County Closeup

According to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, more than 50 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning every year — the majority of which occur during fall and winter. That's why, as of January 1, 2026, changes to the Ontario Fire Code now require a working carbon monoxide alarm on every level of any residence with a gas-burning appliance, including a furnace, water heater or stove.The previous legislation required a carbon monoxide detector outside every sleeping area, but officials say the new law is aimed at providing better protection against a deadly gas that can't be seen, smelled or tasted.CanoeFM spoke with Don Kruger, Minden Hills Fire Chief, to learn why the change in legislation is necessary in providing another level of prevention.

The beauty of Haliburton County and the wonderful people who live there are the reasons a local couple has stepped up to double the impact of the Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation's ‘Believe in the Magic of Giving' holiday campaign.Scott Pollard and his wife Suzanne Patmios have a four-season home on Mountain Lake that's become their favorite place to be. The beauty of the area, along with the kind-hearted residents and businesses are the reason why the couple will match all donations made during the holiday campaign, dollar for dollar, up to $100 thousand dollars to provide essential healthcare in the community.CanoeFM sat down recently with them to find out why giving back is so important.

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium found in rocks and soil. You can't see, smell, or taste radon. When it enters confined spaces like a house, it can build up to high levels and become harmful.When radon is inhaled, radioactive particles can get trapped in your lungs. This damages lung tissue and over many years, can develop into lung cancer. In Canada, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, next to smoking.That's why, for the first time, the newly merged Lakelands Public Health is offering free Radon test kits to residents in Haliburton County as part of the Evict Radon dot CA National Study, to help collect data and build awareness about radon levels in the region.

Local Haliburton County fire departments are joining forces with the Ontario Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council and other fire safety education organizations to deliver its annual ‘12 Days of Holiday Fire Safety' campaign.Don Kruger, Minden Hills Fire Chief, spoke with CanoeFM recently to explain that this time of year brings with it added fire risks and with some forethought and planning, local residents can stay fire safe this holiday season.

This week, [someone], [someone else] and [another person] cover [topic].....

Topics discussed:

Links mentioned in this episode:

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

This week, [someone], [someone else] and [another person] cover [topic].....

Topics discussed:

Links mentioned in this episode:

This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

Thirty-eight years ago, a lone gunman entered Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal with one goal — to kill as many females as possible. He walked into an engineering class, asked the men to leave and proceeded to shoot the female students. In what he described as ‘fighting feminism', he shot all nine women in the room, killing six.The shooter then moved through corridors, the cafeteria, and another classroom, specifically targeting women to shoot for just under 20 minutes. He killed another eight women before turning the gun on himself. A total of 14 women lost their lives that day.That horrendous attack and the violence that women still face all these years later is why the Haliburton Highlands Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women is hosting a vigil on Saturday, December 6 at 10:30 am. The event gives residents a chance to remember those women who died and to support those who have or are experiencing abuse.

Measles, a disease that can lead to serious health issues such as blindness, deafness and even death is easily prevented with childhood vaccinations. But after the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation and outright lies regarding the necessity for them caused a dramatic drop in parents vaccinating their children. As a result, a serious outbreak of measles occurred in 2024, with more than 5,000 cases reported across Canada. Transmission of the virus for 12 consecutive months caused Canada's eliminated status of measles to be striped away.Dr. Natalie Bocking is Deputy Medical Officer of Health with Lakelands Public Health. Recently, she spoke with CanoeFM about what this means and her concerns for other diseases returning. She says as a physician, she's disappointed that Canada has lost its elimination status for measles because of all the efforts made to achieve it.

The Highlands festival Singers are in their 34rth year of entertaining audiences in Haliburton. In that time, they've performed Handel's Messiah eight times and this year they're bringing it back to the delight of both the singers and to the community.CanoeFM recently attended a rehearsal and spoke to Musical Director Melissa Stephens and a number of choir members on what this classic work means to them. In some cases, people said it was their way of ringing in the holiday season, while others say the work has shaped their lives for decades.

Given the rising cost of third-party commitments to the City of Kawartha Lakes for Social Services and housing, Lakelands Public Health, as well as physician recruitment, which represent more than four per cent of the 2026 budget, Haliburton County aims to maintain existing service levels while planning for the future. Those third-party costs, total more than 6 point 6 million dollars, up more than one million dollars from last year's allocation.New items in this year's budget include the hiring of six new employees – three new Advanced Care Paramedics, a GIS technician, a Cyber Security Analyst and a Grant Writer.The Budget Liaison Committee also recommended $500 thousand dollars be cut from the Sustainable Roads Infrastructure Program for 2026. County Liaison are recommending council funds the Library Board $1 million dollars for this year and use its more than $400 thousand in reserves to operate.Haliburton County is gathering public feedback up to Dec. 2 for next budget council session.