With the continued construction of a new Cobourg long-term care home and adjoining museum and archives facility, to road and bridge work throughout Northumberland County, 2024 is shaping up to be a busy year, says the county’s warden.

When asked to consider the initiatives and projects residents will see as this new year unfolds, Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander said there are significant endeavours in store for 2024.

“There’s lots of infrastructure (work) going on,” Ostrander said.

Ostrander pointed to the ongoing redevelopment of the Golden Plough Lodge (GPL) long-term care home and Northumberland County Museum and Archives (NCAM) building in Cobourg.

“We hope that that project will be done in 2025,” the warden said.

A 203,000-square-foot facility on Courthouse Road will house the new lodge and museum space, which is being built adjacent to the existing GPL.

Under construction since December 2020, the new GPL will have a combination of one-bed and two-bed rooms across six resident home areas. The facility is slated to have fireside lounges, a café, a hair salon, a greenhouse, an auditorium for concerts and resident events, and outdoor courtyards and pathways.

Meanwhile, the new NCAM space will contain a collection of important documents related to Northumberland’s history. It will feature a permanent display about days gone by, an expanded reading room for public research, a processing and conservation lab, a quarantine area for new/unprocessed artifacts/documents, and a gallery for community groups “to showcase the stories they wish to tell,” the county said.

More information about the GPL and NCAM redevelopment project is available on Northumberland County’s website.

In other construction news, Ostrander said the Campbellford bridge project, which will be progressing with the design phase in 2024, remains a priority for the county. The task involves the eventual construction of a new bridge over the Trent River in the Municipality of Trent Hills community.

In 2017, Northumberland County received approval from the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to proceed with the design and construction of a second Trent River crossing. As part of this project, improvements will be made to the surrounding road network, the county noted. The new 188-metre bridge and road network designs will include two road lanes, pedestrian sidewalks and bicycle lanes, a roundabout at the Grand Road/Alma Street intersection, and other features.

Ostrander is also looking forward to the reconstruction of County Road 64 in the Municipality of Brighton, which is a joint project between the county and the municipality.

It’s a two-year endeavour that encompasses redoing/renewing the municipal underground infrastructure, with the expectation the work will stand the test of time of up to 20 years, the warden noted.

Also in 2024, the county will continue its work on the Elgin Park housing redevelopment project, with the second phase of construction slated to be completed in 2025.

“We’ll see a good portion of that (work) done in 2024,” Ostrander said.

Northumberland County took on the Elgin Park redevelopment project to broaden access to affordable housing in Northumberland. The number of subsidized and market rental housing units are being increased from 18 to 40. In addition to 12 market rental units, there will be 28 subsidized units — 10 more than what’s currently available at the site. The project expands Northumberland County Housing Corporation’s existing housing stock of 366 units across Northumberland.

Also related to housing and homelessness, Ostrander highlighted the county’s recent acquisition of a building at 310 Division St. in Cobourg. County council approved in December 2023 the purchase of a 47-bedroom complex, the former location of Cobourg Retirement Residence, to serve as a new emergency shelter.

County staff became aware of the vacant property in early November 2023 and brought a report to a November 15 closed session of county council. In the report, staff proposed purchasing the property on behalf of Transition House and entering into a mortgage agreement with Transition House.

As a result of this partnership for the new facility, the county intends “to modernize shelter services,” in addition to providing a roof overhead for more people who are currently living unsheltered. Northumberland’s goal is to relocate shelter operations to the new facility and close the current location at 10 Chapel St. If all goes as planned, the county aims to have the new shelter open by the spring.

A Bancroft woman already facing charges for allegedly assaulting two paramedics on Tuesday (January 2) is now facing additional charges in a separate incident, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said in a media release on Thursday.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, officers with the Bancroft OPP were dispatched to a home in Bancroft where two paramedics had been assaulted.

As a result of the investigation, police charged 41-year-old Jill Price of Bancroft with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, two counts of assault, assault with a weapon, and two counts of intimidation – health services (impeding health professional).

After the accused woman was arrested and held in custody pending a court appearance, police received further information that a health care professional at Quinte Health North Hastings Hospital in Bancroft had been assaulted and damage had been caused within the hospital.

As a result, Price has also been charged with a third count of assault and mischief under $5,000.

