Haliburton Forest Biochar management is still assessing damages after an early morning fire at its Kennaway Road facility May 22 took out one of the business’ production buildings.

Malcolm Cockwell, managing director of Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve – the parent company of Biochar, told The Highlander the blaze broke out around 1:30 a.m. No injuries were reported.

“Efforts to secure the site and investigate the incident are ongoing. The extent to which the incident will disrupt Haliburton Forest Biochar’s operations is yet to be determined,” Cockwell said.

Introduced in 2016, the division uses leftover wood chips, shavings and powder from the Forest’s sawmill operations to produce biochar – a highly-porous charcoallike substance primarily used to improve soil health and capture carbon. Acting like a sponge, biochar helps soils retain water and store nutrients.

It’s also used in manufacturing, replacing fossil fuel products like carbon black and coal coke during the production of bioplastics, green metals and other materials.

Stacey Parish, deputy fire chief with the Dysart department, said the fire call came into the station at 1:35 a.m., with first responders arriving at 1:55 a.m. She said 22 firefighters from three departments – Dysart, Algonquin Highlands and Highlands East – tackled the blaze, with officials on-scene for 11 hours.

While the fire was reported to the Ontario Fire Marshal, Parish said there’s no concern for public safety.

“Nothing to be concerned about as it is a natural product,” Parish said.

Jim Demetriou from the fire marshal’s office said an investigation is underway.

“At this time, the incident remains under active investigation and there is no information available to share. The Office of the Fire Marshal is unable to provide further comment while the investigation is ongoing,” Demetriou said.

Cockwell confirmed clean-up is underway. The fire is the first major incident at the site since Haliburton Forest invested $10 million to expand the division in 2022. The Ontario government pitched in an additional $4.6 million last year to support a transition into engineered biochar, opening the door for more growth in advanced manufacturing.

Habitat for Humanity Peterborough and Kawartha Region is seeking a $12.5 million loan from Infrastructure Ontario to help pay for its planned 35-unit affordable housing build on Peninsula Road in Haliburton.

CEO Susan Zambonin was at County council May 27 to request the upper tier reach-out to provincial officials on Habitat’s behalf.

“It would be construction financing for up to three years. Affordable housing projects can be considered for this type of loan,” Zambonin told council. “This would help us to have a low-interest loan, as opposed to going through the bank and only getting 60 per cent of what we need as a construction mortgage.

“This is one way the County can help us without costing you anything,” she added.

Council did not make a decision, instead directing staff to report back on the request at a future meeting.

Habitat is partnering with County-based non-profit Places for People (P4P) on the project. While Habitat is handling construction, P4P has committed to purchasing 15 of the 35 units, which it intends to offer for rent at below-market rates. Habitat will sell the remaining 20 units to the public through its homeownership program.

To qualify, Zambonin said applicants require a household income that supports homeownership but is less than $95,000 a year, no outstanding debt, and a credit score of 600 or more. People must secure an initial mortgage through an eligible credit union, with Habitat making up the difference through a second mortgage.

Through Habitat’s model, Zambonin said people never pay more than 30 per cent of their income towards housing costs – which includes insurance, condo fees and property taxes.

All units will be one and two-bedroom, with Zambonin telling The Highlander last fall they will likely be priced under $400,000. The building is slated to be three storeys, with main floor units being mostly accessible. There will be an elevator for people on higher floors.

Planning is well underway with Habitat hiring an architect, Neil Campbell from Aside Architects, and a construction manager, Haliburton resident Travis Braun from Braun Custom Builds. Campbell has worked with Habitat on previous builds, including a recent 41-unit development in Peterborough.

Zambonin said she had a pre-consultation meeting with County and Dysart et al staff last week and hopes to finalize building permits this fall, with the project expected to break ground in 2027.

She’s been spending a lot of time in the County since the build was announced last September, making connections with local tradespeople who will help bring the units to life.

“Haliburton has been an incredibly supportive and welcoming community and we at Habitat look forward to breaking ground and launching a build that will offer much-needed affordable ownership and rental units to the County,” she said.

Bunkie auction

Fundraising efforts are now well underway to help P4P pay its share, with the nonprofit’s founder, Fay Martin, saying it will likely be millions of dollars.

Local developer Paul Wilson has already committed $500,000 to P4P’s cause, part of the proceeds from selling the land on Peninsula Road to Habitat for $1.2 million last year. After bringing in just shy of $60,000 at its annual ‘sleeping in cars’ event in March, P4P is back at it again with a bunkie auction, running until Canada Day.

Launching May 16, people can bid on a seven-by-10-foot bunkie constructed by volunteers during an annual womens’ build retreat Habitat hosted in Haliburton last fall.

“The completed structure was built with one goal in mind: to support the future of affordable housing in Haliburton County. For all 60 women who participated, it was an opportunity to help build something meaningful. For many, it was their first time swinging a hammer or using construction tools,” Zambonin said.

“It takes a village to build a home – and an even bigger village to build 35,” she added.

All the materials for the bunkie were provided by Habitat, who donated the finished structure to P4P.

The bunkie is valued at $7,500, with the top bid as of press time $4,000. People have until 11:55 p.m. June 30 to register their interest. The winning bid will be announced by P4P on Canada Day.

