Sleeping in cars with lived experience

March 6, 2025

Kim Switzer will be sleeping in her vehicle the night of March 21 – to raise money for, and awareness of, Places
for People (P4P), and to express gratitude to the charity that has housed her for the past number of years.

Switzer said she had been temporarily living at the YWCA shelter when she started applying for supported
housing.

She got a call from P4P to tell her a duplex it owned in Carnarvon would be coming available, but it would take
some time as renters had not yet left and they needed to fix-up the place.

Switzer said she asked what she could do to help.

“The faster I could get in, the better for me.” At the time, she was a single mother raising three children in a shelter and was eager to find a place to land.

She called on friends to help her clean up and paint the house. She continues to give back via renovations.

“I’m pretty lucky to have this place. And I feel blessed to have it. I don’t know where I would be without it,” she says.

Switzer acknowledges the not-for profit has a number of places to look after. She said in addition to taking part in the fundraiser, she can simply be a good tenant, and is passionate about combating stigma around renters.

“Thinking we’re just a bunch of deadbeats, using and abusing the system. That wasn’t my life before. That’s not my life now. And that’s not who I want to be. For not pleasant circumstances, I needed to get out of the environment I was in, and I had to walk away with almost nothing. I didn’t know where I was going to be, but I
landed where I landed.”

Having subsidized rent allowed her to go to Fleming College and do wilderness and outdoor courses. She
started her own business.

She said while it can be challenging to live in Haliburton County, it’s easier, “when you can afford the house you
live in … when you have the security of a house, that makes a huge difference.”

She has set a target of raising $4,000and had already surpassed $2,000. as of March 3. Plus, the Mill Pond
is donating $1 of every coffee sold in March to the cause.

“I’m okay to share my story. It’s not been an easy road, sometimes you just get really kicked down and things
don’t go as planned, but there are resources out there that you can rely on, and there’s a lot of help when you
ask for it.” Switzer said.

Places for People is hosting Sleeping in Cars on Friday, March 21 at Head Lake Park starting at 6 p.m. to raise funds and awareness. People can pledge to sleep in their vehicles for one night and collect donations to support their efforts. They can collect pledges in-person with a pledge sheet or start an online campaign. They can
also put together a team. People who don’t want to sleep out, can support a sleeper. Go to placesforpeople.ca.

Curry Chevrolet defeat Casey’s 9-3

Submitted

March 6, 2025

The Highland Storm Curry Chevrolet U13LL team took over first place in Pool B with a huge 9-3 win Feb. 28.

They faced off against Casey’s Water Well & Geothermal U13LL squad at the A.J. LaRue Arena.

The Curry Chevrolet team came out of the gate with great pressure. They scored four times in the first period, with tallies by Jaxon Demerchant, Brayden Collins, Reed Brown and Jackson Sperrino. Goaltender, Liam Scheffee, stopped every shot on him to give his team a 4-0 lead going into the second period.

Casey’s Water Well & Geothermal were able to beat Scheffee only twice after great pressure. Curry Chevrolet,
however, did not let up and scored three more times, from Kora Reid, Demerchant, and Sperrino.

The third period was a continuation of the first two periods by Curry Chevrolet. Casey’s Water Well &
Geothermal was able to get one quick goal, but Curry Chevrolet answered back with two more goals, by Sperrino
and Brown.

Every player on the Curry Chevrolet team played their best and showed how a team effort can be so successful.

Huskies lay it all on line for playoffs

Lisa Gervais

March 6, 2025

The Haliburton County Huskies will square off against the St. Michael’s Buzzers when the first round of the OJHL
playoffs begin March 8 in Minden.

The third place Huskies drew the sixth place Buzzers in the opening East Conference seven-game showdown.

The blue and white have home ice advantage on the back of their 40 wins, 15 losses, and one overtime loss, good for 81 points. The St. Mike’s squad were 30-20 2-4 on the season for 66 points, coming into the post-season on an eight-game win streak.

Sitting some of their top players, the Huskies dropped weekend games, 5-4 to the Trenton Golden Hawks Feb. 28 and 5-2 to the Toronto Patriots March 1. With a full roster, they easily bested the North York Rangers 10-2 on Feb. 26.

