The Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland (HKLN) Drug Strategy is recognizing June 26 as “Anti-Stigma Day,” in the hopes of decreasing the amount of stigma experienced by people who use substances.

The HKLN Drug Strategy is ultimately aiming to instead increase the amount of compassion and understanding extended towards people who use drugs.

In recognition of Anti-Stigma Day, the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough is hosting a community event with several other organizations on Wednesday (June 26) from 1 to 4 p.m. at Millennium Park, outside the Silver Bean Cafe, in Peterborough.

The goal of the event is to educate community members about the impact of negatives attitudes, beliefs, or behaviours about or towards a group of people because of their circumstances.

“We encourage everyone to be kind, and consider the language you may be using or encountering which can be extremely stigmatizing against those who use substances,” said Dane Record, chair of the HKLN Drug Strategy, in a media release about the event.

“Reducing the stigma associated with substance use is a huge goal for us and we commend the leadership and team at The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough for their active involvement each year.”

In addition to raising awareness, organizers aim to equip community members with tools to combat stigma.

“Addiction is not a choice,” the release noted. “It is a treatable medical condition, yet many people affected by addiction face stigma.”

Stigma includes discrimination, prejudice, judgment and stereotypes, which can isolate people who use drugs, the release noted.

“People struggling with addiction face discrimination and barriers to getting help.”

The HKLN Drug Strategy said the impact of stigma can result in the following scenarios:

• Lead a person to avoid getting help because they are afraid of judgment or getting in trouble with work, their loved ones or the law
• Cause a person to hide their drug use or use drugs alone
• Affect a person’s ability to find housing and jobs, which affects their health and quality of life
• Contribute to people who use drugs receiving a lower quality of care from the health care system when they access services.

The community event at Millennium Park features educational activities, listening and information sessions, giveaways, and games.

The HKLN Drug Strategy said community members can help by changing how they speak about drug use. Language choice has a direct and deep impact on people who use drugs. “Using kind words can make it easier for someone to speak up, to feel understood or to receive help.”

The group suggests the following strategies:

• Use “person-first language,” for example, say “person who uses drugs” instead of “drug user”
• Use neutral, medically accurate words when describing drug use
• Avoid slang such as “addict” and “junkie”
• Use language that shows care and concern, rather than judgment
• Speak up when you hear someone being treated or spoken to in a disrespectful way
• Use language that acknowledges and promotes the fact that recovery from addiction is possible and looks different for everyone.

The HKLN Drug Strategy suggests these additional ways to help reduce stigma: do not define any person by their drug use; be respectful, compassionate and caring towards those who use drugs; and educate friends and family by passing on facts and challenging stereotypes.

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough began hosting its annual Anti-Stigma Day community event in 2021, selecting June 26 because the day has been earmarked by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking” to support the so-called “war on drugs” through social media campaigns, information, and more.

According to the society, UNODC’s and similar campaigns “serve to further stigmatize and ostracize our peers who use substances, and the information put forward by campaigns like these can be harmful in many ways, which we unfortunately often see locally, at an alarmingly increasing rate.”

Canada continues to experience an opioid crisis, which has seen increases in hospitalizations and deaths due to heroin, fentanyl, and other opioids, according to Statista, a global data and business intelligence platform.

As of 2020, around 25 per cent of Canadians stated they felt opioid addiction, overdose, and death in Canada was a crisis, while 44 per cent believed it to be a serious problem. Almost 18 per cent of Canadians report that they have used an illegal drug at some point in their lifetime, according to Statista’s findings. For more information, visit www.statista.com/topics/4533/drug-use-in-canada/.

The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation has launched the public phase of a $60-million fundraising campaign — the largest ever in the hospital’s history — in response to system-wide health care challenges.

PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway announced the campaign at an event at the hospital on Tuesday morning (June 25), which was attended by donors, foundation and hospital leadership, and dignitaries including Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal and Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark.

With the tagline “reImagine. Health. Care.”, the campaign for PRHC is an effort to position the hospital to meet the demands of the changing health care system, including a growing and rapidly aging population, increased patient volumes, an increasing need for complex care, and increased rates of chronic disease and mental illness — all of which will require continued investment in PRHC, which itself is more than 15 years old.

