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BRADFORD — Accused arsonist Brandon Costa has pleaded guilty to the fire that destroyed a heritage building in downtown Orillia in January Standing before Ontario Court Madam Justice A.M Costa accepted responsibility for setting the fire that caused about $6 million in damage and also resulted in a breach of release charge has been in custody since he was re-arrested in late January for violating his release conditions when police found him in possession of a lighter at an Orillia shelter The Crown is seeking an 18-month jail sentence has proposed a year-long conditional sentence order which is effectively house arrest with conditions that gradually lessen Nichols will decide on the sentence on May 13 in Barrie Crown attorney Neil Riley told court that Costa was captured on camera setting the fire in the vestibule of a building at 7 Peter St. S. a prime downtown building at the corner of Peter and Mississaga streets “I don’t know that you can define (Costa’s actions) any other way but a major arson,” Riley told Nichols Riley said the community remains “in mourning” for the loss of such a distinguished building and that the effect was “beyond devastating” for the business community connected to it Costa was originally arrested the day after the blaze on Jan. 22 when police discovered him walking on Colborne Street Court heard they found in his possession a piece of paper with four scribbled words: fire Riley told court that when he was being arrested Costa can be heard saying that he’s setting the fire to stay warm It soon grew out of control and consumed the front entrance of the building Judging by a camera that stopped working at 6:27 a.m. it took roughly an hour for the entrance to be engulfed in flames The blaze soon spread to the entire building and it raged for some 10 hours before being brought under control The fire was not fully extinguished for another 15 hours — a day after Costa set it “Let this be the fire that ignites change for you,” building owner Dr Jeffrey Pitcher said in his victim impact statement that was read aloud in court Pitcher expressed some empathy for the plight of Orillia’s homeless community but said “having them sleep in vestibules downtown is not the answer.” made efforts to put out the flames by kicking snow on it among other measures that were caught on video before he fled Court heard details of Costa’s troubled adult life that includes addiction and other psychological issues that were made worse by injuries suffered in a serious car crash nine years ago His parents continue to support him and have pledged to house him if he is given a conditional sentence Pitcher has been honoured locally for his community service in Orillia rented out units to local businesses and also gave away free space to local artists who is estimated to have lost about $30,000 worth of art in the blaze said she “lost part of herself” when her studio was forced to close after the fire Pitcher said in his victim impact statement that in addition to significant out-of-pocket costs not covered by insurance the fire has effectively forced him to undertake another full-time job to meet with various stakeholders to rebuild The total loss was originally reported as $4 million Riley and Kott will discuss at Costa’s formal sentencing hearing next week any potential restitution orders as unlikely as it may seem that Costa could make it If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form More Spotlight > A longtime resident of Walker Village in Orillia says she’s been left to live in unsafe intimidation and inaction from those responsible for the upkeep of the community housing complex who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation has lived in the Orillia Community Non-Profit Housing Corporation-owned complex for nine years she estimates she’s paid nearly $100,000 in rent yet she says she’s been forced to cover her own repairs “It’s overwhelming,” she said My children are constantly sick and I can’t afford to move She says roof leaks during a February snowstorm caused water to pour through her attic “They didn’t clean the snow off the roofs,” she said “The water came through the attic into my bathroom “They haven’t told me anything except that they submitted a quote to a construction company a month ago,” she said “I’m paying for an inspector myself My kids don’t even want to shower — that’s how bad it is in there manager of bylaw enforcement services for the City of Orillia confirmed there is an open file in relation to Walker Village “While we cannot discuss specific details about active enforcement files we can confirm there is an open file at this address,” he said in an email to OrilliaMatters “This file is in relation to various violations of Chapter 866 of the City of Orillia Municipal Code commonly referred to as the property standards bylaw This bylaw addresses minimum standards of maintenance and occupancy for buildings and properties in the city.” Rogers says property standards complaints are required to be submitted to the bylaw division in writing and an officer then arranges with the complainant for an inspection to occur an order to remedy is issued to the property owner The order contains a minimum deadline of 19 days,” he said these deadlines are sometimes longer for various reasons.” He says deadlines can be extended if the extent of the work to correct any deficiencies may require a longer time frame or to allow for the availability of contractors who may need to be hired “If the order is not complied with by the deadline the city has the option of completing the work at the expense of the property owner and these costs are collected in the same manner as property taxes,” Rogers explained “The city also has the option of laying charges under the Ontario Building Code Act for failing to comply with an order.” The tenant says this is not the first time she’s had to call bylaw officers During a rat infestation in her unit six years ago she said she reported the issue after management dismissed her concerns She believes that decision led to retaliation “They said my boyfriend was living with me which wasn’t true; he had his own place I showed them his lease and they ignored it,” she said “I’ve been paying market rent ever since I was working 18-hour days just to survive Now I’m in burnout mode and still dealing with all of this.” She says property management’s response to tenant concerns has often been intimidation “I don’t even feel comfortable sitting on my front step they intimidate — it’s all about power,” she said they’ve made it known that there will be repercussions.” She says many others in the complex feel similarly silenced I’ve had so many tenants come to me saying they’re scared they’ll be evicted if they say anything,” she said “Some don’t even know their rights the tenant said the situation briefly began to improve A new Walker Village board of directors was installed and created safe avenues for tenants to report issues “We were finally being heard,” she said “They created a confidential email where tenants could safely report issues We’re supposed to go back to reporting problems to the same people who retaliate against us manager of housing programs for the County of Simcoe the county has stepped in to manage the situation at Walker Village The county is the provincially appointed system service manager for regional housing and homelessness services in the county through the Simcoe County Housing Corporation (SCHC) has stepped in to provide property management services at Walker Village to ensure residents’ needs are addressed appropriately regularly and expeditiously,” she said “County staff have issued communications to all residents informing them of the changes and in the coming weeks county staff will be conducting inspections of all units and prioritizing issues to ensure regulations and property standards are met.” McCallum says the course correction is planned over an 18-month transition period The county intends to ensure the safety and viability of Walker Village and protect the affordable housing units in the complex while helping Walker Village return to “stable” operations She also addressed why the new board of directors was dismantled as the provincially appointed service manager, issued three communications to Walker Village regarding non-compliance These communications documented several concerns in key areas including the effectiveness of board governance “Following discussions between the county it was determined that there was not enough capacity within the organization to rectify the deficiencies on their own,” McCallum explained the board of Walker Village requested the county assist in bringing Walker Village back into compliance the county appointed staff to take over the operations of Walker Village as board members temporarily for 18 months In response to concerns about ongoing unit damage and delayed maintenance McCallum said the county will be conducting inspections of all units and prioritizing any issues to ensure regulations and property standards are met “The county is confident that its new property management services at the site will be able to better address and maintain the needs of Walker Village and ensure its continued viability,” she said “The county is currently working on site to resolve resident concerns they are encouraged to submit their maintenance requests through the normal channels that are available on the site.” McCallum also responded to the tenant’s allegations of retaliation and intimidation “If tenants have concerns with respect to previous interactions with Walker Village’s staff, we ask that they contact our team directly at [email protected] so that we can investigate further,” she said “Every attempt will be made to keep concerns private Any allegations will be investigated thoroughly.” “If tenants have maintenance requests that have not been reported or addressed, they should email SCHC on-site administration at [email protected] or visit the office during office hours,” McCallum said While the tenant acknowledges the county’s increased involvement she remains skeptical about long-term change unless tenants are treated with dignity and respect “We need leadership with integrity — people who see us as human beings people who care,” she said. “This system is broken More Spotlight > A man has been charged after provincial police say he walked into an Orillia courthouse with nearly 65 grams of cocaine in his pocket on Thursday Orillia OPP says officers were working at the Ontario Court of Justice on Memorial Avenue when a man walked in and set off the metal detector near the doors The officers noticed an object in the man’s jacket pocket Police say they saw a clear bag with “a large amount of a pressed white substance,” which was determined to be cocaine has been charged with possession of a Schedule 1 substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking as well as resisting a peace officer He was held in custody pending a bail hearing that was set for Friday None of the allegations have been tested in court.  