Simcoe Advocate - February 26, 2026

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Repeated, lengthy power outages a concern for Delhi LUKE EDWARDS Grant Haven Media

Norfolk councillors have asked staff to review the municipality’s emergency plan in an effort to provide people more support when lengthy power outages occur.

The request came after a delegation from resident Christopher Gill, who shared his frustrations with ongoing power outages in Delhi, some of which have lasted as long as four days for some residents. With the outages happening in the midst of an especially cold winter, the need for solutions has only become more evident, Gill said.

“We simply can’t have power outages for three or four days, do nothing about it and expect the community to fend for themselves,” he said.

Gill, who worked in the hydro industry, said Delhi faces a unique circumstance in that there’s only a single feed that provides electricity to the community.

“When that single feed goes down, we have no redundancy,” he said.

He suggested a warming centre for Delhi, though staff said there are various requirements and regulations municipalities must follow when it comes to warming centres.

Gill also called for more advocacy from local politicians to convince Hydro One to make the necessary infrastructure improvements to reduce outages.

Mayor Amy Martin offered her support, and said both she and Michael Columbus, Ward 3 councillor CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTO)

Donna and John Lotus cheer for the Canadians Saturday at the Simcoe Curling Club after the men’s curling team won Olympic gold.

Curling ‘rocks’ when you win gold CHRIS ABBOTT Editor

How great was it?

Supporters at the Simcoe Curling Club enthusiastically cheered when the Canadian men’s curling team defeated Great Britain 9-6 to win Sat-

urday’s gold medal game at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

“It was a nailbiter,” said Donna Lotus during the Simcoe Curling Club’s Feb. 21st open house. “And curling against Bruce Mouat from Great Britain… he’s so good.”

“(Mouat’s) ranked No. 1 in the world,” said her husband John Lotus, a member of two provincial championship teams at the Simcoe Curling Club (1982 & 1987). “Of course, that might change.”

The Canadian team, skipped by Brad Jacobs, scored three in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

Parcels of love for Simcoe troops standing guard against Russia J.P. ANTONACCI Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Of the thirty-odd treats found inside care packages shipped to soldiers from Simcoe stationed in Latvia, one item may turn some heads.

It’s not every day a freeze-dried apple doughnut shows up on a military base in the Baltics.

The young Canucks helping safeguard NATO’s eastern flank against Russian incursion may also have to explain what a “chip nut” is and what goes into a double-double.

The chocolates, chips and other tastes of home — plus local newspapers and playing cards to pass the time — are certainly enjoyed by members of the 56th Field Artillery Regiment, a reserve unit headquartered in Brantford with batteries in Simcoe and St. Catharines.

But it’s the artwork and handwritten notes of support from residents, schoolchildren and army cadets that tend to move soldiers the most.

“It’s not so much what’s in the parcels. It’s that somebody remembers them and thinks about them,” said Kim Jenereaux, secretary of the 69th Field Battery Association in Simcoe.

Jenereaux was at the Simcoe Legion on Tuesday wrapping parcels expected to reach Latvia by ship in midMarch.

Most of the goodies packed inside each shoebox are donated by local businesses.

Cash contributions from the Who Did It Club, Norfolk Shrine Club and the Simcoe branch of the Army Navy Airforce Club allow the association to include $50 gift cards for the 13 reservists — four from Simcoe — currently stationed in Latvia with “Operation Reassurance,” which Canada launched in 2014 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Canadian-led multinational artillery brigade “contributes to NATO deterrence and defence measures in Cen-

(J.P. ANTONACCI PHOTO)

Care package parcels are assembled and shipped by Kim Jenereaux, second from right, from the 69th Field Battery Association in Simcoe and Kim Jones, far right, from the Southwestern Military Family Resource Centre. Financial support was provided by the Norfolk Shrine Club and the Who Did It Club, represented by Chris Davis, far left, and the Army Navy Air Force Unit 255 Simcoe, represented by Willy Koncir, second from left, and Bruce Wilson, third from left. John Charleau, third from right, is president of the 69th Field Battery Association.

tral and Eastern Europe,” according to Canada’s Department of National Defence.

A 24-year-old Hamilton soldier, Sebastian Halmagean, died in Latvia on Jan. 29 while on his first overseas deployment with the NATO force. His death is still under investigation by Canadian military authorities and Latvian

police.

The care packages from Simcoe are timed to get to Latvia about halfway into what for most troops is a sixmonth deployment preceded by four months of training, explained Kim Jones from the Southwestern Ontario FamCONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Simcoe Advocate

Flipping pancakes on Family Day BRENDA MOSER Advocate Contributor

It may have seemed like chaos – be it all organized – but the Waterford Lions members had everything under control.

On Feb. 16, Family Day to be exact, the Waterford Lions Club once again sponsored a free community breakfast and the turnout was overwhelming!

Four years ago, the local club sponsored and held its first Family Breakfast at Waterford United Church. For the first two years it was held at the Main Street site until they decided to bring the community event to their Church Street facility. That move proved to be successful and the community support has grown in leaps and bounds.

When advertised, the start time was to be 9 a.m. but first-vice Tom Crowhurst said, “They started coming at 8:30 so we started serving early. It’s been non-stop ever since.”

All stations were manned by Lions members and they were all kept quite busy… from flipping pancakes to cooking sausage, eggs, serving up the food, brewing coffee, pouring OJ, cleaning up, dishes and just helping out wherever needed. Everyone played a part in the event and they all chipped in!

No one had the time to just stand around - the Lions went about their tasks with smiles on their faces. More coffee? No problem, they were on top of it. More pancakes? They kept them flipping and kept

them coming.

“This is one of our busiest breakfasts yet with about 250 to 300 people out. We love our community and we love to see them come out,” said Crowhurst.

Lions serve… and serve they did!

As I chatted with Crowhurst, he explained that male and females alike can become a Waterford Lions member. They are always looking for people who want to give back to their community and have some time to offer their support in any and all ways.

They are always open to new ideas.

“There’s no more segregation… we all serve the same cause and all women are welcome to join. We all have a common love for our community. Four years ago we had about 25 to 30 members and now we have almost 70. Everyone digs in to help out when and where they’re needed.”

Crowhurst had nothing but praise for club members.

“Thank you to all of the Lions who helped make the morning such a success,” said Crowhurst who summed it up best when he stated, “We truly live in the best community! Thank you showing your support.”

The Lions could not have held such a successful breakfast without local supporters and donors. Crowhurst expressed thanks to Arnold’s Eggs, Markhoeve Dairy, Foodland, Giles Meats, Kerry’s St. James Street Restaurant and Tracy Winkworth.

Their generous donations were greatly appreciated.

February 26, 2026

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(BRENDA MOSER PHOTO)

Tending the juice bar at the free Waterford Lions Family Day community breakfast are from left Peter Thompson, Todd Matthews, Scott Matthews and Leigh Boerkamp.

The Waterford Lions also sponsored a free Family Day Skate at the local arena - a one-hour open skate session, followed by a one-hour Family Sticks and Puck Session.

All ages were welcome and the response was great. Thank You Waterford Lions!

While Waterford may lack some of the perks that larger towns or cities might offer there is much to be said about living in a smaller close-knit community. Thanks again Waterford Lions for a Family Day to remember. Your hard work is most definitely appreciated!

Municipality’s emergency plan to be reviewed CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

for the Delhi area, have been advocating for improvements.

Later in the meeting a piece of correspondence between a Hydro One

official and Columbus was shared. The message mentioned a recent site inspection, plans to perform some forestry maintenance and equipment repairs. It also said Hydro One is initiating a

“future feeder project to further support system reliability for the community.” That project was moved up a year and is now expected to be completed by 2028, the correspondence said.

(BRENDA MOSER PHOTO) (BRENDA MOSER PHOTO)

Waterford Lion Alex pancakes.

Nutbrown,

flipping

Serving food at the Waterford Lions Family Day community breakfast are from left Krista Boerkamp, Josephine Skoblenick and Ann Tchegus.

Bobbi Ann Brady MPP, HALDIMAND-NORFOLK 519-428-0446 | 905-765-8413 babrady-co@ola.org

bobbiannbrady.com

February 26, 2026

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Simcoe Advocate

EDITORIAL

It’s time to reimagine education in Ontario Haldimand-Norfolk

MPP

Bobbi Ann Brady Education is the bedrock upon which our children build their futures and discover their potential. Yet today, the barriers within our schools are growing faster than our solutions.

As a member of the Government’s Finance and Economic Affairs Committee, I recently wrapped up pre-budget consultations across the province. What I heard was a consistent, desperate plea for help: Ontario’s classrooms are in a state of growing chaos, and our current model is failing.

The reality is that classroom complexity has far outpaced our support systems. We have a wide range of learning needs, but the staffing levels for Educational Assistants, special education teachers, and therapists have not kept pace. Many of these highly trained professionals are leaving the sector entirely due to burnout, leaving those who remain stretched to the breaking point.

To illustrate the severity, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association shared that a single Occupational Therapist (OT) in the Ottawa region can be responsible for 46 different schools. Unless a student has a critical physical need, such as requiring a wheelchair lift, their chances of receiving support are virtually non-existent.

This crisis affects every child, not just those with special needs. Here are the issues: teachers are forced to pivot from education to crisis management which reduces instructional time; students without identified needs face Restoring small-town journalism, one community at a time!

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limited academic and social progress due to frequent disruptions resulting in stalled growth; and escalating violence in traditional classrooms is creating an environment that is neither calm nor conducive to learning.

In fairness, I have heard from families who have children requiring additional supports and they see firsthand the system is broken. I also hear from families frustrated that classrooms are continually disrupted and at times in “lockdown.”

Einstein’s definition of insanity is doing the same thing over-and-over while expecting a different result. It is time to think "outside the box" and reimagine a system that works for all. During our consultations, I proposed exploring the consolidation of specialized supports into designated classrooms or schools.

By focusing our limited resources in specific hubs rather than thinning them out across vast regions, we can ensure students with distinct needs actually receive the services they are promised. This is not about exclusion; it is about providing an environment where every student - both those requiring specialized care and those in general education can thrive in a safe, responsive setting.

On top of this, Ontario must do a deep dive into rethinking Ontario’s education funding formula. The current model - largely based on per-pupil enrollment - fails to account for the skyrocketing "classroom complexity" of the post-pandemic era. We are attempting to solve 2026 challenges with a 1990s framework. A modernized funding strategy must shift its focus from mere "equity of input" to "equality of outcome.”

Success looks different for every child. My role is to advocate for a system that prioritizes the equality of success - giving every student exactly what they need to reach their potential, even if that means moving away from the status quo. Some argue that money alone is the answer, but I believe we need a fundamental structural shift.

Please share your feedback on this proposal. To build a better future for Ontario, we must be brave enough to reimagine the way we teach. *** A few weeks ago, I discussed the deep interconnectedness of contraband tobacco, illicit drugs, weapons, and human trafficking.

In our society, systems are inextricably linked; relieving pressure in one area often triggers a positive chain reaction.

It is with this in mind that I am advocating for increased investments in developmental services in the upcoming provincial budget. By doing so, we can proactively reduce the mounting pressure on Ontario’s healthcare, long-term care, and shelter systems.

As many of you know, I serve on the government’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

Recently, we began drafting the report for Budget 2026.

As I review my notes from our recent hearings, one submission sits at the top of the pile: Community Living Ontario’s compelling brief, 'Catch Them Before They Fall.'

There are more than 250,000 children, youth and adults who have a developmental disability in Ontario all of whom are connected to hundreds of thousands of family members. These family members are an irreplaceable part of the province’s health and social care infrastructure. But when those with developmental disabilities or their family members need help, they rely upon service organizations.

People’s needs have become more complex; family resiliency is fraying and funding for the developmental services sector is inadequate to the challenges being faced across the province. Right now, more than 53,000 people are waiting to access developmental services in Ontario.

Not only is this creating unsustainable pressures on families, but also on the broader health and social care system

as far too many people with developmental disabilities are stranded in our hospitals, long-term care homes or in shelters.

Of the 53,000 on the waitlist, 28,000 are waiting to access housing or housing-related support. As a result of the lack of appropriate housing and support, 2,500 people with developmental disabilities are in long-term care facilities.

People with developmental disabilities are 6.5 times more likely than average of becoming an ‘alternative level of care’ (ALC) patient while in the hospital. ALC hospital stays cost on average $770 per day compared to $347 per day in supportive housing.

There are also far too many aging parents who are supporting adult dependents without systemic support. In fact, I recently received a phone call from a gentleman from another riding who had seen my rise in the Ontario Legislature to shed light on some of the province’s most vulnerable. This man, whose health is failing him, is terrified what will happen to his adult son when he is no longer alive. I had no good answer for him as this father broke down in tears. This should not be in our province.

This is why I support Community Living Ontario’s two key asks for Budget 2026. The first is to increase annualized developmental services base funding by three per cent for the 2026-27 fiscal year, and by two per cent in each of the subsequent five years. The second commitment would be to provide full Passport program funding allocations to all eligible people over the next five years.

A key driver to all that ails developmental services is the fact that base and wage-specific funding for agencies has been drastically outpaced by inflation. Agencies are struggling to keep the lights on and have had to cut programs that families view as lifelines. At the core of the developmental services sector is a group of values-driven organizations that have continued to operate despite being starved of resources.

Budget 2026 must look beyond short-term costs and recognize the long-term benefits of supporting Ontario’s most vulnerable, their families, and those who carry out this compassionate work in our communities with dedication and care.

