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Haldimand County Public Library is inviting residents of all ages to get creative and participate in its 8th annual poetry contest, to be held throughout the month of April.
This year’s theme is “Community”. Community can be defined in a variety of ways and means different things to different individuals. Using your poem, tell us about your community: who your community is, why it is important to you, or how the individuals in a community can work together for a greater good.
Entry forms, a full list of rules and submission details can be obtained on the library’s website or at any library branch. Submissions can be made at each of the library branches or be submitted online.
Submissions will be accepted during the month of April and entered to win cash prizes in one of the following categories:
Primary – Kindergarten to Gr. 3
Junior – Gr. 4 to Gr. 6
Intermediate – Gr. 7 to Gr. 10
Senior – Gr. 11 – 12
Adult – age 18+
Judging will take place at the beginning of May by a library-chosen panel. First, second and third-place prizes will be awarded in each category. First prize will receive $50, second prize will receive $35 and third prize will receive $20. Winners will be announced in mid-May.
Individuals with further questions about the 8th Annual April Poetry Contest may call or visit their local library branch. Stay connected with the library: ‘like’ us on Facebook for updates on programming, special events and more.
With the return of warmer weather there has been an increase in the number of recreational and non-recreational fire complaints in Haldimand County. Haldimand County Fire Department is reminding residents of the Open Air Burn By-law and asking for everyone’s cooperation to ensure that outdoor fires are safe and controlled.
Recreational (small) fires are allowed in all areas without a permit as long as the fire meets all of the regulations set out in the Open Air Burn By-law. These regulations include, but are not limited to: ensuring the fire is contained and supervised at all times and that it is set back at least 10 meters from combustible buildings/structures. A means of extinguishing the fire must be available and measures must be in place to ensure that no one is adversely affected by the products of combustion (smoke and odours).
Non-recreational fires are only permitted in certain areas of the County and require a burn permit that can be applied for online via the Haldimand County website. An eligibility map is available for property owners to check whether they are permitted to conduct non-recreational burns.
Non-recreational fires must meet all of the regulations set out in the by-law. These regulations include, but are not limited to: ensuring fires are supervised at all times and contained to an area not exceeding 6 meters by 6 meters. Non-recreational fires must also be set back at least 60 meters from all buildings, roadways and anything combustible.
Open air fires that are not conducted according to the by-law present potential safety hazards. Anyone conducting an open air fire that violates the by-law are subject to fines, provincial prosecution and recovery of costs required to respond to and/or extinguish the fire.
Haldimand County Council reviewed and approved the 2021 Tax Supported Capital Budget on March 4, 2021. The Tax-Supported Capital Budget outlines $40.1 million of infrastructure investment in 2021, with a total tax-supported infrastructure investment of $274.5 million over the next 10 years. In total, 302 new tax-supported capital projects have been scheduled for the 2021 calendar year.
The 2021 Capital Budget is heavily focused on infrastructure renewal with notable expenditures in areas such as roadway improvements, bridge and culvert rehabilitation and enhancements to corporate, community and recreation facilities.
2021 Capital Budget Highlights:
$21.5 million towards roadway and active transportation improvements such as paving, reconstruction, resurfacing, gravel road conversion, sidewalk/curb replacements and street lighting as well as bridge repairs, bridge rehabilitation and other structure-related projects (such as culvert replacements)
$3.5 million towards the replacement/expansion of the Caledonia Fire Station
$1.89 million towards the replacement/expansion of the Caledonia Paramedic Services Base
$3.9 million in facility upgrades at Grandview Lodge
$3.1 million towards community partnership projects and enhancements to parks, trails, arenas, pools, museums and libraries
$700,000 towards tree conservation and reforestation initiatives
In recent years the County has deliberately increased its investment in capital to ensure that existing facilities are updated, new facilities desired by the community are added and that a funding plan is in place to minimize tax impacts. Money is set aside every year to ensure that when assets need repairs or replacing, funding is available.
