The Ontario government has approved new regulatory changes to protect to vulnerable salmon on the Ganaraska River in Port Hope during peak migration season, including through the creation of a new fish sanctuary. The changes take effect on Sunday (September 1).

Every fall, Port Hope sees an influx of both anglers and spectators during the annual salmon run, when tens of thousands of migrating Chinook salmon return to the Ganaraska River on their way to upstream spawning habitat — making it one of the largest salmon runs in Ontario.

The migrating salmon are slowed by the Corbett Dam fishway, which is located about three kilometres upstream from Lake Ontario. As it takes time for thousands of salmon to figure out how navigate the fishway, they accumulate in engineered step pools separated by shallow limestone stretches below the dam. This makes the fish highly visible and vulnerable to anglers.

“The Ganaraska River is a unique waterway because salmon migration is slowed down by the Corbett Dam fishway,” states a bulletin from the Ontario government released on Friday (August 30). “This creates a bottleneck of concentrated fish from Lake Ontario to the dam and leaves them little room to spread out or find cover.”

During the salmon run, some anglers have been catching the breeding salmon to harvest their roe (eggs) while discarding the rest of the fish. Others leave trash, fishing lines, and fishing hooks behind. Every fall following the salmon run, Port Hope residents have been cleaning up the waste.

Last fall, Port Hope resident Sean Carthew — who organizes the annual “Run Salmon Run” event for non-anglers who wish to celebrate the annual salmon migration — launched an online petition to urge changes to protect the salmon.

“The fishing and lack of respect for the river has gotten out of hand,” Carthew wrote. “It’s not safe to walk over thousands of hooks (not exaggerating). People have stopped coming to see the salmon / Port Hope because of the butchery. It’s affecting our image and tourism.”

“The salmon run should be a positive celebration and I’ve tried to do that with my Run Salmon Run celebration but I need your help! Imagine where we could go with this if we didn’t have a slaughterhouse in town!”

Carthew’s petition has garnered almost 14,000 signatures and came to the attention of the Municipality of Port Hope, which has been aware of the concerns during the salmon run but has not been able to directly address them as the provincial government had jurisdiction over fishing in Ontario.

According to a media release from Port Hope, the municipality has worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA), local authorities (including the Port Hope Police Service), and other stakeholders to address historical challenges during the fall salmon run.

In July, Port Hope council received a confidential briefing on the regulatory changes being considered by the MNR. As part of that confidential meeting, council directed Mayor Olga Hankivsky to engage with the ministry to seek support for addressing the specific impacts Port Hope may face during the fall, including requesting the implementation of a temporary variance order during the 2024 season.

The ministry approved the regulatory changes only a week after the end of the online consultation period, which took place from July 24 to August 22. Now approved, the regulatory changes mean portions of the Ganaraska River will be closed to fishing every year from September 1 through October 14 to provide protection for salmon as they move through the area.

Closures to fishing apply from the south side of the Jocelyn Street bridge to the CNR bridge, the first rail line north of Lake Ontario. The Ganaraska River is already closed to fishing all year from the 401 south to the Jocelyn Street bridge.

As part of the changes, the ministry is also extending the fishing season from October 15 through December 31 to allow anglers to catch a variety of trout and salmon species following the peak salmon migration season.

More details about the changes to Fisheries Management Zone (FMZ) 17 are available at ontario.ca/page/fisheries-management-zone-17-fmz-17.

With the new regulations taking effect on September 1, the Municipality of Port Hope is urging the public to exercise patience and understanding as some anglers will initially not be aware of the new rules.

“Authorities are committed to educating the community and ensuring that everyone is informed about the updated rules,” states a media release. “While enforcement measures will be in place, it is important to allow time for adjustments as the changes are implemented. The cooperation and consideration of all residents and visitors during this period will be greatly appreciated, contributing to a smoother and more effective adaptation to the new guidelines.”

As for Carthew’s annual “Run Salmon Run” celebration, the event is scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 8th at Rotary Park beside the Port Hope Library, along the river. The free event will feature fish ponds, live music, art, and education.

Labour Day is a federal statutory holiday falling on the first Monday of September. Since Labour Day is a statutory holiday, all government offices and services and all liquor stores are closed, although a few beer stores are open in Peterborough, Lindsay, and Cobourg. Most major grocery stores are also open (except in Peterborough). Most malls are closed, although many big box stores are open (except in Peterborough). Most drug stores and pharmacies are also open.

