Peterborough city council has endorsed a pilot program this fall that would see One City Peterborough hire people facing challenges with employment to clean streets in the downtown core.

At its general committee meeting on Monday night (August 24), council voted 10-1 in support of the pilot project, which would see the City of Peterborough provide $25,000 in existing waste collection and operations funding to One City.

The eight-week “Community Stewardship – Clean Streets” pilot program would focus on the blocks surrounding the Trinity Community Hub at 360 Reid Street, which One City operates as a low-barrier overnight shelter and day program with city funding, as well as the downtown area bounded by Hunter Street, Charlotte Street, Park Street, and Water Street.

Pilot program revives earlier downtown cleaning and gardening initiatives

“The program would create opportunities for individuals facing barriers to traditional employment, including people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, to contribute directly to the betterment of the neighborhoods and public spaces where they live, spend time, and connect with community,” reads a report from municipal operations commissioner Ilmar Simanovskis.

“Through visible, supervised work, participants would play an active role in creating cleaner, safer, and more welcoming shared spaces while building positive connections with residents, businesses, and community organizations.”

According to the report, the city’s investment of $25,000 will be one-time seed funding to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model. If the pilot project has positive results, city staff would work with One City to identify additional areas where the program could be used and would seek contributions from local businesses, organizations, and others as potential funding sources.

The pilot program is similar to the “Clean Team” program launched in 2018 as an initiative of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) in partnership with the Warming Room Community Ministries, which merged with Peterborough Reintegration Services the following year to become One City Peterborough.

The 2018 program saw 13 people with various barriers to employment hired to help clean the downtown core during the summer, along with a pair of outreach workers to reach out to vulnerable people in the area. Team members with cleaning carts swept sidewalks, picked up litter, removed old posters from lampposts, safely disposed of discarded needles, and completed other small cleaning tasks.

In 2019, the DBIA issued a new request for proposals for its downtown streetscape maintenance contract, with a request that proposals include a social enterprise component. In January, the DBIA awarded the contract to Clint’s Property Maintenance in partnership with One City Peterborough.

Along with street cleaning, the program’s aim was to help people with barriers to employment to get back into the workforce, including connecting team members with local employment agencies and potential employers.

The program later expanded in 2020 to include the “Green Team,” a DBIA-funded partnership with One City Employment and Clint’s Property Maintenance where a seasonal gardening team cared for patio planters, flower pots, and other green spaces throughout the downtown.

Neither program is currently operational due to lack of funding.

‘An investment in downtown cleanliness and low-barrier employment’

“For $25,000 from the existing waste diversion operating budget, we’re going to test this model again for eight weeks,” said Town Ward councillor Alex Bierk at Monday night’s meeting.

“Two supervised crews will work in the area surrounding Trinity and throughout a larger section of the downtown doing litter cleanup, sharps collection, beautification, public space maintenance, and identifying maintenance and safety concerns.”

Bierk added that he considers the pilot program as “an investment in downtown cleanliness and low-barrier employment.”

Councillor Keith Riel said he was concerned about duplicate funding, saying he encountered a team from One City in July that was cleaning in the neighbourhood around Trinity. City staff said that One City is responsible for cleaning around the Trinity site, but the pilot program is a formal way to begin integrating One City’s efforts into the larger community.

‘It’s a disaster from a garbage perspective. It’s gotta be cleaned up’

In his remarks, Mayor Jeff Leal said he received a call from a business owner on Charlotte Street earlier this summer and, after visiting the location, was “shocked” to see the amount of waste in the area, “including human waste,” on many of the properties in the area.

“It’s a disaster from a garbage perspective,” the mayor said. “It’s gotta be cleaned up.”

In response to a question from Gary Baldwin about the lack of cleanliness at the Trinity site, commissioner Ilmar Simanovskis noted that some of what is perceived as “garbage” is actually the belongings of people who are using Trinity because that have no place to store them.

Councillor Kevin Duguay said he originally was not going to support the program, but recalled an encounter with a young man at the Wolfe Street modular bridge housing community whose job was to do cleaning around the site. He said the program could provide meaningful employment, and also noted the improvements the city has made to waste collection by removing the fee for large item pickup. He said that, if the program is successful, it could be expanded to the area around Brock Mission.

