Peterborough police have arrested a man wanted in connection with a shooting incident over the weekend.

Just after midnight on Saturday (June 15), a woman went to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with two gunshot wounds, and was later transported by air ambulance to a Toronto hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

According to information released by police on Saturday, they were searching for a suspect in what they believed was a targeted incident. Police have since revealed the incident was domestic in nature.

On Wednesday (June 19), Peterborough police officers along with the emergency response team arrested a 22-year-old Peterborough man in the Bancroft area. As a result of a police investigation, he has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm, and trafficking in firearms.

The accused man is being held in police custody and will appear in court on Thursday.

The police investigation also determined a second man was involved after the shooting incident occurred, and he was located on Tuesday evening and arrested. A 20-year-old Peterborough man has been charged with accessory after the fact to commit an indictable offence, obstructing justice, unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm, trafficking in firearms, failure to comply with a probation order, and possessing a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order.

The second accused man is being held in police custody and will appear in court on Wednesday.

A moose on the loose in Peterborough has been safely captured for relocation.

Multiple sightings of the moose in the city’s west end began early Tuesday (June 18) and were reported to Peterborough police, who contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).

By Wednesday, the moose had travelled to Kawartha Chrysler at 1515 Lansdowne Street West where, in the business’s back lot with the assistance of police, MNRF conservation officers tranquilized the moose.

The moose, which was also tagged, will be relocated.

While it is rare for a moose to be seen as far south as Peterborough, it is around this time of year that yearlings are rejected by their mothers and begin a solitary existence.

Yearlings begin foraging on their own, which can lead them to unusual places.

This was the experience of kawarthaNOW publisher Jeannine Taylor, who in early June discovered a young female moose on the property of her family cottage on Eels Lake north of Apsley. While her cottage is surrounded by woods, moose are rarely seen so close to humans in that area.

According to Taylor, the moose was docile and unperturbed by her presence. For four days, the moose roamed around the property, spending its time munching on leaves, lounging, and sleeping.

Concerned that the moose was exhibiting unusual behaviour, Taylor contacted the MNRF who — after viewing photos and videos of the moose — stated “The moose looks to be very healthy at this time, and the behaviour is not abnormal for this yearling. It appears to have found a good natural food source.”

The MNRF added the moose would eventually leave of its own accord, which it did. Taylor shared her moose experience with host Molly Thomas on CBC Ontario Morning.

While moose are not usually aggressive, they can charge if threatened, especially if a moose is protecting its calves.

Wildlife experts advise keeping a safe distance from a moose. If you have a dog, keep it leashed and away from the moose. If a moose approaches you, back off and look for a tree, fence, or building to hide behind and as protection in case the moose charges.

If you live in the Peterborough area and encounter a moose in an unusual location such as your property, you can report your sighting to MNRF at 705-755-2001 or mnrf.pet@ontario.ca.

From feeling the beat of live drumming to learning about the history of the Michi Saagiig peoples, Northumberland County residents can partake in an upcoming Indigenous celebration in Cobourg.

To mark National Indigenous Peoples Day on Friday (June 21), the Northumberland County EarlyON Centres and the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, in collaboration with Alderville First Nation, are hosting a free Indigenous cultural event from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Cobourg Community Centre at 750 D’Arcy Street.

The event, which is open to the public and suitable for all ages, is designed to offer community members with an opportunity “to experience the richness and diversity of Indigenous culture,” Northumberland County noted.

Themed as the “Ode’miin Giizis (Strawberry Moon) Celebration,” Indigenous leaders will take the lead for the event, which features interactive activities, singing and food, in addition to the drumming and presentations on the history of the Michi Saagiig peoples.

Called Ode’miin Giizis in Anishinaabemowin (the Anishinaabe language), the Strawberry Moon is the first full moon of summer and, this year, it falls on National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. The Anishinaabe keep track of the seasons by the moons, with Ode’min Giizis the sixth moon of the calendar. It marks the beginning of summer, the longest day of the year, and the harvest of the strawberry in June. The root word of ode’min is “ode,” which signifies the heart in Anishinaabemowin, with the strawberry resembling the shape and colour of the heart.

“Understanding and appreciating Indigenous culture is crucial for fostering reconciliation and mutual respect in our community,” said Brian Ostrander, warden of Northumberland County, in a media release.

