Accumulated news pieces which may include local councils, MAHC, OPP, and more.

Select Muskoka Newsbites from various sources including our own reporting, media releases, and a few notes contributed by our friends at The Bay 88.7 FM.

MAHC Updates

Today (Friday, Sept. 6), Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare issued a release stating that, in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, the COVID-19 outbreak on North Wing at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital (SMMH) Site is now over.

The outbreak lasted 21 days, and through outbreak management protocols including testing, 18 patient cases and five staff cases were attributed to the outbreak in total. The outbreak status has been lifted following no new cases in the last eight days.

North Wing at SMMH has reopened to visitors, in line with MAHC’s current visiting policy that allows an inpatient to have two visitors per day between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

There are no COVID-19 outbreaks at any of MAHC’s facilities.

Also on Friday, (Sept. 6), MAHC sent out a press release with updates on its ongoing activities in several areas.

In recent months, MAHC has conducted extensive stakeholder engagement sessions and consultations, involving physicians, our hospital foundations, community groups, community members, local and provincial political partners, and ministry officials. We have listened carefully to the feedback provided, which highlighted several critical issues including transportation, recruitment and retention of healthcare staff, availability of services and beds, the need for community partnerships, and concerns surrounding rumors of closure and privatization.

In response to these concerns, MAHC has established several working groups to tackle specific areas of focus:

1. Bed Capacity Working Group: This group, comprised of MAHC physicians from North and South Muskoka, is dedicated to evaluating our current bed capacity and exploring strategies to optimize it. Included in their review will be the examination of the second version of a proposed model put forth by some South Muskoka physicians.

2. Transportation Working Group: Focused on improving access to healthcare services, this group is addressing transportation challenges for patients and their loved ones. They are exploring solutions for both visiting patients and attending medical appointments, aiming to enhance transportation options and ensure convenience and accessibility for all community members.

3. Community Programming Working Group: This group is dedicated to developing and expanding community programming aimed at prevention, aftercare, and overall health improvement. By fostering partnerships with local organizations and municipalities, they are working to identify and create programs that are tailored to the needs of our community and promote better health outcomes.

The working groups are in direct liaison with the Capital Redevelopment Planning team, under the direction of the MAHC Board of Directors, to ensure a coordinated effort in addressing local healthcare issues. Also in development are a Communications Advisory Table, aimed at providing informal advice and recommendations on MAHC’s communication strategies and practices, and a CEO Advisory Table which will provide input and feedback specifically related to MAHC’s capital redevelopment initiatives.

MAHC is confident in the proposed plan to meet the healthcare needs of the region. The involvement of community and municipal leaders in finalizing the details of the 1.3 submission, scheduled to be presented to the Ministry in November, ensures that our solutions are well-aligned with local healthcare needs.

Resilience this year’s Summit Theme

The Muskoka Watershed Council reintroduces the biennial Muskoka Summit on the Environment with a fresh look and feel. The goal is to address the diverse, dynamic, and complex system we call a watershed and the role people play in its future. This year’s Summit has been aptly themed Resilience.

In the context of the Summit, “resilience” is the ability of this socio-ecological system (our watershed) to retain its character, dynamics and internal processes despite the various forces acting to disrupt it. 

Changes to the natural environment many of us treasure will affect our regional economy and valued lifestyle. Recognizing that the watershed is a living, breathing entity that includes us and our economy, it is critical to rethink our relationship with the natural world. Sustaining the watershed into the future requires a collaborative, multi-layered and multi-disciplinary approach to management. 

The Summit will be held on Friday, October 4th, in the brand-new Muskoka Lumber Community Centre in Bracebridge. Attendees can look forward to stimulating talks, networking breaks, lunch and dinner, all included in the $149 Summit Pass.

Register to attend at: Muskoka Summit.

New TML Director of Development Services announced

Jennifer Huff has been named the new Township of Muskoka Lakes director of development services and environmental sustainability effective September 16, 2024.

Having earned a Master of Science in planning from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the University of Western Ontario, Huff has worked in progressive planning and leadership roles for almost 20 years, most recently at the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc as the director of building, by-law and planning.

“Given Jennifer’s extensive experience with land use planning, building regulations, bylaw enforcement and track record of effective leadership, we are confident that her vision and expertise will positively contribute to the continued improvement of our community,” said Muskoka Lakes CAO David Pink via press release. “Township staff look forward to working with Jennifer in this important leadership role.”

In her new position, Huff will work closely with other members of the Strategic Leadership Team while she oversees building, planning, bylaw, and economic development functions.

“I am really looking forward to working with not only the team in Muskoka Lakes, but the community as a whole,” stated Huff in a media release. “We are very excited to explore all that Muskoka Lakes has to offer, and to build a life in one of the most beautiful places in the country.”

New Community Safety Officer

Huntsville OPP announced the appointment of Officer Ted Warman as the new Community Safety Officer and Media Officer for Lake of Bays and Huntsville.

The OPP say that PC Warman will collaborate with local schools on safety plans and deliver presentations on topics like bullying and youth mental health.

He will also focus on crime prevention within the community.

New EV Charging Station in Huntsville

Lakeland Solutions and the Town of Huntsville have unveiled a new electric vehicle (EV) charging station with six ports at 11 High Street, behind the Huntsville Civic Centre. This addition to the Lakeland EV Charging network is the first in downtown Huntsville and offers both 30kW and 180kW charging options, with the latter providing up to 100 km of range in just 10 minutes.

Funded partly by Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program, the station supports all EV models and aims to enhance local eco-friendly transportation.

For more information, visit Lakeland Ev Charging.

Noise by-law exemption granted in Bracebridge

Bracebridge Council agreed to a noise ny-law exemption for a snowmobile track in Bracebridge, in the September 3, 2024, general meeting.

The Noise By-law for snowmobiles and grooming was made exempt for 2819 Highway 118 East (Goodale Marine) for periods over 15 minutes between 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Chief By-law Enforcement Officer, Michael Mayer, indicated that the exemption is based on the change in land use planning which is permanent.

Mayer indicated that the noise wouldn’t necessarily be continuous. He said that up to 15 sleds are allowed to operate until 7 p.m., and only two sleds are permitted after that.

He added that staff will monitor any issues and can revoke the exemption if it’s not abided by and recommend changes to Council as needed.

Mayer added that staff will consider the noise by-law “as a whole, in addition to the exemption,” and if the property owner doesn’t comply with the regulations, they can revoke the application, and they would have to reapply.