With County townships learning they may be on the hook for another 11 per cent increase in OPP costs, the Haliburton Highlands detachment board has written minister of rural affairs, Lisa Thompson, and commissioner, Thomas Carrique, seeking an update on the province’s review of the OPP cost recovery model.

Board chair Andrew Fletcher said the intent of the letter was also to seek clarity on the ministry’s and OPP’s plan to address the growing cost of policing for rural communities.

Solicitor general Michael Kerzner told townships Aug. 14, the province had confirmed no OPP-policed municipality will see its total base policing costs rise by more than 11 per cent compared to 2026 in 2027.

The Haliburton County-generated correspondence reads, “rural municipalities recognize and value the essential role of the OPP in protecting residents, supporting victims, responding to emergencies, and maintaining public safety across large geographic areas.

“At the same time, many rural and small municipalities are experiencing significant and ongoing budget pressures related to OPP billing. These pressures are particularly difficult in communities with limited assessment growth, aging infrastructure, and competing demands for housing, roads, emergency services, health and social supports and community safety initiatives,” Fletcher wrote on behalf of the board.

He added they appreciate the province committing to reviewing the OPP cost recovery model, including work to inform the 2026 annual billing statements; and acknowledge provincial relief measures intended to offset recent increases for small and rural municipalities.

However, he said short-term mitigation does not replace the need for “a sustainable, transparent, and equitable billing framework that reflects the realities of rural policing.”

The board is asking for an update on the status and outcome of the review, including: the key findings and recommendations; how municipal and detachment board feedback was considered; any changes expected to the billing methodology, including the treatment of calls for service, base service costs, overtime, court security, and prisoner transportation; the projected impact of any changes on rural and small municipalities; the timeline for communicating final decisions to municipalities and detachment boards; and the longer-term plan to ensure OPP policing remains financially sustainable for rural communities while maintaining public safety standards.

“We further encourage the ministry and OPP to continue working directly with municipalities, OPP detachment boards, and municipal associations to develop a funding approach that is predictable, understandable, and responsive to the unique challenges of rural Ontario,” the board chair said.

Fletcher added a fair cost recovery model should recognize rural municipalities often have fewer taxpayers over larger service areas, a limited ability to absorb sudden increases, and complex community safety needs that extend beyond traditional enforcement.

“Policing is a shared priority. We are committed to supporting effective local governance, constructive dialogue, and collaborative solutions that protect both community safety and municipal fiscal sustainability. Timely information about the review and the province’s next steps will assist our board and member municipalities in planning responsibly and communicating clearly with residents.”

The letter was CC’d to Kerzner, MPP Laurie Scott, local councils, AMO and ROMA.

A tearful Minden Hills deputy mayor Lisa Schell thanked the community for its trust in allowing her to serve on council for 20 years, as she attended her final council meeting Oct. 8.

Schell said it had been hard finding the words she would say at her municipal curtain closer.

“After 20 years around this table, it is difficult to put into words what this place and this community has meant to me. When I first sat in this chair in 2006, I never imagined the journey that would follow. Twenty years is a long time.”

She said she had watched the community “change, grow, face challenges, celebrate successes, and often come together when we needed each other most.”

Schell added she had learned a great deal during her years on council.

“That municipal government isn’t just about roads, budgets, bylaws, and policies. At its heart, it’s about people and community. It is about the residents who take the time to call because they’re worried about something in their neighbourhood. It’s about the business owner trying to make a living. It’s about our volunteers, our firefighters, our community organizations, our seniors, our young people, and our families. And most of all, it is about caring deeply about the place we call home.”

The deputy mayor and County councillor added there had been difficult meetings over the year, as well as disagreements, “but I’ve always believed that we were all here for the same reason; because we love Minden Hills and we want what’s best for the people who live here, including ourselves.”

She said she has always held firm to the belief, “I can disagree at this council table, but then go to lunch with any of my fellow councillors.”

She said it was not an easy decision to walk away from something that has been a huge part of her life the past two decades. She described it as “bittersweet. But sometimes life reminds us we have to listen to ourselves; take care of ourselves and know when it is time for the next chapter. “Thank you to my fellow councillors past and present.