‘Why are we paying people to clean up their own mess?’

After councillor Joy Lachica spoke in support of the program, councillor Lesley Parnell acknowledged the issues with waste in the downtown area, but raised concerns about paying One City for the pilot program.

“People that need to be acknowledged, and I have heard this very strongly out in the community, is that they are outraged at the thought of paying the people who are actually making the mess,” Parnell said.

“There is no incentive for them not to make the mess in the beginning, and I think that’s the comments out in the community. They’re saying ‘Why are we paying people to clean up their own mess? They should not make the mess in the first place.'”

Parnell’s comments were interrupted by shouting by Peterborough resident Margie Sumadh, who has spoken often at city council about housing and homelessness. Councillor and general committee chair Andrew Beamer asked Sumadh multiple times to leave the public gallery before she was escorted out.

Parnell continued in her remarks, noting that her issue is not with the pilot program itself, but with One City being involved in the program.

“This (report’s recommendation) will pass, but those people need to also be acknowledged, that they are upset and a lot of them will not come downtown because of this situation.”

Councillors voted 10-1 to endorse the report’s recommendations, with only councillor Beamer voting against it.

Items endorsed by general committee will be considered by council for final approval on Monday (August 31), when registered delegations will be heard.

Council meetings are streamed live at www.peterborough.ca.

This story has been updated with the vote at the August 31 council meeting.

Fleming College and Scarborough Health Network are partnering to offer tuition-free training aimed at strengthening Ontario’s healthcare workforce.

The project, scheduled to begin in winter 2027, will train 80 new personal support workers and provide specialized rural and remote community training to 30 registered nurses and registered practical nurses.

Led by Scarborough Health Network, with Fleming College serving as the training partner, the project is supported by a $2.2-million investment from the Ontario government’s Skills Development Fund Training Stream.

“This partnership brings together Scarborough Health Network’s healthcare leadership and Fleming College’s expertise in applied, career-focused education,” said Fleming College interim president Dr. Theresa Knott in a media release.

“By removing financial barriers and providing learners with practical training and comprehensive supports, we are creating more accessible pathways into rewarding healthcare careers while responding directly to workforce needs across Ontario.”

Delivered through Fleming College’s continuing education department, the project will offer accelerated personal support worker training and a rural and remote nursing micro-credential.

Personal support worker participants will complete 12 weeks of theory-based instruction followed by a 300-hour paid work placement. The accelerated program is intended to help students acquire the knowledge and practical experience needed to enter the workforce quickly.

Registered nurses and registered practical nurses enrolled in the micro-credential will take three asynchronous courses concurrently over 14 weeks, developing the specialized skills needed for providing care in rural and remote settings.

Tuition will be free for eligible participants, and personal support worker students will also receive payment for their work placements. Stipends and other supports will also be available to help eligible participants overcome financial and personal barriers to completing their training.

“Building a strong and sustainable healthcare workforce means creating opportunities for people to enter the field and supporting current professionals as they expand their skills,” said Scarborough Health Network president and CEO David Graham.

“Together with Fleming College, we are helping more people access healthcare training while preparing personal support workers and nurses to meet the needs of patients and communities.”

Recruitment will focus on eligible domestic applicants, with targeted outreach to women, newcomers to Canada, racialized people, and members of underserved communities. The training may be offered through multiple cohorts to provide flexible starting dates and appropriate learning supports.

Applications for the first cohort are expected to open in fall 2026.

Eligibility requirements, schedules, and application details to be posted on Fleming College’s website at flemingcollege.ca/continuing-education/courses.

All training funded through the project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2027.

As the fall municipal election in Peterborough approaches, residents are asking candidates hard questions about their most pressing issues — including the governance structure of the city’s ward system.

While councillors represent constituents in their individual wards, they make decisions on issues that affect the entire city, including residents who do not live in their wards. Some residents, including at least one incumbent councillor, have expressed support for transitioning to an at-large system, where all voters are represented by all councillors. Advocates say this model prevents councillors from making decisions based solely or largely on the interests of their own constituents.

