State of well-being of Kawartha Lakes

New Vital Signs research shows 11 indicators of community health

There’s hardly a more crucial conversation for a community than one focused on our collective well-being.

Such vital conversations led the Kawartha Community Foundation to embark on so-called Vital Signs research, in partnership with the City of Kawartha Lakes, Kawartha Works Community Co-op, and other community groups. The research uses data to measure community wellbeing.

As part of a national program by Community Foundations of Canada, these reports assess a community’s health across 11 indicators, such as housing, education, safety, and the environment, ultimately revealing both challenges and opportunities. All data in the Vital Signs report is based on existing information combined with expert and community consultations, to give more local context.

This is more than numbers and charts: it’s a snapshot of who we are, where we’re struggling, and how our community can grow stronger together.

“Improving the quality of life is a really big goal,” says Laurie Dillon-Schalk, executive director of the Kawartha Community Foundation. “Some would say, where do you start and where do you end? We’ve always known the answers are in the data we already have access to. It’s just that no one has put it together to tell the story of community well-being yet.”

That, she explains, is why Vital Signs has become one of the foundation’s most significant investments. The value of providing a consistent, trusted “report card” on life in Kawartha Lakes comes from establishing one common baseline so that social service agencies, the municipality, and local organizations can begin aligning their resources toward the same priorities.

“In my career, I’ve found that when we’re focused on the same goals, we can move very quickly,” Dillon-Schalk explains. In that way, it can unite us.”

For Kawartha Lakes, the initial research findings shine a light on early warning signs that demand our collective attention: high rates of preventable deaths, one of the oldest populations in Ontario, and fast-rising immigration with no dedicated services. These are not just statistics; they are the realities our neighbours face every day.

Of these, the issue felt most personally across Kawartha Lakes is health. The data shows our region has an above-average rate of preventable and treatable deaths, with twice the rate of opioid emergency visits and a related death rate 68 per cent higher than the rest of the province. These numbers represent lives cut short by conditions that could have been avoided or better managed with timely care. The severe shortage of family doctors is one of the most visible causes, leaving thousands without a trusted point of care. But the problem runs deeper. It also reflects individual behaviors, systemic barriers, and delayed access to treatment. In short, preventable deaths are the clearest signal of a system under strain.

As Dr. Bert Lauwers, one of the key subject matter experts being interviewed by the Vital Signs research teams and former CEO of Ross Memorial Hospital, explains, understanding what “preventable” means is key to understanding what must change. “It’s related to things like safer behaviours, timely medical care, better systems of care in policies, and even sometimes public health. Like vaccination, for example.” According to Lauwers, these preventable deaths can be categorized by medically preventable (delayed or lack of care), behaviourally preventable (choices like smoking or alcohol), and systemically preventable (barriers to accessing care). Treatable deaths, he notes, are different; they are lives that could have been saved after illness or injury, if proper treatment was available.

When Lauwers reviewed the data for Kawartha Lakes, the figures that jumped out were those of high substance abuse. Every category of drugs, including smoking and drinking, show significantly higher use in Kawartha Lakes when compared to the rest of the province, demonstrating opportunities for reduction. “The concerning thing was the daily smoking was much higher than the provincial average,” he describes.  “And heavy drinking…we’re 23.1 per cent, and the remainder of the province is 16 per cent. That’s a big bump. You’re going to get all kinds of health care concerns related to that.”

Yet it was in the second look at the data where Lauwers made a potential connection between the high rates of opioid emergency visits with the local jail. He explained the link between incarceration and heightened risk of death from overdose, particularly in the first two weeks after release. “Individuals will come out of jail believing that they still have their old tolerances. And so they begin using again and it’s a very, very high-risk period,” he explains. “In fact, they’re at a 40 times greater risk of dying within those first weeks.”

Geography itself is another barrier. “If you’re sitting in Bobcaygeon and you’re experiencing abdominal pain or chest pain, you’re probably going to consider whether or not you want to go to the hospital or call an ambulance,” Lauwers explains. “So I think geography is really one of those impediments that can lead to delayed care,” given the only hospital in the city is in Lindsay.

The shortage of family doctors compounds the problem. “Family physicians are the linchpin of healthcare in the system,” Lauwers stressed. “And we’ve had a huge decline in the number of family physicians. It’s been very challenging.” This results in substantially delayed care, or for many people, complete lack of care.

That lack of access is something Cindy Snider knows all too well. As the recruitment and retention coordinator and medical education coordinator with the Kawartha Lakes Health Care Initiative (KLHCI), she has spent nearly two decades working to bring doctors to the community. “If every resident of Kawartha Lakes had a local doctor, we would need 66 family physicians,” Snider explains. “Right now, we have 28.” This means a significant number of residents are left without a family doctor, a gap that translates directly into missed diagnoses, unmanaged chronic conditions, and preventable deaths.

