A call signals the trauma team at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Emergency Department (ED): a trauma patient is on the way. The ED’s trauma team springs into action in these crucial moments, triggering the ‘Code Trauma’.

Whether it’s a victim of a near-fatal car crash losing a lot of blood, a stroke patient with a brain bleed, a senior with a fractured hip from a fall, or a child struggling to breathe, the ‘Code Trauma’ is a rapid call out for a dedicated group of emergency doctors, nurses, surgeons, and specialists.

Their mission is to come together when the injured patient arrives and perform their rehearsed roles to provide immediate care without delay.

Like a scene from a medical drama, the air buzzes with the hum of medical equipment and a sense of anticipation. The team works seamlessly to stabilize the patient, assess the severity of injuries, and initiate critical first steps in their care, all while following the protocols of a Level III Trauma Centre. It’s a world most of us hope never to see.

In a typical year, residents across our region make over 71,000 visits to the ED. During those visits, around 400 patients are treated by the trauma team for serious and life-threatening traumatic injuries.

Under the leadership of PRHC’s Trauma Medical Director, Dr. Troy Tebbenham, the team’s work — supported by specialized, donor-funded equipment — has been instrumental in determining the outcomes of these patients, often making the difference between life and death.

VIDEO: Heart of Healthcare – Episode 3, Part 1

In the latest episode of the PRHC Foundation’s “Heart of Healthcare” video series, Foundation President & CEO and series host, Lesley Heighway, sits down with Dr. Tebbenham. He shares what’s happening in emergency medicine at PRHC, what it’s like leading the trauma program into its second year, and the importance of the hospital’s designation as a Level III Trauma Centre.

PRHC was designated a Level III Trauma Centre in 2023, marking a significant milestone in the region’s emergency medical services.

“Survival in traumatic medical situations often hinges on the speed of intervention,” says Dr. Tebbenham. “The Level III designation positions PRHC as a vital link in the provincial network and a lifeline for severely injured patients, who must be stabilized before being transferred to a lead trauma hospital. Peterborough is very fortunate to have that.”

The designation gives PRHC access to the network’s resources. It facilitates collaboration with lead trauma hospitals in Toronto and Kingston and the other Level III Centres in Barrie, Guelph, Newmarket, and Oshawa.

Crucial to the trauma program’s success are the team’s state-of-the-art, donor-funded tools and technology. Recent investments such as a rapid blood transfusion machine, advanced trauma stretchers, and a cutting-edge ultrasound machine support the team in providing fast, safe, expert care to patients often suffering painful injuries.

“Equipment is essential when caring for a patient in their first moments as a critically injured trauma patient,” Dr. Tebbenham says. “Although we had forms of it before, this new equipment is top-of-the-line efficient and very easy to use. It’s allowed the team to focus on caring for the patient rather than struggling with other pieces of equipment.”

In a recent case, a young patient’s life was saved through the quick, coordinated efforts of the trauma team, using the new technology to administer rapid blood transfusions and diagnose internal injuries following a car accident. This immediate treatment stabilized and prepared him for advanced care at a lead trauma hospital, where he received lifesaving surgery.

“If we were disorganized or didn’t have the right kind of equipment, I’m not sure how the outcome would have gone,” says Dr. Tebbenham.

The trauma program’s mandate isn’t only about immediate, lifesaving interventions at PRHC’s ED. It also includes a commitment to community engagement and injury prevention. Beyond the hospital’s walls, the program supports collaborations with emergency medical services (EMS), fire services, police, and schools.

Dr. Tebbenham stresses the importance of education to prevent and limit trauma, citing initiatives like ‘Stop the Bleed’, a national, community-based training program that empowers individuals to respond effectively to bleeding injuries, and a safety campaign on social media to deter the public from risky behaviour.

“We’ve already seen a lot of positive effects, both in the hospital and outside the hospital,” he says.

VIDEO: Heart of Healthcare – Episode 3, Part 2

Dr. Tebbenham outlined the trauma program’s future, highlighting an ongoing focus on streamlined emergency care, continuous quality improvement and increased community partnerships across the region. He explained that the program would not be possible without donor support and expressed his gratitude for the generosity of donors.

“Thank you! What you do is literally saving lives and we’re able to see that because of how the program is running.”

He also explained that having advanced equipment so that doctors, nurses and staff can do their jobs to the best of their abilities and see positive outcomes for their patients also boosts team morale.

