County Closeup

Protecting lake health is something Jim Prince and fellow members of the Kenisis Lake Cottage Owners’ Association take very seriously. They say doing so is vital to both the environment and to the local economy. That’s why, as a lake steward, his lake association and nine others have voiced their opposition to the move by some Dysart et Al councilors to peel back long-established shoreline protection regulations under the municipality’s Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw.

David Mills and Jim Frost are devoted members of the Haliburton Lions Club. Every year, they're in charge of the club's prized possession — its Santa Claus float for the annual Christmas parade. Designed and constructed in 2004, its founders have passed on, but their vision is lovingly preserved. Each year, the float is repaired and prepared for the nigh time parade, with hand-carved reindeers and a beautiful cutter for Santa to ride in.Over the years, the float has encountered a number of interesting challenges, but the community's affection for it has kept it rolling in the parade, no matter what. Both Mills and Frost say it's the star of the annual event and a great source of pride.Mills and Frost recently visited the CanoeFM studios to discuss the vibrant history of the Santa Claus float and what it means to the community.

It's been a year of the kind of work that Leanne Young and her husband Kyle are grateful to be doing — helping to support and guide the youth of Haliburton County. Through their efforts, Youth Unlimited brings preteens together through their programming, both at The Bridge and in area schools. Now, they say, it's time to give back to the community with their Concert of Hope, presented on Saturday, November 29that Lakeside Church at 9 Park Street from 2 to 4 pm.The concert will feature live music and dance performances, a raffle and the sale of fresh apple pies, just in time for the holidays. It's a way of saying thank you to the community who has supported the organization and its goal to offer local youth fun activities and friendship in a safe welcoming space.CanoeFM recently spoke with Young and one of the performers for the concert.

The 2nd Annual Harvest Haliburton Food Forum brought together growers, municipal leaders, tourism leads, ministry representatives, university professors and local business leaders to advocate for support of small-scale farms and regenerative farming by creating policies and bylaws that protect local farmland and food production.Less than two per cent of Haliburton County is used for agriculture. It's rocky terrain and challenging soil conditions makes it a difficult place for farming. But with creativity and innovation, a group of farmers here are doing their best to support their local food system.CanoeFM attended the event and had a chance to speak with a number of participants, including Aisha Malik, the Co-Chair of Harvest Haliburton and a public health dietician at Lakelands Public Health. Her focus there is sustainable food systems, so her role with Harvest Haliburton is a perfect fit. She says the organization aims to bring everyone to the table to improve the local food system here.

After he retired from running his scrap metal business in Minden, Rick Harding needed to find something to keep him busy. With the help of his best friend Rick Franklin, the two started collecting pop cans, then beer cans and liquor bottles, then scrap metal. The two then began taking the items to the city for recycling, and giving the proceeds to the Minden Community Food Centre.Jean Munroe, Executive Director of the centre, says the generosity of people like Harding and Franklin are what help support members of the community who are struggling to make ends meet. She says demand has dramatically increased, and that's why the efforts of people like Harding and Franklin mean so much.

More than half of Ontario's ice rinks and arenas are nearing the end of their lifecycle, requiring significant and expensive repairs or replacement. According to the Ontario Recreational Facilities Association, (or ORFA), the province's estimated 27 hundred arenas are in poor or failing condition. With many of them built more than 50 years ago, many of the province's arenas are facing closure and service reductions due to high repair costs, safety concerns, and lack of consistent funding.Terry Piche, Director of Training, Research and Development with ORFA says when the provincial government downloaded the management of recreational facilities onto the backs of municipal governments in the 1990's, it put real financial pressures on communities eager to maintain use by local hockey teams, community groups and other users. He says while he's happy to hear Highlands East is getting by keeping their rec facilities open and regularly maintained, the approach won't work forever.

Aging Together as Community is a community advocacy group established originally in 2020, as the Haliburton Highlands Long Term Care Coalition during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of a number of community builders, it evolved into a group intent on raising awareness of seniors' unique health care needs while keeping seniors living independently in their homes for as long as possible. Bonnie Roe leads the group and says it's all about aging in a way that provides the greatest comfort and dignity.Roe says there are a number of eventsAging Together as Communityis planning that will bring seniors together and feature many activities they've been asking for. While she'll only hint at what's coming, she says much of it is thanks to the organization recently obtaining its not-for-profit status which opens the door to more funding sources.

When the Canadian Dental Care Program rolled out in May 2025, offering affordable dental services for eligible Canadians of all ages, Dr. Bill Kerr and his colleagues made the difficult decision to close the Volunteer Dental Outreach Clinic in Haliburton. The clinic officially closed in September.While he salutes the federal government for providing dental care to all Canadians, it's a bittersweet feeling knowing the clinic he started with his wife Lisa Marie in 2011 has closed its doors. While Lisa was instrumental in spearheading the clinic's creation, she sadly passed away prior to the roll-out of the federal dental care program.Dr. Kerr is glad the federal plan has been rolled out, since dental care is essential to overall health and well-being. He says the program, despite gaps in the fee structure, is a step in the right direction, giving patients the freedom to choose what treatment options make the most sense to them.

Haliburton Highlands Secondary School has been offering co-op education credit courses for 40 years and Jason Morissett says it gives students invaluable, real-world experience. Rather than spending thousands of dollars in post-secondary courses only to find out it's not a fit, the high school's co-op program is a kind of ‘try before you buy' approach to learning more about the career than interests them.Grade 11 student Sophia Burke and grade 12 student Elizabeth Mathew are thrilled to be spending their co-op term at Haliburton Highlands Health Services, (HHHS), and think a career in healthcare will definitely be in their future. While it's hard to nail down what department is their favorite, being with patients and making a difference is high on the list with both of the students.

In 2008, Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary was founded by Monika Meli-car and her husband Whitebear as a refuge for animals in need of a second chance. Every year, more than 800 animals come to the center, who are either sick or have been injured or orphaned due to some kind of human cause, such as being hit by a car or run-ins with domestic animals. No matter the reason, the volunteers give their all for the health and well-being of the animals who come into care there.Monika Meli-car sat down with CanoeFM recently to talk about Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary and why a center like this is so important. Listening to her and hearing the passion and drive to help animals in need shows how Meli-car is doing what she always dreamed of.