Municipal elections across Ontario will take place on Monday, October 26. As residents of a single-tier municipality, Peterborough voters will elect a mayor, two city councillors in each of the city’s five wards, and school board trustees.

With the nomination period closed as of Friday (August 21), seven candidates have filed their nomination papers seeking the mayor’s chair: Michael Eamon, Rob Hailman, Brian Lumsden, Jacob Méthot, Neil Morton, incumbent councillor Keith Riel, and Rebecca Schillemat. The day before nominations closed, incumbent mayor Jeff Leal announced he would not be seeking re-election.

Meanwhile, seven incumbent councillors have already begun their campaign for re-election. With 21 first-time or repeat candidates fighting to take their roles, each seat will be hotly contested.

As part of a multi-story series on the Peterborough municipal election, kawarthaNOW has already asked registered candidates in each of the city’s five wards to introduce their campaigns by answering three questions — why they are running, what the biggest challenge is in their ward, and what makes them a unique candidate for councillor — and has published their responses verbatim: Ward 1 (Otonabee), Ward 2 (Monaghan), Ward 3 (Town), Ward 4 (Ashburnham), and Ward 5 (Northcrest).

PDF: City of Peterborough Ward Boundary Map
City of Peterborough Ward Boundary Map

kawarthaNOW has now contacted all registered ward candidates to ask for their position on key election issues, including the question “Explain your understanding of and position on the role of ward councillors as neighbourhood advocates versus city-wide representatives.”

kawarthaNOW asked each of the ward candidates to respond in email, and is publishing their answers verbatim with no editing. Responses were not received by publication date from Jessica Correa (Ward 1 – Otonabee), Andrew MacGregor (Ward 4 – Ashburnham), or Charmaine Magumbe and Debbie Halstead (Ward 5 – Northcrest). Jessica Correa has since withdrawn from the race. Charmaine Magumbe, Andrew MacGregor, and Lucas Graham provided responses after publication.

kawarthaNOW has reached out to Aris Metaxakis, a Ward 2 – Monaghan candidate who registered after kawarthaNOW sent its questions to candidates, and will include his answers to the questions if he responds.

Ward 1 – Otonabee

Kevin Duguay

As a Ward Councillor, one of my roles has been to respond to Ward residents, business owners and others varied ideas, concerns and interests. This meant communicating same with City Staff, ensuring follow-up and where appropriate actionable outcomes.

This will continue as part of my serving as a member of the next City Council.

I also recognize that all Council decisions need be considerate of the entire Community. This has been my consistent practice and same would be maintained as part of my next City Council term.

Lucas Graham

A ward councillor has two responsibilities, and I don’t think they can really be separated.

Otonabee residents elect their councillors to know the ward well: to be accessible, understand local issues, follow up when something isn’t working, and bring that context to the Council table.

But councillors don’t govern five separate cities. Every vote on housing, transit, infrastructure, taxes and services affects Peterborough as a whole. I don’t think it’s responsible to win something for one ward by simply pushing the cost or the problem onto another.

My job would be to represent Otonabee’s needs clearly while making decisions with the whole city in mind. When those interests conflict, I would explain the trade-off, show residents how I reached my decision, and be willing to stand behind it even when it isn’t the answer everyone in the ward wanted

Lesley Parnell

There is a balance here. The people in the ward elect us and we are to be the ward experts and help our citizens with their neighbourhood concerns. Once at the council table, councillors need to take a city-wide view to make the best decision for the greatest number of people possible throughout the city. There is no way to please everyone with each decision. This is why we do city wide master plans as opposed to looking at very specific areas only. A full view and vision are the way to go for the greater good.

Chris Potter

A ward councillor has to do both.

You’re elected by a specific ward, so you have a responsibility to be accessible to those residents and bring their concerns forward. If someone has an issue on their street, in their park, or with a city service, they should know who to contact and trust that they’ll be heard.