This has been especially important since the onset of the pandemic and ensuing health human resources challenges.

“A huge thank you from us on behalf of the patients, but also, a huge thank you just from us for what you’ve been able to do for all the healthcare providers involved in caring for an injured patient,” says Dr. Tebbenham.

Watch the two-part discussion between Dr. Troy Tebbenham and Lesley Heighway above.

Upcoming episodes of “Heart of Healthcare” will be available at prhcfoundation.ca and through the Foundation’s social media and Vimeo channels.

“Heart of Healthcare” is a video series featuring the stories of some of the people and programs helping to shape the future of care at PRHC for the 600,000 people — from the city and county of Peterborough, Northumberland County, east Durham, the Haliburton Highlands, and the City of Kawartha Lakes — who rely on it.

This branded editorial was supplied by the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

An additional 224 acres of land in the Kawarthas is now protected from development as a result of donors and grants.

Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) has announced the conservation of five new properties in Douro-Dummer Township, Selwyn Township, and in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

Through the support of individual donors and funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Wildlife Habitat Canada, KLT has protected an additional five properties: Roussel-Steffler Memorial Sanctuary in Douro-Dummer Township, O’Leary Family Wetland in Kawartha Lakes, Wittek Property in Selwyn Township, Found Property in Kawartha Lakes, and Roscarrock Conservation Easement near Lakefield.

“It’s always exciting to be able to announce the protection of more of the land we love in the Kawarthas and even more so when we’re able to share the news of five newly protected areas at the same time,” said John Kintare, KLT executive director.

“The conservation of these lands is the result of the incredible investments made by our donors, partners, and volunteers over the past 20 years.”

The protection of the new nature reserves and conservation easement contributes to KLT’s commitments to conserve land and biodiversity in the Kawarthas and engage in focused climate action, the organization noted.

VIDEO: Learn About Kawartha Land Trust (KLT)

“Ontarians value their natural surroundings greatly. Working together with partners like (KLT) and generous landowners, we are dedicated to protecting, restoring, and enhancing wildlife habitats,” said Steven Guilbeault, federal minister of the environment and climate change, in a media release.

“This effort strengthens ecosystems and helps them absorb and store carbon while helping to protect species at risk, like the monarch butterfly and the western chorus frog. With support from the Government of Canada through programs like the Natural Heritage Conservation Program, the Ecological Gifts Program, the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, and the Habitat Stewardship Program, we are actively helping Canada reach its goal of conserving 30 per cent of land and water by 2030.”

KLT now protects nearly four dozen properties, which encompass more than 6,500 acres of land.

The land trust said it’s grateful “for the trust and vision of the land donors who have ensured their lands will be protected for future generations.”

Founded in 2001 by a group of volunteers concerned about the rapid loss of natural spaces in the Kawarthas region, KLT is a non-profit charitable organization that protects 39 properties that include more than 6,950 acres of ecologically diverse lands, some of which include hiking trails that introduce thousands of people to nature in the Kawarthas every year.

KLT works within the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig Territory and strives to continue to create meaningful connections and relationships with First Nations communities in the region.

Landowners who care about the conservation legacy of their property, are looking to find a use for the unproductive land they own, or who care about their surrounding environment, can reach out to KLT for a variety of conservation solutions.

For questions about conservation opportunities and how to generally support conservation in the Kawarthas, e-mail protectland@kawarthalandtrust.org or call 705-743-5599.

To learn more about KLT’s protected properties and volunteer opportunities with the organization, visit kawarthalandtrust.org.

Say “bone voyage” to local dog trainer Kyla McNeill and her border collie Lennan as they head off to represent Canada at the IFCS World Agility Championships in France next month.

As a team member on the AAC National Agility Team, the duo will be competing in the 24″/60 cm maxi division in Bourgbarré, Brittany, France from Wednesday, May 1st to Sunday, May 5th.

“When I first started dog training, I never would have thought I would be training for this competition,” says McNeill. “It was actually a big surprise to me when we got the spot, so it was very exciting, but also surprising that it actually happened.”

A resident of Brighton, McNeill is a lead instructor at Paus-N-Train just outside Peterborough and through her own company, All Paws Ahead Dog Training, she works in partnership offering training courses through Cobourg’s All Creatures Great and Small. She trains a variety of classes including agility, manners, leash walking and recall, puppy classes, tricks, fitness, and more.