The Huskies have won three of four games against St. Mike’s this season. They dropped the first one, 5-2, Sept. 20 but won 3-1 Oct. 26, 4-2 Nov. 9 and 4-1 Dec. 6.

Coach Ryan Ramsay said, “I think we’re pretty confident. We really like our group.

“They’re a good team. They added a couple of forwards and a defenceman at the trade deadline. Should be a really good series.”

The coach was happy with the depth displayed against first place Trenton last weekend. They sat a lot of their best
players and iced affiliate skaters. “For those guys to come in, and do pretty well right off the hop against Trenton, they did well. The same thing the next night against the Patriots. They (Toronto) needed to win,
so they dressed all their team.” While the Huskies did not get the wins, Ramsay liked the effort of the players.

The Huskies had a light practice March 3, with a focus on systems this week. The coaching staff has been watching game videos of the four games against St. Mike’s this season, and the Buzzers last six or seven games.

“Just tendencies and match-ups. We watched a lot of videos with the players and the team, individual meetings,” the coach said.

They’ve been watching the opponents’ specialty teams and goaltenders. “Maybe he’s got a weak spot, or something that we can pick up on and try to exploit.”

Ramsay said having home ice advantage is key.

“It’s hard to come in and play in Minden…it’s a loud crowd and a great atmosphere to watch a game. It’s definitely
important for our boys. We have a really good fan base. We travel well to Toronto and other places.”

Puck drop March 8 is 4 p.m. at S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena.

First round playoff schedule:
Home Saturday, March 8 – 4 p.m.
Away Sunday, March 9 – 2 p.m.
Home Tuesday, March 11 – 7 p.m.
Away Thursday, March 13 – 7 p.m.
Home Saturday, March 15 – 4 p.m.
Away Sunday, March 16 – 2 p.m.
Home Tuesday, March 18 – 7 p.m

Loupe troupe-ing to the stage in Wilberforce

Mike Baker

March 6, 2025

A month out from the Wilberforce Loop Troupe’s first live production of the-year and core member, Janice Dahms, is promising an old-fashioned whodunnit for the group’s long-awaited return to the stage.

Relaunched in 2024 after years of COVID 19 enforced purgatory, the Loop Troupe springs back to life April 5 with its new show Riches and Ransom. Dahms, a cast member, said the comedy will feature 22 performers from Haliburton County. It’s directed by Mary Barker.

“It’s going to be a super fun evening – immerse yourself in the drama, deception, and dilemmas while dining with the residents of Old Oaks Retirement Home as they celebrate the home’s 50th anniversary,” Dahms said. The show will be held at Lloyd Watson Community Centre.

The story centres on the kidnapping of Miss Purscilla Bing.

Not content with simply entertaining the public, Dahms said attendees will be fed, too. A ticket includes a roast beef dinner, served by the Wilberforce Legion ladies’
auxiliary.

Proceeds will support acoustic upgrades at the Wilberforce facility, which Dahms said are “much needed.” The organization won a $5,000 grant through the MacDougall Community Contest last summer, with money earmarked for soundproofing baffles and improved audio equipment.

The troupers formed a sub-committee to investigate how to best solve the sound issues but found the type of system required too expensive. Money raised through the dinner theatre will help bridge the gap, Dahms said.

Upgrading the facility will allow the group to take their performances to the next level, she added.

“Everyone who uses the community centre agrees that the acoustics are terrible. Investing in a good sound system will make the building much more functional, and events more enjoyable to attend,” Dahms said.

The equipment will also be available for other public and private events, such as weddings, funerals, graduations, parties and special functions.

Following the success of its Skit-Oodles production last May, Dahms said the group is looking to build on the momentum, organizing a raft of events and performances this year. They’re planning a variety show in Wilberforce May 3; will perform Riches and Ransom at the Apsley Senior’s Club June 14; and will participate in the ‘Geocaching Capital of Canada’s’ geo-event ‘Pirate Booty’ this summer.

The group is also planning a production at the Wilberforce Agricultural Fair in August, will perform at the Wilberforce Red Cross Outpost’s annual corn roast Aug. 15, and hope to produce another full-length live show in November.

Dahms said there’s a lot of buzz over the troupe’s resurgence.

