On Friday, September 18, 2026, at 11:40 p.m., Bracebridge OPP officers were conducting proactive patrols in the town of Gravenhurst and located a vehicle that had been the subject of an earlier traffic complaint. Officers conducted a traffic stop and subsequently arrested and charged 29-year-old Mitchell Casserly of Torrance, ON with Impaired Operation, Over 80 and Operation while Prohibited.

He will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on October 27, 2026 to answer to his charges.

The post Torrance Resident Charged With Impaired Driving appeared first on Muskoka411.

On Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 1:40 p.m., Bracebridge OPP officers responded to a theft complaint that occurred at two retail locations in Gravenhurst near Muskoka Road South and Edward Street. The suspect, described as a female wearing a black hat, black sweatshirt with an Adidas logo, black pants carrying a large bag, attended the stores and stole multiple items, valued at approximately $450.00, before taking off on Talisman Drive.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call Bracebridge OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If you remain wish to remain anonymous, you may reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or crimestopperssdm.com. Incident number for reference is E261379830.

The post Person To Identify After Theft From Two Gravenhurst Stores appeared first on Muskoka411.

On September 17^th, 2026, at approximately 6:18 p.m., officers responded to a report of a vehicle being driven in a dangerous manner on Wilmott Street in the Town of Huntsville. Officers attended and located the vehicle. As a result, Paul Degazio, a 32-year-old of Huntsville was charged with:

·      Assault a Peace Officer

·      Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs

·      Dangerous operation

·      Drive motor vehicle – no license

·      Drive motor vehicle, no permit

·      Owner operate a motor vehicle without insurance

·      Drive vehicle with cannabis readily available

On September 18th, 2026, at approximately 9:13 p.m., officers responded to a report of a possible impaired driver. As a result, officers located the vehicle on Highway 11, in the Town of Huntsville. Tyler Corless, a 33-year-old of Huntsville was charged with:

·      Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)

·      Operation while impaired – alcohol and drugs

The above-named accused are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge at a later date.

Drivers who are impaired by drugs or alcohol continue to pose a significant threat on Ontario roads. If you know or suspect that a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, call 911. In doing so, you may save a life.

The post Huntsville OPP Report Two Impaired Drivers appeared first on Muskoka411.

Officers were responding to a request for a wellness check at a residence on Queen Street when information was received regarding a vehicle that had reportedly been associated with the residence.

An officer subsequently located the vehicle in a parking lot with the driver inside and the keys in the ignition. While officers were speaking with the occupants, suspected controlled substances were observed in plain view in the centre console area.

As a result of the investigation, Corbin Rubinski, a 44 year old male from Hillsdale has been charged with:

• Possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking – Mathamphetamine
• Have care or control of a vehicle with cannabis readily available
• Possess more than one licence

The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at a later date to answer to the charges.

If you suspect someone is driving while impaired, call 9-1-1. To report non-emergency information, contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

The post Traffic Stop Leads To Drug Trafficking Charges In Midland appeared first on Muskoka411.

TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — Over one in five small businesses (22%) are in weak or critical condition, according to new research from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Just 18% would advise someone to start a business right now, while half (50%) would not. With Parliament back in session today, the federal government must act quickly to address Canada’s entrepreneurial drought.

Among those that say now is not a good time to start a business, 88% cite the high cost of doing business, 86% cite economic uncertainty, 65% say the tax burden is too high, and 53% point to the heavy government regulatory burden.

“Small business owners have spent years navigating rising costs, and now the tariff war with the U.S. is piling fresh uncertainty and additional costs on top of already weak consumer demand and low small business confidence. It’s no surprise small business owners are pressing pause on hiring, investment and expansion as they wait and see what comes next,” said Corinne Pohlmann, CFIB executive vice-president. “Canada is a country of small businesses and government priorities need to reflect that. The government took positive steps towards strengthening Canada’s economy by making immediate expensing permanent and expanding the deduction to more assets. We strongly encourage them to build on that momentum and boost Main Street by lowering the small business tax rate from 9% to 6% in the upcoming session.”

CFIB is calling on the federal government to introduce concrete measures that would lower costs and improve small business competitiveness, including:

• Reducing the federal small business tax rate from 9% to 6% and increasing the small business deduction threshold to $700,000;
• Introducing a lower capital gains inclusion rate for small firms of 33% on the next $2-million of gains beyond the LGCE.
• Exempting taxes from capital gains incurred following the sale of a business (shares and assets) when the proceeds are reinvested in a Canadian CCPC within the next three years (rollover policy).
• Increasing the GST/HST threshold from $30,000 to at least $60,000 and indexing it to inflation going forward;
• Bringing in a two-for-one rule for federal regulations to jumpstart regulatory modernization; and,
• Returning counter-tariff revenues to businesses directly affected by the U.S.-Canada trade war.