But once you’re at the council table, you’re also making decisions for the whole city. You can’t only think about your own ward. You have to understand how one decision affects other neighbourhoods, the city budget, and the long-term direction of Peterborough.

To me, the job is to bring a strong ward perspective to city-wide decisions. If you lose sight of either side of that, you’re not doing the job properly.

Ward 2 – Monaghan

Matt Crowley

A councillor has two responsibilities, and I don’t believe they’re in conflict.

First, I was elected to represent the people of Monaghan Ward, which means listening to residents, helping solve local issues, and making sure their voices are heard whenever decisions affect their neighbourhood.

At the same time, every vote I cast affects the entire city. Whether it’s the budget, infrastructure, housing, or economic development, those decisions don’t stop at the end of the Monaghan ward boundaries, because those decisions affect every resident in Peterborough.

For me, being a good ward councillor means bringing the perspective of my residents to the council table and it means making decisions that are in the best long-term interest of Peterborough, even when those decisions aren’t always the easiest.

My job is to ask good questions, understand the facts, listen to residents, and make decisions that strengthen Peterborough as a whole. In the long run, that’s also the best way to serve Monaghan Ward.

Ashley Flynn

A ward councillor is elected by their neighbourhood first, so their primary responsibility is to listen to and advocate for the people who put them in office. If you have a question, I should be there to listen and respond in a timely manner. I should be reporting the residents and business owners’ concerns, and ensuring that they feel like they are being heard.

At the same time, every decision around the council table affects the entire city. It’s important to understand the needs of your ward while making decisions that are fair and beneficial for Peterborough as a whole.

To me, those two responsibilities go hand in hand. I’ll be a strong voice for Monaghan Ward while always considering what’s best for the long-term success of our entire community.

Rose Kitney

Advocacy, listening, open communication and responsiveness is key to strong representation in a ward. Councillors need to respond to inquiries and ensure concerns and priorities of constituents are brought forward and addressed.

As for city-wide representation, a councillor has one vote at the table therefore decisions must be based on the best interest and priorities of the city as a whole while considering the needs of their individual ward. It is very important that a councillor does so in a fully informed, well researched and knowledgeable manner. In other words, councillors need to do their homework prior to any decision made. The implementation of a well researched, forward thinking Strategic Plan will assist in responding to constituent concerns.

Jen Lacey

I believe a ward councillor has two equally important responsibilities: to be a strong advocate for the residents of their ward and to make decisions that are in the best interest of Peterborough. These are responsibilities that compliment each other when done effectively.

My first responsibility is to listen to the people of Monaghan Ward. Residents are the experts of their neighbourhoods. They understand the opportunities, challenges, and priorities where they live, and they deserve meaningful engagement before decisions are made. My role is to ensure that they have the opportunity to use their voice at City Hall and to keep them informed about issues that affect their community.

As a councillor, I am a member of a team. We need to work together, regardless of disagreements because your safety and well-being is paramount regardless of what ward you live in. Decisions about budgets, infrastructure, housing, economic development, and public services affect all residents. As your city councillor, there will be times where I must look beyond ward boundaries, consider the evidence, weigh the long-term impacts, and work collaboratively with my council peers to make decisions that strengthen Peterborough. While doing so, I will keep you informed every step of the way.

I bring a collaborative approach to leadership. My experience in social services has taught me the value of bringing people together, listening to different perspectives, and finding practical solutions that work for everyone. That same approach is needed at City Hall, and there has been times where that does not happen.

Effective representation means building a bridge between neighbourhood concerns and city-wide priorities. When residents are part of the process and Council makes thoughtful, balanced decisions, we build trust in local government and create better outcomes for the entire community.

AJ Shearer

Being a ward councillor is about representation and helping shape the future of our community.

First, my job would be making sure the residents of Monaghan Ward are heard around the council table. This means everything from helping resolve issues with roads, parks and service concerns to making sure residents have a voice when discussing how growth and investment will occur across the city and in the ward.

The other part of the job, which goes hand in hand with representation, is making decisions that move Peterborough forward. This involves everything from committing to projects to budget adjustments and policy changes. The best councilors recognize that these responsibilities aren’t in conflict, they complement each other.

