Carleton University grad student – Caraline Billotte – who is researching lake stewardship and shoreline care has asked the SLCA to share a link to her survey which is aimed at people who own lakefront property in Ontario.

The survey is:

• Anonymous and takes 10–15 minutes

• Open to lakefront property owners aged 18+

• Participants can enter a draw to win one of five $100 gift cards

Survey Link: https://carletonu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cAUoVyLEUd7Vdqe  (NOTE: You have to scroll to the bottom of the information page and click the black box/white arrow at the bottom right of the page to start the survey.)

There’s something special about small communities — when we come together, we make a real and lasting difference. Now, residents of Tudor and Cashel Township have a powerful opportunity to do just that.

Mayor David Hederson has issued a community-wide challenge in support of Quinte Health North Hastings.

Here’s how it works:

• The Mayor has personally pledged up to $2,500
• He will match the total of resident donations dollar-for-dollar, up to that amount
• Together, we can turn $2,500 into $5,000 for local health care
• Every contribution helps strengthen care close to home

It’s a chance to show uour community spirit and demonstrate how much we value accessible, high-quality health services right here in North Hastings.

Why Your Support Matters

Let’s come together as a community, meet the goal, and make a meaningful difference for health care in Tudor and Cashel Township. Please be sure to note your township with your donation, so we can track the results.

Local health care services are essential to the well-being of our families, friends, and neighbours. Supporting Quinte Health North Hastings ensures that residents can access the care they need without having to travel far from home. Investments made today help enhance equipment, services, and patient care for everyone in our region.

Whether you’re able to give a little or a lot, every donation counts — and during this challenge, every dollar goes twice as far.

How to Participate

Ready to help meet the Mayor’s challenge?

Please consider donating — and don’t forget to share this challenge with friends and neighbours to help spread the word. Together, we can double our impact and strengthen care for our community.

Make Your Donation here:  https://nhhfd.ca/donation

-- North Hastings Fund Development Committee

If planning a gravel drop or major delivery this spring, remember Half Load Restrictions will be in place March 2 to May 1.

Half Load Restrictions protect roads from excessive damage while the winter frost is coming out of the roads.

Watch for signage notifying users of load reductions being in effect.

"‘Half Load Restriction’ requires that no axle of any commercial vehicle shall transmit to the highway, a weight in excess of 5000 kilograms. "-- Tudor & Cashel

As the daytime temperatures start to rise, so does the maple sap – syrup production can’t be far behind!

Looking for something fund to do near Steenburg Lake in March? Check out these fun events:

Maple March Menus:

For the month of March, 12 restaurants and brewers in the Hastings area are featuring Maple menus that include maple flavoured loaves, cookies, crepes, lattes, burgers, brussels sprouts, tartar sauce with fish & chips, chicken sandwiches, and a lineup of maple cocktails, mocktails, and wines.  Participating restaurants include: Bancroft Brew Pub, The Granite, Café BC, For the Halibut Fish & Chips and The Muse Gallery & Café in Bancroft. There are also locations in Stirling, Tweed and Deseronto. See more details https://hastingscounty.com/adventures/maple-march .

Limerick Fire Department Pancake Breakfast:

Date: Sunday, March 15, 2026

Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Location: Limerick Community Centre

Address: 7645 Hwy. 620

All you can eat! Ages 0-5 $5, 6-12 $7, 12 and up $10. Proceeds to the Limerick Fireman's Association.

Bancroft Seedy Saturday and Maple Syrup Fest:
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Location: Canadian Peace Museum

Address: 19 Valleyview Drive, Bancroft

What’s Happening? Seeds, Plants, Herbals, Maple Syrup, and more!

Vendors & Information Booths: Browse unique seeds, gardening supplies, and connect with knowledgeable growers offering advice on soil health, native plants, and sustainable practices.

Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival:

Date: Saturday & Sunday, March 14 & 15 2026

Location: Warkworth

What's Happening? Jump on a free shuttle bus to Sandy Flat Sugar Bush, where you can enjoy a pancake breakfast, horse and wagon rides, maple taffy in the snow, and take in live musical entertainment.

Then it’s all about Maplelicious in the village! Take the free shuttle back to meander the beautiful downtown area. Visit shops, boutiques and cafés — all bursting with maple themed items.

This year’s special events in the village include Beer Garden by Fogorig Brewery, Mini Putt at St. Paul’s United Church, Artisan Show & Sale, Art Exhibit at the AH! Centre, and much more! For all the details visit https://warkworthmaplesyrupfestival.ca/ .