For your convenience, we provide this list of holiday hours for 302 selected businesses, services, and organizations across the Kawarthas. This information comes from their websites and social media accounts, which may or may not be up to date, so please always call them first to confirm their hours (we’ve included phone numbers), especially where you see “call” or “call to confirm” (which means we couldn’t find or confirm holiday hours) or if you are travelling any distance.

If your business or organization is listed and the hours are incorrect, please let us know by using our content feedback form. We do not have the hours for restaurants in this list as there are far too many to include.

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If a resident of Kawartha Lakes requires a hospice residence, it’s a 42-kilometre trek to the nearest facility.

That’s just too long of a drive according to the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) which, alongside community partners, is calling for a hospice residence to be built in Kawartha Lakes.

As part of its advocacy efforts, the CCS has launched the “Bring Care Closer” campaign, which has involved installing a billboard on Highway 7 in Lindsay that illustrates the number of kilometres to the nearest hospice residence. The CCS is also running digital ads throughout the region to raise awareness about the need for a dedicated hospice residence.

“The (CCS) is deeply committed to ensuring everyone has access to hospice and palliative care close to home,” Daniel Nowoselski, CCS’s advocacy manager for hospice palliative care, told kawarthaNOW.

“In launching the Bring Care Closer campaign, we were especially keen to address gaps in communities where there’s a strong local advocacy effort, including organizations, professionals, volunteers, and families with lived experience. The work that Community Care Kawartha Lakes has done and the community that it has built in support of a bricks-and-mortar hospice residence has made the need incredibly clear.”

“With the Bring Care Closer campaign, the Canadian Cancer Society, our partners and community voices are hoping to push hospice care higher on the agenda for lawmakers and local residents,” Nowoselskie added.

In partnership with Ontario Health at Home and other home care providers, Community Care’s hospice services support patients at home in the community. Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay also “plays a vital role in delivering compassionate care” through its six in-patient palliative care beds, a media release noted.

However, with the nearest hospice residences located in Peterborough and Port Perry, “some families in Kawartha Lakes can face difficult choices or lengthy travel during a very sensitive time. A hospice residence within the community would provide a much-needed end-of-life option.”

Hospice residences provide a home-like environment that offers dignity and comfort for individuals receiving end-of-life care. These facilities are considered to be an essential option for those in the final stages of a life-limiting illness, providing pain and symptom management, psychosocial and spiritual support, and a place where patients can be surrounded by their loved ones.

Dr. Baldeep Paul, the palliative physician lead for the team of on-call physicians who works closely with the hospice services’ palliative care community team (PCCT), believes a local hospice residence would greatly benefit families.

“I have witnessed the profound impact that our (PCCT) has on patients and their families,” Paul said.

“Our team does an excellent job supporting patients in their preferred places of residence. However, there are times when a patient’s needs exceed what can be managed at home, and a hospital may not be the most appropriate setting. A local hospice residence would fill this gap and provide an additional option for families requiring more intensive care.”

John, a family member who experienced the care provided by hospice services, said, “the entire team was wonderful in helping us care for my dad at home for as long as possible. They coordinated so many services for us, which made a big difference.

“However, when his care needs became more complex, we found ourselves struggling with the absence of a hospice residence in our area,” John explained. “Travelling out of the area was not an option for us, and we wished for a place close by where he could have received care in a peaceful, home-like setting.”

Those interested in lending their support to the CCS’s campaign can send a letter to their elected official at cancer.ca/palliativecare.

“Ultimately, we hope the province of Ontario will come to the table to build a hospice residence in Kawartha Lakes, and to ensure it’s properly staffed with the caring nurses, doctors, PSWs and other care professionals necessary to give people compassionate, dignified and comfortable end-of-life care,” Nowoselski said.

According to the release, every region should have seven hospice beds per 100,000 people.

However, a November 2023 report from the CCS found that Ontario only has 3.47 beds per 100,000 people, which is below the national average.

From donating canned tuna to saving spare change to gift to a local food bank, Northumberland County is encouraging residents to participate in “Hunger Action Month.”

County council recently proclaimed September as “Hunger Action Month,” in the hopes of raising awareness about food insecurity and driving donations for Northumberland County’s food banks.

Nationwide, Hunger Action Month is dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges of accessing food, advocating to end hunger and poverty across Canada, and recognizing the work being done by local food banks, school nutrition programs, community meals and hunger relief programs, to make a difference.

As part of Hunger Action Month, the county has developed a calendar that has a small task on each day of September that residents can complete to support better food security. Examples including donating lunch money to a food bank and volunteering for a nutrition program at a local school.

The calendar is available to download in PDF format from the county’s website.

