Trent Hills council has rescheduled its Tuesday, April 28 meeting to May 19 and shifted its May 26 meeting until June 2 in the wake of a tragic accident.

Councillor Rick English’s 14-year-old grandson Colson Myers was killed on Wednesday, April 22 in an ATV crash on the trail near Burnbrae Road. There will be a celebration of life for him at the Warkworth Arena on Saturday, May 2 from 1 to 5 p.m.

“We appreciate everyone’s understanding and flexibility during this time,” the municipal notice said.

There public meeting on May 5 that will consider some severances and a 43-unit subdivision proposed for Warkworth will go ahead as planned. The municipality said the regular scheduled public meeting will proceed on June 2 at 6 p.m.

Disposing of litter

If you collected roadside litter last week as part of the Mayors’ Cleanup Challenge and you have bags to dispose of, you can contact the municipal office.

Staff will arrange to have bags picked up or let you know where you can drop them off. Contact Erin or Kaylee at 705-653-1900 or customers@trenthills.ca.

I have a couple of bags that I’ve gathered from Burnbrae Road and will be dropping mine off later this week. I hope to get out to do a little more, there is always lots of garbage along our country roads.

Ranney hospital run on Sunday

The annual Ranney Gorge Run to raise money for the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation takes place on Sunday morning through Ferris Park and across the gorge bridge.

The goal is to raise $50,000 for the foundation. So far, $20,371 has been pledged.

You can support me at this link, or search for other friends and neighbours who may be walking and running. Or join us to take part in a 1, 5, or 10.55 kilometre walk/run. (The 10.55 is a quarter of a marathon, if you’re wondering why it’s such an odd number.)

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

An early traffic report for County Road 30 north of Campbellford. Really early, since it’s for the period from July and August until October.

You can expect delays and detours as Northumberland County repairs roads and bridges on CR 30. From August till October, it will repair the roadway from the 8^th line to the 11^th line and add paved shoulders and replace culverts. From July until October, the county will be repairing the bridge over the Trent River in the hamlet of the same name. Expect detours for much of that period that will send drivers on local roads to County Road 50 or County Road 45.

The bridge work was scheduled for last summer but was postponed. Emergency repairs were made when problems were first spotted.

I first wrote about the bridge problem in January 2025. A report to county council said a routine inspection found that the expansion joint on the north end of the bridge had separated from the structure. “There was also evidence of settlement in the asphalt surface adjacent to the expansion joint,” the report said.

The cause of the problem was not obvious, so the county asked an engineering consultant to examine the bridge. The engineer found that the method of construction was unusual and had permitted the granular material below the concrete to get wet then freeze and thaw, creating a gap. It will repair both ends of the bridge to make sure the problem can’t reoccur.

The county will also be doing work on County Road 25 about 60 metres south of the intersection with CR 45 from July to September when a culvert is replaced. During that same period crews will also replace a culvert on CR 25 just north of Pine Grove Road.

You can see the full list of county projects here.

Candidate training offered

If you’re thinking about running for council or a school board this fall but not sure what’s involved, the county and local municipalities are offering some guidance.

“Individuals considering running as a candidate – or registering as a third-party advertiser – in any Northumberland municipality are encouraged to attend a free training session offered by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing,” the county says in a news release.

Candidates must register by August 21 for the election, which will be held on Monday, Oct. 26. You can read the guidelines for candidates here on the provincial website.

The session will review the rules and requirements for candidates with a one-hour presentation followed by a question-and-answer period.

The free event on Thursday, May 14 will be in-person and online from 6 p.m. till 8:30 p.m. You can join in the county council chambers at 555 Courthouse Road, Cobourg or via Zoom.

Link: Zoom.us/Join
Meeting ID: 819 5513 8257
Passcode: 709556
1-855-703-8985 Toll-free

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

To mark Earth Day, I thought I’d take a look at what our municipality and county are doing about climate change in this area.

The story will be relatively brief because there is not a lot to say, certainly not about what Trent Hills is doing.

The municipality’s basic policy is that it won’t spend any money specifically on climate change or sustainability issues, but it will look for ways to get money from other levels of government or to piggyback on what the county is doing.

Northumberland County does have a climate action strategy section on its website and it has released two major reports on what it is doing. Last year it released a 53-page Corporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan. As the title says that report looks at what the county is doing and plans to do to reduce emissions that make climate change worse.

Recently it released a report looking at steps it is taking to help us adapt to the changes we face already and their worsening impacts. That 110-page report is its Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Plan 2026.

Trent Hills doesn’t have anything comparable. In its Strategic Plan 2023-2027 the municipality says, “We are committed to a sustainable future and improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of Trent Hills.”

Sustainability is one of the six values that underlies the plan and sustainable infrastructure is one of five priorities. But as I noted, there is no commitment to put any money behind sustainability issues.

Not everyone is happy with the lack of action. Campbellford resident Brenda Kotras has been pushing council to establish an environment committee that would allow residents to advise councillors and push for improvements. Last summer she was told the topic will be considered once the new council is in place in January.

The municipality’s 2024 asset management plan pointed out that climate change could cause problems for us due to “intense rainfall, increased temperatures, extreme weather, and drought.”

Well, we’ve had all those so far and we know they are all likely to just keep getting worse as temperatures rise.

Northumberland’s climate adaptation report has 18 recommended actions including planting more trees, ensuring there are emergency centres for warming and cooling, improved public access to water, increased emergency planning and drills, update floodplain maps and improve stormwater handling.

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While they might not want to admit that these purchases were due to climate change, Trent Hills has actually approved generators so that the Sunny Life Recreation & Wellness Centre and the Hastings Field House can be kept operating during power outages. The ice storm a year ago drove home the need to have safe public spaces when emergencies hit.

The county’s plan to reduce emissions says that in 2023, “Waste in our landfills accounted for 82 per cent of total emissions; county-owned fleet and employee commuting accounted for 13 per cent of emissions; and the county’s buildings and facilities accounted for 5 per cent.”