“I knew for a long time I wanted to be a dog trainer,” she says. “When I was young, my family dog was a Siberian Husky, and she was a challenging dog, but I trained her and did some tricks. I remember at about eight years old saying I wanted to be a dog trainer.”

She then trained her aunt’s poodle and dogs of other family members, before eventually working in doggy daycares, dog-walking, and with another trainer. She has now been independently training for 12 years.

Similarly, she specifically recalls a memory from a young age which incited her passion for agility competitions — competitive canine sporting event where dogs of various breeds navigate obstacles including jumps, ramps, weave poles, tunnels, and seesaws (teeters) and are judged on both their speed and accuracy.

“For a few years when I was young, my mom, my sisters, and I went to the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto, and they had these agility shows and I remember specifically watching these dogs and thinking I wanted to do that someday,” she recalls. “It was so neat.”

After first training with a seven-year-old border collie named Sky for a few years, McNeill competed with her second border collie Niamh, who she trained with from a young age. Niamh competed in regional and national championships before COVID-19 put a pause on events and she went into “semi-retirement.”

“It was a good experience for me to take her through that kind of situation,” says McNeill.

Now it’s four-year-old Lennan’s time to be in the spotlight. Describing him as “sweet” and someone who “loves to snuggle,” McNeill explains that agility has always been a passion for Lennan as it has been for her.

“Agility was one thing that he always wanted to do,” she says. “He has absolutely loved it for quite a long time now and loves to run fast, which is very helpful.”

VIDEO: Kyla and Lennan in action at the AAC Nationals

Even though she started training him when he was still just a puppy, McNeill explains that Lennan wasn’t always the most cooperative teammate.

“Every dog has their own challenges in training and, for him, it took longer to mature in terms of his mental capacity, so he wasn’t focused as a young dog,” she says. “Even though he could do the physical skills, he would have a hard time focusing in the busier competition areas and we had to work through that.”

One such problematic obstacle for Lennan were the weave poles.

“It used to be a challenge for him when he was learning them because he didn’t like having to think about what he was doing — he just wanted to go fast,” McNeill says. “But now he knows them better and he can just do them fast and has no problem.”

Another component Lennan wasn’t initially a fan of was the teeter since, again, it required him to slow down. Fortunately, McNeill was able to get him more comfortable by using his favourite treat as motivation.

“He would do his teeter and he would get a mini ice cream cone at the end,” she says. “At this point, the teeter is one of his favourite obstacles. He still loves ice cream, and he loves the teeter, but he loves each separately now.”

At the IFCS World Agility Championships, for which they gained a spot when Lennan finished seventh place in his weight division at last summer’s ACC Nationals, the duo will be competing in different courses over the span of the weekend. While roles on the team are still being decided, courses McNeill and Lennan participate in could include full agility, jumping, snookers, gamblers, and even team relay.

In preparation, McNeill and Lennan are working with the team coach to practise drills and skills that may come up during the competition.

“At this point, we’re just practising maintaining the skills,” McNeill says. “Then, closer to when we leave, we don’t want him to be too tired or risk getting injured so he’ll lay a bit low. We’re just working on keeping up his strength and exercises for now.”

While McNeill and Lennan are in France competing, they will have big fans cheering them on back home.

The community has already shown support for TMcNeill and Lennan, with All Creatures Big and Small having raised more than $1,000 in a recent bake sale fundraiser in support of McNeill’s travel costs.

Similarly, in Peterborough, Paus-N-Train has also held bingo nights and 50/50 draws in support of funding the competition.

“Community members have been very generous with their donation amounts,” McNeill says. “Many people came in for the fundraiser and were making generous donation regardless of how many baked goods they actually wanted. I’m extremely grateful for everyone for being so generous.”

Kawartha Conservation is extending a call to community members in Kawartha Lakes and neighbouring areas to become citizen scientists.

Residents are encouraged to join Kawartha Conservation’s Climate Change Action Program (CCAP), a volunteer program to monitor climate data. Spearheaded by community members, volunteers help compile essential environmental information across the Kawartha Lakes region.

“The core goal of our program is to engage the Kawartha Conservation watershed community through direct involvement in gathering precipitation and water temperature data,” said Nathan Rajevski, assistant watershed resources technician for Kawartha Conservation.

