Groups focus of OPP COVID enforcement

January 27, 2021

The OPP is enforcing a new stay-at-home order and dispersing larger gatherings, but said it is not targeting individuals.

The province introduced a new stay-at-home order Jan. 14, demanding people only leave for essential trips such as work, purchasing goods, exercise, caring for animals or others, or moving. The province also said law enforcement would be empowered to issue fines under the order.

OPP spokesperson Const. Iryna Nebogatova said the attention the order has received has brought more complaints, which drive enforcement. She added gatherings – limited to five people outdoors – are the main source of the complaints.

“I do understand the stay-at-home order under the emergency management and Civil Protection Act, Reopening Ontario Act are quite confusing,” Nebogatova said. “What we are focusing on here would be the large gatherings, the gatherings whether they’re indoor or outdoor.

“The individuals are not the focus of this enforcement,” she added.

In a press release Jan. 15, OPP said it could levy fines of $750 for failing to comply with the order and/or $1,000 for preventing others from complying. However, the press release added that officers will not arbitrarily stop an individual or vehicle to check compliance with the orders.

“Individuals are not expected to provide proof of essential work,” OPP said. “Officers can ask an individual to identify themselves if they have reasonable grounds to believe the individual is violating an act.”

The province said bylaw enforcement can also issue fines under the order, but Dysart et al bylaw officer Robert Mascia said he is redirecting complaints to OPP.

“If the OPP require assistance in enforcement measures, the municipality’s bylaw department will gladly help,” Mascia said.

Cottagers being allowed

County resident Donna Pugh said she called police on a cottager neighbour who visited their secondary residence this past weekend. But Pugh said OPP indicated that it is allowed – and they were not going to attend to address someone travelling to a secondary residence.

“Our premier of the province has strongly told us all to stay home,” Pugh said. “Then to see our County booming with people who don’t live here all the time, when they’re asked to stay home, I just find that really frustrating.”

The order states someone can travel to another residence if they intend to be there for less than 24 hours and are attending for an essential purpose; or if they intend to reside there for at least 14 days.

Nebogatova did not directly address cottager enforcement when asked but said there are exemptions for people to leave their homes under the order that should be respected.

“We are requesting that the members of the public voluntarily comply with the new stay-at-home order to limit their mobility outside their homes except for essential reasons,” she said.

Pugh said despite the province’s words, the enforcement is not going far enough.

“The whole thing doesn’t have many teeth,” she said.

County takes first steps in operations overhaul

Lisa Gervais

January 26, 2021

JQ - Service delivery start - 2 — County council agreed to start work on joint purchasing of goods and services, such as contracts and road salt. Photo via Flickr.

County council formalized an economic development position and collaborative procurement as its first steps toward improving operations as recommended by a service delivery review.

Council discussed the review at a special meeting Jan. 13. All members agreed to include an economic development position in this year’s budget and to begin work on collaborative procurement later this year.

The initiatives are just two of the 12 overarching areas addressed by consultant StrategyCorp in the review to improve collaboration, efficiency and realize more than $1 million in potential cash flow improvements. Council also agreed to work through the other recommendations slowly at its future meetings.

“I know that this has been a difficult one,” Warden Liz Danielsen said. “But I think we’ve come to some agreement about how we’re going to approach this a bit at a time, in a reasonable fashion that works for everybody.”

StrategyCorp recommended the County hire an economic development officer this year, with an estimated upfront cost of $200,000 annually. It also suggested starting collaborative procurement – joint purchasing of goods and services by the County and its lower-tier municipalities – with estimated savings between $372,000 and $1,193,000 annually once implemented.

Coun. Brent Devolin said it made sense to move on procurement early.

“That’s some of the savings that fund and helps some of the things that will come in subsequent years,” Devolin said.

“It’s a real area of need for the County,” CAO Mike Rutter said. “No one (on staff) has that expertise. They’re not a purchasing expert. That would be really helpful for us.”