“On National Indigenous Peoples Day, I encourage everyone to take the time to learn, reflect, and act in support of our shared responsibilities as Treaty people,” Ostrander added. “This event will be an opportunity to learn and engage with Indigenous traditions and to acknowledge our shared responsibilities to respect and uphold the treaty rights and privileges we all enjoy today. This means recognizing the importance of these agreements and working together towards reconciliation by honouring our commitments and building a more inclusive community for everyone.”

Anishinaabeg Nation Southeast Regional Chief Marsha Smoke will provide a territorial welcome. Sarah Lewis of Curve Lake First Nation, who was Nogojiwanong-Peterborough’s inaugural poet laureate, will share Indigenous poetry and its teachings.

There will be songs and drumming by Rod Nettagog of Henvey Inlet First Nation, and presentations on the history of the Michi Saagiig peoples by Brian Beaver from Alderville First Nation. The event also includes many interactive activities for young children and displays for people of all ages, the release noted.

“Building strong partnerships and engaging in cultural education is key to honouring Indigenous traditions and creating a more inclusive community,” said Cynthia Gray, program manager at the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre.

“This celebration is a testament to the power of collaboration and the richness of Indigenous heritage. We look forward to celebrating at the Ode’miin Giizis (Strawberry Moon) Celebration, deepening everyone’s understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture and history, and supporting the path of reconciliation.”

A few highlights of the event include:

• Welcome to the territory at 3:05 p.m.
• Strawberry (Ode’miin) welcome and teaching at 3:15 p.m.
• History of Alderville First Nation and the Michi Saagiig peoples at 3:50 p.m.
• Indigenous poetry and teachings at 4:40 p.m.
• Words, drumming and singing (Supported by Loyalist College) at 5:15 p.m.
• Ode’miin Giizis Indigenous event activities
• Indigenous history
• Interactive Indigenous activities for children
• Singing and drumming
• Listen and learn about Ojibwe Language
• Experience Indigenous food
• Create a Ode’miin Giizis coloured button
• Review Ode’miin Giizis information displays
• Peruse Alderville First Nation history books for sale
• See other displays ranging from Indigenous medicine to Indigenous education and more.

The Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre strives to enhance the quality of life for Indigenous people in the City of Peterborough and the surrounding area. It strives to provide a place of acceptance and well-being for urban Indigenous people through a wide range of community-based programs and services.

Alderville First Nation, a thriving community that is rich in heritage and native culture, is located on the south side of Rice Lake, approximately 30 kilometres north of Cobourg. The First Nation has approximately 300 members who live in Alderville, and another 650-plus members who reside elsewhere.

Other events to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day are also taking place across the region on June 21, including a celebration from 1 to 5 p.m. at Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre at 580 Cameron Street in Peterborough. The celebration will feature a sacred fire, craft and activities, vendors, strawberry teachings, and a community meal at 4 p.m.

When discussing the greatest climate change risks facing the city of Peterborough, many people in Peterborough will think back to the floods and storms that our community has experienced over the past few years, but one more sinister risk for many of our city’s most vulnerable might simply be extreme heat.

Recently, there’s been dialogue among local public health experts and municipal staff about the impact that the urban heat island might have on our city, and the implications I believe are worth discussing.

In 2021, I created a map (below) that explores the deviation from the average temperature across all of Peterborough during a typical hot day in August. In that map, we can see the urban heat island at work. A review of the map reveals the downtown core, Lansdowne Street, the Townsend neighbourhood, and several newer subdivisions all clearly have much higher surface temperatures than nearby neighbourhoods.

In the simplest terms, the lack of tree cover exposes hard surfaces such as concrete and asphalt to the sun, which then radiates the absorbed heat back out into the local environment. Neighbourhoods with more trees and less asphalt generally fare better than those without.

Tree cover is one major factor contributing to urban heat, but there are other trends revealed by this map that are worth exploring.

Worth noting is the income disparity that is highlighted by the urban heat island effect. Neighbourhoods with lower incomes, such as Townsend Street or the Tallwood Towers neighbourhood, experience much higher average temperature deviation from the average across the city. The temperature difference can be as much as 15°C in some neighbourhoods.

