Township of Tiny secures agreement with Penetanguishene Public Library
Submitted by Township of Tiny, January 9, 2025
The Township of Tiny has established a new library services agreement with the Penetanguishene Public Library for 2025.
Tiny residents can obtain a non-resident library membership for their household at one of the following libraries: Midland, Penetanguishene, Springwater, or Wasaga Beach.
The township has agreements in place with the Midland, Penetanguishene, and Springwater libraries for library services in 2025. These agreements are between the township and the specific library to provide seamless services for our residents and will not require any money to be paid up front by residents at these three locations to obtain a library membership.
Residents can still choose the Wasaga Beach library as their household’s library of choice but will need to seek reimbursement for the membership fee from the township. Staff will continue to work with Wasaga Beach’s library team and hope to establish a similar agreement.
Note that residents can choose one library per household, and all members of that household can go to that library. Library memberships are limited to one per household in total, not a membership at each library.
For more information about library services, visit www.tiny.ca/libraryservices.
‘Stop the Build’ stopped once more with Tiny referendum request
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca
Jan 09, 2025
Tiny Township ‘Stop the Build’ opposition to the incoming administration centre seems to have suffered a major defeat.
On Wednesday evening, group members learned their hopes that a referendum might be ordered by the province just isn’t happening.
Citing concerns of ice-age grass as a species-at-risk, the ‘Stop the Build’ group fought to halt the project. In October, a petition with nearly 7,700 names was submitted to the province asking for support in their request for a referendum.
In December, it was denied.
The response letter from Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra was included in the recent committee of the whole meeting, and a deputation early in the meeting by resident Borys Kowalsky focused on the final paragraph from the letter. “Elected municipal officials are accountable to their residents for their decisions. I encourage the Tiny Township Council and its residents to continue their dialogue and work together to reach a resolution on this matter,” wrote Calandra.
Kowalsky pleaded with council to consider a compromise with the opposition, and when asked by Coun. Dave Brunelle what would be an alternative to a referendum, Kowalsky reiterated that a referendum would be best but public information sessions at an arena could suffice.
Later in the meeting, Brunelle sided with Kowalsky’s interpretation and read a prepared question asking if council recognized a need for resolution on the matter.
Other members of council disagreed with interpretations of the final paragraph by Brunelle and Kowalsky, and instead listed the ways they had gone out of their way to engage with residents since the process began including making studies available before being required, and lowering design costs of the project as per opposition concerns. “Who do you believe and who has credibility?” asked Coun. Kelly Helowka.
Helowka took issue with Brunelle’s citing of the petition, noting that names outside the township including from Korea invalidated its credibility. He went on to state that various residents, “friends and relatives” and named businesses had been intimidated, “harassed and hounded” into signing the “so-called” petition.
Mayor David Evans prompted Brunelle to put forward a motion to wrap up the discussion, and a request for a town hall “for proper engagement” was made. As the motion required a seconder to move forward, no other council member stepped up, and the motion lay dead on the floor.
The current municipal chambers at 130 Balm Beach Road West was built in 1967; efforts were made in 2014 to explore a new municipal facility to replace it as it reached its end-of-life. Current council approved a new administration centre to be built at 255 Concession 9 East, anticipated for completion in 2027.
However, opposition was strong as some residents saw the project as an unnecessary increase to their taxes. Led by resident Karen Zulynik, protests began in October 2023 and continued with in-person delegations at nearly every council meeting.
A social media page was established as the hub for opposition, sometimes including heated rhetoric which had been called cyberbullying by those on council, which Zulynik stated were from individuals she had never met, countering it was she who was the victim of cyberbullying.
Opposition also increased. Residents poured through documents and reports, scrutinized budgets for unclear items and looked to outside help for their cause to stop the build. Frequently, they claimed their voices to stop the build were not being heard by council members.
Some members of council engaged protesters within the events for dialogue, including Evans and Coun. Steffen Walma. However, the opposition stated they felt Brunelle was the only one to listen to their pleas, and often applauded his statements in chambers, hugged him during recesses and hushed when he asked them to be respectful.
A demand for public engagement was made in spring of 2024, which had already been scheduled on a roadmap for the project. To accommodate, township staff bumped up the proposed town hall engagement and increased it to a three-day public engagement series which was derided by the opposition.
The declined referendum response from Minister Calandra can be viewed on the agenda page on the Township of Tiny website.
Archives of council meetings are available to view on the Township’s YouTube channel.
Rising alt-right appearances at North Simcoe councils cause security considerations
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca
Jan 07, 2025
A decision by Pickering city council last week to cease in-person council meetings and transfer to a virtual meeting format had a ripple effect for council, staff and residents of Tiny Township.
