I was deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Lorraine Bergstrand. As the first official mayor of Haldimand County as its own entity, Lorraine was instrumental in setting a solid foundation for Haldimand County to build upon for years to come. Lorraine was a strong advocate for women in politics and administration, an inspiring and tenacious leader to many and will leave behind a lasting impact. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and all those grieving.
We’ve lowered flags at the County Administration building to mark her passing and honour a life taken too soon. Lorraine was a familiar and passionate presence in our community and she will be greatly missed.
The Haldimand County Public Library is hosting activities at all branches over March Break. Participants can take part in craft sessions, Storytimes, LEGO clubs and parties. Registration is required and can be done at any branch. For more information, please call 289-674-0400 or visit your local branch.
On March 2, 2023, Haldimand County Council reviewed and approved the 2023 Tax-Supported Operating Budget. The budget results in a total levy requirement of $80,305,850, which equates to a residential tax impact of 3.28%.
Generally, the annual Operating Budget pays for day to day operations of the County, including salaries, wages, utilities, insurance and services such as running arenas/programming, maintaining locals parks and cemeteries, providing emergency services (fire, police and ambulance), garbage collection and related activities.
Major factors that influenced the 2023 Operating Budget include external financial pressures like inflation, supply chain impacts, reduced/uncertain provincial funding and the rising cost of insurance and contracted essential services. The 2023 budget also introduces new initiatives in response to growth, new legislative requirements and to meet the community’s evolving needs and service desires.
“While the Operating Budget initially represented a 5% increase for ratepayers, staff conducted a rigorous review of controllable costs and did not bring forward any new initiatives that weren’t urgent, required by legislation or wouldn’t directly benefit the public,” CAO Craig Manley stated.
“Through this review, staff have developed a budget that addresses the county’s current needs, keeps the tax impact lower than what many other municipalities are facing, and employs strategic foresight to ensure our strong financial position is sustained.”
Manley also noted that Haldimand is in a unique period of growth and demographic change, and it will be important for Council to carefully evaluate not only levels of service that are offered to the community, but how they are administered when planning for the future.
“Thanks to the hard work and diligence of staff, we have a budget that balances maintaining the services our residents value with making investments to ensure Haldimand remains a prosperous, vibrant community for future generations,” noted Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley.
introducing new, temporary staffing resources to oversee and expedite major projects, including the construction of Caledonia’s new Fire/EMS station, municipal website re-design and the last year of the gravel road conversion program;
over $76,000 in grants to support local organizations with community beautification initiatives;
continuing to roll out the Council-approved reorganization of the IT division to increase efficiencies, meet service delivery requirements and strengthen cybersecurity;
increasing the staffing complement of Building Services to enhance the building permit application intake, inspection and issuance process;
enhancing the county’s forestry management program and reducing external consulting costs by introducing a new, in-house Urban Forester position to respond to service requests;
spearheading a recruitment and retention strategy to ensure the county can continue to recruit, retain and develop existing staff;
investing in the development of a corporate training plan relating to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as recommended by the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee;
in response to rapid growth, adding a Project Manager, Municipal Infrastructure to manage all construction associated with land development;
introducing six additional summer students to facilitate the county’s roadside mowing program as a pilot project, with the aim of reducing costs and reliance on contracted services; and
adding additional summer program staff in response to growth and increasing demand for programming.
Throughout March, the public is invited to visit Haldimand County’s Administration Building (HCAB) in Cayuga to learn more about the community’s local sporting history.
Haldimand Museums have installed an exhibit featuring William “Hipple” Galloway, a star athlete in the late 1800s who grew up and went to school in Dunnville. Born in Buffalo, NY in 1882, Galloway moved to Dunnville with his family when he was six years old. During his school years, he developed into an outstanding athlete, excelling in baseball and hockey. Galloway became the first Black Canadian player in organized baseball. He was also an exceptional hockey player. In 1898, at just 16 years of age, he joined the Woodstock team in the Central Ontario Hockey Association (COHA), part of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He played his first game on January 20, 1899, and, by mid-1899, was considered one of the top players in the COHA. In 2021, William was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Coming March 6 is a celebration of the life and legacy of local tennis champion, Louise Cook Brown with an exhibit of memorabilia and a feature on HCTV. Born in Dunnville in 1923, Brown graduated from Dunnville High School in 1940, by which time she was already an avid and excellent tennis player, including becoming the Dunnville Tennis Club’s champion in 1939. By 1957, Brown had become a singles and doubles champion in the Canadian Open, Ontario Open and Quebec Open. She was also an 11-time Ontario Open singles champion and captain and player on the Canadian Federation Cup Team. Brown played her opening match at Wimbledon in 1963 against 21-time Grand Slam winner, Margaret Court. Known as a mentor in the sport, she served as Secretary of the Ontario Tennis Association from 1965 to 1970 and was a Top 10-Ranked player in Canada for twenty consecutive years. During her lifetime, Louise Brown was considered the “Grand Dame” of Canadian Tennis.
