The companies that have proposed wind projects in Addington Highlands and North Frontenac, and solar projects in South Frontenac will have to wait until early spring to find out if the Independent Electricity Service Operator (IESO) has accepted their bids under the Large Renewable Procurement (LRP) process for renewable energy projects.

A statement on the IESO website says that the delay has come about because of the unprecedented response to the LRP.

“Based on the high volume of proposals received in response to the LRP I RFP (103) and complexity of the evaluation process, the target date for the completion of the evaluation of proposals described in the Timetable has been extended to March 2016,” is the message that was posted on the site on November 20.

The original timetable for the announcement of the winning bids was set for November or December.

The wind projects have been controversial, sparking the establishment of a group called BEARAT (Bon Echo Area Ratepayers Against Turbines), and at least one of the solar projects, Collins Lake, which is located on Perth Road just south of Inverary, is also controversial.

South Frontenac Township Council has come out against the Collins Lake solar project, but they have supported other projects in the township. North Frontenac Township Council is also opposing the NorthPoint 1 wind turbine project, being developed by NextEra within their boundaries.

Addington Highlands Council has come out in favour of the NorthPoint 2 wind project of NextEra and the Denbigh wind project, which has been developed by Renewable Energy Systems of Canada.

A lot has been written and said about the proposals for wind turbines in Addington Highlands and North Frontenac. Most of the strongest, and certainly the loudest, points have been made by those who oppose the very idea of wind turbines in the region.

One of the reasons for this is that the two companies that are involved have made their pitches at meetings and directly to Council, whereas the opposition has been making their case to the public in order to bring pressure to bear on council from the outside.

Since North Frontenac made a pre-emptive decision on the matter in early June, Addington Highlands Council has become the main focus of the lobbying efforts.

This pressure was apparent at the AH Council meeting on July 6, when the stress felt by members of the Council, on both sides of the debate, was palpable. That stress, as much as anything, was the reason the formal debate on supporting the RES-Canada and/or NextEra proposals was deferred for two weeks.

This happened soon after Council had narrowly rejected a motion by Councilor Tony Fritsch to declare itself “an unwilling host for wind projects”.

The matter will not end with the vote next Monday, but Council will be off the hot seat, at least for a while. If they say yes, the proposals that are on the table will be submitted as bids to the IESO (Independent Electric Service Operator) for a decision later this fall, and if they say no, somewhat altered bids will go forward to the same body.

There is a carrot and stick approach being taken by the companies. If Council says yes, they will receive a piece of the profits and the companies’ commitments to work to accommodate as many of the concerns of the people who live in the vicinity of the turbines. If they say no, the money and the desire to co-operate will diminish, or disappear entirely.

One of the proponents told me he believes they can still win the procurement if the township says no, but in that case driving the bid price down that will be their goal. They will be less likely to alter turbine locations to keep their neighbours from being impacted. The project will be entirely cost conscious. In other words, all bets will be off.

The opposition has a strong point when they say that it is the provincial government that has pitted them against members of council who support turbines. The local councillors are taking the heat and the provincial government will get the wind power generation they want without having to face any angry voters.

This is certainly the case, although it is the first time that municipalities have had any role in determining the location of energy production, which is something they have been asking for. And it has yielded a financial offer, which would not have been on the table otherwise.

The role that the Frontenac News will take on this issue is to ensure, in light of somewhat cavalier national and regional media coverage, that some of the facts are on the table.

An example of this is the Dark Skies argument. On CBC Ottawa and in the Whig Standard there were reports late last month that wind turbine projects would damage viewing of the night sky and that North Frontenac's Dark Skies designation would or could be put in danger by the turbines.

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) is the agency that granted North Frontenac its Dark Skies designation.

James Edgar, the president of the society, said this about turbines: “While we in the RASC generally do not support the intrusion of unshielded lights into a Dark-Sky Preserve, particularly those that will impinge on the prime intention -- to create or protect an area with dark skies -- there are obviously more considerations than just that.” He noted that mitigation has successfully preserved the view of the night sky in a number of locations in Ontario where wind turbines have been installed.

Robert Dick, who teaches courses in astronomy at both Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, is the chair of the light pollution abatement committee of RASC. He worked on the Dark Skies designation in North Frontenac. He said that he does not think the turbines would have any impact on the viewing at the township's observation pad, nor would they affect the designation. He also said that, historically, relations with wind power companies and astronomers have been positive.