The accused woman remains in custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on Thursday.

Two long-running family-owned taxi businesses in Peterborough are merging.

Capitol Taxi and Call-A-Cab Taxi have combined their driver and dispatch operations effective Thursday (January 4), according to a media release, and will operate as Capitol Taxi.

“In the interests of our customers, our employees and management we have decided to now join together the two taxi operations under the Capitol banner for better service and efficiency,” states Capitol Taxi owner and former Peterborough mayor Daryl Bennett in the release.

According to Trent Valley Archives, Capitol Taxi was originally founded in 1936. Peterborough’s longest-running taxi service, the company is owned by The Liftlock Group, which also operates Liftlock City Freightliner and Liftlock Towing.

Call-A-Cab Taxi was founded by J.C. Donnelly in 1948 and is owned by Mike and Dan Donnelly, who also work closely with their brother Peter, owner of the J.J. Donnelly Motors car dealership at 2026 Bensfort Road in Peterborough. The family also operates Donnelly’s Garage at 1944 Bensfort Road and offers school bus services through Donnelly Shuttle Transit Inc.

“The Donnellys, in exiting the daily taxi service, will continue their school van services and the public garage operations,” Bennett says.

The merged dispatch centre will be based at the Capitol Taxi offices at 728 Rye Street. Both the Capitol Taxi and Call-A-Cab Taxi phone lines at 705-742-4242 and 705-745-2424 will continue to be answered.

2024 brings promise that all generations will work together for common goals. Whether it is by developing ideas around climate change adaptation, improving the health of our cities, or identifying areas of improvement for our municipal government, we know that youth can be pivotal components of change.

Nineteen Peterborough youth, all enrolled in the Youth Leadership in Sustainability (YLS) program this past fall, were invited to answer the question: “What is your green wish for Peterborough for 2024?”.

A clear consensus was drawn around six different topics, in no particular order of significance, for improving sustainability in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

Creating an accessible climate conversation for all

There was an expressed desire for the discourse and action surrounding climate change initiatives to be accessible to the entire community.

“One thing I love in sustainability is community, and the collaboration between community members.” – Joah

“I wish that schools in Peterborough would implement more de-stigmatizing climate education programs, to improve our sense of community. To make busing more accessible, and increase popularity of small businesses, are some examples which allow for our community to be able to act on climate change.”- Rayne

Increased access to renewables and unique housing solutions

The YLS youth spoke to a wish that falls in line with global commitments to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Not only that, but students wished for new and existing buildings (including schools) to include infrastructure like green roofs, rain gardens, and renewable energies.

“We need better use of energy and getting energy from green sources, such as hydro and solar.” – Dawson

“I wish to see more solar power throughout the city. I want it to be accessible. I wish to see solar be the norm.” – Sunny

“I would like to see government incentives and contracts for green home renovations as well as renewable energy production.” – Tanner

Conscious and conscientious consumerism

Another priority was very clear: Peterborough holds pride in keeping things local, and our youth want to keep that alive. They see it as a worthwhile sustainability effort that reduces waste, and transportation emissions.

“I wish to see more people become conscientious consumers and stay as local as possible.” – Lucía

“I want to see more people trying to recycle, and to thrift their clothes.” – Kenzie

Development of more green transportation infrastructure

Cycleways, electric buses, more bus routes and more accessible transit bus passes were also on the “Wish List” for 2024.

“Imagine if we had electric buses in all our schools and electric city buses. We have so many schools. It would lower our carbon emissions significantly.” – Jaina

“I would love for Peterborough to have bus-only lanes so there is less traffic and it will encourage people to take transit.” – Averie

“We need more bike lanes that are protected. We need electric school buses” – Piravinth

“I would love to see people out walking, biking, and taking public transit instead of driving, and I hope to see more people out doing it.” – Rowan

Taking our waste management system to the next level

Peterborough’s green bin and clear gag program were just the beginning for Peterborough youth. Their green wishes included an expansion of the program, to allow for food waste to be collected from businesses and schools, in addition to an ambitious goal for all of Peterborough to be free of single-use plastic waste.

“I think our school should have better composting system.” – Arianna

“I would like to see my school put an emphasis on composting as a way to improve its waste management plan.” – Nick

Improving sustainability education in our community

The YLS program is an application-based, fall semester course for Grade 11 and 12 students across the region. The program encourages active participation in community projects and education opportunities centred around sustainability and community.

