November 25, 2022

Creemore BIA supports levy increase

by Trina Berlo

The Creemore BIA has shown support for a levy increase and has endorsed the board’s 2023 budget, which will be forwarded to Clearview council for consideration and final approval.

The majority of the 24 building owner and tenants within the Business Improvement Area (BIA) in attendance at the Nov. 22 (annual general meeting) AGM supported a $5,000 increase to the levy, bring it to $25,000. The levy is collected from property owners within the designated area along the commercial corridor of Mill Street and a portion of Caroline Street West to promote businesses and enhance beatification.

At the meeting, BIA president Laurie Severn outlined the BIA’s activity in 2022 and treasurer Sara Hershoff presented the financial reports and the proposed 2023 budget.

“We believe it is of great value, that we do more collectively than we do as individuals,” said Hershoff. “This is our gift to the next board, so they don’t have to scramble as much.”

Members also approved setting a minimum levy of $250 and increasing the maximum levy from $2,000 to $2,500. The allocating is divvied up between all properties based on their MPAC assessments.

With additional income from events like the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox, grants, sponsorship, and

donations, the BIA had an income of just under $57,000 in 2022, with funds going towards events, marketing, beautification, and administration.

Paul Vorstermans pointed out that $6,000 is budgeted to manage garbage in 2023. He suggested that the BIA get out of the business of waste management, street sweeping, sidewalk weeding, and tree pruning, which he considers to be basic municipal services.

“It’s time to put our foot down,” said Vorstermans. “It is not a matter of discussion.”

Members of the executive committee are recommending to the new board, to be elected in the New Year, that it draft a service agreement to be presented to the municipality that clearly sets out who

is responsible for what, and that if the BIA expects a higher level of service on their schedule, that the BIA be willing to contribute financially.

The municipality did create a bit of a windfall for the BIA by purchasing self watering planters that adorn the downtown in the summer. The BIA said it had been saving to buy new planters, and as a result now has almost $80,000 that could be used for a capital project.

The BIA’s current term has come to an end and an election will be held for the next board of directors by secret ballot on Feb. 21. Nominations open on Jan. 30, BIA members will be able to nominate themselves or another member. Information will be circulated to members in the near future.

Police investigate break-in at Stayner Tim Hortons

Huronia West OPP are investigating a break-and-enter incident at the Tim Hortons in Stayner.

At about 1 a.m. on Nov. 17, police responded to a break and enter call for service at Tim Hortons located on Highway 26 in Stayner, Clearview Twp.

Upon arrival, police met with employees and learned forced entry was made into the business. An audit revealed a large sum of money was found to be missing from the scene.

As a result of the findings, members from the Central Region Forensic Identification Services (FIS) were notified and attended the scene to assist with the investigation.

Surveillance footage was reviewed by police where suspect photos and CCTV footage was retrieved. The suspect is described as male with a large stature, wearing a grey Reebok hoody, dark pants, grey/black shoes with red laces, a black balaclava, and light grey backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to call Huronia West OPP at 1-888-3101122, or to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

Many ways to give locally this holiday season

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the County of Simcoe Paramedic Services Toy Drive, providing much needed support to individuals and families in need across Simcoe County.

New, unwrapped toys, non-perishable food items and gift cards (with the gift card value denoted) are still appreciated and can be dropped off at two locations in Clearview Township: Town Hall in Stayner and at the Emergency Hub at 6993 Highway 26.

In the past 19 years, the Toy Drive has collected 94,263 toys, 46,442 pounds of food and more than $222,548 for families across Simcoe County.

Online donations, new, unwrapped toys, non-perishable food items and gift cards with the value denoted will all be accepted. Online donations can be made at www.canadahelps.org/en/ charities/simcoe-county-paramedicassociation/.

Clearview Township is also

supporting the toy drive through the ‘Toys for Tickets’ initiative, which allows anyone who receives a parking ticket between Oct. 15 and Dec. 15 the option to pay the early fee as indicated on the ticket, or to submit a gift card or toy of equal or greater value as payment for the ticket. Residents can donate to pay a parking ticket in person at the Administration Centre. Donations will stay within Clearview, supporting local families in need.

Toys and gift cards can also be dropped off to Clearview firefighters at the tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 2.

The Creemore Echo will not be accepting food and toy donations this year but will be accepting donations of cash, cheques and Foodland gift cards for the Creemore Food Bank and the Clearview-Stayner Food Bank. Donations of gift cards to other retail stores are also welcome and will be passed on to the food banks.

