Haldimand-Norfolk Housing and Homelessness Prevention services has teamed up with the community paramedic programs in both Haldimand and Norfolk to provide street outreach and housing-related follow-up support to assist people who are experiencing homelessness. 

A new collaboration between community paramedics in both counties and specialized outreach workers reduces barriers to care faced by vulnerable, underserved, and hard-to-reach residents. The goal is to connect people to services they may require, including housing and health care.  

“We recognized this as an opportunity to be proactive and meet people where they are, making the services more accessible and responsive,” said Louise Lovell, program manager for Haldimand-Norfolk Homeless Prevention Services. “Combining a social services staff member and a community paramedic offers a wider range of services to more people.”  

Sarah Page, chief of Norfolk Paramedic Services, and Jason Gallagher, fire chief and manager of Haldimand Paramedic Services, both expressed praise for this partnership. “Expanding our community paramedicine programs to provide access across our counties to those in need of care outside our normal health care system is what we are striving to accomplish,” said Sarah Page. “Both Chief Gallagher and I recognize that this partnership with Haldimand-Norfolk Social Services highlights our regions’ ability to collaborate and find innovative solutions in rural areas for health care delivery and access to support.”

The pilot began early in 2022 and is expected to continue through the end of the year. The teams are deployed in Haldimand on Tuesdays and Norfolk on Wednesdays. Members of the general public or agencies that have clientele that might be served by a visit can call the following numbers: in Norfolk: 519-426-6170 or 519-582-3579 or in Haldimand: 905-318-6623 at Ext. 3134 and a team can be deployed.  Callers are asked to provide a specific location or a description of where they have seen people. 

Haldimand County’s Paramedic Specialty Programs are essential in delivering specialized in-home service through community outreach programs while offering mobility in care with our Bike Medic Program. These personalized programs keep our community healthy and provide specific care to our residents based on their needs. One of its initiatives is to incorporate animal therapy into the care of clients.

The Community Paramedic Wellness Dog Program brings a deeper connection and support to our existing Community Paramedic Programs. The CP Wellness Dogs can be used in home visits, wellness clinics, and community outreach programs. Animal therapy has long been proven to lower stress, improve feelings of wellbeing, support people through difficult situations, and bring happiness to those they visit.

The CP Wellness Dogs Program is fortunate to have several families and businesses generously donate their suitable dogs for use in this program. If successful in the evaluation and training process, these dogs will be partnered with a Community Paramedic Handler to improve the health and wellness of the people they are visiting.

Haldimand County also has a Bike Paramedic Program that deploys paramedics on bicycles at community events, fairs, and festivals. The Bike Medic program is looking forward to another successful year, quickly responding to patients and providing initial emergency care until an ambulance arrives. The Bike Medics will be attending many events throughout the county; keep an eye out for them during the spring and summer festival season.

The Haldimand County Paramedic Program is diversifying its services to meet the needs of our residents through localized and specialized care. Our Community Paramedic Wellness Dogs Program is making strides to connect people with animals to promote overall wellbeing. Whereas our Bike Medics are actively in the community to ensure you remain safe as summer activities resume. Over the next few months, keep an eye on our Paramedic Speciality Programs tailoring care to meet your needs.

Earlier this month, Haldimand County and the local agriculture community celebrated the installation of the first Farm 911 sign.

Property owners Henk and Jackie Lise celebrated this initiative alongside program sponsors Darcy Johnson (Erie Mutual), Richard Blyleven (Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario local chapter), and Councillor John Metcalfe (Council representative for Haldimand County’s Agriculture Advisory Committee). Henk Lise is also the Chair of Haldimand County’s Agriculture Advisory Committee and President of the Haldimand Federation of Agriculture.

The Farm 911 Emily Project offers owners of rural, agricultural land the opportunity to purchase 911 signage for their farm entrances to help first responders locate individuals/incidents in an emergency.

Through this program, properties will be identified by yellow and black signs to distinguish between vacant properties and properties with dwellings. This is so first responders are aware the incident they are called to may not be tied to a home or farm building. This project will operate on a voluntary basis for existing vacant farm entrances.

“This program is such an important initiative as it helps promote on farm safety. By installing these signs property owners will improve Haldimand County’s Emergency Services ability to locate on farm accidents, with the objective of preventing tragedies in the farming community,” remarked Henk Lise, Chair of Haldimand County’s Agriculture Advisory Committee.

It is anticipated that sponsorships received from Erie Mutual Insurance, the local Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and Haldimand Federation of Agriculture will cover the costs of 35 signs (first come, first serve) for 2021 and potentially 55 signs for 2022.

If funding is fully subscribed to, successful applicants will be required to pay a fee of $109.61 (2021 fee) which is to be submitted along with their application). The application will be reviewed by staff and if no concerns are identified, a new civic address will be issued.

Individuals who wish to participate are encouraged to submit an application form available online at HaldimandCounty.ca/The-Farm-911-Emily-Project or contact Planning@HaldimandCounty.on.ca for additional information.

Haldimand County, the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) have initiated a study to update the Lake Erie shoreline flood, erosion and dynamic beach hazard mapping.

Two Public Education Centres (PEC) will be held to help keep community members informed of the project, with the first scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Selkirk Centennial Community Centre.

The PEC will follow an open house format. There will be no formal presentations; however, the session will provide an opportunity for landowners and members of the public to learn more about the project, how to protect their property from flooding and erosion, as well as contribute their knowledge of local conditions. County and Conservation Authority staff will be available to answer questions and all members of the public interested in the project are welcome to attend.

This is a technical study to update hazard mapping. Updates to conservation authority shoreline management plans or policies, Haldimand County’s Emergency Response Plan and Official Plan are outside the scope of this project.

The PECs for this project will meet the requirements for public consultation for any resulting amendments to regulated area mapping of Ontario Regulations 150/06, 155/06 and 178/06 made under the Conservation Authorities Act.

Consistent hazard mapping across conservation authority jurisdictions is required to support land use planning and permitting decisions in at-risk communities and flood and erosion-related response and mitigation planning. Current shoreline hazard mapping for the County within LPRCA and GRCA jurisdictions was prepared in the late 1980s – early 1990s, while the mapping within the NPCA jurisdiction was updated in 2010.

The project will also update municipal risk assessment information for shoreline flooding, including inventorying at-risk infrastructure and estimating damage potential. It is anticipated the project will be completed by early 2020.