Protesters dig in outside Tiny groundbreaking ceremony
By: Derek Howard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: MidlandToday.ca, Oct. 17, 2025
It was a tale of two long-toothed narratives at the Tiny Township administration centre site on Friday morning, as an otherwise banal groundbreaking ceremony was elevated by the obstruction efforts of roughly a hundred opponents to the build.
The protest was a similar affair to previous protests held since Tiny council announced they would initiate the project this term.
Organized by bullhorn-wielding resident Karen Zulnyik, roughly a hundred protesters held signs to Stop The Build, as they had since 2024. Escalating rhetoric over the past two years had led to confrontations at protests, calls of “cyberbullying” from the group, calls of David Evans and other township staff being harassed at their homes, and numerous failed rulings of integrity complaints by the group against Evans.
Outside the gate, OPP officers were keeping the hundred protesters from entering the site while ensuring road safety for all vehicles and pedestrians. Despite the supervision, protesters packed into the exit where Zulynik was hosting the open podium; throughout, protesters would need to yell “Car!” to others to alert them of incoming and outgoing vehicles. Boos and jeers were given to all vehicles with access to the event, with Zulynik calling out their drivers as tensions rose among the protesters.
MidlandToday attempted to speak with over a dozen protesters for their views, but was met with a decline for interview by all.
Coun. Dave Brunelle, who was the lone councillor opposed to the build, also declined an interview.
Instead, he handed a media release citing an approximate $50 million cost, citing less costly renovations to the current building for continued use, and urging for a priority shift from asset management to community care and accountability.
While peaceful but loud, protesters continued to congest the exit for the property, forcing OPP officers to provide traffic control and motioning drivers when it was safe to enter the roadway; however, several protesters continued to shore themselves right up to driver windows to make their views and opinions known.
As Evans, the most contentious figurehead to the protesters, was waived clear by the OPP traffic control, one man said the tire of Evans’ pickup truck hit him. An OPP officer walked alongside the man, who didn’t appear to be limping, to a cruiser where a paramedic had been dispatched.
“I was just standing at the side of the car when he was driving through, and then the wheel turned toward me and he ran over the edge of my foot,” former Tiny Township deputy mayor George Lawrence told MidlandToday.
“I never touched him, I never did anything. All of a sudden, I just felt the pain.”
Evans could not be immediately reached for comment about the alleged incident.
The earlier ceremonial speech-and-shovel announcement from Evans within the site commemorated the starting efforts for construction on a new township municipal building set to open in early 2027. Along with Evans were members of Tiny council, joined by representatives from Unity Design Studio and Bertram Construction.
Construction equipment continued humming on the live work site until the moment of the announcement, with attendees required to wear hard hats and visibility vests as per Ministry of Labour safety requirement compliance.
“This is the dawn of a new era for Tiny today,” said Evans. “We officially break ground on the new township of Tiny administrative centre, or as we commonly call it, the TTAC. This marks more than the start of construction; it marks the beginning of a new era of service delivery, innovation and community connection.”
Said Evans: “From day one, council agreed that this project had to be done the right way – responsibly and within our means. The township of Tiny continues to maintain one of the lowest tax rates in Simcoe County, has little-to-no long-term debt and has strong financial reserves.
“This project is built not just with concrete and steel, but with trust, collaboration and community spirit. This facility will be a symbol of pride within our community,” Evans added.
Photos were taken as Evans joined Bertram Construction president Lisa Bertram and Unity Design Studio managing principal Bill Lett to touch shovels to the gravel bed.
Bertram told MidlandToday that the gravel bed was in preparation for “compaction,” which would soon take place, allowing a larger footing as the natural soil beneath had neither load bearing capacity for the building or construction equipment, nor proper free-draining requirements.
“There’s an ultimate savings to using it (the gravel) up front,” said Bertram, emphasizing the importance of utilizing local source material in the build. “Everything’s local now as far as the actual mass timber construction; it’s Ontario timber and Quebec timber… the gravel companies are local, they’re hauling from local pits.
“This is my community, and we’re honoured to be able to be building local using local people,” Bertram added.
Both Bertram and Lett expressed great confidence and support for the township’s aim for a net-zero (zero energy, zero emission) project design, and its long-term savings.
“I’m a huge believer in (net-zero projects),” said Bertram, “and so I think it’s wise to put the money into the building on the front end – to not have it in the long run, and not have the impact on our long-lasting community. There’s been a lot of thought that has gone into this design, building, and longevity of the project.”
Said Lett: “Civic architecture for centuries has been the backbone of every community, and in this case building a mass timber building out of renewable resources was clearly the direction that this project had to go.”
Lett noted that Unity was working in 17 municipalities across Ontario who must address their own climate change mandates, and while Tiny’s building wasn’t “taking the lead necessarily, but they’re doing what’s right and responsible.”
He added that the project cost was “less than what we typically would build in other communities as a cost per square foot” compared to other civic buildings.
Lett also stated that the design would be “a very simple building that is made entirely of wood, which is really unique and something that we’re doing more and more; but this is cutting edge, and cutting edge doesn’t cost money.” He noted that savings from exposed mechanical systems and not using drywall and supports meant “it’s a very honest project, and I don’t think people understand that.”
The proposed cost of the project was pitched at an estimated $25.6 million funded by a 30-year debenture. The new build would accommodate all staff in one workplace, while also offering the public to use a community room; another design directive was for the facility to be an emergency operations centre, in case a weather emergency like the March ice storm were to occur.
CAO Robert Lamb stated that had the project been built “six or seven years ago, it would have been a lot less money than it’s going to cost us today.”
As the original building had been constructed in 1967 for a township staff of 13 to serve 2,000 residents, Lamb said that over 30 staff were in the facility, including three portables, to serve 13,000 residents with more anticipated in the years to come.
When asked about the cost of the project and the protesters outside the grounds, Evans told MidlandToday: “In terms of the actual (cost) for an average house in Tiny of $350,000 assessment, it’s approximately $6 a month.
“In terms of long-term debt, we have no long-term debt and currently we’re in a strong financial position on many levels to be able to do this. This is something, that frankly, has to be done and that argument is actually old and done; that’s why we’re standing here today, because we are moving forward. I encourage people to do that (use the MPAC calculator) to understand (it) and what the actual facts and information are.”
OPP Investigating Incident at Demonstration in Tiny Township
By OPP
(TINY TOWNSHIP, ON) On October 17, 2025, a construction groundbreaking event was taking place on Concession 9 East in the Township of Tiny. Concurrently, a demonstration was being held at the entrance to the property. Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were on the scene to keep the peace.
At midday, while a vehicle was departing the property, a heated exchanged ensued involving demonstrators and the vehicle driver. OPP officers promptly intervened to maintain public order and ensure the safety of all individuals present.
Following the exchange, one individual reported sustaining an injury. Paramedics attended the scene and transported the person to a local hospital for medical assessment.
Members of the Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment have launched an investigation to determine whether any criminal offences occurred during the incident. At this time, no charges have been laid.
The OPP was supported during the incident by the OPP Provincial Liaison Team (PLT). The PLT’s primary role is to foster communication and build relationships with involved parties before and during major events, helping to ensure safe and lawful conditions for the exercise of rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The OPP remains committed to respecting the rights of all individuals to express themselves and assemble peacefully, while also upholding the safety and security of the broader community.