A cure for cabin fever

(JEFF HELSDON PHOTO)

Outdoor enthusiasts flocked to the Long Point Fish and Game Club’s annual Fishing and Hunting Show/Yard Sale at the Port Rowan Community Centre. A wide variety of vendors had hunting and fishing merchandise for sale.

Simcoe Advocate

Lucas Wilson - illusionist and altruist

February 26, 2026

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LEAH BAUER Advocate Contributor

If you live in Norfolk County then chances are you have seen one of Lucas Wilson’s shows, or have heard about his many accomplishments. Wilson’s passion for magic, and the local community is truly admirable.

“I think most people go through a bit of a magic phase… and then they grow out of it,” said Wilson. “I have yet to grow out of my magic phase. My parents are still waiting for me to grow out of it, but it has stuck around and I’ve gotten to do some pretty incredible things because of it.”

Wilson was born and raised in Norfolk County, and went to high school at Holy Trinity. In this time, he began finding ways to use his talents as an illusionist to raise money, and give back.

“In high school I started doing these fundraiser shows for the drama department, because at that point in time, the drama department and the arts were not getting the funding that they deserved.”

This show continued for 11 years and Wilson helped to fund LED lights, smoke machines and other resources to “elevate the experience for students in the drama department.”

Upon graduation from Holy Trinity, it was clear that his passion for magic wasn’t going anywhere, but Wilson still had some decisions to make regarding his future.

“I thought to myself, I want to become a professional magician, but I should also probably be slightly realistic about what's going on. So I went to school in Oakville at Sheridan College for Theatre Technical Production and Live Event Coordination. I did two years there and I graduated and I came back to Norfolk County.

“That was the moment, that was kind of the crossroads.

It's like, do I go and get a job at the theatre, or do I go down this scary path and do magic instead? And I chose the scary path, and I went and I did magic.”

As is the case with many great artists, his career did not begin with instant success.

“I chose magic, but, you know, that also leads to the situation of ‘how am I gonna get gigs? How are people going to know about my shows?’ I emailed and I called people, and people just were not booking my shows.”

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Lucas Wilson is a name many know in Norfolk County for his illusions, magic shows and accomplishments. Yet, we may not be fully aware of his (potentially even more impressive) outreach and charity within the community. Wilson will be performing March 16 at Lighthouse Festival theatre to benefit the Tumaini Children's Foundation.

Wilson did not give up, instead he found inspiration from one of magic’s icons, Houdini, who was famous for hanging upside down in a straightjacket. It was a stunt most people would be too terrified to attempt, but Wilson clearly isn't like most people.

Wilson’s first thought was, ‘How long can I hang upside down in a straightjacket before I pass out?’ which quickly turned into ‘How long does it need to take?’ and then evolved into ‘Is there a Guinness World Record for this?’

Wilson has broken four Guinness World Records including fastest escape from a straitjacket in suspension and chains, the fastest escape from a straitjacket underwater,

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the fastest escape from a straitjacket in suspension (no chains), and most straitjacket escapes in one hour.

Wilson spoke about his experience achieving the world record for the fastest escape from a straitjacket underwater as being one of the “most exciting and most terrifying experiences of his life.”

“This is something that Houdini said he would never do because he thought it was too dangerous.”

One of the most impressive things about Wilson’s career isn’t necessarily the records, or the TV appearances, or the success. It is how willing and eager he is to use his talents to give back to those in need. At a time in his career when Wilson was doing 200 shows a year, he still made time to go to McMaster Children’s Hospital to perform for the patients.

Performing for the children receiving treatment at the children’s hospital was something that touched Wilson very deeply.

“To be able to go into the hospital and change your patient's day and have parents come up to you and say, ‘that's the first time I've heard my son laugh in the last two weeks,’ there's no amount of money that can give you that feeling.

“So it just became natural to do that. We started doing more shows and started giving the patients their own magic kit as well, so that they could then go back to their room and learn some magic tricks. And I'm sure to annoy the heck out of all the doctors and the nurses there.”

As a member of the Simcoe Christmas Panorama board, Wilson has used some skills he acquired through his theatre background for the beloved local Christmas displays.

While studying at Sheridan College, Wilson gained immense skills in prop design, which he uses to refurbish Panorama displays in his limited free time.

Through his work at the Panorama, he became involved with Tumaini Children’s Foundation (Tumaini means ‘hope’ in Swahili). It led to what he describes as “one of the coolest moments of his magic career” when he performed on Zoom for the children at Tumaini in Tanzania.

MARCH BREAK SHOW Wilson has joined with the volunteers at Tumaini to host a March Break Magic show every year to benefit the Tumaini Children's Foundation. This year's show at Lighthouse Festival theatre in Port Dover is March 16th at 2 p.m., with ticket prices ranging from $20-$40. You can find tickets online at lighthousefestivaltheatre.com.

February 26, 2026

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Simcoe Advocate

Farmer questions loss of agricultural land figures LUKE EDWARDS Grant Haven Media

Are the rumours of the loss of farmland in Norfolk greatly exaggerated? A local farmer thinks so.

Presenting research he undertook over the course of several months, Frank Schonberger told Norfolk councillors at the Feb. 10 council-in-committee meeting that the perceived loss of farmland is actually the result of classification changes and an evolving nature of owner/rental relationships for active farmers. He’s using his research to suggest provincial legislation proposed in part by Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady that would ultimately create a Foodbelt Protection Plan is unnecessary.

In fact, Schonberger argues the legislation could cause more harm than good for farmers, but adding bureaucracy and red tape for farmers.

“A food belt designation will not solve any of the problems facing agriculture and may cause harm to rural communities that must continue to adapt to the challenges that have arisen from a more mechanized and globally focused agriculture sector,”

Schonberger said.

“A measured amount of growth in rural Ontario is paramount for our communities to remain viable” Schonberger argues development is not presenting a major threat to farmland loss in rural Ontario, and the statistic that Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland a day to urban development is a “false narrative.”

That narrative, he said, is the result of changes between the 2016 and 2020 StatsCan Census of Agriculture and how it relates to other data.

“There is no argument that some farmland is lost to development. However, what they’re presenting is a false narrative.

There is a significant difference in reported farmland area between StatsCan and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation data, which shows an increase in taxable farmland,” he said.

In Norfolk, Schonberger said much of the previously used farmland has been gobbled up by conservancy groups like the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and the Long Point Basin Land Trust.

“On average, 200 to 300 acres per year is being permanently set aside for conservation in Norfolk. Much of this land is re-

moved from the Stats Can Census on Agriculture,” he said.

Other factors his research found is the changing relationship between farmers and their farmland. There are several cases where farmland is owned by non-farmers - investors buy property or farmers retire but stay living on their land - who lease the fields back to farmers. In those cases, only the land used for crop production is included in the census, Schonberger said.

Schonberger said cannabis production was also left out of the 2021 Census on Agriculture.

“It is extremely important to note that acreage for the production of all crops have increased in Ontario and across Canada, according to StatsCan,” he said.

Schonberger’s deputation to Norfolk County was his first public presentation of his research. Responding to a question from Coun. Michael Columbus, Schonberger encouraged councillors, if they found the research persuasive, to pass it on to other municipalities and provincial organizations like the Rural Ontario Municipal Association. He’s also recently sent letters regarding his research to Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Agriculture Trev-

or Jones and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack.

Mayor Amy Martin took interest in a portion of Schonberger’s presentation where he discussed tax breaks property owners can receive for various conservation efforts. He said NCC land is property tax exempt, and smaller property owners can also apply for a managed woodlot tax credit to reduce their taxes.

“So we’re not collecting property tax on it, which is a higher burden for residential property tax owners and we’re also not growing food on that land, but it’s still zoned agriculture,” she said.

Martin put forward a motion that was supported by her council colleagues that called for a staff report on the issue.

“Looking for a comprehensive document that’s going to outline the status of agricultural lands across Norfolk County that can touch on the loss vs. the gain of lands, it can touch on the tax ratio collection of those lands, and if staff have any comments on a food belt designation and what those impacts would be on Norfolk County in the future,” she said.

Consultant outlines Norfolk’s industrial needs LUKE EDWARDS Grant Haven Media

Can Norfolk do anything with its industrial “scraps” or does the municipality need to find a shiny new plot of land to build out its employment base?

An Industrial Lands Needs Assessment performed by consultants urbanMetrics has found that while overall, Norfolk technically has enough industrial lands to meet long term requirements, several challenges exist that make the lands more difficult to market and develop. Those challenges include industrial lands that are split into smaller, noncontiguous sections, a lack of servicing, and infrastructure issues such as

distancing from 400 series highways.

“The County has sufficient industrial land designated to meet long-term needs but lacks the serviced, market-ready parcels required to compete for business investment,” a staff report accompanying the consultant report said.

“Without strategic intervention - including potential partnerships with private landowners, targeted infrastructure investment, and dedicated resources - Norfolk will continue to lose industrial opportunities to neighbouring municipalities.”

Additionally, much of the land is privately owned, adding an extra layer of complexity.

Consultants did offer four recommenda-

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tions for staff and councillors to consider: continue to pursue existing opportunities with private landowners, focus on public-private partnerships before looking at costly land acquisition, consider a suite of six incentive programs, and centralize management through something like a municipal development corporation.

“Businesses are typically looking for shovel-ready sites with municipal services in place and right now, we can’t offer that.

So we can’t attract businesses effectively,” said Stephanie Potter, manager of corporate initiatives.

The report found 255 hectares of land in Norfolk that’s technically usable, and projections suggest they’ll need around 203 hectares by 2051.

“While this analysis suggests a modest surplus, most identified lands are not currently marketable or investment-ready,” the staff report said.

“We have a big number but the number does not work for what our needs are,” said Coun. Linda Vandendriessche.

To make Norfolk more attractive for businesses to invest in, councillors asked staff and consultants both what an ideal industrial layout would be and what they can do with the existing patchwork.

“What’s the suggestion when a municipality finds themselves with a bunch of scraps?” asked Mayor Amy Martin.

Peter Thoma, a partner with urbanMet-

rics, said the suite of incentives is a way to entice landowners to make those smaller parcels more marketable. The incentives include tax breaks, grants, fee rebates and fast tracked approvals.

Responding to a question from Coun.

Doug Brunton, Thoma said in an ideal world, the county would have a single large parcel that could allow for variety and flexibility.

“Around 100 hectares of land is the right sized parcel of land you should be looking for,” he said.

Despite the challenges, staff and consultants said there are some opportunities. The consultants recommend Norfolk focus on three sectors that match up well with the county’s other strengths: agri-food processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and defence manufacturing.

Cold storage facilities were also singled out as a specific need.

“There’s lots of opportunity in the ag space,” said Thoma.

Growing the industrial base of the county could go a long way to easing the financial challenges of the municipality and relieve some of the property tax pressure residents have felt in recent years.

Staff have been directed to offer some further review of the consultant’s findings and prepare a report outlining an Industrial Lands Needs Assessment implementation report.

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Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

40th Annual Norfolk Musical Arts Festival

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Celebrate the musical arts in Norfolk, March 1-5, starting with a special anniversary concert CHRIS ABBOTT Editor

The 40th Annual Norfolk Musical Arts Festival invites everyone to come out and enjoy its competitions and performances from community and school bands, community and youth choirs, English and French speech arts, instruments, piano, strings, ukulele and voice.

“It’s for everybody, any age, for sure,” said Vicky Lachine, Festival Administrator. “It’s open to the public for anybody who wants to come enjoy it – entry by donation.”

Spectators will enjoy a wide range of disciplines, which includes classic and contemporary selections.

“A lot of it you can relate to – some of it’s popular. We get more classical in the strings and piano.”

The March 1st to March 5th festival in Simcoe welcomes competitors from Norfolk, Haldimand and Brant counties and beyond. Competitor representation includes schools from the Grand Erie District School Board as well as the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and École Sainte-Marie. Other groups include local adult and youth choirs, barbershop, ensembles, drama groups, community bands, string groups, ukulele groups and solos and many solo performers.

“The numbers are consistent,” said Lachine. “It fluctuates every year. Sometimes we get more of one, and less the another... the numbers are up and down in different areas.

“We have more school choirs this year.

We have a huge bunch of classes coming from West Lynn. Port Rowan, we haven’t had them in a while. St. Cecilia, Bloomsburg… and there’s a few coming from Brantford.

“For community choirs, we always have Young Theatre Players. We have a lot of their kids this year, which is really great,

from juniors up to seniors. We also have community choirs like the Lynn Valley Voices, Carillon Belles, Gentlemen of Harmony. New this year, we’ve got the North Shore Highlanders Pipe Band, so that’s fun.”

“There’s an adult group in the Ukulele, so the festival is pretty much from Kindergarten all the way up to ‘whatever’ age,” Lachine said.

Professional adjudicators will provide constructive and encouraging feedback to the competitors. Visit the website (www. nmaf.ca) for the entire week of competitions and more.

Venues through the week of competitions include Colborne Village United Church, St. James United Church, First Baptist Church, Holy Trinity Catholic High School, and Colborne Village United Church.

Admission to all events is by donation.

You can follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram for more information, or contact them via email at norfolkmusicalartsfestival@gmail.com or phone at 519420-9216.

“Please join us and support our local talent!”

Several special events have been planned during festival week.

40th Anniversary Concert & Reception This year’s Norfolk Musical Arts Festival kicks off Sunday, March 1st with a special 40th Anniversary Concert & Reception, 2-4 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 129 Young Street, Simcoe.