More Spotlight > NewsHighway 11 closed for several hours following crash involving OPP vehicleBy Julianna BalsamoPublished: May 04, 2025 at 4:44PM EDT A multi-vehicle crash on Sunday afternoon closed a part of Highway 11 in both directions between Barrie and Orillia. Shortly after 3 p.m., officials were called to a collision involving multiple vehicles one including an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) car. Officers from Orillia OPP, along with the Ministry of Transportation, Township of Oro-Medonte Fire, Simcoe County Paramedic Services, and the OPP Traffic Incident Management Enforcement Unit arrived to brave the evening scene. Police and emergency crews remained in the area diverting traffic from Sideroad 15 and 16 east and Ridge Road east. Highway 11 was closed in both north and south directions for several hours for the investigation. As of 6 p.m. on Sunday, the southbound lanes of the highway had reopened. Police confirmed that two people were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. A black transport van can be observed in the image below, rolled over into the ditch on the northbound side of the highway. The investigation remains ongoing according to officials. It’s unclear exactly what caused the collision. If you have information that may be helpful, OPP ask that you contact 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). With files from CTV’s Mike Lang and CTV’s Luke Simard. Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Two brothers are facing charges in a New Tecumseth bail compliance investigation Nottawasaga OPP says the investigation was launched in February 2024 after they suspected two men were breaching several conditions on their release orders police say officers searched a residence on King Street North in Alliston One person was arrested at the home where OPP say they seized scales a replica firearm and a loaded shotgun with ammunition None of the allegations have been tested in court Both men were both held for a bail hearing and are to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at a later date.  The Orillia Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is investigating a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 11 along with Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the OPP Traffic Incident Management Enforcement Unit (TIME) responded to a collision involving multiple vehicles including an OPP vehicle Highway 11 was closed in both North and South directions for several hours for the investigation Two individuals were transported to a local area hospital for minor injuries Highway 11 has since been re-opened and the investigation is ongoing Members of Orillia OPP are committed to public safety, delivering proactive and innovative policing in partnership with our communities. Officers value your contribution to building safe communities. If you have information that may be helpful, please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.crimestopperssdm.com Click here to support local news All comments are moderated. Please ensure you include both your first and last name and abide by our community guidelines Submissions that do not include the commenter's full name or that do not abide by our community guidelines will not be published Sign up for our free newsletter which is published three times per week Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) From the Township of Lake of Bays The Township of Lake of Bays is continuing its review of the [...] With Motorcycle Safety Awareness Week underway the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is urging [...] Ontario honoured 11 young people with the 2023 Ontario Medal for Young [...] From the Town of Huntsville Renovations to the Centennial Pool change rooms will begin on June [...] The Town of Huntsville will not have to cover interest rates in order to partner with Muskoka [...] Established in 2015 by a bunch of local news hounds Doppler strives to be the go-to source for people wanting to know more about what is going on in Huntsville and the surrounding community We strive to provide local news that is relevant and timely We also look to tell local stories that inspire Notice the persistent use of the word local From features on local people doing extraordinary things all supplemented by provocative opinion pieces on topics near and far Feel free to drop us a line at [email protected] and tell us how we are doing The province’s police watchdog has determined a Collingwood OPP officer did not commit a crime after a man was injured during an arrest this past summer police attended a forested vacant lot on High Street in Collingwood to respond to a complaint about a man who had set up a tent and was living there the responding officer instructed the 27-year-old male that he had 15 minutes to pack up his belongings and move along However, according to the province’s Special Investigation’s Unit’s (SIU) report released on May 4 “He verbally taunted the officer and asked for some additional time to pack up his belongings,” wrote SIU director Joseph Martino in his findings “The (officer) agreed but then decided to arrest the complainant for trespassing when it appeared to him that the complainant was delaying his departure.” Evidence considered included in-car camera footage cell-phone video taken with the complainant’s own phone as well as cell phone video from a civilian witness notes from multiple officers who were on the scene photographs of injuries and a medical report from Collingwood General and Marine Hospital The person who called in the complaint characterized the man as being "verbally aggressive." Martino found the officer took hold of the complainant and a physical altercation followed The officer struck the man by punching him multiple times the officer extricated himself from the fight and drew his conducted energy weapon Another officer arrived at the scene and assisted in taking the man into custody He was taken to hospital following the arrest and was diagnosed with multiple facial fractures “The complainant was seriously injured in the course of his arrest by OPP officers in Collingwood,” wrote Martino Martino notes in his findings the complainant was unlawfully on private property had been asked to leave and failed to do so within a reasonable time frame “I am satisfied that the (officer) was within his rights in deciding to arrest him,” wrote Martino I am unable to reasonably conclude it was more than was warranted.” He notes the evidence indicates the complainant resisted the officers' efforts to secure him in handcuffs the upwards of a half-dozen strikes by the officer to the complainant’s head and torso would not necessarily seem disproportionate occurring in the heat of the battle,” wrote Martino The SIU is civilian law enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving an official where there has been death the discharge of a firearm at a person or an allegation of sexual assault A 10-minute span in the second period proved costly for the Halton Hills Bulldogs as they suffered their first defeat of the Ontario Junior B Lacrosse League season Sunday The Orillia Kings struck for six goals in those 10 minutes blowing open a game that had been tied 3-3 after the opening period Matthew Ford scored four times for the Bulldogs including a shorthand and powerplay goal.  Brody Fletcher had three goals and three assists for Halton Hills while Owen O’Halloran also scored for the Bulldogs The Bulldogs scored eight straight goals Saturday on their way to a 13-4 rout of Barrie in their home opener Barrie jumped out to an early 2-0 but Halton Hills responded with four goals before the end of the opening period the Bulldogs added two more goals and then reeled another six in a row in the third period Fletcher had two goals and five assists and Noah Kearney had two goals and set up four more Josh Shepherd and O’Halloran also scored twice each and Cody Merritt and Jacob Tarr also scored.  The Bulldogs play three games at home over four days beginning Thursday against the Mountaineers at 8 p.m at the Alcott rink at Mold-Masters Sportsplex The Bulldogs will also host the Nepean Knights Saturday at 7 p.m and the Gloucester Griffins Sunday at 1 p.m C Bulldogs dropped their season opener 16-5 to the Peterborough Lakers.  Brodie McLeod had two goals and Bryce Desbiens had a goal and two assists Ephraim Mouradian and Jackson Baxter had the other Halton Hills goals The Bulldogs play their home opener tonight (Monday May 5) against the Clarington Shamrox and the Mold-Masters SportsPlex Try searching for your content, or return to the homepage The Orillia Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) assisted by the Orillia Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) and the Orillia Community Mobilization Unit (CMU) have laid drug trafficking charges after an individual attended the Ontario Court of Justice for an appointment officers of the Orillia OPP were working at the Ontario Court of Justice on Memorial Avenue in the City of Orillia As they were assisting with court security they noted an individual who had set off the metal detector near the doors Officers engaged with the party and noticed an object in their jacket pocket which they had refused to take out Police were able to observe the object and saw a clear bag with a large amount of a pressed white substance and commenced into a drug trafficking investigation almost 65 grams of suspected Cocaine and over $3,500 were seized from the accused –       Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking – Cocaine (CDSA) The accused was held in custody to appear at in the Ontario Court of Justice in Orillia the following day for a bail hearing Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display You will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000.00 and website in this browser for the next time I comment BarrieNewsMan arrested for allegedly bringing suspected cocaine into Orillia courthouseBy Kim PhillipsPublished: May 02, 2025 at 6:48PM EDT The Ontario government is investing an additional $5 million to help communities across the province prepare for emergencies and Orillia is among the 114 recipients of the funding boost As part of the 2024-25 Community Emergency Preparedness Grant the City of Orillia is receiving $50,000 to purchase a drone and open pump equipment to improve the city’s response to potential flooding and other emergencies The funding announcement comes during Emergency Preparedness Week and encourages residents to make emergency plans MPP for Simcoe North and Ontario’s minister of emergency preparedness and response made the announcement at Orillia Fire Station 1 on Monday calling the investment part of a broader effort to ensure communities are “resilient “An Ontario that is resilient and prepared shines brightest when our communities and organizations are empowered with the resources they need to rise to any challenge and respond,” said Dunlop Referencing the recent ice storm that caused widespread damage across central Ontario Dunlop praised first responders and volunteers who were “boots on the ground within 24 hours” and emphasized the importance of long-term readiness “This investment means that even more recipients can purchase critical equipment and deliver essential emergency management training,” she said noting money granted to Orillia can help the city "address potential flooding challenges" in the area "Investments like these make all the difference," said Dunlop Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac welcomed the funding and expressed appreciation for the province’s support during the aftermath of the devastating ice storm that left many in the city without power for several days “The recent ice storm in Orillia was a powerful reminder of just how critical it is to be prepared for emergencies,” McIsaac said we saw firsthand the impact that severe weather can have on the community and how essential timely support is for our residents.” He added that Dunlop “was the first one to call and stayed to the bitter end,” noting her guidance and presence were “greatly appreciated.” “We’re also extremely grateful for the $50,000 from the Community Emergency Preparedness Grant This funding will enhance our capacity to respond to flooding and other emergencies in a swift and effective manner,” McIsaac said the grant program has allocated $10 million to 227 municipalities all part of the province’s larger $110-million three-year plan to bolster emergency preparedness the province is moving forward with constructing a new Ontario Emergency Preparedness and Response Headquarters which will serve as a centralized hub for the coordination and deployment of Ontario Corps emergency teams Emergency Management Ontario deployed staff 67 times for a combined 355 days and trained more than 16,500 people through 388 emergency management courses The province also participated in 114 drills and exercises with local partners For more information on how to prepare for emergencies, click here.  