But these only represent two of the six initiatives StrategyCorp suggested to start in 2021. The others were communications, waste management, roads and co-ordination. Council directed staff to bring back more information about implementing those and other recommendations at a future meeting.

Danielsen said ongoing discussions will be needed, adding better communication is important.

“We’re not good at communicating with each other,” she said. “We have discussions at the County council and quite often the information just stays here. It doesn’t go back to the lower-tiers.”

However, Devolin said live-streamed meetings make it easier for lower-tier councillors to access. Although the County may yet move on other initiatives, deputy warden Patrick Kennedy cautioned to not overload staff.

“I’m just so worried about our staff, about burning them out,” Kennedy said. “If it takes an extra year, I don’t care.”

“We definitely need to agree on an approach and what those, maybe one or two low-hanging fruit pieces are,” he said. “That aren’t going to create a massive workload for any specific individual.”

Kennedy praised council for getting through the meeting.

“I’m just so proud of this group,” Kennedy said. “We’ve made some pretty big decisions and I’m just so thrilled to be part of it.”

Cats capture Cailey’s heart

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

As a toddler, Dorset cottager Cailey Seymour held kittens that her aunt saved from outdoor living at Paint Lake. Now just 22 years old, she is carrying on that tradition by founding Dorset Rescue Kittens in May of last year.

A student in her final year of Sheridan College’s veterinary technician program, Seymour and her partner, Thomas Marshall, are based in Guelph. However, they are working with a team of volunteers in the Dorset area who are doing their part to help orphaned kittens, and to spay and neuter adult cats to keep the feral situation in check. When she graduates this spring, Seymour plans to move back to the area and continue her rescue work in earnest.

Seymour said she’s been greatly involved in animal welfare since becoming a teenager.

“I spent a month of my summer between high school and post-secondary school living and volunteering on an elephant orphanage in Zambia. I have travelled to Guatemala to assist veterinarians in high volume spay-neuter clinics. I rescued a dog in Costa Rica …, “ she said.

She’s worked at her local humane society, has volunteered at Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary in Minden Hills and has a number of certificates for working with animals.

She said she started Dorset Rescue Kittens after taking in a mother cat with five newborns and four other kittens last spring.

“After working and volunteering for several other animal rescue organizations, it was clear that it was meant to be for me to start something of my own,” Seymour said.

She and Marshall launched a number of social media platforms, a website and email address, and set up fundraising through GoFundeMe and paypal.

On the ground up north, she relies on foster parents to help her. They have between five and 10 foster homes but are seeking more in Dorset and surrounding areas to begin fostering in the spring of 2021.

“Most of the time when someone reaches out about a feral cat colony or a family of cats they are feeding, they don’t have the resources to trap them and bring them to us. So, we pack a vehicle with crates and blankets and do our best to catch cats that really don’t want to be caught. We travel for hours every week to spend time rescuing kittens and bringing kittens to vet appointments,” Seymour said.

They usually keep kittens 1.5 months before they can adopt them out. They often need medical attention and socializing before they go to their forever homes. Some stay as long as four months. “We provide food, litter, medications, toys, transportation and vetting while they are in our care,” Seymour said.

Seymour said she remembers each of their names, their faces, their quirks and special personalities. She also keeps close contact with everyone involved, the people who find the cats, fosters, adopters and donors.

“It has always been so exciting to watch the transition of a cold, sick, helpless outdoor kitten to a healthy, happy, loved kitten,” she said.

“It’s crazy to think that I’ve only been running the rescue for the last eight months and I can’t wait to see where it goes. This rescue brings me so much happiness and knowing that every life that comes into my care likely wouldn’t have survived without me, makes me want to do everything I possibly can to help even more animals in need.”

BREAKOUT BOX

They charge an adoption fee but are otherwise 100 per cent donation-based.

