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/.

The East Peterborough Lions Club delivered 75 turkeys and hams this holiday to families who might otherwise have gone without a traditional Christmas dinner.

Individuals, businesses, and service clubs donated most of the turkeys and hams to this year’s Great Turkey Exchange, a program first organized in 2009 by Lois Tuffin. At Tuffin’s request, the East Peterborough Lions Club took over the program in 2022.

This year, the Lions Club distributed 65 turkeys and 10 hams to local families — which was a decrease in demand from 2022, although this year some families asked to be removed from the list.

“One thing that we found incredible this year was, for the first time since we began working with this program, we had people calling and letting us know they received turkeys from another source and asked us to remove them from the list,” said Frank Hewitt, service chair for the East Peterborough Lions Club, in a media release. “That allowed us to be able to supply another family with a turkey or ham for their meal.”

The Lions Club thanked community members who made donations as well as Kawartha Food Share, Morello’s Your Independent Grocer, Giant Tiger, Sobey’s, No Frills, Metro, Lion Jacob Sharman, and the Young Adults of Peterborough Lions Club Branch.

“Their donations were a large part of making the program successful, ensuring families who could not afford a turkey or ham would not go without,” the Lions Club stated, adding that one couple made a last-minute turkey donation on Christmas Eve, “making someone’s holiday meal truly special.”