“Historically they have been very receptive in trying to minimize the impact on the environment,” he said.

He also said that he was not contacted by CBC Ottawa before they aired an item about wind turbines threatening North Frontenac's Dark Skies designation.

The main argument being made by the opposition to the turbines remains intact however, and has been buttressed just this week by MPP Hillier and MP Reid (see press release).

It is that a vision for developing Crown Land in North Frontenac and Addington Highlands as an eco-tourist paradise now that the Algonquin Land Claim seems to be headed for a settlement within years rather than decades, is not consistent with wind turbines.

Whether it is true that North Frontenac and Addington Highlands are on the cusp of an eco-tourism boom and that turbines would ruin all that is an open question.

Finally, a few words about conflict of interest. Charges of conflict were laid at the feet of Councilor Helen Yanch a few weeks ago, and she addressed them at Council on July 6. Councilors are expected to recuse themselves from any vote at council where they have a financial interest in the outcome.

Yanch is the co-owner, with her husband, of a class B pit in the south end of the township. The charge of conflict comes from the idea that if the turbine projects move forward, roads would be built and the Yanch pit operation would benefit by selling material to help build those roads.

In declaring that those assertions are “ludicrous” at council, Yanch was effectively saying that she will not benefit financially if the turbines are built. It is not for Council to decide if a councilor is in conflict; it is a judgement call to be made by the council member themselves. If a decision does lead to benefit and that can be proven in court, they would face the legal consequences.

Interestingly enough, on the other side of the debate, Councilor Fritsch may have, inadvertently, created a conflict for himself. His own house would be in sight of up to three towers under the RES-Canada proposal, which does not in itself create a conflict because there is no evidence that the value of his property would decrease as a result.

However, in his plea for the township to declare itself an “unwilling host for turbines” Fritch's final point under the heading “economic effects” was the following: “Property devaluation: Reduction in number of potential buyers. Overall drop in value with wind turbines in sight or the apparent potential for future turbine developments.”

What Fritsch may have done with this public statement, according to a lawyer who works for municipalities, is “create his own box” by asserting there is a financial advantage for himself if the proposal is defeated.

All this is clearly ludicrous, however. Tony Fritsch is not trying to protect his own property values and Helen Yanch is not trying to sell gravel. They will be voting on Monday with no other motivation than what they see as the best interests of Addington Highlands ratepayers, and to deprive them of a vote would leave only three people voting, which is not in anyone’s interest.

The point of all this is that the debate about wind turbines in Addington Highlands should be settled on real issues, not fabricated ones.

While the opposition is only doing what comes naturally, throwing up as many arguments against the turbines that they can come up with, they need to be aware of the risk that some of the less credible arguments could actually damage their cause.

As municipal voting week started early this week, voters in North Frontenac were already reeling as information about the campaign kept coming out.

The election started on a tragic note when Mayor Bud Clayton, who had been seeking re-election, took sick at a municipal conference in London, and died two weeks later in a London hospital - on September 1, just 12 days before the close of nominations.

The campaign ended on a sad note as well, with the death of Monica Perry, the wife of Deputy Mayor Fred Perry, after a long illness, just two days before the start of voting.

Aside from these fateful events there have been a number of oddities to the campaign.

During an all-candidates meeting in Plevna, incumbent Gerry Martin, who is seeking re-election in ward 2, made an unusual response to a question about the use of consultants by the township.

He took the opportunity to vent his anger about the application of the Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value provisions that were mandated by the Province of Ontario and led to changes in the salary grid for North Frontenac

Martin was upset that some of the administrative positions at the township office now are paid as well as road crew jobs. But it was not his views that left people talking, rather it was a turn of phrase he used on several occasions.

“I don't think little girls pushing pencils should be paid as much as men driving plows late at night,” he said, which led to a further exchange with someone in the audience a the meeting.

(See video below)

The next twist in the campaign, came with the revelation that one of the candidates, Denis Bedard in ward 3, was at one time convicted of fraud and breach of trust over actions that he took in the workplace while employed as a regional municipal planning engineer in Fort Simpson, NWT. The incidents took place in July 1996, and the conviction in November of 2000 in Yellowknife.

Bedard was sentenced to 15 months house arrest and 200 hours of community service.

When contacted about the matter, Denis Bedard described the incidents were “mistakes I made almost 20 years ago, during a real bad chapter in my life.”

