CP Scoop - February 29th, 2024

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MUNICIPAL NEWS

Council and Committee of the Whole Meetings

The Town of Carleton Place Council will hold its Council and Committee of the Whole meetings in-person at the Carleton Place Town Hall (175 Bridge Street) and via live stream, on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024, starting at 6:00 p.m. The agenda and associated documents for the meetings are available on the Town’s website. Members of the public can view the meeting online via Zoom or a live stream on the Town Hall Facebook page.

Temporary Sidewalk Closure – Saturday, March 2nd, 2024

Please note that the sidewalk will be temporarily closed near 129 Bridge Street (Giardino Lifestyle Salon) down to the corner of Bridge and Franklin Streets during the morning hours of Saturday, March 2nd, 2024, to accommodate exterior building maintenance.

 

OTHER NEWS

Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority – Watershed Conditions Statement - Water Safety - Stay Clear of Ice-Covered or Fast-Moving Waterways.

With above-seasonal daytime temperatures and several millimetres of rain forecasted over the next few days, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) is reminding residents to exercise extreme caution near rivers and waterbodies that have high flows and slippery bank conditions. No flooding is anticipated at this time; however, runoff amounts may result in higher water levels in creeks and streams, and along roadside ditches.

Ice thickness can also change drastically due to increased flows and rising temperatures. The shoreline adjacent to lakes, rivers and creeks is very slippery and poses a serious hazard. Falling into open water could result in hypothermia or drowning. No ice is safe ice.

Rainfall can cause ice jams to occur along the river. This can cause water levels to rise rapidly without warning.

The MVCA reminds the public to exercise extreme caution around all water bodies:

• People and pets should stay away from all frozen or fast-moving water bodies.
• Parents are urged to remind children about the dangers of playing on or near ice-covered surfaces and open water.

Residents in flood-prone areas are advised to maintain a close watch on water levels and flows and take the necessary precautions to protect their property by:

• Ensuring sump pumps are clear, in good working condition and have backwater valves.
• Having a portable generator and backup pump available.
• Ensuring downspouts are clear and the outlet is at least 3m from any structure.
• Removing or securing items that might float away as flows increase.

This message will be in effect until (or updated before) March 11th, 2024.

Daily water levels and flows are available on the MVCA website

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit Reminds Public of Safety During the April 8th Solar Eclipse

On April 8th, 2024, parts of Leeds and Grenville Counties will be within the path of totality of the solar eclipse.  This makes for great viewing but there is cause for a public health concern.

Although the Moon will be covering most of the Sun, it's still dangerous to look directly at the Sun from approximately 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. when the solar eclipse is happening. Viewing the sun with your naked eye during the eclipse can burn your retina, damaging the images your brain can view.

This phenomenon, known as “eclipse blindness,” can cause temporary or permanent vision impairment, and in worst-case scenarios can lead to legal blindness, which entails significant loss of vision.

“There are no pain sensors in your retinas to indicate that your eyes are being damaged by looking at the sun”, says Dr. Linna Li, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. “Symptoms can take 12 to 48 hours to appear and can include retinal burns, permanent or temporary visual loss, and blurred vision. Once symptoms begin, it's usually too late to reverse any damage. This is why prevention and protection for your eyes is very important.”

It is very dangerous to look directly at the sun at any time, but during an eclipse, the temptation to have a quick glance can be very strong. Of course, staying inside and avoiding temptation is the best way to prevent harm to your eyes, but there are protection methods available.

To avoid damaging your retinas when viewing the solar eclipse:

• Do not view the eclipse at all or use a proper method of blocking the sun's dangerous rays while viewing.
• Use a filter that blocks all dangerous light - ISO-certified eclipse glasses from a reputable vendor that meets the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. The manufacturer's name and address must be printed on the product.
• Do not use any viewer if it has scratched or wrinkled lenses.
• Be careful of anyone trying to offer viewing devices that are not certified.
• Do not use:
  • ordinary sunglasses or multiple pairs of sunglasses
  • Neutral density or polarizing filters, such as those made for camera lenses
  • Smoked glass
  • Photographic or X-ray film (unexposed, exposed or developed)
  • Binoculars or telescope – even with certified glasses
  • There are some promoted household items and homemade filters but this is not the time to experiment with internet fads

Some communities are having mass gathering events to view the eclipse. There may be glasses available at these events or you can go online and order glasses ahead of time.

There will also be a virtual viewing through the Canadian Space Agency’s website for those who do not want to chance being outside. The Health Unit has links on their website to activities for kids such as making a pinhole camera (also called a pinhole projector) that can be used to safely observe an eclipse. Light is allowed through a small, punched hole, which then projects the incoming light onto the opposite end of the box.

