Central Frontenac’s planning coordinator filed Mayor Frances Smith’s personal variance application, then wrote the Township’s official response to NFNM’s questions about it, disclosing for the …
North Frontenac’s Environmental Task Force is carrying three major files at once: short-term rentals, septic inspections and net metering, with two already producing action at council and the third moving toward a more …
A new NFNM song addressed to North Frontenac.
Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, passed the House 186 to 137, removing a 56-year-old religious expression defence from the Criminal Code and stripping the Attorney General’s consent requirement for hate …
North Frontenac’s housing crisis is no longer an abstract affordability debate. In small hamlets like Plevna, it is visible in dark windows, empty rentals, and a main street that cannot hold on to the people it …
North Frontenac’s March 24 Personnel and Audit Committee package contains several pressure points, including a new $1.4 million Buckshot Lake Road line tied to housing-enabling water systems.
An investigative report by Arthur Hannigan
The power problem in Canada’s community halls, and why townships can’t afford to look away.
This article examines systemic governance challenges in Canadian …
NFNM is moving beyond stand-alone reporting and building public tools that make North Frontenac records, roads, budgets, and staff wages easier for residents to reach and use.
An NFNM-produced song built from lyrics written by Joel “Chuck” Charlebois.
A personal poem turned into song and released as part of NFNM’s video lineup.
A music release reflecting Donald Morton’s first year in North Frontenac and the watchdog role behind NFNM.
North Frontenac’s March 20 council agenda brings several major files together at once, from the Plevna rink budget gap to short-term rentals, septic inspections, youth retention, and the still-active Palmerston …
Rumour has moved faster than the public record around the Plevna rink roof file, and NFNM is drawing a clear line between legitimate scrutiny and unsupported accusations.
The Algonquins of Ontario file is not a symbolic dispute. It is a live negotiation over land, money, rights, and political authority that reaches into eastern Ontario and Parliament Hill itself.
North Frontenac is keeping its voluntary septic re-inspection program for 2026 and pairing it with lake-association outreach that could make the issue clearer, calmer, and more useful for residents.
North Frontenac voted against ALTO’s proposed corridor, but the bigger question is whether council is building leverage for what comes next or leaving the real negotiation to others.
North Frontenac has a practical housing idea in front of it: a small Plevna pilot that could create legal, buildable lots for modest homes people can actually afford.
storm on the horizon802 words3–5 minutesDonald MortonFebruary 24, 2026North Frontenac is moving into its next chapter. A new council will be elected soon, and very real changes are on the horizon for this township. This …
This week, Donald Morton is bringing a delegation to North Frontenac Council on a topic that should be easy to agree on.
Tiny Homes on Wheels, also known as THOWS, have been around for decades. They existed long before …
Across Ontario, and particularly in small communities, Facebook groups have become the new town halls. They are where residents debate council decisions, question policies, share news, and test ideas. In many ways, these …
The headline this week is the Community Improvement Plan (CIP). A CIP is a municipal tool that lets a township set rules and offer incentives for local improvements. In North Frontenac’s case, the CIP has been …
Mr. Scott Reid, MP
This note is being written as a watchdog journalist and the founder of North Frontenac NewsMedia. It is not written as a partisan message. I am not a Liberal, and I am not a Conservative. I am writing …
Last week, Ward 1 changed in a way that benefits everyone. Stephanie Regent’s seat became vacant, and the township moved to fill it by appointment rather than by-election. Under North Frontenac’s procedural …
NIMBYism is a real planning term, but it gets hijacked “NIMBY” has a real meaning in planning. It describes local opposition to a project because it sits close to home, wetlands, watersheds, conservatories, …
Council was good today.
The Alto high-speed rail topic came up in a way that matters for North Frontenac. South Frontenac wanted us to endorse their letter to the province, the federal government, and MPs. The letter …
NFNM insider special report: The year accountability got personal The public headline is clean and procedural. Councillor Stephanie Regent’s seat became vacant after a stretch of missed meetings, and council moved …
NFNM’s cover version of Tom Bishop’s North Frontenac theme song entry, shared as a local music feature.
People in North Frontenac have raised concerns about big changes before. Palmerston. Battery storage. Wind projects. Different proposals, same pattern. A few residents start asking questions, then more people pay …
Febuary 6 public meeting and council meeting agenda watchdog points.
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media | NFNM | Monday Febuary 2 2026The February 6 agenda lands in the part of municipal life most people never …
Editors NoteNFNM is not here to reprint the brochure. ALTO is being sold as “nation building,” with promises of a three-hour Toronto–Montreal trip and a fully electric 1,000 km high-speed corridor. The …
North Frontenac is in a stretch of stagnation. People feel it in different ways, but it shows up in the same places. Trust is thinner. Patience is shorter. Progress feels slow. The next council term is a reset point for …
Strong Mayor Powers: Fear Sells. Facts Matter.
This piece is not an editorial. this is a real watchdog journalist holding our local journalist accountable for being part of the problem by spreading misinformation.
