Reports

A Healthy Environment is one of Council's four strategic priorities. The City's Corporate Energy Management Plan is an important part of that goal. It quantifies and provides a roadmap to manage demand for energy for a five year planning horizon.

• Read an accessible version of our Corporate Energy Management Plan
• Read our Corporate Energy Management Plan

The City submits a report of energy consumption related to the operation of its facilities to the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. The City is required to submit its report under the Ontario Electricity Act, and Ontario Regulation 507/108 (Broader Public Sector: Energy Reporting and Conservation and Demand Management Plans). The City's report includes a summary of annual energy consumption:

• For buildings or facilities the City owns or leases that provide accommodation for its program delivery activities
• That are heated or cooled, and/or
• That are related to the treatment of water or sewage

You can find the most recent report below. Inquiries about the report may be directed to the Building and Property Division of the Community Services Department, City of Kawartha Lakes.

• Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reports

Fire Services Modernization Review

About the Fire Services Modernization Review

An independent review was conducted in 2021 and finalized in early 2022, intended to:

• Provide supplementary information to the recent Master Fire Plan development;
• Review and benchmark budgets and investment in the service, particularly staffing, fleet and equipment; and
• Identify changes affecting the Fire Service in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, legislation, service standards and community growth.

The Fire Services Modernization Review was conducted by Performance Concepts and leveraged provincial grant funds for modernization of municipal services.

The Review consulted with the following groups:

• Kawartha Lakes Fire Service senior management team
• City CAO, Treasurer and Asset Management staff
• Executive members of both the Kawartha Lakes Professional Firefighters Association, Local 1701 (full-time firefighters) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 5453 (volunteer firefighters)
• Fire Protection Survey Services, a major property insurance underwriter
• Kawartha Lakes Police Services (fire dispatch)
• Lindsay Central Ambulance Communications Centre

The consultant benchmarked the Kawartha Lakes Fire Service to other similar single tier, composite fire services.

Current state

Kawartha Lakes Fire Service is unique based on the expansive geography it serves, its mix of urban/rural communities and its sparse overall population.

The Review notes, “Economies of scale enjoyed by most Ontario city fire departments are not available. In fact, diseconomies of scale are unavoidable. A sprawling network of Fire stations and apparatus is required to provide acceptable coverage across the 24 communities spread across Kawartha Lakes. Kawartha Lakes Fire currently features 19 stations and more than 40 pumpers and tankers and other fire apparatus in its fleet.”

Future outlook

Population growth of almost 14 percent is forecast over the next decade. This growth is fueled in part by the pandemic and the desire to move to the space and lifestyle afforded in Kawartha Lakes. Much of the growth will be concentrated in Lindsay, and will add additional pressures for the Fire Service to meet the community’s needs.

Focus Areas

The Review made recommendations to full time staffing of the Lindsay Station, volunteer firefighter staffing fleet, training, health and safety and reporting.

Review aligns with Master Fire Plan

The Master Fire Plan, completed in 2020, sets out future considerations to meet growth, maintain provincial requirements and maintain fleet and assets over the next 10 years. Many of the recommendations in the Master Fire Plan are supported by the Modernization Review. The Review highlighted the “pandemic effect” to our service, accelerating certain needs and delaying recruitment efforts.