O’Hara Mill Homestead Sugar Bush Event:

Date: Sunday, March 22, 2026

Time: 10 am - 3 pm

Location: O'Hara Mill Homestead and Conservation Area

Address: 638 Mill Road, Madoc, Ontario, K0K 2K0.

What's happening? Come learn about how maple syrup was made at the Homestead!

https://www.oharamill.ca/events-calendar/sugar-bush-event-2

Four times a year, Canadian residents can fish in Ontario for free. This means you do not need to buy a fishing licence if you want to fish during:

• Family Fishing Weekend (February 14 – 16, 2026)
• Mother’s Day Weekend (May 9 & 10, 2026)
• Father’s Day Weekend (June 20 & 21, 2026)
• Family Fishing Week (June 27 – July 5, 2026)

There are two options to participate: join a public event near you or fish with your family and submit your “family event” to receive a free digital fishing package and be entered into a draw for a $500 Fishing Prize Pack from Lucky Strike, Shimano, and Ontario Out of Doors!

For a second chance at the prize pack, a photo contest on social media will be held February 14 – 16, 2026.

DID YOU KNOW?  Transport Canada has made it effective January 6, 2026 that all boats’ Pleasure Craft Licenses (PCL) now have an expiry date, and a $24 fee applies to new, renewed, transferred, or replaced PLCs.  This is the paper registration for your boat(s) and a copy must be carried on board at all times.

As of January 6, 2026 all new, transferred and renewed pleasure craft licenses are valid for 5 years. You can check your license expiry date using your pleasure craft license number. For older licenses that didn’t have an expiry date, the following expiry dates will now apply:

Licence issue date                                    Licence expiry date

December 31, 1974 or earlier                    March 31, 2026

January 1, 1975 to December 31, 1985   December 31, 2026

January 1, 1986 to December 31, 1995   December 31, 2027

January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1999   December 31, 2028

January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2005   December 31, 2029

January 1, 2006 to April 28, 2010             December 31, 2030

What Boats Require a Pleasure Craft Licence?

By law, any pleasure craft, including personal watercraft (jet-ski), that is powered by one or more motors adding up to 10 hp (7.5 kW) or more must have a valid licence.

Starting December 31, 2027, wind-powered pleasure craft over 6 metres long will need a pleasure craft license. This will not apply to human-powered boats like kayaks, canoes, or dragon boats.  

For more information:

https://www.canboat.ca/resources/boatingtips/how-to-get-a-pleasure-craft-license-for-your-boat/

We will be going to the polls in October 2026 to elect new municipal governments.

Steenburg Lake is divided between the municipalities of Limerick and Tudor & Cashel townships, and lies within Hastings County.

How do municipal elections work?

Source: https://www.amo.on.ca/about-us/municipal-101/municipal-elections

Councillors are elected through the “first-past-the-post” system, meaning voters each choose one candidate for a position, and the candidate with the most votes is elected. 

They may be elected according to ward or “at-large”, depending on the municipality. 

In Limerick and Tudor & Cashel townships, councils are elected at-large -- all councillors represent the entire municipality. In an at-large election, the voters choose among all candidates in the election. For example, if a council has four (4) Councillor positions, the four candidates with the highest number of votes win the election and become the new councillors.  

Hastings County Council is composed of the elected mayors of the 14 lower-tier municipalities – including Limerick and Tudor & Cashel townships. The county council itself selects the warden from among its members.

What do potential voters and candidates need to know?   

Elections for municipal government are held every four years on the fourth Monday of October. The length of term for all municipal elected officials is four years. 

The next municipal election will be held October 26, 2026.

In municipal elections in Ontario, unlike other levels of government, candidates are not elected to represent a political party. 

Eligible voters for municipal elections must be: 

• A Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old

• A resident OR a property owner or tenant OR the spouse of an owner or tenant in the municipality

Eligible candidates for municipal elections must be:

• A Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old 

• A resident of the municipality, a non-resident owner or tenant of land in the municipality or the spouse of such non-resident owner or tenant

• Not legally prohibited from voting; and not disqualified by any legislation from holding municipal office.

Candidates are also required to pay a fee of $100 ($200 for head of council) and those running in municipalities with more than 4,000 electors are also required to obtain 25 endorsement signatures when they submit their nomination.

To see the full Municipal Elections Rules and Guidelines, click here.

Candidate nomination period:

May 1, 2026 is the first day of the candidate nomination period that ends on Nomination Day, August 21, 2026. Thinking of running for office?  Contact the Clerk’s office in your municipality for details on submitting your nomination. In Limerick email clerk@township.limerick.on.ca and in Tudor & Cashel email clerk@tudorandcashel.com .

Not going to be at the lake on election day? No problem

The County of Hastings 14 member municipalities are currently seeking a vendor to provide internet and telephone voting system services for the 2026 Municipal Election. 

