A Holiday Edition from Councillor Rick - and the Fire Marshal...

Notes from Councillor Rick!

Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal
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Ontario’s CO Alarm requirements are changing as of January 1, 2026 — and it’s important that every home knows what’s coming.
If your home has a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace, or attached garage (or is heated by air from such a system), the updated Fire Code now requires carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every storey — not just outside bedrooms.
To help you stay ahead, here’s a quick safety checklist to follow before the new rules take effect:
Install CO alarms near every sleeping area and on each level of your home.
Ensure alarms meet Canadian certification standards (CSA, ULC, ETL).
Test alarms monthly, replace batteries annually, and replace the unit according to manufacturer guidelines.
Clear vents and chimneys, and ensure fuel-burning appliances are inspected and maintained regularly.
Don’t wait — updates like these can directly save lives. For full details on the new requirements and guidance on compliance, visit Ontario.ca/COSafety.
Stay safe this winter.
#CarbonMonoxide #COAlarm #OntarioFireCode #HomeSafety #FireSafety #WinterSafety #SafetyFirst #COSafety

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Holiday Edition 2025
Here’s a couple of things to share with you as we continue to enjoy some time with family , friends and good food….and watch the snow fall.

1) Sinclair Transfer Station: Update As we are about to flip the calendar there are a couple of things that are going to be extremely important to understand;
• As of January 2nd, all bags need to be clear, not opaque…clear. This means no white “kitchen catcher” type bags or old grocery bags inside the clear bag either…all clear.
• One exception will be a max. of two small bags for personal care type products
• There was the expectation of going to ONE bag but we will be staying to two bags per week
▪ Hazardous waste days are at Dwight; next ones Jan.31st then March 7th. Get your calendar the next trip to your transfer station near you….
For any inquiries regarding waste management services, residents can contact the District of Muskoka Waste Management at 705-645-2100 or via e mail at [email protected]

2)Public Notice: Winter Parking Ban in Effect and Driver Safety
Our plows will continue to be actively working to clear the roads throughout the Township, so please be patient with our operators giving them plenty of room to operate safely and effectively.
Important Reminder: There is NO PARKING or standing of vehicles on any road or street allowed in the Township of Lake of Bays when it interferes with winter operations.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

3) Huntsville/Lake of Bays Fire Department Update:
As you should be aware, the Township of Lake of Bays is in a transition period getting our ducks aligned for our new standalone Lake of Bays Fire Department. Some have questioned why? As a Councillor I can’t speak to specifics, however I can share that it’s partly due to the joint venture agreement we had with Huntsville was coming to an end and under re-negotiations it became clear, this was going to be the best for our residents to make the move now to our own service. While this is underway, residents need to be reassured that fire services continue to be responded to as a joint service for the next year, giving both communities the time to ramp up into our new matrix, and even after that we will continue to have agreements in place for joint service with Huntsville, Algonquin and even Bracebridge.
As for us in Lake of Bays, I can share with you the first step in this transition has been completed with the hiring of Jeremy Alldred-Hughes as the inaugural Director of Emergency Services/ Fire Chief. Jeremy was selected from a substantial list of qualified candidates from across the province. He is a resident of Lake of Bays and has experience with all levels of our existing team, so we look forward to Jeremy’s first day on November 24th, as he gets started building his team of Administrative Assistant and then Deputy Chief. The adventure begins!
Staying with our fire services, these men & women volunteered their time on the evening of Wednesday, December 3rd to be collecting donations of food from residents who have left their donations on their porch and their lights on. I was part of the crew who were there receiving those donations and we were extremely pleased to see the response from the greater Huntsville / Lake of Bays community. The results were over 43,000 lbs. donated - Awesome!

4) Friends of the Muskoka Watershed: AshMuskoka Day;
The next Ash Muskoka drop off day at Rosewarne Landfill (Bracebridge) is Sat. January 17th.
Check out their website at [email protected] or call 705.640.0948.

5) 2026 Municipal Budget Finalized: The staff report shared the 2026 Operating and Capital Budget projections at the November 11th Council meeting with a financial impact of 5.56%. Councillors then reviewed, making many suggestions and modifications, recognizing it contains many much-needed service improvements, infrastructure needs and staffing recommendations. Having said all of that, we have taken into account some projected savings, and settled on an increase of 4.27 percent. For a residential property assessed at $300,000, this represents an increase of $28.83 per year on the municipal portion of the tax bill. The approved budget continues to advance the Strategic Priorities set by Council while maintaining the services residents rely on. Key budget highlights include: Dwight Library & Community Centre expansion; Muskoka Road 117 revitalization; additional staffing in planning, building and library services to meet our evolving demands as well as resurfacing over 23 kms. of roads, bridge repairs and upgrades to municipal facilities and public spaces.

6) Considering running for Office in 2026? AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) has recently put out this learning opportunity, “Stronger Leaders, Stronger Communities”, it’s designed to equip you with the tools, resilience, and confidence to meet the challenges of the political landscape head-on. This workshop series is being offered at no charge in two streams: those considering re-election in 2026 and a second stream, for first-time candidates who want to explore whether elected office is right for them. Full details & registration information here: https://www.amo.on.ca/amos-healthy-democracy-leaders-series-stronger-leaders-stronger-communities Dates: Workshops are 6:30 - 8:00 pm on the following dates (you can register for the full series or individual sessions):
• Stream 1: (Current Councillors)
• Stream 2: Register here for Stream 2 (Those considering seeking a Council position)

• December 3, 2025
• February 4, 2026
• March 4, 2026
• April 1, 2026

Our Council is known by our peers as a cohesive team that works through issues collectively, respectfully and always in the good of our residents. This is the type of individual we encourage to be stepping forward for consideration for any appointment on Council going forward.

Final Thought:
I shared some of this recently in the Walker Lake Association Newsletter, so my apologies for those who have heard this before, but I truly am proud to be your Councillor for Sinclair/Finlayson, and District of Muskoka, and would be honored to continue to be your voice at both.

I continue to listen and learn, I have recently participated in two humbling events, ‘Muskoka Summit on the Environment’, in Bracebridge, which continues to hit home, “why are we doing some of things we have always done, when we know they are harming our environment?” and then “Muskoka Housing Taskforce 2.0” in Gravenhurst. We continue to be reminded that homelessness and poverty are not limited to the GTA, it is an extremely well-hidden secret that is growing like a cancer right here in Muskoka.
If there was a common takeaway from both events, it was that its not just enough anymore to be a good listener, we need to be created strategies for action, and consider what are we going to do about it.

I will be following that up in January as a delegate at ROMA (Rural Ontario Municipalities Association) in Toronto. Again, another powerful learning experience.
Please consider checking out the Township website, www.lakeofbays.on.ca make note of our Council meetings and realize that you are always welcome to attend in person, but also they are broadcast live through your computers. If there are any questions please ask, that’s why we are here. Looking forward to a great 2026!
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Rick Brooks,
Councillor Sinclair / Finlayson Ward Township of Lake of Bays T: 705-635-2272 | H: 705-635-2101 | E: [email protected]