This guide covers the practical side of a Kawarthas cottage stay in the City of Kawartha Lakes: the nearest emergency department, burn rules, garbage drop-off and who to call. Check each link for current hours, because municipal pages change.
Facts box
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Emergency department | Ross Memorial Hospital, 10 Angeline Street N, Lindsay: 24/7/365 |
| Hospital phone | 705-324-6111 (toll-free 1-800-510-7365) |
| Burn conditions line | 1-888-822-2225, then press 6 |
| Non-emergency fire report | 705-324-2191 |
| Landfill summer hours | May 1 to October 15 |
| Municipality | City of Kawartha Lakes |
Quick answer: nearest emergency department
For most of the City of Kawartha Lakes, the hospital is Ross Memorial in Lindsay. It runs a 24/7/365 emergency department. The hospital says it is the only hospital in the City of Kawartha Lakes, a municipality of 3,000 square kilometres located 140 km northeast of Toronto. It lists Peterborough Regional Health Centre 45 minutes east and Haliburton Highlands Health Services one hour north as its closest neighbours. In an emergency, call 911.
Hospitals and emergency departments
| Hospital | Town | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ross Memorial Hospital | Lindsay | 24/7/365 emergency department; Level 3 intensive care; 15-station dialysis unit |
| Peterborough Regional Health Centre | Peterborough | The hospital’s own site covers services and visiting; check it for emergency details |
Ross Memorial says it serves more than a combined 100,000 local residents and seasonal visitors.
Stores and connectivity
We list store locations only through the official locators. Use the LCBO store locator and The Beer Store locator to find the closest outlet to your cottage. For internet and mobile coverage, use the National Broadband Map that ISED and the CRTC publish; its mobile layer shows the road segments where mobile service is available. Ask your host about the cottage’s own connection.
Burn rules and fire bans
The City publishes its burn rules. The key points:
- Campfires need no permit if the fire is no larger than 60 cm (2 ft) across, an adult supervises it, it is in an approved pit or area, and it is at least 15 m from buildings and 5 m from fences, trees, brush piles, combustibles and property lines.
- April: burning is not permitted during April. The City says it can extend this annual ban in dry weather.
- Other burning can require a permit. The City says you can be invoiced or fined for burning without a permit where one is required, burning in April or during a ban, burning anything other than natural wood or brush, or burning too close to combustibles, property lines or roads.
- Burn index: Low, Moderate, High, Extreme or Burn Ban. At Extreme a voluntary ban is in effect. At Burn Ban, no open-air burning is permitted.
- Check conditions by calling 1-888-822-2225 and pressing 6.
If Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service is called to a fire with no authorization, the owner is liable for service fees for the response.
Garbage, recycling and landfills
The City lists five landfill sites with summer hours from May 1 to October 15:
| Site | Address | Summer days and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Eldon | 311 Rockview Road | Wed 9am to 5pm; Sat and Sun 11am to 5pm |
| Fenelon | 341 Mark Road | Mon, Wed and Sat 9am to 5pm; closed in winter |
| Somerville | 381 Ledge Hill Road | Mon, Fri and Sat 11am to 5pm |
| Laxton Digby Longford | 3225 Monck Road | Thu and Sun 11am to 5pm |
| Lindsay Ops | 51 Wilson Road | Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8am to 5pm; Sat 8am to 3pm; closed Wed |
All landfills close on Canada Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Family Day and Good Friday. The Lindsay landfill also closes on all holiday Mondays, while Eldon and Laxton Digby Longford open 11am to 5pm on summer holiday Mondays. The City says all hours are subject to change and that loads with recyclables mixed into waste pay extra fees under By-law 2024-235. For tipping fees, see the City’s Tipping Fees page or call 705-324-9411.
Who to call
- Emergencies: 911.
- Active fire, non-emergency: Police and Fire Dispatch, 705-324-2191.
- Inactive fire report: Municipal Law Enforcement, 705-324-9411 ext. 1212.
- Fire Rescue questions: 705-324-5731.
Before you arrive
Save the burn conditions number in your phone and check the index before you light anything. Ask your host which landfill serves the cottage and which day suits your departure, because in summer most sites open only two or three days a week. Look up the LCBO and grocery stops on your route, and confirm the internet and cell coverage at the address. If you plan to boat, read Boating the Trent-Severn Waterway through the Kawarthas.
FAQ
Where is the nearest hospital in the Kawarthas?
For Lindsay, Fenelon Falls and Bobcaygeon, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. It runs a 24/7/365 emergency department. Checked November 3 2026.
Can I light a campfire at a Kawartha Lakes cottage?
Often yes, without a permit, if the fire meets the City’s size, supervision and distance rules. Burning is not permitted in April. Call 1-888-822-2225, press 6, to check the burn index. Checked November 3 2026.
When do the landfills open for summer?
Summer hours run May 1 to October 15. Checked November 3 2026.
Cottages in this area
Browse cottages in Bobcaygeon or the Kawarthas region.
Township Rules Check
Thinking of renting out a cottage here? Run the Township Rules Check for the City of Kawartha Lakes. The City of Kawartha Lakes requires a licence for short-term rentals of fewer than 28 consecutive calendar days (By-law 2023-111). Read the City’s owner and operator page before you list. Rules change; confirm with the municipality.
Claims table
| # | Claim | Source URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ross Memorial Hospital, 10 Angeline St N, Lindsay; 24/7/365 ED; 705-324-6111; 1-800-510-7365; only hospital in the City, a municipality of 3,000 sq km 140 km NE of Toronto; PRHC 45 min east; Haliburton Highlands Health Services one hour north; Level 3 ICU; 15 dialysis stations; serves 100,000+ residents and visitors; 3,000 sq km | https://www.rmh.org/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 2 | PRHC site lists services and visitor pages | https://www.prhc.on.ca/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 3 | Campfire permit-free rules (60 cm, adult, approved pit, 15 m/5 m clearances); April burn ban may be extended; invoice/fine list (no permit where required, April or ban, non-natural material, too close to combustibles/boundaries/roads); index levels; call 1-888-822-2225 press 6; 705-324-2191; 705-324-9411 ext 1212; 705-324-5731; service fees for unauthorized fire | https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/community-emergency-services/fire-services/burn-bans-and-permits | 2026-11-03 |
| 4 | Landfill sites, addresses, summer hours (May 1 to Oct 15), holiday closures, Lindsay closed holiday Mondays, Eldon and Laxton open summer holiday Mondays, subject to change, extra fees for mixed recyclables (By-law 2024-235); no seasonal-resident fees listed; call 705-324-9411 / 1-888-822-2225 (cited URL 404; content is on the landfills page) | https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/property-environment/garbage-and-recycling/landfills/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 5 | LCBO store locator | https://www.lcbo.com/en/stores/ | 2026-11-03 |
| 6 | ISED/CRTC National Broadband Map; mobile layer shows road segments with mobile service | https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/high-speed-internet-canada/en/high-speed-internet-all-canadians/universal-broadband-fund/national-broadband-data-information | 2026-11-03 |
| 7 | City of Kawartha Lakes requires an STR licence for stays of fewer than 28 consecutive calendar days under By-law 2023-111 | https://www.kawarthalakes.ca/business-development/business-and-economic-development/business-programs/short-term-rentals/owners-and-operators/ | 2026-11-03 |