County population growing, getting older

March 6, 2025

Haliburton County’s population could grow anywhere from 0.9 to 1.5 per cent a year by 2051. That, coupled with the fact it’s estimated the percentage of people 65 and older will increase to 45 per cent of the population, up from 35 per cent, will present challenges for Highlands’ governments.

Consultants, Watson & Associates Economists Ltd., on Feb. 26, tabled a long-term population, household, and
employment growth forecast for the County and its area municipalities.

The results are intended to guide decision making and policy for long-term planning to manage growth, municipal finances, and infrastructure, the consultants said. It will also form the basis of a development charges study that is underway.

Jamie Cook told councillors the County has experienced stronger permanent population growth over most of the past decade, largely driven by economic recovery since the global financial crisis of 2008-09.

Between 2020 and 2022, permanent population growth was accelerated by COVID-19, with ultra-low interest rates, and people from the Greater Golden Horseshoe converting seasonal dwellings to permanently-occupied homes. While that trend will continue, Cook said the pace is “expected to slow considerably.”

In addition, higher interest rates, and tighter financial conditions, are expected to cool the housing market for the next 12 months, but housing demand is forecast to remain strong over the next decade, with people leaving the city, and a growing regional economy.

Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. offered low, high, and medium growth scenarios of 0.9 per cent, 1.3 per cent and 1.5 per cent-a-year. The consultants said low growth is attributable to water and wastewater servicing capacity constraints. They calculated 28,200 people by 2051, up from 21,300 at the 2021 Census. The median scenario sees 31,000 people by 2051 and the high 33,100.

The consultants said moderate population growth is expected to create job opportunities for the knowledge-based
and creative economy, the service sector, and tourism; to a lesser extent, industrial jobs. There is also the prospect of County based workers being part of the job market in Kawartha Lakes, Simcoe County, and
Muskoka district “providing that suitable housing opportunities are available,” the report said.

Cook noted the “very acute” labour shortage in the Highlands presents another challenge.

They added with limited town water and septic, the majority of the housing will be out of town, low density, single detached dwellings. They recommended communities review servicing capacity and come up with some solutions to add to it.

To meet the growth, the County will need just over 2,000 new housing units by 2051 –or 68 new builds a year, with the consultants recommending a variety of housing options.

Not enough services

Over the past 15 years, more than 60 per cent of new residents have been between the ages of 55 and 74.

“This trend continues to place increasing pressures on the aging of the County’s population base, which is already
represented by a much higher share of seniors relative to the broader provincial average,” Cook said.

While projections include some adults between the ages of 20 and 54 moving in, the number of people 65-plus is expected to grow to 45 per cent of the population by 2051, compared to 35 per cent in 2021. Province-wide projections are just 21 per cent.

“The aging of the County’s population is anticipated to place increasing demand on the need for seniors’ housing, affordable housing, and community and social services throughout this area geared to older adults,” Cook said.

In order to attract more age groups, the Watson and Associates report also suggested “resident attraction efforts must be linked to not only housing accommodation, but also infrastructure, community services, urban amenities, and quality of life attributes that appeal to the younger mobile population, while not detracting from the
County’s attractiveness to older population segments.”

King Charles comes to Haliburton County

Lisa Gervais

March 6, 2025

Six Haliburton County residents were awarded King Charles III Coronation Medals March. 4.

MP Jamie Schmale handed out the honours to Ken Mott and Brenda Boomhouer in Highlands East, and Rev.
Joan Cavanaugh-Clark, Dick Schell, Lynda Litwin and Fay Martin in Minden.

Schmale said, “there are a large number of people doing some amazing things in our community; volunteer work that goes unrecognized, but all of it together makes our community a better place.”

The day began for Schmale and his assistant, Andrew Hodson, at the Wilberforce Legion.

Nominator Tina Jackson, who is executive director of the Central Food Network (CFN), said Mott started out as the
volunteer manager of the then Wilberforce Food Bank. He got municipal support, and Ontario Trillium Foundation
funding, to create the Highlands East Food Hub and CFN. 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 also picks up, splits and delivers firewood.

Mott said he was a recipient of community help years ago and that brought him to the food bank work.

“I totally wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t know exactly what it even was until Tuesday”, he said of the medal.

Boomhouer established a Vet-to-Vet fishing program. She said her award was also a, “total surprise and an extreme honour. I couldn’t have done it alone. Our volunteers are very important to the success. The Vet-to-Vet participants call it a family. They come in as strangers and go home with a family.”