This free event offers residents of all ages a chance to explore City equipment and learn directly from staff about the many career opportunities in the public works field from water and wastewater management to roads the Public Works Week Open House is bigger and better with attendees encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation to fill a sidewalk plow in support of The Sharing Place Food Centre and this year’s Public Works Week Open House builds on that success with even more to see and do,” said Mayor Don McIsaac “Residents are encouraged to attend and take this opportunity to learn more about the essential work of our Environment and Infrastructure Services team in a fun attendees can meet the staff behind the services including heavy equipment operators who will be onsite to share what a day on the job looks like and answer questions about working in municipal operations The City’s Environment and Infrastructure Services Department has 110 full-time staff and approximately 40 part-time/seasonal staff For more information on the National Public Works Week and the Public Works Week Open House event, please visit orillia.ca/PublicWorksWeek two grocers decided to open their own independent fresh fruit and vegetable store in Orillia and Larry Ainsworth opened the store on April 24 to offer the public fresh fruits and vegetables According to an Orillia Packet & Times article from 1977 Ward made daily pre-dawn trips to the Ontario Food Terminal in downtown Toronto while Ainsworth now located in its own building at 301 Westmount Dr reached its 50-year anniversary milestone on April 24 Ward can still be seen in the store and even at the Ontario Food Terminal from time to time and heading to the food terminal to buy all the produce and everything and also working in the store," said his daughter "He started the store with $1,500 and look where it is today." and all the employees would make a big deal about it and give me strawberries and things like that when I was a kid," she recalled with a smile Tammy started working in the store when she was 14 and continued working through high school and during her university years. She attained a degree in human resources and worked in Toronto It was a natural fit for me as the business grew," she said She moved into the position of general manager about 10 years ago The company philosophy has stayed the same People have the perception that we are expensive but the fresh vegetables and things are a fair price but we always look for quality," Tammy said Country Produce works with a lot of local farmers It's exciting because it lets you know everything is going to start growing," she said They also bring in Niagara greenhouse foods, such as lettuces and strawberries The business started with the two founders Now it has about 50 staff and is hiring another 10 to 12 for the spring and summer seasons Country Produce gradually expanded from fruits and vegetables The deli was the first addition. Customers can get freshly sliced meat and the store offers a wide selection of cheese and other dairy products Country Produce also offers a full meat and seafood counter The daily salad bar is popular with its self-serve style and there are ready-made sandwiches offered as well green smoothies and freshly squeezed orange juice always sell well The business also carries specialty culinary items and other grocery foods and beverages — such as those from Ripe Juicery of Barrie — and gift items such as wine glasses We just got a new chickpea chips product," Tammy said Many employees have stuck with Country Produce for many years (where) there is a lot of turnover," she said Store managers Andrew and Matthew Johnson started working at Country Produce when they were 14 they came back to the business years later who ran Fred's Meat Market in downtown Orillia for many years has been working at Country Produce since 2009 The longest-serving employee is bookkeeper Debbie Laughlin who has been with the business for 32 years But it's the customers who have kept the store in business People from the Orillia area are our mainstays That's why we are still here," she said She also values the repeat cottager clientele and people who drive from Midland Tammy and John went to the Ontario Food Terminal at 3 a.m Tammy said her dad must have shaken 150 hands as everyone was happy to see him something that rekindled memories of the store's humble origins 50 years ago Hundreds of hikers were at Tudhope Park Sunday to participate in the 23rd Orillia Hike for Hospice raising $79,900 for palliative care in the community.  Every year Hospice Orillia and Mariposa House Hospice work together to make the event happen “We only have 60 per cent funding from the government chair of the board of directors at Mariposa House Hospice Before people showed up the numbers revealed this to be the biggest Hike for Hospice event to date “We have an incredible 380 people registered to be here today… Every year it gets bigger and better,” says Amanda Tevelde communications fundraising and community relations specialist with Hospice Orillia “Families make this an annual event to come out and make it a memorial event it’s an annual tradition for people to remember their loved ones," said Tevelde Hike for Hospice has a special place in the hearts of many Laurie Cole experienced the need and compassion of hospice workers through Orillia Hospice three years ago when she lost her father nine months later she lost her teenage son in a tragic car accident so by doing this I’m helping too ... It’s all about connecting and I’m just so thankful,” she says of the support she received.  Cole raised $650 on her own and plans to return next year with her daughter.  With over a dozen members, Friendship Footprints surpassed its goal to raise $15,000 and was recognized as the top fundraising team “We’re all friends and we just wanted to make a difference,” says Pam Musson of the team I think at some point we’re all going to need it if not we know somebody,” adds her friend Lisa Dunne “It’s a driving force for recognition that this particular walk is contributing to a future that we will all face and benefit from It’s an important part of our life journey,” says Musson “We all deserve some dignity at that time and Mariposa House Hospice is giving it,” says Dunne referring to the hospice employees as angels.  and Trillium Manor employee Crystal Crowe-Carruthers Latter walks three kilometres daily and is sure to bring his walking partner Gudrun Shae. Combined The kids' craft corner was new this year Orillia First Aid set up an information booth then yoga sessions with Nikki and sound bowl sessions with Sacred Healing Arts were enjoyed Helping set up long before anyone else showed up was a team of employees from Pursuit Aerospace They were seen doing lots of heavy lifting and organizing as the morning progressed “A few of our employees have worked with Hospice Orillia this year and have truly appreciated what they’ve done for their family members so as a company we wanted to help out where we can,” says Tamara Spurr Anne Wood and Marina Chianello were offering free massages which many took advantage of even before their 5km hike.  Wood is new to Orillia and said she previously volunteered with hospice-related organizations Chianello was looking for her next running event and came across the Hike for Hospice The friends and coworkers from Healica Massage Therapy found their own way to contribute After working in bereavement services for 25 years June Gunn recognizes the feelings of isolation and fear that come with the loss of a loved one She says it’s often about finding yourself again we walk in solidarity with those in our community who are facing challenges of life-limiting illnesses and to remember those we have lost,” says Mayor Don McIsaac Click here for more about the annual Orillia Hike for Hospice This annual gathering is a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow members and help shape upcoming activities and outings The evening begins with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m., offering a relaxed chance to catch up with friends and meet new members At 7 p.m. we’ll welcome our guest speaker founder of the Bear With Us Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre for Bears Mike has dedicated his life to caring for orphaned and injured black bears and educating the public about these often misunderstood animals Mike continues to dispel myths and promote coexistence with wildlife Don’t miss this fascinating talk about bears and the importance of compassion in conservation The evening will conclude with the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) — an important time to reflect Everyone is welcome — come for the food Orillia's trees took a heavy beating during the ice storm but it's been the death knell for hundreds of ash trees already damaged by the emerald ash borer "The invasive insect has compromised the structural integrity of ash trees across the city making them more susceptible to storm damage," said Roger Young the city's general manager of environment and infrastructure services "Ash trees account for at least 20 per cent of the existing canopy in maintained parks and trails. The accumulation of ice led to major limb failure and structural splits turning previously manageable trees into immediate hazards." The process of monitoring ash trees has been ongoing since 2021 with removals being done after trees are deemed safety hazards by an arborist Other species sustained damage in the ice storm particularly those with large canopies or brittle limbs Species other than ash are removed only if they have split trunks major limb failures or extensive canopy damage that poses a safety risk "Tree removal is never a decision taken lightly," he said The city's staff and contracted arborists are making their way through the parks cutting down any trees that have permanent damage and removing dangling branches from those that can survive trees of all species that posed immediate hazards have been and continue to be cleared Arborists then conduct follow-up inspections to determine if further pruning or removals are necessary Many parks are now mostly cleared and are open to the public Centennial and Veterans’ Memorial parks Cleanup is ongoing and is being prioritized in the following order: waterfront parks community parks with sports fields and courts neighbourhood parks and parkettes. Crews are working systematically through the city’s parks system and numerous visits to each site are expected visitors are urged to use caution as tree servicing is still underway "We encourage residents to stay clear of areas with visible debris or active crews There may still be unstable branches overhead and on the ground or stumps where trees have been removed," said Young Scout Valley remains closed as it sustained significant damage during the ice storm due to the size of its forest and the public is advised to avoid it "We do not have a timeline for reopening but we will share updates as soon as more information becomes available," said Young Staff are working with community partners to develop a cleanup plan "We know how important Scout Valley is to our community," Young added staff do not have a final count of how many trees have been culled The work is being funded through the city’s operating budget with a portion expected to be offset through provincial emergency recovery programs "Addressing the damage of this historic ice storm will be a long process," he said "Council has directed staff to develop a comprehensive tree canopy recovery plan This plan will identify species selection for greater resilience include strategies to restore shade and natural canopy over time more resilient urban forest for future generations." Hospice Orillia has been named this year’s Community Builders Award winner for Health Care a recognition that reflects the heart and soul they pour into supporting individuals and families during some of life’s most tender moments Fundraising and Community Relations Specialist at Hospice Orillia “As a community hospice organization we don’t often see this type of recognition it was unexpected and such a huge honour.”