The Ontario government is providing the City of Peterborough with $1,880,000 in funding as a “reward” for the city exceeding its 2023 housing target.

The funding comes from the Building Faster Fund, a three-year $1.2 billion program announced in 2023 that is designed to encourage municipalities to address the housing supply crisis by providing funding to municipalities that have reached at least 80 per cent of their provincially assigned housing target for the year, with increased funding for municipalities that exceed their target.

The announcement, made by the municipal affairs and housing minister’s parliamentary assistant Matthew Rae in Peterborough on Monday (March 11), is one of a series of similar announcements from the Ontario government over the past few weeks.

Other municipalities that have received funding to date through the Building Faster Fund include Toronto ($114 million), Brampton ($25.5 million), Milton ($8 million), Brantford ($3.1 million), Whitchurch-Stouffville ($2.6 million), St. Catharines ($2.3 million), Welland ($1.72 million), Belleville ($1.24 million), and Chatham-Kent ($440,000).

Municipalities can direct funding from the Building Faster Fund toward housing-enabling infrastructure and other related costs that support community growth.

In August 2023, the Ontario government assigned housing targets to 50 municipalities including Peterborough as part of a provincial plan to build at least 1.5 million homes by 2031.

Once the head of councils pledged to achieve their municipalities’ housing targets, they became eligible for the Building Faster Fund and were also given strong mayor powers, which include allowing mayors to propose housing-related bylaws and pass them with the support of one-third of councillors.

For the City of Peterborough, the provincial government assigned a total housing target of 4,700 by 2031, including a target of 345 housing starts in 2023, 392 in 2024, and 470 in 2025.

On January 12, the city announced it had exceeded the 2023 housing target by issuing permits to start construction on 435 housing units last year. However, according to the media release from the provincial government announcing the $1.88 million in funding for Peterborough, the city broke ground on a total of 506 new housing units last year.

In the age of social media, remote learning and work, and increasingly living online, it can never hurt to get a refresher on how best to interact with people in the physical world.

That’s why the Fleming College Student Administrative Council (SAC) in Peterborough has launched an educational series all about manners. Accessible through SAC’s social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, Manners with Muhammad is a series of videos educating on social etiquette in various public settings around campus.

“College is a big networking place and, with social development, this series on manners is going to build those relationships a lot easier,” says Jacques Graveline, SAC’s board chair. “If you’re an extrovert versus and introvert, you have to be able to connect somehow and manners are a good way to do that.”

In his role, Graveline represents the voice of the students at Fleming College and listens to suggestions and feedback directly. The non-profit corporation serves to meet the social and political needs of students by enhancing experiences through activities, events, and services.

“Part of our four pillars (of support and services) is social development,” says Graveline. “We’re always trying to build social cohesion and bring people together.”

To meet those goals, SAC has long since used their social media platforms as a means to educate the student body by creating and sharing videos on various topics of relevance. Recent topics, which are often suggested by students themselves, have included winter car safety and how to prepare meals to fight rising living costs.

“Bringing people together and creating that social network, a lot of the time, is not always easy for people,” says Graveline. “We found all these different ways to make it as easy as possible (for students) transitioning here.”

VIDEO: Episode 1 of Manners with Muhammad – Bus manners

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The titular star Manners with Muhammad is Muhammad Shaikh, a hospitality student and a “Face of Fleming” — one of many Fleming College students who have been nominated by their peers for contributing to the college’s successes.

As a regular volunteer for the “Street Team” at SAC — a collective of students who help promote events, volunteer at events, and assist SAC in delivering its services and programming — Shaikh has become well-known in the Fleming community, making him a great host to share tips for practising etiquette everywhere from on the bus to in the pub.

The first episode of Manners with Muhammad was inspired by conversations around how transit systems often vary from place to place, and oftentimes students who are not from Peterborough may have never ridden a bus before or are unaccustomed to the expected etiquette.

“There are a lot of first-time riders,” says Graveline, who, having grown up in a walkable town, knows firsthand how disorienting it can be to ride a bus for the first time. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from — when you’re a first-time rider, there’s so many things to get to know.”

With successive episodes expanding into conversations about behaviour in other public spaces, SAC communications and marketing coordinator Avery Morton adds that the videos include information that go even beyond manners to things that might seem like “common sense to us, but it’s not really common sense.”

Such conversations include things that can vary by culture, like the option to tip in a pub and which side of the stairs to walk on.

“It’s little things across different countries,” she says. “We drive on the right side, while others drive on the left. When walking past people, some people might think to walk on the left side, but in Canada, we would walk past someone on the right side. So little things like that we just like to add into our videos.”