The township of Mississippi Mills, for whom Bedard worked as Public Works Manager until 2003, when he purchased a marina and moved to North Frontenac, were aware of the convictions. He received a federal pardon in 2003, which he needed in order to drive a school bus and join the Fire department after moving to North Frontenac.

“To tell you the truth it did not occur to me to disclose this when I decided to run for Council,” he said, “for one thing it was long ago and I have received a pardon, which is not that easy to get, and also I have never hidden my past. Everyone on the fire department knew about it and I didn't think it was a secret.”

While the story about Denis Bedard has been circulating around the township for over a week, this last weekend a story about web addresses came out.

The .ca addresses for Mayoralty candidate Ron Higgins, ward 2 candidate Betty Hunter, and ward 1 candidate Wayne Good lead to the website of mayoralty candidate Claudio Valentini.

It turns that, as part of his web campaign for Mayor, Valentini purchased over 20 names with the .ca address in anticipation that they may be running. These included Bettyhunter.ca, Waynegood.ca, Budclayton,ca, and Vernonhermer.ca. Two weeks later, when Ron Higgins entered the race, at that point as a candidate for councillor in ward 2, Valentini secured Ronhiggins.ca.

The urls cost $9.95 per year.

A number of other candidates .ca addresses were already taken up when Valentini attempted to secure them, either by themselves (Fred Fowler) or by other people who have the same name as them (John Inglis, Fred Perry, Denis Bedard)

When contacted, Claudio Valentini said that securing the .ca addresses was “a matter of search engine optimization. I wanted to create more opportunities to get my message out and with the cost of sign being about $12 this was a good deal

He said that in some cases, those of what he calls his allies, he offered to set up a web page for them under their .ca address.

One of them, Vernon Hermer, took him up on the offer.

“When he was running for council, I thought Ron Higgins might be an ally, and I would have set up a page for him,” Valentini said.

He added that he did not contact Berry Hunter or Wayne Good to make the same offer.

“They are not my allies,” he said to Valentini's site. It now goes to Clayton's obituary.

For his part Ron Higgins said that he was approached by Claudio Valentini in July about joining his alliance, but turned him down.

“Although we share some of the same positions on issues, I did not think an alliance among candidates was appropriate,” Higgins said.

As for his name being used to direct traffic to his opponents website, Higgins said “I think that really speaks for itself. There is not much I can add.”

Hurry, Hurry. Come one, come all to the free Annual Community BBQ sponsored by Northern Frontenac Community Services on Thursday, August 21 at the Oso beach in Sharbot Lake. For almost 40 years, NFCS has been a driving force in the social development of North and Central Frontenac areas and our annual BBQ is a chance to say Thank You to all the supporting communities. In addition to free hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and drinks, activities for all ages will be happening from 5 to 7 pm. For the children: air castles, face painting, pony rides and petting zoo. Everyone will enjoy the horse drawn wagon rides, live music, mini golf, bingo (over 21) and tomahawk throws, all for the one low price of….FREE. Whether you’re a year round resident or a summer visitor, we hope to see you there. Bring your lawn chairs, enjoy the music, no need to cook supper tonight. For more information call NFCS at 613-279-3151. Remember, Thursday, August 21 from 5 to 7 at the Sharbot Lake beach. See you there.

Mississippi Bridge project gets the go ahead

A tender was granted in the amount of $2,167,000 to H.R. Doornekamp construction for the replacement of the one-lane bridge over the Mississippi River on Road 509 with a two-lane structure. The total cost of the project will be a bit higher, at $2,238,000. A grant from the provincial and federal governments will cover the bulk of the cost, $2 million to be precise. The rest of the cost is being covered by federal gas tax grants from the last few years, which have been held in a reserve fund, so the project will not have an impact on municipal taxation in 2015.

Funding for the project has been sought from provincial/federal infrastructure programs on at least two previous occasions, without success. Ratepayers may be thankful for those rejections, however, because the funding programs at the time covered only 2/3 of the cost of projects, whereas this one will be covering almost 90% of the total cost.

There will be minimal disruption during the construction, because the new bridge is being built just to the west of the existing bridge. Once it is completed the road will be rerouted and then the existing bridge will be removed.

Playground equipment approved, with some dissent.