In an interview with mybancroftnow.com shortly after the 2022 municipal election, Limerick Clerk Victoria Tisdale said phone and online voting systems, like the one used in her municipality, are allowing more people to vote in cottage communities.  Read the entire story: https://www.mybancroftnow.com/56313/news/limerick-sees-success-with-online-and-phone-voting/

Limerick Township Council 2022-26

Kimberly Carson – Mayor 

Cell: 416-816-1553

Email: k.carson@township.limerick.on.ca

Janice MacKillican - Deputy Mayor

Phone: 613-922-4940

Email: j.mackillican@township.limerick.on.ca

Glenn Locke - Councillor

Cell: 613-334-0388

Email: g.locke@township.limerick.on.ca 

Grace Hamm - Councillor

Cell: 613-334-9693

Email.: g.hamm@township.limerick.on.ca

Shawn Pack - Councillor

Cell: 613-243-5550

Email: s.pack@township.limerick.on.ca

Limerick Township Council meetings are held third Monday of each month at 12 :30 p.m at the Limerick Community Centre, located at 7645 Highway 620, Coe Hill. 

Participation:

Meetings are generally open to the public, with options for in-person and virtual attendance. 

Contact:

For specific inquiries or to register, contact the Clerk at 613-474-2863 or clerk@township.limerick.on.ca. 

How to find specific meeting information:

• Visit the Official Website: Go to limerick.ca to access the main council page. 

• Check the News & Notices section: Look for recent council meeting announcements or notices. 

• Browse Agendas and Minutes: Navigate to the "Agendas" section on the Township of Limerick website to view past meeting documents. 

Tudor & Cashel Council 2022-26

Mayor Dave Hederson

Email: hederson@tudorandcashel.com
Cell: 613 318-8201

Deputy Mayor Bob Bridger

Email: bridger@tudorandcashel.com
Cell: 613-334-5619

Councillor Elain Holloway

Email: holloway@tudorandcashel.com
Cell: 613 318-8237

Councillor Brent Taylor

Email: taylor@tudorandcashel.com
Cell: 613.334.6994

Councillor Jerry Chadwick

Email: chadwick@tudorandcashel.com
Cell: 613.318.8231

Tudor And Cashel Council meetings are held at 1:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at 371 Weslemkoon Rd., Gilmour. 

The agenda:

Council meeting agendas are generally posted on the website on the Thursday prior to the meeting and will provide information on location or how to attend. https://tudorandcashel.com/council/about-council-meetings/

Watch on YouTube:

Meetings are live-streamed on the municipality’s YouTube channel

at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1KpCoVlyF4RrkMRi03EzZg.

Hastings County Council

Where to find meeting information:

• Official Website: Visit the Hastings County website and navigate to the Government section. 

• Meeting Portal: Access the Meeting Portal to view the full schedule of upcoming meetings and access archived minutes and agendas. 

• Livestream: All committee meetings and County Council meetings are livestreamed on the Hastings County YouTube channel. 

Sources:

https://www.amo.on.ca/about-us/municipal-101/municipal-elections

https://www.amcto.com/

https://tudorandcashel.com/

https://limerick.ca/

https://www.hastingscounty.com/

www.mybancroftnow.com

The Invasive Species Centre's Training Program is offering Terrestrial Invasive Plant Training, a self-guided online course covering the ecology of several common invasive terrestrial plants. This course also covers important topics such as prevention, and management of these invasive plants, as well as the environmental, social, and economic, impacts invasive plants can have.

Giant Hogweed / Invasive Species Centre image

Learn all about buckthorn, dog-strangling vine, Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, giant hogweed, wild parsnip, and common ground cover invasives.

Participants will receive a certificate of completion after completing the final exam.

To complete the Terrestrial Invasive Plant Training, enroll for FREE on their website today - https://invasivespeciestraining.ca/online-training-portal/.

Tudor and Cashel town council voted Nov. 4, 2025 to amend their fire bylaw to restrict the use of fireworks.

Fireworks are now banned except for the following dates between 7 and 11 p.m. – provided no municipal or provincial fire ban is in effect:

• Victoria Day
• Canada Day
• New Year’s Eve

Fireworks must be controlled by someone aged 19 or over.

If you discharge fireworks outside the permitted dates, it is considered an open-air fire and subject to a fine AND fees if the Fire Department must respond.

The SLCA reached out to Limerick Township and confirmed there is no such ban in Limerick.

Good News: The South Road AED located at 456 The South Road is fully operational again. We also have a spare set of replacement pads. Please call 905-716-5532 to gain access as it is housed inside during the winter season.