The community is invited to experience past festival competitors who will perform live in honour of the 40th anniversary: • Dr. Bryn Blackwood, piano • Clare Blackwood, drama • Gisele Böll, violin • Nathan Carroll, vocal • Dr. Mark Edwards, harpsichord • Eric & Stuart Eigler, piano duet

(FILE PHOTOS)

Competitors in the Norfolk Musical Arts Festival from come Norfolk, Haldimand and Brant counties and beyond. This year’s 40th annual festival is March 1st to March 5th in Simcoe.

• • •

Angela Hare, piano Alaina Newbatt, vocal Shawn Oakes, recorder, vocal duet with Katie Walshaw • Soenen Sisters, instrumental quartet “All of the 40th Anniversary Concert performers are past competitors that are now doing music in their life now, or they are in school. We brought them back to showcase their involvement in the past 40 years, and that they are pursuing music in their careers now.

“We’re hoping to fill the church for that one to celebrate our 40th year!”

The festival would like to fill their venues at every event, Lachine said, but especially the 40th anniversary concert at First Baptist on March 1st.

“If we can get the churches filled for everything, that would be awesome!”

SENIOR CUP Another highlight event is on Thursday, March 5. The Senior Cup Competitions, from 7-9 p.m. at St. James United Church, 150 Colborne Street South, feature senior

competitors, chosen by their respective adjudicators, competing for the following awards: Ellen J. Hellyer Memorial Cup for Voice; Rotary Club of Simcoe Cup for English and French Speech Arts; the Dr. Peter F. Barrett Cup for Piano; and the Norfolk Musical Arts Festival Cup for Strings.

AWARD CEREMONIES The 40th Annual Norfolk Musical Arts Festival wraps up Tuesday, March 10 with the Festival Highlights, Awards Ceremony & Reception, 7-9 p.m. at Emmanuel Bible Church, 24 Churchill Circle.

All are welcome to enjoy a fun, entertaining program of competitors from the festival week. Scholarship and trophy recipients will be presented with their awards.

“It’s a new venue – it’s a bigger venue and we were running out space at Colborne Village.”

Lachine said they are excited for the March 1st-5th festival and they are committed to continuing for many more years to come.

T:10.3" 8

February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

Nuclear energy is powering new jobs We’re creating over 150,000 new jobs during the construction and operation of our new nuclear facilities, delivering new opportunities for workers.

That’s how we protect Ontario.

T:12.786"

Ontario.ca/PoweringOntario

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AODA Compliant

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

Queen of the Hurricanes added to world register On Feb. 11, Library and Archives Canada, the Archives of Ontario, and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) announced the addition of the Elsie Gregory MacGill fonds to the Canadian element of the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Also known as ‘The Queen of the Hurricanes,’ Elsie Gregory MacGill (1905-1980) was a Canadian aeronautical engineer and trailblazer for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The Register was established in 1992 to preserve the world's most significant documentary heritage.

The main Elsie MacGill fonds will be supplemented with a collection of unique photographs, correspondence, and other documents donated to LAC by local author Dick Bourgeois-Doyle.

Bourgeois-Doyle is Elsie MacGill’s biographer and a Port Dover resident - his 2008 book is Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of Elsie Gregory MacGill. The donated items were given to him by Elsie’s family and others during research for the book. “As a researcher and writer, I am glad Elsie was a bit of a pack rat and a relentless collector of notes, letters, and scraps of paper, now filling roughly five metres of shelf space in our national archives,” said Dick Bourgeois-Doyle in a media release.

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“I am delighted to celebrate her life again. But this recognition belongs to Library and Archives Canada and the Archives of Ontario. Their staff are among my most favourite people because of their support and enthusiasm for preserving our history and the material that defines what it means to be Canadian. Work that is more important than ever.”

The items donated by Bourgeois-Doyle to the national archives include many family photos and letters, but also: - A three-foot by eight-foot hand-drawn family tree going back many generations and assembled by Elsie and her sister Helen.

- An original of a rare 1942 True Comics issue featuring a story on Elsie, labelled Queen of the Hurricanes, given to the author at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.

- A signed first edition copy of the book My Mother the Judge, the 1955 biography Elsie wrote of her mother.

While these items constitute a small collection compared to Elsie's own personal papers and artifacts in the national holdings, they are unique and will be individually cross-referenced to the main fonds and will be included on the Archives’ Canadian Commission for UNESCO Memory of the World page.

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Local author Dick Bourgeois-Doyle shows a 1955 signed Elsie Gregory MacGill biography and a 1942 comic featuring a story on Elsie.

MEMORIES AND MILESTONES Share them with your local community.

Let us help you honour and celebrate every chapter of life – from anniversaries to obituaries, and everything in between.

Commemorate the moments that matter in the

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Dick Bourgeois-Doyle shows a three-foot by eight-foot handdrawn family tree for Elsie Gregory MacGill going back many generations. It was assembled by Elsie and her sister Helen.

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Dick Bourgeois-Doyle wrote a biography on Elsie Gregory MacGill, Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of Elsie Gregory MacGill, in 2008.

Let us help create a meaningful announcement:

info@simcoeadvocate.com

Winning proposal’s ‘all in the family’

Vittoria park being transferred to Lamport Family Association LUKE EDWARDS Grant Haven Media

Faced with no bad decision, Norfolk councillors have decided family matters.

Ending a lengthy debate over the future of Lamport Park in Vittoria, councillors opted to transfer the parkland to a newly created organization that represents the descendants of Alice Lamport, who donated the parkland in 1962. The Lamport Family Association and the Vittoria and District Foundation each submitted a proposal to take over the park.

“This is a winning proposal for Vitorria, Norfolk County,

the Vittoria and District Foundation and the Lamport family,” said Jennifer Day, speaking on behalf of the Lamport family and the Lamport Family Association.

Councillors said both groups gave great submissions and they expected either would be a great steward of the land. Likewise, staff said both groups met all the needs the county outlined.

“Both options are trying to achieve the same goal, they want to protect that little bit of greenspace in that big city of Vittoria,” said Ward 4 Coun. Chris Van Paassen. But in the end, Van Paassen said the family connection broke the tie for him.

The County has been grappling with what to do with the

park and neighbouring old town hall. Previous efforts to find a non-profit willing to take control of the hall went unsuccessful, leading the municipality to put it up on the open market.

While the Lamport Family Association is new, Day said members have the experience needed to ensure it runs smoothly.

“The association’s mission is to preserve, for the long term, the original intent of the donation of Lamport park by holding, maintaining and making available the park in Vittoria for the use and enjoyment of Vittoria residents, the Norfolk community and the broader public,” she said.

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February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

Municipal accommodation tax examined LUKE EDWARDS Grant Haven Media

They have some work to do before it becomes a reality, but Norfolk County has taken a significant step towards creating a municipal accommodation tax (MAT).

Councillors approved the creation of the tax, in principle, at the Feb. 11 council-in-committee meeting. However, an amendment from Mayor Amy Martin will mean no money will be collected until a direct marketing organization (DMO) is established, its governance structure finalized and a short-term rental (STR) bylaw is approved and in effect.

“There would be no collection nor would there be any spending of funds until such time as some of these community concerns have been alleviated,” she said.

Earlier in the meeting local business owners Helene Larochelle and Michael

Nimchuk shared some of those concerns that would later be reflected in Martin’s amendment. Nimchuk summed up their concerns in four major areas: the lack of an STR bylaw, the need to have industry input, arm’s length separation of the DMO from the municipality, and financial accountability.

Consultants who were hired to explore the MAT acknowledged the need to regulate STRs, though they suggested it could be done in parallel with development of a MAT. “We are cognizant of the fact a shortterm rental bylaw is something that needs to be done,” said Peter Thoma, from urbanMetrics.

Nimchuk preferred to get a STR decision finalized first.

“Let’s address this big elephant in the room that’s been discussed for years before but no one’s ever done anything with,” he

said.

Larochelle told councillors the existing tourism marketing efforts for Norfolk remain lacking. According to some research she performed using Google analytics, only the Port Dover Friday the 13th event ranked in the Top 40 for Ontario. Using internal staff like the economic development department would not only increase their burden, but it would leave valuable marketing expertise on the sidelines, she said.

“Let members of the industry lighten that load and run the tourism marketing entity instead,” she said, supporting a “fully independent DMO operated by representatives from the tourism sector and tourism marketing specialists.”

A municipal accommodation tax is an extra fee placed on people staying in accommodations like hotels or Airbnb locations. It applies to most overnight stays of 30 consecutive days or less, though there

are some exceptions.

The proposal in Norfolk would see a four per cent fee, which Thoma said is fairly standard among the roughly 80 similar taxes in Ontario.

Under provincial legislation, half the revenue raised would go to a DMO, and the other half would go to the municipality, to be used for infrastructure and initiatives related to tourism.

Staff have suggested the DMO could be operated through a possible municipal development corporation. A report outlining MDC options is expected to come before council in March.

“Tourism is a key economic driver in our community and our consultation throughout this process revealed near universal agreement that tourism is critical economic development priority within our county,” said Stephanie Potter, manager of corporate initiatives for the County.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Loss of farmland, food belts in Ontario Dear Editor, I’m a life-long farmer from Norfolk County, Ontario.

I have been following the ongoing campaign of Green Party MPP Mike Schreiner and Independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady in their effort to garner support for Private Members Bill 21, which aims to create designated “food belts” across specific agricultural regions of Ontario and impose AIA’s (Agricultural Impact Assessment).

A “food belt” designation would negatively impact small, rural counties like Norfolk by creating excess red tape, more bureaucracy and would result in the imposition of costly AIA’s for many farm operations and small business attempting to expand or diversify to maintain viability.

Ontario currently has strong farmland protection policies in place such as Greenbelt Protection, Planning Act and the recently updated Provincial Policy Statement.

The statistics used by the three General Farm Organizations, the Ontario Land Trust and the two MPPs to support their claim of 319 acres of farmland lost each day are taken from the 2021 Statistics Canada (StatsCan) Census of Agriculture and compared to the 2016 StatsCan Census.

One only need go to the StatsCan Census for 2021 and read the notice on “changes in reporting methods” to see that a comparison directly to the 2016 StatsCan report cannot be made in some sections of the census. Another change in reporting for 2021 vs 2016 was that only farms reg-

istering an income from farming to CRA 2021 are reported in the survey.

Also, there is a significant difference in reported farm land area between StatsCan and Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) data which shows “an increase” in total “taxable” farm land.

Note: The StatsCan defines “Total Farm Area” as all farm land owned, used and/ or controlled by active farmers. Whereas MPAC defines “total Farmland” as all land assessed for tax purposes even if that land is not actively farmed.

The suggestion by the MPPs that all loss of farmland can be attributed primarily to “urban” development is a false narrative.

In Norfolk County, during the downsizing of the tobacco industry, many farms have been purchased by the Nature Conservancy of Canada with land that has been conserved and restored that total more than 8,000 acres.

Farmers engaging in estate planning have also donated farmland parcels, for tax benefits, to the Long Point Basin Land Trust (LPBLT) in recent years. The LPBLT now owns 1,200 acres of land in Norfolk County. There are 36 Land Trust affiliated groups active in Ontario searching to acquire rural properties for conservation purposes across Ontario.

All these lands are no longer included in the StatsCan data collection.

Where investors (domestic and offshore) buy farmland and lease fields to farmers, only the acreage rented for crop production is reported to StatsCan by the farm operators.

It is extremely important to note that crop production acres have increased in Ontario and across Canada. This is attributed to farm operators finding ways to improve farm productivity. Increases in crop land acres as well as annual yield increases, resulting from improved variety development and new production methods will ensure our agricultural output continues to increase every year.

The sheer size of today’s modern farm equipment and economies of scale in agriculture make ownership of marginal farmland areas that have small irregular shaped fields, a high percentage of woodlots, wetlands, rocky and rolling terrain less attractive for farm operators to purchase. Non-farm residents are more likely to purchase the marginal farm properties and rent back a small portion of land to farm operators or more likely plant the remaining open farmland into trees. These parcels are factored into a loss of farmland area in statistics Canada data and yet they remain classified as total farm area in the MPAC data and are not lost to development.

An in-depth look at StatsCan numbers show minimal losses of total farmland in the counties of Wellington, Perth, Oxford, Chatham- Kent and Middlesex, due to lower acreages of woodlots, wetlands and other non-tillable areas. The largest acreages of farmland area lost in StatsCan data occurs in regions with a higher percentage of forest cover and significant natural areas.

On the other side of the equation, there is potential for significant acreages of new land to be cleared and made available for

crop production in the northern clay belt area surrounding Temiskaming.

The following information/studies are useful. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/ tv.action?pid=3210015301 Municipal Property Assessment Corporation data - https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/4864e831-c859-4c00-b1b0-7da3fc1ab805/resource/459b3eb3-d109-4df4aeb1-812b62fd028e/download/ceag_ and_mpac.xlsx MPAC shows that while land tenure may be changing in Ontario, the majority of those changes, farmland remains in managed forest areas, wetlands and significant natural areas.

Any Bill attempting to create economic zones based on a single economic sector in today’s geopolitical world may expose the local economy to serious economic risks. The tobacco industry in Norfolk is one example that comes to mind.

A “food belt” designation WILL NOT solve any of the problems facing agriculture. Bill 21 is more likely to create more red tape, bureaucracy and to impose further restrictions on property rights facing small family farms and non-farm residents that currently live in rural areas. Bill 21 may cause harm to rural communities in Ontario, those very communities that must continue to adapt to the changes that have arisen with a more mechanized and globally focused agriculture sector in Ontario.