“We’ve created a Loop Troupe family within the community. Getting together for rehearsals is always a hoot. The community seems to appreciate our efforts and certainly supports our initiatives,” Dahms said. “We are always being asked when the next event will be – people are talking and interacting, bringing a vibrancy to town.”

Tickets for next month’s show are limited, available for $35 at Agnew’s General Store. To keep up with the group, visit facebook. com/Loop-Troupe.

Honouring changemakers

March 5, 2025

So, six County residents have received a King Charles III Coronation Medal – with more to come.

Ken Mott, Brenda Boomhouer, Fay Martin, Rev. Canon Joan Cavanaugh-Clark, Dick Schell, and Lynda Litwin were all honoured on Tuesday of this week.

Is it a big deal? Yes, it is.

The medal commemorates the Coronation of King Charles III as King of Canada, and is administered by the Chancellery of Honours at Rideau Hall. To get one, you have to have made a significant contribution to Canada, or to a particular province, territory, region, or community, or done something great overseas on behalf of our nation.

Some 30,000 medals were up for grabs, with 4,000 going to Canadian Armed Forces personnel. MP Jamie Schmale said there are more than 40 million Canadians. Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock is home to 122,401 of them. There were more than 100 applications for medals and the riding is giving out 30.

Mott, Boomhouer, Martin, Cavanaugh-Clark, Schell and Litwin got 32 mm, silver, circular medals designed by Cathy Bursey-Sabourin, Fraser Herald at the Canadian Heraldic Authority at the Chancellery of Honours, Rideau Hall.

The medal is struck in nickel-silver and lacquered to prevent tarnishing. It is manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint.

The medal program was first announced three days before the Coronation, on May, 3, 2023, by the prime minister. The design of the medal and the details of the program were announced by Rideau Hall on May 6, 2024, the first anniversary of the Coronation. The inaugural ceremony took place that day.

We don’t know how many Highlanders were nominated for this particular honour. But we do know the winners are deserving.

Let’s take Ken, for example. He started out as the volunteer manager of the then Wilberforce Food Bank. He got Highlands East backing and Ontario Trillium Foundation funding to create the Highlands East Food Hub and Central Food Network. He co-founded Heat Bank Haliburton County. It’s believed he volunteers 30 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, drives 25,000 kilometres, and manages a team of 22 volunteers at the food hub. He picks up, splits and delivers firewood.

Fay has worked as a community organizer since the 1960’s. She’s done social work across the country. Through her business, she helped grassroots organizations push for change. She was founding executive director of today’s Point in Time Centre for Children. In 2007, Fay created Places for People. She’s also been on the board of Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation; founded the Minden Hills housing task force; and is a director for Habitat for Humanity. And we haven’t even talked about her involvement in the arts over the years.

Rev. Joan doesn’t just lead a congregation. She helps oversee a thrift shop, with proceeds going towards operating the church. They also donate money to local charity. Every year, they give to the Bishop McAllister Anglican Church School in Africa, an orphanage for kids who have lost their parents to AIDS.

She has a unique ability to see a problem and find a solution. She’s great in a crisis, helping people experiencing physical or mental abuse, not having food or housing, addiction issues, or being suicidal. She and her helpers have bought gas cards for people, driven patients to appointments and the pharmacy for medicine, helped people out of financial jams and made important connections.

Dick and Lynda could be Mr. and Mrs. Minden. Schell has been a staple in the community for years and his resume of public service unparalleled. Litwin is on a fast track to the same kind of community service.

Brenda has brightened many lives in the County, bringing people together through a Vet-to-Vet fishing program that inspires camaraderie and companionship.

No doubt about it – they are all changemakers in our County and very deserving of the medals they now have around their necks. We are a better place because of them.

Scott claims sweeping victory for seventh term in HKLB

Mike Baker

March 3, 2025

Laurie Scott scored another landslide victory for the Progressive Conservatives in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock (HKLB) in the Feb. 27 provincial election, receiving 51.9 per cent of the riding’s vote to earn a seventh term in office.

The local race was one of the first to be declared by CBC, with Scott holding a commanding lead over rivals Alison Bennie of the Ontario Liberal Party and NDP Barbara Doyle, who finished a distant second and third.