“Our aim is to foster a deeper understanding of climate change impacts by empowering residents to conduct measurements at their residences, while continuing to bring awareness to the topic,” Rajevski told kawarthNOW. “This data not only enriches our annual summary reports for the program, but also informs decision making for our flood forecasting network and our corporate climate change strategies.”

Volunteers, through their collection of information, also help foster a broader comprehension of the shifts in climate, which empowers both the community and the environment, Kawartha Conservation noted.

“The program has consistently delivered substantial benefits to the community,” Rajevski added. “The positive feedback we’ve received underscores the program’s value, with many expressing appreciation for the insights gained into daily rainfall amounts and the ability to personally assess data from water temperature loggers at the end of each season.”

The conservation authority said participating in CCAP gives residents the chance to be a catalyst for change within their respective communities.

The call for citizen scientists extends to residents within the Kawartha Lakes, Scugog, Brock, and Trent Lakes area, including Port Perry, Blackstock, Fleetwood, Downeyville, Nogies Creek, Crystal Lake, Oakwood, and the Glenarm Road area.

In the coming months, volunteers will collect precipitation data from their property, and those situated on waterfronts can also gather water temperature data. Kawartha Conservation will provide the necessary training, rain gauges, and water temperature loggers at no cost, ensuring everyone can participate easily.

The program runs within the watershed areas concentrated in Durham Region (Scugog and Brock Townships), Kawartha Lakes, and Trent Lakes, focusing on precipitation data collection from May through September (or year-round) and water temperature monitoring from June 1 to August 31.

Rajevski said Kawartha Conservation appreciates both its sponsors and citizen scientists for their roles in the success of the program.

Space is limited. Interested volunteers are encouraged to sign up through the Kawartha Conservation website at kawarthaconservation.com/en/learn-and-get-involved/citizen-science.aspx.

Both the City and County of Peterborough are moving forward with plans to take economic development and tourism activities back in-house come 2025.

A four-year agreement between both municipalities and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) for the provision of economic development services, formalized in December 2019 and subsequently extended for a fifth year, will expire on December 31, 2024.

While a motion for a decision to not renew the agreement has yet to come before city council, it appears the City of Peterborough has already communicated that decision to both PKED and the County of Peterborough.

Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal confirmed to kawarthaNOW a staff report will be presented to councillors “in the not too distant future” that “will take a look at how a reconstituted, reconstructed economic development division under the city’s umbrella would function and operate.”

Asked where the idea originated that the agreement not be renewed, Mayor Leal referenced the January 8th general committee meeting where he says the suggestion was first floated by PKED itself during a presentation of its quarterly activities by PKED board chair Burton Lee, board vice-chair Paul Hickey, and president and CEO Rhonda Keenan.

Not so, says Lee.

“We didn’t decide to have the city and county stop funding economic development through PKED,” Lee says, adding “We don’t get to tell them who to fund.”

“I don’t know how decisions are made at City Hall, but they (the city) sent us a letter saying they are not extending the tri-party agreement.”

At the January 8th general committee meeting, councillor Kevin Duguay had asked Lee and Keenan, “Could a comparable and meaningful economic development service be delivered, if it was housed in a different organizational structure — using your staff resources — and a more robust involvement from city council?”

Two months later, at the March 11th general committee meeting when council discussed a request from the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas to defer a loan from the city, Mayor Leal referred to an upcoming staff report on economic development — and suggested the city may also want to include the work of the Innovation Cluster.

“As we prepare ourselves to receive a report on how the future of how economic development is going to be handled in the City of Peterborough, we may want to look at including the Innovation Cluster, because it seems to me they’re an integral part of our economic development model — whichever one we choose, in-house, going forward — to take advantage of what they’re doing that would be, I think, the appropriate approach when we start to have that discussion in the not-foreseeable (sic) future.”

Meanwhile, in a statement sent to kawarthaNOW, the County of Peterborough confirms it is “undertaking a strategic transition of economic development and tourism services from a regional platform to in-house operations.”

To that end, a committee — comprised of Warden Bonnie Clark, Selwyn Mayor Sherry Senis, Douro-Dummer Mayor Heather Watson, and Havelock-Belmont-Bethuen Mayor Jim Martin along with some county and township staff — is working to “formulate a comprehensive strategy for seamlessly integrating economic development and tourism services within the County post-2024.”

The statement adds “We are confident that through this proactive approach and collective approach, we will effectively navigate this transition.”