It plans to reduce those emissions by 65 per cent by 2030 and begin on the goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The county promises annual updates on how it is progressing toward those goals and says, “An update to the plan will take place in 2029 to assess progress toward our 2030 target and outline a renewed pathway to reach our 2050 target.”

Emissions are high in waste management because organic waste gets put into landfills and creates methane gas as it decomposes. The county is focused on getting more people to use green bins so that waste can be redirected to composting.

The county says it will consider electric vehicles for its light-duty needs. I think EVs are looking a lot more attractive these days.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Northumberland County Council has officially opposed the proposed Alto High-Speed Rail line through Trent Hills.

On Wednesday, councillors passed a resolution supporting the northern route from Peterborough to Ottawa north of Highway 7 and also suggested Alto and the federal government should consider a path along the CN/CP rail lines near Lake Ontario, or the Highway 401 corridor.

Before their vote, Mike Metcalf, Deputy Mayor of Trent Hills, made a presentation outlining the potential damage a route across Trent Hills could do to Hastings, Campbellford, and prime agricultural land.

One of the biggest problems is a lack of information from Alto or the federal government about why the high-speed service is needed and how many passengers are expected to use it, Metcalf said.

The proposed southern route the loops from Peterborough towards Belleville then north of Kingston towards Ottawa suddenly appeared in January, he said.

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“For 10 years there had been talk about a high-frequency rail line north of Highway 7,” he said, but no mention of a route through Trent Hills. “It was a shock.”

Trent Hills’ residents have been left with uncertainly and fears about their property values and impact on their farmland, Metcalf added. There are no apparent benefits to municipalities along the southern route.

He asked the county to formally opposed the route across our municipality.

Later, county council did just that with a motion that supports improvements in transportation alternatives that would serve the county but rejects a high-speed line that provides no stops or benefits in our area.

Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander expressed support for a high-speed line through his area, but only if the local municipalities receive enough funding to provide infrastructure such as overpasses and underpasses. Brighton has been struggling for years to deal with level crossings for VIA and freight trains.

The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus and many other counties and municipalities have also rejected plans for the rail line through their areas.

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You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

On Tuesday Prime Minister Mark Carney offered a glimmer of hope for a new bridge in Campbellford.

Well, not directly and not by name, but he did.

Actually, he was in Brampton to announce the federal government’s new $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund and its first project, a community centre.

As I’ve written, Northumberland County’s plan for a second bridge in Campbellford has basically been stalled for the past two years because the project has not succeeded in getting any funding from Queen’s Park or Ottawa and the $56 million price tag is too much to bear on its own.

So when I read about Carney’s announcement I decided to dig a bit deeper to see if Ottawa might pitch in.

The short answer is maybe.

The $51 billion is actually spread over 10 years and in three separate streams. “The community stream will provide $27.8 billion to support local infrastructure priorities across 19 project categories, including local roads, bridges, public transit, water systems, and community centres,” a news release says.

They had me at bridges.

“Canada’s new government is on a mission to build big things, including the local infrastructure that brings Canadians together,” Carney said, going on to list hospitals and bridges as prime examples.

The county is on it.

“We do anticipate pursuing investment for the bridge through the open application process for this fund,” Kate Campbell, Director of Communications for Northumberland told me.

Ottawa has announced the first 13 projects and several involve improvements to water and wastewater systems, so perhaps Trent Hills can also get in line for assistance to extend those lines to our new hospital location.

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Liberals seek healthcare advice

The Ontario Liberal party is rebuilding after eight years in the political wilderness. It is starting a leadership race that will end next November. Part of its recovery efforts is a series of meetings around the province including one in Campbellford on Sunday.

Three Liberal MPPs, including Lee Fairclough who is expected to contend for the leadership, will be at what the party is calling a Rural Healthcare Town Hall at the Campbellford Seniors Club at 2 p.m.

If you’d like to attend the Northumberland—Peterborough South Provincial Liberal Association asks that you register here, but I doubt they will turn anyone away.

The party says it wants to hear the concerns of local residents:

• What challenges are local providers and community partners facing?

• What solutions or best practices from other rural communities could work here?

Recent polls suggest that even though Ford currently has a majority and brags that he can do whatever he wants and our local MPP David Piccini is only 37 and seems settled in for a long run, public opinion is heading in the other direction.

“While the PCs remain in first place, their advantage has narrowed and the broader political environment appears more competitive than it did just a few weeks ago,” writes David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data.

Coletto says Ford’s personal standing has declined in recent weeks.

“The PC lead over the Liberals now stands at eight points, down from 12 points in the previous wave and down from 21-points earlier this year,” he notes.

If the Liberals manage to pick a competitive candidate the next election could be much closer than Ford expects.

Another pollster, Kyla Ronellenfitsch writes “just 41% of Ontarians think things are on the ‘right track’ in the province, 10% fewer than those who think the country is on the right track (51%). There’s also a significant appetite for change -- 2 in 3 Ontarians agree ‘it’s time for a change in government in Ontario,’ including 37% who strongly agree.”

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Running the Ranney

Again this year, I will be running the Ranney Gorge Run to raise money for the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation.

To be honest, several years ago I adopted a run/walk system that as I’ve aged has turned into a walk/run method focused on finishing, not being fast.

You can support me at this link, or support one of the many other runners and walkers. I know lots of people will be taking part. Last year, 470 people raised $24,000. The goal this year is $50,000.

Thanks to you, last year I gathered $651, a total I am hoping to top this year.

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You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Jim Curle is inching towards his goal of donating 48 acres to Campbellford Memorial Hospital for its new facility and Campus of Care.

On Tuesday evening council heard Curle’s application to sever the 48 acres from a 124 acre parcel of prime agricultural land that’s on the western edge of Campbellford.

Council will likely approve the severance at its meeting on April 28. That will clear the way for Curle to transfer the parcel to the hospital. The donation was announced 3 ½ years ago but was delayed because Premier Doug Ford dragged his heels on approving a new hospital here.