By representing the priorities of Monaghan Ward while supporting responsible growth and investment throughout the city, I hope to help build a Peterborough stronger than I found it.

Ward 3 – Town

Alex Bierk

I don’t think these responsibilities are in conflict. There has always been a balance between advocating for your Ward and making decisions that are in the best interest of the entire city. I hope the next Council recognizes that a strong downtown isn’t simply a Town Ward issue — it’s essential to Peterborough as a whole.

Jenni Cathcart

As a Town Ward councillor, my priority is to show up for the people in my ward — and not just those who voted for me. That means being accessible, listening to neighbourhood concerns, and making sure the Town Ward’s voice is heard at the council table. Residents deserve a Councillor who understands their issues and advocates specifically for them.

But the reality is that City Council decisions often extend beyond ward boundaries. A vote on transit, housing, or economic development affects the whole city. I believe residents expect their councillor to think about the well-being of Peterborough when those bigger questions come up.

From my perspective, the two roles aren’t in conflict if you’re honest with people about which lens you’re using and why.

Jessica Kuhlmorgen-Hille

Ward Councilors, to me, are people who call that Ward their home, and the people they represent, are their neighbours. Councilors have the duty to be the liaison between City Hall and the citizens. They are the eyes, ears, protectors, and advisors of the Ward in which they serve.

To speak on city-wide matters, I would think that the Ward Councilors would do so with the will of their constituents at the forefront of their minds. Ward Councilors have direct experience in the area they represent and when on council, speaking, can bring that knowledge forth, along with the other Ward Councilors and their knowledge, to make informed decisions based on the combined input of each Ward’s constituents’ wishes.

Joy Lachica

As a Town Ward councillor, I’ve treasured the opportunity to build relationships in the nucleus of this city. Wards create a proximity and closeness of community which has its strengths. However, I’m convinced that an “at-large”, or, at least a hybrid system of governance would serve our municipality in a more holistic and strategic way than our current ward system. While wards have unique profiles and needs requiring representation and voice, the ward template can also create a scenario of separatism around “whole city” issues, defaulting to NIMBYism in the face of geographic decisions requiring equitable solutions. Of course, we are sensibly and logically ward advocates as ward councillors. But, I believe that each of us around the horseshoe are city-wide representatives first.

Nigel Lister

After speaking with many of the downtown business owners it is clear they need and want a voice to represent their issues. It is simply impossible for businesses to openly air their opinions because of the potential backlash of those who don’t agree with their point of view. Because of this I believe, for at least Town Ward, we need a focus on neighbourhood advocacy for the businesses. That being said we do need to start acting more like the medium sized city we are which requires a city-wide approach. Thinking more collaboratively across the board should create more prosperity everywhere within the City.

Ward 4 – Ashburnham

Gary Baldwin

Councillors are elected by a Ward system. As such, my first priority is my constituency work. I deliver the best possible service to Ashburnham ward residents as I can. We are also city councillors and make decisions that impact the city as a whole. When making decisions at council, I will continue to bring a constructive, collegial voice to the council table and a councillor who debates respectfully with an eye on the issues that benefit Ashburnham and the city as a whole.

Ashley Bonner

I see the role of a ward councillor as both a neighbourhood advocate and a city-wide decision-maker. Those responsibilities are not separate to me; they are connected.

As a councillor, you don’t only vote on issues within your own ward. You vote on decisions that affect the entire city: budgets, housing, roads, transit, planning, infrastructure, policing, parks, climate action, and community services. That means you have a responsibility to understand the bigger picture and make decisions that are fair, informed, and responsible for all residents.

At the same time, you are elected by the people in your ward, and you have a duty to bring their voices, concerns, and lived experiences into those city-wide conversations. I believe you cannot make good decisions for the whole city if you lose touch with what people are experiencing in their own neighbourhoods.

For me, the role of a ward councillor is to be a bridge between Ashburnham Ward and City Hall. It means advocating strongly for the needs of our neighbourhoods while also recognizing that every vote has an impact beyond ward boundaries. My goal would be to make decisions that serve the city as a whole, while ensuring that the people of Ashburnham Ward are heard, respected, and not forgotten in the process.

