The Winter Storm and Flood Warnings remain in effect for the Lake Erie shoreline. High winds and strong wave action is causing flooding in lakeshore areas, and Haldimand County Emergency Services is advising residents to avoid non-essential travel along the lakeshore and shelter in place if in an affected area.

Haldimand County Emergency Services is actively monitoring conditions and roads along the lakeshore and implementing closures as necessary. Roads crews are also out actively salting and plowing, as well as monitoring key areas. Crews will continue to work 24/7 through the duration of this significant weather event.

Ice accretion is a significant concern with the high winds, waves and cold temperatures. Residents along the lake should have their 72 hour emergency kits close by.

Road conditions are deteriorating quickly, which will cause obvious delays for emergency services. Residents who attempt travel should only do so for absolutely essential purposes.

Current road closures include:

• Port Maitland Rd. and the Esplanade (as well as the Pier)
• Northshore Dr. in Lowbanks

 Key storm contacts:

• If you are facing an emergency, dial 9-1-1. 9‑1‑1 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required. Dial 9-1-1 only if you feel your safety is at risk.
• To report a public roadway obstruction (e.g: downed tree, water over the road or debris blocking a roadway) call 1-888-849-7345.
• To report a sewer, water, park or public facility emergency call 1-888-849-7345.
• If you see a downed power line caused by a storm or accident, maintain a distance of 10 metres or more and report it to both 911 and Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235.
• If you are experiencing a power outage, call Hydro One’s 24/7 province-wide outage hotline at 1-800-434-1235. You can view Hydro One’s live outage map which includes restoration time information.

Residents should pay close attention to changing weather conditions and watch for updated flood messages. A flood guide for lakeshore property owners and other emergency preparedness resources can be found at www.HaldimandCounty.ca/floods.

Updates will be shared at HaldimandCounty.ca and via Facebook and Twitter as they become available.

The 2022 Municipal and School Board Election wrapped up this evening with polls officially closing at 8 p.m. Haldimand County saw an increase in voter turnout this election with 36.50% of eligible voters casting a ballot in total, up from 35.57% in 2018. Advance voting turnout more than tripled from 2018; 18.27% of votes were cast in advance prior to election day, with 6,074 voters casting a ballot online and 1,394 voting in advance in person.

Below is a breakdown of the unofficial results.

Office of the Mayor

Ward 1

Ward 2

Ward 3

Ward 4

Ward 5

Ward 6

English Public School Trustee

English Separate School Trustee

French Public School Trustee

French Separate School Trustee

Starting after the polls close at 8 p.m., unofficial election results will be populated on our results page. Results will be updated in real-time as more polls come in.

See unofficial results here.

After a two-year hiatus, Edinburgh Square Heritage & Cultural Centre is pleased to announce the return of Haldimand County’s Juried Art Exhibition with a call for submissions for the 24th annual show.

The Juried Art Exhibition is open to emerging or established artists working in all media including, but not limited to, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, ceramic, sculpture and mixed media. The theme of the show is open, and artists are invited to submit pieces that depict any subject matter in any location.

Works of art completed within the last three years are eligible for entry and can be submitted at Edinburgh Square Heritage & Cultural Centre, 80 Caithness St. E., Caledonia, during regular business hours from May 10-30. There is a $25 entry fee per artist and up to three pieces may be presented for the jury’s consideration.

The exhibition will run June 3-30 at Edinburgh Square with an opening reception and awards presentation on Thursday, June 2, from 7-8:30 p.m.

Entry forms are available online or at in-person at the heritage centre.

For further information, please contact Edinburgh Square at 905-765-3134, or by email at museums@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

Haldimand County is introducing property tax eBilling to its growing list of online services. Residents can now sign up for eBilling at www.HaldimandCounty.ca/ebills/ and get property tax bills delivered straight to their e-mail inbox starting this July.

Residents that sign up will also be the first to receive information on how to set up their online property tax account – another feature that will soon be launched.

The new eBilling service makes it more convenient for residents to access their property tax information and reduces Haldimand County’s environmental footprint by significantly decreasing the amount of paper used.

The move to eBilling will also result in significant cost savings related to printing and mailing.