Frank Schonberger, Norfolk County farmer

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

Liz Grace: Mental illness, memory, and more ADVOCATING FOR AUTHORS By

Dick Bourgeois-Doyle “I think I wrote something like 23,000 words in 24 hours.”

In 2021, Liz Grace sat down to write a book that is now recognized not only as a compelling story but a valued reference for health-care professionals. It could also be a model for any type of memoir writing.

At the time, her first service dog had died, and a routine that helped structure her days was suddenly gone. The pandemic lingered. She had time. She had grief. She also had what she later recognized as a touch of hypomania.

That first explosive day of writing led to Resilient: Surviving My Mental Illness, a memoir that would go on to be shortlisted for the 2024 Ontario Legislative Assembly Speaker’s Book Award. It is a book that quietly challenges readers, caregivers, and writers.

Grace, a Simcoe-based occupational therapist (OT) and first-time author, has suffered with schizoaffective disorder and profound hearing loss. Her book recounts years of psychosis, depression, self-harm, and psychiatric hospitalizations that began in adolescence. These are difficult subjects, and memoirs that tackle them often drift toward ground either softened by distance or distorted by emotion.

Grace bravely resisted both paths because she wanted her book to be honest and practical.

“My book is more geared to the caregivers, the staff, the nurses, and the doctors who witness but don’t actually have the experience of mental illness,” Grace says explaining that this led her to intertwine her personal recollections with fact-based references.

“It was a deliberate choice - to get all the hospital records and talk to others - because I didn’t want anybody to be able to say that’s not what actually happened.”

By corroborating events and grounding memory in evidence, Resilient interrogates its own authority. It examines the past rather than assuming it and, in this way, it is a model for memoir writers.

Nevertheless, the book is, most of all, a compelling, very human story.

Local author Liz Grace.

“I wrote it right in the moment,” she says.

The story is told first-person, present tense with excerpts from her personal journals. “This is how you feel it.”

In reviewing those old journals, Grace was struck by how distorted her thinking had been and this made her wonder how anyone helping a teenager in crisis could truly understand what was happening inside their head. Including those journals thus became an ethical decision as much as a craft one.

“I remember going back and rereading those journals and thinking, I can’t believe how out of this world my thoughts were,” Grace says of the teenage notebooks she quotes in Resilient. “If you were to tell me today that I thought like that, I wouldn’t believe you.”

This material gives the book an authenticity that is echoed in the audio version of Resilient, which Liz, who now hears with the aid of cochlear implants, narrated her-

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self.

“The audio book was probably the hardest part,” she says.

Liz explains that writing allowed her to work in fragments, with pauses for distance and reflection. Recording did not.

“When you do the audio book, you have to do at least a whole chapter at once.”

The result is a narration that sounds steady, present, and unmistakably real.

So, while Liz’s dual position as a patient and an OT with graduate school credentials gives the book much of its power as a tool for health-care professionals, other readers are struck by the book’s authenticity. This is reinforced by Grace’s refusal to impose a neat arc on it.

“A lot of books like to have that ending where everything wraps up and we all feel good,” she says. “My book was about not doing that because that’s not my reality.”

Recovery, in Resilient, is not a single turning point but an ongoing practice.

So, for health-care professionals and general readers, the book offers an inside view of systems usually seen only from the outside and humanizes diagnoses that are often reduced to shorthand. And for writers, it offers something rarer: a model of memoir grounded in rigor and reflection rather than reassurance.

“The benefit from writing a book is the writing of the book,” Grace says, pointing to the importance of revision, challenge, and human editorial response.

Though she often joked that she never wanted “enough material” for a sequel, Liz is considering a follow-up that applies the same approach to a work aimed at professionals dealing with mental health patients who also have physical issues.

Liz’s process suggests that memoir is not about flawless recall or dramatic resolution. It is about paying close, honest attention to what was lived, what was misunderstood, and what can now be examined. The value of this approach applies equally whether we want to recount local history, imagine fiction rooted in truth, or share our own memories.

It is something we build, sentence by sentence, day by day.

But maybe not 23,000 words a day.

CELEBRATING AUTHORS For the podcast interview with Liz Grace and more on other local authors, check out https://doverwrites.blogspot.com/

New ice policy finally approved in Norfolk LUKE EDWARDS Grant Haven Media

Quite often when both teams are mad, it’s a sign the referee did a good job.

By that measure, Coun. Chris Van Paassen said Norfolk County’s new ice allocation policy might be a success.

“A wise man told me once the best way to figure out if something’s fair is when nobody’s happy,” he said.

“We’ve done a heck of a good job at that.” The new policy, which seeks to level the playing field for ice allocation by using a formula to dole out base ice time for Norfolk’s user groups, has been contentious.

Councillors hesitated in previous meetings to make a decision on the policy, but a few changes proposed by staff at the Feb. 10 meeting were enough to get it over the goal line.

One of the major changes is to provide a transition year, where ice time for an organization cannot change by more than five per cent. Some organizations are worried they could lose significant access to ice time under the new policy.

A second change will see a proposed residency requirement dropped to 75 per cent.

Previously, staff proposed 95 per cent of users on a team would have to be Norfolk residents, with the organization self-monitoring.

“This one-year transition period will provide stability to the organizations while allowing the county and user groups to evaluate the policy’s overall impacts, addressing some of the concerns that are still out there with the 75 per cent residency and make any necessary adjustments after that one year,” said Brenda Andress, project lead for strategic recreation initiatives.

While base allocation formulas have some groups worried, staff pointed out the base allocation isn’t the only ice time the groups can secure. Once that’s all doled out, groups will be able to apply for extra time, depending on what’s left over.

“The policy is to make sure there’s an equitable distribution to everybody at the beginning, and then there’s always room to ask for more,” said Van Paassen.

The proposed residency rules also generated plenty of disagreement, with councillors arguing it should be higher, lower, or non-existent.

“I don’t think we have a problem, I think we’re trying to create a problem,” said Coun. Linda Vandendriessche, pointing out that currently minor hockey teams in Norfolk could be rostering high numbers of out-of-towners, but it’s not happening.

However, Coun. Alan Duthie said the po-

tential is there.

“I think we need to put parameters in place to ensure local kids are not losing out,” he said.

There were some other changes to the policy. There’s a new section that deals with requests from new user groups, as well as tweaks to wording meant to make things clearer.

Staff also proposed some tweaks to the base allocation, including an increase to two hours per week per team for U9 to U21 Norfolk Minor Hockey local league teams.

Group size limits for the skating club’s CanSkate, CanPower, and Learn to Skate programs have shifted from 60 per hour to 30 per hour, and the synchronized skating programs have gone from 24 per hour to 20 per hour. Allocation for competitive synchronized skating moved from five hours to four.

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February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

SPORTS

Waterford native Elaine Chuli reflects on changing landscape of women’s hockey and life in the PWHL LISA TIMPF Advocate Contributor

It can be difficult for athletes to transition to a new team in a new city.

But for Waterford native Elaine Chuli, a goaltender in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, making the move from the Montreal Victoire to the Toronto Sceptres for the 2025-26 season was like a homecoming of sorts.

Chuli played for the Toronto Furies and Toronto Six in previous women’s leagues, earning some accolades in the process. She backstopped the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation to an Isobel Cup in 2022-23 and was named PHF Goaltender of the Year in 2021-22.

Though those experiences came prior to the PWHL’s existence, being based in Toronto again is nonetheless familiar.

“I’ve won here before,” says Chuli.

“Plus, it’s closer to my family.”

The trip to Toronto to see games is also an easier one for local fans to make, as opposed to the trek to Montreal.

Chuli got her start in hockey playing for the Waterford Wildcats. Though she initially played forward, when she was in Grade 5, she made the switch to goalie. Though she can’t remember the exact reasons for the changeover, Chuli says it likely had something to do with Toronto Maple Leaf netminder Curtis Joseph.

Elaine enjoyed watching hockey with

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

On June 17, Waterford’s Elaine Chuli, 31, signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Sceptres. You can follow the league at www.thepwhl.com – regular season games continue until the end of March.

her dad, and on those occasions, Joseph’s acrobatics in net caught her eye, as did the mask and the gear.

“I was a huge Cujo fan,” Chuli says.

“That’s my earliest memory of any type of goalie.”

After she tried her hand at goaltending, there was no looking back.

Chuli made the jump to the Brantford 99ers for minor and major peewee AAA. Then she moved into girls’ hockey, playing AA bantam, midget, and junior with Stoney Creek.

After high school, Chuli played NCAA hockey at the University of Connecticut, where she set a number of program records for the women’s team. She played in the CWHL for China’s Vanke Rays, then signed on with the Toronto Furies and later, the Toronto Six. Selected by Montreal in the inaugural PWHL Draft, she signed with Toronto for the 2025-26 season.

Back when Chuli was starting out on her athletic journey, women’s professional hockey was nowhere on the horizon.

“It definitely didn’t exist,” says Chuli.

“Then again, I was taking it day by day, not looking too far ahead.”

She notes that there are many more options for girls and women’s hockey now than there were when she was coming through the system.

“There are quite a few places to play now after college,” she notes.

The PWHL started with six teams - New York, Boston, Minnesota, and Ottawa in addition to Toronto and Montreal. In the 2025-26 season, the Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent joined the league. Chuli says the expansion, with the possibility of further growth in the future, is exciting.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to give a lot of players a chance to play professional hockey.”

Though teams play most of their home games in their own cities, the PWHL has also hosted “Takeover Tour” games. This year’s Takeover Tour featured 16 neutral-site regular-season games played outside the league’s current cities. The games serve as a way of checking the potential for future expansion sites, as well as expanding the fan base.

“It’s cool to see the support and excitement” in the Takeover Tour venues, Chuli says, adding that it’s good to see that “the league is getting a lot of traction.”

For Chuli, the atmosphere and turnout at the game the Toronto Sceptres played in Hamilton was impressive. Halifax, as well, was “another sold-out rink” and Chuli enjoyed “the excitement and the buzz around the game.”

The existence of the PWHL and the in-

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Waterford’s Elaine Chuli is the all-time saves leader for the NCAA UConn Huskies and the Women’s Hockey East conference.

creased visibility of women’s hockey has led to more girls taking up the sport. A recent CBC article by Emma Loop notes that player registrations in the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) have gone from 9,626, 30 years ago, to an alltime high of 41,019 players in the 2024-25 season.

Locally, the Norfolk HERicanes have seen their registrations bump up from 98 in 2020-2021 to 127 in 2025-26. Long-time executive member Brenda Colibaba notes that factors other than the PWHL, such as the free Try Girls Hockey program, may have had an effect. Still, the existence of a professional women’s league probably doesn’t hurt those statistics.

Asked what advice she has for those who might aspire to follow in her footsteps, Chuli says, “just stay in the moment.” She says that “it’s what you do each day” that’s important. For Chuli herself, part of the equation has been staying fit - she does a lot of off-ice training for strength and conditioning. Her other advice is to “have fun

with it, and remember that it’s a game.”

Chuli notes that the mental aspect of the game becomes more important as you progress to higher levels.

“You need to find ways to dial that in,” she says. “The mental part of the game is super important,” even though “it’s not something you can see.”

With the expansion of the PWHL and the increased visibility of women’s hockey on television, women’s hockey seems to be on the upswing.

“For a lot of people in my age group, we’ve seen some pretty big transitions,” says Chuli. “Right now, we are in a good spot.”

Chuli has come a long way since playing for boys’ teams in her hometown. But thanks to the Waterford netminder and her fellow PWHL members, young girls have role models for their future aspirations, and plenty of examples that prove that you don’t have to come from a big city to make it to the big time.

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

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Curling club’s first food drive a great success CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ninth end to take a two-point lead into the final end. Mouat needed to make an almost impossible double takeout on his final shot to send it into extra ends – and missed.

“Canada lost (to Great Britain) in the preliminary round,” Donna noted. “So today they got redemption.”

John, 70, now retired from curling, said they thoroughly enjoyed the Olympic curling, and they have appreciated changes in the sport over the years.

“The sweeping’s changed – that’s huge,” he said.

“He used to curl when it was straw brooms,” Donna smiled. “And the fiverock rule, they brought that in as well. It changed the game - it’s better for the spectators now. It used to be just peel, peel, peel.”

“We loved the Olympics, we were glued to the TV,” said John.

“We watch all the draws, whether it’s 5 o’clock in the morning or 1 o’clock in afternoon,” Donna smiled. “And the Brier’s starting on Friday, so we’re going to be glued again. And we’re here at the club every Monday night watching our daughter in the competitive league as well.”

Saturday’s open house and food drive – a first at the curling club – was a resounding success. Nearly 50 people joined the

one-day, on-ice tutorials and donated food bank items.

“That was a great turnout,” said John. “It shows that curling is getting more popular.”

“Oh it was, they had a good turnout,” Donna nodded. “I think the Olympics helps out.”

“It exceeded our expectations,” said Craig Thompson, Simcoe Curling Club president, who was assisting on-ice. “Everyone seems to be excited - the Olympic buzz clearly has been a factor. And (the food drive) supports a good cause.”

On Saturday, people of all ages learned how to deliver rocks sliding on one sheet, if they wanted to try it, and sticks on another. Different techniques to accomplish the same goal, getting your granite rock to the other end of the ice.

“Family Day was coming up, so about a week before I called just to find out if they would be open,” said Port Rowan’s Veronica Harris. “She said ‘we’re not doing it Family Day, but we’re doing it the Saturday after…’

“It definitely makes us appreciate the ones that are playing,” Harris laughed, trying the sport for the first time with her family.