“Whether it’s storage, a guest bunkie or a creative retreat, this is your chance to add something truly unique to your property,” said P4P president Susan Tromanhauser. “The structure is solid, thoughtfully crafted and full of potential. Finish it your way and make it your own.”

P4P said it will deliver the bunkie within a 50-kilometre radius of Haliburton Home Hardware, where it’s being stored. Bids can be made virtually through Zeffy or on information cards at select local businesses.

To place a bid, visit www.placesforpeople. ca/news/bid-on-a-bunkie-with-charityauction-for-places-for-people.

Other projects

Zambonin also delivered an update on Habitat’s partnership with the County to develop 60 affordable units at the Wee Care property in Haliburton.

“We’ve put together a concept of four different buildings where we could stagger the construction, if necessary, to then be able to provide additional daycare space, should the daycare decide that’s what they’d like,” she said.

The plan calls for two 16-unit buildings and two 12-unit buildings, with space for a new daycare facility. There’s currently no timeline for breaking ground.

Zambonin revealed Habitat has also made an offer to purchase the Haliburton Heights timeshare building at 1699 Wigamog Rd.

Their plan is to convert the property into 22 condos for affordable home ownership – six studios, six one-bedroom units and 10 two-bed units. She noted the project would require rezoning and an amendment to Dysart’s official plan.

“It’s a very well-maintained property… we have met with a few councillors from Dysart and had conversations with the planning department,” Zambonin said.

She asked County council to go to Infrastructure Ontario to request a further $3.5 million loan that Habitat will use as acquisition financing. For both, this project and the one on Peninsula Road, Zambonin said Habitat would aim to pay back the loan over three years, once it has recouped money from selling the units.

Readers have been enthralled with crime, and true crime, for as long as the genre has existed and part-time Haliburton resident, Hope Thompson, has added to the bookshelves.

Thompson recently published Dark Thoughts & Other Stories: a collection of 11 crime stories, with many having a “noir quality.”

She described it as, “set on city streets from the 1930s and 50s, to the present day and beyond, these stories bristle with the grit of noir. While some are lighter, and others darker, all are about people forced by circumstance to escape their situation – or die trying.”

Thompson, who splits her time between Haliburton village and Toronto, said she has always been interested in noir. “So, these stories draw on that. They also draw on the cozy crime stories; say Agatha Christie; a little bit of everything. Some of the stories are historical, some are present day.”

Thompson said the short stories are mostly driven by “outsider characters; like single women, unmarried women, people who are kind of navigating patriarchy in some way; navigating the world from an outsider space. It’s very different from crime stories where it’s the male detective as the main lead.”

The author noted, “characters are cornered, caught and facing their own demise.” For example, an advice columnist receives a letter from a murderer. A drifter obsesses over a serial killer. A painter contemplates her final brush stroke – with death.”

As to why people love reading crime and true crime, Thompson said she thinks it’s partly escapism.

“The fact the world is in such a horrific place right now. It’s, ironically, going to a story that involves murder and what have you, as a form of escapism. It almost always is, and has been, since the invention of the genre. It’s always had this popularity and is the highest-selling genre.”

This is Thompson’s first book of short stories. She is also working on a novel. Add to that, a true crime project with Ellen White of the podcast Whereabouts Unknown.

Thompson has worked in film and television, including writing for the CBC sketch comedy hit Baroness Von Sketch Show. She has a future project with a production company in the Yukon. She also does freelance work to help pay the bills. Thompson has also taught courses for Haliburton School of Art + Design.

Asked how she keeps track of it all, she said it comes down to time management.

“I’ve got a white board with a lot of deadlines, some of which I have missed. I keep writing up lists and trying to strike things off.”

Dark Thoughts & Other Stories is available on Amazon, and at Master’s Book Store In Haliburton.

Thompson also plans to bring the book to Bookapalooza in Minden June 20. She hopes to plan another book reading event while in town for that. “I’m looking forward to being at my first Bookapalooza.”

The show is organized by volunteers from the Haliburton Curling Club, which uses the proceeds to finance things like its ‘learn to curl’ and youth training programs.

“We focus on development as much as possible. We invest heavily in our youth curling program. Kids are bused in every week for sessions,” home show spokesperson Andy Glecoff said. “We’ve developed many reputable Canadian curlers over the years, including Jacob Dobson, Liam Little, Jessica Byers, Owen Nicholls and Connor Duhaime.”

Dobson and Nicholls are national college and university champions who have also had a taste of the pro game – Dobson in 2024, when he competed at the Pointsbet Invitational against Brad Gushue and Nicholls in 2026, appearing at the Ontario Tankard.

Duhaime has also played at the Tankard and in 2021 competed for a spot on Team Canada’s Olympic roster. Little and Byers performed well on the collegiate circuit, with Byers now representing the Philippines’ national team.

“It’s a tremendous program that gives kids a great education on the sport. Curling is growing leaps and bounds in Canada, so this is one of our most important programs,” Glecoff said.

Through ‘learn to curl’, adults can get six weeks of play for a nominal fee. Glecoff said most of the people who sign up go on to become full-fledged members. Money is also used to offset annual fees for curlers, making it more affordable for people to play, and for hosting seminars on various curling skills and tactics, including game strategy, sweeping and throwing.

“We have a pretty dynamic club. There’s always lots going on – there’s curling every day, pretty much. We run a full schedule Monday to Friday, morning, afternoon and evening,” Glecoff said. (Mike Baker)