Andrew MacGregor

It requires a certain amount of accountability to let a Ward elect you to faithfully represent them and fairly the rest of the city. The Ward system unfortunately rewards councilors for NIMBYism, but it is entirely the Ward’s advocate’s responsibility to raise the concerns of their neighbours, while weighing out the pros and the cons of decisions that will adversely affect them.

Jason Stabler

As a ward councillor your priority should be the representation of the people who elected you but you also need to work collaboratively with other city councilors to build a better city, because the city belongs to us all. Most of us, while we live in one ward, work, shop or engage in recreation in other parts of the city. So while a ward councillor should focus primarily on addressing neighborhood level issues they also need to have a city wide perspective in making decisions that affect us all.

Ward 5 – Northcrest

Andrew Beamer

When you take your oath of office during the Swearing-In Ceremony, you take your oath as a City Councillor, not a Ward Councillor. It is important for City Councillors to have a vision for the entire City and make decisions that are in the best interest of the entire City.

As a Ward Councillor, it is important to advocate for your Ward and work with your Council colleagues and city staff to achieve results for the Ward and to ensure that your constituents concerns are heard and addressed. As a Northcrest Ward Councillor, I have been committed to engaging my constituents to achieve stronger outcomes that move Northcrest Ward forward. As Northcrest Councillor, I have worked to improve public engagement and consultation through Town Hall Meetings (topics included: On-street Parking, Rooming Houses, Participatory Budgeting, Sports and Recreation, Green Bin/Waste Collection Services, Community Safety); multiple Community BBQ’s and Northend events; and several Virtual Town Halls. If re-elected, I will continue to listen, consult, collaborate and engage with the residents of Northcrest Ward through different forums to ensure that their issues are addressed and that results are achieved.

Phillip Jolicoeur

I believe a ward councillor has to do both.

Ward 5 residents deserve someone who knows their neighbourhoods, listens to their concerns, follows up, and speaks up for them at City Hall. Whether the issue involves speeding, development, parks, property standards, infrastructure, or community safety, residents should feel confident that their councillor is paying attention.

At the same time, once elected, a councillor is responsible for the whole city. Decisions involving housing, transit, policing, homelessness, economic development, and the city budget do not stop at ward boundaries. What happens in one area can affect residents everywhere else.

My approach would be simple. I would advocate strongly for Ward 5 while making decisions with the entire city in mind.

That also requires honesty. Sometimes the best decision for Peterborough may not be the most popular decision in one neighbourhood. Residents may not agree with every vote I make, but they should always understand why I made it and know their concerns were heard.

A strong Ward 5 depends on a strong Peterborough.

Paul Lawton

A ward councillor has both responsibilities.

First, a councillor must know the ward, listen to residents, understand local concerns, and be accessible. Ward councillors should be neighbourhood advocates. They should notice local problems, ask hard questions, and make sure residents are not brushed aside.

But councillors also vote on city-wide decisions. That means they must consider the good of Peterborough as a whole, not only the immediate pressure of one neighbourhood or one interest group.

The right balance is to bring ward-level knowledge to city-wide decision-making. A councillor should ask: how does this affect my residents, how does this affect the city, what are the costs, what are the trade-offs, and have people been properly heard?

Charmaine Magumbe

The role of ward councillors means listening to residents, understanding the issues on their streets, and speaking up for the needs of that ward-making sure to defend the ward’s interests at Council. They should focus on neighbourhood concerns like roads, parks, traffic, development, and local services, and ensure the ward is not overlooked. For example, there are concerns about road safety around the school in the Northcrest ward, and I would advocate for traffic calming and police speed enforcement in the school zone.

Another example I am hearing at the doors is the need for a third space for all ages. I would advocate for a third space in Northcrest Ward, since there are plenty of other community meeting places in other parts of the city.