“They make it look so easy!”

“That’s why we’re here to show you,” said Jim Simpson, volunteer instructor for the day.

(CHRIS ABBOTT PHOTOS)

Tim Hansford of Simcoe, trying curling for the first time, slides out of the hack to make a shot Saturday at the Simcoe Curling Club.

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Bob Harris, from Port Rowan, delivers a rock during Saturday’s open house at the Simcoe Curling Club.

Jim Simpson instructs Veronica Harris on how to deliver rocks with a stick at the Simcoe Curling Club.

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February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

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Accused in killing found not criminally responsible J.P. ANTONACCI Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The human side of the justice system was on display in a Simcoe courtroom on Thursday (Feb. 12) as a homicide case that inched through the courts for nearly five years came to a painful — and tearful — conclusion.

“I have heard you all that this process was very difficult,” Justice Aubrey Hilliard said after finding Robert Ballard not criminally responsible for killing his friend, Michael Murray of Delhi, in March 2021.

“There was nothing, unfortunately, that I was able to do to make it easier,” Hilliard continued, pausing to fight back tears.

The judge — who was in charge of this case ever since Ballard’s arrest in April 2021 — was not alone in shedding a tear.

Many of Murray’s two dozen loved ones in the courtroom sobbed as the court heard 11 victim impact statements read aloud by his nieces and nephews, his three brothers, his partner and his elderly parents.

Together, they painted the picture of a beloved son, uncle and friend.

“Michael was my partner, my best friend, and the person I planned to grow old with and raise horses,” said Murray’s partner, Laura DeBellis.

That future “disappeared in a single act of violence,” DeBellis continued.

“Before, I felt safe in my home and my future. Everything feels uncertain and fragile now.”

Ballard pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in November. On Thursday, Hilliard ruled Ballard was in the midst of a psychotic episode when he killed Murray and therefore “was incapable of appreciating the wrong-

ness of his actions.”

Ballard was known to use alcohol and cannabis. He told the officer who arrested him he has “smoked a ton of weed” the day Murray died.

But there was no evidence of drug use at Murray’s apartment, and Ballard’s mother found no drugs in her son’s motel room, nor did he seem impaired before she dropped him downtown and he ended up walking to Murray’s home.

Self-induced psychosis is not grounds for an NCR defence, but Hilliard said Ballard’s underlying personality disorder — a “disease of the mind” in legal parlance — is what caused the psychosis and makes him a “continuing danger” to reoffend if again triggered by drugs.

The judge said indefinite psychiatric assessment and treatment would keep Ballard from using drugs, while he would have ready access to alcohol and cannabis were he convicted of second-degree murder and released on parole after 10 years.

Ballard’s lawyer, Genevieve Eliany, previously told the court an NCR ruling “is not a get-outof-jail-free card.”

“The public tends not to understand that system. In many cases, it’s more restrictive than parole,” Eliany said.

Ballard will be “held indefinitely, potentially for life” and will be “closely supervised by a medical team,” his lawyer told The Spectator after the verdict.

Hilliard’s ruling elicited a single “wow” from among the more than two dozen friends and family of Michael Murray who filled one side of the spectators gallery, sitting opposite the lone figure of Ballard’s mother, Georgina Gray.

Between them sat the handcuffed defendant in the prisoner’s

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box, wearing a white T-shirt and staring dully ahead or down at the floor during the victim impact statement.

“He was someone I felt safe with and someone I turned to for guidance,” said Murray’s niece, Michelle Nicholson.

“He was everyone’s person.”

Police video footage of the crime scene shot by the OPP showed Murray’s home to be full of greenery, befitting a man his relatives described as having a deep love for plants and animals.

Murray and Ballard were neighbours at a Delhi motel before Ballard became a regular visitor at Murray’s new apartment in town.

Ballard’s texts to Murray became “increasingly bizarre” in the weeks leading up to the killing and Murray told his parents “he wanted to get his friend help” by connecting him to a social worker and a family friend in the clergy, Hilliard said in her ruling.

“Michael only wanted to help

this boy and he paid for it with his life,” said Murray’s father, also named Michael.

Ballard’s mother said she too was left devastated by her son’s actions.

“My heart breaks for everybody,” a tearful Gray told reporters after the verdict. “You can’t bring Michael back. I wish I could. I wish it for everybody.”

Gray said her son, whom she called “Robbie,” has lost access to his children.

“And Michael has lost his life, and they’ve lost a loved (one),” she said. “We’ve all lost. There’s no winning.”

Ballard has been in custody since he was arrested a few hours after killing Murray, when he was found “disoriented and confused” after breaking into a garage in Delhi. Reading from a handwritten statement, Ballard addressed the court on Thursday, saying he was “full of sorrow every day that I am alive for what I did to Mi-

chael.”

Ballard said he was “not myself” the day he killed Murray, but rather “overcome by some kind of possession or psychosis.”

Hilliard ordered Ballard remanded to St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and then into the hands of the Ontario Review Board, which will decide his treatment plan and eventual eligibility for parole.

Ballard showed emotion not seen during the three-week trial in November, his eyes red and brimming as he was led away after the verdict. Murray’s family was left “shattered” by the killing and its aftermath, his mother, Marilyn Murray, told the court.

“Since losing him, I have felt a constant ache that never goes away,” she said.

- J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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February 26, 2026

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‘When hanging on becomes holding back’ Olivia Mae Graham releases new single - I’m Not Sorry - on digital platforms CHRIS ABBOTT Editor

A new year brings a powerful new single from Olivia Mae Graham, one of the country’s rising country voices.

I’m Not Sorry, released Feb. 20 globally on streaming platforms, is another standout song from a prolific Norfolk County songstress.

“It’s release day, which is always like a little kid on Christmas morning – up at 6 a.m.,” Graham laughed early Friday morning.

“Then at the desk, just making sure everything is up to date and all the links are working, and all the messages are responded to… so I’m good, I’m here. Later tonight my family and I will celebrate.”

Written about ‘the art of letting go,’ I’m Not Sorry includes one of her most poignant lyrics to date and one of her favourites…

‘When hanging on becomes holding back.’ Graham feels her raw and real track - is a true testament of an artist singing her truth.

Early release response has been good, she said.

“It’s been really cool. This song is one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve ever written and it’s a very different message than I’ve ever put out. It’s about choosing yourself and leaving a situation.”

For Graham, songwriting comes from a process of reflection – something she’s been through be-

fore, something she’s felt.

I’m Not Sorry was different.

As she was writing it, she was discovering how she felt about a situation. And it was at that point she realized ‘It was time to go.’

“I think in the lyrics of the song, you can really hear that. Every lyric is a realization. It’s like ‘oh….’ ‘oh…’ ‘okay it’s time to go…’ kind of situation. So when you put something like that out into the world, people resonate on a bazillion different levels. So far, the messages have been so positive, people saying ‘I relate to this.’ It could be a relationship or a job, a friendship, whatever it is that you felt like you had to leave.

It’s kind of cool that music is such a universal language in that way.”

Graham had that feeling when she decided to leave a safe 9-to5 and dive into making and performing music full-time. There was fear, she admitted, and no guarantee in sight.

“For me, that was the leap. Not being sorry for that. Not being sad about it.”

When she wrote, ‘When hanging on becomes holding back,’ she realized that’s what she had been doing, holding herself back.

When she let it go, and trusted herself, that’s when she stepped into the unapologetic life she is living today.

“Something my co-writer Jay Allan is so good at is writing a song that is universal. So it could

be moving your location, maybe an actual (relationship) breakup.

If you feel, ‘Hey, I’m not even sad, at this end, then it’s like ‘Ok, maybe that’s an indicator.’ If it’s not working for one person, it’s probably not working for the other person either.

“It can be scary, people sometimes cling to what’s secure vs what actually sets their soul on fire and the things that bring us joy and happiness. For me, it was just a realization that where I was at in life had just run its course.

“I just want people to know, it’s February and it’s OK if you want to change your life.”

Following a milestone 2025 year that included the release of her debut album Nobody, multiple award nominations, and extensive touring, Graham continues to solidify her reputation as an artist to watch in Canada’s country music scene.

Each release has its own thrill, she said, its own uncertainty.

“For me, ‘release day’ eve is always like saying a prayer to the universe… and whoever needs to hear this song specifically, I hope they get to hear it. And I hope it gives them the courage to step into the life that they’ve always wanted.”

On the eve of releasing I’m Not Sorry, Graham shared with her team ‘success isn’t the numbers, it isn’t the streams, it isn’t the money. It’s the messages of the

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Olivia Mae Graham is excited to share her newest single, I’m Not Sorry, available globally on digital platforms.

people that connected to it.”

She launched her YouTube video for the song on Sunday.

“The last release was super upbeat, super ‘live show’ driven. This one is like super ‘heart’ driven.” One more song from her debut full-length album, Nobody, will be released as a digital single this spring. It was however included on her earlier vinyl/CD album release as a ‘secret song.’

“And we’re going back into the studio,” Olivia shared. “I’ve been writing so much since the debut album, and we are ready to start making the next one. It sounds so crazy to say, but that’s where

we’re at right now, which is really cool.”

About Olivia Mae Graham Olivia Mae Graham is a 2025 CMAOntario Breakthrough Artist of the Year nominee and 2025 Manitoba (MCMA) Songwriter of the Year nominee. Born and raised in Norfolk County, she is known for her emotionally resonant songwriting, captivating live performances, and commitment to creating music rooted in homegrown collaboration. Her debut album Nobody helped establish her as one of the province’s most promising emerging country artists.

Troops from Norfolk receive care packages CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

ily Resource Centre.

“They’re gone a long time. They’re missing Christmases and birthdays and all of those moments,” Jones said.

Getting a personalized parcel from home “means that somebody’s thinking of you,” Jones added.

“It’s a nice gesture from the association.”

The first round of parcels went out in September, and Jenereaux quoted a message from one of the soldiers — who cannot be publicly named for security reasons — saying the artwork and encouraging messages “were the best part.” The associations representing the troops from Simcoe, Brantford and St. Catharines plan to periodically send care packages as long as soldiers from the 56th Field Artillery Regiment are stationed overseas.

Gifts from local businesses and monetary donations toward future parcels are welcome. Call 519-718-2684 or email fieldbtyassn69@hotmail.com.

“We’re just glad to be able to do this for them,” said Jenereaux, whose husband and children served in the military.

“They seem to be younger now,” she said of the current crop of soldiers.

“These guys are 18 to 22. They’re missing their families.

So anything from home will help them know that we care.”

- J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

(J.P. ANTONACCI PHOTO)

A Valentine’s card that went into a care package bound for a Simcoe soldier currently stationed in Latvia with a NATO force launched to counter the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

February 26, 2026

18

Simcoe Advocate

Transforming Indonesia’s health-care system J.P. ANTONACCI Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Diagnosing and treating thousands of patients right out of medical school would be a daunting task for any family doctor.

But that used to be the norm for rookie doctors in Indonesia, a country of 280 million where primary care is delivered through community health centres called “puskesmas” and a doctor’s roster of patients can run into the thousands.

With help from experts at McMaster University, a pair of Indonesian medical schools developed family medicine residency training programs based on the Canadian system, in which new doctors complete a two-year residency in family medicine to prepare them for the complexities of caring for patients from birth until death.

The university’s ties to Indonesia date back to 2004, when Dr. Lynda Redwood-Campbell, a professor of family medicine, went to the tsunami-stricken Aceh region as a disaster relief volunteer with the Red Cross.

Numerous academic exchanges followed over the years, with McMaster professors sharing tips on curriculum development, training and supervision while collaborating with their Indonesian counterparts on research projects.

Some Indonesian medical students have come to Canada to complete family medicine residencies through McMaster, with more students expected later this year.

“It’s very much a two-way thing,” said Dr. Mark Levitan, who travelled to Indonesia in December with a four-person McMaster contingent for a weeklong academic exchange.

“As we share how we do things here, it’s also learning about how they do things there, which is super interesting,” Levitan said.

Levitan and Dr. Ryan Coelho mentor medical students from McMaster at their family practice in Norfolk County and at Norfolk General Hospital, where Levitan is an anesthesiologist and Coelho works in the operating room as a surgical assist.

As rural doctors running a busy family practice, Levitan and Coelho felt a kinship

with Indonesian doctors who handle all manner of cases.

“A family doctor in Ontario, especially in rural Ontario, has to wear many hats — partially out of necessity,” Coelho said.

While overseas, the four doctors visited medical schools in the regions of Medan and Banda Aceh to lead workshops and give lectures on topics ranging from palliative care to cancer screening.

The group also toured modest village clinics and urban hospitals with state-ofthe-art diagnostic suites.

“They’re very proud of what they’re doing,” Coelho said of their “hospitable, lovely” hosts who “wanted to showcase their country (and) pick our brains about family medicine.”

Health-care system reimagined In 2014, Indonesia took on what Coelho called the “daunting” challenge of devising a “cohesive” mandatory health plan for a populace that speaks hundreds of languages and lives on nearly 1,000 different islands.

“And they did it — and very quickly” he said.

By 2024, Indonesia achieved near-total coverage through a single-payer health insurance system, with a mix of public and private-sector service providers.

The Indonesian philosophy is “everybody’s a patient,” with primary care guaranteed, Coelho said.

“Everybody’s covered. It’s not millions of people without a family doctor. And that’s government-mandated,” he said.