Over the years, KLHCI has recruited more than 40 physicians, but retirements, relocations, and career changes have offset those gains. “When a doctor leaves the area without a succession plan,” Snider says, “there is a void in the community.” Filling those voids is a long game, requiring years of outreach to medical schools, international recruitment trips, and building relationships with students in rural medicine programs. Snider stresses the importance of starting relationship-building early, often in the first years of residency.

Even then, challenges remain. The biggest ones? Supporting spouses’ careers, convincing young families to settle in a rural area, and showing candidates that Kawartha Lakes offers more than just beautiful scenery. “Retention starts with recruitment,” Snider explains, “because we’re not going to retain them if their family isn’t happy here.”

Behind the numbers are small acts of persistence: welcome packages, community tours, tickets donated by local businesses to show prospective doctors the region’s cultural life. Every site visit costs KLHCI upwards of $1,500, covered by fundraising and in-kind support. “Until we make an announcement, people don’t see the work we’re doing in the background,” Snider says. “But recruitment and retention are what keeps the system from breaking completely.”

The impact of this physician shortage is felt most acutely among older adults. With one of the oldest populations in Ontario, Kawartha Lakes is already grappling with the realities of aging. From rising health needs, to limited housing options and shrinking support systems, seniors’ wellbeing demands attention.

While the research is ongoing, the anecdotal evidence is clear. We need to explore more ways of supporting our seniors so they can live with dignity, connection, and support. Local groups are already stepping up, but the needs are only growing, the funding has yet to arrive, and many of these organizations are already run solely by kindhearted volunteers.

Rosemary McColeman, president of the Fenelon Falls Seniors Centre (a volunteer role), echoes the need for additional doctors in the region. “It’s safe to say that healthcare for seniors is extremely challenging in Kawartha Lakes. They’re losing their family doctor that they had for years, and they’re not necessarily getting replaced.”

Transportation challenges add another layer of isolation and may contribute to delayed access to care. “If they lose their ability to drive their own car and they don’t have a family member or a close friend to help, there is no other transportation,” she explains. “Community Care has a huge wait list for people wanting to use their transportation services but there aren’t enough volunteers to sustain the need. So that’s also becoming a complex problem for seniors.”

But the list of concerns for seniors doesn’t end there. Housing, financial pressures, and personal safety weigh heavily on many older adults. McColeman stresses the importance of having housing specifically designed with seniors in mind — places where they can feel both secure and supported. “Seniors are looking for places where they feel safe and their needs can be met. And right now, there’s not a lot of this type of housing in Fenelon made available to seniors,” she explains. Alongside these housing concerns is a growing fear of fraud and scams, which can leave seniors feeling exposed and anxious. For many, the idea of sharing space with unfamiliar residents only adds to those worries, heightening the need for senior-focused housing that offers peace of mind.

To address these concerns and improve community amongst the senior population, the Fenelon Falls Seniors Centre (run entirely by volunteers) does what it can. “We’ve conducted at least nine Healthy Aging workshops,” says McColeman, “and all are operating at capacity of 70 attendees.” These events provide seniors with the tools and information they need to improve their wellbeing within the community, but without dedicated staff, the Centre’s reach is limited, despite the urgent need.

McColeman emphasized the need for more support and services is critical. “You can have all the beauty surrounding you and advantages of living in Kawartha Lakes, but if you can’t get to these places or are constantly dealing with other issues, you don’t have the peace to enjoy it.”

At the same time, another shift is quietly reshaping the community. Kawartha Lakes, once one of the least diverse regions in the province, has recently seen a significant rise in international immigration. Specifically, within the past two years, approximately 500 newcomers per year are choosing our communities, not as a stopover, but as a place to put down roots. Compared with the previous data of 20 immigrants per year, this is an increase we can’t ignore. The stories of these individuals reveal both the opportunities and the gaps in local services and highlight how giving can help build bridges of belonging.

Geraldine Silva, one of the founders and directors of the Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton Integrated Immigrants Association (KLHIISA) and a local business owner, knows the immigrant experience well. She immigrated to Alberta and recently relocated here in search of a warmer climate, finding both affordability and the rural lifestyle she desired in Kawartha Lakes. “I couldn’t afford living in the GTA,” she explains. “I would have to have four jobs to be able to pay bills in the GTA.”