Overall, the “30 Ways in 30 Days” Hunger Action Month initiative challenges community members to participate in small actions throughout the month of September to help support local food banks and food security programs, and to reduce food waste.

“Food banks across the province are experiencing record-breaking increases in use,” said Lisa Horne, Northumberland County’s community and social services director, in a media release.

“Between April of 2022 and March of 2023, 800,822 adults and children accessed food banks over 5.88 million times in Ontario. Locally, in 2023, over 5,000 residents made over 74,000 visits to food banks in Northumberland. This indicates a 32 per cent increase in use compared to 2022, underscoring the importance of initiatives like Hunger Action Month to raise awareness and galvanize support for community services addressing this issue.”

Throughout September, Northumberland County Food 4 All and Northumberland’s 12 local food banks are joining Food Banks Canada and Feed Ontario in their efforts to promote initiatives to help end hunger. At the national level, Food Banks Canada supports food banks and raises awareness about food bank usage in Canada. Provincially, this work is carried out by Feed Ontario.

Locally, Northumberland County Food 4 All’s Feed Change 2024 report is available to download for those who wish to learn more about local food support and see distribution and usage data for food banks and school nutrition programs in Northumberland.

The county encourages community members to visit and share the Food Help in Northumberland County web page at foodhelpnorthumberland.cioc.ca to find out where residents can access local food support.

Community members can also follow the Northumberland County Food 4 All Facebook page and share the county’s Hunger Action Month content to help spread the word about food security, the release noted.

To participate in the “30 Ways in 30 Days” challenge, visit northumberland.ca/HungerActionMonth or follow the Northumberland County Food 4 All Facebook page for daily reminders of how to support Hunger Action Month.

According to the Feed Change 2024 report, 5,297 people were served by food banks in Northumberland in 2023. Of those individuals, 71 per cent were adults and 29 per cent were children aged 17 and under.

Last year, Food 4 All distributed 1,217,435 pounds of product valued at $4,273,196.80.

During the 2023-2024 school year, Food 4 All helped 43 local school nutrition programs feed more than 6,000 students. An average of 103,673 meals and snacks were served.

In Northumberland, items most in demand at local food banks are fresh fruit and vegetables, canned meat and fish, peanut butter, canned soups and stews, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, canned pasta, and toilet paper.

Golden Rescue, one of Canada’s largest single-breed rescue groups, will attempt to break two world records in September in the hopes of securing a $20,000 donation.

During its 34th annual picnic from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 21st at Viamede Resort in Woodview in North Kawartha Township, the non-profit charitable organization hopes to top the Guinness World Record for both the largest “dog wedding” and the largest cake for dogs.

If Golden Rescue succeeds at breaking both records, a donor has committed to contributing $20,000 to the volunteer-run organization to support its work at rescuing golden retrievers, primarily in Canada but also around the world.

Golden Rescue is aiming to bring together a record 358 dogs, who will be dressed in wedding attire and paired as brides and grooms. You don’t have to own two dogs to participate — single dogs are also welcome, as they will be paired with another dog.

Participants are asked to bring wedding attire for their dogs, which can be a simple veil or bow. If you are willing to invest in more elaborate attire, there will also be a best-dressed bride and groom contest.

The wedding procession of the 179 pairs of dogs (the current world record is 178 pairs) will begin at 2 p.m., with the ceremony officiated by Canadian journalist and former news anchor Lloyd Robertson. Wedding certificates will be given to all dog brides and grooms.

After the dog wedding, every furry guest will get a slice of what Golden Rescue hopes will be the world’s largest cake for dogs: a 350-pound cake to break the current world record of 311 pounds. Everyone will be able to take a slice of cake home as well.

The cost to attend the annual picnic is $15 per person or $30 per family, which includes a BBQ lunch.

If you’re interested in attending the picnic and participating in the world record-breaking attempts, email picnic@goldenrescue.ca.

At GreenUP, we constantly ask, “How can we advance sustainable action in our community?” This question drives our work every day, and we’re excited to introduce our 2024-2028 Strategic Plan — our guiding document in the years ahead.

At its core, GreenUP’s work is to inspire and empower healthy and sustainable action in our community. That work will be more effective when GreenUP is successful in acting in accordance with the five directions laid out in our new strategic plan.

Sustainability touches every aspect of daily life and GreenUP’s work reflects these many facets. From conserving native species and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimizing single-use plastics and promoting active transportation, we aim to support sustainable choices in our community.

This strategic plan is meant to reflect the broad areas of work for which GreenUP is known, and to provide more universal measures that we can use to direct our efforts.