The Haldimand County Administration Building is located at 53 Thorburn Street West, Cayuga, ON. For more information, email museums@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
The Haldimand County Administration Building, arenas, libraries and museums will be closed on Thursday, February 23, 2023 due to inclement weather. Garbage and recycling curbside collection is also canceled.
The combination of ice and blowing snow is resulting in hazardous travel conditions, and the County is asking residents to follow Environment Canada advice and consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve.
Facility closures/service impacts on Thursday, February 23, 2023:
The Haldimand County Administration Building, museums, libraries and arenas will be closed.
The Canborough Waste Management Facility will be closed.
All scheduled programs and ice/room rentals are canceled.
Garbage and recycling curbside collection is canceled. Due to the Family Day holiday delay this week, this means that:
The normal Wednesday collection (scheduled for Thursday, February 23 due to the holiday delay) is canceled; residents will be allowed double the material next Wednesday;
The normal Thursday collection (scheduled for Friday) will resume on Friday; and
The normal Friday collection (scheduled for Saturday) will continue on Saturday.
Storm-related updates will be posted on the county website and shared via Facebook and Twitter.
In light of the potential weather event and warning, Haldimand County has made the difficult decision to postpone the Business Excellence Breakfast event to Wednesday, April 26, 2023. The safety of all attendees is our top concern. We look forward to now welcoming businesses on the rescheduled date of Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
This is a free networking event at the Riverside Exhibition Centre in Caledonia. The Business Excellence Breakfast is presented by Haldimand County in partnership with the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program, Grand Erie Business Centre and Caledonia Agricultural Society.
This year’s breakfast will feature Eric Termuende speaking about One-Degree Shifts: Building Tomorrow’s Greatest Places to Work. In this engaging and takeaway-loaded presentation, workplace expert Eric Termuende will share what years of research, stories and insights uncover about the one-degree shifts leaders use to adapt to an ever-changing world around them and build incredible teams.
“The Business Excellence Breakfast is an opportunity for Haldimand County to thank our local businesses for all they do to make Haldimand County a great place to live and work,” said Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley. “This year in particular, we would like to celebrate and acknowledge businesses for their achievements and challenges that they have overcome through the pandemic.”
“This event is also a great opportunity to connect with other local business owners, partners and members of Council,” added Lidy Romanuk, Manager, Economic Development and Tourism.
The My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program is delivered by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario with an overall Government of Canada investment of $23.25 million through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to support the recovery and strength of main streets and local businesses in southern Ontario.
“Main streets play a vital role in growing local communities and economies for everyone, said the Honorable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “The Government of Canada will continue to invest in My Main Street and the small businesses the program serves, resulting in local economic growth and more vibrant neighbourhoods for Canadians and their families to call home.”
Haldimand County invites local business owners, representatives from Chambers of Commerce, Business Improvement Areas and business organizations across the county to attend. There is no cost to attend but registration is required, visit the www.haldimandcounty.ca/business and follow the links for the Business Excellence Breakfast or reach out to opportunity@haldimandcounty.on.ca (905) 318-5932 ext. 6331 to RSVP.
This March, the Heritage Centre in Cayuga is hosting four events.
Tuesday, Mar. 7 (6 p.m.) – Presentation: If the Shoe Fits Footwear is one of Canada’s oldest industries. In 1950 there were 292 footwear factories in Canada producing 33.9 million pairs of shoes. In this presentation, participants will hear the history of shoes including various designs from the 18th century to today.