VIDEO: Episode 3 of Manners with Muhammad – Pub manners

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But, as Graveline notes, the series is not meant to cater to one demographic of students, but rather are useful to anyone and everyone who may scroll past them.

“There’s a stigma that comes from these things, where people like to look at it as if it’s just for international students,” he says. “But this is something that’s for all students. Everybody’s learning.”

In the coming weeks, SAC will be looking for student suggestions for the next videos and segments in the series, with classroom manners coming up as the next topic, largely focused on where to be mindful of volume.

Even beyond Manners with Muhammad, SAC is brainstorming ideas for future educational videos and series topics, with plans to next focus on water safety as the ice melt and students are looking ahead to summer.

“We’re always thinking of topics,” says Morton. “There’s so much to learn.”

Follow Fleming College SAC on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest in the Manners with Muhammad series.

From psoriasis to suspected skin cancers, Municipality of Trent Hills residents with a variety of dermatological concerns can look to a clinic at their local hospital.

Campbellford Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Campbellford is opening a new outpatient dermatology clinic. The clinic will be operated by Dr. Ashley O’Toole, a Royal College-trained dermatologist from Peterborough.

The launch of the clinic is an important enhancement of dermatological health care services for the community, Heather Campbell, vice-president of patient care and chief nursing executive for CMH, told kawarthaNOW.

“The introduction of our new dermatology clinic marks another milestone in our ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive health care services right here at (CMH),” Campbell said.

“This clinic further expands our array of services, offering our community access to specialized dermatological care for a variety of concerns, including suspected skin cancers, without the need to travel to larger facilities,” Campbell noted.

The new clinic’s doctor brings with her “a wealth of expertise and experience,” having received her medical degree from McMaster University in Hamilton and completing her residency in dermatology at the University of Ottawa.

An adjunct professor at Queen’s University in Kingston, O’Toole is also a co-author of more than 25 peer-reviewed publications and has been involved as a sub-investigator for more than 90 clinical trials on conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, alopecia, acne, itch, glabellar lines, and vitiligo.

The clinic, scheduled to run on the first Friday of every month, will serve patients with a wide array of dermatological concerns including acne and rosacea management, rashes such as psoriasis and eczema, and suspected skin cancers.

“Dr. O’Toole is committed to delivering comprehensive and compassionate care to all patients referred to the clinic, ensuring that each individual receives the highest standard of treatment,” CMH noted.

The hospital encourages residents who need dermatological care to reach out to their health care provider about accessing the clinic. Referrals are already being accepted.

From beef to maple syrup, community members can bid on products from local farmers and support the farming communities in Peterborough and the Kawarthas at the same time by taking part in an upcoming auction.

Farms at Work and Peterborough 4-H have announced the first-ever online agricultural benefit auction sale, hosted by Jason McIntosh Auctions. Community members can register now as a bidder and bidding begins on Monday (March 11).

The purpose of the auction is to encourage appreciation of the local agricultural community.

Participants can bid on products directly from farmers. A portion of the proceeds will be invested locally to support young people and new farmers through Peterborough 4-H and Farms at Work.

“I have been thinking about how to run an auction to celebrate our agricultural community for some time,” said McIntosh, a beef farmer for more than 20 years, in a media release.

“I want to help create more understanding and connection between farms and the community they work for. I am hoping this auction can become an annual event and that the whole community will become involved.”

Online bidding runs through to March 19 at 6 p.m. To date, there are more than 100 items on which to bid, including a trail ride, gift certificates for local farms and stores, a tractor, and more. To check out the items for sale, visit the online auction site at jasonmcintoshauctions.hibid.com.

“Even if you haven’t participated in an online auction before, you will find it easy and fun.”

Meanwhile, farmers still have time to consign products in the sale.

Pat Learmonth, a member of the Peterborough Agricultural Roundtable, told kawarthaNOW “it seems there is a lot going on these days” in the local farming community. Farms at Work recently launched a new online tool to help farmers locate available farmland in the province.

For the auction, Learmonth said more details about the items available to bid upon will be shared soon.

“We hope to circulate a list of the farms and businesses that have submitted items to be auctioned early next week,” Learmonth said.

Farms at Work is a local non-profit working throughout the region for the past 14 years to help new farmers develop skills, find mentorship and access farmland.

Peterborough 4-H, which is part of the Ontario and Canadian 4-H programs, aims to help youth become leaders in their communities and positive contributors to society. 4-H is open to all youth across the province.

Peterborough city council will be meeting as general committee on Monday (March 11).

Following a closed session at 4:30 p.m., council will meet in council chambers at 6 p.m. for an open session.

