 10 from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A closing ceremony will take place on Dec. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. The show is free to all residents, though they will be accepting donations at the door to help cover running costs.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Haliburton-based artist Tiffany Howe would be serving as curator of this event, with Varga as curatorial assistant. Instead, Varga will be serving as lead curator, with assistance with all artists involved.

Rhubarb on the Hill to open this weekend

By

Lisa Gervais

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December 2, 2021

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Sir Sam’s Ski/Ride and event centre will welcome patrons to the new Rhubarb on the Hill this Friday, Dec. 3 as the Wilkinson family begins to implement some of their changes to the newlyacquired property.

Doug Wilkinson and his family purchased the Eagle Lake ski hill from the Bishop family earlier this fall.

“Our family is excited to continue the wonderful legacy the Bishop family began back in 1965,” Doug Wilkinson said.

He said the Bishops and the current team had been extremely welcoming and helpful through the transition, and they were looking forward to working with them throughout the upcoming ski season.

Doug Wilkinson said his family has been cottaging in the region, currently on Boshkung Lake, for the last 15 years and their kids learned to ski at Sir Sam’s.

“We are looking forward to continuing to make great memories for our family here. We have a number of exciting plans for Sir Sam’s designed to improve the guest experience while maintaining our familyfriendly environment,” he added.

This season, guests will be welcomed into their renovated upper chalet, redone in a more contemporary fashion that will make it attractive for all types of events, including winter and summer weddings, Wilkinson said. The new space will hold up to 250 people inside.

In addition, “Working with Terri and Chris at Rhubarb, we are bringing the concept of ‘Rhubarb on the Hill’ back to Eagle Lake. We will be serving all the traditional favourites (including the Caesars) while adding delicious healthy and vegetarian choices as well.

“We will start welcoming guests at the restaurant on Dec. 3 and be open for breakfast, lunch and après ski/dinner from Thursday to Monday,” Wilkinson said.

Rhubarb co-owner Terri Mathews-Carl said they had a restaurant at the former Silver Eagle Resort in Eagle Lake before moving to Carnarvon about eight years ago. She said the Wilkinsons are regular customers and Doug approached them about collaborating to provide food services at the ski hill.

After selling Boshkung Brewing a year and a half ago, Mathews-Carl said there was room for such a venture although they knew it would mean more work at a time when it is difficult to staff restaurants. They were able to use existing staff and some new hires to pull it off.

She said Kayla Gardiner is largely heading the venture for Rhubarb.

She said some people think the menu is going to be fine dining, similar to the Carnarvon eatery, but that isn’t the case. She said it will be “a little more elevated with healthy food options.” The new apres ski, between 5 and 8 p.m., for example, will offer things such as homemade burgers and charcuterie. During the day, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., she said lunch will include barbecue, poutine, burgers, hotdogs, soups and salads. The restaurant will also be open Mondays for breakfast, lunch and dinner when not many County eateries are open that day.

“We definitely are excited. It’s great,” Mathews-Carl said, noting it wouldn’t have happened without Gardiner’s hard work.

The Wilkinsons have also installed a new bar (topped with a 100-year-old barn beam) facing the hill with a take-out window for the spacious deck.

On the slopes this year, they are going to continue the ski/boarding experience patrons are accustomed to. The ski hill will continue to operate five days a week, from Thursday through Monday, with morning and afternoon half-day options available throughout.

“We are also making exciting changes to the terrain park for our more adventurous guests,” Wilkinson said.

He added they’re looking forward to re-introducing a number of fun and exciting events throughout the season starting with a tree lighting at around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 in support of SIRCH. Nick and Benton will be performing some kids favourite Christmas tunes on the deck followed by a full concert inside afterwards.

See more at sirsams.com

Global scam hits local gnome artists

By

Sam Gillett

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December 2, 2021

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A pair of Highlands East artists are raising the alarm about an online shopping scam that’s stolen their shop’s identity and wasted countless hours of their time.

Sadie and Casper Revenant run RevenantFX from their home near Gooderham. They create hand-painted, horror-themed gnomes and other small statues.

In April 2021, they started receiving messages from fans asking about product listings on Amazon claiming to sell their products.

“We’d never seen anything like it before,” Casper said.

They tried to report the fake product listing, but nothing happened. They shared it with their online following of more than 26,000 fans on Facebook and Instagram. “People tried to report the ads and nothing came of it,” he said.

The fake ads multiplied.

“I spent about three weeks reporting listings, just Amazon alone,” said Sadie. Often Amazon would take the listing down, just as another popped up.

They’ve joined an online “scambusters” group that helped them report hundreds of copyright infringements on listings.