An average temperature increase of 15°C could place some neighbourhoods in what is known as a dangerous “wet bulb event.” This could all be happening at the same time as other neighbourhoods in the city are experiencing hot, but not life-threatening, temperatures.

If you’ve never heard of a wet bulb event, it is when there is sustained increase in temperature and humidity to the point that the human body loses the ability to effectively regulate its temperature. Exposure to these conditions can lead to death in as little as six hours for those who are unable to move to a colder climate-controlled space or find other means of cooling off. Wet bulb events can actually occur as low as 31°C if humidity is above 95 per cent.

In the city of Peterborough, this could practically mean that individuals who live in lower income neighbourhoods, who are less likely to have access to air conditioning and more likely to have mobility challenges, could have a highly increased risk of extreme heat exposure. With a 15°C surface temperature difference across the city, this could conceivably be happening while citizens in other neighbourhoods are perfectly fine.

Comparing average income versus mean surface temperature across our city demonstrates a slight trend towards lower-income neighbourhoods experiencing an increased chance of facing increased temperature.

The trend demonstrated by this relationship is strong, but not absolute, so there must be other factors to consider when discussing urban heat island effects, and indeed there are.

As we explore those factors, we will discover potential strategies to mitigate the impact that the urban heat island will have on our community into the next century.

The answers are blowing in the wind

If you’ve lived in the city of Peterborough long enough, you’ll be aware that the wind often blows from the west. These prevailing winds can help us understand some of the heat distribution in our city.

Remember that parks and greenspaces often experience lower-than-average temperatures than areas of concrete and asphalt. Let us consider what happens as the wind passes over these greenspaces. If the temperature of the air is warmer than the surface temperature of a tree that it is passing through, the wind will transfer some of the heat out of the air and into the leaves of the tree.

Each individual tree has an absolutely enormous surface area made up of leaves. This large surface area translates into a huge capacity to exchange heat out of the atmosphere. Neighbourhoods downwind of trees are well positioned to reap the benefits of these massive “heat exchangers,” as the cooler air now has increased capacity to absorb heat from the neighbourhood and convey it away.

This “heat exchanger” effect makes parks and greenspaces are some of our best tools for fighting the effects of urban heat and climate change. It is definitely worthwhile to consider park and greenspace planning strategies in our community that prioritize planting and protecting trees that are upwind of high-risk neighbourhoods.

As far as I am aware, little consideration has been given to this strategic factor when considering our urban forestry plan, and I would like to encourage leaders across our city to keep in mind.

Southern exposure

South-facing slopes can also increase the risk related to heat exposure. Heat that radiates from the sun is more directly absorbed into the concrete faces of buildings and parking lots, especially those that face south.

Large parts of Peterborough are located on a southeast-facing slope. Ten thousand years ago, this large slope was the shoreline of glacial Lake Peterborough, and today offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside. These stunning views carry some risk exposure as well.

The most pronounced exposure to the south is arguably the slopes north of the Parkway Trail on the north side of town. We can clearly see on the urban heat island map a line of census areas that experience higher than average temperatures, possibly due to this southern exposure.

Considering this, it may be worthwhile to prioritize south-facing slopes for naturalization and tree-planting measures across our city. I can already think of several possible locations that may be worthwhile to consider putting some effort into reforestation.

A (cool) river flows through

Many people each summer make the trip down to the Silver Bean in Millennium Park along the shores of the mighty Odoonabii (Otonabee) River. It’s been unofficially dubbed “the little cottage in the city” and for a good reason. The natural surroundings create a welcome retreat from the urban heat radiated from the nearby downtown.

We should consider that the rivers and waters flowing through our city may be one of the greatest tools we have when fighting urban heat. As you take a moment to review the heat map, notice that much of East City is cooler than the west bank. I would argue that, in part, that is due to the downwind impacts of the river.

As wind blows across the river, it deposits warmth from the air into the water to be conveyed away from the city, therefore cooling the city’s east bank — just like a giant natural air conditioner.

This principle combined with several of the other watercourses in our city could provide huge benefits to neighbourhoods badly in need of heat interventions.

Jackson Creek in the Townsend neighbourhood and downtown has been almost entirely covered by buildings and parking lots. A long-term strategy of opening up the creek and naturalizing its shoreline could help keep these neighbourhoods cool, while providing recreational and flood-reduction opportunities.