The donation is also a bit more difficult to make because it is prime agricultural land and according to provincial, county and municipal policies cannot be used for anything else. Two weeks ago, council opened the first door to allowing the donation when it changed municipal regulations to permit severances creating prime agricultural parcels of less than 100 acres. It altered the rule to 50 acres to accommodate this change and others in the works by farm families.

Two other changes must be made before the parcel can actually be used for a hospital. It must become part of the urban community of Campbellford and must then be rezoned from agricultural to institutional.

Planner Cameron Law said he hopes these steps can be taken this summer while the current council is still in charge. Delaying into the fall would run into the Oct. 26 election and possible new cast of councillors.

The meeting, a regular monthly occurrence to let councillors learn about requested severances and rezoning, included further discussion of agricultural land use and the need to protect farm land.

The topic arose because Ron Elmhirst applied to sever two 2.03-acre parcels from a 75-acre farm on the 12^th Concession East.

Nearby resident Bill Petherick, former reeve of Seymour Township and deputy mayor of Trent Hills, wrote: “I have no objection to my neighbour’s proposed severances, however, I am sorry he has to give up four acres of productive farmland to get approval.

“If there is some woodland or wasteland involved, I agree with the larger lot, but two acres of productive land means about 1.5 acres of lawn.

“Many of these lots are bought by people of retirement age. As one said to me, ‘my idea of retirement is fishing and relaxing, not cutting grass’.”

Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf asked why there is a minimum two-acre lot size and Law explained that it is in order to ensure a property has enough space to drill a well and install a septic system. Often, extra space is needed in order to find a suitable well.

Another resident, Jeff Runciman, opposed the severances because “I feel sacrificing farmland like this for more building lots is not acceptable. We do not need more building lots, we need more farmland.”

Runciman argued that the land is productive and should be retained.

Law said that the land is not recognized as Class 1

Councillor Gene Brahaney said he had sympathy for the views of Petherick and Runciman.

“I have no problem with this severance as it is here, but I want to echo the comments of Mr. Petherick that we should develop some of these other lands that are not farmable,” Brahaney said.

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You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

The housing market in Trent Hills picked up a little bit in March as hints of spring led to 56 new listings, resulting in 110 homes being for sale at the end of the month.

But the continuing weakness is shown in actual sales and prices. Last month, 10 homes sold for a median price of $555,000, according to the Central Lakes Association of Realtors. The number of sales was up one from February, but the median price was down $10,000 or about 2 per cent.

In comparison, 17 homes sold in March 2025 with a median price of $620,000, so sales were down 70 per cent and prices 10 per cent this year.

In all of Northumberland County, 102 homes sold with a median price of $620,000 as 328 homes came on the market. In February, 71 homes sold with a median price of $635,000.

Economist Mike Moffatt highlights the dilemma of our current situation. “Resale prices have fallen while construction costs haven’t, leaving us in a perverse equilibrium where homes are still too expensive to buy but not profitable enough to build,” he wrote on his website Missing Middle Initiative.

Moffatt calculates that “an HST rebate on new homes and reductions in development charges could cut new-home prices in Ontario by 10–20%.”

For example, he says this should cut the price of a townhouse in Oshawa from $730,000 to about $615,000. “This is a good first step, but not a solution. Even at $615,000, many middle-class families are still priced out, and without deeper structural reform to taxes like development charges, governments will continue to treat new homebuyers as a revenue source rather than a policy priority.”

“The decision to remove the 13 per cent HST on new homes for a wider range of buyers is a smart and responsible step by the government that reflects the realities of today’s housing market,” said Wendy Giroux, CEO of the Central Lakes Association of Realtors. “We applaud this move—lowering upfront costs will make homeownership more attainable.”

The recent changes by Ottawa and Queen’s Park are an effort to halt or reverse the current sales and price declines. Just before they were announced, TD Economics sharply lowered its 2026 forecast for home sales and prices, saying it no longer expects either to rise this year after weak performance over the past two quarters.

In December, it had projected a 0.6 per cent increase in home prices in Ontario, but last month cut that to a 4 per cent decline.

A consultant has developed a 20-year plan for parks and recreation services in Trent Hills that includes a multi-million dollar facelift for two parks.

The plan says we have enough recreational services for the population we will have, with some minor adjustments, and offers ideas to rejuvenate 1.93-acre Hillside Park in Campbellford and 2.1-acre Hastings Village Green in Hastings. But those plans will cost several million dollars to implement.

The 146-page draft is available online and next Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. there will be an open house at the Sunny Life Wellness and Recreation Centre where you can learn more and provide comments.

A revised draft, which replaces a plan done in 2003, will make its way to council for final approval.

The current draft was prepared by thinc design and Mehak, Kelly & Associates under a $130,000 contract that was awarded last year. Development charges will pay $105,000 of the cost.

The report says that it became clear after surveying residents that there were two priority projects – Hillside Park in Campbellford on Bridge Street East between Ranney and Booth Streets, and Hastings Village Green in the centre of Hastings.

“Subsequently, the consulting team held two 90-minute focus groups with key stakeholders to discuss preliminary recommendations for the sites,” the report says. It includes suggested layouts for both parks.

The only reference to cost is in tiny type in the footnotes.

It recommends allocating $1 million to $2 million for Hillside to install a bandshell, amphitheatre seating, a natural playground and a washroom.

The tab for Hastings is estimated at $800,000 to $1.5 million for elements including a bandshell, picnic shelter, furniture, plants, and a washroom.

Early on, the report notes that in online comments and a phone survey, residents were clear that they weren’t willing to pay higher taxes for more parks and recreation services.

The lengthy report concludes there is likely no need to add another ice pad in the municipality over the next 20 years but recommends monitoring usage. It suggests spending $500,000 on improvements to the Warkworth Arena.

“No additional ball diamonds will be needed over the term of the master plan, based on current population and hours of use. This reflects overall low use now, and largely exclusive use of diamonds on weeknights.” Diamonds often sit vacant on weekends, it notes.

Some residents want a baseball complex with several diamonds and better facilities that could serve tournaments, but the report notes that the current diamonds are under used.