Scott’s margin of victory was 14,818 votes according to Elections Ontario, with all polls reported as of 10:58 p.m. She earned 26,506 total votes, with Bennie coming second with 11,688 (22.91 per cent); Doyle third with 6,993 (13.7 per cent) and Haliburton’s Tom Regina, standing for the Greens, finishing fourth with 2,602 votes (5.1 per cent).

Among fringe candidates, Jacquie Barker (New Blue Party) scored 1,223 votes; Brian Kerr (Ontario Party) 926 votes; Gene Balfour (Independent) 426 votes; Zachary Tisdale (Libertarian) 385 votes; and Bill Denby (Freedom Party) 278 votes.

Voter turnout in the riding was pegged at 48.91 per cent, up marginally from 48.14 per cent in 2022, with 51,027 of 104,325 registered electors casting a ballot.

Celebrating with supporters in Lindsay on Thursday night, Scott said she was proud to once again be chosen to represent the area at Queen’s Park.

“Always very happy to apply for the job and get the results. I love representing my riding,” Scott said, noting she prioritized spending her time knocking on doors and chatting with people face-to-face across the region over attending debates organized by YourTV, Minden Matters, and the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce.

SUB: County issues

With basic living costs spiralling in recent years, and the threat of tariffs and counter tariffs with the U.S. looming – likely making things worse – Scott was asked what she would do to make life more affordable for people in Haliburton County, long recognized as one of the poorest regions in Ontario.

“The provincial government has given lots of tax cuts to low-income earners and made different increases to things like ODSP… we cut and give back what we can, like the 10 cents per litre in the gas tax,” she said.

In 2022, the province temporarily reduced the gas tax rate by 5.7 cents per litre, and the diesel tax rate by 5.3 cents per litre. The move was extended to June 30 of this year last October. Since July 2023, people living on ODSP have had their rates increased 11 per cent.

After touting a major focus on affordable housing development in the County following her 2022 election win, Scott claims she followed through on that promise after a Jan. 28 announcement that Minden will receive $2.4 million to bolster the local rental supply.

That build will be headed up by the Kawartha Lakes Haliburton Housing Corporation, Scott said, though she offered no timelines for when the money will be paid out or when shovels will hit the ground.

With Haliburton Highlands Health Services recently unveiling plans for a 98-unit $49 million expansion to Hyland Crest long-term care home in Minden, Scott indicated she was supportive of the proposal

“I like to see the progression – it would mean more beds. I’ve been talking with [HHHS CEO] Veronica Nelson, the ministry is involved to look at that whole bigger picture of evolution of LTC in the County… we’ve been looking at that for a while,” Scott said, noting she’s also had recent discussions with Extendicare over their future build in the County.

The province announced a $41 million investment with the for-profit care provider in February 2022 for a new 128-bed facility.

“They’ve chosen to build Peterborough first. They tell me Haliburton is next… I think they want to be assured of staffing. There’s a lot of issues they’re looking at,” she said. “Not exactly a date [for start-up], but very soon. It’s still in the future; their plan is to build there.”

In January, Extendicare told The Highlander it has yet to determine a location for the new facility.

Scott said she expected the Eastern Ontario Regional Network Cell Gap project to wrap this year, improving cell service for all County residents, while saying she’s been working with representatives from Bell to bolster broadband services across the region.

SUB: Other candidates respond

Liberal candidate Bennie said she is “the happiest loser in Ontario” after coming in a surprise second-place in HKLB.

“I really am speechless… I said if I got over 1,000 votes that I’d be happy,” Bennie said. “One of the reasons I ran was because I didn’t want to see the party go downhill to nothing in this riding. I spoke to a lot of people and provided a different choice – I’m not your standard, polished person. I’m more ‘let’s get together and work this out’, bit of an underdog, and I think that resonated with people.”

Doyle, a repeat runner for the NDPs after finishing second in 2022, was a distant third. Speaking to The Highlander an hour before polls closed, she said she had a good feeling after a month on the campaign trail.

“The day-to-day affordability was really what people were talking about… things felt different than 2022. So many people told me they’re voting NDP for the first time ever,” Doyle said.