On Dec. 30, a video was released on the official Pickering city channel of YouTube cautioning viewer discretion for disturbing and offensive content. Mayor Kevin Ashe provided an introduction and conclusion, stating that effective immediately Pickering council would pivot to an online-only meeting format for safety concerns.
The majority of the 13-minute video provided context spanning over two years, citing instances where Pickering Coun. Lisa Robinson aligned with members of alt-right ideology and freedom-related events.
One such event listed Maggie Hope Braun, who had also appeared in Tiny Township in September at a gathering of the Ontario Landowners Association attended by Tiny Coun. Dave Brunelle.
Also shown in the Pickering video was former Ontario Party candidate Gerald Auger, seen at Tay Township and Tiny Township deputations for anti-globalist group KICLEI, and who had shared a stage in Orillia with Brunelle last June at an anti-globalist gathering.
The Pickering video highlighted Coun. Robinson appearing on an online podcast, seen humouring the host calling Pickering council members “pedophiles” and “Nazis” while stating they “deserve a baseball bat to the face”; Robinson later stated she did not agree with the host’s remarks, but continued to appear on the podcast.
The video also broadcast two minutes of violent threats from email and voice messages to council members.
A guest on the show who laughed at the comments appeared at Pickering council chambers last month filming the proceedings as well as people within the chambers, and continued to film after being asked to leave by security.
MidlandToday contacted Tiny Township Mayor Dave Evans and CAO Robert Lamb for response to the video and the appearances of individuals in Pickering as well as North Simcoe. “We (Tiny) are not looking at moving to virtual meetings at this time,” affirmed Evans by email when asked if there was consideration being given to the response by Pickering council.
When asked about alt-right sentiment, anti-Semitic rhetoric (as additionally noted through the affiliation of the publication Druthers that can be seen in the video and at the September gathering in Tiny), and any similar ideology which could show up in council chambers, Evans replied quickly. “The township has harassment and bullying policies in place that ensure Tiny remains a respectful workplace for everyone,” said Evans. “The township is also drafting a Citizen Code of Conduct that will be brought to an upcoming council meeting for consideration.”
At the committee of the whole meeting this Wednesday, a procedure bylaw amendment report will address citizen conduct as it does not deal with such matters.
Tiny politicians have expressed concerns about cyberbullying when opposition to the new administration centre heated up this past spring with at least one person suggesting running over council with trucks.
It had since reduced following a request from Tiny council, but had not disappeared, according to Evans. “Cyberbullying continues to be an ongoing concern, and it is getting worse and more frequent,” stated Evans.
Evans also confirmed that security measures would be undertaken in the construction of the administration centre, expected for completion in 2027. “Modifications will be made to the interior design to protect staff and council. We will not be publicly disclosing what the specific measures are. “The safety of staff, council, and our residents is always a concern that I as mayor share with our CAO,” stated Evans. “We will continue to prioritize safety both now and, in the future, and we will make adjustments if needed.”
Tiny reaction to supposed alt-right presence heated on both sides
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca
Jan 08, 2025
The increasing presence of perceived alt-right rhetoric and cyberbullying in Tiny Township has several in the community reacting to a recent MidlandToday article, following a decision by Pickering city council to go virtual for their council meetings due to safety concerns.
The article, ‘Rising alt-right appearances at North Simcoe councils cause security considerations’, addressed the presence in Tiny and Tay Township council meetings of individuals appearing within a Pickering video where the mayor laid out why the municipality was moving to entirely online meetings.
MidlandToday asked members of Tiny Township council for a response on the heightened discourse within their council chambers. “I am extremely concerned,” replied Coun. Kelly Helowka through email. “The People’s Party of Canada (PPC) – not Progressive Conservative Party (CPC) – think that they can infiltrate and influence our township. I am hoping that our ratepayers are too smart to be tricked into buying into these less than 2% extreme right wingers,” said Helowka, alluding to PPC polling results from the most recent federal election.
Helowka added comments addressing recent appearances by a Simcoe North PPC candidate Stephen Makk at Tiny council meetings, which initially coincided with his appearance at a September gathering in Tiny Township for an Ontario Landowners Association pig roast. Makk had also been present during a KICLEI deputation in both Tiny and Tay Township council chambers. “Although I respect and abide by our democratic principles and values, I denounce any organization or political party that is extreme,” stated Helowka. “It seems to me that this alt-right group should not be given much credibility. They have not earned any.” A request for comment was also sent to Karen Zulynik regarding her group’s role in trying to stop the Tiny Township administration centre build.
