The North Grenville Times
The Voice of North Grenville
Red tape: A hindrance to housing and more Kemptville Youth Centre by Brandon Mayer A local resident and business owner is drawing attention to a simple, yet important problem: hydro layout inspections can be yet another hindrance to the already overcomplicated world of building new housing, or renovating existing housing or businesses. The business owner who contacted the Times wished to remain anonymous in order to prevent any effect a news story might have on her case. “I contacted Hydro One [mid June] for a new layout
request for renovations we are planning,” she said. I would’ve called in April had I known we required a new layout, but due to errors with Ontario Call Before You Dig, we did not know Hydro was in the area we were working.” The business owner is being told that the earliest date she can get an onsite meeting for a layout is October 30 - more than 4 months after her call. “After making calls and inquiring, it appears that most new builders and electricians are all facing significant delays,” she added. “The response we
costs due to these delays?” The business owner added a suggestion: “Can the layouts not be contracted out if they are that far behind? If they are that short on staff, why is there not more than one position posted for planning, instead of 27 positions for managers and administration?” The provincial government is pushing its plan to “build more homes faster”, in part by cutting red tape. Clearly, much red tape still exists in the industry.
received from Hydro One is they are short staffed and I should have called sooner!” Such a delay can potentially have a major impact on those building housing or upgrading their business, as is the case with the business owner who spoke to the Times. “If we cannot get our new septic system in before the winter sets in, then we potentially risk closing as we have outgrown our current set up,” she said. “These delays must have significant impacts to many. With the need for affordable housing, what type of financial burdens are being added to the
ANNUAL BOOK FAIR
at FFC August 18, 8-7 19, 8 - 5 20 8-12 KYC is seeking book sorting volunteers anytime between 8 am and 5 pm Saturday August 12th to Thursday 17th
Lightning strikes eQuinelle house, causes fire
by Brandon Mayer In the early morning hours of August 3, several major storms rocked the area, including one storm in Kemptville that dealt a devastating lightning strike to a house in the eQuinelle subdivision. The lightning strike caused a major fire, which left the house still standing but uninhabitable. Neighbours in the area at the time of the lightning strike reported that it sounded like an “explosion”. Flames were clearly visible pouring out of the top story of the home in Royal Landing Gate in the northwest end of town. August 10, 2023
All people in the house managed to escape unharmed – thanks to smoke detectors – but only one out of three pets was able to be saved. Two cats and one hamster were removed from the building, but only one cat was successfully treated for the resulting smoke inhalation. The Times offers its condolences for the loss of the pets. The family affected by the fire – consisting of four now-displaced individuals – did have insurance, and the Office of the Fire Marshall has officially designated the cause of the fire as accidental (a lightning strike). There have been many intense storms in the local area this summer, with some
producing tornadoes in the Ottawa area, and many producing significant lightning, large hail, and strong winds. The quick escape of the family from the eQuinelle house on August 3 highlights the life saving nature of having working smoke detectors. A new provincial campaign called “Saved by the Beep” is underway to bring awareness to the importance of installing and testing smoke detectors. “Thursday Sept. 28, 2023, is Ontario's first Test Your Smoke Alarm Day!”, reads a section of the Saved by the Beep website. “Last year, there were 133 fire fatalities in the Province – the most in 20 years. As part of Test Your Smoke Alarm Day, all Ontarians are encouraged to learn more about smoke alarms, fire safety, and home fire escape planning, which can save the lives of you and your loved ones. Most importantly, we want you to test your smoke alarms! We've created free, downloadable resources in multiple languages so everyone can share this safety message.” For more information, visit http://savedbythebeep. ca/. 3
www.ngtimes.ca