​ Hospice Orillia has walked alongside people in our community as they navigate serious illness What sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to meeting people exactly where they are “What we do isn’t about asking people to come to us wherever they are,” Tevelde explained “That’s something really special and I’m proud we can offer that kind of care.”​ long-term care residence or retirement setting Hospice Orillia brings comfort to the doorstep is a symbol of the many thresholds they cross each day to care for others thanks to the generosity of donors and community support From peer support groups and one-on-one counselling to more specialized programs like child loss overdose-related loss and pregnancy and infant loss support their bereavement offerings are both diverse and deeply personal “I’m most proud to be part of a team that adapts as our community changes,” said Tevelde “Whether it's offering overdose-related grief support or helping someone record their life story through our legacy program; we listen we respond and we meet people exactly where they are.”​ and the equine therapy program for grieving youth add even more heart to the healing process Hospice Orillia’s Visiting Hospice Services provide meaningful care right at home complementary therapies and the Footprints Legacy Project a special way to capture and preserve a person’s life story in a professionally bound book for loved ones to cherish the team has continued to grow and evolve to meet changing needs web and phone-based counselling and virtual memorial events ensure that care is always within reach These thoughtful offerings have become essential ways to ensure connection especially for those who might otherwise feel isolated in their grief They understand that grief is not one-size-fits-all and they honour each person’s story with care and confidentiality made up of compassionate staff and volunteers approaches their work not just as a job but as a calling “It shows us that what we’re doing isn’t just seen by those we support directly it’s being felt across the community,” Tevelde said “It really adds fuel to our daily work and reminds us that people do appreciate what we’re doing.”​ Hospice Orillia also extends its care outward staying actively engaged in community events and local partnerships attending service club meetings or simply showing up when someone needs a hand they continue to be a quiet but powerful presence in the Orillia area “Our goal is to help the community understand that it’s okay to talk about death and dying,” Tevelde added support one another and make sure no one walks the journey alone.”​ an open heart and a simple message: You are not alone The Health Care Award is presented to an individual or group that has had an important impact on the health care of the community.  Congratulations to the team at Hospice Orillia This award is proudly sponsored by Happy At Home Support Services Inc The Orillia-based initiative known as Hxmesweethxme is on track to hit the $100,000 fundraising mark to support youth mental health and creative programming in memory of Jake Beers the campaign has raised more than $81,000 since 2020 and co-founder Annette Hird says the mission is far from over “We’re going to keep going,” said Hird “This is about helping the community and letting people know it’s OK to talk about depression and suicide Hxmesweethxme hosted a sold-out show at the Moose Lodge featuring Dylan Lock and The Straight Goods the team donated the proceeds to The Sharing Place Food Bank instead of their usual recipient “I read about the food bank losing over $4,000 worth of food in OrilliaMatters during the ice storm — and how their generator failed,” said Hird We asked everyone at the show if we could donate the money to them instead Hxmesweethxme has provided critical support through two major funds the Jake Beers Scholars and Creative Fund at the Orillia Youth Centre and a bursary through the Community Foundation of Orillia These funds have supported everything from mental health resources and therapy sessions to instrument repairs The Orillia Youth Centre became the first in Canada to receive a dedicated music therapy space made possible in part by the fund As Youth Centre director Kevin Gangloff described in a letter to Hxmesweethxme the initiative is “flexible enough to address needs ranging from support for mental health issues to purchasing guitar strings.” and Hird says this work reflects who he was and what he believed in “He would love this,” she said “I found a picture of him the other day — behind the stove of all places — wearing a wrestling shirt It felt like a sign we’re doing the right thing.” That moment came just as the team was planning their next event, a Jake Beers tribute match at Barrie Wrestling on May 3. Discounted tickets are available through Hxmesweethxme Hird and her team will also be on-site with merchandise and information about the fund Hxmesweethxme will host its fifth annual Poker Run What began as a grassroots event has now more than doubled in impact and a $1,000 cash prize for this year’s top finisher.  “Last year we raised over $15,000,” Hird said “It’s just getting bigger every year.” With several more summer events planned and new merchandise available online and through Facebook, Hird is hopeful the $100,000 milestone will be reached by year’s end She’s also driven by something deeper — the personal conversations that happen at every event and tell us about who they’ve lost,” she said “And they feel a little more connected That’s what this is about — helping people feel OK talking about what they’ve gone through they need to know there’s support.” Despite facing her own battle with stage four lung cancer “Maybe you can’t change the world,” she said and that’s what we are on a mission to do.”  The Common Stove was included in OpenTable’s top 100 brunch and lunch restaurants in Canada in 2025 Online restaurant reservation platform OpenTable has revealed a list of the top brunch and lunch spots in the country and an Orillia eatery is on it The list was released ahead of Mother’s Day OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants for Brunch and Lunch in Canada for 2025 list is based on more than 950,000 reviews by verified OpenTable diners The Common Stove, located at 27 Mississaga St. W. in Orillia The restaurant describes itself as being built around a wood-fired grill cooking locally-sourced meats and vegetables and having a farm-to-table ethos with a focus on Ontario growers Reservations can be made on OpenTable our annual Mother’s Day list now includes the top brunch and lunch spots as 1 p.m dining on the day saw the biggest year-over-year growth in 2024 That 22 per cent increase is based on the number of diners seated through OpenTable reservations for that time slot on Mother’s Day 2024 compared to 2023 “Mother’s Day is one of the biggest dining occasions of the year we aim to help diners discover and secure the perfect spot to celebrate Mom in style.” The entire top 100 list is available on the OpenTable website Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Written by Mikenna Richardson on behalf of the Orillia Museum of Art & History (OMAH) Edward Scrope Shrapnel was born in 1845 in Hampshire was well known for inventing the famous shrapnel shell during his military career the Shrapnel family temporarily relocated from England to Canada so that Edward’s father could pursue his next military assignment Edward’s father had previously been stationed to Ireland Edward followed in his father’s footsteps and served with the Victoria Rifles of Quebec During his childhood in the Canadian wilderness Edward was exposed to an abundance of unique landscapes which would later influence his artistic style the Shrapnel family briefly moved back to England the entire family officially immigrated to Orillia Edward participated in an array of hunting establishing himself as an “ardent sportsman” He also used his time here to develop his artistic talents as he was elected to the Ontario Society of Artists in 1872 Shrapnel served as the Drawing Master at the Ontario Ladies’ College in Whitby Edward eventually moved his family to Victoria after the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed There he would illustrate Thomas Conant’s book Upper Canada Sketched (1898) OMAH is proud to maintain two of Shrapnel’s artworks both of which depict the beautiful simplicity of nature that is a classic symbol of Canada Next week we will feature another object from the OMAH collection that showcases our local history Orillia Ontario Provincial Police say a senior reporting as missing has now been found The Orillia OPP is looking for the public's help to locate a missing senior Roger (no last name given) was last seen on Colborne Street West in Orillia on Thursday The 64-year-old has a medium build, grey hair If you have any information about his whereabouts you are asked to call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 An idea to educate the public about identifying plant and tree species within Couchiching Beach Park turns out to be a costly venture Costs to sign all the trees and plants would cost approximately $60,000 while the cost for three large signs came in at approximately $9,500 according to a staff report presented to council recently "While the public education to be derived from tree signage is a commendable objective staff conclude that it provides insufficient value considering the impact on city resources and the availability of smart phone applications," wrote Roger Young the city's general manager of environment and infrastructure services department Council decided to simply receive the report Jay Fallis suggested having the climate change and environmental sustainability working group investigate alternate approaches such as approaching local high schools to see if signs could be built by students there is the potential of grants," said Fallis In that case the project could stay on the table without money coming out of city budget The city of Orillia has a tree donation program. Trees are planted in the spring and fall. The deadline spring planting requests has passed Requests for fall plantings must be received by Aug. 1 According to the city website the tree species and varieties are selected based on the park and its location The city arborist will help select a tree that suits a desired location The cost for a standard tree is $459 and the cost for a special order tree is $561. Anyone wanting to donated a tree should fill out an application and submit it online to [email protected] or print and mail/deliver to the City of Orillia marked with 'tree and bench donation' subject When his elderly mother was admitted to Sault Area Hospital a couple years ago Eloi worried she would no longer be able to take care of herself where she exhibited signs of mental decline while living with her sister Mike wanted her to be reunited with her husband Clarence – who was already a resident at F.J Davey Home – so they could spend their remaining days together “My whole goal was to have my parents reunited before the inevitable,” Mike explained “Even if they had been together a week or a month After she took a fall and broke her arm on May 20 Louise never left the hospital again – despite her son's repeated attempts to have her referred to long-term care She ultimately died in the early hours of Jan stoked numerous frustrations with hospital staff and the long-term care referral process.  