Staff photo: Trina Berlo

Creemore BIA board executive: President Laurie Severn (from right), treasurer Sara Hershoff and secretary Heather Harding

Saturday, Nov. 26

• Mistletoe Market at the Dunedin Community Hall. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gifts, crafts and artisan made goods

• Christmas Bazaar Centennial United Church, 234 William St, Stayner 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over 20 vendors. Handmade candles, knitting, quilts, tea, hot sauces, jewelry, vinyl and paper crafts, wreaths, hand made stuffed animals, leggings, pampered chef, decor and much more for you to explore. Enter the door prize contest. No admission cost. Donations of funds and pet supplies for the GTHS and/or donations for Centennial United Church children and youth program and community outreach are appreciated. Contact Jen Gerrior at 705-428-3733, or gerriordutka@rogers. com.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, Nov. 26 & Sunday, Nov. 27

• The Handmade Holiday Market is back showcasing 20+ local vendors and musicians. Nov. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Creemore Legion, 27 Wellington St. W. The kitchen will be open serving lunch and light refreshments. Free admission, cash preferred/required by some vendors.

Wednesday, Nov. 30

• New Lowell Guiding Fundraiser with Pampered Chef. Order deadline is Nov. 30. All orders placed online, and delivered directly to you with 20 per cent of all sales going to New Lowell Guiding. Order and product info at www.pamperedchef.ca/ party/newlowellguiding.

Thursday, Dec. 1

• Creemore Legion Ladies Auxiliary tourtiere pies are now available to order. Being made and frozen, unbaked. $17 each. Pick-up before 4 p.m. on Dec. 14. To order, please call Dee at 705-441-3709 or Laura at 705-466-2462. Call by Dec. 1 to ensure your order.

• Christmas Tree Lighting at Station Park gazebo, Stayner, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Christmas Tree Lighting, music and refreshments. www. discoverclearview.ca.

Friday, Dec. 2

• The Tree Society of Creemore is hosting its annual tree lighting at Station on the Green from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The tree lighting will be at 6 p.m.

Submit your community events info@creemore.com phone: 705-466-9906 fax: 705-466-9908

Saturday,Dec. 3

• Santa Claus is coming to town. Creemore's Annual Santa Claus Parade. 1:30 p.m. If you are a community group, business or person interested in entering a float, or an individual wanting to volunteer please contact Natalie at natalieagraves@ gmail.com or call 705-333-9496.

• Breakfast with Santa is back at a new location –the Creemore Legion, 8 a.m. to noon. Pancake and sausage breakfast, visit Santa and bid on the silent auction. Adults, $10; Kids, $5; Family of four, $25. Tickets available at Creemore Foodland, Clear Tax View, Creemore IDA, The Creemore Echo and at the door. Donations to the silent auction are gratefully accepted. All proceeds go the local primary school. For more info contact Vickie at 705-441-6386.

• Celebrate the season at the Creemore Farmers’ Christmas Market with delicious gifts from our growers and bakers at Station on the Green from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• You are invited to join us at the Creemore Branch of the Clearview Public Library after the Santa Claus Parade to warm up, craft and enjoy a cup of complimentary alphabet soup until 4 p.m. The Gnomes on Parade (scavenger hunt) will be hidden in our stacks of books and if you find all eight of them, you will be entitled to pull a present from the treasure chest.

Sunday, Dec. 4

• Celebrate the season at Creemore Farmer’s Christmas Craft Market with handcrafted holiday gifts from our local artisans. Station on the Green from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 4

• Holiday pop up market New Lowell Central Public School, 5197 County Road 9, New Lowell. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Browse for those hard to buy for people on your list. Free entry, with gift wrapping and child care available. All local vendors, offering handmade, one of a kind gifts.

Bill 23 threatens farmland: OFA, McArthur

by Trina Berlo Creemore area councillor-elect

Robert McArthur says he believes Bill 23 would be a giant step backwards for Clearview Township.

McArthur, a lifelong Cashtown Corners farmer, is supporting the position of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), to intensify housing development without sacrificing farmland.

He said the threat to prime agricultural land has been ongoing in cities for a long time.

“We believe that building needs to be done along the core transit lines, and either build more condensed units or build up,” said McArthur. “When you put it into context, in 100 years there won’t be much [farmland] left in Ontario.”

Because the government has limited the commenting period, McArthur applauds the OFA for its response, especially since the new council hasn’t been sworn in yet and is unable to formulate a response.