My role as a councillor also involves representing city-wide interests. I would need to think about what is best for the whole municipality while keeping ward concerns in check, balancing my ward’s concerns with those of the city. For example, using the Carnegie Fire Hall for an overflow shelter during the winter months: many in the ward are not pleased to use this facility for shelter purposes because of safety concerns. However, there is a need to use it for this reason, and I must balance my ward’s concerns with the city’s need for overflow shelter.

As a Peterborough councillor, I support using the Carnegie Fire Hall for 2026/2027. To relieve some of the safety concerns of Northcrest residents, I would organize a town hall meeting as soon as possible regarding the emergency shelter at Carnegie Fire Hall, working with my fellow Northcrest councillor to bring together Northcrest residents, Peterborough Police, staff from the Brock Mission — those who would be responsible for operating the shelter — City social services staff, and other authorities involved in maintaining community safety.

This town hall would allow residents to share their concerns, ask questions, and receive clear information. My main concern is the safety of Northcrest residents, and I would make sure their questions and concerns are addressed at the meeting with these service providers.

Gavin Muir

I see a ward councillor’s core job as being the voice that ensures their neighbourhood is genuinely heard at the table — while still exercising sound judgment on issues that affect the whole city. Those two roles are usually complementary, not competing. Northcrest residents I’m speaking with are often raising concerns about the state of downtown and the city as a whole in the same breath, because the two aren’t really separate in people’s minds.

Where these roles come into tension is when residents feel decisions are being made around them instead of with them, which is exactly the dynamic I want to change. That starts with better communication and genuine listening, not just consultation as a formality. It also means council itself has to model that value: recent changes to our procedural by-law have reduced speaking time and tightened the rules around debate, in the name of efficiency rather than better decision-making. Efficient meetings matter, but not at the cost of full discussion on issues that affect people’s lives.

Jim Wasson

As ward councillors the number one goal is to listen to constituents and bring their concerns to Council. Council members then collaborate to make decisions that will benefit the community as a whole.

kawarthaNOW has reproduced written responses from candidates verbatim. Any errors, factual or otherwise, or any use of AI-generated content originate with the candidate.

This story was updated on September 1 to include a response from Town Ward candidate Nigel Lister, who filed his nomination papers after the story was originally published.

This story was updated on September 10 to include a response from Northcrest candidate Charmaine Magumbe.

This story was updated on September 18 to include a response from Ashburnham Ward candidate Andrew MacGregor.

This story was updated on September 24 to include a response from Otonabee Ward candidate Lucas Graham.

Families, friends, and supporters of people lost to drug-related deaths in Peterborough and across the world are recognizing 25 years of calling for better care for people who use substances.

“We have been at this for 25 years, yet people are still needlessly dying,” said Aizha Pollock, manager of harm reduction at Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN), in a recent interview with kawarthaNOW.

The 2026 theme for International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is “25 Years On. Still Needed.”

August 31 gathering at Millennium Park will remember those lost to drug-related harms

IOAD was first recognized in Melbourne, Australia in 2001 and is now recognized in over 40 countries annually on August 31 as a day both of remembrance and prevention advocacy.

In Peterborough, IOAD was first recognized in 2016 but the event gained momentum in 2018 with the support of local mother Gail Parry and Canadian advocacy and support network Moms Stop the Harm.

“What began with one mother’s grief grew into something much larger. Gail created space for other families to honour the people they had lost,” said Pollock at a flag-raising ceremony at Peterborough City Hall on August 18.

This year, PARN will host its annual August 31 IOAD gathering in Peterborough’s Millennium Park at 131 King Street from noon to 4 p.m. The event will bring together people affected by overdose deaths, supporters, and community members interested in learning more.

Attendees can expect a free barbeque provided by M&M Food Market, music, community partners and information about local programs, services, and supports, speakers with a range of perspectives and experiences, naloxone training, harm reduction information and resources, and a memorial banner recognizing people who have been lost to accidental drug poisoning.

“I encourage everybody to come to show their support for people who use drugs, for people who have lost loved ones to drug-related harms, and to honour and remember and tribute people lost to drug-related harms,” said Pollock.