Other creeks in our community are worth highlighting due to many of the same reasons, including Bears Creek in the north end of our city, or the hidden Brookdale creek roughly following Downie Street.

Urban heat is worth taking seriously. I hope some of you readers can take the time to incorporate some of these ideas into your work or encourage others to do so. Perhaps with your help, we can start to incorporate some of the above ideas into our urban planning strategies and help build a cooler, healthy, and vibrant community for everyone, no matter who they are or where they live.

In an effort to promote physical activity among children, Peterborough-based Green Communities Canada and partners will receive $3 million from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The money supports the National Active School Streets Initiative (School Streets), a nationwide collaboration between not-for-profit organizations, cities, research institutions, and others to create car-free zones in front of schools at the start and/or end of the school day.

The goal is to provide children with access to safe spaces that encourage physical activity.

“In communities across Canada, there has been an alarming decline in the number of children walking and cycling to and from school,” said Jared Kolb, Green Communities Canada’s interim executive director.

“Interventions like School Streets help to create safer and more walkable environments in front of schools, and in turn, support increased physical activity and well-being for children, their families, and the broader community.”

In addition to Green Communities Canada and non-profit organizations 8 80 Cities and Centre d’écologie urbaine, research institutions (Université de Montréal, University of British Columbia, Queen’s University, and Toronto Metropolitan University), and 16 community partners spanning six provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick) are on board with the School Street initiative.

The School Streets program’s car-free spaces will be implemented in up to 30 communities, and range from a one-day pop-up event to a year-long intervention tailored to the local context of each participating community. The program will also include matching funding and community contributions, amounting to a $6 million investment in children’s physical activity through the next four years, the release noted.

“We know that many chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, are often preventable by managing risk factors, including improving physical activity and fitness,” said Health Minister Mark Holland. “That is why we are proud to work with organizations like Green Communities Canada that are delivering invaluable community-based projects that will help improve the lives of their community members.”

The research institutions will conduct extensive evaluation at select implementation sites, collecting data on the number of participants, their socio-demographic backgrounds, and changes to children’s physical activity patterns, according to the release. Their research will shed light on understanding the impact of School Streets on communities, particularly low-income, racialized, and new-to-Canada populations.

“Collecting key evaluative data is essential to understanding the needs and priorities of communities that have been historically underrepresented,” said Dr. Katherine Frohlich, professor at the Université de Montréal and scientific director of the Institute of Population and Public Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

“Our evaluation activities will lead to the production of new scientific knowledge in population health intervention research, policy pathways, and recommendation reports to support the further delivery of School Streets programming across the country and potentially beyond.”

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s investment in School Streets will support the goal to increase children’s rates of physical activity and encourage communities across the country to rethink the way school communities are planned and built.

“The trip to and from school brings us together as neighbours, friends, and community,” said Joy Lachica, Peterborough’s deputy mayor and city councillor. “With the National Active School Streets Initiative, we can create an exciting strategy for the route, by offering safe, engaging and accessible pathways. Let’s build good health and relationships along the way.”

The School Streets program has been implemented across many cities in Canada, including Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg, Toronto, Kingston, Mississauga, and Montreal.

The 16-plus community partners will participate within one of three streams: as a “Level-Up” community, “Pilot” community, or “Aspiring” community.

The goal of Level-Up communities is to deepen the impact of their previous School Streets initiatives by delivering approximately two full-year interventions. Extensive evaluation will be done in Level-Up communities to analyze the impact of School Streets projects, particularly on underrepresented communities, partners noted.

Pilot communities will broaden the impact of School Streets in areas that have demonstrated some existing readiness or previous experience.

Aspiring communities will build momentum for School Streets initiatives in areas that have no previous implementation experience. Communities with demonstrated readiness will deliver short pop-up interventions spanning approximately one-week.

The Public Health Agency of Canada will be funding School Streets through the Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (HCCF). This year, the fund released $9 million to support seven physical activity projects across Canada.

Through the HCCF, the Public Health Agency of Canada supports projects that address physical inactivity to help people in Canada lower their risk of chronic disease and improve their overall physical and mental health, noted the Green Communities website. The program supports interventions that focus on people who face health inequalities and are at greater risk of developing chronic disease.

Seeing the new CT scanner on the sidewalk awaiting its delivery into the Haliburton hospital was a memorable start to the work week for Melanie Koldt Wong.