Below is a summary of what’s on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

Cross border servicing

City staff will present council with a proposed amendment to the city’s official plan that would allow the city to extend municipal utility and water and sanitary sewer services beyond the city boundary on a case-by-case basis.

The amendment would allow municipal water and sanitary sewer services to be extended to developments in the townships of Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield and Otonabee-South Monaghan.

Canadian Canoe Museum

Canadian Canoe Museum executive director Carolyn Hyslop will provide an update to council on the new museum at 2077 Ashburnham Drive.

The museum’s official opening is planned for the weekend of May 11.

Update on modular housing community

City staff will present a report to council on the modular housing community that replaced the tent encampment on Wolfe Street last November.

Constructed at a cost of almost $2.5 million, the fully fenced site includes 50 modular homes, a separate bathroom unit, 24/7 security, and an indoor community space at 210 Wolfe Street with a kitchenette and laundry facilities. Dinner is provided daily for all people living on the site, who also receive personalized care plans that support individual goal-setting related to stabilization, maintaining housing, employment, and health.

“In the initial 10 weeks, there have been minimal issues on site, with only four emergency service calls, demonstrating improved site stability compared to encampment scenarios,” the report states in describing “promising early successes” at the community. “People who moved into the community quickly adapted to their new homes, showcasing positive mental and physical improvements within days.”

In terms of neighbourhood impact, the report notes that there has been “an observable positive change in the Wolfe Street neighbourhood” and that the community liaison committee has indicated the neighbourhood “is feeling tidier, quieter and safer.”

City staff estimate the operating costs of the modular community are around $2 million annually. As council approved the project to operate for two years (until November 2025), city staff will provide council with a report in the first half of 2025 with recommendations on next steps.

Deferral or forgiveness of Innovation Cluster loan

City staff will present a report responding to a request from the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas that the city defer or forgive an outstanding loan of $162,945.03.

The report, which includes a statement from the Innovation Cluster describing the economic benefits to the community that would result if the city were to forgive the loan, provides council with options for either deferring loan payments of forgiving the loan entirely.

If council decides to forgive the loan, city staff suggest the unbudgeted expense in 2024 of $162,945.03 be drawn from the existing future assessment loss reserve, which has a balance of $268,955.

Design and contract administration consultant for new Peterborough police facility

City staff will present a report recommending that Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd. of Kingston be appointed as the prime consultant for the Peterborough Police Station renovation design and contract administration. This includes the proposed new police administrative facility to be located at 1421 Lansdowne Street West as well as the existing police station located at 500 Water Street.

The fee to be paid to Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd. would be eight per cent of the estimated $3.2 million construction cost, or $416,000.

“Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd. is familiar with the existing police station at 500 Water Street and has provided other police station designs in the past, the work being proposed builds upon the work previously done,” the report states.

City staff are recommending that Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd., which was the same consultant the city hired in 2018 to evaluate the existing police facility and new space requirements, be hired without a non-competitive procurement process.

Contract renewal for Ontario Works client file digitization

City staff will present a report recommending that the contract with Nimble Information Strategies Inc. for the digitization of files for Ontario Works clients be renewed for an additional three years at a total cost of $232,818.

Cost-shared between municipalities and the Ontario government, Ontario Works provides money for food, shelter, and other costs to people in financial need who meet the eligibility criteria. A part of an electronic data management project to reduce paper files, with the goal of eliminating the need to store and pay for file storage off site, the province is supporting the digitization of files for Ontario Works clients.

“The digitization project with Nimble has been underway since the summer of 2020 and the company has performed as expected,” the report states. “Staff’s recommendation is to renew the agreement with Nimble for an additional three years as listed as an option in the 2020 agreement.”

“The extension of the project is necessary as the original estimate provided by the Province of the number of records to be digitized under the prescribed legislation was significantly underestimated and the initial contract was delayed as it was initiated during the pandemic.”

Delegated authority to deem events as “municipally significant”

City staff will present a report recommending that the city’s commissioner of community services be provided with delegated authority to deem events located at the Peterborough Memorial Centre and surrounding grounds as “municipally significant,” which would allow private organizations to sell specialized alcoholic products at that location.

Organizations that wish to sell alcoholic products at events are first required to obtain a public special occasion permit from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). These permits are limited to charitable and not-for-profit events that benefit the public at large or to events that are deemed as “municipally significant.”

A municipally significant event is defined as one that has local, regional, national or international historical or cultural significance, builds awareness of diverse cultures, or benefits the community at large.