“Our hospital is at a crossroads,” Heighway said. “Our hospital and the communities we serve are facing serious problems. We need creative, inspired, efficient solutions to tackle them. Without advancements in technology and increased capacity, we risk leaving our patients behind. Today, we choose to design our health care future.”

Led by a volunteer council that includes local philanthropist and PRHC donor David Morton and patient Jennie Ireland as campaign ambassadors, the campaign aims to empower a world-class standard of care at the hospital that allows people to continue to receive care close to home, to fuel innovation including new life-saving services, to attract top health-care professionals to work at PRHC, and to inspire and support solutions to critical challenges facing the hospital.

The focus of the campaign is to raise funds for substantial investments at the hospital in the areas of cardiac care, cancer care, minimally invasive surgeries, interventional radiology, and mental health and addictions services, as well as a physician-driven “innovation accelerator.”

According to PRHC president and CEO Dr. Lynn Mikula, the support of donors is critical to the success of the campaign’s goals.

“PRHC is a thriving organization that’s home to incredibly dedicated and compassionate professionals, but the present and future are not without their challenges,” Mikula said. “We simply can’t move forward without the partnership of individuals, families, and organizations who share our vision for this hospital and what we can achieve together.”

Dr. Heather Cox, PRHC vascular surgeon and a member of the PRHC Foundation board, also emphasized the importance of donors to the campaign’s success.

“Your generosity fuels innovation, enabling us to redefine patient care and bring cutting-edge treatments to our community,” said Cox, speaking on behalf of the hospital’s health care professionals. “By supporting our hospital, you keep patients closer to home, easing both financial and emotional burdens.”

“Your commitment not only enhances patient care with faster recoveries and personalized treatments, but also attracts top medical talent, enriching our ability to serve. Most importantly, your contribution is a catalyst for progress — a symbol of hope and dedication to improving health care for everyone we care for.”

For the past four years, the PRHC Foundation has been quietly working with donors to garner support for the campaign, with these efforts already raising an astounding $45.5 million.

“We’re thrilled to announce that, thanks to donor generosity, we have already achieved 75 per cent of our $60 million goal,” Heighway told the event’s attendees.

The funds raised to date have already supported completed projects such as upgraded cath lab suites, state-of-the-art CT scanners, a second MRI machine, the new Scotiabank Youth Eating Disorders Day Treatment Program, and ongoing renovations to enhance patient care facilities.

Future plans for funds raised through the campaign include projects such as expanding the hospital’s cardiac labs to include the introduction of electrophysiology, making improvements to the emergency department’s crisis response unit, establishing a hybrid operating room to treat vascular disease, and introducing digital pathology to expedite cancer diagnosis.

With another $14.5 million to raise during the public phase of the campaign, Heighway thanked existing campaign donors for their commitment to PRHC and the future of health care in the region.

“As we move into the public phase of our campaign for PRHC, your generosity will inspire others to join us,” Heighway said. “Together, we will confront health care challenges head-on, building on the momentum you’ve generated as we reimagine health care at PRHC and create a healthier, stronger community for all.”

For more information about the campaign and how to provide support, prhcfoundation.ca/the-campaign-for-prhc/.

A 22-year-old Peterborough man has died after being rescued from Little Lake late Sunday afternoon (June 23).

At around 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, police and first responders were called to Beavermead Park for a potential drowning incident.

Upon arriving, officers learned that three people had entered the water but only two got out.

The Peterborough Fire Services water rescue team subsequently located the missing man in the water.

Although he was resuscitated at the scene and taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre, he was pronounced dead at the hospital on Monday.

Police have not released the name of the victim.

Despite three councillors changing their mind, Peterborough city council approved a plan to assume responsibility for economic development and tourism services on Monday night (June 24), in the last regular council meeting until August.

During the meeting, council also passed a motion to encourage the federal and provincial governments to increase support for college boards.

