Douro-Dummer council discussed the possibility of participating in the Ontario Invasive Phragmites Action Program at the Tuesday evening council meeting.
Council received a delegation from the Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) led by Thom Unrau at the November 18, 2025 regular council meeting. The purpose of the delegation was to inform council about the program and how it relates to the invasive species in Douro-Dummer and the surrounding area.
CAO Todd Davis tabled a report that summarized the material presented in the KLT delegation. The summary is as follows:
• It shared details about the Ontario Invasive Phragmites Action Programo Funded through an $11M investment by the government of Ontario.
o The program promotes control efforts of phragmites, working to reduce its ecological and social effects, while creating local jobs.
• Introduced the Kawarthas Phragmites Action working group
o KLT has convened the Phragmites Management Area working group for Peterborough County and City of Kawartha Lakes.
Plungers Sean Toll and Nicole Toll from the Muskies Canada team dove into the frigged waters of Chemong Lake on Sunday afternoon as part of the BEL Rotary Polar Plunge. The Plunge was just one of many activities hosted throughout Selwyn Township during Polarfest weekend.
While the government of Canada has committed to rolling out the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP), all three local police services have made statements they will not be participating in this initiative.
The Canadian Government started banning certain assault-style firearms in May 2020. Since then, 2,500 makes and models have been deemed prohibited in Canada.
According to the Canadian government website the ASFCP was developed to provide an option for eligible businesses and individuals who own these prohibited firearms to comply with the law. Those who choose to participate in the program may receive compensation subject to availability of program funds.
Although this program is completely voluntary, residents are still to comply with the law. The government has stated that businesses and individual firearm owners must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms before the amnesty period ends on October 30, 2026, or risk criminal liability for the illegal possession of a prohibited firearm.
Though the federal government has rolled out this program, no local police forces will be participating.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) told the Herald, “At this time, after consultation with the Government of Ontario, the OPP will not participate in the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP).
Trent Lakes Council has approved a municipal Salt Management Plan that has a goal of protecting environment without compromising road safety.
Public Works Director Evan Grieger told council that a plan is a requirement under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act for municipalities that use more than 500 tonnes or more of salt each year.
Sodium Chloride road salt is used on hardtop road surfaces in Canada as de-icing and anti-icing agents during winter road maintenance.
Trent Lakes uses in the range of 600-800 tonnes a year, Grieger told council.
Salt Management Plans identify actions municipalities will take to improve salt management practices including storage, general use on roads and snow disposal.
The plan assesses current practices against recommended best management practices and identifies activities or operations that could release road salts into the environment. It provides response procedures to react to uncontrolled releases of road salts that could have environmental impacts.
Grieger said the pan is a living and dynamic document which will be reviewed and updated annually.
He said it includes a commitment to re-assess the use of straight salt on paved surfaces.
This short documentary is a portrait of a tiny town, Lakefield, Ontario, and its independent weekly, the Herald. Across North America, newspapers are dying, but in Lakefield, Terry McQuitty, the town paper’s publisher, carries on a rich, 150-year-old tradition. Set to the pace of small-town life, Unheralded is a testament to the vital role newspapers can still play, and the close bond between reporter and reader.
