A local employer has joined the chorus of concerns being expressed in the wake of Fleming College’s recent decision to suspend 29 programs.

In a release posted April 30 on its website, Fraserville-based Iron Equipment — one of southern Ontario’s largest heavy equipment repair and service providers — says the “discontinuation” of the college’s Heavy Equipment Techniques and Generator Service Technician programs, in particular, will result in “the loss of a channel for skilled workers in the heavy equipment industry.”

Attributed to Iron Equipment president Jamie Molloy and service manager Kyle Irwin, the statement notes that, according to Employment and Social Development Canada, skilled tradespeople “are in demand more than ever” with some 700,000 Canadian skilled trades workers expected to retire by 2028.

“A large majority of our current technicians are graduates of Fleming College technician programs,” they add, noting a “shortage of skilled labour could potentially lead to delays in repairs, increased costs and decreased efficiency for many businesses.”

On April 23, staff and faculty of the affected programs were notified of the Fleming College board of governors’ decision to cut them.

The following day, college president Maureen Adamson, in a prepared statement, confirmed that action, referencing “significant external events that have had an adverse effect on our college.”

She pointed specifically to the federal government-imposed cap on the number of international students coming to Ontario and the elimination of educational partnerships with the private sector.

“The related significant reduction to our budget has had a profound impact on college operations,” noted Adamson.

In response, the presidents of two OPSEU/SEPFO union locals that represents Fleming faculty and staff told kawarthaNOW that the programs’ suspension “are not simply a result of the federal cap on international students,” noting the culprit is “a significant and systematic underfunding of our public post-secondary institutions by the provincial government.”

But in their statement, Molloy and Irwin write “one would question whether the decision to suspend these programs is based on fiscal returns to the college, and if the fiscal return to the community has actually been considered.”

Noting Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes “is one of the fastest growing regions in Ontario,” they write there will be an effect on the pace of local development.

“With the large increase in infrastructure, there is a great need for technicians who can keep machinery in working condition so that these projects can continue unhindered. If these projects cannot continue and are slowed down, we will very quickly see our local economy begin to give way.”

Molloy and Irwin add those from this region seeking post-secondary education and training as heavy equipment technicians will be forced to move away for programs offered at Centennial College in Scarborough, Cambrian College in Sudbury, and Boréal College in Timmins — the only other Ontario post-secondary institutions offering heavy equipment technician programs.

That, they add, may contribute to “a brain drain effect” as “talented individuals leave the region in search of suitable programs elsewhere.”

In closing, Molloy and Irwin write it is “essential for local community, industry stakeholders and government representatives to come together and explore potential solutions.”

They further suggest “collaboration involving educational institutions, industry associations and local heavy equipment and generator repair companies” to “identify alternative training programs, apprenticeship opportunities or funding sources to support the development of a skilled workforce in the heavy equipment industry.”

Meanwhile, not one but two online petitions initiated by Frost Student Action, a group of students attending Fleming’s Lindsay campus, are gaining traction.

One petition, titled ‘Reverse Program Suspensions At Fleming Frost Campus’, had, as of Thursday afternoon (May 2), collected 2,628 signatures since launching April 26. It can be found at change.org/p/reverse-program-suspensions-at-fleming-frost-campus.

The plan is to present the petition to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Fleming College’s board of governors, and the college’s administration.

The second petition, titled ‘Re-Instate Environmental Technician/Technologist Programs At Fleming College,’ got a later start, launching April 28 at change.org/p/re-instate-environmental-technician-technologist-programs-at-fleming-college. To date, it has seen 46 people sign and comment.

On Thursday, Iron Equipment also launched its own petition, titled ‘Reinstate Heavy Equipment and Generator Technician Courses at Fleming College’, at
change.org/p/reinstate-heavy-equipment-and-generator-technician-courses-at-fleming-college.

As for Fleming College’s response to the negative reaction to its decision to suspend the 29 programs, President Adamson wrote a memo this past Wednesday (May 1) addressed to ‘All Staff’ in response to “conjecture and misinformation regarding the recently announced decisions to suspend some program admissions for the fall of 2024.”

“Please note the following facts,” she writes in the memo, which was supplied to kawarthaNOW by a faculty member, and lists the following bullet points:

• Frost campus is NOT closing. In fact, the intention is to grow applied research at Fleming College through this campus, as well as related programs.
• Fleming continues to be among the colleges that deliver the highest number of environmental related courses in Ontario.
• Of the 29 suspended programs at Fleming for admission in fall of 2024, some have low projected domestic enrollment, others have zero projected domestic enrollment, and other programs are no longer financially sustainable with enrolment levels that do not cover the cost of delivery.
• Fleming continues to offer almost 100 programs to current and prospective students.
• Fleming College plans to grow in areas such as applied research (noted above) health care, and other programs that meet local and provincial needs.

