Archives 2021

Collingwood OPP has responded to 15 incidents of pets in hot cars since June

Since June 1, the Collingwood OPP has responded to 15 incidents of pets in hot vehicles.

For Sonya Reichel of the Georgian Triangle Humane Society, this is 15 too many.

“The message with no hot pets is ensuring people are aware there is no exceptions to the rule,” she said. “There is no excuse, we can’t have hot pets.”

A Wellington Township man was recently charged under Collingwood’s responsible pet ownership bylaw for leaving a dog in a parked car.

Reichel said there are no excuses to leave a pet in the car.

“I will never forget a story that I heard where someone had their golden retriever in their car, it was early morning, they were popping into an office, they got caught up in a meeting and two hours later when they came out their pet was dead,” she said.

Despite the pleas from animal organizations and the police, she said the problem persists.

“There is a misconception, that temporarily a pet in a car is OK, it’s not OK,” she said. “It’s a campaign our organization has been delivering for the last five years it really means that somehow, the message isn’t hitting home.”

Const. Martin Hachey of the Collingwood OPP said when police respond, people tell them they love their pet and they were only running in for a short time.

But Hachey said one minute is too long.

“You meet a friend in there and start talking and all of a sudden five becomes a 10,  the lineup at the till and all of a sudden, the 10 becomes a 15 and that’s when the heat really starts rising in a vehicle,” he said.

Hachey said even cracking a window, it can be hot for a pet. He said the best solution is to leave the pet at home when possible.

The Ontario SPCA is in the midst of a no hot pets campaign and as part of the initiative is encouraging businesses to register as pet friendly. This would allow the public to bring their pets inside with them.

Currently, only one business in Collingwood is registered as pet friendly, Collingwood Home Hardware Building Centre.

Owner Tracey Caron is an animal lover and several years ago saw a dog in distress in vehicle and she doesn’t want that to happen at her store.

“We are trying to encourage people to not leave their pets in the hot car,” she said.

Hachey said in addition to damage it may cause to the pet, the owner who leaves the pet in the car could be punished.

He said they could receive a fine under municipal bylaws, the Ontario SPCA act or the Criminal Code for cruelty to an animal.

“If we show there was intent to cause harm to the animal, that could possibly be laid,” he said.

Reichel is hoping other businesses “take the pledge,” and become pet friendly.

“We just need this to be something that’s a cultural norm,” she said. 

For more information visit

Georgina, Innisfil, listed among 10 highest property tax rates in GTA: study

Municipalities in York Region and Simcoe County have some of the ‘worst’ property taxes in the GTA, according to real estate brokerage and website company Zoocasa.

Georgina residents pay some of the highest average amount of taxes in the GTA and highest in York Region, according to the real estate portal’s best and worst list of 33 regions released this month.

Innisfil and Bradford top the list in Simcoe County.

Zoocasa calculated the average amount of tax paid, based on the municipal tax rate and average home price, in each region of the GTA.

Cities with the highest home values, such as the Toronto, Markham and Richmond Hill, tend to have the lowest property tax rates while cities such as Oshawa and Orangeville with the lowest average home values have some of the highest tax rates.

For example, Georgina’s average home price based on Toronto Real Estate Board figures is $595,946.

Zoocasa applied the 2017 rate of 1.12810 per cent to that number to calculate taxes of $6,723 per year — and ranked Georgina ninth out of the 10 municipalities with the highest tax rates in the GTA.

While Bradford West Gwillimbury’s northern neighbour of Innisfil has lower home values of $603,978 on average, it has a higher tax rate of 1.05760 per cent, which equates to an average property tax bill of $6,388, and rounds out the bottom 10.

BWG residents, who pay an average $6,676 on a home assessed at $665,640 based on a tax rate of 1.05760 per cent, aren’t far behind, however.

Compare that to Orangeville, which pays the highest percentage of property taxes in the GTA. The average homeowner there pays $7,906 in property tax on an average home assessment of $560,735.

Zoocasa’s Penelope Graham said while affordability and mortgage costs are typically top of mind for homebuyers, the amount of property tax you’ll need to pay each year is often overlooked.

For example, Oshawa, the most affordable GTA city where the average home price is $515,261, has the second highest property tax rate of 1.40690 per cent, resulting in annual taxes of $7,249.

Meanwhile, the average Richmond Hill home is worth twice as much at $1,033,754, but the owner pays about the same amount in property taxes at $7,418 because the tax rate is substantially lower at only 0.71760 per cent, explains Graham.