Customers who purchased the fake products showed images of smaller, lighter and mass-produced gnomes and statues, poor plastic replicas of Casper’s painting and Sadie’s moulding skill. While RevenantFX has posted multiple blogs and social media posts cautioning buyers, many shops get angry customers who believe the original maker is to blame.

A quick search for “zombie gnome” on Amazon shows how widespread the scam is: even with constant reporting, multiple vendors on Amazon currently advertise Casper and Sadie’s work, even using their product images and stealing hundreds of Etsy reviews.

Amazon wrote that “Our efforts have ensured more than 99.9 per cent of all Amazon page views by our customers landed on pages that did not receive a notice of potential counterfeit infringement and more than 99 per cent of the reviews read by customers are authentic.”

Despite those claims, RevenantFX said they’ve suffered massive sale losses due to fake reviews helping siphon customers away from their legitimate Etsy page and website.

“They’re sucking our income out,” said Casper.

Those who buy the fake gnomes, or any fake product online, often must return the product before being eligible for a refund when purchasing through sites such as Amazon or Paypal. However, returning a package from Canada to a country such as Hong Kong can cost more than $60, more than the price of many goods ripped off of RevenantFX.

Previously, PayPal has declined to comment on the matter, which has become known as a “bait and switch” tactic.

Buyer beware

Casper said he’s learned that the shops often target holidays such as Christmas.

“Whatever the season is coming up, you’re going to see the ads for that a little bit ahead of time,” said Casper.

The Canadian government’s anti-fraud centre warns buyers that the holidays, for scammers, “is a time of taking.” They caution buyers to research a seller before purchasing, or inputting the name into a web browser to see if warnings pop up.

“Just do your research,” said Sadie.

Often sellers such as RevenantFX have a robust social media presence with engaged audiences and their names visible.

Besides making sure buyers get their gnomes from the source, a long-term solution seems a long way off.

“You’d think there are things in place that would stop that, or somehow fight it, but no, it seems like nobody seems to care,” said Casper. For them, publicity is the first step in fighting the scam.

“The thing is to get the word out as much as we can. What we’ve seen is most of the stuff that’s going on is illegal in the first place but nothing can be done about it. Who do you call? Who goes after it?”

Maple Lake United Church at a crossroads

By

Lisa Gervais

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December 2, 2021

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Maple Lake United Church has put out an SOS.

Rev. Max Ward wrote local media last week to say, “Our little Maple Lake United Church is in trouble and is reaching out to the community.”

He provided correspondence that was sent Nov. 25 to members, adherents and friends of the church.

“We are hopeful that with a bit of awareness, the church might be able to continue for many years to come into the future but the current outlook isn’t good without an infusion of more people to help with the volunteer work and financial support needed to operate the church.” Ward said.

A few years ago, Zion United Church, Minden United Church and Maple Lake United Church were in talks to amalgamate. Maple Lake opted out at that time but Minden and Zion did amalgamate and the result is Highland Hills United Church in Minden. The Zion church and property were sold and have a new life in the community as a bakery and antique shop.

In the Nov. 25 correspondence, written by Ward, Larry Giles, Deloris Baily and Beverly Upton, they said that after church Nov. 21, a congregational meeting was held to discuss the future of the Hwy. 118 and Stanhope Airport Road house of worship, erected in 1901.

They said they have a small and mostly elderly congregation and have struggled to keep up with the physical and financial demands.

For many years, they’ve relied on fundraising to fill the gap between what the congregation offers in donations and the actual cost to operate the church.

“Then COVID-19 came along. COVID-19 restrictions have been extremely difficult for everyone. For the church, the restrictions continue to prevent us from undertaking many of the fundraisers in a safe way that we normally would have enjoyed.”

On top of that, they say many of their members can’t offer to organize and carry out the long hours standing to put on a dinner, as an example.

“The meeting held last Sunday was to make us all aware of the challenges, to ask for help and pray for guidance. Many memories were shared and even some tears shed with the thought of what will happen to the church should we not be able to continue as before and have to close the building permanently.”

The letter is intended to encourage people to go to worship and contribute physically and financially.

“Spread the word to your friends and neighbours that Maple Lake UC is in trouble. Your presence is sorely missed on Sundays. We understand that some may not feel comfortable being in church at this time due to COVID-19. Also, we know that others now have trouble getting to church due to declining health. We understand and think of you frequently. Nevertheless, some tough decisions need to be made very soon.”

On Jan. 30, 2022, after the worship service, they are scheduled to have their annual meeting. It will include a discussion and a decision regarding the future.

The letter cited three options: continue on with much-needed additional support (examples: increased attendance at worship, increases in offering and fundraising); permanently close the building and amalgamate the congregation with another United Church congregation, such as Highland Hills United Church, or permanently close the building and disband the congregation encouraging members and adherents to attend the church of their choice.