feelings of helplessness – I thought I was in the place where I would get help,” he said After his mother passed away in the hospital’s care “He was caught way off guard when I went to tell him she had passed,” he said As his concerns and frustrations with hospital staff mounted Mike kept track – in detail – of his experience trying to get his mother admitted to long-term care He shared his documents in the hopes his parents' story may help improve the system and ensure other families don't endure the same heartache "There is a systemic problem within Sault Area Hospital that needs to be addressed," he wrote in one of his documents "I am not the only person who has experienced this problem Ignoring this problem has only made the situation worse." Before Louise was admitted to the hospital Mike said she had already begun exhibiting signs of decline She had grown “very cautious,” he said and would get upset about phone calls from numbers she did not recognize. Mike also noticed she had not been taking her medication.  Louise was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and her health records similarly state she had “moderate dementia.” “Her short-term memory loss is getting worse … thinking she is no longer in Sault Ste “(She’s) beginning to think she's no longer in a hospital this is what I'm working on: ‘We're in Sault Ste We're in the hospital in the Sault trying to get this process started.’” Mike said he repeatedly advocated for hospital staff to begin the long-term-care referral process but was told the plan for Louise was to undergo convalescent care "Absurd," he wrote in one of his documents.  “No one had discussed with me my mother’s background information or my mother’s behaviour,” he said Mike had doubts about his mother’s ability to live independently and hoped to see the hospital pursue long-term care he described numerous interactions with hospital staff he found concerning highlighting a “lack of consistent communication from various representatives,” especially given he had power of attorney over his mother’s affairs he said he was only made aware of his mother’s Alzheimer’s assessment from August after he was contacted in late-September to discuss potential medications to help manage the condition He also said he had trouble getting answers to direct questions about the long-term-care referral process – such as what criteria needs to be met for the hospital to begin the process through Home and Community Care – a question he never got the answer to “I asked several times to meet with my mother's care team “I asked more than several times: what is the status of the referral to Home and Community Care? I always got pushed aside “It was just this attitude that we're handling this where Mike felt staff grew impatient with him – recalling one conversation in which a staff member was “speaking as though she was frustrated with me and telling me what was to be done with my mother.” a referral for long-term care finally took place Although the hospital initially pushed for a return-to-home approach 30 – months after his mother arrived – Mike received a call that the long-term care referral process would begin due to his mother’s condition While Mike was told spousal reunification would move his mother up the list Louise would ultimately pass away before she could be reunited with her husband but memory wise it wasn't good,” he said “She didn't realize she was in the Sault he raised frustration with the extended length of time it took for the referral process to begin and he charted numerous occasions where he had difficulties learning what was required for a referral to take place.  Sault Area Hospital officials said they cannot comment on individual patients “Due to patient privacy and confidentiality SAH is not able to comment on a specific patient’s care,” said Brandy Sharp Young director of communications and public affairs “Sault Area Hospital works hard to ensure that our patients receive the right type of bed/care at the right time with the right providers.” Young said long-term care eligibility and wait lists are managed by Ontario Health at Home “Awaiting long-term care placement from the hospital can vary in wait times and is only necessary when a patient cannot safely return home with community supports,” she said “Long-term care wait lists are based on long-term care bed availability and an individual’s selected options.” Mike said his experience was not an isolated case – he’s since heard from others who have had difficulties navigating the long-term care system through the hospital a connection through work told me of a very similar situation with extended family of hers in the Sault,” he said He’s also warned others of how the process might go “My son's roommate in university is from the Sault and I gave his daughter and son-in-law a heads up that this is what I've been dealing with,” he said.  They said thank you for giving us a heads up we would have been floored how we were about to be treated.” The Ministry of Long-Term Care did not respond to requests for comment for this article The Orillia Pickleball Club is stepping up to the baseline with its first official membership season While the club has been operating informally for several years, this marks the first time players can officially register for the season through Pickleball Canada’s online portal. With dedicated court time now secured and long-term plans for a major new facility at the Orillia Recreation Centre “We’ve been a club that pounds the pavement and finds places to play for a couple of years now,” said Vicki Reed vice president of the Orillia Pickleball Club “But it’s now official — we can finally accept memberships.” Memberships are available for all ages and include mandatory insurance fees through Pickleball Ontario and Pickleball Canada.  The season will run from May through October Members will receive a shoe tag that must be worn during scheduled club times and guests are welcome to play for a daily fee of $5 Thanks to ongoing support from the City of Orillia the club has secured exclusive access to five public courts — three at Tudhope Park and two at Homewood Park during key time slots “There will still be lots of opportunities for non-members to play,” Reed added you can play at other times or pay a small guest fee.”  The club is also working to grow the sport beyond its core group of adult players and Reed says the club hopes to host open drop-in sessions to help newcomers try the game without committing to a full membership And while this season marks a major step forward Reed says the city approved new dedicated 10- to 12-court pickleball complex at the Orillia Recreation Centre; it is awaiting grant approval before construction can begin “That’s our big goal — the rec centre,” Reed said but the city really sees how much this game is growing.” including rec centre staff and club president Frank Corker for helping secure court time and supporting the sport’s expansion in Orillia “The city has been fantastic,” she said To register for a membership on May 12, click here A school bus backed into a gas pump at a station in Barrie’s south end this morning prompting fire crews and a hazmat team to be dispatched to contain spilled fuel Barrie Fire and Emergency Service received the call from the Esso station at Bayview Drive and Mapleview Drive West A pump truck and a hazmat truck were dispatched to the scene “The emergency shutoff was shut off for the fuel supply to the pump and then we used some Absorb-All to help contain and clean up the spilled fuel,” Deputy Fire Chief Eric McFadden told BarrieToday The fire crews currently remain on the scene waiting for City of Barrie environmental services staff who will be arriving to remove the absorbent material and fuel Trevor Lee was looking forward to his new job and relocating to Orillia quit his deputy CAO's job in Guelph and put his house up for sale phone and other work items by Orillia staff he was terminated by Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac Suddenly let go before the first day at his new job as the chief administration officer of Orillia, Lee is in the midst of “confidential resolution negotiations” regarding his pending unemployment Lee, whose time as deputy CAO of corporate services in Guelph is set to end on Friday, was to take over in Orillia April 14. However, that abruptly changed when Orillia’s mayor used recently-granted strong mayor powers to call it off in favour of hiring from within “I currently do not fully understand why the decision to make a complete reversal of the onboarding process was made by the mayor,” Lee said via email “I believe that a full explanation of the basis for the decision after months of the recruitment process leading to my hiring being completed will be forthcoming.  I believe the public knows as much as I do at this point.” Lee’s hiring in Orillia was announced on March 21 — the same day he said he tendered his resignation with the City of Guelph “My spouse and I had already made plans for a relocate to the Orillia area friends and colleagues of my career move and listing our house for sale,” Lee explained “I am by nature an optimistic person and I am striving toward a fair and equitable resolution that allows both myself and my family and the hard-working administration and staff of the City of Orillia to focus on moving forward,” he continued “My family and I are grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from friends and colleagues from across the province of Ontario and Canada.” Lee said he learned of the Orillia mayor’s decision on Friday “just minutes after” he met with municipal staff there to receive a laptop phone and other items needed to perform CAO duties I am still processing my emotions,” he wrote I had every reason to believe that my onboarding had the full support of the mayor and the council members of the City of Orillia.  “I am still somewhat bewildered.” Lee said he has hired a lawyer to help with negotiations an employment lawyer with McKenzie Lake Lawyers of Guelph but offered general comments on the situation “Rescinding an employment contract once it’s been accepted is the same as a termination,” Tomaino said noting she typically handles the management side of employment law “Once there’s an offer of a job there’s acceptance and a contract has been formed if that contract is going to be terminated regardless of the context … an employer is going to have to recon with the fact that there may be damages arising from the termination," Tomaino said The extent of damages depends largely on the specifics of the contract that’s been signed On Monday, Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac formally rescinded Lee’s hiring in favour of appointing that city’s then-deputy CAO and solicitor to the role effective immediately he used strong mayor powers bestowed upon him by the province on Friday in response to a state of emergency declared there after freezing rain knocked out power to 35,000 residents Orillia city council voted 7-2 to call on the province to rescind the powers granted to McIsaac.  "This is a slap in the face for democracy .. I think it's incumbent on this council and everybody in this community to appeal to the minister who doled this power out that it is not wanted here in Orillia … and it should be revoked as soon as possible,” said Coun "It's the prerogative of the minister how he chooses to respond to that request," noted Coun "We are hopeful that he responds in our favour but we acknowledge that it's a request and we can't .. In a letter included in Orillia city council’s Monday meeting agenda package McIsaac said the city’s at a “critical point” in history "The decisions we make now will define our direction for years to come I want to advise council that Trevor Lee will no longer be assuming the position of Chief Administrative Officer I have appointed Amanpreet Singh Sidhu as the Chief Administrative Officer appointing chairs of council committees and veto certain bylaws.  According to a media release issued Monday at noon along with personnel from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO)  Highway 11 is shut down this evening following a crash in Oro-Medonte Township which occurred Sunday afternoon at around 3 p.m. the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 11 It's not known if there were any injuries and there was no timeline given for the reopening of the busy highway OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via the website daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship The health of Lake Simcoe is at serious risk from the proposed annexation of land from Oro-Medonte for industrial development by the City of Barrie along with a range of other environmental and community concerns At the Barrie Ward 1 town hall meeting Tuesday, residents heard Mayor Alex Nuttall’s justification for placing industry along Penetanguishene Road citing the proximity of a pumping station and wastewater pipes at the east end of Grove Street While I understand that economic growth is important this annexation threatens to cause lasting harm to one of our region’s most valuable natural resources and to the well-being of our community This proposed annexed land of Oro-Medonte drains directly into the Lake Simcoe watershed which is already under pressure from nutrient pollution Adding industrial operations pushed by Mayor Nuttall — especially if they involve industry or manufacturing — would mean adding phosphate discharge a key contributor to algae blooms and declining water quality Barrie’s wastewater facility is advanced and has been upgraded recently but it wasn’t designed to handle heavy unplanned industrial discharge from annexed land connecting new infrastructure and enforcing strict pre-treatment requirements will be costly to taxpayers and difficult to guarantee Let’s not forget: The Lake Simcoe Protection Plan was put in place to prevent exactly this kind of expansion smarter land use and environmental restraint — not industrial sprawl into previously rural buffer zones Barrie should focus on sustainable development within its existing footprint in particular their south-end annexed lands from Innisfil Annexation of active farmland in Oro-Medonte for industrial use is a short-sighted move that risks long-term environmental degradation and undermines the commitments we’ve made to protect Lake Simcoe A report of a vehicle parked in the middle of Highway 12 has led to an impaired charges for the driver Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers found a vehicle parked on the highway where it intersects Triple Bay Road Police secured the scene before trying to awaken the driver and then entered into an impaired driving investigation faces charges of impaired driving and having a blood-alcohol concentration over 80 in connection with the incident Do we need to update that to: April ice storms bring new habitats The local wildflowers all need a few basics to grow and reproduce: heat The air and soil temperatures need to be above plus five Celsius to promote cell division and growth anything colder than that means all production is halted until conditions improve And this definitely cool spring has had an effect on the local greenery I use a few of the early woodland species as ‘markers’ to determine their early Blue Cohosh and Bloodroot are within a group known as spring ephemerals get pollinated and then die back before any of the overhead tree leaves even open All three were ‘late’ this year showing themselves in the latter part of April when I review my records dating back to 1979 and compare to other start dates there have been a series of cool springs where late April was also the start of a cold growing season and then a cluster of data from 2003 to 2005 all indicate that this chilly start is not a new thing 2012 had all three showing blossoms in late March What is going to be interesting to watch is how these and other plants are affected by a lot more sunshine now reaching the forest floor With the ice storm stripping away a good portion of the tree canopy there will be an abundance of solar warming at the ground level.  In the fall of 2023 we removed a few old maples that were getting weak and growing a little too close to the house for comfort Their removal opened the back yard area to a significant increase in sunlight beaming down and during the summer of 2024 a whole new world grew up where once there was shade Jewelweed has always grown in abundant clusters around our farm typically on streambanks or any damp area with lots of sunlight being available the jewelweed ‘took off’ and absolutely dominated the area It grew so thick that the existing typical forest floor species were shaded out by the prolific thickness of the jewelweed plants An aspect of this that I found intriguing was that jewelweed is an annual in that it grows from a seed in the spring It spreads by way of having its seeds flung far and wide as the seed casing dries and then bursts apart where no jewelweed has grown for several years erupted in profuse growth from seeds hidden and waiting in the previously shaded forest soil The revealing of this incredible seed bank was impressive just waiting for a dollop of sunshine to kick-start them into growth?  As the severe ice damage seems to be concentrated on the outer perimeter of the forests this should now allow a lot of sunshine to reach into the once shaded woodlot What will shrink back due to this unexpected deluge of heat and sunshine This ability to adapt and survive is how southern Ontario became populated with the native plants that are known to us as ‘common’ As the Wisconsin glacier started to melt away about 12,000 years ago (it wasn’t in a hurry to go ... took about 4,000 years to really be gone) each spring brought a new set of weather events is what makes our landscape a dynamic environment and have a few ‘oddballs’ survive to become the new norm white birch has been a southern Ontario species for only a recent few thousand years slowly moving northward from the once toe of the glacier in North Carolina I annually record the dates of flower blooms and have been doing so for the past 46 years there is a notable wide variation of start dates And the question most often asked is: what evidence is there of global warming And the answer I most often give is: not sure.  Forty-six years is but a pencil point on the time line of landscape development since big ol’ Wisconsin melted away There is another saying about climate that needs to be acknowledged Just like that stock market graph that shows a long-term increase in value there are many up-then-down peaks and valleys within that big red line The collective highs and lows of weather events eventually reveals a climate shift Several woodlot owners have shared their philosophy with me about “what now” in regards to recovery from the ice storm and if nothing else it showed us that despite years of careful planning and forest management and our expectations of what makes a ‘perfect forest’ has to change to fit the new scenario will reveal how quickly and efficiently nature heals her wounds We can but tag along to discover and determine what our miniscule roles will be within that grand plan Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers are asking for the public’s help after a possible hit-and-run in Midland Sunday evening Officers responded to a call from a local resident who had found a North York man lying on the eastbound shoulder of Highway 12 between Brebeuf Road and Highway 93 at about 9:30 p.m The 64-year-old pedestrian had sustained injuries that police believe were caused by being struck by a vehicle He was transported by paramedics to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries A section of Highway 12 was closed for two hours as investigators scoured the scene for possible clues relating to the incident which they believe occurred some time after 9 p.m and may have involved a 2015-2017 Hyundai Sonata Police are asking anyone who may have dashcam video or an area resident with surveillance video to contact them at (888) 310-1122 or by email at [email protected].Those wishing to remain anonymous can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online It’s been nearly four months since the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) released its Municipalities Under Pressure report which they called the most ambitious study of homelessness ever conducted across Ontario Last week at the 2025 Ontario Small Urban Municipalities conference in Collingwood senior AMO staff provided an update to the 260 municipal attendees on the work they’ve done since the 200-page report’s release to make sure it turns into provincial action “We cannot crisis-manage our way out of this crisis,” said Alicia Neufeld “It’s clear the world has fundamentally changed since we released this paper.” The information included in the report was based on data from the province’s 47 service managers 81,515 people experienced homelessness in Ontario “We know there’s a whole bunch more than that that aren’t known,” said Neufeld “There are people who aren’t interacting with municipal services or the hidden homeless who maybe are couch surfing There are Indigenous Ontarians who don’t interact with services for a whole bunch of historical reasons.” “It’s a conservative number,” she said the study found that 25 per cent more people experienced homelessness in Ontario in 2024 than had in 2022 homelessness has increased by about 51 per cent in Ontario communities since 2016 and chronic homelessness has more than tripled 268,241 households were on Ontario’s wait-list for rent-geared-to-income (RGI) housing which is equivalent to one in 20 households in Ontario the estimated funding for housing and homelessness more than doubled increasing from $1.9 billion to $4.1 billion however municipalities are finding themselves shouldering a larger share of the overall financial burden Municipal contributions accounted for 51.5 per cent of that amount “We know that’s not sustainable Municipal