It also clarifies that “the decision to transition these vital services stems from the recent notice received from the City of Peterborough regarding the non-renewal of the agreement” for 2025 and beyond. That “recent notice” from the city was not included with the statement.

For his part, Lee is anxious to hear what city staff’s proposed plan for the provision of the programs and services that PKED provides will look like.

“We don’t know yet what the plans are from the city and county as of January 1st, 2025, but we’re certainly really excited to find out because it’s a very important and a very big task,” he says.

Asked if all or some current PKED staff won’t be retained under any new structure, Lee admits “it’s possible,” adding quickly “We just don’t know yet.”

“PKED is working with legal counsel to ensure that our people able to continue to do their work to the best of their abilities. They are considered some of the best in the country at what they do. They are continuing to do that work as best they can given the environment that we’re in.”

“It’s not my place to comment on what their strategy is going to be. I just hope it’s well thought-out and comes in a very timely manner. Ultimately, PKED is concerned about the prosperity of the region economically. Without a good plan, it’s very hard to do that work.”

As for PKED staff morale during a time when so much is unknown, Lee says “any environmental change that’s out of your control is going to cause challenges.”

“The PKED board understands that our folks add tremendous value to the community and we want to make sure they can continue to do that. If that means there’s an opportunity for them to work at City Hall, we just don’t now yet because we haven’t seen the plan.”

Asked what his level of confidence is in the city and county’s ability to provide the same level of program and services that PKED provides, Lee says “I’m confident that they could.”

“There are examples of municipalities that have taken this work on directly that have been successful. Certainly there’s precedent for this model to work. But until we see that plan, I can’t predict or be in a position to analyze because there’s nothing to analyze.”

“I think are a lot of really important considerations that need to be made really quickly in terms of tourism. Tourism is extremely regional. If it’s only the city or only the county doing that work on their own, we will lose the economy of scale. Very few people come to this region and only dip their toe in the city or county. It’s almost always both. From a tourism marketing perspective, you need to work regionally.”

On that point, at least, Lee and Mayor Leal are on the same page.

“It would be my view that we (the city) continue to share the tourism aspect of economic development with the county because many of the attractions cover both the city and county,” says Mayor Leal. “We just think a new direction needs to be taken to sharpen the focus for economic development in terms of the City of Peterborough.”

For now, as the city staff report is prepared for council review and the county committee meets to decide next steps, Lee says it’s business as usual at Venture North, PKED’s home in downtown Peterborough.

“We’ve got a mandate to support the growth of the economy and we’re going to do that,” Lee says. “We hope to get some clarity but we’ve got the best people in the business working on it (economic development and tourism). We’re going to help them continue to do that.”

PKED’s 2024 budget is $2.5 million, of which the city’s core funding share is $1,015,112 and the county’s core funding share is $790,038.

The city and county had also each budgeted $226,021 and $57,000 for physician recruitment services which have been supplied by PKED on behalf of the city and county for a number of years. However, last November, city councillors expressed concerns that PKED’s physician recruitment efforts were not effective and voted to withhold the funding until PKED and city staff could report back on options for physician recruitment and, the following month, PKED opted to no longer be involved in physician recruitment.

PKED was originally founded in 1998 as the Greater Peterborough Area Development Corporation, arising from the recommendations of the 1997 GPA 2020 A Vision For Our Future Report, which in part proposed a new regional approach to economic development in the City and County of Peterborough.

Governed as a private-public non-profit partnership corporation by a board of directors that included elected officials, municipal appointees and private sector business leaders, the organization amalgamated the services and budgets of six separate organizations: the Greater Peterborough Economic Council, the City of Peterborough Economic Development, the County of Peterborough Economic Development, the Peterborough-Kawartha Tourism and Convention Bureau, the Peterborough Industrial Development Corporation, and the Provincial Business Self-Help Office.

The organization used funds previously invested by the City and County of Peterborough in the above organizations and augmented its capabilities by sourcing additional community investment from the provincial and federal governments and the private sector.

In 2005, the Greater Peterborough Area Development Corporation was officially renamed as the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation. In 2017, it rebranded as PKED when the organization relocated both its corporate office (including the Business Advisory Centre located at 210 Wolfe Street) and the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre (located at 1400 Crawford Drive) to the then-new Venture North building at 270 George Street North.

Conceived as a business hub, that building also houses all other local economic development organizations, including Community Futures Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas, and — as of May 1 — the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area.