“Both ball diamonds, which require considerable staff resources to maintain now, and have been improved for local use over time, generate limited revenue,” it says. As well, people want to keep diamonds in their communities which means a single, multi-diamond complex would not be the best idea.

As well it concludes “based on current prime time use levels and anticipated population growth, no soccer fields will be required during the term of the master plan.,”

The consultants recommend that the municipality clear up some existing uncertainty about legal arrangements since it has no formal agreement with the Percy Agricultural Society for use of the Warkworth diamond and the agreement between the municipality and the Campbellford Agricultural Society for that diamond has expired.

“Although the (Campbellford) diamond needs washroom upgrades and LED lights, a new agreement should be executed before these investments are made,” it says, noting that the municipality owns the new bleachers and waste receptacles but not the diamond or the buildings.

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Trent Hills has 29.75 acres of municipally owned parkland as well as 32.2 acres of parkland owned by other groups (Parks Canada, Crowe Valley Conservation Authority, Campbellford Lions Club, Percy Agricultural Society), for a total of 71.88 acres (26.04 hectares) of public parkland. In addition, many residents use Ferris Park on a regular basis.

The report says that new parkland parcels are expected to add 6.4 hectares (15.9 acres) over the next decade in new subdivisions: Haven-on-the-Trent and Camelot in Campbellford, and Hastings Hilltop, New Street and Hastings Meadow Park in Hastings.

The draft plan suggests adding outdoor basketball courts to new park parcels in Campbellford and Hastings and to an existing park in Warkworth. It estimates they would cost $200,000 each.

In Hastings, it suggests installing a mobility mat on the beach on the south bank of the Trent River to provide access to the water’s edge for all. It also recommends spending $45,000 to add distance markers to the Millennium Lilac Trail in Warkworth and the Rotary Trail around the canal in Campbellford.

The municipality’s sale of the bowling alley in Campbellford has been cancelled because the owner has paid the $57,000 owed in back taxes.

The owner also had to pay costs the municipality incurred in advertising the tax sale and the legal fees due to preparing for the sale.

“In Ontario, once a property has reached the tax-sale stage, the owner still has the ability to stop the sale by paying what is referred to as the full “cancellation price,” said Chief Administrative Officer Karen Frigault.

“This includes not only the outstanding taxes, but also any accumulated penalties and interest, as well as the municipality’s costs related to the process, such as legal fees and advertising. If that full amount is paid prior to the sale, the tax sale does not proceed,” Frigault said.

“In this case, the outstanding amount has now been paid in full, and as a result, the tax sale for 63 Front St. N. will not proceed.”

The sale had been planned by tender on April 9.

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Cleaning up for Earth Day

With the snow finally gone and the grass not growing yet, it’s clean up time along the roads in Northumberland County.

To mark Earth Day on April 22, the county is encouraging residents to take part in the 16^th annual Mayors’ Keep the County Clean Challenge.

The county-wide litter clean-up event runs from from April 20 to 25. You can register with the municipality and our collections will be compared with others in the county. You can drop your waste off free at the works yard.

The municipalities with the highest proportional representation of volunteers and the most litter collected per volunteer, will take home trophies to celebrate their contributions.

You can register by calling Erin or Kaylee at 705-653-1900 or customers@trenthills.ca.

“This annual event is about more than just removing trash—it’s about coming together, taking ownership of our shared spaces, and showing respect for one another,” says Bob Crate, Mayor of Trent Hills and county warden. “When we all do our part to keep our neighbourhoods clean, we help create a healthier, safer, and more welcoming Northumberland for everyone.”

If you register with Trent Hills you will receive bags, gloves and safety vests for their collection efforts.

In addition, on Friday, April 24, everyone is encouraged to spend a few minutes cleaning up an area in their neighbourhood, such as their school yard, workplace, or local park. No registration is required – simply grab a bag and some gloves and head outdoors.

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Watch for flooding

Lower Trent Conservation is warning that there may be some minor flooding this week.

“Nuisance flooding may occur within low lying and poorly drained areas,” it says in a flood outlook on its website. “Weather forecasts for the Lower Trent Watershed predict 30-50 mm of rainfall over the course of this week. Additionally, there is also the potential of isolated thunderstorms; in these areas there may be more rain expected.”

There may be increased runoff in local streams, the authority warns. Daily water level updates are available on its website. The flood outlook is in effect until Tuesday, April 7 at 4 p.m.

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You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

The municipality needs to do a lot of work over the next year to ensure that a new long-term care facility gets built on time in Campbellford, Trent Hills council was told last week.

Carrie Hayward, chair of Campbellford Memorial Hospital, and Jeff Hohenkerk, President and CEO, gave council an update on work over the past several months to plan a new hospital, but they stressed that Omni Quality Living has the most urgent need for action since it must build a new facility to replace the outmoded Burnbrae Gardens.

Burnbrae Gardens, with 40 beds, no longer meets government standards but has been kept open because Omni has been given approval to build a new 128-bed facility and expects approval to double that to 256 beds, Hohenkerk said.

Construction of the new building on the Campus of Care site on the western edge of Campbellford will take three years, Hayward said. “They need to open in 2030,” Hayward said.

“So, we have a year to get everything started,” Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf said.

“We’re going to keep the planning staff very busy over the next short while to get everything in place,” Mayor Bob Crate said.

Jim Curle is donating 48 acres for the hospital site. He has applied for a severance for the parcel, since he will be retaining the rest of his farm.

“We hope that will be approved by June,” Hayward said, adding that she hopes the municipality refunds the cost of the severance application. That drew laughter from councillors, but no promise of a refund.

The municipality recently changed a bylaw so that smaller chunks of farmland can be severed, which is the first step in the process. Next, the land will need to be rezoned from prime agricultural to institutional to permit the new uses.

At the same time, work needs to get underway to extend water line 300 metres and wastewater line 600 metres to the site. In addition, it will be requiring electricity, natural gas and fibre-optic lines.