County resident Regina, representing the Greens, took home a lesser split of the vote this time around, down from seven per cent in 2022, but finished in fourth place – ahead of New Blue candidate Jacquie Brown.

Speaking after results were confirmed, he said it was a “forgone conclusion” Scott would reclaim her seat though was surprised by a strong Liberal performance.

In what was his second Ontario election, Regina said he was unsure if he would run again in future.

“I can’t look much past tomorrow, let alone three or four years down the road,” he said.

HHHS reps off to the Netherlands to study LTC models

Mike Baker

February 28, 2025

HHHS is looking into ways to provide specialist care for people with diseases such as dementia. CEO Veronica Nelson, board chair Irene Odell, and chief nursing executive, Jennifer Burns-West, are visiting the Netherlands in April to tour several green care farm operations. They’ll be joined by board member Sharon Kaasalainen, a professor at McMaster University, who has spent years studying the unique approach.

An alternative living arrangement for people with dementia, the facilities typically have fewer residents – between six and eight – who live together in a homelike environment. Support staff are responsible for organizing daily activities, and personal and medical care.

Nelson said HHHS is looking at how to incorporate the approach, and others, into the new facility.

“What we don’t want is to build an institution. That’s why we’re learning and going to see these farms. We hope to build an innovative LTC home where we don’t lock folks up that have dementia and Alzheimer’s, where they can live freely, where they can participate in regular life chores and activities and really build that rural aspect into the home.

“We’re learning and looking to our partners in the community to help form what that looks like in Canada – it’s a little bit different than Europe, where they don’t get the snow we do… but it’s something we’re focusing on,” she said.

Bonnie Roe, lead of Aging Together as Community Haliburton Highlands (ATAC), said HHHS has an opportunity to be a leader in Canada for providing innovative care models for seniors.

“There’s the Butterfly, Green House, Eden Alternative, Green Care Farms – all principles based on care being person-centred, home-like and composed of smaller groupings of units,” Roe said. “Staff connect with the person, based on interests, needs, and feelings – not on a routine that works for the organization.”

She said HHHS staff have already incorporated some aspects of the Butterfly model in Minden and Haliburton.

Roe feels the County is fortunate to have Kaasalainen collaborating with HHHS on a collective vision for LTC and rural dementia care.

“She was instrumental in organizing this trip to glean first-hand knowledge from colleagues in the Netherlands so that it can be incorporated philosophically and structurally into the new building plans at Hyland Crest,” Roe said.

Plan to move LTC to Minden

Mike Baker

February 28, 2025

Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) has confirmed plans to move all Highlands’ long-term care beds to Minden in the next five years.

CEO Veronica Nelson said an application to expand from 62 beds at Minden’s Hyland Crest to a 160-bed facility will be submitted to the Ministry of Long-Term Care (LTC) by the end of March. If approved, HHHS will close the 30-bed Highland Wood home in Haliburton.

The project would be a significant expansion of the rebranded Minden Health Hub site, with a new LTC wing to be built on the eastern portion of the property. Nelson said it would connect to the existing Hyland Crest.

It’s estimated the project will cost at least $49 million, with Nelson saying the general rule is $500,000 for each new LTC bed.

“Having two small homes is not sustainable,” Nelson said. “We’re looking at consolidation and expansion. What that looks like is yet to be fully determined… it makes sense to expand Minden… adding 98 beds there is a lot less expensive than building 130 beds in Haliburton.

“This is just a plan at this point – nothing is set in stone. The ministry obviously has a say in it, but what we’re looking at is putting everything together at one site,” Nelson added.

She said the Minden hub sits on approximately 9.5 acres, about two acres more than Haliburton, so would be a better fit for the build.

Nelson says build could take three to five years

HHHS communications lead, Lauren Ernst, said if LTC beds are rerouted to Minden, the current Highland Wood site would be retrofitted as an extension to the Haliburton hospital. She said it would be used to build the capacity of acute care and inpatient services.

Ernst said demand for LTC beds is high, with the wait for Highland Wood over 300 days, and for Hyland Crest over 700 days and for Extendicare over 470 days.

“We know our County needs more long-term care beds, and that is our goal,” Ernst added.