In a Nov. 17 submission to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Cultural Policy, to which Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, has been referred, the OFA has taken the position that it supports intensification within urban boundaries but should go further to limit zoning dedicated to single detached dwellings, and to increase density in rural settlement areas.

OFA says it “opposes any reintroduction of severances in the agricultural area and desires to work with the Province to increase density and housing in rural Ontario in ways that do not sacrifice farmland.”

The OFA also opposes the removal of local site plan control, upper tier planning responsibilities, public meetings for subdivision draft plans, and third-party planning appeals.

“OFA worries that these changes to Ontario’s land use planning system will disproportionately impact rural municipalities as they may not have the capacity (e.g., staff, budgets, or expertise) to adopt these downloaded responsibilities and keep up with the pace of policy implementation. We recommend the province financially assist municipalities in achieving any goals related to updating and implementing municipal plans, policies, and procedures that will address housing and other matters of provincial interests.”

Instead, the OFA is calling on the province to create an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly to provide oversight of the municipal implementation of provincial land use plans and policies.

“Farmland is farmland, whether it is inside or outside the Greenbelt. Between the last two census 2016 to 2021 we lost 700,000 acres. The urban boundary expansion announced will use up more farmland. And once it turns into housing

• Agricultural land makes up less than five per cent of the province. 700,000 acres of farmland was lost between 2016 and 2021.

• 319 acres a day is being lost each day. That is 75 million carrots, 25 million apples and 1.2 million bottles of VQA wine. Per year, every year.

• Ontario is one of seven regions in the world that has the ability to export more food than it imports.

–

Ontario Federation of Agriculture

and development, it never goes back to farmland,” said OFA president Peggy Brekveld in a Nov. 16 presentation to the Standing Committee… “Some of the best farmland in the province is under this asphalt and concrete [in Toronto]. And do we want that to continue?”

McArthur is also concerned about how the Bill will affect the township’s finances.

“It’s going to impact the bottom line as developers are going to get a reduction in development charges under this proposed Bill,” said McArthur. “In other words this Bill is just a means for developers getting bigger financial profits, quicker.”

Sunrise Homes developer Sajjad Hussain said bad decisions over the past 20 years have hurt the development community and caused the current

housing affordability crisis

Sunrise Homes is currently working on a 294-unit development of single detached homes on County Road 7 in Stayner that goes by the name Clearview Park.

He said streamlining the development process is way overdue.

“Just to get things done in a municipality takes years and years and years and that is the prime reason for price escalation. Having this Bill and consolidating a lot of these timing issues, I think will help,” said Hussain.

He said a zoning application in the GTA takes two to four years to be approved, compared to three to six months in the United States, causing new homes to be slow to come to market, and inventory translates into affordability.

“It’s a supply issue. We have been crying about it for a long time,” said Hussain. “Bring more product to the market. It’s as simple as that.”

He said people are coming to this country, many to Ontario, and families are looking for homes. High prices in the GTA drive people out of the city, and they want to live in single detached homes.

“You can’t change the reality. Where are these people going to go? Not everybody wants to live in a 700 square foot condo,” said Hussain.

He said speeding up the approval period alone would be a huge win

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102 Edward St. E, Creemore

Feedback and old photos welcome info@creemore.com call 705-466-9906 fax 705-466-9908

THE WAY WE WERE

Who needs to eat?

Editor:

Kudos to both Trina Berlo and to Brenna Lattimore for their excellent and well-written lead and opinion pieces on Bill 23 and to The Echo for printing them. Both articles are well researched and compelling arguments for the public to get involved and have their say to stop Bill 23. The Greenbelt is an 800,000-hectare swath of Ontario’s prime farmland, forests, and wetlands essential in the protection of sensitive areas, in the reining in of sprawl in the GTA, and the preservation of Ontario’s (and half of Canada’s) prime farmland (which we are currently losing at a rate of 319 acres per day in Ontario – at this rate a child born today who lives into their nineties will live to see the disappearance of all farmland in Ontario. Who needs to eat?)

Some of Bill 23’s impacts are the following:

According to Wellington Water Watchers, Bill 23 will repeal no fewer than 36 regulations under the Conservation Authorities Act, as well as the Planning Act, the Development Charges Act, the Ontario Heritage Act, and the Ontario Land Tribunal Act;

The proposals in Bill 23 would remove your right as a resident to appeal any planning decisions such as Official Plans, zoning by-laws and minor variances while maintaining a corporation’s right to appeal those same decisions. It will remove requirements for a municipality to provide notice or hold public meetings on draft plans of subdivisions. It will eliminate site plan control on residential properties with fewer than 10 homes – shoreline residents beware;

According to County of Simcoe staff, under Bill 23, the county would no longer be required to have an Official Plan and the reduction and/or elimination of some Development Charges will incur a loss of some $175 million in County revenue during the next 10 to 15 years. They project that property taxes would have to rise by about four per cent to replace the lost revenue.