property taxes cannot absorb these kind of year-over-year increases,” said Neufeld According to the report’s projections homelessness in Ontario could more than triple by 2035 leaving up to 294,266 people without stable housing The report recommends a modelling scenario to push Ontario to achieve functional zero homelessness which is estimated to cost $11 billion over 10 years The report also contemplates a scenario that would cost $2 billion which would create 5,700 new housing and support spaces to get people out of encampments quickly “No matter the economic scenario – homelessness in this province will continue to grow,” said Neufeld “We’re at a tipping point in this crisis We need to do something now before we tip off that cliff and we get to a place where it’s too hard to address.” Neufeld said AMO released its 2025 pre-budget submission in January 2025 before the provincial and federal elections and the Trump inauguration The submission called on the province to include more infrastructure funding for housing/the economy reduce the provincial reliance on municipal subsidies and fixing broken provincial systems Neufeld also said AMO has had the opportunity to brief about 50 staff of the ministry of municipal affairs and housing on the report however she also said that this was before the provincial election so AMO would continue to work on the education side with the ministry now that the new government is back in session AMO updated the submission to the province that continued the work through the new economic context AMO is calling for a stimulus investment of $3.45 billion annually over five years including $790 million per year in social housing for new capital development capital repairs to existing stock and acquisition and rehabilitation of existing buildings to protect Ontario “There’s a huge capital repair backlog,” said Neufeld “AMO is going to continue pushing this forward This issue is too important to all of our communities businesses and residents to lose sight of it.” she said AMO would soon be turning its attention to the state of health care sector with a similar study to come Deb Doherty didn’t mince words on the report and the priorities of the provincial government “Every time I think about $11 billion over 10 years to resolve the homelessness crisis...I consider that the budget for Hwy Beloved son of Donald Davis and the late Lois Davis (née McLean) Mark will be lovingly remembered by his uncles Bryan (Audrey) McLean He leaves behind his dear amigos—Rob Foster and Valinda Trivett-Cockburn—who will forever cherish the memories they shared Mark found joy in his work with Queens Pizzeria and was especially proud to have begun his career at the Honda plant in Alliston when it first opened until retirement Mark had a deep love for beaches and sunsets capturing their beauty through his passion for photography His perfect day often included watching a sunset from Wasaga Beach or Tim Horton's atop Westmount Hill with a coffee in hand His unique sense of humour will remain in our hearts forever A Celebration of Mark's Life will be held at Mundell Funeral Home with words of remembrance shared at 2:30 p.m memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Arthritis Society would be appreciated Celebrating 25 years in Orillia, multi-award winning Anti-Aging Clinic is excited to be the first in Canada to offer a first-of-its-kind medical technology for body-sculpting Pure Impact® is the latest energy-based device created by Sofwave® Medical that emulates a variety of real plyometric movements Plyometric movements are movements of explosive power providing a force that gives a full-body effect in one shot The clinic has had the device since August working with their VIP patients to experience the results for themselves before releasing it to the public Although there are other devices out there that perform similar muscle stimulation co-owner and medical aesthetician Blade Tiessen says he can’t believe what Pure Impact® achieves in only two weeks "So far our patients’ results have been incredible,” he says "Its also perfect for combatting muscle loss from GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic®.” Other older devices work muscles out individually in one direction but the fourth generation Plyopulse® technology in Pure Impact® works differently— contracting muscles anatomically in synchronization including seniors who may have limited mobility as it causes none of the strain on joints that are common with high-impact exercises Although recipients of the treatment will feel muscles contracting so watching a show or even chatting on the phone in Blade’s beautiful state-of-the-art clinic makes it an enjoyable experience A quick 30 minute session treats the full body stimulating various muscle groups for optimal performance and faster results building maximum muscle tone and fat burning in minimal time It is also about to be Health Canada-approved for use on the upper arms For patients with loose skin in the areas being treated Sofwave® can be bio-stacked for a complete non-surgical solution that can last for over a year Aside from the aesthetic results like increased muscle definition and fat reduction Blade says that older patients report Pure Impact® has helped them with incontinence which would normally require the use of multiple older devices and three times the time to treat stability and strength have also been reported after the first session Further increases were experienced with each of the 4-6 typically recommended treatments Anti-Aging Clinic was the first in the Orillia area to specialize in energy-based devices for both face and body-sculpting becoming internationally known over the years for teaching these non-invasive treatments across North America to celebrity doctors Blade has an impressive 40 years experience in the industry Blade says the results will always look natural because they’re stimulating your own body’s natural processes The clinic is also the longest provider in Orillia to offer cosmetic injections— a job that they take seriously only allowing doctors to perform them for the past 25 years In addition to their decades of experience Anti-Aging Clinic has also won numerous awards for their expertise and Best Medical Spa for Ontario for 2024 and Best Botox Clinic for Ontario for 2024 and 2025 from Corporate Vision Magazine.The clinic has also been awarded the Sofwave® Centre of Excellence for Canada in 2023 Blade was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who of the World Anti-Aging Clinic is now offering Pure Impact® to everyone with a promotion for 15% off until June For those curious about Anti-Aging Clinic's treatments Blade encourages people to reach out to the clinic and answer any questions about the advanced non-surgical aesthetic procedures they offer For more information, call 705-325-6265 or visit here SCHA proudly salutes Bayview Wildwood Resorts Ltd as the sixth in a series of long-term Simcoe County businesses to be recognized expanded and evolved into a year-round multi-function destination all under the careful guidance of six generations of the Stanton family Located on the south shore of Sparrow Lake in Severn Bridge Bayview Wildwood Resort was chosen for their contribution to the development Now well into their second century of being a vital part of Simcoe County’s heritage members of the Stanton family will share their story of challenges and changes over that significant span of years with the community and fellow historians It is the goal of SCHA to honour long-standing businesses operating in the County of Simcoe for their contribution to the development and well-being of the county and to inform residents and visitors to the area of the heritage of long-term businesses Past recipients of this prestigious award include Les Bertram & Sons Sanderson Monument and Evans de Vries Higgins LLP A volunteer organization originating in 1891 Simcoe County Historical Association is dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the history and heritage of Simcoe County prospering through membership and involvement across our widespread county The presentation takes place on Thursday, May 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at 1500 Port Stanton Pkwy., Severn Bridge, Ont., with formal congratulations at 2:15 p.m. Refreshments to follow. Kindly respond to [email protected] if you plan to attend Get some lovin’ from the oven with our brand new oven-toasted QUESO creations — made to melt your cravings and fire up your taste buds Introducing two flavour-packed additions you won’t want to miss: 🥖 QUESO & BACON CHEESESTEAKA cheesy twist on a classic 🥔 FIRED-UP TOTSNot just any side — it's a fireside Choose from:💥 Queso & Bacon💥 Loaded with diced tomatoes These oven-toasted favourites bring the heat in all the right ways — and they’re only here for a limited time Orillia🛒 Order online today or call (705) 327-7882 for catering or takeout Your account was created successfully.You will receive an email that contains a code to verify your account Please paste this code into the field below and press 'Confirm' Enter your email address below to receive a code to reset your password Since Dave and Mallory Holmes started the event almost a decade ago the number of stories shared and lives affected grows substantially more than 850 people took part in the fundraiser for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) organizers said more than 1,000 people attended The event has raised $750,000 for OSMH since its first year Jensens Joggers was the team that raised the most The top individual fundriaser was Evelyn French Bubbles were seen across the event grounds floating among the crowd as young kids chased them Many share the mixed emotions of their stories involving grief “Charlee’s Run is much more than a fundraiser the funds from the event will support the purchase of new bedside bassinets Jacobi Clarke started helping with Charlee’s Run this year and says what stood out to her were the emotional aspects You can grieve as a community,” she says of the mixed emotions she has felt since being involved She described it as taboo, wanting to hide it and feeling shame she ran in Charlee’s Run for the first time filled with sorrow, illustrates what it means to find a village She lost three more infants since then and says creating the Addy’s Army of Strength team for Charlee’s Run provided her with community “The biggest thing for me is breaking the silence because it’s so important to talk about it so people going through it know that they’re not alone,” she says it took a lot of strength to be open about their experiences Her advice is for people to reach out and find support Don’t be afraid. There’s nothing to be guilty about,” she says Courtnee Martinez Rodriguez and her daughter Chloe have participated in the run the past three years Chloe was at Charlie’s Run with her mom the nurses that were in the NICU are here as well. We get to reunite with them and other families we’ve met along the way It’s really meaningful and supportive to know that you’re not the only one who has gone through something so tragic,” says Martinez Rodriguez He spoke of the family business and the values they share to support other families more than 50 volunteers helped set up for the event many Ontario Provincial Police recruits worked bright and early Saturday on preparations volunteers and participants make it a day of breaking the silence of infant loss The Holmes family travelled five hours to take part in the fundraiser “Events like this could not happen without the core volunteer group that we have Volunteers that have been with us since the beginning volunteers who have joined us who used to be participants when they were just barely walking have now asked to be a part of this event,” says Dave Holmes We are not alone because we have each other We have this village — the Charlee’s Run village — so for that I am happy to hear that Laclie Street will be getting bike lanes But I’m worried that if they’re not built correctly they will do more damage than good to the cause of cycling in Orillia I spend a lot of time walking and riding my bike in the city It’s one of the things I love about Orillia Our trail system along Lake Couchiching and out into the townships is among the greatest public assets we have It instantly improves the lifestyle of anyone who chooses to use it Riding my bike turns a humdrum errand into a connected series of pleasant moments It often means I will talk to my neighbours Sometimes I stop and catch up with friends I haven’t seen for a while.   