Councillor Rick English asked about the need to reconfigure County Road 30 at the location, suggesting the amount of work to be done “scares me a little bit.”

Hayward said preliminary discussions with the county a couple of years ago did not raise major concerns. A traffic study will need to be done so the county can determine what changes will be required.

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Hohenkerk noted there is likely to be strong demand for affordable housing in Trent Hills in coming years as more workers are needed at the larger hospital, the bigger long-term care facility and at the planned nuclear station in Port Hope.

Hayward outlined the requirement for a community to raise about 20 to 30 per cent of the total cost of a new hospital. She said they expect to have a better idea of the actual cost later this year once detailed planning has narrowed what it will ask the province for approval to build.

The project is currently in early planning stages, next will be detailed planning, followed by construction. It’s hoped the new facility will be ready by 2032.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

It turns out that selling water during a drought is a good business.

Trent Hills councillors were a bit surprised this week to discover just how good.

Last year due to hot weather and little rain, the municipality earned $139,000 from bulk water sales to farmers and homeowners who rely on wells, council was told.

The municipality sells bulk water in Hastings and Campbellford using a system that requires customers to sign up online and get digital access to the system which charges their account.

The record revenue in 2025 was up 75 per cent from $79,250 in 2024 and was 59 per cent higher than the $87,405 earned in 2023.

Chief Administrative Officer Karen Frigault said the municipality had to make one change last year. In the past it provided a large-diameter hose that customers could use to fill their trucks or containers.

But vehicles kept running over the hose forcing staff to make repairs or replace the damaged hose, sometimes several times a day.

One angry customer stormed into the municipal office yelling that he didn’t want to have to pay for any water that leaked out.

So, the town now requires customers to provide their own hoses.

Some customers have complained about the cost of purchasing a hose, Frigault said.

The system was introduced in 2020 and allows customers to get water 24/7. “Customers must prepay and maintain a balance in their account to purchase water,” explained a report to council.

Council agreed to renew the contract to pay $8,100 a year to Flowpoint Environmental Systems for the service.

Council pay in 2025

In 2025, Mayor Bob Crate was paid $43,755 in salary and expenses by Trent Hills and $31,600 by Northumberland County where he was a councillor, according to recent reports to the county and municipal councils.

Crate was paid $23,600 as a county councillor last year. This year he is warden and will receive $58,000 for that job. He was paid $39,217 as mayor.

Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf received $39,260 in pay and expenses, with a base salary of $29,346. He also received $3,526 as chair of the Otonabee Region Conservation Authority.

Other councillors received a base pay of $24,395. Including expenses they received: Gene Brahaney, $29,534; Rick English, $31,423; Daniel Giddings, $31,190; Robert Pope, $30,169; and Dennis Savery, $31,826.

Northumberland County is currently considering whether to allow councillors to be eligible for pensions or registered retirement savings plans. The issue is expected to come back to council in April.

Remember what it was like as a 15-year-old when you asked your parents for something, especially money? You had to wait for an answer, and you could never be sure when it might come.

Sometimes, if you could afford it, you just had to go ahead and spend your own money on what you needed. Imagine how shocked you were when your parents responded months later and said, “Sure, here’s the money you wanted.”

Well, the municipality of Trent Hills just had that same reaction to a delayed, but welcome, decision from its parent – Queen’s Park.

In this case, the beneficiaries will be the residents of the Tanner Road neighbourhood in Campbellford who will be getting new water and wastewater pipes, improved ditches, wider roads with curbs and paved shoulders.

I’ve written about this problem several times. My first story almost two years ago explained that the pipes installed in the 1970s were corroding faster than expected and there were frequent water leaks.

The municipality told residents, especially the chief thorn in its side, former councillor Joe Watson, that it didn’t have enough money in its budget to make the repairs. In February 2025, staff suggested the municipality apply for $4 million in provincial funding so that major upgrades could be made in the area.

But the provincial grant program kept being delayed. So, last August after the 11th watermain break, staff recommended a reduced amount of emergency repair work to deal with the continued deterioration that was leading to frequent breaks.

That emergency work was done on a section of Tanner Road and Parkview Blvd. and more was planned for this summer, with $310,000 in the capital budget.

Recently, the province surprised the municipality by agreeing to pay its full share of the original plan — $2.9 million.

Tanya Redden, Manager of Capital Works and Asset Management, said staff were really surprised by the province’s move since they assumed that since part of the work was done on an emergency basis the project no longer qualified.

But now, with the full renovation planned, the municipality had to find a way to finance its $1 million share. Redden’s report recommended using $520,000 from other provincial funding and shifting $250,000 from provincial funding that was earmarked for upgrades to Frank Street and Saskatoon Street as part of the currently stalled plans for a new bridge.

It’s interesting that while the county is spending money on home demolitions and other work in hopes it will get money for the bridge from the parents at Queen’s Park or Ottawa, Trent Hills clearly expects no positive response this year.

If necessary, the money for upgrades to Frank and Saskatoon will be put into the 2027 capital budget.

Grey Jay Developments Inc. went three for three at Trent Hills council on Tuesday.

The developer received approval for three separate projects that it is undertaking in Hastings. One was controversial, a second raised some serious questions, while the third sailed through.

The controversial one was Brenda’s Place, a townhouse condominium development at 192 Front Street West, the site of a former auction house and one time dance hall. Grey Jay, which is currently constructing the Lock 18 homes, wants to build 20 townhouses and four semi-detached homes on the site, which backs onto the Trent River.

Councillors had questioned the developer’s requests to shoehorn so many homes into the site and had deferred the proposal at the last meeting, rejecting a recommendation from planning staff.

Kent Randall, principal planner and owner of EcoVue Consulting Services Inc. of Peterborough, appeared before council in an effort to push the project across the finish line.

“This is a condominium development that shares common elements such as an access road, additional parking and waterfront access,” Randall said, insisting that those factors should be when considering the small individual lots.

He stressed that the proposal conforms with the municipality’s official plan and the company was only seeking minor changes so it can redevelop an existing site.