In their 2014 budget, Council approved an expenditure of just over $44,000 towards an accessible playground structure at a site in Plevna that is also being contemplated for a war memorial and other public uses. The playground structure project was contingent on receiving a $25,000 grant from the Hydro One Power Play fund; however a few weeks ago Hydro One informed the township that they were only going to come through with $10,000 towards the project.

Cory Klatt, manager of community development, asked Council what he should tell Hydro One, leaving them with the option of finding another $15,000 for the project or turning down the $10,000 grant. According to CAO Cheryl Robson, there is enough money in the parkland reserve fund for ward 2 to cover the extra costs.

This brought up the question of how much use playground structures get in the Internet age.

“Will this be used?” asked Deputy Mayor Fred Perry.

“If you build something people will use it,” replied Councilor Gerry Martin.

“My concern is that the playground structure in Northbrook is never used,” replied Perry.

“There is equipment in Cloyne that nobody uses,” said Councilor Wayne Good.

“I understand what people are saying, but I think it is a gamble we should take, a leap of faith,” said Councilor John Inglis.

“We are lacking a lot of things, a doctor, a dentist, a bank, but let's start off with something,” said Councilor Lonnie Watkins.

In the end, the expenditure was approved 5-2, with Perry and Good being the dissenting voters.

Shabomeka beach privy

The township is looking at installing outhouses at five public locations in 2015, including three boat launches, the Cloyne Park, and at a proposed new public use site in Plevna. In response to a request from the Shabomeka Lake Association, Council decided to rent a privy for the Shabomeka boat launch this summer.

A number of councilors pointed out that the number of tourist-related boat traffic on township lakes was very high in late June and over the Canada Day weekend.

“These are not seasonal residents, they are families coming to fish our lakes, a response to the Fish TV episodes about North Frontenac, I think” said Mayor Bud Clayton.

“I agree, these are not local boats,” said Gerry Martin.

OPP costs may be less than first thought – Clayton

In his role as Frontenac County Warden, Mayor Clayton has learned that changes are being proposed to the OPP billing system that as of this spring was slated to raise North Frontenac's cost from just over $200,000 a year to over $1 million a year.

“They are now looking at a 60/40 split between the fixed asset costs and calls for service,” said Clayton, “as compared to a 73/23 split. And the talk is it will be phased in over four years as well.”

The split is important to North Frontenac because the fixed asset charge is based on the number of dwellings, including seasonal dwellings, which account for most of the dwellings in North Frontenac. Service calls in North Frontenac are historically very low. Council asked staff to prepare a report on the impact of this new scenario on the bill that North Frontenac will likely receive for 2015.

Again the MNR has blown it. Approximately 10 years ago I saw stocking of bass and pickerel that were 2” long, just a nice size to feed the existing pike, perch, walleye and loons. Restock walleye of a decent size and we may get our lakes back. We are losing tourists to Quebec because our fishing is now so poor and the slot size turns off tourists like poison. Where does all the stock from our two local hatcheries go? Only Ontario, I hope.

Clayton Fleury

MVCA Addresses Watershed Issues

Most of the populated areas of North Frontenac are contained in the Mississippi River watershed, as are the bulk of the larger lakes in the township, including Mazinaw, Shabomeka, Mississagagon, Kashwakamak, Big Gull, Buckshot, Palmerston, Grindstone, Crotch, and many others.

At a meeting of North Frontenac Council in Plevna on Monday morning (June 9), Matt Craig, manager of planning and regulations with the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA), outlined some of the extensive monitoring work that MVCA does in North Frontenac.

North Frontenac residents are lucky that funding for the MVCA is provided on a population basis. Because the Mississippi spills into the Ottawa river, residents of the City of Ottawa pay the bulk of the MVCA operating costs. North Frontenac, which contains 32% of the watershed territory, pays only about 1% of the municipal levy to MVCA, $24,300 in 2014.

In terms of direct spending in the township, MVCA will be spending $357,000, most of that on water control structures and flood forecasting, as well as over $50,000 on water monitoring this year. City of Ottawa residents, as well as those in Lanark County, benefit from this work as well, because the water flows from North Frontenac into their lakes and rivers.

Among its responsibilities MVCA manages dams owned by themselves, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Power Generation. Of the 19 dams in the Mississippi watershed, 13 are located in North Frontenac, including one of two power-generating dams on the river.