“The 2021 Capital Budget balances current priorities with future needs and further positions Haldimand for growth. Through diligent asset management practices and financial planning principles, staff have developed a budget that ensures our strong financial position is maintained, and our residents and business owners continue to receive high quality programs and services,” said Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt. “We, like many other municipalities, have faced significant financial pressures as a result of COVID-19, and I am proud of the capital program we have developed under such unprecedented circumstances.”
Similar to past years, the capital levy, funded by property taxes, will increase by about $698,000, or about 1% of the overall municipal levy. The total municipal levy for 2021 will be determined once the 2021 Tax Supported Operating Budget is approved by Council.
The 2021 Tax Supported Operating Budget will be presented to Council on the following dates:
• March 31 & April 1*, 2021 – 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Haldimand County Administration Building Council Chamber (*if required)
Statement from Mayor Hewitt & Council – March 3, 2021
COVID-19 Update
I know that many of you are anxious and frustrated about the information surrounding the vaccines. It is a very fluid situation and the news around vaccines and its rollouts have changed almost daily.
We have been working hard with the Health Unit to ensure that when the larger rollout of vaccines are available to the general public. We will be ready. A lot of work and planning has gone in behind the scenes to respond to the needs of our communities.
The challenge is communicating to all of you what is happening. By the time I post this, I am sure that there will be another change brought to us by the Feds or the Province. In any event, I assure you that the effectiveness of our rollout program will not be because we are not ready but will be due primarily to things out of our control such as supplies of vaccinations or decisions made from outside of the region.
I have received many questions regarding the rollout and through time I am sure there will be many more. But for now I have copied what I think are the most pertinent points. As information becomes available, we will do our best to pass it on to all of you.
Key stats
Vaccine doses administered so far: 5,885
Number of people completely vaccinated: 1,573
Vaccines for those 80 and over
Haldimand and Norfolk’s Vaccine Task Force is preparing to vaccinate up to 5,000 people against COVID-19 in the coming weeks as area vaccination efforts start to ramp up
In line with the Province’s vaccination framework, vaccines are now available to those 80 years of age and older.
In addition to clinics already running at Norfolk General Hospital and the Vittoria Community Centre, the clinic at the Dunnville Lifespan Centre will move to Cayuga Memorial Arena this weekend, vaccinating up to 1,000 people per day.
Additional Health Unit-run clinics will be opened in the coming weeks.
Making an appointment
Family doctors will be in touch with patients 80 years of age and older to discuss vaccination plans and facilitate the appointment booking process.
Do NOT call your doctor, the Health Unit or area hospitals to book an appointment.
A vaccination appointment booking process is being developed for those without a family doctor or whose doctor is outside of Haldimand and Norfolk – details to come.
Questions about vaccines
The Health Unit has launched a dedicated COVID-19 vaccine phone line and email address for questions about vaccinations
The phone line and email address are NOT for booking vaccinations.
Caledonia Protest Update
I am sure that you all are appreciative that the roads have now been opened up and that traffic can now move along without any intervention. I am grateful to the community of Six Nations, who stood up against the anarchy of these individuals and demanded that they remove the barricades. It’s a shame that when the protestors state they act by consensus, no one takes them to task that consensus was not apparent when they chose to block roads and destroy property in they way they did.
In any event, there is ongoing dialogue with leaders on Six Nations along with representatives of the Province and Feds. Due to COVID, meetings have not taken place in the capacity that all would like which has delayed things. That said, I remain hopeful that we will be able to resolve some of these outstanding issues and we can arrive at a solution that will benefit all living in Haldimand and Six Nations.
Haldimand County will still continue to hold anyone accountable for contradicting the injunction issued by the judge and fully expects that all those attending the site or involved in destruction of property will be held to the fullest extent of the law.
Yesterday, a dangerous individual, Alex Huntert was once again arrested for breaking his conditions and bail, and today once again our courts have released him on new and more conditions. Not only should we expect more from the senior decision makers of the OPP, we should demand more from our legal system. What message is being sent when time and time again, these individuals can be brought in front of the justice, to only be released so they can breach the very same conditions they keep getting arrested for? Enough is enough and we all must demand more from the Province, to put more accountability and teeth into our legal system.