Wednesday, Mar. 15 (1 p.m.) – Tea and Presentation: Exploring our Irish Roots This event features a special afternoon tea with homemade scones and other sweet treats, followed by a presentation on all things Irish including a look at Irish settlement, customs and traditions. The Irish began to immigrate to Canada in 1825, and by 1867 they comprised 24 per cent of Canada’s population. Many Irish citizens who settled in this area arrived to work on the Grand River Canal.
Saturday, Mar. 18 (12:30 p.m.) – Presentation: When Irish Eyes are Smiling Participants at this presentation will explore the history of St Patrick’s Day and the superstitions, customs and traditions that accompany this most Irish of celebrations.
Wednesday, Mar. 22 (1 p.m.) – Presentation: Finding Your Roots This hands-on workshop teaches participants how to search for family information using archives and online resources.
The cost for each regular program is $10 per person and the afternoon tea is $15 per person. Pre-registration is required for all programs. Register online or in person at the Haldimand County Administration Building, 53 Thorburn Street South, Cayuga.
All programs take place at the Cayuga Library + Heritage Centre, located at 19 Talbot Street West. For more information, contact the Heritage Centre at (905) 318-5932, ext. 6613 or email museums@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
On Wednesday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m., Haldimand Museums will be offering a special, theatrical presentation to celebrate Woman’s History Month and International Women’s Day. Guests will travel back in time and walk in the shoes of 20th century suffragette, Annie Fearless to learn about the challenges and triumphs experienced by women in the early 1900s.
The cost for this presentation is $12.50/person. Pre-registration is required. Register online at link.haldimandcounty.ca or in person (prior to the event) at the Haldimand County Administration Building, 53 Thorburn Street South in Cayuga.
International Women’s Day emerged in the early 20th century, resulting from labour movements in North America and Europe which signalled an increasing call for equal opportunities for women. European countries such as Germany, Denmark, Austria and Switzerland were the first to recognize International Women’s Day, beginning on March 19, 1911.
Edinburgh Square Heritage & Cultural Centre is located at 80 Caithness Street East in Caledonia. For more information about programs and activities, contact Edinburgh Square at (905) 765-3134 or email museums@haldimandcounty.on.ca.
At the February 16 Special Council Meeting, Haldimand County Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Craig Manley informed Council of his intention to retire at the end of May. Manley has been employed with the County at senior positions since 2007 with the last four years as the CAO. The CAO is appointed by Council and is the head of the County Administration and the key link between staff and Council.
“After 37 years in the workforce it is time to transition to a new phase in my life journey – to spend more time with my family, to travel and to pursue my hobbies. I have been most fortunate to have been able to work in my chosen professional discipline, to have had the opportunity to learn, grow and progress over the years and to have a career that has been meaningful and fulfilling. Haldimand County has been a wonderful place to work and it has been most rewarding to see the community prosper, grow and add services and facilities that improve the quality of life for our residents and businesses. With Council having completed its orientation process, its strategic planning objectives for the council term and the annual budgeting process it is an appropriate time to make this transition. I would like to thank the successive Councils I’ve worked with for their support and collegiality. I am leaving knowing the County is in good hands both at the Council and at the administration level.”
Mayor Shelley Bentley thanked Craig for his 15 years of service with the County and the recent work done to help the new Council acclimate to their new roles. “Craig’s experience, advice and leadership has been very much appreciated by both myself as a new Mayor and by all members of Council. He’s been an invaluable part of Haldimand County for many years as a steady, guiding voice that has seen our community through some of its toughest times. I know I speak for many of us here when I say that his wealth of knowledge and insight will be sorely missed, and that we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.“
At this same meeting, Council also appointed Cathy Case as the Acting CAO upon Manley’s departure with that role becoming permanent effective October 1, 2023 subject to a performance review and negotiation of an employment contract. Case is a life-long resident of the County and is currently the General Manager of Corporate and Social Services and has significant experience in municipal governance.
Mayor Bentley noted “We are fortunate to have a strong management team in Haldimand and a positive work culture. In order to ensure a smooth transition and a continued positive trajectory for our community Council felt it was important to look within the organization as a first priority to ensure a continuity of management style and approach to working with Council.’
Over the next four months Manley and Case will be working together to ensure a seamless transition with Manley’s last day occurring on May 31.