This cohort expressed an overwhelming wish for more programs like these to stretch across all age groups, and outside of the classroom walls.

“My wish is to improve sustainability education specifically on what we can do, especially in schools. We need to get them thinking and to pass on knowledge, especially in the climate crisis.” – Jacob

“I would love to see my school starting a program like YLS, one that gets students actively involved in real world issues and teaches us how to live healthfully, sustainably, and how to lead with that knowledge.” – Josie

“I would like to see climate education deeply embedded in our classrooms — inside and outdoors.” – Anonymous

Perhaps, while setting intentions for the 2024, these answers can help inform the decisions made to improve environmental resilience in our community.

Youth Leadership in Sustainability is a Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board program in partnership with Trent University, the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), and Fleming College. This article was written with support from the Youth Leadership in Sustainability class, as well as founder of YLS and teacher/coordinator Cameron Douglas, and GreenUP program coordinator of educational programs Karen O’Krafka.

Thank you to the YLS students (December 2023 cohort): Josie Wilcox, Lucía Fuentes, Rowan Irwin, I.B., Nicholas (Nick) Kirkpatrick, Tanner Harris Barton, Sunny Woodcroft, Kenzie Dunn, Rayne Froggatt, Joah Gillam, Averie Hayes, Piravinth Logeswaran, Dawson Gillespie, V.B., Jacob Lefebvre, Arianna Kloosterman, R.F., K.C., and Jaina Picken.

At the dawn of a new year, Northumberland County’s top politician says increased housing needs, growing roadwork and infrastructure requirements, and a better funding model to support those two demands are top of mind when he ponders the months ahead.

Newly elected Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander, who is also the mayor of the Municipality of Brighton, recently spoke with kawarthaNOW about what he sees as the key challenges and issues for Northumberland County in 2024.

The ability to appropriately fund county services and Northumberland’s infrastructure requirements is his primary concern.

“The main challenge is how do we fund services and infrastructure that are seeing 13/14/15 per cent construction price increases on a four per cent budget (increase), and the reality is, we have to figure that out,” Ostrander said.

“Because what we can’t do, is go to the good people of Northumberland County for 10 per cent or 12 per cent (more).”

Northumberland County recently approved its budget, with a tax increase of around 6.5 per cent. That percentage includes a one per cent dedicated infrastructure levy for work on county roads and bridges and other infrastructure.

It also includes a one per cent housing levy to support affordable and subsidized housing units across Northumberland County.

“We have a wait list that is impactful. We need to get people housed,” the warden said.

The budget, how to keep pace with — or at least not get behind — roadwork and infrastructure projects, and how to keep acquiring land in various communities across Northumberland County for subsidized housing purposes, will be key in the months ahead, Ostrander noted.

“The answer is all the same. We need a better funding model that doesn’t rely so heavily on the regressive property tax system that we have to live with. We have no choice, but those conversations, which have been happening since I joined municipal council 20 years ago, I think need to be elevated, especially at the upper-tier level where we’re dealing with a lot of soft services, not linear projects.”

It’s about more than roadwork and infrastructure, the warden explained. Social services, such as housing and emergency medical services/paramedics, “were never intended to be funded through a property tax system.”

“Kudos where they belong — the provincial government has funded those.”

However, he points to the example of buying a new land ambulance and hiring new staff. Fifty per cent of that cost is covered by the provincial government and the other 50 per cent is borne by the taxpayer.

“Then we get the money the next year to fund (the entire endeavour). We just need a better funding model,” Ostrander said.

“This will come as no surprise to anyone at the provincial level that a mayor or a warden is asking for this. We have an incredibly good partnership with our provincial friends. We just need to continue those conversations.”

When asked to consider what he’s most excited about for 2024, Ostrander shared his thoughts on a few key projects and issues. Hear more from the Northumberland County warden in an upcoming story in kawarthaNOW.

A teenager is facing multiple charges including uttering death threats and sexual assault following a weapons call in Cobourg last Saturday morning (December 30).

At around 1:42 a.m. on Saturday, Cobourg police were called to the area of University Avenue West and Ontario Street for threats involving a firearm.