While council debated both of these items, other items that were previously endorsed by council at its general committee meeting the previous Monday were approved without further discussion, including transferring responsibility for water operations and the Riverview Park & Zoo from Peterborough Utilities Commission to the city, and a new licensing system for taxi, limousine, and ride share services following the transfer of responsibility for these services from the Peterborough police to the city.

At Monday’s meeting, council discussed the plan presented by city staff to 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.

PKED announced it would be dissolving after the city — which provides most of the core funding to the non-profit economic development organization — decided it would not renew its funding agreement, leaving the organization with insufficient revenue to continue operating after December 31.

While councillors had voted unanimously to support the plan at the June 17 general committee meeting, three councillors — Joy Lachica, Alex Bierk, and Dave Haacke — changed their mind and their vote about the plan.

Haacke reiterated comments he made at general committee that the lack of serviceable land in a desirable location is at the root of Peterborough’s inability to attract large employers to the city, not the efforts of PKED.

“To (PKED CEO) Rhonda Keenan and their team, I think they have taken the brunt of something that I don’t think that they deserve,” said Haacke. “Last week, I didn’t agree that we were doing the right thing but I supported the outcome. This week I am going to change that. I am going to vote against the motion to move it in-house at this time because, as I said, I think just moving from A to B doesn’t add a lot to the conversation at this point. And I hope I am proven wrong.”

For his part, Bierk said he could not support the plan because he believes it sets the city along a “very strict and rigid path” — including naming the city’s tourism branding as ‘Experience Peterborough’ — which should instead be determined by the staff the city hires to deliver economic development and tourism services.

“I don’t find anything special about and necessarily groundbreaking about how this is being presented, even to the point where other municipalities have a plan like this, that looks extremely similar,” Bierk noted. “And when I say that, I think of Experience Brampton. It’s almost a carbon copy of what we’re being presented here.”

Lachica also said she was changing her original vote after having further conversations and upon more reflection. She also noted that she and Bierk toured PKED and she was “really impressed by the expertise and all that they have offered.”

“I feel torn about our loss of PKED, and I’m grateful and appreciate for the wake that they leave the City of Peterborough,” Lachica said. “We do need to look and hard with consultants on what is the branding that we need, what is the scope and array of expertise that we need to hire to make this template effective and efficient, because that is the purpose of bringing it in-house in the first place.”

The remaining councillors all indicated they would vote in support of the plan, including councillor Duguay.

“I might remind my colleagues that the County of Peterborough has also agreed to break away from economic development (PKED), and I don’t hear criticism of that entity as far as their intentions,” he said.

It should be noted that the county’s decision to take economic development in-house was not made independently of the city. The county’s decision to not renew its agreement with PKED only followed the city’s decision not to do so, as the county would not be able to provide sufficient funding to allow PKED to continue operations without the city also providing funding. The city’s core funding share for PKED in 2024 is $1,015,112, while the county’s core funding share is $790,038.

For her part, councillor Parnell — who was not present at the June 17 general committee meeting although she watched it online — acknowledged the issue of the lack of serviceable land was the main challenge for PKED in bringing large employers to the city.

“I do also need to speak up for (PKED CEO) Rhonda Keenan and her team,” Parnell said. “As part of the (memorandum of understanding between PKED and the city), she appeared before this council in these chambers, not just this term of council but previous, every time giving us solid data — which I know Mayor, you appreciate data — as to how many contacts they had, how much work they had done within tourism, how much work they had done to support local businesses that exist, how many new businesses they were helping to develop as well.”

“Of course, they were always looking for that big catch — the big business to attract to Peterborough to bring all the big jobs. And every single time, why haven’t we done that? And it was because we did not have the large piece of serviced land, so (Rhonda Keenan) couldn’t really bring that to us because we didn’t provide the facilities, the infrastructure, to accommodate that. That was a huge hang-up for their success in that area, but they certainly did very well in many other areas.”

Parnell also said the city will need the help of Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith and will need to work with partners such as Trent University, pointing to the city’s $12-million investment in Cleantech Commons at the university, which has yet to attract a single research company to build on that land, partly because of its location.