While no response was provided directly to MidlandToday, Zulynik took the questions to her public Tiny Township: All Things Council social media page where she shared her thoughts on the matter. Zulynik neither condoned nor denounced the presence of alt-right rhetoric aligned with her initiative, deferring the decision to remove harmful content to those who operate Facebook and its oversight. “I was getting signatures for the referendum, because I go where crowds are,” replied Zulynik on her attendance at the OLA pig roast, of which she is a member. “(Pickering councillor) Lisa Robinson is being bullied by her peers and I am in the same boat as Lisa Robinson, but these guys are not my peers, they are my leaders!”
Zulynik also stated: “No one on this page has ever threatened anyone’s life.”
An April 2024 council meeting quoted Coun. Steffen Walma as township council and staff dealt with cyberbullying involving “people wanting to run council over with trucks” and “threatening to hang council members in a meme form.”
MidlandToday also reached out to former Ontario Party candidate Gerald Auger, who had appeared in North Simcoe council chambers in recent months along with being shown within the Pickering video; Auger did not respond with comments at the time of publication.
An email was received from “Canadian activist” Maggie Braun, as described in her appearance at the September pig roast. Braun had provided a letter to the editor previously, in her role as KICLEI (Kicking the International Council Out of Local Environmental Initiatives) founder, that the organization was not anti-globalist.
Braun, who had also appeared within the Pickering video, claimed that the MidlandToday article attempted to link her unfairly with alt-right and anti-Semitic groups.
Braun says the article “misrepresents both my work and the KICLEI initiative, relying on inflammatory language, guilt by association, and unsupported claims to paint a false narrative. Such reporting undermines constructive civic engagement. “The KICLEI initiative (Kicking International Council Out of Local Environmental Initiatives) is a citizen-led effort focused on transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility in municipal climate programs,” she stated via email. “Our goal is to inform councils about the costs, obligations, and impacts of voluntary programs like ICLEI’s Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) and advocate for local decision-making. At no point has KICLEI or its official supporters engaged in harassment, cyberbullying, or intimidation.”
At the upcoming committee of the whole meeting, Tiny Township will be discussing a procedure bylaw amendment report to address citizen conduct for municipal committees and meetings.
Zulynik added on her post that the meeting would also contain information about the budget, loan approval for the administration centre, and a letter regarding a referendum on the building which had been put on the shoulders of the municipality and not the province. “This cyber-bullying threatening people’s lives issue is just a way to cloud the real issues that the meeting is about,” wrote Zulynik.
When asked if cyberbullying had increased over recent months, Helowka expressed it had. “As a Township of Tiny councillor, I have been exposed to many unstable individuals, much more so than in my 36 years as a police officer,” he said.
“I only ran for council because I thought I could help people in my township, but the wackos are only getting worse,” said Helowka. “I will not let them get to me because I feel that the work we are doing is important and the ‘right thing to do.’”
Public Engagement for the Draft Dynamic Beach Management By-law
By Township of Tiny, January 8, 2025
TAKE NOTICE that the Township of Tiny is hosting two (2) hybrid Public Information Centres (PICs) to seek input on the township’s draft Dynamic Beach Management By-law and related updates to the township Zoning By-law 22-075 and Official Plan.
The Dynamic Beach Management By-law is intended to sustainably manage development activity in the township’s shoreline area to protect the natural features of Tiny’s dynamic beaches. Prior to this by-law being drafted, the township had enacted an Interim Control By-law that prohibits the erection of any structure, fence, or sign, and alteration of the shoreline throughout the duration of the Interim Control By-law.
During the PICs, there will be a presentation that outlines a brief overview of the project milestones, and we will seek feedback on the draft Dynamic Beach Management By-law and associated updates to the township Zoning By-law and Official Plan.
Anyone interested in participating can join us in the Council Chambers or on Zoom. The Zoom link for each PIC will be made available on the homepage of our website at www.tiny.ca – through this link you will be able to ask questions or provide feedback virtually on the draft Dynamic Beach Management By-law.
For those that just want to watch the presentation, you can view the livestream or a recording of the PIC will be made available after the session on the township’s YouTube channel.
The meeting dates and information are as follows:
Public Information Centre No. 1 – Hybrid
- Date: Monday, February 3, 2025
- Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Location: Township of Tiny Council Chambers, 130 Balm Beach Road West
- Virtual: The Zoom link will be posted on the day of the meeting at www.tiny.ca
o Watch the presentation on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TinyTownshipLive
Public Information Centre No. 2 – Hybrid
- Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
- Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Township of Tiny Council Chambers, 130 Balm Beach Road West
- Virtual: The Zoom link will be posted on the day of the meeting at www.tiny.ca
o Watch the presentation on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TinyTownshipLive
More information about the Dynamic Beach By-law project is available at www.tiny.ca/InterimControl. The Township of Tiny continues to seek feedback from the community through the dedicated project email at interimcontrol@tiny.ca.
For more information: Planning and Development Department E: interimcontrol@tiny.ca T: 705 526-4204