Ontario does not need to sacrifice environmental protections to address the housing crisis. Ontario’s own Housing Affordability Task Force stated in its 2022 report that land is available outside the Greenbelt and within existing built-up areas. The Task Force stated that the Greenbelt must be protected and farms provide food and food security. If any of this concerns you, please follow the reporting on Bill 23 in your local newspapers or go to websites such as environmentaldefence. ca, simcoecountygreenbelt.ca, or contact your local MPP and let them know you do not want the Greenbelt carved up and that Bill 23 needs to be revised so that it addresses the housing crisis properly without breaking up the Greenbelt.

Brian Bell, Chair, Food and Water First Vice-Chair, NDACT

Creemore Public School Room 2 1945-1946 – Back row: Donald Raymer, Sylvia Thompson, Lillian Lott, Oban Howie, Kay Mackay, Bernard Chalmers, teacher Alice Watson, Dorothy Sidey, Donna Melville, Ben Broderick, John Montgomery, Donald Mattice, Ed O’Kell. Middle row: John Featherstone, Bud Rushton, Norman Barber, Victor Kinghan, Orneva Bates, Ann Russell, Mavis Machesney, Velma Honsberger, Margaret Kinghan, Norma Steed, Helen Emmett, Margaret Mackay, Myrna Ruston. Front row: Shirley Mackay, Jack Carruthers, Marion Wagner, Orla Howie, Alice Lowen, Murray Skinkle, Jane Featherstone, Alice Montgomery, Ruby Rushton, Sylvia Pether, Teresa Moore. Submitted by Helen (Emmett) Blackburn.

Omission from last week's photo Creemore Contination School 1948 Grade 9 photo: Earl Bonner and Joan Best. Correction: Lawrence Montgomery, Wallace Stainton and Doreen Perry.

LETTERS

MOH should mandate masks

Editor: (Re: Health unit strongly recommends mask use (Nov. 18.)

Dr. Gardner is quoted as saying, “Young children, the elderly and those with medical conditions are at increased risk of serious illness from these respiratory viruses, and we are already seeing the impact on the health-care system with more medical visits and hospitalizations particularly for young children throughout the province, including in Simcoe and Muskoka,”

“These trends are expected to continue as more time is spent indoors. By wearing a mask indoors and layering protective measures, we can help prevent viral spread and lower the risk of illness impacting our schools, workplaces, and local health-care system.”

However, he shied away from mandating masks

in local schools, an area of public health over which his agency has jurisdiction.

So his bottom line message is: Hospitals are filling up with children with serious illness from respiratory viruses [COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)] and the trend is that more of them are going to end up in hospital. He knows that wearing masks would lower the risk of serious illness in our children, but will not mandate mask wearing in schools.

It doesn’t seem to me that he has the wellness of children as a priority.

Who or what is he afraid of that causes him not to do what he knows is in the best interest of our children?

Bob Charlton, Stayner

2022 Poppy Fund Campaign

Editor:

The Royal Canadian Legion, Creemore Branch 397, would like to thank the local businesses of Creemore, Cashtown Corners, Singhampton and Glen Huron for hosting poppy boxes during the recent campaign.

The monies raised will be used to provide care and comfort for veterans, for the awarding of student

bursaries, for donations to various charities, and for the procurement of future Poppy Fund material.

Thanks to all the individuals and businesses that donated to this worthwhile cause, and for making it another successful year.

Michael Loranger, Poppy

fund chairman

The Creemore Echo is published every Friday and distributed free locally.

Editorial and advertising material deadline is Tuesday at 5 p.m. Letters to the editor should be sent to editor@creemore.com. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity. To receive a weekly copy of The Creemore Echo by mail outside of the circulation area or e-mail version please contact us at info@creemore.com. Mail, email and voluntary subscriptions: $55.

EDITOR

Trina Berlo

Bonnie MacPherson bonnie@creemore.com

Don’t it always seem to go...

Editor:

Yes. I know that we are a parasitic species. We inhabit the planet and devour everything we encounter. The more we consume the more we ravage.