Thank you to the incredible staff who work behind the scenes every day to keep this municipality moving forward and running smoothly. I want to thank the residents who have trusted me with their voices and their community. I leave knowing Minden Hills is in good hands, and with an enormous amount of pride in having played a small part in that. I will miss this table. I will miss the debates, the laughter, the frustrations, the friendships, and even the long meetings. But, I will carry these memories with me for the rest of my life.”

She added she is leaving “with a heavy heart, tremendous gratitude, and absolutely no regrets except for the splash pad that I have wanted since 2008. And the snack bar at the new arena. And the heat.”

Mayor Bob Carter said Schell had shown “exemplary service and been a tremendous help to all of those councils.”

He said he had served with her on two of them, and, “we all owe you a deep amount of gratitude. I, especially, in helping me as the deputy mayor over this last term. On behalf of council and staff and our community, we can’t thank you enough for your dedication and your service.”

Being chosen one of three fan favourites in Samsung True North Tunes – from more than 2,000 artist submissions across Canada – is something Ryan Van Lee wanted to bring “back home” to Haliburton County.

It was announced last week that the Highlands’ musician had been selected through public voting.

The “cool” win has garnered him a raft of industry prizes, including being on a limited-edition beverage can, a live recording session, access to industry mentors, live performance opportunities, marketing chances, and Samsung technology.

He told The Highlander last Thursday (Oct. 8) “I haven’t even taken it in yet.”

Tracking the contest statistics, he didn’t think he would be a winner. He felt he would crack the top 20 across Canada and believed that was an accomplishment in itself. “I was okay with that. I came to terms with it.”

However, votes from across the nation kept coming, and finding out he’d won “was very crazy news for me.”

Van Lee is still absorbing the list of prizes but knows they will benefit his career. He is wrapping his head around the thought of a limited-edition Collective Arts collaboration featuring his artwork on custom beverage cans, created alongside renowned gig-poster artist Tiffany Chin.

The live recording session is at Lacquer Channel Mastering with Noah Mintz, to be filmed by Barnburner Films, of Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats, The Dirty Nil, and Neil Young Archives, fame.

There is one-on-one mentorship and access to Canadian music industry professionals working across A&R, management, publishing, radio and artist development.

Another perk is additional live performance opportunities through Collective Arts and its music partners.

There’ll be a national campaign feature and marketing amplification as well as a Frame TV and sound tower speaker, as well as a custom vinyl and TNT trophy.

“It’s a big break. As musicians, we put so much money into ourselves, and invest so much for it to pay off, which it does, but you have to be ballsy enough to do it. The way I see it is I’m not going to have to pay for everything. Things are going to be a little easier on the wallet.”

Van Lee added the recognition is good for his music resume.

Going back to wanting to bring the title home, Van Lee said that awhile back some kids reached out to him on social media, telling him they had taken up guitar, or gotten into music, because of him, “and that was kind of huge.

“That’s kind of why I want to do this … to leave a legacy. I’ve always dreamed of having my own little photo mural on the side of somewhere because this town is all about sports.” He said that as a kid, he was bullied because he wasn’t into athletics.

“I followed this music path. I bushwhacked my own path in this, and it’s kind of cool to start seeing kids following.”

Tafari Jilany, head of corporate marketing, Samsung Canada, told The Highlander, “Ryan is a great example of an artist building momentum from his local community while creating music that has the potential to resonate far beyond it,” said Jilany. “Through the program, we’re helping artists connect with industry professionals, gain new experiences and reach broader audiences across Canada.”

By Adam Frisk Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Haliburton’s Will Brown secured third place overall in the national FIM MiniGP Canada Series this past season, wrapping his second year of motorcycle racing with a podium finish.

Competing in the national circuit for young riders aged 10 to 14, Will finished the season at Shannonville Motorsport Park earlier this month.

“When I tell my friends at school that I race bikes on pavement, they mostly get confused and ask if I mean dirt bikes,” Will said. “I usually have to show them my bike before they actually believe me.”