For more information about eye safety and proper viewing devices during the eclipse, visit Total Solar Eclipse 2024 - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit. If you require medical assistance because of a risk of exposure, call Ontario811 or visit a virtual care clinic.

Lanark County Moves Forward with Supported Housing Project

Lanark County is moving ahead with an innovative partnership that will see a supported housing program for Lanark County clients currently experiencing homelessness.

At its regular meeting Wednesday evening, Lanark County Council directed staff to enter into an agreement with Lanark County Mental Health (LCMH) to provide $296,000 for the program from the county’s Homelessness Prevention Program, which is 100 percent provincially funded.

The program is planned to be housed in the now-vacant, 63-unit Willowdale Retirement Home in Smiths Falls, which was recently purchased by a developer. LCMH will enter into an agreement with the developer to run the program in that space to support about 11 clients residing in individual rooms. “The clients would sign a participation agreement with LCMH that includes rules, expectations and services,” said Director of Social Services Emily Hollington. “The clients will be program participants, not tenants, and must participate in order to stay.”

The rooms are approximately 170 square feet and will be renovated by the developer so they exit directly to the outside. There is space for a shared coin laundry on site, and the developer has also offered to convert an entryway into an office for the program’s staff person at no extra cost.

Each unit has its own bathroom, small kitchenette, bed, desk/table, and chair, similar to a small bachelor apartment. They are designed for a single person but could accommodate two (2) people (such as a couple) in some cases. Hollington explained while it will be considered transitional housing, there is no time limit to how long someone can reside in a unit. “The residents will be provided supports to find other housing in the community when they are ready, which would then free up the space for another person.”

Hollington noted the “Housing First” approach is a well-established way to solve homelessness and is based on supported living environments. “This is not a shelter,” Hollington said. “It is a program that supports individuals in getting the help they need to transition into longer-term, independent housing.”

With the funding, LCMH will hire a case manager to work in the building to support tenants with activities of daily living, connections to services and support, and to assist them in their path to independence. They would have access to other services, such as a nurse practitioner, psychiatry, harm reduction and more. The funding will also supplement the rent of the unit, provide minimal personal items to clients and cover an administration fee. The county would be responsible for costs associated with interior unit maintenance and unit turnover, which would be provided by current Lanark County housing maintenance workers.

At the community services committee meeting earlier this month, Hollington explained the county had 61 people on its by-name list for homelessness in January. This is a real-time list of people experiencing homelessness in the community that provides coordinated access and prioritization to services and supports. “Many of these individuals require a supported independent living environment; however, this type of housing is very limited in the county.”

Similar models in eastern Ontario include Pixie Place in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the Sidney Street project in Hastings County. “This project will support people who are already living in our community,” Hollington said. “Moving people from being homeless to housed is good for the entire community as it reduces pressure on other services, such as hospitals, paramedics, police and other supports.”

Hollington explained the Housing First approach involves moving people experiencing homelessness – particularly chronic homelessness – from the street, temporary shelters such as motels, or couch surfing, into stable housing with supports. “This provides a platform to deliver services to address issues frequently faced among the chronically and episodically homeless. The goal is to encourage housing stability and improved quality of life and, to the extent possible, foster self-sufficiency.”

The “At Home/Chez Soi” project, funded by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, studied Housing First and found that more than 80 percent of people in the study who received Housing First remained housed after the first year. For many, use of health services declined as their health improved, and involvement with law enforcement also declined. “Social and community engagement is an important focus in recovery. People make new linkages and develop a stronger sense of self.”

Hollington added if the program is determined to be successful, Lanark County would provide annual funding to LCMH to continue as long as the Homelessness Prevention Program funding and resources are available.

Council extended gratitude to the project partners to enable the space and program delivery for the supportive housing project. “This program will support people experiencing homelessness from all communities in Lanark County,” said Warden Steve Fournier (Drummond/North Elmsley Reeve). “This kind of partnership strengthens our community by helping people in need.”

“The Town of Smiths Falls is pleased to be part of the Housing First solution for the growing homelessness crisis currently taking place,” said Shawn Pankow, Smiths Falls Mayor. “The former Willowdale facility is a creative and innovative example of how rural communities can utilize vacant buildings to provide needed supports and services to those in our community who need it most. In a housing crisis, we are fortunate to have a willing landlord who has the space and the desire to help some of the most vulnerable members of our community. I do not believe there is anywhere else in Lanark County where this could have been possible. The new facility will not only provide progressive housing and mental health supports those struggling with chronic housing displacement, but it will also provide them with the tools to achieve housing sustainability and a higher quality of life now and in the future. In the end, it is about changing lives and saving lives.”

Please Note: This email is not regularly monitored. Email: acharania@carletonplace.ca. Federal, Provincial, and Other news items are provided impartially, as a convenience and as a means of sharing information from higher levels of government and partner organizations.