During the investigation, the Ontario Provincial Police aided Cobourg police by locating and arresting a 17-year-old suspect at an address in Roseneath. Cobourg police executed a search warrant at the Roseneath address and seized a GSG-16 carbine and .22 calibre ammunition.

The 17-year-old suspect has been charged with four counts of uttering death threats, using a firearm in commission of an offence, sexual assault, and overcoming resistance to commission of offence (attempting to choke or strangle someone or administering a stupefying drug with intent to enable or assist in the commission of an indictable offence).

The accused youth was held for a bail hearing and subsequently detained.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident. Anyone with information, video surveillance or dashcam footage of the area is asked to call Cobourg police at 905-372-6821 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visiting stopcrimehere.ca.

Changes to the way Northumberland County and the City and County of Peterborough manage recycling collection began on January 1, but the municipalities expect residents won’t have disruptions at the curbside.

The changes are part of Ontario’s plan to transition responsibility for the provincial recycling system from municipalities and First Nations to the producers that supply packaging and paper to consumers, with industry eventually assuming full responsibility for all residential recycling. Under the previous system, blue box programs were operated by municipalities that were responsible for paying about half of the costs of the program, with producers responsible for the other half.

In 2021, Ontario released its new Blue Box Regulation under the 2016 Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, which makes Canadian producers fully financially and operationally responsible for their products and packaging at the end of life. Starting in July 2023, communities across the province began transitioning to the new system, which will be fully implemented by 2026.

In Ontario, Circular Materials operates as a producer responsibility organization and is also the administrator of the common collection system on behalf of all other producer responsibility organizations operating in Ontario. The national not-for-profit organization was founded by 17 of Canada’s leading brands, including Nestlé, Kraft Heinz, Maple Leaf, Coca-Cola Canada, MacDonald’s, Costco, Metro, and Loblaw Companies.

Effective January 1, Northumberland County has entered into an agreement with Circular Materials for the county to continue to provide recycling collection services until the end of 2025, after which services would be provided by a private contractor.

“We have secured a fee-for-service contract, ensuring that Northumberland County remains the sole provider for the collection of recyclable materials during this transition,” said Adam McCue, Northumberland County associate director of operations for public works, in a media release.

“With the county continuing to have accountability for management of waste services, county council agreed that pursuing a contract with (Circular Materials) to manage all collection during this period made the most sense for residents. With this contract in place, residents will not notice any changes to the curbside collection program for waste and recycling during this period. It will be a seamless transition to producer responsibility.”

At the end of 2025, although Northumberland County will continue to provide collection of waste materials, responsibility for curbside collection of recyclables will shift to the private sector. For that reason, the county no longer owns or operates its recycling processing facility in Grafton, having sold the facility to Emterra Environmental.

“With this transition, Northumberland County will no longer directly offer blue/grey box recycling services,” the media release states. “This required the county to wind down its operation of the material recovery facility recycling plant in Grafton.”

With Emterra Environmental taking ownership of the material recovery facility recycling plant as of January 5, residents who previously visited the facility to exchange or purchase blue bins, bag tags, or pick up the annual waste management calendar will no longer be able to do so.

Under the terms of the contract with Circular Materials, Northumberland County will continue promoting and educating residents about recycling practices, provide accessible support via telephone and web channels, and facilitate curbside pickup of recyclable materials, as well as collect and transfer of recyclable materials at all county community recycling centres.

More information about the transition is available on the county’s website at northumberland.ca/producerresponsibility.

Meanwhile, for both the City and County of Peterborough, Circular Materials has assumed responsibility for recycling collection and processing services as of January 1. However, there will be no change in recycling collection services for residents, either in the recycling schedule or in the materials that can be recycled.

“Residents will continue to place their blue box recyclables curbside weekly, exactly as they do now, on their same collection day, separating container items and fibre (paper) items into separate boxes for collection,” the City of Peterborough noted in a media release.

For recycling collection and processing services in the city and county, Circular Materials has hired Emterra Environmental, which is the same company that was previously hired by the city and county for recycling curbside collection and processing.

“Using the same company that currently delivers the service will help ensure a smooth transition for residents,” the City of Peterborough noted.

For more information about recycling collection in the City of Peterborough and the County of Peterborough (including individual townships), visit the Circular Materials website at www.circularmaterials.ca/resident-provinces/ontario/.