Dr. Lita Cameron, global health lead at McMaster’s Department of Family Medicine, said Canada can learn from the importance Indonesian health officials place on collaboration.

“There is this sense that in order to address the community’s health, many people need to be at the table and their voices need to be represented,” Cameron said.

Reigniting passion for family medicine When asked the biggest challenge of the weeklong academic exchange, Levitan laughed.

“Trying to survive crossing the street,” he said.

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(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

McMaster University-affiliated doctors Mark Levitan, left, Ryan Coelho, second from left, Lita Cameron, third from right, and Erin Gallagher, second from right, met with faculty at two universities during an academic exchange to Indonesia in December.

“It’s just pure chaos,” Coelho chuckled, describing traffic-clogged intersections the two visitors from rural Ontario dared not cross on foot.

The Canadians were followed by photographers and feted at formal receptions and university lectures, with their names and faces plastered on banners strung across medical-school entrances.

“It’s a bit overwhelming,” Coelho said.

“It was like we were celebrities.”

The group got to Banda Aceh not long after Tropical Cyclone Senyar hit the area, causing major flooding and landslides that left some health centres inaccessible.

Family doctors co-ordinated deliveries of food and supplies to disaster-stricken residents and rolled up their sleeves to clean their health centres so patients could return.

“They travelled by foot, wading through water to visit families. They visited shelters to provide necessities,” Cameron said.

“The example of service to their community was really inspiring.”

Meeting the “very passionate” doctors and administrators trying to redefine fami-

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- J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Weekend Quiz

3. Which singer was known as the "The Empress of the Blues"?

Lisa Roberts

ly medicine “reignited my passion for family medicine,” Coelho added.

“I came away grateful, more than anything,” he said.

“We are very fortunate (in Canada). We can have all these challenges, but in the end, we have a very good (medical) system and we provide really good quality of care.

If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be asked to come there.”

Levitan appreciated the chance to chat over meals and on the sidelines of the formal talks and presentations.

“Especially in family medicine, a big part of it is understanding the culture and how people live, because all that affects the relationship and how medical care is delivered,” he said.

The trip, Levitan concluded, “was a good reminder of the possibilities — how things can change, and the meaning we can add to individuals’ lives.”

8. At what degrees Fahrenheit does ice melt?

9. Which is the only sea in the world that has no coastlines?

10. How many distinct phases make up the lunar cycle?

Goderich Sun

This week’s answers are found on pg. 23

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

19

‘Something for everyone’ at Home & Lifestyle Show Simcoe & District Chamber of Commerce announces 2026 Norfolk Home & Lifestyle Show lineup CHRIS ABBOTT Editor

The Norfolk Home & Lifestyle Show is back for its third year at The CIBC Aud, located at the Norfolk County fairgrounds in Simcoe.

Proudly hosted by the Simcoe & District Chamber of Commerce, it takes place Feb. 27 to March 1 with nearly 100 exhibitors showcasing products and services designed to enhance your home, garden, and lifestyle.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” said Karen Matthews, Executive Director, Simcoe & District Chamber of Commerce. “When I look at all of the vendors that are coming, it’s everything from gardening supplies to cabinets and roofing, windows and flooring, plumbing and sprinklers, concrete, internet and tree services… it’s everything that you need for your home.”

From home improvement experts and financial services to outdoor living inspiration and unique Norfolk experiences, there is truly something for everyone.

There will also be a lot of useful information shared on the stage Saturday and Sunday – be ready to learn.

“I am excited for this show because I love that it keeps our focus on helping local businesses grow,” said Matthews. “And I think that is one of the core principles of who we are as a Chamber – to really work with our members and local businesses to

promote them and help them find new markets – and the Norfolk Home & Lifestyle Show is a great example of how we do that.”

The Chamber of Commerce has heard from vendors that it made a difference to their business last year when they participated in the show.

“They met a lot of new customers through the show and that helped them grow their business.

That’s a goal that we feel really proud of, that we’ve achieved.”

Some are independent contractors without downtown storefronts and it’s important to make the one-on-one connections at the show.

“I think this is a great opportunity for local businesses to shine.” *** Caradoc Townsend Mutual Insurance is the 2026 Norfolk Home & Lifestyle Show’s presenting sponsor, making it possible to run the show. Jane Bradley, Edward Jones, and Lara Rockefeller, Premier Mortgages, are sponsoring the stage lineup, helping to make sure good information reaches everybody.

Attendees will have the chance to win an $800 Porter Airlines voucher, generously provided by South Coast World Travel and Porter Airlines.

Admission is $5. Kids and students are free.

Show Hours: The three-day Norfolk Home & Lifestyle Show

will be open Friday, Feb. 27 from 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 28: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Sunday, March 1, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

“There’s some new exhibitors, some returning exhibitors, we’re keeping it fresh,” said Matthews.

“The booths are sold out, and I think we have a small waiting list. That means we have a good healthy show – the exhibitors like to be there because it’s good for their business.”

2026 Edward Jones & Premier Mortgages Stage Lineup Friday, February 27 • 5-7 p.m. - Mary-Catherine Pazzano – Live Jazz Performance Saturday, February 28 • 12 p.m. – Paul Meiklejohn, World Champion Mountain Biker • “Introduction to Ripping and Shredding on the Trails” • 1 pm – Chuck Gibbons, Caradoc Townsend Mutual & Lara Rockefeller, Premier Mortgages • “Answering the What Ifs of Home Ownership” • 2 p.m. – Kreekside Konstruction • "ADUs and Tiny Houses" • 3 p.m. – Sentry Property Group • “Modernizing Historical Buildings” Sunday, March 1 • 12 p.m. – Creek View Acres • "Fruit Tree Growing"

(FILE PHOTOS)

The 2026 Norfolk Home & Lifestyle Show returns for its third year at The CIBC Aud, located at the Norfolk County fairgrounds in Simcoe, Friday, Feb. 27 to Sunday, March 1st. There will be nearly 100 vendors this year – expect to find something for everyone.

• •

1 p.m. – Don Lawson “Growing Plants in Straw Bales” • 2 p.m. – Ryerse’s Garden Gallery "Growing Hydrangeas" In addition to established local businesses, the MHN Lawyers Young Entrepreneurs Booths provide an exciting opportunity for emerging entrepreneurs to introduce their products and services to the marketplace and gain valuable exposure.

“I also really proud of the Young Entrepreneur space, sponsored by MHN Lawyers,” said Matthews.

“As a Chamber, it’s important to

us to cultivate the entrepreneurship of young individuals who are trying to build businesses. They might be grass cutting, they might be making bracelets, whatever it is they’re bringing forward to sell, they get their space for free and kind of dip their toe into entrepreneurship.” *** The Simcoe & District Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1888 to support business and serve as a strong voice for the local business community — a mission that continues today.

20

February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

Domenick brings CHESS the Musical to Norfolk LEAH BAUER Advocate Contributor

As he describes it, theatre isn’t just a part of Andy Domenick’s life, “It is, quite definitively, my life - and I wouldn't have it any other way.”

As a child, his sister encouraged Andy to audition for The Sound of Music, a production that was cancelled, which then led to his first debut as a member of the Shrek ensemble. Being able to pivot from the beloved musical to a children’s production about a green ogre with a talking donkey sidekick was just the beginning of Andy learning how to adapt to different roles.

Andy wears many different hats, both in the theatre world and in his previous job experiences. He rotated through jobs such as an office clerk, a carpenter, selling siding for homes, and eventually he “transitioned fully into theatre and event production in Toronto.”

He has now brought his skills to Norfolk County where he works as the Head Technician with the Lighthouse Festival Theatre.

It was in this position at Lighthouse Festival where he was approached by Simcoe Little Theatre.

“I was asked if I wanted to direct a production for their upcoming 25/26 season.

I immediately said yes, and knew exactly

(SUBMITTED PHOTO)

CHESS - The Musical in Concert is running from March 5-8 and March 12-15 at The Simcoe Little Theatre.

what show I wanted to bring to life in Simcoe - CHESS!” In Chess, he is involved in almost all aspects of the production, all at once.

MP Lewis presses government on stalled economy Leslyn Lewis, Member of Parliament for Haldimand-Norfolk, recently raised serious concerns in the House of Commons about Canada’s weakening economy and the growing anxiety facing workers and families in Haldimand-Norfolk and across Canada.

During Question Period, Lewis pointed to stalled economic growth, 52,000 private sector jobs lost last month alone, and declining manufacturing, auto, and forestry sectors, warning that many businesses and families in Haldimand-Norfolk are increasingly anxious about the future and their livelihoods as GDP stagnates, and costs continue to rise.

“The Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet GDP growth is currently at zero,” Lewis said in a question to the government. “Man-

ufacturing, auto and forestry sectors are all declining, and families in Haldimand-Norfolk fear for their livelihoods as the economy weakens. Despite this economic decline, the government has not repealed a single anti-development law.” This follows a speech delivered in the House of Commons, where MP Lewis criticized the government’s failing economic policies, noting she receives more calls from constituents struggling with rising food prices, including parents skipping meals and working households turning to food banks for the first time.

“Canadians need better than rebates,” she said in the House of Commons.

“They need lower prices, honest policy and solutions that address causes, not a band-aid solution or a temporary cheque that robs them of their dignity.”

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“On a personal level, this production has required me to take on a number of roles beyond directing,” he said. “In addition to serving as director, I have also acted as

music director, set, lighting, and sound design, built most props, supported marketing efforts, and, of course, performing in the show.”

Andy describes Chess as a production that will take the audience “behind the scenes of an international chess championship, based on the real 1972 ‘match of the century.’”

Andy believes that in this production there “is a deeply human story about love tested by loyalty, political pressure, and the need to win. The show highlights how we act in public can often mask vulnerability, and how individuals can become pawns in larger ideological battles.”

The political content of a play set in the Cold War is not lost on Andy who describes how he thinks it will impact the audience.

“I also hope they take some time on self-reflection. This show takes place during the Cold War (over four decades ago). And yet the conflict and disputes seen onstage are repeated today. I think audiences will take some time and ask, how can we prevent the past from repeating itself.”

CHESS: The Musical in Concert is running from March 5-8 and March 1215 at The Simcoe Little Theatre. Tickets start at $27 with youth pricing available.

Buy tickets by calling 519-583-0505 or by visiting https://simcoelittletheatre.org/ chess-the-musical/

Lighthouse Festival announces March Break fun

Families looking for laughter, imagination, and affordable live entertainment this March Break need look no further than Lighthouse.

With two beloved family productions on stage in Port Dover and Port Colborne, Lighthouse Festival is inviting audiences of all ages to experience the joy of live theatre at a price that makes family outings easy.

The March Break lineup begins with Fireside Munsch Classics on Tuesday, March 17 in Port Dover, with performances at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Packed with humour, heart, and the wildly imaginative storytelling of Robert Munsch, this high-energy show brings some of Canada’s most treasured children’s stories to life in a way that delights both kids and grown-ups.

The fun continues with Cinderella, presented by DuffleBag Theatre, on Wednesday, March 18, in Port Dover at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. This playful, fast-paced retelling of the classic fairy tale features audience participation, spontaneous comedy, and plenty of magical surprises.

Tickets are $17 each or four for $60, making Lighthouse Festival one of the most affordable ways for families to create lasting March Break memories. Tickets are available now at lighthousetheatre.com.

“This programming is such a wonderful opportunity for families to experience live theatre together,” said Executive Director Nicole Campbell in a media release.

“We’re proud to offer shows that are joyful, welcoming, and, especially important for families, truly affordable.”

Interim Artistic Producer David Leyshon highlighted the timeless appeal of this year’s stories.

“Robert Munsch’s tales are beloved by generations of Canadians, and seeing them brought to life on stage is always magical.

Pairing that with the classic charm and humour of Cinderella makes this March Break lineup something special.” For DuffleBag Theatre’s Marcus Lundgren, the excitement is all about the shared experience.

“March Break at Lighthouse is always such a joy, and Cinderella is designed for the whole family to jump right into the fun.

With audience participation and lots of laughs, every performance feels completely unique.”

With engaging storytelling, interactive comedy, and family-friendly pricing, Lighthouse Festival’s March Break programming promises unforgettable moments for audiences, young and old.

About Lighthouse Festival Lighthouse Festival is a charitable organization devoted to the development and production of new and existing Canadian plays. The organization strives to be artistically excellent, support and encourage local and regional artists, and be a source of enjoyment and pride in local communities while promoting local tourism.

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

21

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Email to inquire: info@simcoeadvocate.com SPONSORED BY

625 West St., Simcoe (at the corner of Hillcrest Rd.)

simcoelighting.ca 519-428-9927

OPEN: MONDAY-FRIDAY 9AM-5PM & SATURDAY 9AM-3PM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Simcoe

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

OPEN JAM Starting at 1:00 p.m Last Saturday of every month. Everyone is welcome to bring an instrument or just come out and listen to the music. Free event For More Information call, the Legion at 519-4435588 or Check out our website at https://www. teetervillelegionbranch526.ca. .

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

WAMPUS KAT (WINGS)/ST.PATRICK'S DAY PARTY! Serving from 5:00 p.m (Until Sold Out) Wings/Fries or both available for purchase.

Dress up, and stay and have some fun!

For More Information call, the Legion at 519443-5588 or Check out our website at https:// www.teetervillelegionbranch526.ca.