Email address for contact and e-transfer donations: dorsetrescuekittens@hotmail.com

Website: dorsetrescuekittens.ca

Amazon Wishlist: amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/348N8BZNAHXFF?ref_=wl_share

(they also accept medical supplies, kitten food, unscented litter, toys and live traps.

GoFundMe: gofund.me/d0442e09

Instagram: @dorsetrescuekittens

Facebook: Dorset Rescue Kittens

COVID delays opening of Minden’s new rec centre

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

Minden’s new $12.7 million arena and community centre is not expected to open until June 1, and possibly later, staff and councillors determined at a Minden Hills budget standing committee meeting Jan. 14.

With the province of Ontario declaring a second state of emergency until Feb. 10 at the earliest, director of community services, Craig Belfry, said his original plan of a soft March 1 opening is not going to happen.

Mayor Brent Devolin raised the issue while talking about the second draft of the community services department budget. Belfry said he was looking for an additional $616,225 or a 51.57 per cent increase from 2020 with “the majority of this increase in association with operationalizing the new recreation complex, including equipment, supplies and staffing.”

Devolin said following the stay-at-home order effective Jan. 14 to Feb. 10, he couldn’t see a soft opening happening before June 1, well past the hockey and figure skating seasons. He added there was no point in including new staffing dollars for the facility as of Jan. 1, 2021, but instead phasing hiring and related costs to Sept. 1.

“I think anything short of that is a pipe dream,” Devolin said. “I just don’t think it’s on. Turns your world upside down, would you say?” Devolin asked Belfry.

Belfry said the stay-at-home order “dramatically” changes what he and his department had been planning for. He said with a facility opening delayed until June it means reduced costs. For example, they will not have to turn the ice plant on until late August, saving $10,000-a-month until then. He agreed staffing could also be delayed.

Devolin added even if the township is able to open the complex in June, or perhaps more realistically for Sept. 1, the community centre won’t be open for the types of functions it has hosted in the past until there is widespread vaccination locally. He added it would likely mean limited numbers in the fitness centre and on the walking track. Belfry thought a reduced opening could be managed with existing staff until fully operational.

CAO Trisha McKibbin said she would do a follow-up report for third round budget talks that not only represents reduced staffing and operational costs due to COVID, but reduced revenue as well. Council voted to set a tentative opening date of June 1, 2021 with new staffing not to be budgeted until September 1, 2021.

During the discussion, council also touched on some of the remaining purchases at the arena and community centre to get it up and running. A report itemized some $167,000 worth of items that would be considered for debenturing. Council also discussed inclusions of volleyball lines for the gym floor ($1,800), finishing and sealing the concrete floors in the stands and upper arena public washrooms ($35,000). There was also talk of a snack bar ($60,000), and a security system ($10,000). Council also approved the purchase of a ride-on floor machine ($15,995) and an Olympia leveller ($16,800).

Director of finance, Lorrie Blanchard, said they would be looking to borrow approximately $12 million for the arena project over a 25-year period, which would amount to $638,000 a year in repayments. In her initial report, Blanchard put all debentures together, including roads, bridges and culverts, but Coun. Bob Carter said “these need to be separated as much as possible, so (they are) kept transparent and clean.”

Minden targets 3.65 per cent levy hike

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

Minden Hills councillors want a 3.65 per cent levy increase in the 2021 budget – a figure they began to work towards Jan. 14 after the second draft of the budget started at 21.75 per cent.

It is not unusual for the township to begin with a large number, Mayor Brent Devolin pointed out. Last year, for example, the first draft came in at 34.14 per cent. They settled at a 5.3 per cent tax levy increase.

“In Minden, we haven’t lost our mind,” Devolin said. “We use a somewhat different methodology.”

CAO Trisha McKibbin added at the start of the day, “staff is very much aware this (21.75 per cent) is not an acceptable number.

Coun. Bob Carter suggested they set a target figure and Devolin agreed, saying, “to set a range of the levy increase might be a good place to start … like setting a destination, embarking on a trip, so we have that lens as we talk about and make decisions for council.”

