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- Huron County Newsletter #54
Huron County Newsletter
Week of January 12th to 18th, 2025
Good day,
Thank you again for your continued support. Enjoy this week’s news and trivia.
Have a great week.
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Huron County Economic Development Board Awarded Six Grants Through It's Supporting Local Youth Program
by Bob Montgomery
Huron County's Economic Development Board has awarded six grants to local young people to proceed with projects in their community.
Economic Development Officer Rick Sickinger, says the Supporting Local Youth Program is a pilot program launched by the Economic Development Board in the fall of last year. He says the program builds on Huron County council's list of priorities, and one of those priorities is Youth Engagement. Huron County's Economic Development Board recognizes what youth contribute to the community, so the Supporting Local Youth Program made sense. Sickinger says one of the conditions for the program is that projects have to be…
Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Encourages People To Order Trees Now For Spring 2025 Planting
by Bob Montgomery
Spring will be here before we know it, we hope, and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority provides the opportunity for bulk-ordering trees through the Spring Tree Order Form now until the end of February.
Ausable Bayfield Conservation offers a wide range of trees through its spring tree planting program. ABCA Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist Ian Jean encourages interested landowners to visit abca.ca for the spring tree order form, or to give him a call at 519-235-2610, or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 to discuss planting projects. “We’re happy to help with project design and help to apply for funding for eligible projects,” he said. Funding is available in…
Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus Announces Mayor Amy Martin As New Chair
by Bob Montgomery
Norfolk County Mayor Amy Martin is the new Chair of the Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus.
She takes over from Huron County Warden Glen McNeil who has served as Chair for the last two terms. Martin says housing is one of the biggest concerns for Norfolk County and most of Ontario. She says even beyond the obvious problem created by the shortage of housing, housing provides the people they need to support their local businesses, to keep their schools open, and community centres and arenas operating. That is a huge issue for the Western Ontario Wardens. Breaking down the barriers to get housing built is a municipal issue but what the municipalities need from the province is help in actually getting the shovels in the ground. Municipalities can give the…
Vice Chair - Warden Kevin Marriott of Lambton County, Chair - Mayor Amy Martin of Norfolk County
Photo courtesy of Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus
Huron Perth Agricultural Science Centre Announces New Operating Name And Location
by Bob Montgomery
The Huron Perth Agricultural Science Centre has announced a new operating name and location.
Board Chair Steve Dolson says they are rebranding as the Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre, to reflect their expanded vision to become a premier destination for agricultural education and innovation across Ontario. He says the new name emphasizes the uniqueness of the facility and the significance of the experiences they aim to offer.
The Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre will serve as a permanent, year-round showcase of Ontario’s agriculture and food industries, celebrating the people, technology, and opportunities that define these vital sectors. The centre will feature…
Goderich Passes A Test On Parking Availability In The Downtown Core With Flying Colours
by Bob Montgomery
B. M. Ross presented Goderich council with the results of their study on parking in the downtown square on Monday night.
Mayor Trevor Bazinet says they wanted to make sure they had enough spaces and to find out how long the spaces are occupied. The B. M. Ross team spent six days, including a Saturday on a long weekend, walking around the town checking out parking availability.
They have already added another parking lot to get ready for this summer's downtown infrastructure project and to make sure there's enough parking for the businesses and their employees and county employees during that process. Bazinet says they have added 42 more parking spaces in a parking lot on Stanley Street.
They currently have…
English As A Second Language Classes Planned For South Huron This Winter
by Bob Montgomery
English as a Second Language (ESL) classes will be offered this winter to people wishing to improve their speaking, listening, and reading skills in southern Huron County.
Classes will take place on Saturdays in Dashwood. There's no cost to participants and they provide people who are learning English with an opportunity to improve their skills with guidance from an ESL instructor and curriculum developed by Set7 Skills and Technology. Set7 has offered English language classes to newcomers to Canada in Listowel and Palmerston for the past two years.
Training Coordinator Erin Bewick says Set7 is a program that is…
Intimate Partner Violence Investigation Results In Charges
On January 5th, 2025, members of the Huron County Ontario Provincial Police investigated a matter involving intimate partners in the Township of North Huron.
As a result of the investigation, OPP learned that the involved suspect had allegedly committed several criminal acts against their partner.