The executive director of the Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS) Foundation told kawarthaNOW the poignant moment for her represented a significant milestone in the foundation’s “Here for You in the Highlands” fundraising campaign.

The CT scanner was delivered to the Haliburton site of HHHS at 7199 Gelert Road on Monday (June 17). Koldt Wong and others gathered to celebrate the arrival, along with news of a substantial donation and donor-matching initiative for gifts made to the foundation’s campaign.

“It was a momentous morning,” Koldt Wong said.

“The HHHS Foundation has been involved in bringing this to Haliburton County for over a year, but for many it has been a lot longer. This equipment has been needed for a long time. What a wonderful day to start a matching campaign to ensure this wonderful and life-saving equipment is fully funded.”

The campaign received a significant boost courtesy of a gift and a pledge from long-time hospital supporters Scott and Chere Campbell. The pair made an initial donation of $500,000, and have now committed to matching community donations to the campaign of up to $500,000.

“This campaign is very important to improve health services locally for full and part-time residents, so we wanted to support the campaign with a significant gift personally,” said Scott Campbell in a media release.

“Our experience is that when people know their gift will be doubled with a match, it really encourages people to give. We also wanted to work with the foundation to make this matching opportunity available.”

The HHHS Foundation is raising money to bring both CT and advanced mammography equipment to Haliburton County, along with other tools such as a new ultrasound unit and an upgrade of the Picture Archiving Communications System (PACS).

This equipment will significantly improve the quality and speed of access to diagnostic imaging services locally, the foundation said, noting it is an important step forward “in building a modern complement of health care services in the county.”

“This is a real milestone for the foundation,” said David Blodgett, chair of the HHHS Foundation, referring to the Campbells’ donation. “When the matching portion is achieved, this will be the largest gift by individuals ever received by the foundation.”

With the gift from the Campbells, the HHHS Foundation has reached 78 per cent of its $4.3-million goal. The HHHS Foundation will continue its Here for You campaign to raise money for additional needed technologies, such as a new x-ray suite.

While the provincial government provides operating funds to hospitals, it does not fund equipment or technology. Through their foundations, hospitals count on communities to raise the capital funds for new equipment.

“We are asking everyone across the county — full-time residents, part-time residents, cottagers, businesses, visitors — to open their hearts as the Campbells have done to contribute now,” said Tayce Wakefield, lead volunteer for the Here for You campaign. “If we all give at the level that we can, we will raise the funds the HHHS team needs to enhance care for us all.”

HHHS CEO Veronica Nelson said she hears from community members about “an overwhelming desire for better access to health services locally.”

“We are profoundly grateful for the generous support from Scott and Chere Campbell,” Nelson said. “We also need your support and appreciate every contribution to the enhancement of wellness and care at HHHS.”

For more information about the fundraising campaign, visit the website at hhhs.ca/foundation.

The HHHS Foundation is an incorporated registered Canadian charity that financially supports the hospital and health care facilities in Haliburton County for capital projects, equipment, education programsm and community support services.

HHHS, in collaboration with community partners, strives to promote wellness and provide access to essential clinical programs including primary care, acute, inpatient and emergency care at the Haliburton hospital site, long-term care, end-of-life care, mental health and addictions services, physiotherapy, community support services for the residents, cottagers, and visitors of Haliburton County and the surrounding areas.

Environment Canada has issued a special air quality statement for the southern Kawarthas region for Tuesday (June 18).

The special air quality statement is in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawarthas Lakes, and Northumberland County.

With hot and sunny conditions expected to cause increasing ground-level ozone concentrations north of Lake Ontario, high levels of air pollution are possible Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Moderate-risk Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) values are expected throughout the day, with the potential of short-term high risk AQHI values in the afternoon and evening.

People may experience symptoms such as increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches, or shortness of breath. Children, seniors, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, such as asthma, are especially at risk.

People with lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD, can be particularly sensitive to air pollution. They will generally experience more serious health effects at lower levels. Pollution can aggravate their diseases, leading to increased medication use, doctor and emergency room visits, and hospital visits.

Peterborough city council has unanimously voted to endorse a staff report that would see the city bring economic development and tourism services in-house for the first time in over 25 years, with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) dissolving at the end of the year.