Devolin said they set a number of just under four per cent for the County of Haliburton and he wanted to see Minden Hills within a percentage of that. Carter and deputy-mayor Lisa Schell suggested two per cent. Coun. Ron Nesbitt said he’d be happy with three; Coun. Jean Neville anywhere between two and four; Coun. Jennifer Hughey under five and Coun. Pam Sayne between two and 3.9 per cent.

Councillors decided to go with a target of a three per cent levy increase and .65 per cent of growth. Only Carter voted against in a recorded vote.

Later in the meeting, Carter suggested they look to the 2019 and 2020 budget surpluses to help them reach their goal. He thought they could use half for the 2021 budget and the other half for the 2022 budget.

Director of finance Lorrie Blanchard said there was $1 million from 2019 and about $200,000 from 2020, which meant they could plug $600,000 from budget surpluses into third draft numbers for 2021.

The draft had hefty borrowing numbers. In addition to $12 million for the arena, there was talk of borrowing more than $7.5 million for roads, bridges and culverts.

Sayne said she thought Ontario’s 444 municipalities had to continue to lobby the province for one per cent of the GST to help townships with infrastructure costs.

Council is also considering whether or not to proceed with some new hires, including a deputy treasurer and two new staff for the building, planning and bylaw department. It was suggested the hirings could be phased in and not placed in the budget until Sept. 1 due to the unlikelihood of hiring during COVID. Council also found efficiencies by backdating hiring for the new arena and community centre.

Fire chief Nelson Johnson said they’d had 298 calls in 2020, the department’s biggest year to date, representing a 30 per cent increase. He wants to up wages for firefighters by 22 per cent, representing a jump to 180 hours per firefighter from 140.

There also remain outstanding decisions about roads. Blanchard said they plan to use gas tax and OCIF funding [$295,000] for road resurfacing projects to include Rice, Clear Lake, Brady Lake, Lochlin, Tom Bolton and Howland Junction roads.

They are also looking to borrow $7,768,300 for major roadworks, including engineering and design for sections of Scotch Line and Bobcaygeon roads. There are planned replacement of culverts along the Shuyler’s Island Causeway and a total of 34.52kms of mechanical brushing in the budget.

There was some discussion of cutting $257,000 for engineering-related costs for Blairhampton Road. Schell said she didn’t want to cut anything from the roads budget. “This is the department I get the most calls and complaints about. For years, we’ve been robbing Peter to pay Paul in this department. I’d like to see it get left in the budget.”

Carter said if council hopes to get to 3.65 per cent, they have to ask themselves, “is it something we really need to do? It comes down to having to make some hard decisions in the end if we are committed to the tax increase we want to have. We are going to be paying interest on whatever we borrow. I’m all for investing in this area if we can afford it.”

Haliburton teen competes to be All-Round-Champion

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

Haliburton teen, Evan Armstrong, will debut on the big screen when he appears in an episode of All-Round Champion on TVO Jan. 27.

In the series produced by Canadian entertainment company marblemedia, each of the episodes features 10 of North America’s most decorated young athletes competing in the ultimate competition in winter sports. The catch is they aren’t competing in their own sport but in each other’s.

Lianna Cohen of C2C Communication said, “Armstrong definitely has something to prove, as he is a multidisciplinary athlete. He’s participated in soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and field, mountain biking, triathlons and cross-country skiing. He’s always been skiing; however, he didn’t start competing competitively until last year.”

Evan, who is 15 and attends Lakefield College School told The Highlander that being part of a TV production was quite a memorable experience.

“At times it was super fun but sadly it was also boring at times. One of the sayings in the TV show world is ‘hurry up and wait’. and is that ever true.”

He added that he now knows how much work and how many people go into creating a TV production.

“There are so many people involved in the filming of the show and a lot of others involved in behind-the- scenes stuff (advertising, editing, etc.).

Evan said being in this type of TV show was fun and he met some amazing athletes and got to try new sports that he had always wanted to try.

