MUSKOKA — The province may be buying its way out of a sticky situation with the controversial Bala Falls hydro project. After Premier Doug Ford promised to stop the project, on Wednesday his Progressive Conservative government announced it will spend $5 million on a new “Watershed Conservation and Management Initiative” to “better identify risks and […]
MUSKOKA LAKES TOWNSHIP — Blue-green algae is doubling down. After first being suspected in Three Mile Lake again this summer, it is now in part of Lake Rosseau. Friday, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) learned from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) that laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of a […]
GRAVENHURST — Confusion caused by Premier Doug Ford surrounding the local municipal elections can hopefully be cleared up Friday afternoon in Gravenhurst. It’s especially important as there are a few changes this year, compared to 2014, including online voting. Everything You Need to Know About Voting in the Upcoming Election The town is hosting an election […]
DEAR EDITOR: Muskoka residents have fought long and hard to stop the construction of the highly contentious Bala Falls hydroelectric plant. They found an important ally in Ontario Premier Doug Ford but fear soon it may be too late if the premier and government don’t act quickly. On Feb. 27, 2018, then-candidate Doug Ford addressed […]
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com HUNTSVILLE — The hospital ball is now in Doug Ford’s court. As expected recently, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s (MAHC) board has endorsed a recommendation by its task force calling for a two acute sites service delivery model. Premier Ford said during the provincial election he supported the two full-service model. And MPP […]
HUNTSVILE — Muskoka’s hospital towns are welcoming a recommendation that they continue as is to be the two full-service sites of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC). Wednesday afternoon, a MAHC task force surprised some by endorsing the communities’ call for the status quo to remain in place going ahead. Some expected the group to call for […]
QUEEN’S PARK — While Premier Doug Ford was promoting “Buck-a-beer” Tuesday, Jeff Yurek, his minister responsible for fighting forest fires in Northeastern Ontario was urging tourists to spend “some extra money” when visiting near the Parry Sound 33 forest fire. Local MPP Norm Miller and Yurek have been on the bandwagon since last Friday telling […]
MUSKOKA LAKES TOWNSHIP — Residents around Three Mile Lake are being cautioned about a potential blue-green algae bloom by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. The bloom has not been confirmed by testing, says a release late Wednesday night. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks will be collecting water samples this week to […]
HUNSTVILLE — The hospitals group studying its own future will make it recommendation on ultimately one or two sites Aug. 8. In the latest release Wednesday night from the Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare’s Capital Plan Development Task Force, they gave an update on their latest deliberations on July 16 and 30. They said the task force […]
PARRY SOUND — With some progress made over the weekend, firefighters around Parry Sound woke up and returned to the burn battle lines Tuesday morning facing 41 active forest fires across the northeast. Of these, 15 are not yet under control, 26 are either being held, under control or being observed. There were four new […]
PARRY SOUND — With four new fires Monday and the winds from Parry Sound 33 blowing smoke that could be smelled across Muskoka, MP Tony Clement, toured the region affected by wild fires yesterday. The Parry Souned-Muskoka MP met with first responders and community leaders who are on the front lines of battling the massive […]
BRITT — Hours after burning voters in Toronto and Muskoka with electoral changes, Premier Doug Ford was in Britt Friday afternoon offering to help MNRF staff put out fires affecting Northeastern Ontario. He was joined by Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller and by Jeff Yurek, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Parry Sound 33 is […]
BRACEBRIDGE — Residents and taxpayers hoping to elect their first District of Muskoka chair may be out of luck. Premier Doug Ford stunned Ontarians Friday, July 27, when he said intends to introduce provincial legislation that would, if passed, amend both the Municipal Act and the Municipal Elections Act to reverse changes, introduced in 2016, […]
MUSKOKA — Muskoka has PRIDE. Gravenhurst …, Bracebridge …, Huntsville …., Georgian Bay …, Lake of Bays …, Muskoka Lakes …, and Wahta …. They all have pride in their LBGTQ+ communities. From the Muskoka Tourism centre south of Gravenhurst, and north, east and west at seven town halls across the district (except at the […]
BRACEBRIDGE – As part of its new strategic vision to enhance its member experience, the Bracebridge and Port Sydney/Utterson & Area Chamber of Commerce is re-launching its business networking events and Fowler Construction will host the first on Tuesday, July 31 from 7:30-9:30 a.m. “We’ve been listening and gathering feedback from the business community to […]
GRAVENHURST — A suppertime downpour Tuesday that drenched the town here had vehicles up to their hoods in puddles. Social media posts by Cyndi Culbert show cars and trucks driving through small lakes. One particularly bad hit area was the dip in the parking lot in front of the McDonald’s Restaurant. Drive-thru customers had to […]
PORT CARLING/MACTIER — You never know who you’ll run into in Muskoka in the summer. Last Thursday (July 19) at Turtle Jack’s Lake Muskoka retaurant in Port Carling, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posed for selfies with several people. Among them Tony (The Beer) King and John Duck; and Tamsen Tillson and their families. Saturday, at […]
GRAVENHURST – A health unit advisory for Gull Lake Rotary Park in Gravenhurst has been lifted. Just in time for more 30+ hot weather in the week ahead. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit had issued a warning earlier this week (on Tuesday July 17) after taking water samples on Monday (July 16). Elevated bacteria […]
HUNTSVILLE — Some say it’s a one done deal, while others are more hopeful two hospitals can survive past 2030. But the answer to one of two hospitals is a step closer. Following a year’s study, Muskoka Algonquin Hospital’s Capital Plan Development Task Force will make known it recommendation for a preferred service delivery model for the year […]
GRAVENHURST — Taxpayers here won’t have a sense of what it will cost them in 2019 to operate the town for almost another year. A lame duck council has voted to put off budget deliberations until next April. The deadline to run for mayor and council is Friday July 27 at 2 p.m. Each year, […]