Huron Expositor, 2015-01-28, Page 9Wednesday, January 28, 2015 • Huron Expositor 9
Southwestern Ontario getting new area code later in 2016
QMI Agency
A new area code for south-
western Ontario will be
introduced next year in
order meet the continuously
growing demand for new tel-
ephone numbers.
Starting in June 2016, the
area code 548 will be intro-
duced in the region that cur-
rently uses the area codes
226 and 519.
The new area codes will be
Road salt
lawsuit
could have
ramifications
for Ontario
municipalities
Barbara Simpson
QMI Agency/For the Expositor
A Lambton County farmer
has been awarded more
than $100,000 in damages in
a potentially precedent -set-
ting lawsuit involving a
municipal government's use
of road salt.
"We're talking about a
very serious precedent here,"
Joe Tiernay, executive direc-
tor of the Ontario Good
Roads Association that rep-
resents nearly 450 munici-
palities, said. "It just opens
the floodgates."
Brooke-Alvinston
farmer Joseph Steadman
and his wife Evelyn claim
they have suffered crop
losses leading to the
depreciation in value of
their 96 -acre farm thanks
to the County of Lamb -
ton's use of road salt.
County road crews are
responsible for spreading
salt to melt ice along Nau-
voo Road that borders the
Steadman farm.
The Ontario Superior
available beginning June 4,
and after that date, residents
and businesses requesting a
new phone number may get
a number with the 548 area
code. However, numbers
with the new area code will
only be assigned to custom-
ers when the existing supply
of 226 and 519 numbers has
depleted.
Glen Brown, a spokesper-
son for the Canadian Num-
bering Administrator, said
the introduction of the new
area codes will create mil-
lions of additional numbers
without affecting existing
numbers.
"It is part of today's reality
throughout North America
and demonstrates the flexi-
bility and growth potential of
Canadian communications
networks," Brown said.
The introduction of the
new code will not affect local
calling areas or the way long
Court of Justice ruled in
favour of the Steadmans
in Sarnia last Friday,
awarding them a total of
$107,352 in damages.
This includes $56,700
for the depreciation in
value of their property
and $45,000 for crop
losses from 1998 to 2013.
"To me, (a decision like
this) is unprecedented in
Lambton and I believe in
Ontario," county solicitor
David Cribbs said
Wednesday.
The ramifications of this
case could be far-reaching
into other Ontario munic-
ipalities that use road salt
to melt ice, Cribbs noted.
He described the deci-
sion as putting "the per-
sonal good over the public
good."
Lambton County coun-
cillors asked staff Wednes-
day to circulate the deci-
sion to the Association of
Municipalities Ontario
and the Ontario Good
Roads Association.
Sarnia Mayor Mike
Scoreboard
Seaforth
Shuffleboard
for January 28
Men's high: Erich Matzold, Cor
De Corte and Frank Gold-
ing four wins, Arnold Ram-
sey three wins.
Ladies' high: Joyce Matzold,
Marie Thomas and Cathe-
rine De Corte two wins.
Bradley said the decision
poses "significant ramifi-
cations" for Ontario
municipalities where salt
is "still the most effective
way" to treat roads during
winter.
"I believe when this
goes out to the municipal-
ities, there will be a good
deal of concern," he said.
The Steadmans pro-
duced videos and photos,
as well as the expertise of
environmental and crop
scientists, to support their
claims during the 12 -day
hearing last spring.
But the county's liability
is "way worse" if it doesn't
put down road salt, Jim
Kutyba, the county's gen-
eral manager of infra-
structure and develop-
ment services, said.
Tiernay said Wednesday
his board would likely be
seeking an opinion from
legal counsel on how to
move forward.
- with files from Dan
Brown
get it
seaforthhuronexpositor.com
Get all of your news,
sports and more.
Serving Seaforth and
surrounding area
distance calls are dialed, and
special numbers like 9-1-1
will, of course, still be dialed
using only the three digits.
Currently, the 226 and 519
area codes cover the major-
ity of southwestern Ontario.
That includes communities
such as London, Windsor,
Kitchener -Waterloo, Guelph,
Brantford, Sarnia, Wood-
stock, Stratford and Owen
Sound.
The 519 area code was
introduced in 1953, and over
the years, the increasing
demand for telephone num-
bers - particularly for wire-
less devices - has created a
need for additional numbers
to serve customers in this
region.
The 226 area code was
added in 2006 as a response
to this increase in demand,
along with the introduction
of 10 -digit dialing for local
calls.
Also, when a new area
code is introduced, the same
phone number can exist in
both area codes, and conse-
quently, 10 -digit local dial-
ing is necessary in order for
local calls to be connected
and reach their appropriate
destinations.
For more information on
new area codes, visit the Tel-
ecommunications Alliance
website at http://www.
newareacodes.ca.
Meeting on future of rural hospitals
to be held in St. Marys
Dave Flaherty
For the Expositor
A St. Marys group is
encouraging residents of
Seaforth and Clinton con-
cerned about the future of
their local hospitals to
attend a meeting next
month.
The St. Marys Commu-
nity Action Group, the
Stratford and Area Con-
cerned Citizens and the
Ontario Health Coalition
are holding a public meet-
ing to address the cutting
of acute care beds from
hospitals in Clinton, Sea -
forth and St. Marys.
The meeting will be
held on Thurs., Feb. 12 at
7 p.m. at the Pyramid Rec-
reation Centre (End Zone
Room), 317 James St. S. in
St. Marys.
Event organizers said
they are specifically con-
cerned about the Huron
Perth Healthcare Aliance's
plan for redistributing
beds between area
hospitals.
Gayle Beattie of St.
Marys Community Action
Group said St. Marys has
lost five acute beds.
"We are very upset by
this," Beattie told The
Huron Expositor.
Beattie said it is "very
important to consider
what type of beds (a hos-
pital has)." adding that
they have some concerns
about the long-term sta-
bility of local rural
hospitals.
Beattie said she can't
speak directly on the Sea -
forth and Clinton hospi-
tals, but encourages resi-
dents to attend the
meeting if they have con-
cerns about the future of
their hospitals.
She did acknowledge
that because they have
specialized services, they
might be safer than St.
Marys.
"We tend to think that
being shipped to other
hospitals is not in people's
best interests," Beattie
said.
seaforthhuronex s ositor.com
Usborne & Hibbert
Mutual Fire Insurance Company
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
The 139th Annual Meeting of the Usborne & Hibbert Mutual Fire Insurance Company
will be held at the Kirkton-Woodham Community Centre at 2 p.m. on Monday, March
16, 2015 for the presentation of the Annual Report, to elect Directors and to transact
any business that may rightly come before the meeting.
Nominations will be received for the election of two Directors for a three year term.
The Directors whose term of office expires are Jack Hodgert and Larry Gardiner.
Jack Hodgert will stand for re-election. Larry Gardiner is retiring from the Board after
serving for 26 years as a Director.
Article 22: Any person wishing to seek election or re-election as a Director must
file his/her intention to stand for election in writing with the President & CEO of the
Corporation in person at least thirty days in advance of the Annual Meeting or Special
General Meeting called for the purpose of electing Directors.
The 2014 Financial Statements for Usborne & Hibbert Mutual will be posted to the
company's web site. Copies will be available at the company office, 507 Main Street
South, Exeter, Ontario.
Tom Feeney
Chair
Shelagh Cleary BA, FCIP
President & CEO