A 36-year-old individual from North Huron has been arrested and charged under the Criminal Code with the following offences…
AMDSB Transitions Employment Services To Agilec Beginning February 1st
by Bob Montgomery
As announced in the spring of 2024, the Avon Maitland District School Board did not renew the Employment Services contract for Huron county with Employment Ontario.
The new provider for these services beginning February 1, 2025 will be Agilec. AMDSB will however, continue to provide adult education services to both Huron and Perth counties and those details will be posted on the AMDSB website soon.
Jane Morris, Superintendent of Education said, “We are thrilled that Agilec will be taking over this important service for residents of Huron county and we look forward to continuing our support in the area of adult education. We are confident that the…”
Nearly 70 Gather at Bluewater Council to Discuss Lions Club Building's Future
by Bob Montgomery
Bluewater Mayor Paul Klopp says the municipality has received the offer from a physician from Seaforth to purchase the building at six Municipal Road.
There does appear to be general agreement that having a husband and wife physician team set up a clinic in the building would be a real asset to the community. The concern is what happens to the organizations like the Lions Club, the Bayfield Food Bank, and several other groups who use the building on a regular bases. And, that concern is shared by council.
Klopp says they're still in the very early stages of the process. Staff have been asked to look over the offer and come back to council with a recommendation. Nothing will happen with the building, or the organizations, until the offer is officially accepted.
The representatives of the groups that use the building have asked that they receive the funds from the sale of the building so they can find alternate space for their meetings. Klopp says no decisions on that will be made until the sale is completed and the municipality actually does have some money, and at that point they'll have to decide how to use it.
Serious Fraud Office Launches New Online Portal And Website To Better Support Victims Of Serious Fraud Office Investigations
by Bob Montgomery
This week the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched a new victim portal and website. The portal is a secure and user-friendly online platform designed to enhance communication and support for victims impacted by SFO-investigated fraud.
The portal streamlines the SFO efforts in providing accessible, effective and confidential resources for those impacted by fraud. Individuals who are a victim of fraud that is under SFO investigation will be invited by a victim liaison to access the portal.
The SFO recognizes the impact that fraud has on individuals and is…
Huron Shores Area Transit System Looking For Funding From Municipalities
by Bob Montgomery
Lambton Shores CAO Steve McAuley and Mayor Doug Cook made a presentation to Bluewater council this week regarding the future of the Huron Shores Area Transit System.
McAuley pointed out, the provincial funding for the transit system expires on March 31st and they're hoping for some support from their member municipalities in putting together a plan that would extend the life of the service. They've applied to the province for help under the Ontario Transit Investment Fund but haven't had a response from the province yet. He also doesn't see that as the solution because that fund is really only meant for…
Goderich Mayor Says Reports Presented At Their Next Council Meeting Will Explain Why The Memorial Arena Had To Be Closed
by Bob Montgomery
Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet says they'll be presenting reports at their next council meeting that will explain in more detail why the Memorial Arena had to be closed until further notice.
The reports will also go to the Memorial Arena Task Force and their terms of reference is to either create a vision for the building that is there now or should they be considering building a new facility. That vision needs to meet the needs of the people that use it now as well as future generations who would be using it.
Bazinet says another concern is they don't know how…
Municipality of Bluewater Adopts Responsible Budget
by Bob Montgomery
Council of the Municipality of Bluewater adopted the 2025 budget at the January 13th Regular Meeting of Council.
Mayor Paul Klopp stated “The budget ensures that we’re investing in the infrastructure and services that are necessary for our community.”
Through the budget process, Council and staff sought to set a municipal budget that is both fair and attainable in that it supports the continued delivery of municipal services in a challenging economic climate. Aside from policing costs which increased…
Weekly Trivia Questions
Goderich is the oldest Canadian light station on Lake Huron and first consisted of just a pair of range lights. Around what year was the light station established?
a) early 1890s
b) early 1830s
c) late 1870s
d) late 1820s
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II sold the Goderich lighthouse and surrounding land to the town of Goderich for the sum of one dollar. In what year did the transaction take place?
a) 2003
b) 1985
c) 1977
d) 2015
Answers to last week’s questions:
Around 1861, twenty years after the first Common School Act was introduced and put into effect in Huron County, what was the registered school population (excluding Goderich and Clinton)?
a) 9,087
b) 753
c) 34,651
d) 13,621*
How many schoolhouses were in Huron County in 1861?
a) 141*
b) 204
c) 94
d) 13