The introduction of property tax eBilling was made possible through funding provided by the Provincial government through the Municipal Modernization program, which intends to help municipalities find efficiencies and implement new initiatives to digitize, streamline programs and services.

Property tax eBilling is the first initiative to be launched utilizing this funding, and others will be introduced over the coming months. Ultimately, residents will be able to access their property tax information, receive correspondence and make payments from a single point of contact, 24/7.

Digitizing the county’s popular Community Guide/PlayBook and making it easier to navigate program registration information online is another facet of the project that is currently underway.

The Province’s contribution to Haldimand’s modernization projects under the current implementation stream is approximately $94,250.

Residents who wish to learn more about the county’s online services are encouraged to visit HaldimandCounty.ca and explore the options under ‘myHC’.

Residents who need assistance signing up may also call Haldimand County Customer Service at 905-318-5932 or visit any library branch.

Six finalists who made winning pitches for the Haldimand & Norfolk “Spark” Program were each awarded a $3,000 seed grant and mentorship to help them get started with their new tourism ideas.

The Haldimand & Norfolk County “Spark” Mentorships & Grants Program is a collaborative partnership initiative between the Tourism Innovation Lab, Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation, Haldimand County Tourism, Norfolk County Tourism, Libro Credit Union, Grand Erie Business Centre and Venture Norfolk.

The program’s goal is to find, foster and support new tourism ideas, experiences and partnerships that will enhance current offerings, address gaps or challenges, motivate travel and longer stays, and increase year-round visits in the region.

Twenty applications were received, with the top five from Haldimand and the top five from Norfolk being invited to present their new tourism ideas at virtual Pitch Sessions held this week. Judge panels of local partner representatives and tourism innovators from outside the region selected the six winning applicants.

The 2022 Haldimand County “Spark” Program winners are:

• Dan Megna & Laurie Lilliman, Twisted Lemon (Haldimand Getaway Packages)
• Jessica Carpio, Bluewater Flower Farm (Organic Flower Farm Tours, Experiences & Sensory Based Workshops)
• Nancy VanSas, Lower Grand River Land Trust/Ruthven Park (Ruthven in Wonderland)

The 2022 Norfolk County “Spark” Program winners are:

• Brooke Martin (Norfolk’s Bounty: A Picnic Experience)
• Hannah & Cliff Lawrance (Glamping Accommodations)
• Marshall Collins, Collins Harbour (Food Trucks)

In addition to seed funds, mentorship and additional partner support, selected applicants gain access to a network of tourism innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders across the province.

For more information visit www.tourisminnovation.ca/HaldimandNorfolk.

Haldimand County is excited to announce the introduction of the Louise Brown & Ross Brown Juniors Tennis Program, geared towards youth ages 8 to 18 years of age and available from August 3rd to September 2nd  in Caledonia, Dunnville and Jarvis.

The program, which will be coordinated by David Brown—who represented Canada in the Davis Cup—is named after his late mother, a top-notch provincial and Canadian tennis champion, and father.

Louise Brown learned to play tennis in her hometown of Dunnville. Her passion for the sport helped her win the Canadian Open women’s singles and doubles titles in 1957 and she ranked in the Top 10 in Canadian women’s tennis for 26 years. Throughout a tennis career that spanned more than four decades, Louise won more than sixty Canadian singles and doubles titles. Her husband, Ross, served in the R.C.A.F. from 1939 to 1945 and was the President of the Ontario Tennis Association from 1965 to 1970.

The goal of the new program is to introduce youth to the sport and teach them the fundamentals of the game.  Participants will benefit from lessons led by a highly-qualified group of dedicated tennis professionals. “I’m very excited at the opportunity to come back to Haldimand County and share my family’s passion for the sport of tennis with our younger residents,” says Brown.

Thanks to the support of Canadian Tire Jumpstart’s Sport Relief Fund—which helps provide access to sport and play for Canadian youth—and Wilson Sporting Goods, the Louise Brown & Ross Brown Juniors Tennis Program will be offered free of charge to participants, including equipment (racquets and balls).

For more information, or to register (registration opens Wednesday, July 21), please check the County’s online registration system at link.haldimandcounty.ca.