Nelson said the expansion would have no impact on other services at the hub, including the urgent care clinic, operated by the Kawartha North Family Health Team, and services such as physiotherapy, bone densitometry, GAIN programming for seniors, and outpatient x-ray.

“We’re actually continuing to expand those services,” Nelson said, announcing a new gynecology clinic will be opening in April. “It will be for physician referrals, or self-referral if people don’t have a family doctor.”

Bonnie Roe, lead of Aging Together as Community Haliburton Highlands (ATAC), said the news of consolidating and expanding in Minden is bittersweet.

“Like any change, one can choose to see this plan as an opportunity or not. Could this new build be the creative alternative many seek? Does it make sense to consolidate all LTC beds in one location to provide optimum care? From a financial and staffing perspective this has huge advantages,” Roe said.

“An obvious negative will be for the residents that will have to move in three-to-five years from their home, which will be very traumatic.”

Master plans underway

A community forum on the future of LTC in the County will be held at the Minden facility March 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. It’s the second of a three-part engagement series to share plans on HHHS’ master planning process.

A Feb. 19 event provided updates on HHHS initiatives, recent achievements, and future projects. A third session on the future of acute care is March 26.

Nelson said the idea is to keep the public up to speed with plans for HHHS’ two facilities and allow for input into priorities.

“We’re concurrently doing two master plans – one for the hospital, and one for LTC.”

Master plans are mandated by the Ministry of Health, with HHHS doing both the near term (five to 10 years) and far out (15, 20, 30 years). They must have plans to access capital funding.

“We haven’t had many changes [to acute care] and we need to make some to give us the capacity we need for the next 10 years,” Nelson said, with the population in HHHS’ catchment area expected to increase by 22 per cent over the next 20 years. “This is the way we step back and think about what services and programs are needed in the County now and in the long-term. It’s a long process, but an important one.”

There’s no timeline for submission on the general hospital plan, but Nelson said the aim is to have the LTC file done by end of the fiscal year, March 31.

It typically takes between 12 and 18 months for ministry approval. “Then it would take about two years to build something the size we’re looking at. So, it could take – with the waiting – three to five years for this project,” she said.

HHHS focuses on stability

Mike Baker

February 28, 2025

Haliburton hospital president and CEO, Veronica Nelson, is pleased with the direction HHHS is headed, with 2024 marking a period of stability following years of uncertainty through the COVID19 pandemic.

After reporting a $2.3 million deficit at the end of the fiscal year in March 2024, Nelson said the hospital’s financial position has improved “markedly” since. At the end of the second quarter Sept. 30, the deficit was $700,000.

Nelson will be providing results from Q3 to the board Feb. 27. While she couldn’t provide a number as of press time, she said, “we are in a much better position. We have received some one-time funding to help offset some pressures.”

A big reason for that, Nelson said, is the muchreduced use of agency staff. As of the end of Q3 on Dec. 31, 1.82 per cent of all HHHS workers were agency staff, compared to 11.5 per cent at peak use in June 2023.

A report by Ontario’s auditor general in 2023 noted the average pay for registered nurses was $40.15 per hour, while the average hourly agency rate was $97.33. Nelson confirmed most of the agency staff HHHS utilized were nurses.

Recruitment has been a major focus, with the organization bringing in an additional 142 part-time and full-time staff since June 1, 2023 – the date of the Minden ER closure. Nelson said there have been 32 nurses, 22 PSWs, 10 allied health workers, and 67 other team members hired.

“We’ve made significant inroads, but still have about 18 to 20 vacancies,” she said, noting the hospital is working with Haliburton Highlands Secondary School, Trent, Nipissing and Brock universities, and Loyalist and Fleming colleges on training programs for nurses and PSWs.

The hospital has also hired two new full-time and one part-time doctor at its emergency department, with a third full-time hire arriving in July.

“The contract is signed – we’re really excited about him… and we’ve got another one on deck who wants to be here full-time as well,” Nelson said. “Those two additions would fill our emergency department complement of positions… I don’t know when that last happened.”

Patient volumes have increased since the Minden ER closure, but Nelson said wait times for an initial physician assessment have been stable at two-and-a-half hours from March 31 to Dec. 31. For that same period, there has been 5,415 visits to the urgent care clinic in Minden, up from 4,479 from when the clinic opened June 29, 2023 to the end of the previous fiscal year.