But there is another part of our makeup that sets us apart from other predators. We are gifted (or cursed) by the quality of self reflection. We can also imagine and project the likely outcome of our actions.

So as we look up from the rapacious engorging of our environment, it is obvious that we are running out of prey.

We are running out of an ecology that has provided us with the shelter and sustenance that we need to survive.

So let’s reset our behaviour. A recent report showed that Canada was ranked as the 56 out of 59 countries in fulfilling our promises to protect our habitat. We lagged behind counties like China and USA for simply doing what we promised.

Doug Ford, you and your development golf buddies are holding us back. Call them in and enlist them to your plan to develop Ontario so that all

species can live and thrive here. Give them the task of providing affordable housing for the 800,000 new residents we expect to arrive in the next three years.

And Doug, you can’t deal with the protected greenbelt like it is a tradable commodity. Rather, our obligation to protect that habitat is a sacred trust. Let your friends develop the 1.5 million residential spaces currently available for development. Don’t Pave Paradise.

Ted McGovern, Stayner

Pop-up protests

The Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition has organized a demonstration outside the office of MPP Brian Saunderson located at 7317 Hwy 26 in Stayner from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26.

The Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition is organizing pop-up protests throughout the riding in protest of Bill 23,

Bill 23 is an omnibus bomb, comes with steep costs

Editor:

We are in a housing crisis. Bill 23 is proposing 1.5 million new homes in the next 10 years. So why are organizations as varied as the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), Ontario Nature, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) all raising serious concerns?

Bill 23 is an omnibus bomb: it promises new housing at the steep – and, crucially, unnecessarycost of lost farmland and natural areas, emasculated environmental regulations, and increased municipal taxes.

The Ontario government struck a Housing Affordability Task Force for guidance on this pressing issue. Their 2022 Task Force report recommended the 1.5 million homes target and noted this as a rare opportunity where “everyone was aligned”. They also observed: “… a shortage of land isn’t the cause of the problem… Greenbelts and other environmentally sensitive areas must be protected, and farms provide food and food security.” In

2018 Premier Ford promised: “I heard it loud and clear people don’t want me touching the Greenbelt, we won’t touch the Greenbelt.”

Yet Bill 23 is proposing the opposite of the Task Force recommendations in this regard and what Premier Ford promised. Who gains from the overreaches in this bill? Developers and their profits? Who loses? All of us, and our environment.

Drew Spoelstra, on behalf of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, writes “Our members, from Windsor to Winchester, have told us over and over again that prime agriculture land is irreplaceable and worth fighting for… Once [farmland is] lost to development, it is gone forever… only about five per cent of all the land in Ontario … [is] arable land… the proposed changes to the Greenbelt and paving over prime farmland represent a step in the wrong direction.”

Ontario Nature, one of many extremely alarmed environmental organizations, warns “Bill 23 and the accompanying policy changes spell

disaster for the farmland and natural areas that sustain us... This omnibus bill proposes sweeping changes to the province’s natural heritage and land use planning legislation and policy… removing and weakening environmental protections and excluding the public from meaningful involvement in land use planning and decisions affecting their communities…[while also] proposing several significant policy changes that would exacerbate the profound and devastating impacts of the bill on Ontario’s natural heritage.”

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario further forewarns that the Bill may cause “the transfer of up to $1 billion a year in costs from private sector developers to property taxpayers without any likelihood of improved housing affordability.”

As Trina Berlo noted last week, this bill may cost the County of Simcoe at least $175 million in lost revenue – and according to the County will lead to an “at least” four per cent increase in property taxes. County of Simcoe’s Director of Planning

Westendorp bluntly observed it will lead to “communities that we won’t want to live in.”

We can do better - the original Housing Affordability Task Force recommendations may be a good place to start.

As Brenna Lattimore wrote last week, it is important to use our power as citizens to speak out: supporting an organization working on refining this bill, writing or calling your council, and writing to your provincial government.

MPP Saunderson observed “My sense is, [our government is] aware there’s some tuning to be done, so … input is very helpful.” He wants to hear from you!

If you are concerned about saving Ontario farmland and protecting our natural environment, and resisting municipal tax increases that benefit developers, please consider joining the rally at MPP Saunderson’s office, 7317 Hwy 26 Stayner, Saturday, Nov. 26, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Suzanne Wesetvik, Duntroon

SCDSB hosts high school info sessions

High schools in the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) are hosting information sessions this fall and winter for Grade 8 students and their parents/guardians. These events support the transition to high school, providing information on courses, extracurricular activities, sports, and more.