“Any program suspension decisions rest with the authority of the Board of Governors of Fleming College,” added President Adamson, before speaking to how the board’s decision was communicated.

“Immediately following the board decision on April 23, we communicated the information to the unions. We then felt it was prudent to meet with the program faculty and program support staff to inform them of the decision and our commitment to our students through the teach-out periods. Key stakeholders were also contacted.”

Liz Mathewson, the president of OPSEU/SEPFO Local 352, which represents full-time and partial load faculty at the college, and Marcia Steeves, the president of OPSEU/SEPFO Local 351, which represents full-time and part-time college support staff, have told kawarthaNOW they were both “shocked” by the announcement of the programs’ suspension.

“Both union locals were advised only an hour prior to management’s meetings with faculty and support staff (on April 23) where they were notified of the fate of their programs,” they wrote in a statement.

“We have not seen this level of program cuts in decades and we view it as unprecedented. We fear other colleges will follow Fleming’s example, and inappropriately jump to cutting programs without engagement, transparency and collaboration.”

As for potential faculty and staff job layoffs, both union local leaders say that’s anyone’s guess at this point.

“Until the college engages with the union locals in transparent discussions and provides the full evidence used to make these decisions, we will not know the full impact to faculty,” wrote Mathewson, with Steeves adding “We cannot predict the impact to employees (but) we do know that our most precarious employees, our contract faculty, will be impacted the hardest.”

Mathewson and Steeves met with Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles on Tuesday (April 30) during her visit to Peterborough to discuss the Fleming programs’ suspension — cuts that come less than a year after 13 programs were suspended prior to the start of the current school year.

Watch kawarthaNOW for more updates to this story as they become available.

Municipality of Trent Hills residents seeking a primary health care provider locally can now join a patient roster list with the Trent Hills Family Health Team (THFHT).

With a doctor and a nurse practitioner (NP) slated to arrive in the community in 2024, the THFHT is accepting applications from people in Trent Hills and the broader Northumberland County area.

“It is an ongoing process as we build patient roster lists for a new full-time NP starting soon, and a physician joining us later this year,” Delayne Donald, executive director of the THFHT, told kawarthaNOW. “The applications have been coming in at a fairly steady pace.”

Within the next six to eight months, THFHT expects to be opening two new practices at its Campbellford clinic and aims to ensure everyone in the area who needs a primary care provider has filled out an application.

In February, Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini announced that expansion funding had been awarded to THFHT to service unattached patients in the area. THFHT is now in the process of hiring a fifth NP who will open a full-time practice at the Trent Hills Medical Clinic, located at 119 Isabella St.

THFHT also applied to Practice Ready Ontario to link with internationally educated physicians and is currently in the process of working through the program with the applicants who have applied to work in Trent Hills. So far, THFHT has recruited one internationally educated physician, with an estimated start date of late 2024.

“We have been in conversations with the physician applicants and our plan is to announce the opening of one additional physician practice shortly,” said medical director Dr. Paul Williams in a media release. “We have yet to determine a firm start date, but we anticipate opening this practice towards the end of 2024.”

Practice Ready Ontario is a provincial program that recognizes the competency of internationally trained physicians who have experience in family medicine or as a general practitioner outside Canada. The program provides a 12-week clinical field assessment in a designated Ontario community.

Successful candidates complete a three-year return of service as a family physician with preceptorship from partner physicians and support from experienced teams.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a robust team and community in Trent Hills,” Williams said. “We have a lot to offer to both physicians and nurse practitioners who might be opening their first practice in Canada or recently graduated from a program.”

NP Samantha Dalby said the THFHT has “an excellent track record of attracting and retaining physician and NP residents.”

“Once people see what a great team and system we have they are very impressed,” Dalby said. “We have many team members who came to THFHT as students or residents 18 or 20 years ago and are still working at THFHT.”

THFHT currently has six physician-led and four nurse practitioner-led practices operating out of clinics in Campbellford, Warkworth, and Hastings. The team also includes registered nurses, registered practical nurses, mental health workers, and administrative professionals. The team currently provides primary health care services to more than 11,400 patients.

Residents who have not yet completed an application to become a patient in a THFHT practice can download an application form from trenthillsfht.ca/patient-application.

Priority will be given to applications that hail from people whose primary residence is in Trent Hills and who don’t have a health care provider (a physician or nurse practitioner) or they have a health care provider located more than 50 kilometres from their home.