While King Township residents pay a whopping $12,182 in property taxes, that’s based on average home prices of $1.4 million and a tax rate of 0.86820, which is close to the GTA average.

GTA cities with lowest property tax rates

1. Toronto – 0.6355054% ($5,532 taxes based on $870,559 average June 2018 home price)

2. Markham – 0.6938% ($6,762 taxes based on $974,626 average June 2018 home price)

3. Milton – 0.6979% ($4,896 taxes based on $701,595 average June 2018 home price)

4. Richmond Hill – 0.7176% ($7,418 based on $1,033,754 average June 2018 home price)

5. Vaughan – 0.7281% ($6,850 based on $940,866 average June 2018 home price)

GTA cities with highest property tax rates

1. Orangeville – 1.4099% ($7,906 taxes based on $560,735 average June 2018 home price)

2. Oshawa – 1.4069% ($7,249 taxes based on $515,261 average June 2018 home price)

3. Brock – 1.2860% ($7,490 taxes based on $582,455 average June 2018 home price)

4. Clarington – 1.2228% ($6,516 taxes based on $532,908 average June 2018 home price)

5. Whitby – 1.18090% ($8,023 taxes based on $679,406 average June 2018 home price)

— with files from Karen Martin-Robbins

Editor’s note: This story was updated July 20, 2018 to clarify how Zoocasa calculated the numbers for the Town of Georgina.

Tiny Township woman survives heart attack, changes life

Marg Raynor is lucky to be alive.

The 72-year-old retired teacher suffered a heart attack eight years ago. It was properly diagnosed and she received angioplasty and a pacemaker in quick order.

That’s unusual.

According to the Heart & Stroke 2018 Heart Report entitled Ms. Understood, early heart attack signs were missed in 78 per cent of women.

Heart disease is the leading cause of premature death for women in Canada. In fact, every 20 minutes, a woman in Canada dies from heart disease.

“Too many women are unnecessarily suffering and dying from heart disease,” reads the opening statement of the report.

“They have been left behind because they are under-researched, under-diagnosed, under-treated and under-supported during recovery,” reads the second sentence.

Raynor, who is known in the community as a singer, guitarist, had no chest pain during her heart attacks.

“It was a sudden back ache. It was just a deep ache,” she said.

The first time it happened, she went and laid down, took some Tylenol and a hot bath. Days later it happened again with an added symptom.

“I had tingling and throbbing down my left arm.”

“I thought if I want to see my children and grandchildren grow up, I’d better go to hospital.”

Her husband drove her to Georgian Bay General Hospital and she sat in the regular emergency section with people with colds and flu.

Through tests she was diagnosed and immediately to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket where she got an emergency angioplasty with a stent.

“I was told I’d had two heart attacks and that I had 60 per cent damage to my heart.”

She got a pacemaker.

Upon reflection and research Raynor figures that it was brought on by stress combined with extensive dental work (root canals and infections) and a fungus infection.

She decided to take ownership of her new condition and follow her daughter’s advice: “Mom be gentle with your heart.”

Raynor said she had to change her philosophy from “getting it done” mode.

“I had to learn to tell a different story. If I’m sweating, I sit down or have a nap. I’m learning how to pace myself,” said Raynor, adding that she’s still active in the community.

“I’m letting myself go with the flow more, smelling the roses a little bit more.”

She sees her new philosophy in her garden. Her formerly manicured garden has wildflowers.

“Now I’ve got Monarchs,” she said.

The need for more research into women’s heart health prompted Cathy Hartley to organize the Women Have Heart Golf Tournament taking place on Sunday, Aug. 19 at Orr Lake Golf Club. All the funds raised from the event, which includes heart health education, will be directed to women’s heart research.

To register for the tournament, go to the website: and search Go Red Women or call .

For more information about heart facts go to the website

For a telling video starring Elizabeth Banks, go to YouTube’s presentation of Just a Little Heart Attack.



Where to keep cool in New Tecumseth

As the heat wave continues, the Town of New Tecumseth will be keeping its facilities open as cooling centres, to allow residents who don’t have air conditioning to get out of the heat.

The cooling centres include the , the ., and all three library branches.

The branch locations are , and

The facilities will be open as cooling centres during normal hours of operation.

is now open, and the town also has four splash pads that are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The splash pads are at , next to the next to the , and at the

For more information on the dangers and precautions of extreme heat, visit the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit website at or call Your Health Connection at (1-877-721-7520).