He has already seen the production as it aired in the States earlier on BYUtv.

“I feel that it went well. There were a couple of embarrassing moments that ended up getting aired, which I am not very fond of but overall, it went well. With all the takes they took they have quite a few that turned out well,” he said.

He said he thinks Haliburton County and other viewers should watch the show because it is an engaging competition show with an entertaining cast.

“It’s really interesting to see how well kids can learn a new sport in just three days that they are unfamiliar with and then go on to compete in that sport. Although I have already seen the show once I will likely watch it again (especially the episode coming next week) because it is something that I really enjoyed filming and am interested in. I’m also excited for it to come out because I want to know what my friends and viewers, that haven’t seen the show before, think of it.”

Two-time Olympian and two-time world champion hurdler, Perdita Felicien,hosts the series, which also features some internationally-renowned guest mentors, including Olympic gold and silver medalist, Jennifer Heil,in freestyle skiing; Olympic gold medalist, Jamie Salé, in figure skating and Olympic gold medalist, Beckie Scott,in cross-country skiing as well as many more.

Each episode features a guest Olympian judge who assists in the training, all while the contestants are scored on skill, sportsmanship and improvement.

At the end of the series, one of the remarkable young athletes will be crowned the All-Round Champion.

The series was filmed pre-pandemic last winter in Canada and is available to view through tvokids.com

The Interview: Matt Duchene

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

Highlander editor Lisa Gervais caught up with Nashville Predators’ – and Haliburton native – Matt Duchene Jan. 15, the day after the Predators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 in their 2020-2021 season opener.

Q: How did you spend the off-season. Were you in Nashville? Canada?

A: We came back to Hali from mid-August until the start of October then headed back to Nashville. Our little girl, Jaymes, was born Nov. 9 so we needed to get back in advance of that.

Q: What was it like getting back to training camp … what kind of off-season training were you able to do?

A: Off-season training was totally normal. I trained in my gym while I was at the cottage and skated in town and then when I got back here I was going to the rink during the week to train and skate. It was way too long of a period of time to not play hockey for our liking but it’s great to be back.

Q: I think you played 15.27 minutes in the first game back. How were the legs? lungs?

A: Pretty light workload first game back. The minutes were pretty spread out around the lineup. Legs and lungs felt great! Was awesome to be back.

Q: How do you feel about the division format? Will you miss playing in Canada? However, good rivalry building in your division. Intensity should be up?

A: It’s definitely a different year and will definitely miss playing in all the rinks this year but we will eventually have fans at a lot of our games here in Nashville and in other rinks in our division so that will be awesome … also all the teams in our division have great weather so that’s nice too.

Q: Big win first game out. How did it feel?

A: Felt awesome, was just so nice to play hockey again and to get that first W feels great.

Q: Tell me about your line with Erik Haula and Luke Kunin.

A: I loved our line’s first game. Definitely some areas to improve but finishing +1 and controlling the game when we were out there was a great start. It was our first game ever together as a line so only more good things to come.

Q: How do you think the team will do this season?

A: Love our team. We have a different vibe and feel than last year. Last year was a transition year for this franchise and I love what we did in the off-season. I’m excited to see what we do this year.

Q: Any personal goals?

A: Always lots of personal goals, but the biggest one is just to be the best I can be to help the team win.

Students must not be left behind

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

The image of an educator and student needing to teach and learn from a car at a WiFi hotspot in the County does not sit well with me.

But that’s what the Klose family had to do when the pandemic closed Haliburton Highlands Secondary School in 2020. Like many County families, they don’t have the internet required to support online learning.

Point in Time, which has been looking into the issue, says it’s affecting approximately 150 students and youth in the County. Executive-director Marg Cox added they surveyed 59 local youth, and only 14 per cent said they had reliable internet and 54 per cent said they have less-than-unlimited data.

In the first instance, this is probably due to our poor connectivity and in the second it may be due to economic hardship. Some families can afford unlimited. Some cannot.