“Small businesses are being squeezed from multiple directions. The best way for the government to help is to focus on what it can control,” said Jasmin Guénette. “That means delivering on tax reduction, cutting red tape, and ensuring Canada has the best environment possible to start, run and grow a business.”

The post 1 In 5 Small Business Owners Describe Their Business As “Weak” Or “Critical” As Parliament Returns appeared first on Muskoka411.

The highway was closed briefly to safely remove the aircraft from the roadway and re-opened without incident. The OPP would like to thank motorists for their patience and cooperation during the brief road closure.

The post Police Provide Update To Plane Landing On Hwy. 11 In Perry Township appeared first on Muskoka411.

• Operation while impaired – alcohol
• Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus)

The post Haliburton Resident Charged With Impaired In Temiskaming Shores appeared first on Muskoka411.

Every year, approximately 2,300 people across North America are seriously injured or killed because of unsafe behaviour around the railway.

CPKC supports Operation Lifesaver’s annual campaign that reminds people to stay alert, follow warning signs and signals and make safe choices near railroad tracks and crossings.

“Every decision near railway tracks matters,” said Dale Ruzycki, CPKC Chief of Police, Canada. “CPKC reminds the public to stay alert, obey warning signs and signals, and make safety your priority near train tracks and crossings.”

“Awareness saves lives near railroad tracks and crossings,” said Kelly Clough, CPKC Chief of Police, U.S. “When people stay alert and respect warning signs and signals, they help prevent railway accidents in communities across North America.”

With more than 20,000 miles of track across Canada, the United States and Mexico, CPKC reminds the public to follow these railway safety tips:

• Stay off railway property. Trespassing is illegal and dangerous.
• Never walk, cycle or ride on or near railway tracks.
• Never use railway tracks or railroad property as an ATV path.
• Never take photos or videos on or near railroad tracks.
• Cross only at designated and marked railway crossings.
• Watch for warning signals, including flashing lights, bells and gates.
• Look both ways before crossing railway tracks.
• Wait for trains to pass completely before crossing. If lights are flashing or gates are down, do not cross.
• If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get out immediately and move a safe distance away. Call the emergency number posted at the crossing or call 911.
• In a rail emergency, call CPKC Police at 1-800-716-9132.

Rail Safety Week is a time to reflect, engage, and act. Through safety initiatives, education and community outreach, every action can help prevent injuries and save lives.

Visit OL and OLI to learn more about rail safety and how to become a rail safety ambassador.

Follow CPKC’s rail safety outreach activities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to learn more on how safe behaviour near railway tracks eliminates injuries.

The post Rail Safety Week 2026: CPKC Encourages Safe Behaviour At Crossings And Around Tracks appeared first on Muskoka411.

Starting with a smarter setup

Many of Muskoka’s small creative studios, real estate offices and tourism operators run on Apple hardware. They usually don’t have any dedicated IT person on staff because of the cost it adds. A smarter approach to Mac security is worth starting with here. Built-in tools FileVault and Gatekeeper already do a lot of the heavy lifting on their own. Then there is the Mac-specific security tool Moonlock, which many Mac users use. Layering in a bit of proactive monitoring on top closes most of what’s left. It doesn’t require the kind of IT contract that a one- or two-person small business operation simply has no room for in its budget.

Protecting seasonal booking systems

Tourism season brings a wave of online bookings. That means there’s a lot of payment processing and customer data crunching happening in the background. The data continuously flows through resort and cottage rental systems all at once, every spring through fall. Muskoka business cybersecurity needs to plan for that seasonal surge specifically, because a lot of local operators run on minimal staff through the winter.

After the season gets over, they scramble each spring to bring booking systems back online. In the process, they often don’t check whether software updates or security patches got missed while everything sat dormant over the colder months.

Training staff before the season starts

Winter’s really the natural window for cybersecurity tips for small businesses to actually land. This is the time when Muskoka’s tourism-heavy operators can work on things that the summer season doesn’t allow. A short session covering how to spot phishing emails, recognize fake booking confirmations and avoid clicking suspicious links costs nothing beyond an afternoon of everyone’s time. It’s still one of the more effective ways to close a gap no software update alone can fully fix.