Goal One: Deliver impactful programming that meets the needs of our community

Our first goal is focused on our programming and the people we serve.

The intent is to guide GreenUP in making consistent choices about how our organization invests our capacity and measures our success across our highly diverse programming areas.

Goal Two: Welcome community members into spaces that educate, inspire and engage

We recognize the very important role that our team plays in ensuring that whatever space we happen to be working in – physical or social – that our community is there with us to be educated and inspired.

GreenUP operates Ecology Park, our downtown office, and the Store & Resource Centre. Our program coordinators also facilitate education in schools, community gardens, businesses, and public spaces. We are committed to providing welcoming and educational experiences in every space we operate.

Our staff learn how to teach anywhere, and GreenUP wants to ensure that we provide welcoming educational experiences everywhere that we work!

Goal Three: Ensure sustained financial viability to achieve our mission

With over 30 years of experience, we understand that financial sustainability is crucial to achieving our vision of a healthy and sustainable community.

This goal emphasizes the need for continual focus on our financial health, ensuring we can evaluate our value and success.

Goal Four: Collaborate with government, business, and community stakeholders to achieve greater positive impacts on our climate

GreenUP knows that to mitigate and adapt to climate change, we must work together. Our fourth strategic goal speaks to the way we want to relate to others, and how we can collaborate to achieve our mission.

GreenUP is proud to enable our community to have conversations about our environment and to create relationships that support people and businesses in undertaking the difficult task of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Through this goal of our 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, GreenUP aims to use our place as a community leader to leverage positive change and advance climate action across our region.

Goal Five: Demonstrate equity and justice in the environmental movement through our organizational culture

The fifth and final goal speaks to our culture at GreenUP. This priority directs our leadership to include a focus on justice and equity as we strive to inspire and empower environmental action in our community.

The climate crisis has disproportionate negative impacts on black, indigenous, and people of colour. Our staff and our board recognize how the environmental movement has disproportionately benefited populations who are white, educated, and with greater wealth. In order to address past injustice and work toward a better future for all members of our community, acknowledging this disparity is an important component of GreenUP’s current strategic plan.

Ensuring that GreenUP’s organizational structure – our policies and procedures, training and practices – are grounded in an equity-based approach is important to GreenUP. Through this goal, GreenUP also acknowledges our collective responsibility to uphold the treaties that our ancestors signed and to act on the Calls to Action made by Canada’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission.

The intent of this goal is to build an organizational culture that actively addresses reconciliation and environmental justice as fundamental components of an environmentally healthy and sustainable community.

Our leadership team is proud to share this new Strategic Plan with our community. We believe it demonstrates our commitment to investing our capacity to elevate success in our programs, enhance the spaces we work in, ensure the financial viability of our services, support the community we work in, and championing a positive culture in the years to come.

When GreenUP is successful in achieving each of our strategic directions our vision for an environmentally healthy and sustainable community will be more possible to fulfill.

Read the full 2024-2028 Strategic Plan at greenup.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Strategic-Plan-2024-2028_web.pdf.

We hope you will join us in committing to healthy and sustainable action in our community. Visit greenup.on.ca to learn more about all of our offerings, and how you can get involved.

As Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride gets set for Pride Week in September, Rick Lambert says if people walk away feeling included and accepted, the week will be a success.

As a Pride committee member, Lambert has a few hopes for this year’s week-long Pride celebration, which runs from September 20 to 29 in Peterborough.

“Having nobody show up to protest or harass people at any Pride events, and (having) all participants come away feeling positive and energized to continue participating in their community going forward,” would be best possible outcomes, Lambert told kawarthaNOW.

The committee member is most looking forward to the opportunity the week provides to connect with others in the Peterborough community.

“As for events, with most of the events run by community members and such a wide variety, there is truly something for everyone,” Lambert said. “Carole Pope performing at Market Hall is an exciting addition this year which some folks will want to see.”

Pope is described as an agent provocateur “pushing the boundaries of sexuality, sexual politics, and the status quo,” according to her website. The British-born Canadian singer-songwriter is co-founder of the band Rough Trade and has acquired numerous accolades, including recognition through the Juno, Genie, and CASBY awards.

Meanwhile, the Peterborough library is hosting a film and a number of other events, which Lambert anticipates will be interesting.

Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride expects to announce additional events in the days leading up to Pride Week. To stay up to date on the events and activities on the roster for Pride Week, visit peterboroughpride.ca/events/.

While June is recognized as Pride Month in many communities in Canada, Peterborough has chosen to host Pride celebrations in September, as the week is rooted in local history.