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

SUNDAY, MARCH 1 CABIN FEVER TREASURE SALE 9:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m Multi-vendor indoor sale of antiques, collectables, houseware, smalls and good "junque" at the Simcoe Legion. $2/entry, Youth Free. www.simcoelegion.ca Simcoe Legion, 200 West Street, Simcoe

MONDAY, MARCH 2 BINGO NIGHT 7 p.m Doors open 5:30 p.m - Early Bird 6:30 p.m Presented by ABEL Enterprises. Concession stand run by Simcoe & District Humane Society.

FREE EVENT! JOIN US FOR MUSIC BY BLVD RIFF RAFF 3:00 p.m-7:00 p.m Everyone is Welcome. For More Information call, the Legion at 519-443-5588 or Check out our website at https://www. teetervillelegionbranch526.ca.

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

SUNDAY, MARCH 8 SUNDAY BRUNCH Serving from 9:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m (noon) (while quantities last) Adults $15.00. Children Ages 6-10 $7.00 Children Under 6 years of age are free. For More Information Call, the Legion at 519-4435588 or www.teetervillelegionbranch526.ca The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

Simcoe Legion, West Street, Simcoe

2ND SUNDAY LIVE MUSIC WITH SCOTT BOLLERT 2:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m Enjoy the music of Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble with Scott Bollert. $5/cover Doors open at 1:00 pm. www.simcoelegion.ca

FRIDAY, MARCH 6 & 20

Simcoe Legion, 200 West Street, Simcoe

FRIENDLY GAME OF DARTS Registration at 6:45 p.m Starting at 7:00 p.m Everyone is Welcome. Draw for partners. For More Information call, the Legion at 519-4435588 or Check out our website at https://www. teetervillelegionbranch526.ca.

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

FRIDAY, MARCH 6 FRIDAY NIGHTS AT THE CAFE 7:00 p.m SOPHIA WHITE - Local Lymphatic Therapist speaking on Your Brain Has a Drain – And It Can Slow Down. The Clinical Link Between Lymphatics, Inflammation and Mental Clarity.

FREE EVENT. Encouraging Wellness! Everyone welcome!

Riversyde 83 – 83 Sydenham Street in downtown

MONDAY, MARCH 9 DELHI & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY MEETING 7:30 p.m Guest Speaker - Trent Myers a Forest Arborist specializing in the planting & maintance of trees. Will be very interesting. All welcome to join us.

Delhi Senior Friendship Centre, 418 Queen St., Delhi (Enter at rear parking lot off William Street.)

THURSDAY, MARCH 12 IRISH TRIVIA NIGHT 7:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m FREE - register your team of 4 to 6 people and try your knowledge to win prizes. See website www.simcoelegion.ca for details Simcoe Legion, 200 West Street, Simcoe

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

FRIDAY FUN NIGHTS - PI NIGHT 6:30 p.m with ADAM LIEFL on the Café Stage! ADAM LIEFL is helping us celebrate PI DAY (it’s officially March 14) with lots of fruity and creamy choices of our delectable house-baked PIES! Come and celebrate PI and PIE with us!

Riversyde 83 – 83 Sydenham Street in downtown Simcoe

SATURDAY, MARCH 14 PANCAKE & SAUSAGE BREAKFAST 9:00 a.m – 12:00 p.m Enjoy fluffy buttermilk pancakes, breakfast sausages, and fruit cocktail.

Dine in or take out — gluten-free available.

Pricing: Adults $15 | Children $10 Hosted by the Marburg Community Association. Serving the community since 1863.

Proceeds support the operation and maintenance of Marburg Hall.

Marburg Hall, 1345 Lynn Valley Rd (between Cockshutt Rd & Hwy 6)

MONDAY, MARCH 16 ST. PATRICK’S DAY BINGO NIGHT Main Games - 7 p.m Doors open 5:30 p.m - Early Bird 6:30 p.m Presented by ABEL Enterprises. Concession stand run by Simcoe & District Humane Society.

In addition to the usual $3000+ in cash prizes with a jackpot of $1000, players will also receive a ticket on the way in for fun draws featuring prizes from local businesses.

If you or your business would like to donate a prize for the fun draws please email abelfundraising@gmail.com Simcoe Legion, West Street, Simcoe

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February 26, 2026

TUESDAY, MARCH 17 ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARTY WITH OLD BARN DOORS 7:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m Live music with mix of Irish and Canadiana come sing along! $5/cover in the clubroom of the Simcoe Legion www.simcoelegion.ca Simcoe Legion, 200 West Street, Simcoe

SUNDAY, MARCH 22 LEGION CRAFT & VENDOR SHOW 11:00 a.m- 3:00 p.m Free Admission Space still available! Want to book a space?

To book contact the legion and leave your name and phone number, or pop in during business hours. www.teetervillelegionbranch526.ca.

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 WINGS & THINGS PUB NIGHT Starting at 5:00 p.m (Until Sold Out) Music by Sunset DJ & Karaoke. For More Information call, the Legion at 519-443-5588 or Check out our website at https://www. teetervillelegionbranch526.ca.

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

Simcoe Advocate OPEN JAM Starting at 1:00 p.m Last Saturday of every month.

Everyone is welcome to bring an instrument or just come out and listen to the music.

Free event.

Program. Admission is free but monetary donations will be gratefully accepted. Light refreshments served after concert.

St. James United Church, 150 Colborne St.S.

The Wagner Memorial, Teeterville Legion Branch 526. 3890 Teeterville Road, Teeterville, Ontario

EVERY OTHER FRIDAY

EXPERIENCE FANSHAWE AT OPEN HOUSE All locations are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Meet faculty and current students from all areas of Fanshawe Drop-in and ask about your program interests, career options and becoming a Fanshawe student. Hear from college experts on student life, admissions, financial aid, and more! Explore our campuses at London, Woodstock, Simcoe, St. Thomas, Clinton and Tiverton

1:00 p.m - 4:00 p.m In 2026 it’s your fix! Ingersoll Country Music Jamboree meeting every other Friday 1-4 p.m. at Masonic Hall, 190 Thames St. S. Ingersoll.

Join us, walk ins welcome. Qualifications - love 50-70's country music. Perform, listen, dance & enjoy! February 27, March 6 & 20, April 10 & 17, May 1, 15 & 29, June 5 & 19.

MONDAY, MARCH 30

Win over $21,000.00 (LIC #RAF 14505443)! Tickets are available for $5 each, 3 for $10, or 6 for $20. Proceeds support the Norfolk Haldimand Hospice, Norfolk General Hospital Foundation, and Rotary Norfolk Youth Scholarships.

BINGO NIGHT 7 p.m Doors open 5:30 p.m - Early Bird 6:30 p.m Presented by ABEL Enterprises. Concession stand run by Simcoe & District Humane Society.

INGERSOLL COUNTRY MUSIC JAMBOREE

EVERY FRIDAY EVENING CATCH THE ACE 4:30 a.m- 7:30 p.m (Draw at 7:45 pm)

Simcoe Legion, West Street, Simcoe

Simcoe Legion, West Street, Simcoe

SECOND SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

COURTLAND COUNTRY OPEN MIC JAM Music starts at 1:00 p.m | Dinner at 5:00 p.m

SIMCOE SING INTO SPRING CONCERT 2 p.m Sing Intro Spring - Heart N Soul! Fundraising Concert for St. James United Church Outreach

All welcome!

Courtland Community Centre | 272 Main St., Courtland, ON

Bikers bundle up for February’s Friday the 13th J.P. ANTONACCI Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Norfolk County’s biggest tourist draw is also its most unpredictable.

The calendar dictates when bikers rumble into Port Dover for the Friday the 13th motorcycle rally.

Some years, that means throngs of leather-clad bikers strolling down Main Street in the summer heat.

On Friday, it meant a hardy few who opted for fourwheeled transportation into the lakeside town in search of camaraderie and commemorative T-shirts.

“We drove in. It was -18 when we left home,” said motorcycle enthusiast Jim Clouatre, who came to town from

Petrolia with his wife, Hilary.

The Clouatres were browsing the T-shirts at On the Fringe, one of several downtown shops offering Friday the 13th-themed swag. Hilary picked out two sequined shirts for the couple’s 18-month-old granddaughter.

“She doesn’t have any Port Dover stuff yet,” Hilary said with a smile.

On the Fringe gave out free shirts from last June’s rally to the first 100 visitors. The shirts vanished in half an hour, ending up in the hands of bikers from London, Welland, Toronto, Hamilton and even Pennsylvania, said store staff.

Friday the 13th tends to be a boon to local businesses, and a diner on Main Street was full of patrons Friday morning, many wearing PD13-branded hats and shirts.

(J.P. ANTONACCI PHOTO)

Haley Saunders, left, and Lisa Misener worked the cash at On the Fringe, a biker-themed shop in Port Dover. The store gave away free commemorative Friday the 13th T-shirts to the first 100 shoppers.

Business was similarly brisk at an uptown kiosk run by the local Kinsmen club, whose members sold T-shirts to raise money for a planned splash pad.

There are no warm-weather Friday the 13th rallies on the calendar this year, but Jim Clouatre plans to be back for the March event and, with any luck, return in November atop his motorcycle.

“For sure,” he said. “I’ve only missed two in 18 years.”

- J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

(J.P. ANTONACCI PHOTO) (J.P. ANTONACCI PHOTO)

Port Dover’s Kinsmen club sold Friday the 13th-branded shirts to raise money for a new splash pad.

Jim, left, and Hilary Clouatre drove to Port Dover from Petrolia for this month’s Friday the 13th biker rally, which was high on spirit but short on actual motorcycles due to the cold.

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

23

Art and imagination on display at the Clay and Glass Gallery

OH, THE

PLACES WE'LL GO

By Paul Knowles

( PAUL KNOWLES PHOTOS)

The fantasical work, "Demon Teapot", by Lindsay Montgomery.

Let’s be honest: you may have never heard of the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery. Or, if you have, you probably have never visited the place.

Well, I am here to suggest that you rectify that situation, immediately. Because there are a large number of special things about the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery that truly make it worth a visit.

First, it’s unique. Located near Uptown Waterloo, it is the only art gallery in the country that is exclusively dedicated to exhibiting and collecting contemporary Canadian glass, ceramic, enamel and stained glass works of art.

Second, the folks at the Gallery are brilliant at staging exhibitions. If you are a museum-goer who is just a bit tired of crammed display cases and claustrophobic exhibition rooms, you are going to love the Clay and Glass. The building, which opened in 1993, is the very definition of spacious.

More about this later.

Third, the exhibitions are always fresh. Clay and Glass PR director William Hlowatzki told us that the exhibitions are changed up, every season. Right now there are four exhibitions that will be on display for the next few months, only.

Fourth, the gift shop offers a spectacular array of hand-crafted glass and clay jewelry and other giftware, made by Canadian artisans, many of them local to the southern Ontario region.

Fifth – and this may seem too good to be true – admission is free. Yes, anyone can enjoy the unique works in the Clay and Glass any time it is open – and it’s open six days a week, closed only on Mondays.

I asked William how free admission could be possible, since clearly this is a professionally-managed institution with staff, acquisition budgets and operating costs. He pointed to the list

"Hibernation Mode", 2025, by Annette ten Cate. ten Catt is one of four artists whose works form the "Fabled Clay" exhibition. The work facing the camera in the background is "Goat and cohort" by the same artist.

of donors – private people, corporations, foundations and government bodies – that keep this amazing institution afloat and moving ahead.

According to the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery’s website, the museum owes its existence to Canadian ceramic artist Ruth Gowdy McKinley, a founding member of “Ceramics Canada.”

When she died in 1981, her colleagues in that organization began to envision an art gallery, honouring her memory, that would focus on works created in clay, glass and enamel. The plan quickly moved forward; ground was broken in 1989, and the new Gallery opened in 1993. The building was designed by Patricia Patkau of Patkau Architects of Vancouver, and was honoured with a Governor General’s Award for design.

What makes that an even more significant accomplishment is, as William told us, the Clay and

Glass was Patkau’s first public building.

In parallel with the construction of the physical building was an endowment campaign, led by the late Winifred Shantz and former board chair Ann Roberts, herself a ceramic artist of note, and a professor in the University of Waterloo Fine Arts Department.

Right now, there are four exhibitions on display at the Clay and Glass. The most extensive is the utterly captivating “Fabled Clay,” featuring the work of four artists: Janet MacPherson of Hamilton, Lindsay Montgomery of Toronto, Amélie Proulx of Lévis, Québec, and Annette ten Cate, of Grey County. The shared focus of these wildly diverse works is “story-telling”. Visitors will be enthralled by the stories inherent in the works – and will also be drawn into creating their own stories as they contemplate ornate teapots embraced by demons; a bear in bunny slippers; or a beer-swilling, naked “Shepherdess”.

Nicely displayed in a smaller gallery room is the exhibition, “Frogs’ Return” by Melanie Barnett of Treaty 7 Territory in Medicine Hat, Alberta – a series of complex, whimsical ceramic creations involving said amphibians.

“Weathered Rock”, a multi-faceted, multi-media work by D’Andrea Bowie of Whitchurch-Highlands, Ontario, occupies another exhibition area. All three of these exhibitions will continue through mid-May. The fourth current exhibit is “Material Syntax: 3D Printed Masonry Façade Systems”, a display by University of Waterloo Architecture students. It closed March 27.

The latter is just one example of

A view of the very spacious and welcoming exhibition area.

In the foreground, "Fish Monk", 2025, by Janet MacPherson.

how the Gallery interacts with the community. In 2025, the Gallery hosted 478 workshop sessions, attended by 14,514 people. That is twice the number that attended workshops in 2024. Through community outreach programs, the Gallery also staged 65 workshop sessions through the Region of Waterloo, reaching 3,000 participants.