The report states that, while the Peterborough Memorial Centre hosts around 50 special events each year, most do not sell alcohol products. However, an event scheduled to take place there in April (the “Peterborough I Heart Beer & Taco Festival”) will be selling alcohol products and must be deemed as municipally significant to proceed.

Applications to AGCO for a public special occasion permit must be accompanied by either a municipal resolution or a letter from a delegated municipal official designating the event as municipally significant. In the past, municipally significant designations would have been made by council resolution.

The report also recommends that, if other municipal facilities receive requests to host events that require a municipally significant designation, organizers be redirected to the Peterborough Memorial Centre or grounds to host the event.

You can view the full agenda with attached reports on the City of Peterborough website. Items endorsed by general committee on March 11 will be considered by council for final approval the following Monday. Council meetings are streamed live on the city’s website.

The City of Kawartha Lakes and the City of Peterborough collectively prevented 12,211 kilograms of batteries from ending up in a landfill last year.

Both municipalities are receiving recognition for their environmental efforts from Call2Recycle Canada.

Call2Recycle, a not-for-profit organization for battery collection and recycling in Canada, has presented the City of Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes with “Leader in Sustainability” awards for 2023. Both communities participate in the Call2Recycle program.

In Peterborough, residents diverted 4,241 kilograms of batteries from the landfill in 2023 by using the municipality’s battery collection options, which target ensuring the environmentally responsible disposal of and reuse of the materials, a media release noted.

“Thanks to your contributions and support of valued partners like you, Call2Recycle increased collections by 32 per cent in 2023, diverting almost six million kilograms of batteries from landfill,” Call2Recycle stated in its award notification to the city.

Meanwhile, Kawartha Lakes collected 7,970 kilograms of household batteries through the Call2Recycle program in 2023, making it one of the program’s top-performing partners, noted a media release from Kawartha Lakes.

The Leader in Sustainability award is granted each year to organizations that display exceptional commitment to the environment and responsible battery management.

“Each year, Canadians recycle more and more of their used batteries with Call2Recycle, thanks to the ongoing partnership of organizations like the City of Kawartha Lakes,” said Joe Zenobio, president of Call2Recycle Canada.

“This partnership speaks to a real commitment to sustainability and makes a significant difference, The support we receive from Kawartha Lakes helps us achieve our mission of maximizing battery diversion from the waste stream, which in turn protects wildlife, the environment and our communities.”

Kawartha Lakes said its proud to be named a 2023 leader in sustainability.

“Recycling batteries properly and keeping them out of our landfills is very important to us from both an environmental and sustainability perspective,” said David Kerr, manager of environmental services for Kawartha Lakes. “A big thank you goes out to our residents for supporting our battery collection program and helping us work towards our goal of diverting all used batteries from our landfills.”

In Kawartha Lakes, the spring curbside battery collection occurs this month. The municipality will be collecting used batteries curbside from March 18 to 21 on residents’ regularly scheduled collection day.

To dispose of used batteries properly, Kawartha Lakes asks residents to place the batteries inside a clear, re-sealable bag and leave it on top of their fibre recycling materials. The bag of batteries should be at the curb by 7 a.m. For more information, read the municipality’s March 18 to 21 battery collection reminder.

In Peterborough, batteries can be dropped off for safe disposal at the household hazardous waste depot at 400 Pido Rd. and at these locations throughout the city:

• City Hall, 500 George St. N.
• Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St.
• Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.
• GreenUP Store, 378 Aylmer St.
• Kingan Home Hardware, 167 Simcoe St.

Businesses that are interested in becoming a City of Peterborough battery diversion drop-off location can contact Shivaan Burke, circular economy municipal services coordinator, at sburke@peterborough.ca for more information.

Call2Recycle is Canada’s leading organization for battery collection and recycling, fulfilling product stewardship obligations on behalf of over 400 members, including producers of single-use and rechargeable batteries.

Since its inception in 1997, Call2Recycle has diverted over 45 million kilograms of batteries from Canadian landfills.

Call2Recycle powers “Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!”, which is a household and e-bike battery collection and recycling program. Residents can check out recycleyourbatteries.ca for more information on battery recycling, including the 10,000 drop-off locations across Canada that accept batteries for recycling.

A teenage girl is facing an assault charge for allegedly stabbing a teenage boy in Peterborough early Thursday afternoon (March 7).

At around noon on Thursday, police officers were called to the parking lot of St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church at Hilliard Street and St. Pauls Street after reports of a disturbance involving a large group of youth.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers learned that a 15-year-old boy had been stabbed.

The boy was taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre with non-life threatening injuries.

After an investigation, police arrested and charged a 15-year-old Peterborough girl with aggravated assault.

The accused teen was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on March 25.