St. Paul’s Anglican Church was the venue for Cavanaugh-Clark’s medal ceremony. Nominator Deacon Martha Waind said Cavanaugh-Clark doesn’t just lead a congregation, but oversees a thrift shop. Money is also donated to local charities, and to the Bishop McAllister Anglican
Church School in Africa, an orphanage for kids who have lost their parents to AIDS.

Waind also talked about her colleague’s community outreach, saying she has a unique ability to see a problem and find a solution.”

Cavanaugh-Clark said, “today I get this medal because all of you support me and the ideas I have.”

Making Haliburton Highlands special

Marilynne Lesperance nominated Schell. She said he served with the OPP auxiliary from 1967 to 2013, and remains an OPP guard. He’s been involved in youth justice, the food bank, Minden Rotary, the Kinsmen Club, Haliburton Highlands Health Services, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, the Legion, The Masonic Lodge, been a volunteer fireman and ambulance attendant, a housing advocate, and sat on municipal committees. “Do you think he
deserves this?”

Schell thanked Lesperance and Diane Peacock for nominating him, and his wife and family, “because every time I was out volunteering, she was home looking after the fort. Thank you to all those people that supported me when I was volunteering.”

Andy Campbell nominated Litwin for her volunteer work in Minden for the past 20 years. She’s been a Rotary president twice, spearheaded events such as Canada Day and Rotaryfest, golf tournaments, helped out at municipal events, and on municipal committees. “She volunteers for everything, contributes to everything,
participates in everything, and never seems to get tired,” Campbell said.

An emotional Litwin said it was an “unbelievable honour.” She thanked her friends and Rotary family for attending.

Susan Tromanhauser nominated Martin. She said Martin had worked as a community organizer since the 1960s. 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, Martin 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 Peterborough and Kawartha Region. She has also been heavily involved in the arts over the years.

A surprised Martin said she arrived in the community in 1997, and has lived here longer than anywhere as an adult. “This is really a wonderful community to live in.” She also felt it was a great community to do research, “because you can have an idea and go stand in the grocery store and find five people that think that’s a good idea
and make it happen.”

Schmale said, “we’d like to nominate many more but we only have so many medals. Pretty much everyone I see in this room (the Minden Legion) has volunteered in some capacity, did something amazing, and each and every one is a piece to the puzzle that makes Haliburton Highlands so special.”

Kinmount’s Keith Stata has also been awarded a medal, and others are expected to be given to County residents soon.

Bellissimo … Italy comes to Haliburton

Lisa Gervais

March 6, 2025

The view from Juna Restaurant – opening March 7 in Haliburton – is decidedly different from the one at Rhubarb in
Carnarvon.

“It’s exciting looking out the windows and seeing people, because you don’t see that in Carnarvon, so that’s a big difference,” co-owner Terri Mathews-Carl, says.

She’s seated in her and partner, Christoph’s, new Italian restaurant at 210 Highland St., in the former Cindy’s clothing store. She’s surrounded by an ACM designed space that can accommodate 32 diners. In the summer, they’ll have a patio out back that will seat approximately 30 more people.

Mathews-Carl and Christoph Carl still own and operate Rhubarb although it is up for sale.

“In a perfect world, Rhubarb will sell one day and we’ll just have this one … the retirement restaurant. That is the goal, eventually. We wouldn’t sell Rhubarb unless it was to the right people and the right fit for the community and for the staff we have, because they’re great and we want to make sure they are taken care of,” the restauranteur said.

Mathews-Carl said it is nice having people walk by, and pop in. While Rhubarb has a view of Mirror Lake, its front entrance faces a parking lot and Hwy. 118.

Having an existing established restaurant, with staff, while opening a new one ”has not been as challenging as what you would think,” Mathews-Carl said.

She adds it’s a coming home for Christoph.

“He and his family have had a restaurant in Haliburton village forever; coming back to have that in-town experience is pretty nice. So many of our customers travel to Carnarvon, who live closer to here, who would like having the option of not going so far, especially when the weather is not the greatest.”

The family had the Old Country House, where the Maple Avenue Tap and Grill is.

“Chris grew up upstairs. It was a fine dining restaurant that they had for 25 years right in the village. They were the first restaurant to introduce cappuccino and VQA wines. After that, Chris opened Rhubarb, which has been around for 15 years. He’s been cooking in Haliburton for 40 years.”