Jeff …
A short clip of Donald Trump speaking at WEF about housing and affordable housing.
A 12-minute NFNM-TV public forum clip from the January 16, 2026 meeting featuring resident Kelly Willis and NFNM reporter Donald Morton.
Editor’s note: This is a personal account reported as an interview. The resident lives in North Frontenac and asked that his name be withheld. NFNM is using “John Doe” as a pseudonym. This story …
Tiny homes are coming to North Frontenac. That much is clear. The only real question is whether the Township approaches them with clear, modern language or keeps stumbling over outdated definitions.
This article covers …
North Frontenac Council carried South Frontenac’s “Defend Local Autonomy” package this morning. Mayor Gerry Lichty voted against it. The rest of council carried it, Councillor Regent was absent, again. …
South Frontenac has sent North Frontenac a “Defend Local Autonomy” resolution asking for regional support. It bundles three separate issues into a single package: strong mayor powers, Conservation Authority …
There was a moment in today’s Housing Advisory Task Force meeting where the conversation left housing policy and wandered into something far more dangerous.
Councillor John Inglis floated an idea that the township …
At 9:00 a.m. this morning, North Frontenac’s Housing Advisory Task Force meets again in Council Chambers.
Housing is the most serious issue facing rural communities right now. When a task force is created to deal …
I still remember what downtown Toronto felt like when people gathered with a message and meant it.
There’s a difference between a crowd that comes to be heard, and a protest environment that turns into a stage for …
The Christmas Clue
This past Christmas, North Frontenac gave itself a quiet clue. There were more letters, postcards, and community messages than usual, and they read warmer. Not polished like a corporation. Warmer like …
A short NFNM holiday greeting video for North Frontenac.
North Frontenac council has accepted the Integrity Commissioner’s findings against Councillor Stephanie Regent and voted to suspend her pay for seven days. The Commissioner ruled that Regent breached the …
Canada works because the state is supposed to stay neutral. People can believe what they believe, worship how they worship, and raise their kids the way they choose. The public square stays civic. The law stays the law. …
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM | Friday, December 12, 2025
Council is back in the chamber Friday morning for the last regular meeting of 2025. The agenda is heavy on paperwork and follow-through, …
I remember my first real Christmas adventure with Grandpa, the kind that settles deep into your bones and stays there for a lifetime. I must’ve been about eight when my older brother delivered the sort of news …
People are angry at council. Fair enough. There are real decisions to question and real votes to track. But if we are honest about what is warping local democracy right now, the damage is starting long before anything …
Our first preliminary report on the 2026 budget laid out the pressure points. Property tax is still the backbone of revenue. A Municipal Accommodation Tax on tourists is being studied. Fire leadership wants more pay and …
An independent Integrity Commissioner has ruled that Councillor Stephanie Regent breached North Frontenac’s Code of Conduct by misleading the public about council’s handling of affordable housing and the …
NFNM – Tell it like it is Context and purpose North Frontenac leans on a simple story of low taxes, volunteer fire service, and rising tourism and short-term rentals. This preliminary investigation pulls together early …
On November 30, just after 8 in the morning, the day in Snow Road Station began quiet and ordinary.
From the house, the barn looked peaceful. A light lifting off the roof made it seem as if snow was swirling in the air, …
You Got What You Voted For By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM | November 26, 2025
John Inglis, Trump, and the Canadian comfort zone On a cold February morning in North Frontenac, then Deputy Mayor, now …
Raw clip from an Ottawa press conference where Treaty 6 and 8 leadership described treaty claims and enforcement.
Fear is a basic human emotion that starts early in life. It helps us stay safe but can also cause problems if not managed well. This piece looks at what fear really is, how it impacts our daily routines, and ways to take …
EDITORIAL: An open letter to North Frontenac
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM | November 21, 2025
If you are in your 20s, 30s, or early 40s and you live in North Frontenac, this is aimed straight at …
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM | November 19, 2025
North Frontenac Council meets Friday, November 21 at 9:00 a.m. in Council Chambers, with a Special Meeting at 1:00 p.m. It’s a heavy agenda: …
What does it mean to own land in Canada? And why does the answer matter?