“Sadly, the half dozen regular members that attend worship are very discouraged and fearful that we cannot continue. The expenses of the church continue despite COVID-19 restrictions and lower church attendance.”

Ward said, “One can only guess what would happen to Maple Lake United Church if the church members cannot continue to operate it as a church. During this Advent season of hope, we are hoping for a hopeful story.”

Carter running for Minden Hills mayor

By

Lisa Gervais

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December 2, 2021

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Following Minden Hills Mayor Brent Devolin’s announcement he won’t be running for mayor again in 2022, Ward 1 Coun. Bob Carter told The Highlander he’s vying for the top seat on council.

Carter said after Devolin declared his intentions, a number of people asked him if he was interested.

“I just decided that I didn’t want to try to mislead people or put people off. I should just decide what it is I want to do.”

He said his motivation has not changed since he initially ran and was successfully elected in 2018. For him, the big issues are housing and the environment as, “without these lakes, we have no reason to get people to come here for our economy.”

He also touched on change, saying it appears to be happening faster or differently due to population growth locally, climate, the pandemic, and a trend that is seeing municipalities generally get less provincial and federal support.

“I want to be part of the team that steers that change, steers Minden successfully through this changing environment.”

He said infrastructure is Minden Hills’ greatest challenge, using roads as an example.

“We’re in this situation where people want to borrow money for annual road repairs and upgrades. I know there’s a certain amount that has to be spent on roads but I think we need to have plans. The way budgeting is done at the municipal level, you’re almost looking at one year and you don’t know what’s coming next and when you’re going to be dropping off the edge of the cliff.”

He said long-term planning is needed to keep taxes at a reasonable level.

Economic development is also important, the councillor said, but barriers to attracting new business include finding staff and housing for those staff. Another hurdle is attracting service providers, including contractors.

He sits on Minden’s housing task force and the KLH Housing Corp. and is looking into getting involved with Habitat for Humanity. He said housing is a complex issue. However, he believes the move to multi-unit development is needed. He added as a driver for Meals on Wheels, he’s encountered elderly singles living in three-bedroom homes on rural roads. He said if they could find housing in town, they could move, freeing up housing stock for families. He said another challenge is the cost for housing when not on municipal sewer or water.

But he believes Minden Hills council is very supportive of housing “and would move heaven and earth to get some housing developments in here.”

Carter grew up in inner city Montreal, moving to rural Ontario in the 1980s. Now retired, the Concordia and McGill University graduate’s work life involved computer science and business administration.

“I worked mostly in heavy industries, big corporations, multi-nationals, travelled extensively, mostly doing IT and engineering work on big projects and worked as a chief information officer for most of my career and senior management, projects, strategy,” he said.

He said he’s learned in the past three years that finances and accounting are different in local government versus industry and that it takes a lot of time to get anything done. However, he said councillors are at the helm of multi-million-dollar businesses.

“If you fail, or if you don’t succeed, the taxpayers are on the hook to bail you out. It’s unlike any other type of business in that regard. You always have to be thinking about ‘what are we doing here and what is this going to mean for the taxpayers, not only today, but the year after, and the year after, and the year after’.”

Mobile clinics to bridge mental health gap

By

Sam Gillett

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December 2, 2021

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The Ontario government has announced new funding for mobile mental health clinics in Haliburton.

Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, said the service is aimed at bridging the gaps in rural mental health access.

“Through our government’s Roadmap to Wellness we are committed to breaking down barriers to accessing high-quality mental health and addictions services where and when it’s needed,” she said in an Oct. 28 press release.

The mobile clinic will be a retrofitted bus, visiting areas around the Haliburton region, open to drop-in addictions support, counselling and more.

Jack Veitch, manager of community engagement and education for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Haliburton region, said the program is a “good first step.”

“Access to services is probably the greatest hurdle for people to get access to ongoing mental health supports,” he said.

That access is severely limited in Haliburton compared to other regions in Ontario.

“There are pockets of towns and communities that are so spread out. It’s hard to get accessible care: you can’t just hop on the bus,” said Veitch.

The funding comes as part of the Province’s Roadmap to Wellness plan, which Premier Doug Ford has said aims to connect more people to addictions and mental health services.

“Bringing mental health and addictions supports and services directly to the people who need them is another way our government is breaking down barriers and making these important services readily available,” said MPP Laurie Scott. “This mobile clinic will support individuals and families in the CMHA-HKPR catchment area and help address gaps in mental health and addictions care.”

The recent funding announcements counter previous decisions, such as in 2018 when Ford’s government cut $330 million from mental health services. In 2020, Addictions and Mental Health Ontario (AMHO) said the government’s budget, which did not include any additional funds for mental health supports, fell “much too short of the significant investments needed.”