Patients with a primary residence in Northumberland County who do not have a health care provider or have a health care provider more than 50 kilometres from their home will be treated as the second priority.

Finally, applications from people residing outside of Northumberland County who don’t have a health care provider or have a health care provider more than 50 km from their home “will absolutely be considered and offered spots if we have them,” the THFHT noted.

An Ontario police officer who lost his life in the line of duty 96 years ago in Peterborough will have a bridge dedicated in his name on Friday (May 3).

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) commissioner Thomas Carrique will participate in the bridge dedication ceremony for provincial constable Norman F. Maker late Friday morning at the Peterborough Drill Hall / Armoury National Historic Site of Canada at 222 Murray Street in downtown Peterborough.

Born in Devonshire, England in 1896, Maker was a decorated soldier who served with the British expeditionary forces during World War I and came to Canada in 1920. He joined the Oshawa police service and was a detective with the Canadian National Railway prior to his appointment to the OPP in 1922, starting at the Belleville detachment and moving to the Peterborough detachment in 1924.

OPP commissioner General Williams chose Maker as one of the two officers to act as special escorts to the Prince of Wales during the official opening of the new International Peace Bridge on August 7, 1927 between Canada and the United States.

On May 3, 1928, Maker and the local provincial officer responsible for enforcing the Ontario Temperance Act were called to the Montgomery House Hotel in response to a report of a man threatening people with a gun.

Originally passed in 1916 to prohibit the sale of alcohol in the province, the Ontario Temperance Act was overturned in 1927 with the passage of the Liquor Control Act — which also established the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) — but drinking in public establishments remained illegal until seven years later.

When the two officers arrived at the hotel and confronted the suspect, he admitted he had a gun and would give it to them, and then ran up a flight of stairs to his room. As the officers followed up the stairs, the suspect emerged from his room, pulled out his concealed revolver, and fired point blank at the two officers.

As the officers retreated down the stairs, the suspect pursued them and fired again, hitting and killing Maker and wounding the other officer. After the suspect fled, the Peterborough police chased him and, as he was attempting to shoot the officers, was fatally shot.

Maker was 32 years old and married with two daughters, one three months old and the other three years old. At the time, he was the third OPP officer killed in the line of duty.

On Friday, May 24th, downtown Peterborough will turn into a sea of red as dozens of people “Walk a Mile” in support of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton.

Nestled within that crowd will be Team Scotia, a crew that in the past decade has walked more than a few miles — while wearing high heels — for the non-profit organization.

“We’ve seen such a great need in our community for the support they provide and jumped on it right away,” says John D’Altoe, the branch manager for Scotiabank Kawartha Centre and captain of Team Scotia. “We are in a position that we can make a difference in people’s lives, so it is important to do so.”

A popular community event, “Walk A Mile In Their Shoes” takes participants from Confederation Park on a walk around downtown Peterborough with the goal of raising $20,000 in support of women, children, and gender-diverse people experiencing gender-based violence.

With the option to sign up individually or in a team, registered participants are given T-shirts and many often strut the mile in red high heels to literally embody the event’s title.

Before taking a four-year hiatus in 2020, the walk raised almost $1 million over its 11 years. D’Altoe guesses that Team Scotia has been participating since the year it was first held.

“It’s definitely something we’ve missed as a community,” says D’Altoe. “Unfortunately, COVID-19 took a lot of those community events away from us for a period of time and organizations had to shift gears and find different ways to fundraise.”

“However I think there’s so much excitement around this event, and the number of people who participate is fantastic. It’s just nice to be out and visible for the people that we’re trying to support and whose lives we’re trying to make a difference in.”

Between the two Peterborough Scotiabank branches and the teams at ScotiaMcLeod wealth management, the goal is to raise $2,500, with the financial institution promising to match all donations up to a maximum of $15,000. Team Scotia is already one-fifth of the way to their goal, with several weeks left to fundraise before the event.

“Having many people as part of our team in the community raises that awareness because they’re trying to get more donations and they’re talking to more people about it,” says D’Altoe, noting Team Scotia might consider sending a challenge to another financial institution.

“Hopefully other businesses in the community will raise that awareness to their teams about how they can make a difference at home,” he adds. “We’re hoping to make a good impact in the community and support the YWCA with that.”

This year, the event’s name has been changed from “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” to “Walk A Mile In Their Shoes” with the intent of being more inclusive, while also hoping to encourage more men to participate in the walk.

“Through COVID-19, it’s even more prevalent the abuse that individuals are taking, whether it’s women, children, or gender-diverse individuals,” D’Altoe says. “And by standing up and showing support for these individuals, we’re showing that people care and that’s the important thing.”