Comfortable date night spot

As for the type of restaurant, Mathews-Carl said, “we like Italian food, and we didn’t want to be in direct competition with all of the other restaurants in town because they all have their specialties and we wanted to
complement what’s already here.”

As for what will be served, “we’re in a small space. It’s a limited menu.” They will feature homemade pasta and pizza dishes as mains.

“The nice thing about having a small restaurant is on a not-so-busy night, you still have a great vibe. In a bigger restaurant, like Rhubarb, if you have 70 seats and you have 10 people, it feels empty. If you have 32 seats and you have 10 people it still creates an atmosphere.”

ACM Designs has done the interior. “We showed them the space and they ran with it, so they decided how the layout would be, which was great. We were involved in the finishes and things like that and we had a
contractor who did the actual work.”

Mathews-Carl describes the end result as, “an upscale but also comfortable date night spot. We have plans to be open later, because there aren’t a lot of places open later in town. We are taking reservations at 8.30 p.m. and we won’t be closed before 10 p.m.”

Christoph will be the executive chef at both and staff will move back and forth between Carnarvon and Haliburton.
“Everybody will pitch in where needed.”

Readying for opening day tomorrow, it’s been a flourish of activity. There was a friends and family night on March 4. Cooks have been tweaking the menu and there has been finishing work on the space. There’s been trips to Toronto for supplies.

“We have lots of things to do, and will be working right up to the last minute,” Mathews-Carl said.

The opening weekend is already sold out and people are urged to make reservations going forward.

“We’re just really excited to be back in the village.”

Rose blossomed new dreams in County

Mike Baker

March 6, 2025

Jenna Rose had her whole life mapped out when enrolling at the Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD) in spring 2016, though her experiences at the Highlands’ creative hub inspired her to change her tune.

The 32-year-old released her seventh single There You Were Feb. 20 on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music. With a country pop feel, Rose said the song is a story about breaking free from the chains of heartache to pave a new path forward.

“A lot of my songs have been based on this feeling of me not being able to get over an ex from a couple of years ago, but with this, I just felt tired and got to a place where I realized that thinking has got to go,” Rose said. “So, this is a little bit faster, more upbeat… about how I’m ready for a new story to happen.”

She penned the lyrics in mid-January after stumbling across a pre-recorded music sample from a Nashville-based producer. That tends to be her style, taking different sounds she’s heard and forming them into melodies in her mind.

Rose remembers doing just that on an almost daily basis nine years ago when she travelled from the Lake Kashagawigamog cabin she was staying at to HSAD. After graduating from Fleming College’s addictions and mental health counsellor program, she signed up for the expressive arts therapy course in Haliburton. She
envisioned a career helping people move past traumatic moments of their lives.

“My time in Haliburton was really pivotal for me, because I realized I didn’t have to do things in a conventional way… I’ve always been an artist, painting when I was younger, but I learned there were other avenues I could pursue to make a difference,” Rose said.

While only in the community for a few months, Rose said she made connections that remain strong to this day. She lived with a local family she still keeps in touch with, reminisces about mornings spent clutching a cup of coffee at Kosy Korner, and hazily recalls a few late nights getting to know the crowd at McKecks.

After growing up in a small town in Huron County, Haliburton always reminded her of home, she said.

Upon graduating, she moved to the city and got involved in acting. In 2022, she wrote a poetry book Crashing Waves, Meditations to Set Yourself Free. Dealing with depression through much of the COVID 19 pandemic, she took what she learned from her studies at HSAD to express her emotions with her words.

“After that, songwriting felt like the next natural step,” Rose said.

She’s already working on other material and is planning a trip to Nashville, hoping to build on her connections and
improve her sound.

Having worked with producer John Kennedy on her latest single – he’s known for his collaborations with
LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill, Julianne Hough, and Billy Ray Cyrus – Rose already has experience dealing with a star of the industry. For now, she’s not putting much pressure on trying to “make it”, instead allowing herself to fully enjoy the ride.

“I’m still in the building phase, learning a lot about myself and my voice. This song marked the beginning of a new chapter… I want to get out and do some more live performing. I’d love to get up to Haliburton even to do that if I can, that would be awesome,” Rose said.

Sleeping in cars with lived experience

Lisa Gervais

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.

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