In his presentation, Craig focused on the water quality monitoring programs that MVCA runs. In addition to ongoing water level monitoring provided by stream and lake gauges as well as staff effort, the Watershed Watch program provides a report on water quality in major lakes in the watershed on a 5-year rotation. Watershed Watch reports for Ardoch, Big Gull, Crotch, Kashwakamak, Malcolm, Mosque and Pine lakes will be completed this year.

MVCA also has a major role in municipal planning, particularly as far as site evaluations for shoreline development is concerned. A recent report, dealing with almost all of Frontenac County (i.e. those regions covered by MVCA, as well as the Rideau and Cataraqui Region Conservation Authorities), concluded that the “guidelines have been effective,” Craig told North Frontenac Council. “It found that the 'ribbon of life' is the most important element to shoreline stability and water quality, and this has been reinforced with science.”

One of the missing elements to the work done in North Frontenac and elsewhere by MVCA is a lack of information about the status of some large marshlands in the watershed, and to address this a focus on sub-watershed analysis is being developed. As well, putting all the data that is collected by MVCA into a coherent format that can be used by municipalities, landowners, lake associations and others, has been a challenge.

“There is a lot of data, but much of it is in different formats and in different databases. We are working towards putting it into an accessible format, so we can use it and so can the public,” he said.

Who will pay for Canalodge subdivision mess?

North Frontenac Council has decided to follow the recommendations in a report by Green Galloway to ensure water access to people who have purchased lots in the ill-fated Canalodge subdivision on Norcan Lake in the north-eastern corner of the township.

The projected cost of the construction is $30,000. The work is only necessary because the subdivision’s developer, David Hill, did not live up to a site plan agreement with the township that was one of the conditions of receiving zoning and planning approvals from the township.

“The money for that will come from the hold back of funds, I expect. What happens when that hold back runs out?” asked Councilor Lonnie Watkins.

“We have to do it anyway,” said Deputy Mayor Fred Perry.

Councilors were more or less satisfied that since the township received $27,000 when the project was approved as a hold back until the developer lived up to his commitments, there would only be a $3,000 cost to the ratepayers.

“We will make every legal effort to get that money from the developer. We have all sorts of expensive ways of recouping money. The township may end up owning a lodge,” said Mayor Clayton, referring to the lodge on the property.

To further complicate matters, a member of the public, one of the lot owners in the subdivision, piped in. “I'm not paying any of that out of my taxes,” she said, then added “and it's $30,000 not $3,000. You paid him back the $27,000 because he told you he had done the work but he hadn't.”

Clerk Jenny Duhamel confirmed that the $27,000 has been paid back to Mr. Hill.

Council approved a motion to going ahead and do the work.

News but no news on township office remediation.

A report from Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson outlined where things stand with the township office, which was damaged when a heating oil tank on the second floor leaked in early January. Information about the cause and insurance claim regarding the leak is being kept confidential. The engineering company in charge has said that environmental remediation is complete and no more threats remain.

Now that the remediation is complete, the engineer will provide a cost to put the building back in working order to the township’s insurer. That will take two weeks, and the insurance company will then provide the township with options.

Since the township has also received a report about the liability of that building and options for replacement, which was commissioned before the leak took place, the whole matter will come to a special meeting of council, likely some time in July.

Good news in Snow Road

The Snow Road Community Centre has received a grant from the Kingston and Area Community Foundation, which has enabled them to purchase a home theatre projector, screen and Bluray player. Combined with the centre's arrangement with Storm Internet, it will provide for movie nights and perhaps more fitness classes at the hall. As well, when the carpet in the hall was removed it caused a problem with acoustics, and the hall committee will be installing sono-pan panels to fix the problem.

To help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Frontenac County, the Frontenac News is embarking on an ambitious story-telling project with the support of Frontenac County Council.

The project will include feature stories in each issue of the Frontenac News in 2015, and on Frontenacnews.ca starting on January 8 and running until December 17. The stories will explore historical topics, and geographical and cultural elements in each and every corner of Frontenac County. Our main focus will be on some of the remarkable individuals who have made their lives in its borders and who have lived its history.

The vast county runs from the top of Vennachar at the spot of the darkest skies in Southern Ontario at Mallory Hill, through Canadian Shield to fractured limestone and some prime farmland. It then bypasses the City of Kingston and continues on Howe and Wolfe Islands, where it ends at the virtual border with the United States. It contains numerous hamlets but no population centres, and has a common thread throughout. It is a waterlogged county, the county of 1000 lakes, from some as small as 53-foot-deep, one-acre-wide Little Round Lake where the water at the bottom gets no oxygen, making it one of the few “meromictic” lakes in the world, to Mazinaw, Bobs, and Crow Lakes, and the county’s largest, Lake Ontario.