Three people are dead after two vehicles collided late Thursday night (March 28) on County Road 45 south of Roseneath in Alnwick-Haldimand Township.

At around 11:30 p.m., the Northumberland OPP and fire and emergency services responded to a report of a serious collision on County Road 45 near Beagle Club Road.

As a result of the collision, the drivers of both vehicles along with a passenger in one of the vehicles were pronounced dead. Two other passengers were transferred to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have not released the identities of the victims.

County Road 45 was closed between County Road 22 and Beagle Club Road for several hours while police documented the scene.

The police investigation into the fatal collision is ongoing. Police are requesting that if anyone was in the area during the timeframe of the collision and has any information or dashcam or surveillance footage that may assist investigators, to call Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Northumberland County residents and visitors can help support treatment and services for local children by hitting the drive-through or dining inside at area McDonald’s on May 8.

Five Counties Children’s Centre is happy to announce it’s the beneficiary of this year’s McHappy Day fundraiser organized by the fast-food restaurant.

“To our knowledge, this is a first for Five Counties,” Bill Eekhof, spokesperson for Five Counties Children’s Centre, told kawarthaNOW.

The children’s treatment centre was chosen as the local children’s charity that will benefit from the annual campaign that launches on April 1. The highlight of the fundraising campaign will be McHappy Day on May 8 at the McDonald’s locations in Cobourg and Port Hope.

“We are extremely grateful to McDonald’s restaurants in Port Hope and Cobourg for choosing Five Counties to be the beneficiary of the annual McHappy Day campaign in Northumberland,” said Scott Pepin, CEO of Five Counties Children’s Centre, in a media release.

“Fundraising efforts like this one allow Five Counties to serve more kids, ensuring they can get the care they need when they need it.”

All money raised from McHappy Day for Five Counties will go towards its Building Abilities For Life campaign, which funds priority, high-demand services like speech therapy and occupational therapy in an effort to reduce long wait times.

“We are thrilled to have Five Counties Children’s Centre as our designated charity for 2024,” said Lisa Wilson, owner and operator of the McDonald’s restaurants in Cobourg and Port Hope.

“Our amazing teams in Port Hope and Cobourg look forward to serving our guests and supporting Five Counties Children’s Centre and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) as they make a difference for the children and families in our communities.”

Wilson’s Port Hope and Cobourg restaurants have raised more than $145,000 since 2014 for local children’s charities and RMHC through McHappy Day.

Lyn Giles, director of fund development at Five Counties, said visiting McDonald’s on McHappy Day “sends a strong message of support to our kids and families that they matter, and that the community believes in them.”

Five Counties Children’s Centre has supported children and youth with physical, developmental and communications needs for nearly 50 years. Last year, Five Counties provided treatment services for more than 1,615 children and youth in Northumberland County.

In total, across its entire region which includes Northumberland, as well as Peterborough, Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes, more than 6,200 children and youth benefited last year from the centre’s programs, that include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and other treatment services.

Every year, McDonald’s restaurants across Canada support local children’s charities by collecting donations and dedicating to them a portion of sales on McHappy Day. In 2023, McHappy Day raised more than $7.5 million across Canada for RMHC, as well as local children’s charities.

To support Five Counties, local residents are encouraged to visit McDonald’s in Cobourg or Port Hope. On May 8, Five Counties staff, volunteers, families and supporters will be at McDonald’s locations to collect donations and thank visitors for dropping by.

Two days after the Ontario government tabled its 2024 budget, Premier Doug Ford has announced changes to the 38 parliamentary assistants at Queen’s Park — including Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith.

“By supporting ministers with legislative and committee responsibilities or taking on important projects with dedicated leadership, parliamentary assistants play a critical role in delivering on our plan to rebuild Ontario’s economy,” Ford say in a media release on Thursday afternoon (March 28).

“With today’s announcement, I’m thrilled to recognize and showcase our team’s in-depth experience, which will help us continue to get it done for the people of Ontario.”

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith has been appointed as the parliamentary assistant to the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, a role currently held by Vaughan-Woodbridge MP Michael A. Tibollo.

He was previously the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport,

Since being elected, Smith has been an advocate for dealing with the opioid crisis in Peterborough, including supporting the consumption and treatment site in downtown Peterborough and a new 12-bed drug detox and treatment facility in northeast Peterborough expected to open this spring.