not likely to feature in calculations of the Gross Domestic Product but they are available to everyone and they have a powerful impact on my sense of well-being it gives me an alternative to the dreariness of isolating traffic It sews me into the community in a physical way I get exercise without signing up for programs or paying membership fees I don’t need any special clothes unless I plan to take cycling from a mode of transportation to the level of sport My bike has been a constant source of happiness since my father took my training wheels off and set me free on my blue and silver banana seat more than 55 years ago But most of this pleasantness takes place on our trails Hitting a main street can feel like putting on a seal suit and trying your luck in a tank of underfed white sharks the city has envisioned a connected system of bike lanes on its roads as well the plan could significantly up the city’s game when it comes to quality of life Quiet residential streets don’t really need bike lanes at all in my experience In the downtown portion of Mississaga Street I actually feel quite safe because the traffic is generally moving cautiously and drivers are usually alert to the bustle of pedestrians But without barriers that protect cyclists from being hit on the main thoroughfares bike lanes are nothing more than extra wide shoulders You rarely see a cyclist on them because riding alongside the traffic often doing upwards of 60 kmh with no barriers feels a bit suicidal there is a slight bend where the bike lane paint is routinely worn off by drivers cutting the corner. On rare occasions but I wouldn’t dream of cycling with a child on it More often they attract derision both from the people who try to use them and those who are opposed to them in the first place When you use tax dollars to add a feature that nobody uses or design it so that it creates new problems it’s natural that the feature will lose public support Risking lightning bolts from Queen’s Park which has declared war on cycling lanes in Toronto, Orillia City Council, earlier this week, bravely voted for an option to redevelop Laclie Street with bike lanes The option they chose includes “buffers” but the plans posted on the city website do not indicate whether those buffers will be solid or more liminal Buffer design will make or break the Laclie Street bike lanes They may be simple strips of grass with curbs that separate cars from bikes similar to the excellent new design on Centennial Drive at the waterfront These have the benefit of providing a place to put snow in the winter and they break up the hardened surfaces of roadways for better storm water management and heat mitigation Higher and more solid barriers may also be appropriate in some areas But with the exception of places where connections must be made to other roads space and painted lines alone will not provide what’s needed two-way bike lane on one side of the road rather than lanes on either side That would cut the cost of buffers in half making streets more friendly to people creates vibrancy and the result is a community less prone to crime Some of the worst pavement deserts can be found along our main thoroughfares in and out of town and Orillia can reach its full potential as one of the top communities in Canada Mark Bisset spent the past 14 years of his working life as the executive director of the Couchiching Conservancy before retiring in 2024 he worked in every news department at the Orillia Packet & Times Mark was the managing editor when he stepped down in 2009 He’s a lifelong sailor and gardener who has chosen Orillia as his beloved home for the past 38 years your must-see briefing from Village Media’s team of journalists at the Ontario Legislature.  Every Sunday morning, Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our staffers at The Trillium to talk about the week that was at Queen's Park — and the week ahead On the show today is reporter Jack Hauen, who tries to do justice to Premier Doug Ford's now-viral "rant" against "terrible terrible bleeding-heart judges." (If you missed it SEE: Doug Ford's judges 'rant' again sparks fears over judicial independence Hauen also breaks downs the Ford government's “tough-on-crime” proposals aimed at protecting families supporting human trafficking victims and bolstering Ontario's court system One more thing: Budget Day has been set for May 15 COLUMN: Retired judge objects to premier's 'rant' on judiciary Looking for back episodes of Trillium Talk? You can find those HERE Passionate and plugged in, The Trillium delivers the major political headlines of the day while unpacking complex policy changes and digging deeper into key issues that impact every Ontarian Our dogged journalists also keep a close watch on legislative debates lobbying activity and regulatory proposals The Trillium is a subscription-based news service designed especially for Queen’s Park stakeholders But the site also features free content that is regularly published across our chain of local news sites John was raised in the Netherlands where he began his electrical career.  He came to Canada at age 17 and joined his sister Stella in Brandon Manitoba.  After a year he moved to Toronto he met his first wife Jeannette with whom he had two kids Cynthia and John.  He started Applewood Fish and Chips in Mississauga and then worked as an electrician.  He moved to London Ontario to start his own electrical business British Columbia and built their home.  Circumstances forced him to move back to Ontario for work in 1985 where he started his next electrical business.  He witnessed the marriage of his daughter and the graduation of his son before meeting his now wife Ontario in 1997 and opened the Red Caboose Mini Golf John continued doing electrical work under the name of Jan The Electric Man He worked until the ripe age of 79 when he retired to Birchmere Retirement Home Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 7 at 3:00 pm at Mundell Funeral Home, 79 West Street North, Orillia, Ontario. Messages of condolences are welcomed at mundellfuneralhome.com OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via the website Regarding the recent ice storm.   I am unable to have a generator for power outages that are very frequently occurring in Ontario as I have lived in a motel for over the past decade due to lack of housing in Ontario for low income people.  the recent ice storm I managed to survive with no heat and no power for several days; I did my best to try and just survive. Fortunately I managed to survive through the ice storm as I have suffered through numerous power outages. Storms are getting worse and worse with power outages This has made me even more worried than I was previously about future power outages and emergencies that will occur and how I would survive through them.  I have written to the Town of Gravenhurst mayor and council and to the District of Muskoka council several times over the past years regarding my concerns related to power outages and also evacuation if one were ever ordered as I have no car to evacuate in and all the information I read relates to having a car and putting items in your car for emergencies.  I have also expressed these concerns to the federal government; however I have not ever received any response from any level of government regarding these concerns.  I cannot get to a warming centre with no car and also during the last ice storm the Ontario Provincial Police said to stay home as there was ice falling off trees and hydro lines so it was not safe to be out. However it seems I am on my own as far as any future emergencies and power outages as I have been over the past many years.  If an evacuation were ever ordered I would just shelter in place as I have no car to evacuate in and it seems there are no plans in place by any level of governments for evacuations for people who have no car. Sheltering in place if an evacuation is ordered is the only option I have and having some food and water to try and hopefully survive.  In some distant future it is my sincere hope that things finally change for the better and improve in Ontario and Canada.   1150sqft home with large backyard patio and workshop.Brand new furnace large family room plus dining room and living room.705-796-7777 to make arrangements to view Beautiful bungalow townhome backing on to Millenium trail is the RIGHT MOVE for those seeking a quiet community of mostly downsizers and retirees The "Muskoka" model was a popular model for its covered front porch A large linen closet just outside the main floor laundry a walk-in closet and 3 pc en-suite at the rear of the home while the guest (2nd) bedroom and 4pc bath is at the front which is great for guests TAYLORED FEATURES of this home include the rear yard and deck facing the trees for a beautiful backdrop from the patio door in the living room Walk from your back yard with only steps to the Millenium trail Paved driveway and nearby visitor parking This is a fantastic community with amazing residents A traffic stop for speeding Friday in Midland has resulted in impaired charges for a Port Severn man an officer pulled a driver over on Highway 12 near Franke Kindred Road after he was clocked going more than 40 km/h over the 60 km/h limit Southern Georgian Bay OPP said in a news release The officer then began an impaired driving investigation was charged with operation while impaired (alcohol and drugs) operation while impaired (blood-alcohol concentration 80-plus) and stunt driving For a full list of waste facility locations and hours, please click here Compost is a soil amendment used in gardens to add nutrients, or as top dressing for lawns to help retain moisture, and is produced in house using leaf and yard waste material generated throughout the County of Simcoe. Learn more about how the county uses your leaf and yard waste to make compost and residents should bring their shovels to load bins Cost is $5 per carload or $20 per truck or trailer load Mulch is also available free of charge while quantities last at county waste facilities and as top dressing for flower and vegetable gardens Daughter of the late Dorothy and Garland Schust At Diane's request there will be no visitation or funeral. If desired, memorial donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association would be appreciated by the family. Messages of condolence are welcomed at www.mundellfuneralhome.com Located in a desirable north ward residential area this condo townhouse is move-in ready and available for a quick close The home is located close to both Public and Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools Enter your email address below to receive a code to reset your password.