At one time people traversed the county by canoe, then by horse and buggy, then rail, then car and truck, and now by the electronic highway. Many of these changes have come about in the last 100 years and some of our residents have lived through them.

In order to make 50 for 150 a success, we are asking the best source we have for all of our stories - our readers - to provide us with leads. If you know of an interesting topic or individual with a remarkable story to tell, let us know as soon as possible as the list of stories is being compiled now and will be pulled together in the coming months.

We are also hoping to have a video component to our 50/150 feature. To contact the News about story ideas, call 613-279-3150, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and put 50/150 in the subject line, or send us a message on our Facebook page.

Youth Diversion seeking mentors

By Jeff Green

Youth Diversion is a Kingston-based not-for-profit organization that works with youth, families and the community to assist youth to “develop and grow and realise their potential”, in the words of the agency’s website.

“Among the first programs we ever had going was the mentoring one. It requires volunteers who are willing to commit two to three hours a week for four to six months to spend with a young person between the ages of 11 and 17, and it has proven to be an effective program for a lot of people over the years,” said Jackie Franklin, the manager of volunteers for the agency.

She said that a number of youth in North, Central, and South Frontenac are now looking for mentors, which has led to a push for improved recruitment in the county.

“We provide lots of training and support for the volunteers in this program,” she said. “Volunteers also have the opportunity to participate in monthly workshops. They get hands-on experience working with at risk youth, and we also offer letters of reference for the volunteers.”

In addition to the mentoring program, Youth Diversion works in the community and in the schools to provide opportunities to help youth who experience difficulties to navigate through what can be a difficult few years in their lives.

Among its programs are a Youth Justice program and the KAIROS alcohol and addictions program, as well as SNAP, a program for youth who have been suspended from school, and the MEND program for conflict resolution within the schools, among others.

For further information about volunteering for the mentoring program or any other Youth Diversion activities, call Jackie Franklin at 613-548-4535 ext. 221, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

North Frontenac also unveils new mapping services

Kevin Farrel, the Global Informations Systems (GIS) specialist for Frontenac County, attended the annual Urban and Regional Information Systems Association-Ontario (URISA) meeting that was held in Guelph in late April.

It was fitting that he was there because the interactive mapping system that he built, Frontenacmaps.ca, led to Frontenac County winning the URISA gold award in the category of Best Public Sector GIS this year.

Since its launch Frontenacmaps has been in a continual state of improvement, with new, easy to apply layers being added over time. This past March, the launch of the mobile version of Frontenacmaps brought the service to users on the go, whether driving, hiking, or skiing in the increasingly Internet-connected county. The mapping includes aerial imagery that was generated in 2008, but by the end of this year imagery gathered in 2013 will be in place.

According to a Frontenac County press release, Frontenacmaps is well used for township and county operations.

“GIS is used every day by the county to create efficiencies for Frontenac Paramedic Services, planning, economic development and emergency management and by the townships to support the needs of planning, building, recreation and public works,” the release said.

Frontenac County Warden, Bud Clayton, said, “The county’s investment in GIS is proving valuable across our region, both for private citizens and in our township and county operations. We are proud to have one of the most sophisticated and accessible GIS systems in rural Ontario.”

In addition to the gold award for the county, North Frontenac IT technician Evan Sepa presented some of the specific applications that North Frontenac has put the base mapping to for its staff and the public, through Northfrontenac.com.

“We are very well developed in the area of online mapping and continue to grow with a number of plans to implement this effective and easy-to-use platform for distributing public information,” said Sepa.

The website includes a road works and road conditions map, a map of public facilities and resources. At the connected gis.northfrontenac.com extension to the township site a number of popular features are available, including: a cemetery viewer – where it is possible to search for cemetery plots, the deceased, and retrieve photos of headstones; an AFN Land Claim Map – which shows the areas in North Frontenac included in the Draft Algonquin Land Claim Descriptive Plan; and the Wireless Services Map – showing the towers across North Frontenac and those which provide wireless services.

North Frontenac also has a wall-sized map of the township available at the township office for $8.