County Closeup

The type of outdoor lighting we choose as homeowners has a direct impact on the behavior of insects, bats and other species. That was the finding of a recent U-Links community research project conducted late last summer. Ella Honey and Angus McBride, both Masters Candidates in Trent University’s Environment and Life Sciences department conducted studies in the wee hours of the night to discover th...

Found at the bottom of the world’s oceans and even on the top of Mount Everest, microplastics are everywhere. A recent research project conducted and presented as part of the recent ULINKs Celebration of Research has found microplastics in Haliburton Lakes. Trent University’s Environment and Life Sciences Masters Candidate Jacob Wyonch presented his findings to a virtual audience recently, which i...

For decades, Canadians have been good neighbors to the US, but now, thanks to the heavy-handed rhetoric of President Donald Trump, that relationship has soured. Since the announcement of tariffs impacting Canadian businesses and the 51rst State threats, the ‘buy Canadian’ and ‘elbows up’ movements have prompted many to reconsider where and how they spend their time and disposable income. Thousands...

Get on your bikes and ride! The Haliburton Community Cycling Hub is now open and ready to help get more people on bicycles enjoying the beauty of the many trails here. Thanks to a $30 thousand dollar seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, support from Dysart et Al, and the Rotary Club of Haliburton, the cycling hub – the brainchild of the Friends of the Rail Trail (or FoRT) will provide...

A travelling exhibit from Kenora’s Lake of the Woods museum, entitled “We Were Taught Differently” now on display at the Minden Hills Cultural Center, hopes to enlighten local residents about what indigenous children and youth endured at these schools – the last of which closed in 1997. Comprised of a series of panels, photographs and first-person accounts, We were Taught Differently is difficult...

When it comes to the vices of Canadians, alcohol is still the preferred choice. But a recent report from Statistics Canada shows Canadians are drinking less alcohol and buying more cannabis. In fact, cannabis sales increased by 15.8 per cent, with Canadians spending $5.2 billion dollars in 2023 & 24. Cannabis retailers have their own theories for the trend, saying that with more access, inform...

The savagery of war and the courage of Canadian service men and women — including that which his own son Chuck endured on his tour in Afghanistan, were all the motivation Wayne Krangle needed to start producing maple syrup for charity, aptly named Syrup for Soldiers. The liquid gold comes from more than 200 sugar maples that Wayne has on his property in Algonquin Highlands. Now in its 16th season,...

The ice storm that knocked out power and decimated thousands of trees in Haliburton County is over, but the damage left behind will take weeks, if not months, to repair. That’s why the Haliburton ATV Association and its many riders turned out recently to help clear the Rail Trail ahead of the upcoming ATV season which begins May 1. With more than 1,000 kilometers of trails in the region, it’s goin...

One in eight Canadian women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. While urban centers offer far more variety and accessibility to mastectomy products and clothing, women in rural communities must drive hours to find what they need. That’s why the announcement that a new initiative by Body Med North Boutique to help support women with bras, prosthetics or breast forms, compression garments...

Bring your broken toasters, your snowblowers, your shirts in need of mending! At Haliburton’s monthly Repair Cafe, you’re sure to find the fix you’re looking for! That’s the message SIRCH Program Coordinator Dianne Woodcock hopes to spread far and wide. The Haliburton Repair Cafe is open for the season and the many volunteer fixers are ready to take on whatever challenges local residents have to o...

The joy and challenges of brewing beer is what the brand new Brewhouse boardgame is all about, and two local breweries — Haliburton Highlands Brewery and Boshkung Brewery — are featured in the game. Invented by a former brewer, the aim of the game is to successfully brew a batch of beer of your choice from scratch and have it served in a taproom, while trying to handle some of the real-life pitfal...

Every Friday, Minden’s Dominion Hotel serves up one of its most popular dishes to customers — fish and chips. Now the historic hotel’s fan favorite will be included in a cookbook with hundreds of others from notable hospitality hotspots around the world. Entitled “Inspired Stays, Local Flavors”, the cookbook is the brainchild of Enviivo, a cloud-based accommodation booking and management platform....