Parnell added that she was supporting the city’s plan, earlier implying that it is too late to reverse course, “but we need to get some results out of this.”

Councillors voted 8-3 to support the plan to move economic development and tourism in-house, with councillors Lachica, Bierk, and Haacke voting against it.

In relation to a motion from councillor Lachica about Fleming College’s decision to eliminate 29 programs, council began the meeting by hearing from four registered delegations that expressed concerns about the impact of the college’s decision.

Lachica’s motion calls for the city to encourage the federal and provincial governments to increase support to college boards, “by establishing metrics and direction around maintaining courses where cohorts offer a return on investment in the local economy, in small business and in filling jobs vital to a college’s immediate region.”

One of the delegations was Jamie Malloy, owner and president of Fraserville-based Iron Equipment, one of southern Ontario’s largest heavy equipment repair and service providers. Malloy, who himself graduated from Fleming College’s heavy equipment maintenance course in 1999, expressed his concern about the college’s decision to discontinue its Heavy Equipment Techniques and Generator Service Technician programs.

“From the perspective of someone who’s trying to cut costs, I can understand where the decision to cut this program may have come from,” Malloy said. “However, the return on investment to the community is something that the board (of Fleming College) did not consider, nor was the board provided with appropriate figures that demonstrate this information.”

On May 21, Malloy made the same presentation to Kawartha Lakes city council, which at that meeting passed a resolution similar to Lachica’s.

Councillors also heard from Mark Ryckman, manager of policy at the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, who expressed concerns about Fleming College’s decision to eliminate the Conservation and Environmental Law Enforcement and Fish and Wildlife Technology programs.

Nigel Lister, regional manager of market development at Cambium Inc., also spoke before council, expressing concerns about the impact of Fleming College’s decision to eliminate its environmental programs on the skilled workers that would be available to the consulting and engineering company, which specializes in the environment.

Councillors also heard from two Fleming College graduates who expressed their concerns that many of the programs eliminated by Fleming College were pathway programs to university, specifically mentioning the General Arts and Science – University Transfer Program, which the students stated has also been eliminated although it is not on the list of 29 programs.

Later in the meeting, council debated Lachica’s motion. Councillors Gary Baldwin, Duguay, and Parnell all spoke about their belief that Lachica’s motion was not within council’s jurisdiction and was questioning the internal decisions of Fleming College’s board, with Parnell noting the board did not request council’s support in advocating to the federal and provincial governments.

In response, Lachica outlined the economic impact of Fleming College on the local community and said city council’s role is to show leadership in issues that affect the local community.

“If that is not my responsibility as a municipal counsellor, I don’t know what it,” she said. “The economic health, well-bring, and life of this community is my responsibility, and one of the primary reasons I was elected … We don’t have to ask permission to advocate for our community.”

Councillor Matt Crowley (who voted against the motion at general committee) indicated he would support the motion after having several conversations with different people. Along with Lachica, Bierk, Riel, and Haacke spoke in support of the motion.

“I did support this last week and I continue to support it, particularly after hearing tonight from a lot of the local people, some of which I know,” Haacke said. “I don’t understand why we’ve spent a half an hour on this, really, when I think it’s that simple.”

In the end, Lachica’s motion passed 7-4, with Mayor Jeff Leal and councillors Baldwin, Duguay, and Parnell voting against it.

From working in the emergency department to practising community medicine and chronic disease management, Vlad Padure is bringing his experience from the city to a more rural setting at Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) in Lindsay.

RMH announced Padure is the new vice-president of clinical and chief nursing executive for the Kawartha Lakes hospital. Padure started his new role on Monday (June 24).

“Ross Memorial is thrilled to welcome Vlad to our hospital’s senior leadership team,” said RMH president and CEO Kelly Isfan in a media release.

“With his extensive and varied experience both as a frontline clinician and in leadership roles overseeing the effective and innovative delivery of services, we are confident he will be a tremendous asset to our organization and community.”

Padure hails from the Scarborough Health Network (SHN), where he served as director of emergency medicine, critical care, and respiratory services since 2021. In that position, he provided operational and strategic leadership to a network of emergency departments, urgent care clinics, and intensive care units spanning three hospital sites.