These questions have moved from academic margins into the centre of national conversation, and North Frontenac, a rural Ontario township, sits on …
North Frontenac just landed roughly $2.25 million through the province’s 2026 Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, a 14% increase over last year. It’s unconditional operating money. Council can put it toward …
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM | November 6 2025
The Township is preparing to spend public money sending council members to out-of-town trade shows. On the table are the Quinte Sportsman Show in …
In the heart of Ontario’s hidden gems lies North Frontenac, a township where past and present meet to create a haven of peace, resilience, and unwavering community spirit. Long admired for its pristine lakes, clean …
A Pride Statement from a High-Functioning Autistic Journalist I’m done being rounded off. I won’t perform “normal.” Autistic people are not rough edges to sand away. Support respects identity and …
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media | NFNM | October 30 2025
Alectra has asked to put the BESS file on hold. As of October 30, 2025, tomorrow’s vote is off the calendar. The trucks won’t come. The …
A continued, respectful, community debate
We all want North Frontenac to feel more like home tomorrow than it does today. One idea worth studying—raised in recent conversations—is to relocate and modernize the waste …
By Art Hannigan | Published by North Frontenac News Media | NFNM | October 25, 2025
Imagine waking up every day, working hard to pay your taxes, only to see those dollars poured into programs that feel far away from your …
An issue BESS not slept on By Donald Morton Jr. | North Frontenac News Media (NFNM) | Monday October 20 2025
There’s a petition in circulation about the proposed Battery Energy Storage System. There’s …
By Donald Morton Jr. | North Frontenac News Media | NFNM | Monday October 13, 2025
On meeting times, Councillor Stephanie Regent is telling two different stories—one on Facebook last week, using her government public …
North Frontenac’s work is recorded in the minutes. In 2025, those minutes show a Councillor who shows up and contributes. Fred Fowler has a perfect record—one hundred percent attendance on the year’s posted …
By Donald Morton Jr | Monday October 6 2025 | North Frontenac News Media | NFNM
Northbrook/Denbigh — Every so often we get a piece of news that cuts through the noise. This is one of those times. The family doctor …
NFNM’s First National Watchdog Dispatch
By Donald Morton Jr. | North Frontenac News Media | NFNM | Thursday October 2 2025
We’re opening with the seams of the country: grocery price-rigging and choke-point …
We were told the hardware was mostly covered by grants. True. What wasn’t spelled out was how Hydro bills these sites: not by how much you sell, but by the biggest bite of power you pull in any one hour that month. …
Council saw a “tiny homes” deck this week presented by Rob Lesperance in Council chambers. It had polish, rent figures, and ROI’s. Here’s the problem: a slide is not a policy, a label is not a …
Council meetings in North Frontenac aren’t just paperwork and procedure. They are where the direction of our township gets hammered out, line by line and vote by vote. What looks like a routine agenda is in fact a …
When NFNM first reported on the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Plevna, it was about awareness. This follow-up was meant to be about progress.
Instead, it feels like we need to take a step backwards.
I …
For years now, Council has circled around short-term rentals without landing on a decision. Reports have been written, comparisons made, and resolutions passed, but on the ground, nothing has changed. In North Frontenac …
In every generation, there comes a moment where silence becomes betrayal. This is one of those moments.
North Frontenac is standing at the edge of something it doesn’t fully see coming, yet. We’re talking …
Colours Have Been Shown: A Midway Update on NFNM’s Accountability Reporting Over the past few months, North Frontenac News Media (NFNM) has found itself in the middle of a storm—not because of what we’ve done …
The Township of North Frontenac will hold a Public Meeting on Thursday, August 7, 2025, beginning at 4:00 p.m., with two agenda items that are already stirring thoughtful community debate. First on the docket is a …
When public messaging masks legal realities, who protects the community trust?
“They are concerned that the information posted at EngageFrontenac.ca only includes information from the applicant and commenting …
In a small town like ours, council chambers aren’t just about politics. They’re about people. People we know from around the corner, people whose kids play on the same teams, people who wave as they drive by. …
A big change is coming to North Frontenac. The Township is preparing to update its Official Plan to allow people to build up to three homes on one lot in both Rural Areas and Hamlet Settlements. A public meeting will be …
I live in a tiny house.
Not a camper. Not a shed. Not something I picked up on Facebook Marketplace.
A real home, built a few years ago by my father from a bare trailer bed, right here in Ompah.
And now, I’m not …
At the July 10 council meeting, I stood to ask five questions — not as a resident, but as a journalist. I introduced myself as press and stated clearly that I was seeking answers based on concerns raised in recent NFNM …
The Township of North Frontenac is preparing to pass sweeping changes to how Council meetings are run and how the public can participate.
On July 10, Council will vote on a proposed overhaul of its Procedural Policy. The …
This Thursday, Council will meet to make decisions that touch everything from private property rights to how your tax dollars are spent. If you live here, you should know what’s being decided in your name.
NFNM has …
North Frontenac is inching toward regulating short-term rentals (STRs) in what may become one of the township’s most contentious land use and environmental decisions in years.
At the June 24, 2025 Environmental …
A proposal to install a large-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Plevna has sparked both interest and concern among local residents. The facility, planned by Alectra Energy Solutions, would use lithium-ion …
The Frontenac ATV Club has started using liquid calcium chloride on local trails in North Frontenac to help control dust—but some residents are raising concerns about the possible impacts on pets, wildlife, and the …
by Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM
Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms enshrines robust protections for free speech and self‑expression, recognizing that open dialogue, even when …
At a recent Township of North Frontenac Council meeting, the second item on the agenda—before roads, zoning, or infrastructure, was a land acknowledgment recognizing Indigenous peoples as the original caretakers of the …
By Donald Morton | North Frontenac News Media – NFNM | May 2025
As an investigative journalist and founder of North Frontenac News Media (NFNM), I am committed to delivering impartial, fact-based reporting to foster …
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