“It is not a high-density development, it is just a step above single detached,” he added. “It provides a form of housing that is encouraged by your official plan.”

Randall said the site narrows towards the road and that requires the smaller lots that meant the project needed an exception to minimum standards.

Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf said he supported the project because it was important to offer residents a range of housing options, including smaller, condo units that seniors might prefer because they wouldn’t need to worry about outside care.

In the end, after questions about parking and snow removal, council approved the project.

Later in the meeting it considered two other Grey Jay projects, the White Building at 79 Front Street East and the Hastings Tannery Lands at 87 Front Street East.

Council quickly agreed to rezone the While Building from general commercial to high-density residential exception holding. Grey Jay plans to add another storey on the currently abandoned building and construct apartments.

It then turned to the adjacent tannery lands and Grey Jay’s proposal to demolish the former factory and eventually construct two six-storey apartment condominium buildings.

“As a result of feedback from council, members of the public, and staff, the applicant is now proposing a commercial component to the Hastings Tannery Land development, and changed their Official Plan Amendment to the Mixed-Use Area for the entire project,” said a report by planner Cameron Law.

The holding designation will be in place until a number of reports have been completed looking at factors such as traffic and environmental impacts.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Trent Hills has officially told the federal government to take its high-speed rail plan and shove it somewhere else.

On Tuesday, council unanimously supported a motion rejecting the idea of an Alto High-Speed Rail line that would loop south from Peterborough across the municipality towards Belleville on its way to Ottawa.

In an unusual move, Mayor Bob Crate and Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf joined forces to craft the motion expressing their concern about the potential impact of the line on area communities and farm land.

“Trent Hills supports responsible transportation infrastructure that strengthens regional connectivity while respecting the needs of local communities,” the motion says.

Crate said that he and Metcalf had met it Alto staff and were unable to get answers to their questions about how the possible route was selected and how many passengers would use it.

Crate noted that an improved rail route to Ottawa running north of Highway 7 has been discussed for a decade, either for conventional passenger service or high-speed, but the southern loop has only appeared recently.

Metcalf questioned the population projections of 30 per cent growth by 2050 that are being used to support the need for increased rail service, noting that any population growth will be due to immigration which is controlled by the federal government.

Last week, as warden of Northumberland County, Crate voted with other Eastern Ontario wardens to formally opposes the Alto project in its current form.

The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus said, “this opposition is based on concerns related to insufficient municipal consultation, unclear rural and small-urban impacts, potential environmental effects, and alignments with existing eastern Ontario planning and infrastructure priorities.”

The wardens suggested “that the federal government and Alto fully explore train route options along existing infrastructure corridors, such as VIA Rail and/or Highway 401.”

Bonnie Clark, warden of Peterborough county, is chair of the caucus and voted against the current plan. But on Monday night, Peterborough city council unanimously supported the plan that would locate a stop somewhere in the area.

The last open house where you can see what Alto is currently saying about the plan and provide in-person comments is being held Wednesday in Stirling from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Stirling and District Lions Club at the fairgrounds.

Alto has extended the period for online comments until April 24.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

The most surprising thing about the Alto High-Speed Rail plan isn’t its route, or its cost, or its speed -- it’s the silence.

Oh, I know there is a lot of noise about it in the lineups at Tim’s or Sharpe’s, or over a post-game beverage at the curling club. And heaven knows you can’t go near Facebook without hearing someone who fears their farm will be expropriated or their house will be destroyed.

And on Tuesday, Trent Hills council will discuss and likely support a motion by Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalfe that “formally opposes the currently identified Alto high-speed rail study corridor routes that would pass through the municipality.”

The motion asks Ottawa to remove Trent Hills from the study corridor.

If it is backed, we’ll join a growing list of municipalities in southeastern Ontario who don’t want the train line.

But I’ve kept looking and listening without success for any politicians who support this project.

All I have found are a couple of word-salad quotes clearly written by communications staffers that are attributed to politicians who never said them. (I can say this confidently as someone who has written my fair share of such quotes and read far more than my share.)

In December, when the federal government announced the current phase of the plan, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon was quoted as saying: “This announcement marks an important step forward in delivering faster, cleaner, and more connected transportation for Canadians. By working closely with Alto and our partners across governments and communities, we are laying the groundwork for a high-speed rail network that will put Canada firmly on the global map for modern rail innovation—strengthening the economy, creating good jobs, and connecting people across this vital corridor.”

On his Facebook page, Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “We’re going to build a high-speed rail network that will connect millions of Canadians, build our economy, and create thousands of high-paying careers.”

That’s the closest I can find to any comments about Alto from the guy who wants to get it built.

Back in February 2025 then prime minister Justin Trudeau said that his government planned to build the high-speed rail line. Well, it wouldn’t really be his government since he’d already announced that he was stepping down and only had a month left in the job.

One supporter I’ve found is the C.D. Howe Institute. In a report published last month, the pro-business institute concluded that a high-speed rail line would be an economic benefit as the population it would serve is expected to grow by up to 30 per cent over the next 20 years.

“In the context of Canada’s push to drive investment and nation-building, Alto high-speed rail represents a sweet spot across much-needed transport modernization, and an opportunity for broader economic and social transformation,” write Tasnim Fariha and David Jones of the institute.

But they do note in passing that acquiring the land could be costly and pose problems for residents who are displaced.

Actually, they acknowledge that the report only looks at the economic benefits and say clearly that it does not consider the costs or the passenger traffic forecasts and potential ridership.

But could the project go ahead anyway?

The short answer is yes. It’s quite possible that Carney will designate this as a nation building project that the major projects office will oversee.

We only have to look toward Queen’s Park to see how Premier Doug Ford, backed by a majority government, has for years been pushing a major highway development across the western edge of the Greater Toronto Area, despite widespread opposition from residents in Peel and Halton regions. Ford’s Highway 413 will have a corridor three times the width of the proposed rail line. But it will happen if Ford keeps getting majorities.

It’s easy to see Carney following that same path over the next decade if he wins a majority, as polls currently suggest is likely.