“I look forward to bringing my nursing experience, leadership, and passion for quality and efficient patient care to the organization and community,” Padure said.

“Through a commitment to system-wide partnerships, innovation, and consumer-centred service creation, I believe we can enhance the access and quality of health care for the community we serve. I am excited to get to work with my new colleagues and partners in joining RMH’s mission of delivering on the promise of a better health care experience.”

Padure has worked in several nursing roles and led a large portfolio of clinical programs across various academic and community organizations over the past two decades, the release noted.

His nursing career started at the Toronto Metropolitan University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in nursing and subsequent a Masters in nursing and primary health care nurse practitioner certificate.

He later expanded his management and nursing leadership by completing an executive master of business administration at the University of Fredericton.

Early in his career, as a clinician, Padure practised as a registered nurse in the emergency department in 2008 at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. He then shifted his clinical focus to community medicine and chronic disease management, working as a nurse practitioner at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital and Michael Garron for nearly a decade.

In 2017, Padure transitioned into an administrative leadership role at Humber River Hospital in Toronto where he eventually served as the program director for medicine and nephrology. He was also seconded to the Ontario Renal Network as the regional director with an Ontario health mandate to implement key strategic, quality, and regional service priorities for patients on dialysis.

He joined SHN in 2021 to lead the pandemic effort and post-pandemic workforce and service stabilization in the emergency department and critical care.

In Lindsay, Padure is taking the reins from Janice Raine, who joined RMH in February 2023 when Anne Overhoff, who had held the role for the previous 14 years, retired. Raine is also retiring in the near future.

Located in the heart of the City of Kawartha Lakes, RMH is an active, acute-care community hospital serving more than a combined 100,000 local residents and seasonal visitors.

Among its acute and continuing care services, RMH operates a 24/7/365 emergency department, a 15-station dialysis unit, and a level three intensive care unit. The hospital provides orthopedics, ophthalmology and general surgery, restorative seniors care, rehabilitation and palliative care. It offers a women’s health clinic and mental health programs. The most recent expansion at the hospital included the addition of an MRI service, allowing for a full range of diagnostic imaging at RMH.

For many years, the New Canadians Centre (NCC) in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough organized and hosted Multicultural Canada Day each July 1st, bringing together thousands of area residents for a celebration of the country’s rich cultural diversity.

However, buoyed by a commitment to walk alongside Indigenous peoples, celebrate their culture and knowledge, and heal and foster relationships between Indigenous people and settlers, NCC changed the focus of the annual celebration to reflect something much deeper. The result is an event that provides the opportunity to pause and reflect on Truth and Reconciliation, while forging a path forward.

On Monday, July 1st, NCC presents “Lessons from the Land” for a fourth year, running from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at the pavilion at Nicholls Oval Park at Armour and Parkhill roads.

The family-friendly day offers a number of programs and activities where people can learn about the culture and heritage of the original stewards and caretakers of Turtle Island and Nogojiwanong.

“The New Canadians Centre is an organization that helps newcomers to Peterborough,” notes Mauricio Interiano, the community engagement officer with the centre. “When you’re new to Canada, you’re very curious to learn everything about the country. We felt it was very important to provide opportunities for clients to learn what Canada really is, and to play an important part in Truth and Reconciliation.”

A native of Honduras, Interiano came to Canada and Peterborough in August 2010. He has since acquired a bachelor’s degree in international development and sociology from Trent University, and a master’s degree in international development with a specialization in migration from the Graduate Institute of Geneva in Switzerland.

“I didn’t know much about the history and legacy of residential schools until I went to Trent University and took some courses,” Interiano points out. “It’s important that the New Canadians Centre, as a settlement organization for newcomers to Peterborough, provide opportunities to learn about Indigenous culture, history, and knowledge.”

That said, Interiano emphasizes that Lessons from the Land has something to teach all who come out, not just those new to the city and region.

Lessons from the Land opens at 9 a.m. with Janet McCue, the lead singer with Curve Lake First Nation’s Wishkiigomang Hand Drummers, joined by her sister Linda.