Point in Time is spearheading a campaign. Long-term, it’s about overcoming connectivity barriers. Short-term, it’s solutions for youth in urgent need, such as cellular data plans or hubs, increasing community access point alternatives, and meeting the transportation needs of those who cannot get to hotspots.

Cox brought her plea to County council. They suggested it was a Ministry of Education issue. However, Cox pointed out that they could not wait for the ministry to take action as it is not going to happen any time soon, if at all.

Council didn’t pass any specific motions but said they’d lobby upper levels of government and consider financial support in the 2021 budget.

Unfortunately, that really isn’t good enough. Students are locked out of schools now and for the immediate future. The County can lobby Laurie Scott and Jamie Schmale all they want but nothing is going to happen quickly. And the budget won’t be passed for another month or two.

Warden Liz Danielsen suggested they could dip into safe restart funding – and they should. While maybe this is not how the province would like the money to be spent, in this case it might be better to beg forgiveness than ask for permission.

If they cannot provide the dollars to help families with technology to get them connected, they could open their facilities as temporary hotspots. There is the newly-refurbished Minden recreation complex, upstairs at the Haliburton arena or the Keith Tallman Arena in Wilberforce. There is the Dorset Recreation Complex.

Someone would have to immediately jump in to finalize a list of needy families, and perhaps organize volunteer drivers to get them transported to those WiFi hotspots. There will be logistics around public health protocols too. The Trillium Lakelands District School Board could surely assist as it knows of bus drivers not working right now. Perhaps smaller school buses could be enlisted in the effort. There are resources in this community. They just have to be enabled.

While County council talks about lobbying upper levels of government, and perhaps putting money in the 2021 budget, we’ve already seen the Haliburton and District Lions Club jump in with $1,000 towards the cause. Once again, it looks like the community is having to bail out yet another need in our County.

We have heard so many press announcements, federally, provincially and municipally about the billions of dollars going into ensuring no one is left behind when it comes to connectivity – and yet – at least 150 school children here are being left behind. They need the help now – not in a month or two.

It’s not just time for the County to step up, either. Scott and Schmale should be embarrassed that constituents in the County have to drive to a high school parking lot in Haliburton, in winter, so they can teach and learn.

Courts convict no one over 2020 drug busts

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

A backlogged court system, exacerbated by COVID-19, has stalled the cases of locals charged in major drug busts in 2020.

Of the 24 Haliburton County residents charged after the execution of major drug warrants in 2020, 16 are still before the courts, two have had their charges withdrawn and another three have seen their charges stayed. The court office could not provide information on the remaining three cases.

There has only been one case resolved in favour of the Crown, a 38-year-old Haliburton man pleading guilty Dec. 10, 2020, with sentencing scheduled for Feb. 8, 2021.

A Ministry of the Attorney General spokesperson told The Highlander Dec. 23, 2020 that “it would be inappropriate to comment on matters that are before the Court.”

The charges withdrawn or stayed were revealed by a Lindsay courthouse update of matters handled in the Minden court, provided by the ministry’s office. Charges are stayed when a judge or a Crown decides that it would be bad for the justice system for the case to continue. This means the issue of guilt or innocence is never determined. It was not stipulated why the charges were dropped or stayed.

The Highlander has also learned that four Haliburton County residents were charged in connection with more than one drug bust in 2020.

A then 59-year-old man and a 49-year-old man were charged on May 13, 2020 with trafficking cocaine. They were charged again on May 28 – just 16 days later – with possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine. Both are still before the courts.

A then 30-year-old Haliburton man was also charged Jan. 30, 2020 with trafficking cocaine, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 and possession of cocaine for trafficking. He was charged again on Nov. 12, 2020 – 10 months later – with possession of cocaine and fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking. He is still before the courts.