Effective March 3, 2021, the COVID-19 outbreak at Grandview Lodge has been declared over.
The outbreak was initially declared on February 18 after a staff member tested positive through routine testing. This staff member has since returned to work and all routine swabs have come back negative for the virus.
Grandview Lodge staff and Haldimand County would like to extend appreciation to resident’s family members and the community for the support and words of encouragement offered throughout the outbreak. Staff will continue to work diligently to keep residents safe.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Anti-Rackets Branch, Serious Fraud Office Ontario (SFO) and its Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) partners are launching their annual Fraud Prevention Month campaign.
During the month of March, the OPP, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), CAFC and the Competition Bureau of Canada are joining police services across the country to promote public awareness to help prevent all Canadians from becoming victims of fraud.
This year, the OPP’s Fraud Prevention Month campaign will highlight five important topics pertaining to online safety, security and fraud prevention:
Buying and Selling Online;
Online Financial Scams;
Securing Your Accounts and Your Identity;
Email Scams; and
Online Scams.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how Canadians shop, conduct business, learn and interact with each other. As a result, a significant shift has been made to utilize technology, which has resulted in considerable positive changes. However, this has not come without a cost. This past year numerous Canadians, businesses and organizations have fallen victim to the destructive toll of cyber enabled crimes.
In 2020, the CAFC received 19,473 fraud reports from 9,858 Ontario victims who reported losing approximately $47 million to fraudsters. Moreover CAFC received, 67,294 reports from Canadian consumers and businesses that reported losses totalling more than $104.2 million. Unfortunately, this figure only represents the losses related to approximately five percent of fraud victims who report the crime to police or the CAFC.
Fraudsters have embraced technologies to engage, target and exploit victims, often with devastating financial and emotional effects. All Canadians can take basic steps to better protect themselves from becoming a victim of fraud. Some basic online tips include:
Creating strong passwords;
Avoid opening unsolicited emails or clicking on suspicious links or attachments;
Restricting the amount of information shared publicly;
Show caution with regards to social media; and
Update technical security software.
Fraud Prevention Month is about the fraud prevention community working together to create greater awareness and to highlight the various ways that all Canadians are being targeted by fraud. By emphasizing the education component, Canadians can be better prepared.
If you do fall victim to a fraud or know someone who has, we urge individuals to contact your local police service and the CAFC by phone at 1-888-495-8501 or online by way of the Fraud Reporting System (FRS), even if a financial loss did not occur.
The public is encouraged to engage in the conversation to help recognize, reject and report fraud by using the hashtags #FraudFriday, #FPM2021 #kNOwFraud, #Take5 #Tell2, #SeriousFraudOfficeON.
LEARN MORE
For more fraud facts and figures and a downloadable booklet (PDF), visit The Competition Bureau of Canada website at
Haldimand County Public Library, in partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency, is offering free income tax filing services by trained volunteers as part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program.
This tax program will be offered as a drop-off only service at the Caledonia, Jarvis, Cayuga, Hagersville and Selkirk branches. The free tax program will run from March 1 to April 9, 2021.
To be eligible for this free tax filing service, participants must be:
A single, with an annual income of $30,000 or less;
A married couple, with a combined annual income of $40,000 or less;
A single adult with dependents, with an annual income of $35,000 or less (plus additional $2,500 per dependent);
An individual with less than $1,000 investment income
Anyone interested in this free service is asked to call Haldimand County Public Library at 289-674-0400 or visit one of the branches listed above. Once participants drop off materials and complete necessary forms, all materials will be delivered to a volunteer by library staff. Upon completion of the tax files, participants will be called back to the library to pick up their completed forms. If any questions should arise during the process a volunteer will contact participants by phone.