Choosing affordable protection tools

Cost-effective cybersecurity doesn’t mean someone has to settle for weaker protection. A lot of what actually matters most doesn’t cost much. Several things like password managers, two-factor authentication and basic endpoint protection cost only a small fraction of what a full enterprise security suite comes for. For a small Gravenhurst retailer or a Port Carling marina office, that combination is usually plenty. It doesn’t need anything close to a corporate-sized budget behind it.

Securing remote and hybrid staff

More Muskoka businesses now employ remote staff working from cottages, home offices and shared spaces. They are scattered throughout the district. Every one of those locations is its own potential weak spot. Requiring a VPN for anyone accessing business systems from outside the office, along with a few basic device security rules, keeps that flexibility intact. And that too, without leaving the business exposed every time someone logs in over spotty rural internet from a cottage an hour outside town.

Backing up data regularly

Cybersecurity for Muskoka businesses also has to account for the district’s own infrastructure quirks. There are rural power outages, seasonal internet disruptions and older systems that don’t always talk to each other well.

A solid backup routine, split between a local drive and a cloud service, protects against data loss. No matter what the cause is – a cyberattack, a power surge during a summer storm, or just an aging hard drive finally giving up, the data remains safe.

Working with local IT providers

A small business doesn’t mean handling everything alone. A handful of local IT providers now specialize in exactly this kind of small-scale support. To ensure small business cybersecurity Muskoka, they offer periodic check-ins and system audits. This doesn’t require a full-time contract most small operators simply can’t justify. That kind of arrangement gives a business real oversight without the overhead of hiring anyone internally. It fits the seasonal rhythm most Muskoka businesses already run on.

Finding the right local services

For businesses wanting more consistent support, Muskoka cybersecurity services have expanded quite a bit in recent years. They now provide monthly monitoring packages built around smaller budgets specifically. These usually cover the basics like patch management, malware scanning and a monthly check on backup integrity. So without the enterprise-level pricing that local businesses can’t afford, they have more managed security options now.

Reviewing access regularly

Once a season, there should be a system where review is done as per recurring reminders. The idea is to cover the access – who has what and how much. Staff turnover is common in a tourism-driven economy. This means it’s easy for a former summer employee’s login credentials to sit active for months after they’ve moved on. It doesn’t have to be an ongoing or extended kind of review.

Just focus on closing gaps that are left in situations like resignations or change of roles. It’s better to devote a few minutes every now and then instead of spending hours once something has gone out of control.

Building a habit, not a one-time fix

Cybersecurity in Muskoka should be treated as a habit that every business owner has to follow. The mindset that works on ‘a single project checked off once and forgotten’ needs to be given up. Small, repeated checks matter more over time than any single expensive tool ever could. For a district built on small, seasonal operations, that steady, low-cost approach is usually the most realistic path to real protection, season after season.

The post How Muskoka Businesses Can Improve Their Cybersecurity Without Breaking The Budget appeared first on Muskoka411.

Hospice Huntsville is thrilled to once again partner with Sandhill Nursery for their annual Fall Festival, and volunteers are needed to help make this popular community event a success.

This is more than just a volunteer opportunity. It’s a chance to meet new people, enjoy a festive fall atmosphere, raise vital funds for Hospice Huntsville, and support compassionate end of life care, programs and services for local families.

Volunteers will help staff the entrance gate at Sandhill Nursery, with opportunities available seven days a week now until October 25.  Shifts are only 3.5 hours.

Whether you can volunteer for one shift or several, every hour makes a meaningful difference. Funds raised through this partnership will help Hospice Huntsville provide compassionate care to those who need it most, with the goal of raising enough to cover over One Month of Care at Hospice Huntsville.

There’s a Place for Everyone to Volunteer

High school students: Don’t forget that your volunteer hours can count toward your community involvement hours! It’s a great opportunity to earn those hours while having fun, meeting people and supporting an essential local charity.

Service clubs, organizations and businesses: Bring your team and volunteer together! It’s a wonderful way to give back to our community, build connections and support Hospice Huntsville’s mission of providing compassionate care to local families.

Whether you’re an individual, a student, part of a service club or looking for a team-building opportunity for your workplace, your time can make a BIG difference.

Volunteering is easy, and there’s no need to commit to a long-term schedule. Simply choose a shift that works for you and come ready to have some fun!

Ready to join the fun?

Sign up online: Volunteer with Hospice at Sandhill

Or contact Tracy Badger, Hospice Huntsville

T: 705-789-6878 Ext. 236
E: tracy@hospicehuntsville.com

The post Make A Difference And Have Some Fall Fun With Hospice Huntsville appeared first on Muskoka411.