Information sessions for students entering Grade 9 for the 2023-24 school year and their parents/guardians will take place in-person.

Visit the SCDSB website at www. scdsb.on.ca to find the details for your school’s information night, and contact your local school for further information.

Contributed photo

Creemore Cardinals coach Scott Wells was named Select coach of the year by Baseball Ontario at its Annual Awards Gala and Dinner on Nov. 19, the same night his son Evan Wells was awarded Select pitcher of the year. Scott is recognized for his leadership in the launch and performance of the 11U select team, and Evan is recognized for his outstanding achievements on the mound.

Contributed photo

Elm Lodge Kover Girl, owned by Doug Martin and Patsy Clover Martin of Morningcall Farm in Honeywood, won first in her heat and was named the division champion for Hereford Senior Female Calf at the 100th annual The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto on Nov. 5. Creemore Farmers' Market vendor Shawn Bell, of Doc Bells Hot Sauce Co, featured in the Oct. 21 edition of The Creemore Echo, also got a first place finish at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for his chipotle garlic hot sauce, in the mild category.

Creemore Curling Club standings

Daytime

Team win-loss-tie

Coulter 4-0-1

Loranger 3-2-1

Martens 3-3-0 McDougall 2-4-0 Bell 1-4-0

Bill was busy, so Howard stepped in to skip Team Martens on Monday. Their opposition was Team Loranger. Both teams were well matched, taking turns scoring points, leading to a tie coming home. Liz, the vice for Team Martens managed to draw through an impossible port, to sit one on the button. Not to be outdone, Al, vice for Team Loranger pulled off an incredible raise triple to leave them counting three. Then Howard completed an angle raise on an outside biter, to land them back on the button. Team Loranger was unable to shift the counter, giving up the one and a big W to Team Martens! On Wednesday, Team Loranger bounced back with a win and Team Coulter continued with their winning ways, much to Linda’s delight! Good curling everyone!

Men

Team win-loss

Adam Verstegen 3-0

Gord Fuller 3-0 Howard Walker 3-0 Bill Neelin 2-1

Dave Millsap 1-2 Phil Cober 0-3 Bill Hewitt 0-3 Brian Wilson 0-3

From the Hack: Winners this week were teams led by Gord Fuller, Howard Walker, Bill Neelin and Adam Verstegen.

Ladies Team win-loss

Fuller 1-1 Millsap 1-1 Walker 1-1 Verstegen 1-0 Crawford 0-1

From the Hack: Kudos to our hard-working ice team for saving and rebuilding the ice surface after last week’s “brine leak.” Two lopsided games for the ladies on Monday. Judith, filling in for team Millsap

was able to score in every end but the skunked Fuller team were winners with their delicious snacks. Team Verstegen came out strong with a 7-0 lead after two ends. They never looked back, beating team Walker 10-3.

Join the SCDSB and Job Talks to learn about planning for the skilled trades

Parents/guardians and students in Grades 7-12 are invited to join ‘What our families need to know about skilled trades careers’, a virtual event about apprenticeship pathways and how to best explore a career in the trades, while still in high school.

Along with Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) cooperative education and guidance leads, this virtual presentation will feature Dr. Jon Callegher, Executive Director at Job Talks, and will include information about apprenticeship, technological education in our schools, cooperative education, and a question-and-answer segment.

To view the presentation, visit the SCDSB Facebook page at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1. Participants are invited to submit questions in advance.

Thomson, and River Road. Suspected violations of the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Act should be reported to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at 877 847 7667 (877 TIPS MNR). Other inquiries should be directed to the County Forest Manager at 877 941 7787.

CREEMORE HILLS WINERY Wine tastings by appointment only. Pick up or delivery. Call/Text 647588-8931, or email cmorrissey0708@ icloud.com.

DRY HARDWOOD

2 Years SEASONED, $4 450/ bush cord. FREE delivery and Volume discount.

Complete Woodlot Management, 519-986-2474

SERVICES

ELLIOTT PAINTING AND DECORATING, over 30 years experience with excellent references. Interior and exterior painting and wallpapering. Call for free estimate at 705-466-2356.

CONTRACTOR REPAIRS, restores, dismantles and jacks up farm buildings, homes, and cottages. Also roofing, siding, doors, windows, beams, posts, foundations, peers, cement work, fencing, eaves troughing, decks, docks installed, repaired, replaced. Contact Brian McCurdy, at 519-986-1781 or 519375-0958.