Since launching CT services last spring, the hospital has scanned more than 2,200 patients, with 43 per cent of those emergency procedures, Nelson said.

“Given the nearest CT is in Lindsay, having this machine saved 183,000 kilometres of driving for patients, families and EMS. This has been an amazing addition.”

With mammography services beginning last week, Nelson said the next focus is installing a new x-ray in the ER. There will also be construction for a new mental health crisis room, which Nelson said will “offer a safe place for patients and staff to work while in crisis.”

HE assets pegged at $116 million

Lisa Gervais

February 28, 2025

Consultants for Highlands East have determined the township has $116 million in assets.

PSD Citywide’s Jasmine Shadd presented the findings to a Feb. 11 council meeting.

The province has mandated that municipalities must have asset management plans.

The biggest assets are: roads, at $46 million; buildings at $38.5 million; the water network at $7.6 million; bridges and culverts ($6.4 million); vehicles ($6.3 million); sanitary network ($5.4 million); machinery and equipment ($4.6 million), and land improvements ($1.4 million).

They found 51 per cent of infrastructure in ‘fair’ or ‘better’ position, with the overall average condition coming in at 44 per cent ‘fair.’

Getting a ‘very poor’ rating were some of the water network, vehicles, machinery and equipment, land improvements, buildings, bridges and culverts.

“Based on the current replacement cost of the portfolio, the average annual capital needs over the lifecycle off all assets total $4.4 million,” the consultants said.

They noted there is now a gap of more than $2.1 million a year to reach that and the township will have to collect more money in future.

Shadd noted Highlands East is not alone in having such a gap.

“Most municipalities across Canada do not have adequate funds to keep up with annual infrastructure needs. Addressing these annual funding shortfalls is a difficult and a long-term endeavour.”

Mayor Dave Burton asked if it was normal for buildings to be valued so high, at $38.5 million. Shadd said buildings are costly to replace.

Deputy mayor Cec Ryall noted, “we are in a timeline where dollars for taxpayer purposes are extremely difficult to do. Everybody is struggling with budgets.” He said he was looking for a proactive maintenance program, “to look at how to prolong the life of assets in a cost-effective way.”

Shadd said that is not something her company does; but townships do.

Ryall noted the County has established a 1.5 per cent levy per year to help with future infrastructure costs. He said it was something for Highlands East to consider.

Ratepayers see 5.96 per cent hike

Highlands East is poised to pass its 2025 budget when council next meets March 11.

Brittany McCaw, CAO/treasurer, told a special council meeting Feb. 19 that the township was looking at an overall spending increase from the 2024 budget of $534,237.

“This equates to a 5.96 per cent municipal tax rate increase,” she said.

It’s a hike of about $33.38 per $100,000 of residential assessment.

McCaw said factoring in the County and education budgets, the overall impact is a 5.11 per cent jump.

“This budget is the culmination of careful planning and consultation, reflecting our commitment to remain productive and forward thinking while ensuring we address the monetary needs of the municipality and our ratepayers,” McCaw said. She added there were many rising costs beyond their control, including the pending impact of U.S. tariffs.

McColl’s bridge replacement

Council accepted the tender from McPherson Andrews Contracting Ltd. for $470,075.90 plus HST to complete the proposed work on the McColl’s bridge in the 2025 budget year.

Public works operations manager Perry Kelly said they got six bids.

He said the project was first identified in 2023, after the 2022 bridge inspections determined, “the structure needed immediate repairs to keep the bridge open. A replacement was deemed necessary through those inspections from the engineering firm that completed the 2022 bridge inspection.”

Work was done in the winter of 2022 to secure the structure until the municipality could work towards the replacement of the bridge. They are using existing abutments to save money.

Kelly said the winning bid is less than the 2025 budgeted amount of $667,000 for the total project.

Helping turtles

Highlands East is going to help the Think Turtle Conservation Initiative with $700 of in-kind donations.

The conservation group had asked the municipality to provide signposts with hardware and municipal staff time to install turtle crossing signs.

Think Turtle is looking to have one or two sets of signs on Dyno Road, and one on Lewis Road.

Council approved the request.

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