And a now 26-year-old Minden Hills man was charged on Jan. 30, 2020 – had those charges stayed on Dec. 2, 2020 – and was also charged on April 9, 2020 with possession, trafficking cocaine and possession of methamphetamine. He also had charges related to firearms and stolen property.

The ministry spokesperson said that the federal Crown, through the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC), is responsible for prosecuting charges laid under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act.

They told The Highlander Jan. 4, 2021 that the PPSC makes every effort to resolve files in a timely manner. They added they cannot comment on specific factors affecting any particular case. There are numerous factors which are outside of their control, a spokesperson added.

“For instance, when a person charged with an offence exercises his or her right to set a trial date in the Ontario Court of Justice or to have a preliminary inquiry and a trial in the Superior Court of Justice, it is not unusual for the matter to remain before the courts for over a year or more,” she said.

“In addition, court closures and reductions in matters proceeding due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had an impact on many of our files.”

‘It feels like whack-a-mole’

Haliburton Highlands OPP detachment commander, Liane Spong, would not comment on the courts.

However, she said that one of the biggest challenges with drugs is recidivism, or repeat offences.

“We know recidivism is always anticipated,” Spong said. “That is how our team does so well. They anticipate there’s going to be recidivism and they are already working on a layered approach to that. They are already on top of people every step of the way. When we are able to execute another series of successful warrants, some of the same players are re-arrested again.”

Dysart et al Mayor Andrea Roberts declined to comment on the court system. However, she did say it is “disheartening and really frustrating” to see people arrested, charged and released only to be arrested, charged and released a second time.

“It feels like whack-a-mole. Where you take down two or three people and make some good arrests and hope that you’ll alleviate the problem and it pops up again. Punishment enough is obviously not a deterrent,” she said. “It’s a bit of a joke.”

District ready for COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Lisa Gervais

January 21, 2021

Close-up medical syringe with a vaccine. — The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit said it is ready to start COVID vaccine distribution and expects its first shipment in early February. Photo via Flikr.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit says it is ready to start rolling out COVID-19 vaccines and expects to get its first shipment in early February.

Medical officer of health, Dr. Ian Gemmill, addressed media Jan. 20 and said the unit submitted its rollout plan to the Ministry of Health earlier this week.

Gemmill said although the date could change, the province has told the health unit to expect its first vaccines in early February. Vaccines will initially be directed to long-term care homes.

“We are ready to go as soon as we get a vaccine available, with a focus on the residents, the staff and the essential caregivers in long-term care,” he said.

Gemmill noted the region has relatively fewer cases, so it is a lower priority to receive the vaccine. But he added staff will be ready as soon as it does arrive.

“The speed with which the general population will be protected will be determined by one factor only, and that is the supply of the vaccine,” he said. “We are going to have all hands-on deck.”

Meanwhile, the district’s COVID cases are going down thanks to the Dec. 26 lockdown, according to Gemmill. There were only four new cases Jan. 20 – including zero in Haliburton – down from the 10-15 daily case average in the two weeks previous.

“Our cases, at least for the last couple of days, have been diminishing. I hope that trend continues and I thank people for doing the things that need to be in place to make that happen.”

However, the district saw a spike in cases the next day, with 40 new cases Jan. 21, including two in Haliburton. 35 of the cases were in Kawartha Lakes, which the health unit said was due to an outbreak at a long-term care come there.

Snowmobile trails staying open

The district is not planning to follow the lead of the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit in closing Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Club (OFSC) trails.

“I have received many complaints about people travelling from other districts to use the local snowmobile trails, thus putting our district at risk of COVID-19,” their medical officer of health, Dr. Jim Chirico, said. “The OFSC recommends that snowmobilers avoid trailering and travelling to destinations that are outside their health unit region to snowmobile, but people have not taken the direction seriously.”

Their closure is effective Jan. 21.

Gemmill said he does not intend to close local trails, but people need to follow the stay-at-home orders.

“I have no problem with people going out for recreation,” Gemmill said. “But do keep within the spirit of the regulations so we don’t have transmission.”

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