County Closeup

Flu season has arrived, but a lot earlier than expected. In fact, the nation's Public Health Agency reported that by mid-October, cases were already showing up, with 6 point 1 per cent positivity rates across the country so far, up significantly from the zero point 8 per cent recorded at the same time last year. Interestingly, one strain seems to be the most dominant and of the cases reported so f...

If you've been shopping for groceries in Minden lately, it's likely you've seen the changes taking place at the Valu-Mart there. Now, after Loblaw Companies Limited, the parent firm, chose to bring the Minden location into the well-known Independent brand in August, the store will be known as Easton's Your Independent Grocer. Lynda Easton has been in the grocery business for 32 years and sees the...

The 2026 municipal election is over and a number of new faces will be serving on councilsacross the four municipalities in Haliburton County. Earlier today, Canoe FM spoke to the twoincumbent mayors and the two new mayors that take the reins leading councils for the nextfour years. They shared their reactions to being elected and their vision for the upcoming term. Another incumbent mayor returnin...

The 2026 municipal election is over and a number of new faces will be serving on councilsacross the four municipalities in Haliburton County. Earlier today, Canoe FM spoke to the twoincumbent mayors and the two new mayors that take the reins leading councils for the nextfour years. They shared their reactions to being elected and their vision for the upcoming term. Algonquin Highlands has a famili...

The 2026 municipal election is over and a number of new faces will be serving on councilsacross the four municipalities in Haliburton County. Earlier today, Canoe FM spoke to the twoincumbent mayors and the two new mayors that take the reins leading councils for the nextfour years. They shared their reactions to being elected and their vision for the upcoming term. Another new face is Tammy McKelv...

The 2026 municipal election is over and a number of new faces will be serving on councilsacross the four municipalities in Haliburton County. Canoe FM spoke to the twoincumbent mayors and the two new mayors that take the reins leading councils for the nextfour years. They shared their reactions to being elected and their vision for the upcoming term. Following in the footsteps of Dysart et al Mayo...

Ryan Van Lee recently was named as one of three fan favorites in the Samsung True North Tunes Top 3 and while that fame might seem sudden, it represents years of the Haliburton native putting in the work. He beat out 2,000 other singer songwriters in the Samsung True North Tunes Contest recently is sure to give him the much-needed boost to pursue his musical dreams going forward. Van Lee's career...

Three years ago, the Haliburton Rotary reached out to the Ministry of Transportation, who owns the land at Skyline Park, which originally opened in 1958 as a highway rest stop. As club members pointed out, over the years, the park began to show its age. With the approval of the MTO, the club began working on improving pathways, removing trees and shrubs to improve the view, repairing the broken co...

Advance polling in Haliburton County is amping up optimism for increased voter turnout overall in the 2026 Municipal Election. As of today, advance polling in Algonquin Highlands is at 17 per cent, while Minden Hills is 15 per cent, Dysart et al is at 17 per cent and Highlands East is at 12.9 per cent. Canoe FM spoke with Lindsay Jones, Executive Director of the Associations of Municipalities of O...

The greatest threats to the survival of turtles here in Haliburton County come from road mortality – cars running over turtles crossing our roadways and small mammals who predate turtle nests on the gravel shoulders and eat the eggs. That's why a new hatchery and nursery, funded through the Trillium grants and an upcoming fundraising campaign will give turtles in our region a better chance at surv...

Just 10 minutes north of Minden off Plantation road, is an extraordinary place. With bald eagles flying overhead, the shrieking of Sandhill cranes in the nearby meadow and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves in the trees, it's a place that invites visitors to slow down, explore and appreciate nature. Formerly the Campbell property, now renamed the Beaver Creek Wildlands, it's a 200-acre para...

Kaitlyn Wight's first daughter Arya was just four days old when the family moved to Minden. Alone in a new community, Wight struggled to find programs for her baby but eventually discovered the Early ON program at Archie Stouffer Public School and some others offered at the Haliburton County Public Library. Now Arya is 2 and a half and has a 10-month-old sister Amelia to keep her company. But for...