The last public open house where you can see what Alto is currently saying about the plan and provide in-person comments is being held Wednesday in Stirling from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Stirling and District Lions Club at the fairgrounds.

Alto has extended the period for online comments until April 24.

Today, Alto announced that it is starting environmental studies along the Montreal to Ottawa section, which will be built first.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

The view on County Road 25 south of Warkworth is a typical Northumberland County vista – rolling hills, trees and farm fields. It doesn’t seem like a spot for high-tech innovation and a smart, cost-saving initiative.

That’s why this is a story.

Just north of Grant Road the county road crosses Salt Creek. If you are driving, you might not notice since it is seven metres down to the water. But the county’s public works department notices such things, and it knew that the large culvert the creek runs through was nearing the end of its life and needed to be replaced.

The usual plan would have been to dig up the roadway, all the way down to the culvert, rip it out and put in a new one. That would have cost about $1.2 million and meant the entire road would have been blocked off for some time.

But last year the public works department examined the culvert and decided it could be relined with a geopolymer mortar, an alternative to Portland cement that binds with the existing culvert and creates a strong, durable pipe.

Deputy Warden Mandy Martin, a former journalist who knows a good story when she sees one, highlighted the culvert renovation during Wednesday’s council meeting and asked Public Works Director Denise Marshall to explain the process.

Marshall said that the relining only cost $553,000, a saving of about $700,000 and meant the work could be done without shutting down the roadway. Just one lane was closed at a time while the work was done.

“This was the first time the county used this trenchless technology on a structural culvert as a rehabilitation method,” Scott Berry, Communications Officer, Capital Projects, told me. “Culvert relining also offers environmental advantages, as it limits disturbance to the surrounding area and the watercourse.”

Berry said the county has 68 culverts that it maintains and will look for times when this method can be used.

“Now that we’ve used this methodology and it was successful, it’s something that will definitely be considered for future culverts, if they are good candidates,” Marshall told council.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Northumberland County council is betting $75,000 and three homes that it can attract millions in grant money from either Queen’s Park or Ottawa.

Council decided Wednesday to demolish three homes in Campbellford so that it will be “shovel-ready” to proceed with construction of a new bridge should either senior level of government change its plans and provide money at some point.

The estimated cost of the new bridge is $55 million, but since it hasn’t been tendered the actual cost isn’t known. Last fall, council was told it would have to borrow $40 million in order to pay for construction since efforts to attract provincial or federal grants have failed. That number shocked several councillors.

But this week they all agreed to keep spending on the plan and hope their luck changes.

On its website the county says it has committed $10 million toward the project.

“The direction we’ve received from council is we’re not proceeding until we have funding from other levels of government,” Public Works Director Denise Marshall told council’s public works committee two weeks ago.

But the county’s website explained its optimistic gamble: “With new provincial and federal infrastructure programs anticipated, the Trent River Crossing represents a shovel-ready opportunity aligned with government priorities for climate-resilient, housing-enabling, future-focused infrastructure.”

The cost of having Eddy’s Demolition & Excavation Ltd. demolish 9 Second St., 109 Saskatoon Ave. and 120 Grand Road this spring will be $75,694. That’s up from the $53,933 that had been tendered because the company realized that it had overlooked part of the project in its submission. Marshall told council that the higher cost from Eddy’s was still well below the $106,000 bid that came second.

Last summer, then Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Moore told council it would soon reach a point it would have to decide whether to go ahead with the bridge project on its own. But no discussion has been held or final decision made.

This council’s term ends in October when the municipal election will be held, and the mayors elected for the next term in the seven municipalities form a new council.

County favours high-speed rail -- maybe

At the suggestion of Warden Bob Crate, who is also mayor of Trent Hills, of course, council asked staff to prepare a report on the Alto High-Speed Rail plan and its southern route so it can have a discussion next month.

Crate repeated his previous comments that the route could destroy our community.

But earlier in the same meeting, council had approved a plan to send a letter to every municipality in the province urging them to support high-speed rail lines across the country as part of an Elbows Up for Climate initiative.

Council approved that motion without discussion, as it had at committee two weeks ago. The recommendation came from the Town of Cobourg and its Mayor Lucas Cleveland, who is a member of the climate group.

The Elbows Up initiative has a five-point plan that includes building a national high-speed rail and intercity bus system.

No one mentioned the apparent inconsistency. Perhaps things will be clearer next month.

CAO for a year?

Three weeks the county announced that Dan Borowec, who retired from the county a year ago, was taking over as chief administrative officer. In response to a media question on Wednesday, Crate said that Borowec has a one-year contract. He said the county is not searching for a longer-term CAO at this point.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Where is Noah Wylie when we need him?

Actually, even the star of The Pitt couldn’t fix the current problem at Campbellford Memorial Hospital. March Break has started with a crowded emergency department and a more-than-full in-patient area.

These factors have combined to mean long wait times in the Emergency Department. Potential patients are urged to try other options if their problem is not urgent. The hospital’s website has a list of options you can try.

“Our inpatient occupancy is at 113 per cent today,” spokesperson Peter Mitchell said on Monday. “This means some patients who need to be admitted are staying in the Emergency Department longer than usual. In turn, this creates additional pressure in the ED and can lead to longer wait times for others coming in for care.”

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“Our teams are working hard to assess and treat patients as quickly and safely as possible, prioritizing those with the most urgent medical needs,” a news release says. “We understand that waiting can be frustrating and stressful, and we truly appreciate your patience, kindness, and understanding.”

Mitchell said the current backlog is not caused by the flu, COVID or any other specific ailments.

How big is Alto’s corridor?

Stories about the Alto High-Speed Rail line, including mine, refer to its need for a 60-metre corridor with tracks and fencing, which got me wondering how big is that anyway?

Well, it’s 197 feet. That compares to a Canadian football field which is 59 metres wide and 100 metres long, not counting the end zones.

But a better comparison is to our other transportation corridors. Highway 407 and the proposed Highway 413 west of Toronto have a corridor that is 170 metres (560 feet) wide. It consists of 110 metres for the road and a 60-metre allowance for transit.