Both the city and county of Peterborough decided not to renew a multi-year tri-party agreement to fund PKED to provide economic development and tourism services on behalf of both municipalities. With the city having provided most of PKED’s core funding, the not-for-profit organization announced that it would be dissolving when the existing agreement expires on December 31.

The city’s decision not to renew the agreement stems from a closed session of city council held last June, when council unanimously approved giving city staff “a series of directions relating to alternatives for the delivery of economic development services.”

Meeting as general committee on Monday evening (June 17), councillors asked questions of city CAO Jasbir Raina about the proposed plan, which would see the city establish a new economic development services division as well as create “Experience Peterborough” branding for tourism promotion and marketing, with three city divisions supporting tourism functions.

In response to a question from councillor Don Vassiliadis, Raina said the division would be initially be located at city hall but the city would explore the “best location,” potentially including “that building which currently exists” — presumably a reference to PKED’s current location at Venture North in downtown Peterborough, which also houses other economic development organizations including Community Futures Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster, and the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).

Raina also revealed that Community Futures Peterborough would be assuming initial responsibility for PKED’s Business Advisory Centre, a largely provincially funded operation that provides support and resources for small businesses.

“Currently, because also provincial funding is involved in this, we have committed to (the Ontario government) that we will be doing this service through the Community Futures,” Raina said, adding that the service would eventually be brought in-house.

While Mayor Jeff Leal had no questions of Raina, he made several comments to council.

Leal said he met last Friday “with the 10 largest locally owned businesses in our community” and was “extremely frank with them that we’re about to hit the wall,” noting the Peterborough has the lowest gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in Ontario and an assessment base that is 80 per cent residential and 20 per cent commercial/industrial.

The mayor said that whoever is hired at the city’s new economic development director should be given a target to raise the city’s commercial and industrial assessment base by 10 per cent, from 20 per cent to 30 per cent, and to increase the city’s GDP growth rate from 15 per cent to 30 per cent.

“I believe the director’s compensation should be tiered compensation — 75 per cent of it should be fixed (and) 25 per cent of it should be based on performance, bringing new businesses to the community and expanding local businesses that are already here,” Leal said.

Leal added the city needs “closer collaboration” with organizations such as the Peterborough DBIA and the Innovation Cluster, as well as with Trent University and Fleming College, and pointed out the city has never had a marketing plan for the Peterborough Airport.

The mayor showed council a copy of a recent edition of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) magazine and issued what appeared to be a veiled criticism of PKED.

“You would have thought that somebody would have had the initiative to have a story front and centre about The Canadian Canoe Museum,” he said. “Isn’t that one of the great destinations that we want here in Ontario and Canada? I’m not a marketing guy but it seems to me that would be a pretty elementary thing to do, to get your story in a magazine that is probably on more kitchen tables than any other magazine that we have here.”

It should be noted that the May opening of the new Canadian Canoe Museum was not only featured in The Globe and Mail — Canada’s most widely read newspaper — but the museum was also named as one of the best cultural spots in the world by National Geographic magazine. In addition, Mayor Leal attended a May 15 event organized by PKED where Water Ways, a Canadian-made television show for boating enthusiasts, named Peterborough and the Kawarthas as the inaugural winner of its “destination of the year award” for both the opening of the new museum as well as the opening of international houseboat rental company Le Boat’s new base on the Otonabee River.

“This is probably the most important decision that we are going to be making, because we can’t do the things we want to do unless we have the dollars to make that happen,” Leal said, referring to the city’s decision to take on economic development and tourism. “So we got to pick an A team — we got to pick an A team that can get and deliver that message far and wide.”

Leal then shared an anecdote about George Hees, a businessman and minister for trade and commerce in John Diefenbaker’s government in the 1960s, who had a business card with the acronym Y.C.D.B.S.O.Y.A.

“You can’t do business sitting on your ass,” Leal said, spelling out the acronym. “That’s the message we got to give to our economic development agency.”

In response to a question from councillor Keith Riel, Raina said the city’s new economic development positions jobs will be posted, interviews will be held, “and we will pick the best candidate who comes with a vision to move us forward.”

As for tourism, Raina said there’s a possibility of existing staff in the three city divisions that will be responsible for tourism — arts and culture, recreation and park services, and strategic communications and Service Peterborough — filling the required positions.