They’re the heartbeat of any hospital, and their work is both essential and appreciated. Haliburton Highlands Health Services, (HHHS), knows volunteers play a vital role and is inviting members of the community — no matter your age or how much time you have to offer — to join the team of volunteers at the healthcare facility. HHHS recently revamped their volunteer program, streamlining it and crea...

Haliburton County is a place filled with beauty and wonder and Hike Haliburton — a free festival held here — gives locals and visitors alike the chance to explore all that’s on offer in our region. That’s why, for the second year in a row, Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) awarded Hike Haliburton one of the top 100 festivals in the province. Handed out at the SYNERGY 2025 awards gala in Kitchener...

Tom Oliver is a gifted musician and someone who cares about his community. That’s why he’s decided to create a network of musical instruments with those who want to learn how to play them. Here’s how it works. Oliver put a call out to local residents to donate any musical instruments they have at home that they’re not using. Then, interested would-be players come pick up the instrument of their ch...

The Haliburton Highlands Land Trust is clearing up the rumors and inaccurate information contained in a recent post on social media about the proposed Milburn-Kendrick Conservation Reserve in Haliburton County. The post, shared by more than 1,000 Facebook users, spread false information, saying hunting and other leisure activities would not be permitted on the Reserve once it was established. Not...

The threat of 25% tariffs that’s causing chaos in the stock market is creating an atmosphere of worry amongst local businesses in Haliburton County. The on-again, off-again tariffs by US President Donald Trump and the uncertainty that follows is posing both confusion and difficulties to firms in the county. CanoeFM recently spoke to three businesses in the county to gauge their feelings about how...

Few of us ever imagine having to sleep in our cars in the harsh winter months, but that’s exactly what Places for People‘s Sleeping in Cars fundraiser is all about. Tonight’s fundraiser is the sixth installment of the event, which features about 30 ‘sleepers’ who brave the elements overnight in their vehicles to raise money for more affordable housing initiatives in Haliburton County. CanoeFM rece...

Don’t be surprised if the number of measles cases spikes after March Break and starts showing up in Haliburton County. That’s what Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health for the Haliburton-Kawartha-Pine Ridge Health Unit warns. In the last two weeks, 78 cases of measles were identified in Ontario, bringing the total of recorded infections to 140 – considered now to be the largest measles ou...

At Walkabout Farm, it’s less about what you can’t do and everything about what you can try to do. Run by its passionate founder, Jennifer Semach, Walkabout Farm offers therapeutic riding and so much more. Wrapping a client’s entire family and support system in kindness and daily miracles, the farm is a much-loved staple in the community. CanoeFM visited the farm recently and had the privilege of m...

Haliburton County Development Corporation’s, (HCDC), Local Initiatives Program, (LIP) gives local not-for-profits a financial leg up. It is a vital source of funding support for a diverse range of not-for-profits in the region. HCDC is celebrating its 40th year of sparking economic growth in the region and has been assisting local organizations since 2015. HCDC Executive Director, Patti Talman spo...

Boshkung Brewery in Minden has joined 49 other breweries across Canada in supporting the efforts of Veterinarians Without Borders, (VWB), through the Animals & Ales Pet Photo Contest. Deb and Matt Banks, new owners of Boshkung, think that the Animals and Ales Contest is an extension of the pet-friendly vibe they promote at the brewery. So, they’re excited to take part in the Veterinarians With...

If you can’t wait for the weather to change and you’ve got a big project planned for your home or cottage, your first stop should be your local municipality’s building department. Applying for a building permit isn’t just good sense, it’s the law and Dysart et al Building Official Karl Korpela says not doing so can cost you. Applying for a building permit is an essential first step as Korpela told...

The roar of snowmobiles have been heard all season long in Haliburton County and that’s been great for everyone involved, from sledders themselves, to those who manage the local trails and even local businesses. Snowmobiling in Ontario is a $6B business, with hotels, restaurants, snowmobile outlets and service providers all cashing in big time this year. CanoeFM spoke with the Neil Vanderstoop, Pr...

Right now in Haliburton County, 260 children are on a waitlist for childcare. Their parents struggle to find suitable childcare and often face a hodge-podge of caregivers that include grandparents, friends and neighbors while they wait for a licensed spot to open up at one of two centers here. In the fourth and final segment of our series on the childcare shortage, we speak with officials from the...