Youth mental health walk-in clinic opens in Midland

A child and youth mental health walk-in clinic is now open in Midland.

The clinic will run every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Catholic Family Services of Simcoe County (CFSSC) location at 845 King St.

The free service will be offered by CFSSC in collaboration with New Path Youth and Family Services.

“Walk-in clinics are effective, leading edge services that will help ensure all children, youth and their families have timely access to the mental health supports they need,” said Glen Newby, CEO of New Path.

The Midland clinic will provide free, single-session mental health counselling for children and youth up to the age of 18 and their families. If additional supports and services are needed, clients will be referred to other short and long-term child and youth mental health supports in the community.

This pilot project is taking place from now until the end of December.

“This project is in response to overwhelming demand for timely child and youth mental health services in Midland,” said Lisa Hickling-Miller, a New Path manager. “We firmly believe that children, youth and their families need timely access to care in their own communities.”

New Path is also offering walk-in services in Alliston, Barrie, Bradford, Collingwood and Orillia.

UPDATE: OPP identify Alliston girl, 6, who died in Highway 10 crash in Caledon

The OPP say six-year-old Valentina Palermo from Alliston is the young girl who died after a crash Monday involving a vehicle and a tractor-trailer in the northbound live lanes on Highway 10 in Caledon.

At about 10:15 a.m. on Monday (Aug. 6), emergency responders were called to the collision on Highway 10 between Charleston Sideroad and Olde Base Line Road.

Caledon OPP report a 36-year-old man in the vehicle was airlifted to a Toronto area trauma centre with serious injuries. About six hours following the crash, police confirmed a six-year-girl succumbed to her injuries and died.

While the cause of the accident is still under investigation, Const. Tamara Schubert confirmed the rear end collision happened in a live lane of traffic on Highway 10.

Caledon OPP’s investigation into the collision is ongoing.

The southbound lanes on Highway 10 reopened between Charleston Sideroad and Olde Base Line Road were closed for several hours Monday as police investigated.

Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact Provincial Constable Eric Kerr of the Caledon OPP at (905) 584-2241 or 1-888-310-1122.

Midland-based Huronia Community Foundation donates to invasive-species program

With the generous support of the Huronia Community Foundation, and Duncan and Penny McLaren and the Stow Fund, the Severn Sound Environmental Association (SSEA) is able to purchase new equipment to support the .

Invasive species, including plants, animals and micro-organisms, can negatively impact the environment and native species, the economy and society. The SSEA and the townships of Tiny, Tay, Severn and the Town of Midland initiated the , to provide local expertise and to co-ordinate a cross-municipal approach to address invasive species, including education, community engagement, mapping, monitoring and management of problematic invasive species.

“Invasive species are not restricted by municipal borders, making a collaborative approach critical. A big thank you to the Huronia Community Foundation; their support makes important community programs like these possible,” said Julie Cayley, SSEA executive director.

The Seven Sound Environmental Association’s mission is to sustain environmental quality and ensure continued protection through implementing a legacy of wise stewardship of Severn Sound and its tributaries. For more information, visit .

The Huronia Community Foundation is a public foundation serving the people of Huronia. The foundation builds permanently endowed charitable funds for the changing needs and opportunities of the community and provides grants to eligible charitable organizations in arts and culture, education, health, environment, sports and recreation, and social service sectors. For more info about Huronia Community Foundation, email or visit .

Girl Guide leaders launch legal battle to stop sale of Springwater camp

Girl Guide leaders in Barrie and Innisfil are convinced the guiding experience won’t be as fulfilling without Camp Tewateno in the mix.

So they’re going to court in a bid to block Girl Guides of Canada from selling off the wooded 100-acre, Springwater Township site.

Two Innisfil members of the Tewateno camp committee — Helen Gilbert and Joyce Goodenough — are seeking intervener status. A hearing is set for Oct. 9 in Toronto, where the court will decide if the volunteers will get their say.

“We could not in good faith sit back and let Girl Guides do this,” Goodenough said. “After all these years, to just let it go doesn’t seem right.”

Susan Birnie, provincial commissioner, said the Girl Guides is selling off 17 of its Ontario properties, including Camp Tewateno, to pour money back into outdoor programming.

Birnie said many of the camps are underutilized and it makes more financial sense to use funds toward outdoor experiences provided by camps owned by other organizations.

