County Closeup

Marg Cox, Executive Director and the Board of Directors of Point in Time are celebrating the securement of land in Haliburton that will eventually become a new Child, Youth and Family Hub as well as the new Point in Time office.The site, at 5219 County Road 21, is beside the Home Hardware, and will be a one-stop shop for Point in Time services, programs and a child, youth and family hub. It's the realization of a dream Cox has held in her heart for a long time and exactly what the organization needs to serve the community in the years to come.While it's still early days, a land survey has already been completed on the four-acre site. A traffic study will determine road access and an architectural firm will proceed with the design. Point in time will not need all the acreage, so there are plans to sub-divide the property. The next steps will include cost estimates and funding requirements, including launching a fundraising campaign.

From Bethany houghton's earliest memories of learning to play the cello, to building violins, teaching students and performing, the constant thread has been wrapped around the joy that music brings her.So, it's no surprise that when CanoeFM recently had the opportunity to interview her, music was center stage. While there were some relatives that could play music, it took sibling rivalry to open up Houghton's world to learning and loving music. Her sister picked up the violin and Houghton set her sights on the cello. And the rest, as they say, is history.Between Houghton's education at an arts high school in Etobicoke that taught her all aspects of theory and performance, weekends playing weddings and even building string instruments both as a hobby then later as a way to make a living, Houghton says she's got many interesting tools in her toolbox.

William Spotton loves his little piece of paradise on Farguhar Lake near Wilberforce. It's a long cabin built by his grandfather in 1948. With no electricity or running water, it's not a fancy cottage, but to Spotton, it's his refuge. So, when it came time to renew his insurance for the waterside property, it was a shock to discover how much more he'd be paying, four times the original rate when he took over the property in 2000. Insurance premiums for the cottage jumped from just over $400 to $1,600, with the highest quote coming in at $3,200.But Spotton is not alone. Insurance rates have hit an all-time high following the highest payout year for claims in 2024. In 2025, the average home insurance premium in Ontario jumped by about seven point five per cent compared to 2024, a rise far above general inflation (2.3% for 2025), and above the national average of 5.3%.This surge continues a multi-year trend of escalating home insurance rates. Ontario premiums have increased 84% between 2014 and 2024, vastly outpacing the 28% growth in general consumer prices over the same decade. The culprit behind these steep hikes is largely the growing impact of climate-related disasters and higher rebuilding costs.CanoeFM spoke with Spotton and the Insurance Bureau of Canada to find out what's driving insurance costs up.

Canada's rental market is dire. In cities like Toronto, the average person's income must be at least $78 thousand dollars per year to afford to rent an apartment. And here in Haliburton, the rental market suffers from both a lack of inventory and landlords who can set whatever price they want.CanoeFM sat down with Fay Martin, Vice-president of Places for People recently to learn more about the current status of the local rental market in Haliburton County, its challenges and what renters are facing here.Martin says Haliburton has always had its own specific rental issues here. A dire lack of affordable rentals, combined with low wages, low inventory and an underground rental market have pushed the system to the brink.

Eight years ago, Jennifer Semach opened Walkabout Farm in Minden. She began offering therapeutic riding programs to provide enrichment for those who are differently abled. This farm, and the important work done in Minden, is the only stable of its kind here in Haliburton County and relies on donations from both businesses and individuals to operate. That's why the farm and its many volunteers and program participants are welcoming the public to their annual Fall Festival, to raise awareness and funds to keep the farm offering the transformative therapy it provides free of charge.CanoeFM visited the farm recently to speak with both Semach and her longest serving volunteer Macy Thompson, to learn more about the activities planned for the Fall Festival and how critical the support is to maintain program delivery there.

Take a drive in Haliburton County these days, and you're sure to see how gas prices vary from town to town and station to station. The resulting confusion surrounding the variance got one local Haliburton woman wondering why those differences exist. She started a Facebook group entitled ‘Fair Gas Prices for Haliburton' to raise awareness and lobby support in a community where the effects of a downturned, tourist-centered economy puts the strain on local residents.CanoeFM sat down with Jennifer Korpela to learn why she's formed the group and is putting pressure on gas companies, local government and the province to step in to bring in consistency and lower gas prices for local residents.CanoeFM also spoke with Gas Wizard Dan McTeague, who explained the complexity and constantly changing prices drivers are facing at the pumps. He said the margin for gas station owners is razor thin and there are many factors contributing to the cost of gassing up vehicles.

From the annual Maplefest to the Penny Raffle and awarding student bursaries, the Wilberforce ‘Fun'-raising Committee is committed to its beloved community. All their initiatives are aimed at improving the lives of the friends and neighbors who call this small village home.That's why Janice Dahms is excited to be involved in hosting yet another community effort — the Wilberforce Clothing Swap to be held at the Lloyd Watson Memorial Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 10 am to 2 pm. The event is free and everyone is invited to come visit, browse the clothing and take home as much as they want.It's the first time the Wilberforce ‘Fun'-raising Committee has held a clothing swap and the idea is to help individuals and families offset the cost of clothes while keeping unwanted items out of the landfill.

This past year has been a tough one when it comes to the health and stability of trees in Haliburton County. Heavy snowpacks, a devastating ice storm, windstorms, and prolonged heat and drought have put many different species under extreme stress. But, according to a local expert, trees are designed to withstand and survive multiple hardships, but don't live forever.CanoeFM went into the Haliburton Forest recently with Thomas McCay, a forester, who explained how trees have various coping strategies to handle the wild weather we've experienced this past growing season, but it's the spread on invasive species that pose the greatest threats to trees. Both Beech Bark Disease and Wooly Hemlock Adelgid are devastating forests and as yet there is no known treatment to deal with the impact they're having on our tree canopy here.

Every year in mid-September, the tiny village of Gooderham in Haliburton County comes alive with motorcycles, racers and enthusiasts who participate in the Corduroy Enduro — an intense test of motorcycling skills through challenging terrain.This is the 71st year for the Cord, as it's affectionately called, with more than 700 riders expected to compete over the weekend of September 18 – 21.CanoeFM sat down with the lead organizer for the event and two riders that can't wait for the event to begin so they can challenge themselves on the course. It's a three-day event that attracts riders of all ages and genders and the sound of roaring motorcycles will fill the air as racers traverse creek beds, huge boulders, roots and flat ground in a quest to win the national championship title.The Corduroy Enduro, is named after the way a course was made safe to travel, by placing logs beside each other, creating a corduroy design it resembles.

In Ontario's last municipal election, 32 councils were acclaimed. That means no one chose to run for office to serve their communities. The recently-formed Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project aims to change that, by giving local residents a chance to acquire the skills and tools needed to become involved in the political arena.Established and run by five politically-active individuals, some who've held office, others who've run campaigns or actively engage in local issues, the initiative is aimed at helping people learn and build skills, make connections and take part in shaping their communities' future.CanoeFM recently sat down with two members of the Haliburton Highlands Healthy Democracy Project at Castle Antiques in Haliburton. Barrie Martin, a retired wildlife biologist and Jessica Slade, a federal government not-for-profit policy manager, welcome anyone who's interested in running for a local seat, helping with campaigns or is just curious and wants to learn more about local politics to attend one of the sessions.