They will be followed by Sarah Lewis, an Anishnaabe Kwe spoken word artist and activist who served as Peterborough’s inaugural poet laureate, reciting her poetry and setting a reflective and inspirational tone for the rest of the day.

At 9:30 a.m., a guided medicine walk, hosted by Canadian Bushcraft head instructor Caleb Musgrave and Diverse Nature Collective founder Patricia Wilson, will take participants for a nature-connecting trek through Nicholls Oval Park. Participation for the two-hour walk is limited to 35 people, and advance registration is required.

Also at 9:30 a.m., “Toppling Towers” will see TRACKS Youth Program staff host a collaborative game centred around the key components of a healthy ecosystem. Young participants will learn about the connection between Indigenous knowledge and the balance of critical environments, all while engaging in a fun game as they’re encouraged to think about their responsibilities to the land.

“Cedar Bundles” also begins at 9:30 a.m., with Jaida Prince, a Kiichi Siibi Niizi Mnidoo Anishinaabe youth from Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, leading a workshop on cedar, one of the four sacred medicines of the Anishinaabe people.

Participants will have the opportunity to sample cedar tea, explore the wisdom of the medicine wheel with a focus on cedar’s role, and harvest cedar. The workshop will conclude with the crafting of cedar bundles to take home.

Following a community lunch, which will be provided by Thomas Olszewski’s Curve Lake-based Grandfather’s Kitchen, the program continues at 12:30 p.m. with “Songs & Dances From The Land – Drum Teachings” hosted by John “Meegwans” Snake, an Ojibwe-Bodewadomi (Turtle clan) from Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia.

Currently living in Peterborough with his family, Meegwans has been a singer for more than 35 years and regularly serves as a master of ceremonies at powwows across Canada and the United States, sharing the teachings he received from his father and many adopted uncles and grandfathers.

Following a closing ceremony with the McCue sisters at 1:30 p.m., attendees are invited to stay for “Red Dress Pin Beading Circle” facilitated by Lesley Snake, a member of the Dakota-Ojibwe Nations (Bear clan) and a registered band member of Manitoba’s Birdtail Sioux First Nation.

Starting at 1:45 p.m., participants will learn about the cultural significance of bead work while creating a red dress pin — a symbol that honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls while serving as a reminder of the ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous communities. Participation for this two-hour workshop is limited to 35 people, and advance registration is required. All required materials will be supplied.

For those unable to attend the workshop, NCC has partnered with Cedarlilie Bead Shop, owned and operated by Abenaki and French-Canadian artist Dominique O’Bonsawin, to make red dress pin beading kits available.

Those interested can pick up a kit at the NCC at 221 Romaine Street after July 1st and follow O’Bonsawin’s YouTube tutorial.

VIDEO: Beaded Red Dress Pin Tutorial

Along with helping settlers learn about and reflect upon Indigenous culture and heritage, Lessons from the Land also provides an option for Indigenous people who may be uncomfortable participating in Canada Day celebrations that are “a reminder of the impact of colonialism,” according to Interiano.

“We respect that, and with a lot of respect, create space for them to present activities that are more centred to the work they do,” he explains. “Lessons from the Land has been very well received by the Indigenous people we have partnered with. They look forward to this. There’s a commitment now. They understand the importance of creating this space for all of us.”

“I like to use the term ‘cultural humility’ in relation to this event,” Interiano adds. “It’s an opportunity to be humble and to learn, approaching it with an open heart and an open mind. This is part of a journey of lifelong learning. We need to self-reflect, but also be aware of our biases and assumptions.”

On a personal level, Interiano is most excited about “being outside, connecting with the land and learning new things. I’ve gone to this event for three years and I’ve always learned something new. I appreciate the openness of Indigenous people creating space for us to learn new things about their culture, traditions, and connection to the land.”

For more information about Lessons from the Land, including a full schedule of events and registration links for the Guided Medicine Walk and Red Dress Pin Beading Circle, visit
nccpeterborough.ca/lessons-from-the-land/.