Three years ago, his father, Ron, took Will and his younger brother for a single day at the Super Sonic Road Race School in Brechin, run by Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Toni Sharpless. Ron said the kids had plenty of experience on trail bikes, but had never tried a road bike before.

“I just wanted them to experience it for a day,” Ron said. “Within about an hour, they pulled Will out of the main group to give him private instruction. Other parents were coming up asking where we normally race, and I had to tell them we don’t. It was our first day ever on a track.”

In his second full season, the 12-year-old was travelling the circuit with his number 999 Ohvale GP-0 bike. The bikes run on 10-inch wheels and sealed engines, which helps keep the equipment evenly matched, Ron explained.

“It’s really fun going fast around corners and getting your knee down. Some people even get their elbow down,” Will explained. “If you wreck, your race is pretty much over. But mostly you’re just worried about losing your position.”

Ron said the key is learning to control the bike at speed.

“Smooth is fast,” Ron said, a common coaching motto on the circuit. “The very first race Will ever won was in the rain. It wasn’t because he was faster than the other kids out there, it was because he was smoother on the throttle and the brakes.”

“If you’re coming into a corner, it’s not just hard on the brakes and chop off the throttle,” Will added, while demonstrating his process. “It’s kind of like slowly off the throttle and you don’t just grab the brakes.

You want to progress on the brake a little to help slow the bike down so it doesn’t throw you over the bars.”

The final weekend at Shannonville was also part of the track’s 50th anniversary celebration. The event drew a packed crowd, and Canadian Superbike champion Steve Crevier was also there, spending some time chatting with Will.

Those race results gave Will enough points to finish third overall in the national standings.

He was also awarded the Hard Charger trophy for the second consecutive year. The award is given to a rider who “brings it to every race, every lap and makes it entertaining for the fans.”

“I appreciate that Hard Charger trophy as much as third place nationally,” Ron said. “It shows he brings it every race.”

“I really try when I race,” Will added. “I never give up.”

The racing season is now over, and Will’s bike is parked in the trailer. Until spring, he’s swapping his road helmet for his hockey helmet.

“I hope to go all the way to MotoGP,” Will said. “It’s a long shot, but we’re taking it one step at a time.”

Haliburton Highlands Land Trust’s (HHLT) Nick Weissflog believes Abbey Gardens is one of Canada’s greatest examples of ecological restoration done right.

Speaking at a seed collection event organized by Environment Haliburton! and held at the Haliburton site Oct. 6, Weissflog said the land has seen a remarkable turnaround over the past 20 years. Once a gravel pit, the 380-acre Abbey Gardens property has been transformed from a space that drew from the area’s natural resources to one that replenishes them.

Weissflog was one of three speakers at the event, which included a tour of Abbey Gardens’ vegetable and pollinator gardens, as well as its “flourishing” tallgrass prairie habitat.

“That ecosystem wasn’t found in Haliburton County prior to European colonization – but it’s one that needs a lot of help. With the changing climate and all the sand we have up here, it is a suite of species that does quite well restoring an old sand pit,” Weisslog said.

Cara Steele, an ecologist who tends to the land at Abbey Gardens, said the tallgrass prairie project began in 2017. It focuses on a five-acre plot now known as the ‘Little Pit Prairie’.

“Tallgrass prairie is one of North America’s most endangered ecosystems, with an estimated one per cent remaining,” Steele said, noting the habitat loss has threatened dozens of species, including birds. “Our primary goal is to create more grassland habitat and showcase progressive and innovative reclamation techniques for aggregate pits.”

It can take several years for some grasses to stick and take hold – Steele said the only way to develop a new habitat is seeding and planting by hand. The program has become a focal point of the EcoExplorers program for children aged six to 11, with Steele teaching the process from start to finish.

“Each year, the kids help plant approximately 500-600 grasses,” Steele said.

During last week’s event, Steele said she discovered two new species growing in the prairie that she hadn’t seen before – the cylindrical blazing star and round-headed bush clover. The former is a rare plant she had sewn in with a restoration mix several years ago, but had yet to see it spring.