I’m writing this feature because we quickly realized that the Clay and Glass Gallery offers a variety of day-trip options. Would-be visitors can investigate workshops, offered at a reasonable fee (see the website for details); or they can simply visit the Gallery, at no charge, and spend as much time as they would like exploring the imaginations of these creative artists.

And some added good news: the Gallery, located at 25 Caroline Street North in Waterloo, is on the edge of Waterloo Park, a perfect place for strolling and picnicking (in warmer weather, of course), and is also a block away from Uptown Waterloo. If good food is part of your day trip agenda, high-end restaurants like Solé and Proof; good pubs like Beertown and McCabe’s Irish Pub; and many other dining options are minutes away.

So, after a highly entertaining visit, I happily recommend the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery as a centrepiece for an intriguing day out.

Paul Knowles is an author and travel writer, and Past-President of the Travel Media Association of Canada. To contact Paul about travel, his books, or speaking engagements, email pknowles@ golden.net.

"Seated Figure", 2015, by Magdolene Dykstra, oversees the gallery – and the display of donors who keep the doors open!

February 26, 2026

24

Simcoe Advocate

New website, expanding online housing applications ers, such as Indwell and the Canadian Mental Health Association, giving people more choices through a single application for deeply affordable housing in Haldimand and Norfolk. Moving to online applications simplifies the process for residents and reduces paperwork, helping applications be submitted and reviewed more efficiently. Beginning July 1, 2026, housing applications will be available online only. Support will continue to be available for anyone who needs help accessing the website or submitting required documents.

The redesigned website was built with accessibility and ease of use in mind. Key features include simplified menus, a mobilefriendly design that works on any device, easytoread plainlanguage content that meets Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act standards, and convenient access to forms, applications, and email updates.

The new website also includes dedicated sections for housing and childcare providers, where organizations can find program information, updates, and resources to help organizations stay informed and connected to HNHSS services. Information on the previous housing-focused website (hnhousing.org) and social servicesfocused website (hnss.org) has been migrated to the new website, bringing all information together in one place to improve the overall experience for residents. Residents are encouraged to visit hnhss.ca to explore the new website and share feedback. Housing and Social Services can also be reached by phone at 5194266170 in Norfolk and 9053186623 in Haldimand. Inperson services are available at 12 Gilbertson Drive, Simcoe, and 117 Forest Street East, Dunnville.

Haldimand and Norfolk Housing and Social Services (HNHSS) has launched a newly redesigned website that makes it easier for residents to find information, apply for services, and access support online.

The new website, available at hnhss.ca, allows residents to explore programs and services offered by Housing Services, Homelessness Prevention, Employment and Financial Assistance (Ontario Works), and Children's Services.

At the same time, HNHSS has expanded its Centralized Wait List housing application system. Households can now use one online wait list application to apply for RentGearedtoIncome housing as well as other affordable and supportive housing options. The updated system also connects applicants to communitybased housing provid-

ROCERY FROM AROUND THE Weekly Crossword THE PRODUCE PUZZLE - GLOBAL GROCERY TOUR WORLS

(FILE PHOTO)

The 2026 Coldest Night of the Year walk in Simcoe is Feb. 28, starting at 4 p.m. See https://cnoy.org/locations/ Simcoe for more information on how to participate or donate. This year’s Coldest Night of the Year starts and finishes at McDonald’s on the Queensway. The event raises awareness and support for the most vulnerable members of the community, and this year funds raise will support Youth Unlimited’s Teenlink program.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

227 MAIN STREET IN DELHI, ON

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ACROSS

1. Spicy chili paste common in North African cuisine

8. Thai fish sauce used as a seasoning base

2.Firm cheese that can be grilled without melting

12. Sesame seed paste used in hummus

3. Warm spice blend added near the end of cooking 4. Lightly battered and fried seafood or vegetables

13. Chinese cooking wine used in stir-fries and marinades.

18. Japanese soup stock often made with bonito flakes

5. Tiny steamed semolina grains

20. Crumbly Mexican cheese often sprinkled on street corn

6. Yogurt sauce flavored with cucumber and garlic

22. Complex sauce often containing chilies and chocolate

7. Spanish almond variety prized for sweetness

23. Nutty Swiss-French cheese used in fondue

9. Sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking

25. Small side dishes served alongside Korean meals

10. Root similar to ginger but sharper and citrusy

26. Sour fermented flatbread used as both plate and utensil 27. Herb traditionally used to season beans.

Simcoe Advocate

Riddles

February 26, 2026

25

PET OF THE WEEK

Nominate your Pet of the Week by emailing info@simcoeadvocate.com

What word is spelled incorrectly in every dictionary?

Incorrectly

SASARI

I have one eye, but cannot see.

What am I?

Meet our Pet of the Week:

A needle If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, I no longer exist. What am I? A secret

Sasari is a sweet but shy girl who warms up with love and attention. She’s fully vaccinated, spayed, microchipped, and treated for parasites. Though she is FIV positive, she is otherwise healthy and can live a long, happy life with proper care. She would do best as the only cat or with other FIV-positive cats.

www.simcoedhumane.ca

I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I? A joke

Word Search

PM

THINGS I LOST THIS WEEK - Word Search Labs

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THINGS I LOST THIS WEEK THINGS I LOST THIS WEEK

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PhoneCharger HouseKeys CarKeys LipBalm LibraryBook GroceryList

WWW.GRANTHAVEN.COM/SIMCOE-ADVOCATE Medium Puzzle #1

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February 26, 2026

26

Simcoe Advocate

Lighthouse Community Strategy charts path forward on mental health, substance use harms

The Lighthouse Community Strategy (LCS) steering committee has released a new community-driven strategy to address the harms associated with substance use and mental health challenges in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Haldimand and Norfolk counties.

Established in 2024, the LCS was developed through broad local engagement to support a coordinated, multi-sector approach to addressing substance use and mental health challenges and improving community wellbeing.

The strategy focuses on building safer, healthier and more resilient communities through a holistic, evidence-informed and multi-sector approach. This next phase moves the work from foundational planning to coordinated action. Guided by the steering committee and an advisory committee, the strategy is organized around four pillars: harm reduction, treatment, community safety and prevention, with 26 recommended actions.

“The Lighthouse Community Strategy reflects what is possible when organizations across sectors come together around a shared commitment to community wellbeing,” said Sarah Page, CEO Grand Erie Public Health and Co-

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Since its launch, the LCS has continued to evolve in response to emerging community needs, system pressures and the lived realities of people affected by substance use and mental health challenges. In 2025, the steering committee undertook a renewed community consultation pro-

David Simmonds, CPA

cess to validate priorities and ensure the strategy reflects current conditions across the region.

Feedback from people who live and work in the in community and people with lived or living experience directly informed the final recommendations and implementation priorities outlined in the new strategy. The full strategy is available at: geph.ca/lcs/.

WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE

We have hired Shelley Klassen as Senior Accountant at David Simmonds CPA Professional Corporation in Tillsonburg. Shelley has over 20 years of experience in the accounting industry. Her areas of focus include agriculture, businesses, corporations, income tax, estates, bookkeeping and payroll.

Shelley comes to us after 8 years with Larry Hemeryck CPA of Simcoe and later Dely & Associates also of Simcoe. Our practice is welcoming new clients this tax season. Please reach out to Shelley for all your income tax and accounting needs.

• Agriculture, businesses, corporations • Income tax, bookkeeping, payroll, HST • Farm programs, estates David Simmonds CPA Professional Corporation 19 Ridout Street East Tillsonburg ON N4G 2C6 Tel: 519-842-4279 Email: shelley@simmondscpa.ca

Simcoe Advocate

February 26, 2026

27

CLASSIFIEDS

Email to inquire: info@simcoeadvocate.com FOR SALE

QUIZ ANSWERS

HELP WANTED

1. Mango or Durian 2. Hedgehogs & Porcupines 3. Bessie Smith 4. Amazon 5. Bamboo

Hundreds of shade trees, fruit trees, apples, pears, peaches, plums, sweet and sour cherries, apricots, nectarines, blueberries, haskapp grapes, raspberries, elderberries etc. Lots of spruce, pine, cedars for windbreak and privacy hedges. Sizes 1-8 ft. in containers ready to go. Flowering shrubs and much more. MonSat 7:00am to 6:00pm Martin's Nursery, 42661 Orangehill Rd Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0 (1 Conc. North of Wroexter on Belmore Line)

SUDOKU ANSWERS Puzzle #1

GROCERY FROM AROUND THE E ARE W Solutions WORLS CROSSWORD ANSWERS

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If you are interested, contact Heather Dunbar at: heather@granthaven.com

Across: 8. Thai fish sauce used as a seasonin 12. Sesame seed paste used in humm

SUBMIT YOUR 13. Chinese cooking wine used in stir COMING EVENTS, MEMORIAM, marinades.

WANTED 3. Warm spice blend added near the end of 18. Japanese soup stock often made w THANK YOU, OBITUARY, I will pay cash for antiques and collectibles. Coca Cola, cooking. flakes.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Pepsi or any pop company. Brewery items - Kuntz, 4. Lightly battered and friedOR seafood or 20. Crumbly Mexican cheese often sp 2.

Firm cheese that can be grilled without melting.

Huether Labatts, etc. Old radios and gramophones, vegetables. street corn.

Email us wristwatches, pocket watches, old fruit5.jarsTiny - Beaver steamed semolina grains.

22.at Complex sauce often containing c Star, Bee Hive etc. Any old oil cans6. and signs - flavored withinfo@simcoeadvocate.com Yogurt sauce cucumber and chocolate.

Red Indian, Supertest etc. Any small garlic. furniture.

23. Nutty Swiss-French cheese used i If you are moving or cleaning out stuff please contact 7. Spanish almond variety prized for 25. Small side dishes served alongsid sweetness. meals. me – 519-570-6920.

INFO@SIMCOEADVOCATE.COM

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

9.

Sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking.

10. Root similar to ginger but sharper and citrusy.

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26. Sour fermented flatbread used as

and utensil.

27. Herb traditionally used to season

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Give us a call to start the process on your next project

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Down: 1. Spicy chili paste common in North African cuisine.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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6. Ohm (Ω) 7. Johnny Depp 8. 32 9. The Sargasso Sea 10. Eight

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February 26, 2026

Simcoe Advocate

WELCOME TO THE 40TH ANNUAL

Visit our website (or scan the QR code) to download a digital copy of the program: www.nmaf.ca

We invite the community to come and enjoy the talents of local musicians and theatre artists.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Admission is by donation.

MONDAY MARCH 2 TO THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2026 MONDAY MARCH 2, 2026

TUESDAY MARCH 3, 2026

WEDNESDAY MARCH 4, 2026

THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2026

ENGLISH SPEECH ARTS Junior, Intermediate & Senior Colborne Village United Church 30 Glendale Crescent 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM 12:50 PM – 3:45 PM

VOCAL Junior, Intermediate & Senior St. James United Church 150 Colborne Street South 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM 12:30 PM – 3:20 PM

VOCAL St. James United Church 150 Colborne Street South 9:30 AM – 1:40 PM (School Choirs) 1:45 PM – 4:30 PM (Senior)

VOCAL Junior Solos St. James United Church 150 Colborne Street South 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

THIS YEAR’S ADJUDICATORS: Bands & Instruments: William Thomas English & French Speech Arts: Tammy Cowan Piano: Dr. Angela Park Strings: Dr. Hanna Kim Ukulele: Dr. Patrick Feely Vocal & Choral: Amber Morphy

PIANO Junior, Intermediate & Senior First Baptist Church 129 Young Street 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM 1:15 PM – 3:40 PM

PIANO Junior, Intermediate & Senior First Baptist Church 129 Young Street 9:30 AM – 11:45 AM 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM

PIANO Junior, Intermediate & Senior First Baptist Church 129 Young Street 9:30 AM – 11:40 AM

COMMUNITY & YOUTH CHOIRS & BARBERSHOP QUARTET St. James United Church 150 Colborne Street South 6:45 PM – 8:30 PM

STRINGS Solos, Duets & Ensembles Colborne Village United Church 30 Glendale Crescent 12:30 PM – 3:40 PM 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

FRENCH SPEECH ARTS Solos & School Groups Colborne Village United Church 30 Glendale Crescent 9:00 AM – 11:35 AM 12:40 PM – 2:35 PM

Thank you to our Venue Sponsor

Thank you to our Print Sponsor

Vittoria & District Foundation

Millards Chartered Accountants

COMMUNITY BANDS, INSTRUMENTS & PERCUSSION Holy Trinity Catholic High School 128 Evergreen Hill Road 7:00 PM – 8:45 PM

SCHOOL BANDS Holy Trinity Catholic High School 128 Evergreen Hill Road 9:30 AM – 11:25 AM 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Thank you to our Marketing Partner

UKULELE Groups & Solos St. James United Church 150 Colborne Street South 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

JOIN US FOR OUR SPECIAL EVENTS SUNDAY MARCH 1, 2026 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT First Baptist Church 129 Young Street 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Doors Open at 1:30 PM

THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2026 SENIOR CUP COMPETITIONS St. James United Church 150 Colborne Street South 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Doors Open at 6:30 PM

Patrons AUDREY S. HELLYER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Jennifer Hamilton, Branch Manager Simcoe, ON

TUESDAY MARCH 10, 2026 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS & AWARDS CEREMONY Emmanuel Bible Church 24 Churchill Circle 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Doors Open at 6:30 PM