Founded in 1979, the New Canadians Centre Peterborough is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting immigrants, refugees and other newcomers in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, City and County of Peterborough and Northumberland County.

This branded editorial was created in partnership with the New Canadians Centre. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

Tony Tavares was spending time with his partner and a friend when they began kidding around about starting a Pride group in the small community of Norwood.

It turns out, they were on to something. Their conversation lay the foundation for the formation of Norwood Pride.

The group held its first event in 2017, and proceeded to continue hosting events, which now typically attract more than 200 people to the eastern Peterborough County community.

“My partner, Shane Hodge, and I were just hanging out with our friend, Braden Clark, and we jokingly said we should start a Norwood Pride,” Tavares, Norwood Pride board director and media officer, told kawarthaNOW.

“Once we’d said it, it started to sound like a good idea, so we went ahead and organized our first event.”

Norwood Pride is gearing up for its 2024 offering, which runs from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 14 at the Norwood branch of the Royal Canadian Legion at 27 King St. in Norwood.

The afternoon features a barbecue, cash bar, music, and performances and story time with Betty Baker, a professional drag performer, speaker, and storyteller from Peterborough.

It’s a family-friendly event for all ages, Tavares said, noting there will also be a children’s activity table on site.

Despite Tavares’ initial kidding about the concept of having Norwood Pride, the event serves serious purposes.

“Visibility is important in small towns for both young people coming out or discovering their sexuality, and for older LGBTQ+ residents who have previously felt isolated,” Tavares explained.

“Larger communities have community services specifically for LGBTQ+ people that are not available in smaller communities.”

“From our very first discussion on having a Norwood Pride, we felt that if there was one community member who felt safer, more seen, and accepted from seeing the community acceptance that has always been clearly present at our Norwood Pride events, then all our efforts would be worthwhile.”

Considering more about the function of Norwood Pride in the community, Tavares said its role may also be more disclosed.

“The reality is that we will never know the positive effects an event like this will have. If there is one person who doesn’t take their life because they realized they could find acceptance in their community, then that would be priceless. I’ve also had people over the years come up to me and say that they had never met a gay person, that they knew of, or been to a Pride event, and how much they had enjoyed it. Visibility is essential.”

Norwood Pride strives to always offer a small, community-focused event and Tavares said from his perspective, that’s still the case.

“We did not have Norwood Pride over the pandemic and our hope is to get people out in pre-pandemic numbers again — and to have fun.”

For more information about Norwood Pride, visit norwoodpride.ca.

This story has been updated to correct a misspelling of Braden Clark’s surname.

The shroud of mystery over just how the City of Peterborough will handle economic development after the dissolution of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) at the end of the year has been lifted a bit.

On Monday (June 24), Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith announced that the provincially funded Business Advisory Centre (BAC) — currently operated by PKED — will continue to provide services to small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs under the umbrella of Community Futures Peterborough (CFP).

MPP Smith made the announcement during the CFP’s annual general meeting at the new Canadian Canoe Museum.

With the existing agreement between the City of Peterborough, the County of Peterborough, and PKED expiring December 31, economic development and tourism services will be handled in-house by the city for the first time in 25 years, with the county making a similar move.

The city’s decision was unanimously endorsed by city councillors last Monday (June 17) at the committee level and is expected to be formally approved during the regular council meeting on June 24.

Until MPP Smith’s official announcement on Monday, it was unclear if and how the services of the Business Advisory Centre (BAC), offered as part of the province’s Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) program, would continue to be provided — although Peterborough CAO Jasbir Raina had revealed at the June 17 committee meeting that the city had committed to the province to have CFP deliver the service.

“We (the province) wanted to make sure that our community still has access to those (Business Advisory Centre) resources,” said MPP Smith. “We wanted to make sure those entrepreneurs who were coming forward, who needed that little bit of extra help, still had a centre in Peterborough to do that.”

MPP Smith made much of the “historic” nature of the arrangement.

“This will be very first Community Futures in all of Ontario that is entering into a partnership with the province,” he said. “They (PKED) had been running our SBEC program for a number of years. We had allocated $234,000 this year to come to Peterborough for that program. It’s had some fantastic results. There are so many companies that have gone through (BAC-offered) Starter Company.”