In her work supporting the local immigrant population — yet another volunteer position — she hears similar stories from others, but not all with positive experiences. The stories she tells are of young people arriving alone from abroad who end up transient and unemployed due to lack of options and perhaps hesitance from those able to offer opportunities. “I’ve seen young girls…their first time travelling outside of their home countries, end up sleeping in three different homes in one month,” she describes. “They are not looking for an apartment. Just a room. A safe room in a safe space.”

Employment is another barrier. “I know of people who’ve applied for 200 jobs. Maybe one or two interviews came out, nothing. Even those with very good working history and even master’s degrees have been applying for all kinds of jobs, any survival job. They cannot get it.”

When asked to describe her experience as an immigrant in Kawartha Lakes, Silva said it has been challenging, “not knowing anyone, not having family.”

“My experience of the immigrant story is a little bit of isolation. I see people every day…and I still feel alone. So it’s my reality. And that was one of the main motivations for co-founding this organization.”

KLHIISA offers support for newcomers through literacy and ESL support, employment resources like skills development, interview preparation, and career readiness. Her team of volunteers helps anyone who contacts them without asking questions. From accompanying individuals to house viewings to helping with rental applications, the volunteers are dedicated to making the transition into Kawartha Lakes an easier one.

But without proper funding to support consistent outreach, their ability to provide these services is limited. This doesn’t stop Silva from committing herself to bettering the immigrant experience here, and she urges both employers and residents to also step up. “This is my appeal to employers: consider immigrants. We can coach job seekers, but we need employers to give them a chance. Everybody has to start from somewhere.” And to residents, Silva encourages the community to “get to know your neighbours. Humanize your neighbours. Don’t look at them like the ‘other.’Remove the otherness from your mindsets.”

Stories like Silva’s highlight the human realities behind the numbers. They also underscore why local leadership matters. While community groups and volunteers work tirelessly to fill gaps, it takes coordinated action at the municipal level to address the broader trends that are emerging from the Vital Signs research. For the City of Kawartha Lakes, the research will offer a “report card” or “roadmap” for how services can be reshaped, partnerships strengthened, and policies refined to meet the needs of residents, both long-standing and newly arrived.

“The Vital Signs program hit it out of the park,” says Ron Taylor, CAO of Kawartha Lakes. “It touched so many different areas that we were trying to look at and take all of these complex problems and shrink them down into some discernible measures and strategies.” Taylor says the city will embed the report into its strategic planning cycle to truly personalize municipal services based on the data presented. “What this is really shedding light on is who our customer is and what vulnerable groups need more support. Without Vital Signs, we don’t know specifics,” he explains. “Simply understanding the baseline has pushed us to start shaping our services specifically to those customer needs.”

Taylor emphasized that partnership will be key, noting that the final report — set to be released internally later this year and published in February 2026 — will give the city and community organizations the tools to build more intentional support systems in response to the findings. From a city perspective, the significance of the project lies not only in the data itself but in how it will shape future priorities. His confidence in using these insights to guide municipal decision-making signals a clear commitment: turning numbers into action to create meaningful change for residents.

Jim Armstrong, chair of Kawartha Works Community Co-op (KWCC), helped lead the research process. He stressed that the project is about using data to bring people together.

Community consultations, beginning this fall with seniors and newcomers, are essential for gaining a deeper understanding into the lived experiences of these groups. Because while census data provides broad strokes, it often misses the local context or small but emerging groups. The Kawartha Community Foundation frames it as more than research, but rather a tool for unity. “Our community conversations help deepen the insights,” Dillon-Schalk explains. “Some of the answers are already here. The solutions can be found when we sit down and listen.”

And philanthropy, she adds, is a critical piece of the puzzle. Many people want to give back but aren’t sure where their support can make the most impact. Vital Signs helps direct local giving toward the areas of deepest need, making giving more strategic and connected to the community’s real challenges. Dillon-Schalk points to its recent granting cycle as an example. For the first time, funding decisions are being informed by the data, targeting “where the pockets are, where the opportunities are in the community.” That means investments like those from their Social Sustainability Fund are more strategic and responsive.

Armstrong stresses that this research couldn’t have come at a more critical time. “The city is on the threshold of a lot of growth, so it’s a great time to see where there may be gaps, which issues that need to be addressed, and where there are possibilities where there hasn’t been before.”

Across Kawartha Lakes, the voices are beginning to be heard as the data reflects what residents already feel in their daily lives. Seniors struggling with housing, security, and transportation. Families grieving preventable deaths, still without access to their own doctors. Newcomers seeking community, housing, and work. Nonprofits and municipalities dedicated to collaborating more effectively. And that’s just from the initial findings.

As Lauwers says, “You can’t ever solve a problem unless you can shine a light on it.” The first Vital Signs report for Kawartha Lakes will be that light. The challenge — and the opportunity — will be what we choose to do with it.