“Pride in Peterborough-Nogojiwanong was started in mid-September 2003 by a group of Fleming (College) and Trent (University) students so we have stuck with that time slot to ensure students can participate,” Lambert explained. “Although we have asked the community if they want to move to Pride Month in June, the response has been to stick with September.”

Meanwhile, there were a number of community-run events held in June and in other months as well, Lambert noted.

“We hope to support more events year-round so the 2SLGBTQ+ community can stay connected going forward.”

For 2024 Pride Week, the theme is “Educate. Activate. Celebrate!”

“We want to uplift the 2SLGBTQ+ members of our community by educating about all our realities, promoting action and visibility, and celebrating solidarity and strength,” Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride noted in a media release.

“We invite everyone to embrace the theme of Pride Week and make it their own.”

For more on the theme, visit peterboroughpride.ca/our-pride-theme/.

According to the release, a group of “bold and courageous individuals” organized Peterborough’s inaugural Gay Pride parade in 2003, and former mayor Sylvia Sutherland officially proclaimed September 13 as Gay Pride Day.

That year, around 300 people participated in the parade.

For 2024, plans are in the works for more than 25 community-run virtual and in-person gatherings that folks can participate in safely during Pride Week. Organizers said participants can wear masks at events to help protect themselves and others.

“Pride Week events will continue to provide space for participants to gather, share ideas, speak their minds, support each other, and have fun in a safe and accepting environment,” the release said.

The Pride parade this year begins at Peterborough City Hall, located at 500 George St. N., at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 28.

Taking place in Millennium Park following the parade, the annual “Pride in the Park” event will feature performers, family-friendly music, information booths from groups and agencies that support the queer community, vendors, a food booth and beer/beverage tent, and a family and children’s activity area.

Northumberland County residents and visitors can enjoy a pint for a purpose for a limited time.

The Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre Foundation is teaming up with the Ganaraska Brewing Company, The Thirsty Goose, and The Beamish House, all located in Port Hope, for “Hops for Hospice,” a fundraiser that supports hospice care through the purchase of a speciality beer.

When patrons raise a glass of Ganaraska Brewing’s “Port Hop” west coast pilsner, $1 from every pint sold and 50 cents from the purchase of each can will benefit the Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre Foundation.

Joel Scott, director of donor relations and communications for Community Care Northumberland and the Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre, said the organization is grateful for the Hops for Hospice fundraiser, which is being spearheaded by David Dines from Ganaraska Brewing Company.

“When David came to us with the idea, his passion for creating a community beer with Ganaraska Brewing Company, The Thirsty Goose, and The Beamish House, really excited us,” Scott told kawarthaNOW. “This is their third year running the fundraiser, and we are honoured to be this year’s recipients.”

“We’re incredibly grateful to David, the teams at Ganaraska Brewing Company, The Thirsty Goose, and The Beamish House, and our community for coming together to support Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre,” Scott added.

The Port Hop brew is described as a clean, crisp, and easy-drinking beverage.

Purchasing Port Hop helps the Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre Foundation continue to provide compassionate care for individuals and families in need, ensuring comfort and support during challenging times, a media release noted.

This year is significant for Ed’s House, as the care centre recently completed its expansion from a six-suite hospice facility to a 10-suite facility, fulfilling the original goal established by its visionary build team.

“This allows Ed’s House to provide even more compassionate care than ever,” the organization noted.

“This is a perfect way to wrap up the summer and kick off fall by enjoying a quality pint with friends and family,” said Trish Baird, CEO of CCN, in the release. “We’re grateful for the support from Ganaraska Brewing Company, The Thirsty Goose, and The Beamish House.”

“Plus, it’s a great opportunity to support local businesses in Port Hope that have been affected by the construction,” Baird added, referring to the rebuilding of Walton Street downtown.

The “Hops for Hospice” fundraiser will run until the Port Hop brew is no longer available, so Ed’s House invites residents and visitors to stop by the participating venues soon to support the cause.

The three participating businesses are located in Port Hope, with Ganaraska Brewing Company at 33 Mill Street South, The Thirsty Goose at 63 Walton Street, and The Beamish House at 27 John Street.

Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre is a hospice centre in Hamilton Township that opened in the fall of 2020. The centre provides a comfortable setting to receive palliative support from early family engagement and beyond at no cost to hospice clients and their families.

An integral service of CCN, Ed’s House acts as a centralized hub for CCN’s interdisciplinary hospice services team by providing caregiver support, palliative outreach and education, health system navigation, grief and bereavement support, in addition to resident hospice care.