So, if you want to imagine what it would be like taking the Alto from Peterborough to Ottawa along the possible southern route, just imagine the corridor is about one-third the width of the 407. It helps to understand how much farmland would be used and to envision how farmers and drivers could cope.

Broadband installation continues this spring

Installation of fibre-optic cable to improve broadband service in Trent Hills is continuing with work the furthest along west of Campbellford, says Scott Berry, Communications Officer, Capital Projects, with Northumberland County.

About 66 per cent of the households in the area where cable has been installed have agreed to have it connected to their houses, he said.

Across the county, about 920 kilometres of conduit has been installed and more than 200 kilometres of fire connected.

The eastern and northern section of Trent Hills will be the last part of the county to get service. “The build plan for this area is currently undergoing final revisions,” Berry says. “Start of construction and communications encouraging residents to provide consent for connection are expected to be issued early this spring.”

Across the project overall, adoption levels vary by area depending on when communications have occurred and when construction started, he said. In areas where outreach has been underway for some time, uptake rates are reaching the 70 to 80 per cent.

The county estimates 11,000 unserved and underserved households will be able to connect.

You can view a map of construction progress and check when it reaches your road here -- Broadband in Northumberland - Northumberland County

Internet, TV and phone service is provided by Axle Telecom with a variety of packages.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

Mayor Bob Crate is frustrated that Alto High Speed Rail staffers won’t answer his council’s questions about the project.

Last week in a meeting, council asked two staffers for details such as expected ridership, why the rail line is necessary and the cost and was told that the staff had the information but couldn’t share it without the permission of the federal government, Crate told Robert Washburn in an interview for Consider This.

“How can you fight when they’ve got all the information and we’ve got nothing?” Crate said.

Crate was also upset that municipalities along the proposed routes between Toronto and Ottawa weren’t given advance notice of the plans or a chance to ask questions. “Somebody should have come and spoken to our council and told us what was going on, but they didn’t and I told them, you threw us under the bus,” he said, adding that some residents have complained that he is keeping information secret, but that’s simply not true.

He said the municipality will push Alto to hold a public meeting in Trent Hills so everyone can have their say and get their questions answered.

Alto has had meetings in Peterborough and Madoc, and one is scheduled for Stirling on March 25 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Stirling and District Lions Club at 435 West Front Street. These public sessions, which end March 29, are essentially a roadshow that outlines the ideas but don’t answer questions, Crate said.

Crate warned that a 60-metre corridor thorough Trent Hills could cause major disruption for farmers and the municipality since many roads would dead-end at the fence.

“It would destroy our community. I’m beyond myself to think that we are being treated like we don’t matter. To me, they’re destroying the fabric of rural Ontario for greed.”

Crate said he can’t see the need for such a rail line, especially with a $120 billion or more price tag. “I think we’d be better served with a better flow of traffic to Toronto.

The lack of information is creating fear among local farmers, Crate says.

In addition to the public meeting, you can join virtual sessions or comment online until April 24. Details here.

There are several Facebook groups dedicated to the Alto project, including this one for Trent Hills.

Alto says its online consultation platform has had 185,000 unique visits, 14,774 completed questionnaires, and 10,420 comments submitted on the corridor map. It has held 26 open houses across Québec and Ontario, with a total attendance of 9,194 to date. The 10 bilingual virtual meetings held in French and English have had 1,300 participants.

“Based on the feedback received and continued analyses, additional rounds of public consultation will be held in the coming months, particularly regarding the more detailed study corridor for the first segment planned between Montréal and Ottawa,” its website says.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.

As we head into spring, new businesses and new business names are sprouting in Campbellford.

Just this week, in the Burgess Building on Front Street South beside the Trent River bridge two new businesses came to life – Trent Hills Cottage Crew, a property management company, and Cabinet Craft & Design, which will custom design kitchens, bathrooms and much more.

The two companies are a partnership of Bryce Ellis and Daniel Giddings, with Bryce focused on The Cottage Crew and Daniel using his 30 years’ experience on the cabinet side.

The pair came together three years ago as co-owners of the Trent Hills Thunder. Now, they hope their skills will make life easier for cottage and homeowners by providing valuable, locally based services.

The Cottage Crew will handle everything from opening to closing, including providing services for rentals. Giddings, who is a Trent Hills’ councillor, acknowledges that he’ll have to declare a conflict of interest when council discusses the hot topic of short-term rentals.

“But I think The Cottage Crew can help both sides by providing services to owners and giving the municipality a local contact if there are problems,” he says.

The municipality has been redrafting a policy for short-term rentals for many months. The last version stressed the need for local contacts who could handle any problems or noise complaints.

Ellis says the company will turn to local tradesmen if there are emergency issues such as water leaks. “It’s good for them too, because they know us and won’t have to worry about dealing with an owner who may live a few hours away,” he says.

The Cottage Crew takes the stress out of cottage ownership, its website says. “From seasonal openings to regular upkeep, we handle every detail with care.”

On the cabinet side, literally since it is on the right side of the hall across from the cottage business, there are several cabinet, sink, and countertop options to give homeowners some ideas of what they can install.

“I have a full-time interior designer so we can work with any dreams you have,” Giddings says.

“All our wood is sourced in Canada,” he adds. The company offers several suppliers with differing price points.

So long Bob, hello Equipment Ontario

On the south edge of Campbellford, a new business name is taking over. Bob Mark Equipment Sales and Rentals has been sold to Equipment Ontario and will be rebranding under that name.

Equipment Ontario was formed in 2021 as the result of a merger between Stoltz Sales & Service and Hub International Equipment. With the addition in December of Bob Mark and ESM Farm Equipment Ltd., based in Wallenstein, Equipment Ontario now has 11 retail locations. It closed the Bob Mark facility in Sunderland and shifted those employees to locations in Port Perry and Lindsay.

All other Bob Mark locations, including Campbellford, will operate under the Equipment Ontario name.

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.