Naloxone pop-up events aim to equip community members

Ahead of the Millennium Park gathering, PARN is hosting free pop-up naloxone events where community members can receive free naloxone kits, be trained on how to provide naloxone, and learn more about overdose prevention and harm reduction.

The next pop-up event will be on Wednesday, August 26 at Peterborough Square Mall (360 George Street North) from 1 to 4 p.m. and the final event will happen on Friday, August 28 at Peterborough Public Library (345 Aylmer Street North) from 1 to 4 p.m.

“It’s so important to get naloxone in the hands of the broader community and to make sure they’re trained and comfortable if they come across somebody who’s in need of help,” said Pollock.

Community members can receive a free naloxone kit at any time from local providers including PARN, Four Counties Addictions Services Team (Fourcast), Lakelands Public Health, and most pharmacies.

Speaking to the importance of these events, especially in light of the 25th anniversary internationally, Pollock said that there is still lots of stigma and misconceptions about drug use, addictions, and overdoses.

“The big misconception right now is that people should just stop (using drugs), that it’s just that easy,” said Pollock. “In order to support people that use drugs, we need to provide a spectrum of supports and those spectrum of supports need to be all of the four pillars of drug strategy.”

The Peterborough Drug Strategy uses a four-pillar approach consisting of prevention and education, treatment, community safety, and harm reduction.

“It can’t be one or the other — it can’t be (just) treatment or (just) harm reduction,” Pollock added.

Culture of judgment around harm reduction, overdoses, and unhoused people

In relation to the recent closure of Peterborough’s consumption and treatment site (CTS), Pollock said this demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of harm reduction services and that simply removing a service does not remove the need for the service.

“Drugs are a fact of life and people are always going to use drugs. People don’t use drugs because we hand out supplies and because we have harm reduction services,” said Pollock. “Harm reduction services exist because people do use drugs.”

Pollock also said that the term “overdose” can lead to a misunderstanding about what causes drug-related deaths, which she said are primarily caused by tainted drug supply rather than excessive use.

“The reason more often than not why people tend to experience drug-related harms and lose their lives isn’t because they’re doing too much, it’s because the supply is so erratic,” said Pollock.

For Pollock, there is a pervasive culture of judgment against unhoused people regardless of if any one individual uses substances.

“People will look at somebody who’s living unhoused and instead of feeling bad for the person that’s in that position they feel bad for themselves for having to look at it,” she said.

Unhoused individuals face unique challenges and lack the same access to privacy and dignity that people who have housing enjoy, said Pollock.

“People that have the privilege of being housed, who have the privilege of using behind closed doors, aren’t stigmatized and judged the way people who are living outside or are unhoused are,” Pollock said.

“The fact of the matter is, for the most part people do the best they can with the hand they’ve been dealt and the circumstances they’re in.”

Challenging stigma around drug use and drug-related deaths

Furthermore, due to the stigma around both homelessness and drug use, there is often little opportunity for people to mourn their lost loved ones, as blame is often assigned to the person most harmed.

“People were losing dozens of people and there was no opportunity or allowability for these people to openly mourn their friends and family because of the stigma towards people that use drugs,” said Pollock.

Rather than criticizing an individual for using substances or for being a victim of the drug-poisoning crisis, there should be more recognition of the complex causes of addiction and the lack of support for those experiencing it, said Pollock.

“It is not the failure of somebody who uses substances — it is our failure in not supporting them and doing everything that we can with evidence-based research and evidence to prevent these preventable deaths,” she said.

“People have the right to use drugs and to do so without the risk of dying.”

IOAD calls on all members of the community to be allies and advocates for those with lived and living experience of drug use and drug-related deaths.

“To be good allies, educate yourself and don’t spread judgment, misinformation, or stigma,” said Pollock.

For Pollock, part of allyship is to recognize that everybody has a unique relationship with substance use and, rather than “impressing” specific goals or ideals onto people, the focus should be to provide resources and information to allow them to make informed decisions about their own health and goals.

“People who use drugs are a part of this community, they deserve compassion, they deserve to be treated with dignity no matter where they are in their journey,” she added.

For more information about International Overdose Day, visit www.overdoseday.com.