About 40 people attended the event, with each learning how to foster prairie habitats at home said Haliburton Micromeadows’ Baz Conlin, who also spoke at the event.

“People were concerned about grassland conservation and asked how they could help. They were also interested in establishing their own micro prairies. Attendees were passionate about collecting seed and keen to start their own native grasses,” Conlin said.

“The site at Abbey Gardens is an example of grassroots restoration and rewilding that can be done on any scale, from five acres to 200 sq. ft. When you get native plants back on the landscape, great things happen,” he added.

Conlin was also collecting little bluestem seed for the Ontario Kirtland’s Warbler Restoration Initiative, which restores grassland habitat for at-risk birds at the Featherstone Nature Reserve near Port Hope.

Susan Hay, Environment Haliburton! president, said the event was an important one as it showcased to people how easy it can be renaturalizing barren land. She promoted hands-on learning as an effective way of getting people started.

“We like to try to have outdoor events when the weather is suitable,” Hay said.

Spooky season has officially hit the Highlands and now two of the County’s lower-tier townships are getting in the Halloween spirit.

Dysart et al and Minden Hills have announced Halloween-themed events for later this month. The fourth-annual ‘Haunting in Minden Hills’ is happening at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“This year’s Halloween celebration explores urban legends and folklore, with spooky activities and mysterious tales for all ages. Dress up in your favourite costume and join in the fun,” said Robert Wong, the cultural centre’s programming co-ordinator.

There will be various activities throughout the day, Wong said, including a witch dance workshop, palm reading by Catherine Harper, pumpkin carving and contest, scavenger hunts, colouring sheet content, mythical legends crafts and facepainting. There will also be complimentary hot chocolate and popcorn.

There will be prizes given out throughout the day, donated by local businesses. Admission is by donation.

New this year, Dysart township has organized something for kids of all ages.

Haliburton Haunt and Treat is happening at A.J. LaRue Arena Oct. 31 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and is being promoted as a kid-friendly event. Andrea Mueller, Dysart’s manager of programs and events, said there will be a trunk-or-treat in the parking lot, with a Halloween-themed experience inside.

“We’re looking for local businesses, organizations, community groups and residents to decorate their vehicles and hand out treats,” Mueller said. People can register online at www.dysartetal.ca/halloween.

Once the sun goes down, it’ll be time for ‘Dysart After Dark’. Mueller said it’s aimed or people ages 10 and up. Also happening in the arena, it’s a haunted walk-through experience featuring spooky spaces, eerie surprises and plenty of Halloween scares.

The township is looking for community donations to help transform the arena – old decorations, props, lighting and spooky décor are all needed. For more information, contact 705-457-1740 ext. 635.

There’s plenty more happening in the community. Winterdance’s Haunted Halloween Forest, located at 1888 Hodgson Rd., runs tours on Fridays and Saturdays during October, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

The Haliburton Legion is hosting a psychic and mystic market Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with some Halloweenthemed activities. There will also be a line dancing event from 7-10 p.m.

Ommmh, at 8 Milne St. in Minden, is hosting a ‘Halloween High Tea’ Oct. 29 at noon, reservations required. On the same day, Cookhouse Saloon (2879 Hwy. 60) is hosting a Halloween jam night party from 8-10 p.m.

On Halloween, Walkabout Farm Therapeutic Riding Association is hosting its first ‘Warped Woods’ show from 2-5:30 p.m. Owner, Jennifer Semach, said the event is suitable for small children and those with disabilities and sensitivities. The DropZone Games Arcade in West Guilford is offering a drive-thru trick or treat service from 5:30-8 p.m.

The Haliburton Legion is hosting a Halloween dance Oct. 31, from 7-11 p.m., with music from The Recycled Teenagers; the Wilberforce Legion is hosting a dance from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., with prizes and hot chili available; while Shawn and Elli Chamberlin are hosting a paranormal investigation at the Dominion Hotel, starting at 8 p.m.