FUNDRAISER

Nottawasaga and Creemore Public School is now accepting items for its children's shopping room, including toys, trinkets, and small household items. Items can be dropped off at NCPS.

FOR RENT

3 BEDROOM, 1 1/2 BATHROOM HOUSE right in the village of Creemore. Short walk to all of the Village's shops and restaurants. Large yard and separate double-car garage. Available Immediately. No smoking, pets considered. Annual rental. Call or text 905-466-4373 for more information.

UPSTAIRS APARTMENT for rent on Mill Street, Creemore. One large bedroom on second floor. No pets. No smoking. No laundry. Parking for one car. Call 705-466-3635.

BEAUTIFUL RENTAL FOR SKI SEASON close to Mansfield, Devil's Glen and Blue Mountain. Beautifully renovated school house. Dec. 15 to Mar. 15. For more information visit www.creemorecountryloft.ca.

PARADE

SANTA CLAUS is coming to town. Creemore's Annual Santa Claus Parade is taking place on Saturday, Dec. 3. If you are a community group or business interested in entering a float, or an individual wanting to volunteer please contact Natalie at natalieagraves@ gmail.com or call 705-333-9496.

HELP WANTED

The Avening Hall board is seeking a CLEANER to keep our community center spic and span. General cleaning and pre- and post-event caretaking required. Please apply to hall board chair Bill Hewitt, hewitt.e@gmail.com.

Looking for a CLEANER for a home near Creemore once per week. Call 416949-3155.

MUSIC DIRECTOR needed at Centennial United Church in Stayner for weekly services. If interested call 705888-2797, or email emcouttsreid52@

Submit your classified ad by 5 p.m. Tuesday call 705-466-9906, fax 705-466-9908, email info@ creemore.com, $17 + hst for 25 words or less

DEATH NOTICE

ABBEY, Marian Jean (nee Scriver) passed away peacefully at Hanover District Hospital on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, in her 92nd year. Marian beloved wife of the late Carl Abbey. She will be deeply missed by her daughter Janet and her husband Ken Frizell and son Alan Abbey and his partner Judy Barton. Her grandchildren Meghan (Matthew) and Brandon (Alyssa) and great granddaughter Charlotte brought her much joy and they will cherish their memories of her forever. Marian was born in Dunedin to parents George and Fern Scriver, she was predeceased by her brothers Elton, Morley, and Bruce. She will be fondly remembered by many nieces, nephews, and friends. Cremation has taken place. Interment at Dunedin Cemetery with a service of remembrance will be held in spring 2023. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Knox Presbyterian Church or Hospice Georgian Triangle – Campbell House in memory of Marian. Friends may visit Marian’s online Book of Memories at www. fawcettfuneralhomes.com.

CALL FOR RECIPES

The Creemore Echo is planning its annual Christmas Greetings edition. To submit a recipe, send it to editor@ creemore.com by Dec. 2.

HAMILTON BROS.

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Expediting development will stabilize housing prices: builder

(Continued from page 3)

for the province, and that includes amalgamating conservation authorities, and eliminating redundancy in the approval process.

Hussain said his company’s profit margins are the same as they were 20 years ago because of rising land prices, building costs, taxes and fees.

He said it’s too late to bring prices down so it is necessary to manage

prices, and that means forcing the municipalities that have otherwise not demonstrated leadership when it comes to allowing development.

Hussain said it’s not a perfect Bill. It needs to be accompanied by infrastructure supports for municipalities whose growth potential is limited by a lack of sewer and water capacity, something that has staled construction in Creemore and Stayner respectively.

“Is it perfect? No. Is it going to harm? I don’t think so. In fact, you’ll see more inventory in the market, which is perfect for anybody who is new, or an existing buyer… you will see a lot of movement,” he said. “Prices need to stabilize. That’s the bottom line.”

Hussain said as a developer, he doesn’t want to do anything that would harm the environment or his children’s future, and wants to work in a sustainable

217 Gideon Street, Stayner, ON L0M 1S0

Telephone: 705 428-6230 | www.clearview.ca

Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm Communications are available in alternative formats upon request.

Notice of Public Information Centre #1 TOWNSHIP OF CLEARVIEW

Creemore Water and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan

The Study

The Township of Clearview is undertaking a Water and Wastewater Master Servicing Plan for the Village of Creemore. The Master Servicing Plan will consider solutions for the long-term drinking water and sanitary wastewater servicing needs for the Community of Creemore and surrounding potential development opportunities.