Individuals seeking further information about tax clinics may contact Katrina Krupicz, Community Outreach Coordinator, Haldimand County Public Library at 905-318-5932 ext. 6552 or kkrupicz@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
Haldimand County Emergency Services is once again asking the public to stay off frozen waterways and cease recreation activities on ice due to unsafe conditions.
Despite the moderate start to winter through January, temperatures fell below the long-term average in February with much of the watershed seeing above average precipitation. These conditions have resulted in a snowpack with higher than average water content and intact, but unsafe, ice conditions on many local water bodies.
“Unstable ice and fast-moving water is a deadly combination. No ice is safe ice, and right now it is particularly dangerous,” said Deputy Fire Chief Rodger Hill. “At this time of the year, the composition of ice can change very quickly and in an instant you could find yourself in a life-threatening situation.”
The Grand River Conservation Authority’s latest Flood Outlook indicates an elevated risk of flooding throughout the Grand River watershed this spring, with the possibility of ice jam flooding.
The public is reminded that daily changes in underwater currents, temperature, wind, and precipitation can rapidly affect ice conditions. Residents typically prone to spring flooding should pay close attention to weather reports and watch for updated flood messages.
Haldimand and Norfolk’s COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force is preparing for the vaccination of the general public over the coming months.
As per the Province’s vaccine rollout plan, vaccines are first being distributed to priority groups, such as acute healthcare workers and residents of long-term care and retirement settings.
Vaccination of Haldimand and Norfolk’s long-term care and retirement home residents is complete, while vaccination of healthcare workers continues.
Once the vaccination of healthcare workers is complete, doses will be allocated to community-residing individuals over the age of 80.
Only when all priority groups have had the opportunity to get the vaccine will it be offered to members of the public who wish to receive it.
An announcement will be made when vaccines are available to members of the general public. Updates will be provided to the community on an ongoing basis.
Due to uncertainty regarding vaccine availability and timing, the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force has been actively working to plan and implement community vaccination clinics.
Large amounts of vaccines could be made available at any time for certain segments of the population and in order to respond quickly, facilities must be equipped to administer a high volume of doses.
In Haldimand County, the Dunnville Community Lifespan Centre and Cayuga Memorial Arena will be utilized as community vaccine clinics.
In Norfolk County, the Vittoria and District Community Centre and Norfolk General Hospital will be used as community vaccine clinics.
For security reasons, vaccines will not be stored at these locations.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force – a joint effort of the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, Haldimand & Norfolk Counties (including Paramedic & Fire services), Norfolk General Hospital and West Haldimand General Hospital, Haldimand War Memorial Hospital and both counties’ Family Health Teams – will continue working collaboratively until residents in both counties have had the chance to receive the vaccine.
“Thanks to the guidance, hard work and dedication of the COVID-19 task force, our communities will be ready to respond once vaccines become available. With the help of our partners, we’ll be able to provide access to the COVID-19 vaccine safely, widely, and quickly to as many residents as possible – an important step in our collective fight against the virus,” said Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt.
“COVID-19 has impacted every part of our lives, from our health and wellbeing to the local economy,” said Norfolk County Mayor and Chair of the Board of Health Kristal Chopp. “I’m thrilled that we’re starting to see light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel, and look forward to community vaccinations paving the way for a return to a more normal way of living and working.”
More information on vaccine availability and community clinics in Haldimand and Norfolk will be shared with residents as soon as details are confirmed. Residents are encouraged to read up on the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine via the Ontario Government or Health Unit website.
Haldimand County Public Library branches are now open for in-person service.
A number of health and safety protocols, including the required use of face coverings and social distancing measures, are in place.
Branch hours of operation remain unchanged with one exception: the Caledonia and Dunnville branches remain closed on Sundays. Curbside services are still available upon request.
Meeting rooms are available at some branches for bookings. Members of the public are encouraged to contact their local branch for details on room capacity and availability.
Limited public computers are available for maximum 2 hour bookings. Stations around the libraries for WIFI use on personal devices are also available. Patrons are asked to see front desk staff for availability.
For more information, visit your local library branch, follow the library on Facebook and Instagram or visit the library website.