She estimates selling the properties will bring in more than $16 million, which will allow the Girl Guides to focus on programs instead of property management.

“We know a lot of people have close attachments to these camp properties, but we have to be good financial stewards at the same time,” Birnie said. “We aren’t really good at property management.”

Girl Guides can partner with other organizations, such as the YMCA and Outward Bound, to give guides outdoor experiences, Birnie said.

Meanwhile, a group of volunteers, including Goodenough and her husband, Gary, have been maintaining Camp Tewateno for the past three years.

“The camp was not being taken care of,” she said. “Our committee has put a lot of work into this.”

They argue the camp isn’t the Girl Guides to sell because it was purchased through local donations and fundraisers in 1994.

The camp committee won a similar legal argument last year when Girl Guides attempted to retain local fundraising money even though a new lodge the money was meant for was never built.

After five-year court battle, a Barrie judge ruled anyone who donated to build the lodge was entitled to get their money back.

Goodenough said a former Girl Guide leader, who is a lawyer, has agreed to take on the intervener case pro bono. The volunteer legal work will save the group about $10,000.

The group has formed the Camp Tewateno Optimist Club so the not-for-profit club can raise money to aid in its fight to keep the camp.  

“We’re hoping to have the deeds to the property transferred back to us so we can continue to keep the camp running for local youth,” Goodenough said.

Camp Tewateno has several sites, including one with Tee-Pees and another with covered wagons that portray the history of Ontario.

Another Girl Guides group in Amherstburg near Windsor is also seeking intervener status to save Camp Bryerswood from being sold off.

A change.org petition called Save Ontario’s Girl Guide Camps has about 250,000 signatures.

Innisfil teacher paddling Lake Simcoe with service dog

Nantyr Shores Secondary School special education teacher Jane Boake and her dog, Buddy, are making a special trip to mark the veteran service dog’s retirement.

Boake and Buddy will paddle around Lake Simcoe on a standup paddle board from July 29 to Aug. 6 to raise awareness and funds for her COPE Service Dogs Canines in the Classroom program.

After founding COPE in 2000, she realized how much dogs could help people with a wide range of challenges — not just physical. That led her to start bringing training service dogs to a local high school to help students who were struggling.

The Canines in the Classroom program is aimed at students with mental health challenges and learning disabilities. The young people learn how to train service dogs in class; both puppies that are candidates for service dogs and older animals suited to the classroom program.

Canines in the Classroom helps students learn to communicate and become more social so they become engaged and successful, in and out of the classroom.

The program is costly, but it’s worth the investment, Boake said. “More dogs in schools results in happier kids.”

As their training dogs’ skills increase, the students become happier and more confident themselves, Boake says.

“It’s all about mental health,” she said “When they train the dogs, their confidence goes through the roof. The program has huge mental health benefits.”

Boake and Buddy start their paddleboarding adventure at Innisfil Beach Park July 29, hitting Camp Arrowhead and Friday Harbour July 30, Jackson’s Point Aug. 1, Couchiching Beach Park in Orillia Aug. 4 and arriving at the main stage at Barrie’s Kempenfest Aug. 5 to mark Buddy’s 13th birthday.

During each stop along the way, Boakes will offer tips on how to train your dog for standup paddling. The paddle will depend on conditions on the lake, she noted, but a boat will accompany the pair and Buddy will be wearing a life-jacket as well.

For more information on the COPE visit . You can also message on Twitter at @buddypaddles. For updated paddle and schedule info, visit

Collingwood students bring high school story to the big screen

A group of high school students are hoping to light up the big screen.

Senior Year is the story of Cole, who is struggling to fit in during his last year of high school, and it’s the first full-length feature film produced solely by high school students.

The film is the brainchild of Collingwood Collegiate Institute student John Cardillo, Jr. and Pretty River Academy student Zane Frantzen.

After hearing there would not be a drama production at CCI, the pair connected with a group of friends and decided to make a movie.

“We spent about four weeks putting together an 88-page script,” said Cardillo, Jr.

“We ended up making something pretty great.”

Filming started in March and saw them shoot in a variety of locales across Simcoe County and Muskoka.

The cast and crew featured 80 students who volunteered from five area high schools including CCI, Stayer Collegiate Institute, Georgian Bay Community School, Pretty River and Jean Vanier.

The film will be screened at the Gayety Theatre on June 29 at 8 p.m., June, 30 at 10 a.m., and July 1 4 p.m.

All money raised will support My Friend’s House.