The Process

The Study is being conducted in accordance with the requirements of Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, as outlined in the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Manual (October 2000, as amended 2007, 2011 & 2015), which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The Master Plan uses Approach 2, which will allow for all Schedule B projects identified in the completed Master Plan to proceed to detail design. The study evaluates alternative solutions with consideration for the natural, cultural, technical and economic environment, and recommends preferred solutions in consultation with the public, Indigenous communities and regulatory agencies, documented for the public record. At the conclusion of the study, the Master Plan will be available for public review.

Public Information Centre #1 Consultation is important to this study. The Township of Clearview would like to ensure that anyone interested in this study has the opportunity to provide input into the planning and design of the project. A Public Information Centre (PIC#1) is planned to present information about the project, identify next steps in the process, and gather public comments, concerns and interests that should be considered in the project planning. This PIC#1 will be in a drop-in format and representatives from the Township and its Consultant (R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited) will be present to discuss key elements of the study and answer questions. This notice and additional project information is available at www.clearview.ca/CWWMSP. The date and location of the PIC are as follows:

Date and Time: Thursday, December 1, 2022 - 5:00-7:30 pm

Location: Creemore Community Centre, 220 Collingwood St. Creemore, Ontario

To provide comment or to request additional information concerning this Study please contact either of the following Project Team members: Mike Rawn, C.E.T., CMM III

Director of Public Works Township of Clearview

217 Gideon St. Stayner, ON L0M 1S0

Tel: 705-428-6230 ext. 243

E-mail: mrawn@clearview.ca

Philip A. Rowe, C.E.T., EP Consultant Project Manager

R.J. Burnside & Associates Limited 6990 Creditview Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, ON L5N 8R9

Tel: 1-800-265-9662 ext. 5915

E-mail: CreemoreMP@rjburnside.com

Project and Notice information will be made accessible upon request in accordance with the Accessibility Standard for Information and Communication under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. Information will be collected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record.

industry, to build communities.

“We are not angels obviously we are here to do business,” he said. “The reality is the way the policies have been driven for the last 20 years were bad policies.”

The Clearview Park development includes a future medium density block and Sunrise Homes has another 200acre property on which the hope is to build some attainable housing.

NOTICE –

PENALTY

AND INTEREST REINSTATEMENT ON PROPERTY TAXES BEGINS

DECEMBER 1ST, 2022

As per FIN-010-2022 Penalty and Interest Relief on Property Taxes will be waived as long as the account is paid in full by November 30, 2022. Effective December 1, 2022, penalties and interest will be reinstated on property tax accounts in Clearview Township. If the accounts are not paid in full retroactive penalty charges for the current 2022 years taxes will be reapplied accordingly for the months of April – November 2022.

Property tax accounts can be accessed and paid online at www.clearview.ca/pay-register-apply/online-payments

Payments can also be made via credit card, at your bank, through the drop box at the front entrance of the Administration Centre, by mail or in person at the Administration Centre Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Looking to make things easier? Try signing up for E-Billing or our PreAuthorized Payment Plans. E-Billing allows rate payers to receive and view tax notices electronically at anytime. Pre-Authorized Payment Plans reduce the risk of late payment penalties by automatically withdrawing payments from your bank or financial institution.

To find out more about property taxes, e-billing, pre-authorized payment plans and payment options in Clearview Township, please visit www.clearview.ca/pay-register-apply/property-taxes-assessment

For more information, please contact: Pam Childs, Tax Collector (705) 428-6230 ext. 227 • pchilds@clearview.ca Kelly McDonal, Treasurer (705) 428-6230 ext. 236 • kmcdonald@clearview.ca

Property Tax Services 705-428-6230 x 273 • tax@clearview.ca

CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION OF SEWER-LINE MAINTENANCE IN STAYNER

The Water / Sewer department will be overseeing Sanitary Sewer main flushing, cleaning & inspecting. Monday November 14 to Friday November 25, 2022 Between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:30 pm. A map of affected areas has been posted on our website www.clearview.ca

The sewer main will be flushed/cleaned using high pressure water. Cleaning of mains could empty drains & traps in houses. On rare occasions, pressure cleaning has caused water to exit drains & toilets in homes. As a precaution leave toilet seats down, and cover drains in sinks, tubs and floors. After work has been completed run water into the drains to ensure the traps are full. If you have any question or concerns regarding this noticed, please contact the undersigned.

Dale Lightheart Water / Sewer Foreman

Township of Clearview

P. 705-428-5024 • P. 705-428-6230 ext. 303

E. dlightheart@clearview.ca