MPP Smith praised “the leadership” of CFP executive director Devon Girard and the CFP board in making the continuation of BAC services a reality.

“Community Futures is a federal program (funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario),” MPP Smith said. “The province has always had its economic development set up separate. This is the first time in Ontario’s history that those are being brought together. The leadership at Community Futures agreed to that and there will now be those two separate (funding) streams.”

Afterwards, Girard told kawarthaNOW that CFP is “thrilled” with the new arrangement that will see BAC services continued to be offered.

“We were able to present this solution to the province and have nothing but its full support to work with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development to ensure a successful transition,” she said.

“Our core focus is to deliver loans to entrepreneurs. In order to have a loan approved, you need a business plan. Entrepreneurs would traditionally work with the BAC team at PKED, develop a business plan and then come to us (CFP) for the funding portion. What we’re able to now offer, instead of two different doors across the hall from each other (at Venture North, where both CFP and PKED are located), entrepreneurs come in through one door.”

Asked if the CFP-hosted version of the BAC will retain any current BAC staff, Girard said there will be “an announcement soon on staffing.”

“We have high respect for the work that PKED staff have done and, in particular, staff of the BAC. I know all of them are looking at what their career opportunities could be but our organization would be grateful to have any one of them.”

According to a media release from CFP, both the city and county governments have also agreed to continue their financial commitment to support the BAC’s operation.

Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal also spoke Monday, shedding some light what’s behind the city’s opting out of its longstanding agreement with PKED to deliver economic development services.

“It’s no secret that our region needs more jobs and more economic activity,” he said. “Peterborough’s economy has lagged behind our peers in Ontario over the last number of years.”

“A recent study by the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Centre for Urban Research and Land Development showed that in the last few years, Peterborough ranked dead last in GDP growth among the census metropolitan areas in Ontario. Over that period, our GDP only grew by 15 per cent. Thunder Bay’s GDP grew by 27 per cent, Belleville by 38 per cent, Kingston by 40 per cent, and Brantford by 44 per cent.”

“A lack of economic growth has left the City of Peterborough with one of the weakest tax bases in communities like ours in Ontario. Our tax base is roughly 80 per cent residential and 20 per cent industrial/commercial, leaving the residential property taxpayers to shoulder a greater burden each and every year. If we don’t fix this in the near future, we’re going to hit a wall.”

While crediting PKED for “serving our region professionally and with dedication over 25 years” through the work “of outstanding people,” Mayor Leal said “We need a different approach to economic development — one that builds on the successes of PKED and bridges the gaps that have emerged.”

But MPP Smith told kawarthaNOW that the biggest roadblock to attracting new business to the region remains the absence of a “large swath of serviced industrial land.”

“That has been our challenge for the entire six years that I’ve been MPP,” he pointed out.

Further to that, he termed the dissolving of PKED “a shortsighted move.”

“PKED did not have a product to sell. You cannot bring a company of any substance if you don’t have a place for them to be. You can wash the windows all you want. If you don’t address the underlying problem, that problem will continue to exist.”

“It will be much more difficult to have two organizations (the city and the county) that are focused on their own entities instead of one organization (PKED) focused on working together collaboratively,” Smith added.

PKED was originally founded in 1998 as the Greater Peterborough Area Development Corporation, arising from the recommendations of the 1997 GPA 2020 A Vision For Our Future Report, which in part proposed a new regional approach to economic development in the City and County of Peterborough, creating a more efficient approach by consolidating the fragmented services being provided by six different organizations at the time, including the city and county.

MPP Smith warned that, unless the city and the county collaborate to address the lack of serviceable industrial land, the region will continue to miss out on major economic development opportunities.

“More than $42 billion has been invested in Ontario in the electric vehicle industry,” he said as an example. “That will stop soon because all of those major players have found their spots. We won’t have another opportunity like that for probably 40 or 50 years.”

“The county has land but it doesn’t have services. The city has services but it doesn’t have land. Both know they need to work together to make something happen. Sit down at the table and make it happen.”