As active community members, Scotiabank staff swap their heels for an exercise bike every year when participating in the SunLife Ride to Defeat Diabetes event in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) — another event they have been participating in for more than a decade.

“Allyship is a key priority for us and so is welcoming different perspectives, ideas, listening and engaging thoughtfully,” D’Altoe says. “It’s just part of our everyday lives at Scotiabank. We make a commitment to take meaningful action, so anytime we can take an active role in making a difference in other people’s lives, that’s part of it.”

While donors can sponsor individual participants or a team, all funds raised for “Walk A Mile” will go towards YWCA’s Journey of Care, a term encompassing all the signature programs and services offered by the organization for those fleeing gender-based violence, from the Crossroads Shelter to the START program and everything in between.

“The way the community has embraced this event speaks volumes to the city that we work and live in,” D’Altoe adds.

On event day, D’Altoe will take to the streets of Peterborough — hopefully with a realized goal of $2,500 — to walk alongside other members of his team and the community in support of the YWCA, while at the same time doing his best to walk in red high heels.

“The only time I wear them is during the walk,” says D’Altoe, pointing out it’s been a few years since he’s walked in high heels. “I haven’t mastered them and I’m probably out of shape when it comes to that, so my feet will hurt immensely once we’re done.”

While many participants choose to walk in red high heels as a symbol of their support for women experiencing gender-based violence, the footwear is entirely optional, although wearing red shoes is encouraged. That said, high-heeled red shoes will be available to participants on a first-come, first-served basis and can be picked up the week before the event along with T-shirts.

D’Altoe still has a few weeks to master the art of high-heel walking, and donors have a few weeks to make their donations to Team Scotia or to register their own team at walkamilepeterborough.com.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of Walk A Mile In Their Shoes.

Northumberland Hills Hospital’s youngest patients are expected to benefit from the addition of new neonatal monitors to the west Northumberland hospital’s maternal child care unit.

The Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) Auxiliary recently announced its donation of $207,000 would support the purchase of four new neonatal warmers for the Cobourg hospital.

“The NHH Auxiliary board made the selection from our priority capital equipment list,” noted Jennifer Gillard, vice-president of patient experience, public affairs, and strategic partnerships for NHH.

“They were drawn to the opportunity to support a specific need in a particular department, and we are very grateful,” Gillard told kawarthaNOW.

During post-delivery, neonatal warmers can play an important role to help care providers monitor a newborn baby’s body heat, vital signs, oxygen saturation levels, and weight. The warmers can also support resuscitation efforts in critical cases, NHH noted in a media release.

These new neonatal warmers are equipped with state-of-the-art advanced technology that aligns with the latest neonatal resuscitation program guidelines.

“By ensuring that our equipment is up to date, we can continue to make positive strides and advancements in the type of care provided for everyone, at any age in their care journey,” said Dr. Erin Pepper, maternal child care department chief, in a media release.

“It’s an incredible contribution to our growing maternal child care program. Our teams are excited about the many enhanced features available through the new (neonatal) warmers, which will greatly benefit our maternal child care patients.”

The auxiliary’s donation, reflecting dollars raised from the fiscal year just concluded, marks its largest contribution since 2017 and the third largest donation in its 100-year history.

“We are grateful for the tremendous fundraising efforts of the NHH Auxiliary, whose support in purchasing four new (neonatal) warmers has been instrumental in fulfilling one of our main strategic priorities, accountable care, which focuses on harnessing the power of technology, information, and innovation to improve experiences, efficiency, and outcomes, including quality and safety,” said Susan Walsh, NHH president and CEO.

The vast majority of the auxiliary’s fundraising efforts this past year have come from sales through their two retail operations, the Little Treasure Shop in NHH’s main foyer, and Petticoat Lane, an offsite thrift store operated by the auxiliary at 25 Munroe St. in Cobourg.

“The opportunity to raise funds for four new (neonatal) warmers has been a milestone achievement for the NHH Auxiliary,” said NHH Auxiliary president Selena Forsyth.

“This donation is reflective of the auxiliary’s continued efforts to raise funds for NHH and the exceptional commitment of our volunteers, who always rise to meet every new fundraising goal.”

Forsyth offered a special shout-out to Dale Hodge, volunteer co-ordinator of The Little Treasure Shop, and Marilyn Routly, volunteer coordinator of Petticoat Lane.

“Without their leadership and the dedication of the retail operations teams, volunteers, and all who support, this goal would not have been achievable,” she noted.

A 22-year-old Niagara region man and two male teenagers from the GTA are facing charges in connection with a housing unit takeover in Peterborough on Tuesday evening (April 30).