In assuming responsibility for economic development, Riel said, the city has “taken a giant step forward” in bringing jobs to the city of Peterborough.

“It’s a little heartbreaking for some people, but it was necessary to do it and I think we are on the cusp of doing some great things here,” Riel said, adding that councillors should be “ashamed” by the mayor’s “stunning remarks” that Peterborough has the lowest GDP in Ontario. “We were the paramount city for industry for years.”

It should be noted that, according to Statistics Canada, Peterborough’s low GDP is nothing new — it has consistently been among the lowest in Ontario census metropolitan areas for at least the past two decades.

Councillor Alex Bierk expressed some concerns with the “bureaucracy of the city” making decisions without sufficiently consulting with small businesses, particularly in the downtown. He also has expressed concerns with the proposed tourism branding.

“I don’t like the name Experience Peterborough,” Bierk said. “I think that the titling of this division, and in some ways the structure of it, should be decided by the subject matter expert that we hire — the new director. I don’t want us to be set in stone with this idea Experience Peterborough. To me, it sounds old fashioned, and it should be built by the new director that’s going to come in collaboration with business.”

After noting the staff report states there was consultation with businesses and the broader community, Bierk asked Raina “How was that done and who were those people?”

In response, Raina said the bureaucracy does not make decisions, but follows the direction of council. He also said that Experience Peterborough will not be part of the new economic development division.

“Experience Peterborough is out of economic development — that’s the part of tourism,” Raina said. “Marketing, sponsorship, and tourism will become Experience Peterborough. Economic development will be a single-source entity, because they have better things to do.”

Raina did not answer Bierk’s question about who was consulted, although he said there would be “extensive engagement” on tourism with outside organizations such as the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

Bierk also asked for clarification of the 2025 budget for economic development and tourism, which the report states would be the same amount the city provided to PKED in 2024 — just over $1.4 million, which includes $1,015,112 in core funding plus an estimated $425,000 in municipal accommodation tax.

“By bringing this in-house, are we going to find efficiencies because we’re doing it in-house?” Bierk asked.

“Currently there are 17 people (at PKED), so we are starting with the three (in the new economic development division), so definitely there are efficiencies,” Raina said.

It should be noted that PKED currently has 12 full-time staff positions, with students hired during the summer, to support economic development and tourism in both the city and county of Peterborough. A media release from the City of Peterborough issued last Thursday (June 13) stated that there would be a total of 10.5 staff positions to support economic development and tourism within the City of Peterborough under the proposed plan.

In his comments, councillor Dave Haacke spoke about the “20-year cycle” where businesses and municipalities run services in-house and then contract out to external agencies before taking operations back in-house, referring to the fact the City of Peterborough was responsible for economic development prior to the founding of PKED in 1998 as the Greater Peterborough Area Development Corporation.

He then pointed out that the biggest obstacle to economic development in Peterborough is the absence of commercial and industrial land.

“You can’t build a city without land — that’s what we’re missing,” Haacke said. “Not only land; its location.”

“I don’t think it’s a solution by itself, having (economic development) in-house,” he added. “Somebody can show me that I’m wrong, but without the land, without the location — that is the biggest impediment I believe that we have.”

“Maybe it’s better having it in-house, but I’ll bet you we’re sitting here a year from now without land experiencing the exact same plight that we’ve got. We can shuffle the chairs — I’m not going to say Titanic — but in the end does it change anything? That’s what I’m not sure of. I don’t think that it will. I think our hearts are in the right place, for sure — we want the same thing.”

“To councillor Crowley’s remarks, I think Rhonda (Keenan) and the group at PKED deserve a big round of applause,” Haacke said, referring to earlier comments by councillor Matt Crowley’s comments thanking PKED for their work. “They were frustrated too with land.”

Haacke also said that red tape is an issue in economic development.

In response to Haacke’s comments, Mayor Leal suggested a councillor be designated to look at red tape that is hindering development.

In response to comments from councillors Bierk and Kevin Duguay regarding economic development downtown, the mayor said he believed there would be unanimous council approval “when we bring forward the concept of a $200-million new entertainment sports centre for the downtown.”

General committee voted 11-0 to endorse the staff report. Items endorsed by general committee will be considered by council for final approval on Monday (June 24) where public delegations will be heard.