While it said recent funding announcements, such as the mobile addictions and mental health treatment centers, are welcomed, the AMHO said funding “doesn’t go far enough.”

Local improvements needed

Some who work locally in the mental health field say the provincial government needs to do far more to address the Highlands’ mental health issues.

“Primary care, peer support work and help in both mental health and substance use: there’s still a big gap between what’s needed and what’s there,” said Marg Cox, executive director of Point in Time Centre for Children, Youth and Parents.

“What I would say are some of the big gaps, is the government has invested heavily in COVID responses, but we really have a pandemic of mental health and substance use issues going on in the County.”

Multiple groups across Ontario have raised the alarm over spikes in opioidrelated deaths. The HKPR district health unit issued a press release in August outlining the threat.

“We are issuing this alert to make community members aware that more drug overdoses are occurring in Haliburton County and remind everyone to be extra vigilant,” said Catherine MacDonald, a registered nurse and substances and harm reduction coordinator with the health unit. The HKPR health unit reported 30 suspected opioid overdoses in the region in November.

Mental illnesses such as addiction coincide with a drug supply tainted by highly toxic substances such as fentanyl, which has caused nearly 23,000 deaths in Canada since 2016.

Communities such as Peterborough have implemented safe consumption sites, places where people who use injection drugs can do so under supervision.

In Haliburton, the HHHS offers multiple crisis interventions, counselling and treatment, and a Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinic as well as psychiatric intervention.

HHHS CEO Carolyn Plummer said, “We have certainly seen a rise in requests for service related to circumstances of the pandemic, as people face employmentrelated issues, loss of housing, and relationship concerns that are not unique to our community.”

She added that mental health service referrals “have also become more complex and are increasing to align with the population growth in our region.” She said her teams see transportation as a barrier to care.

“While it impacts many aspects of life in the Highlands, a lack of transportation for people trying to access mental health services continues to be a significant challenge,” she said.

Nancy Brownsberger, a registered social service worker and owner of Grow Optimism Consultants in Eagle Lake, agrees that in Haliburton, access remains a top challenge.

“In a community that is remote and as large as ours, it means you’re going to the emergency room for those supports,” she said.

“I think the risks are increased marginalization, increased poverty, and increased mental illness that goes untreated.

It increases the risk of suicidal ideation, it increases the risk of disconnection,” she said. It’s an issue that she believes deserves all of Haliburton’s attention.

“Our communities are only as strong as our most marginalized members,” she said.

County awards RFP for short-term rental review

By

Lisa Gervais

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December 2, 2021

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Haliburton County council has selected one of the firms from its shoreline preservation bylaw process to now spearhead its short-term rentals’ review.

The project has been awarded to J.L. Richards and Associates at a cost of $55,235.55 plus taxes. The County will fund half the cost and the lower-tier governments the other half.

On July 28, council approved a request for proposals for consulting services to assist in the review and consultation for the County.

Director of planning, Steve Stone, in a report to the Nov. 24 meeting, said the plan is to do a community survey, technical literature review, analysis of context, and public consultation – leading to the development of shortterm rental policies and regulations specific to the Highlands.

A technical literature review means finding and summarizing best practises for protecting the public’s quality of life with short-term rentals. It includes a look at what has recently been published by accredited land use policy and regulatory specialists.

Analysis of context means providing a list of municipalities in the province that have policies and regulations. It will outline the legislative authority under which the policies and regulations have been enacted and the prohibitions, exemptions and other requirements.

“The Council for the County of Haliburton has identified the protection of its settlement and lake side neighbourhoods as a significant policy area within this term of their Council,” Stone said. “It is expected that upon completion of the objectives outlined … the successful candidate/ firm will then be in a position to guide the development of a final Short-Term Rental policy and regulations to be considered for implementation by the County of Haliburton.”

The County received one other bid, from Granicus.

However, Stone said J.L. Richards Ltd.’s submission stood out for a number of reasons, including their overall approach to the project, an engagement plan with stakeholders that will be tailored to meaningfully secure input and buy-in from the local community, completion of similar projects, experience and qualifications of project team and previous experience with small and rural municipalities.

Stone said the work will be done in the first quarter of 2022 and will be completed by the end of March.

Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt commented that the analysis of context requirement could be problematic since they tried that with the shoreline preservation bylaw.

“And we know that the response to that was that inquiries were made to other municipalities, to provide context about their own shoreline work, and we were told that nobody called them [the consultants] back.

“So, I would just hope that knowing that, going into this process, that we would require a little bit more … it seems strange to put in an RFP and have the proponent come back and say we’re going to check with everybody. I just don’t want to hear at the other end that they checked and nobody called them back.

“I think the local comparators are vital in these kinds of things. It was missing from the shoreline preservation bylaw and I don’t want to see the same piece missing here.”