A housing unit takeover is a situation where people have moved into a home and are manipulating and endangering the legitimate tenant or homeowner.

At around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, police officers were conducting a well-being check at a residence at 850 Fairbairn Street, a 36-unit townhouse located between Parkview Drive and Highland Road that is operated by the Peterborough Housing Corporation.

After officers knocked on the door, a 24-year-old Oshawa man with a gunshot wound to his leg came out of the residence. Emergency medical services treated the victim at the scene and he was then taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for surgery and treatment.

Police learned there were more people in the home, and deployed the emergency response team, canine unit, and the remotely piloted aircraft system unit.

Officers then cleared the residence, arresting three people and seizing 28.5 grams of fentanyl and an unspecified amount of Canadian currency.

A 22-year-old St. Catharines man has been charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm, possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking (suspected fentanyl), and possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $5,000 (money believed to be a result of drug trafficking).

A 16-year-old Whitby youth faces the same charges, as well as a charge of failure to comply with an undertaking. A 15-year-old Ajax youth has been charged with unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm.

All three of the accused are being held in custody and will appear in court on Wednesday (May 1). Police will remain at the scene until the investigation is completed, although they say there are no other suspects and no concern for public safety.

Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts and detective sergeant Josh McGrath held a media conference at the scene on Wednesday afternoon (May 1).

Betts noted that none of the accused have criminal records, although the 16-year-old Whitby youth is currently on bail with conditions for a charge of robbery with a firearm. He said the victim of the shooting is also not from Peterborough and, while that Oshawa man has no criminal record, he is also on bail for a charge of robbery with a firearm and drug trafficking offences.

“Last night’s shooting was a case of violence brought to our city, not violence originating in our city,” Betts said, reiterating that this incident was a housing unit takeover and that anyone who feels victimized or vulnerable should report it to the police, either directly or through Crime Stoppers.

VIDEO: Media conference – May 1, 2024

According to Peterborough-based organization A Question of Care, housing unit takeovers appear to be increasingly gang related and can involve drugs, guns, and human trafficking. They often target vulnerable people. In January, Peterborough police arrested three people in two separate housing unit takeovers.

This is the second shooting incident in the past week at a housing complex operated by the Peterborough Housing Corporation.

Last Friday (April 26), a 32-year-old Peterborough man died of a gunshot wound at the Sunshine Homes housing complex at 572 Crystal Drive. After that incident, police arrested 37-year-old Geoff Riley of Peterborough and charged him with second-degree murder and attempted murder.

“I’d just like to stress again that these shootings are targeted events,” Betts said, pointing out that the victims and perpetrators in both shootings were known to one another. ”

“They were not random acts of violence in our community, and I think that’s important for our citizens to hear and our citizens to know.”

Betts also stressed this incident was not a home invasion, but a housing unit takeover where the people involved in the incident had some kind of relationship with a person or persons living in the residence.

This story has been updated to include updated charges against the accused, and information from the media conference held by Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts.

This year’s Peterborough Butterfly Run, held on Sunday morning (April 28) at Millennium Park, has raised over $92,000.

Organized by GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation in partnership with the Partners in Pregnancy Clinic with support from sponsors, the annual run raises awareness and funds to support families and individuals who have experienced loss during pregnancy, the loss of a child, or infertility.

Over 1,000 people participated in the event, which included a one-kilometre run fun for kids, a one-kilometre memorial walk, and a five-kilometre chip-timed run/walk. The event also featured a photo booth, ‘butterfly boutique’, a DJ, and a stilt walker in a butterfly costume.

“It was great to feel the fellowship, support, and comradery of the crowd, which is what the event has always been about,” says Vince Bierworth, executive director of GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation, in a media release. “No matter what format the event has taken, there are so many that support its mission. For that we are very grateful.”

The top three fundraising teams were Macks Pack, The White Family, and Team Bene’s Buddies. The top three individual fundraisers were Stephanie Sutton, Rebecca Mcevoy and Cally White.

Funds raised at the annual event have been used across the city and county of Peterborough to provide ongoing specialized education in perinatal bereavement care to health care providers and to establish more than 10 lending libraries for individuals and their families

Funds from the Peterborough Butterfly Run are also used to develop bereavement kits for individuals and families who experience early and later pregnancy loss and infant loss.

Since 2018, more than 800 bereavement kits have been created for health care providers with the Peterborough Family Health Team, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, local physicians, and mental health clinicians. Assembled and distributed by volunteers, the kits contain comfort items, memorabilia, and grief support.

Proceeds from the event also support future Peterborough Butterly Runs.