Seniors make up the majority of the population of Haliburton County. In fact, the median age is 60 years old and what's important to them may differ from other demographics. As the municipal election edges ever closer, CanoeFM reached out to a few seniors from across the county to find out what their needs are both in their communities and their representatives in municipal government. Here is Par...

Minden Hills' Scotch Line landfill won't last forever, and a new food waste organics program is aimed at diverting waste from the landfill and stretch its life-expectancy further. The process is simple. Large earth bins, as they're known, will be placed in the ground at Scotch Line. Residents who've separated and collected their food waste then place their food waste in the bins on site and six ti...

It's been said that necessity is the mother of invention, and the Big Hawk Lake Log Chute is an example of that. Built in 1861, it was one of dozens located here in Haliburton County during the region's early logging days. Hundreds of log chutes existed across Ontario and Quebec at one time, now the Big Hawk Lake Log Chute is the only one of its kind in the province. And while it's a popular attra...

With the municipal election just a few weeks away, CanoeFM wanted to hear from random people regarding their interest and participation in the democratic process granted us every four years. CanoeFM spent some time in West Guilford recently to gauge people's intentions as we edge ever closer to election day, Monday, October 26th. Here's what they had to say.

Back in 2012, SIRCH helped the Kerrs get the Volunteer Dental Outreach Clinic up and running, supporting them as a registered charity. Eventually, the clinic formed its own non-profit entity, with a Board of Directors and operated without SIRCH's assistance. For 14 years, VDO served the people of Haliburton County, providing much-needed dental care. In early 2024, the federal government launched t...

Earlier this year, Carol Simmons, former president of Bark Lake Cultural Developments, announced her retirement from the organization. Without someone assuming the role and others joining, the iconic Irondale Church faced closure and an eventual sale. So, a concert was held in late August to attract new members, and it worked. Now, the church, built in 1887, has new Board leadership and a promisin...

Halloween is coming and all the little ghosts and goblins are already getting excited. But for parents, that one night of fun can really hurt the wallet by shelling out lots of money for candy and costumes. That's why the Haliburton County Library is making Halloween more affordable with its upcoming 2ndannual Halloween Costume Swap. CanoeFM sat down with Jennifer Korpela, Programs and Outreach Co...

Used tires are piling up at auto garages and tire shops across Ontario since changes were made to the province's collection and recycling program. The devastating Hagrsville fire in 1990, caused by arson, prompted the creation of Ontario's regulated tire recycling and diversion programs. In 2008, the Ontario Tire Stewardship program, or OTS, created a centralized used tire program, funded by eco-f...

Time to clean out your closets and dressers! The Great Haliburton Clothing Swap takes place Saturday, October 3rdat Fleming College. Now in its third year, the event allows residents to clean out their closets of items they're no longer wearing and freshen up their wardrobes and at the same time follows the environmental mantra of Reduce, Re-use, Recycle. Every landfill in Ontario has a strict ope...

A group of volunteer firefighters in Minden Hills have resigned as a direct result of serious and ongoing concerns involving leadership, safety and the overall direction of the Minden Hills Fire Department. In an exclusive interview, CanoeFM has learned that the problems have existed for more than a year, but came to a head in March when a long-serving firefighter was demoted then later fired. Rec...

Chris Weissflog has spent the last 20 years helping people reduce their carbon footprint by designing and building homes, cottages, restaurants and other businesses that are environmentally sound, affordable and sustainable. That's why Environment Haliburton is thrilled to host him at an upcoming seminar on how to reduce carbon emissions in our homes. The seminar takes place this Saturday, Septemb...

Back in 1995, when the Kinmount District Health Services Foundation was created, it didn't have professional recruiters filling its ranks. Instead, it had passionate, driven members, including Restivo-Galea's mother, who wanted to establish a medical clinic in Kinmount with a full-time doctor to serve the community. They worked hard, knocking on doors, making calls and never giving up. When the fi...

Emma Warburton is the kind of person who can take the seed of an idea and make it blossom. That's exactly what's she's done in opening The Artist Pantry in Minden. You see, Warburton is a painter and when she moved to Haliburton County, she was shocked to learn that this area, despite being such a thriving artist community, didn't have a store that sold the supplies she and other artists need for...