United Way Peterborough & District hosted its 84th annual general meeting at the McDonnel St. Community Centre on Thursday (August 6), recognizing a milestone year that saw the hiring of a new CEO, over $1.5 million raised, and over $2.4 million invested back into the community.

“As I reflect on the past 12 months, I’m filled with gratitude for the extraordinary generosity, dedication, and passion of our donors, volunteers, community partners, staff, and fellow board members,” said Karen Wilson, board chair for United Way Peterborough and District.

“Together, we’ve demonstrated what is possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose.”

Last December, long-time executive director Jim Russell announced he would retire the following summer after leading the organization for almost 15 years. United Way began the search for new leadership before announcing the appointment of new CEO Jason Seguya in June.

Seguya, 27, a native of Uganda, comes to Peterborough via Ottawa, having previously served as executive director of The Fulcrum Publishing Society and of Ontario Student Voices. He has a bachelor of science in social sciences from the University of Ottawa.

“One thing I’ve been sharing both with my team and family is how grateful I’ve been for the support I’ve had since joining this community,” said Seguya at Thursday’s meeting.

As Seguya only started in his new role on July 6, he was joined at the meeting by United Way staff members to provide a review of the organization’s work in 2025.

Campaign officer Adeline Murphy spoke about the success of the 2025-26 campaign, which raised $1,560,075 representing 97 per cent of its goal.

Murphy also specifically recognized the contributions of 2025-26 campaign cabinet chair Paul Rellinger.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to work alongside such a generous community and community in our staff team, and in our volunteers, and in our donors,” said Murphy.

On July 15, the United Way announced community builder Tiffany Arcari would be the 2026-27 campaign cabinet chair.

Arcari will lead a team of 20 volunteers to achieve a potentially record-breaking goal in line with the organization’s 85th year.

Betsy MacDonald, senior director of impact and communications, spoke about the redevelopment of United Way’s community impact model which has been in place for over 10 years.

“It was done thoughtfully,” she said. “It provided the stability that organizations needed at the time but, as we all know, we’ve changed hugely in that time period, and it was time for a change.”

MacDonald also said that improvements were made to how United Way managed the Reaching Home program, which is funded by the federal government, including the creation of an Indigenous advisory group.

According to the United Way’s 2025-26 Annual Impact Report, a total of $1,493,962 was invested across 12 local organizations. This included $200,000 provided to One City Peterborough to support the purchase of a new house on Stewart Street.

Community impact officer Elisha Rubacha shared information about the United Way’s ongoing work to integrate the values of reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion (READI) throughout their work, both internally and externally.

“I’m very proud of how we’ve been looking at ourselves deeply. We’ve had rich, intentional conversations of where we’re at, because this is always a journey, there’s no end point to the READI work,” said Rubacha.

Over the past year, United Way has assessed their internal systems against United Way Centraide Canada’s DEI Toolkit, developed an action plan based on strengths and spaces for improvement, and implemented READI values across the organization.

“Peterborough, as a community, has always been home to diverse demographics. Poverty to possibility can only happen once we acknowledge the intersections of social issues that persist in our community,” writes Sahar Afroz, READI Committee chair, in the annual impact report.

Every August, stargazers look forward with excitement to the annual Perseid meteor shower and, this year, the meteor shower will peak on Wednesday night (August 12).

During the peak, 50 to 120 meteors will be visible per hour if you are in a dark location — and the good news is that there will be a new moon, so the entire sky will be dark all night.

Making Wednesday extra special for stargazers, that new moon will be eclipsing the sun earlier in the day, resulting in a partial solar eclipse in the Kawarthas region.

Perseid meteor shower

Every year from late July to early August, Earth plows through the interplanetary debris left behind by comet Swift-Tuttle when it passed close to Earth (the last time was in 1992, and the next time will be in 2125).

When the particles of debris — which can be as small as a grain of sand or as big as a pea — slam into the Earth’s atmosphere at around 210,000 kilometres per hour, they heat up to 1,650 degrees Celsius and are vaporized in a burst of heat and light, resulting in a “shooting star.”

The meteors are called the Perseids because they appear to originate from the northeast sky in the direction of the constellation of Perseus.

While the Perseid meteor shower has been active since mid-July, the Earth goes through the densest area of the comet’s debris field at around midnight on Wednesday. That’s the best time to see the meteors, with about half as many meteors visible on Thursday night. The number of meteors will then decline each night until the shower ends on August 24.

Partial solar eclipse

During the day on Wednesday, there will be a total solar eclipse along a line from the Arctic down through Greenland, Iceland, the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal, and Spain, ending in the Mediterranean Sea. In those regions, the moon will completely block the sun along the “path of totality” for a few seconds up to two minutes and 18 seconds, depending on the location.

In Canada, we will only see a partial solar eclipse, with the magnitude of the eclipse greatest in the most northern and eastern parts of the country. The farther west and south you are, the smaller the magnitude of the partial eclipse will be.

In Peterborough, the partial solar eclipse will last one hour and 35 minutes, beginning at 12:53 p.m. and ending at 2:27 p.m. It will reach its maximum at 1:41 p.m., when the moon will cover around 10.4 per cent of the sun’s visible area — a small “bite” out of the sun.

With such a small amount of the extremely bright sun covered, there will be no visible darkening of the sky or other effects. During the eclipse, you may be tempted to glance up at the sun to look for the moon — don’t. You won’t actually be able to see the moon with your bare eyes, but you will damage them.

It’s as unsafe to look directly at the sun during an eclipse as it is at other times. Without proper protective eyewear, the sun’s rays will burn your retinas (even if you only look for a couple of seconds). Sunglasses are not adequate protection; you need special eclipse glasses that block out 99.9999 per cent of the sunlight.

If you still have a pair of certified eclipse glasses from the 2024 total solar eclipse, you can use those. If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make your own pinhole projector using common household materials like a cereal box. A pinhole projector allows you to see the moon obscuring the sun without having to look at it.

Partial solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower viewing events in Peterborough

The Peterborough Astronomical Association will be hosting two free events on Wednesday: one to view the partial solar eclipse during the day and one to view the Perseid meteor shower in the evening.

The partial solar eclipse viewing event takes place from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Gazebo at Riverview Park and Zoo (1300 Water Street, Peterborough). Association members will have special equipment available so attendees can safely view the eclipse.

Then, from 9 to 11 p.m. (or even longer), the association will host a Perseid meteor shower viewing at Harold Town Conservation Area (2611 Old Norwood Road, Peterborough). The family-friendly event is open to the public.

Although optical aids are not needed to see meteors, association members will have telescopes and binoculars set up to view other wonders of the night sky, or you can bring your own binoculars. There will guided tours of constellations and night sky gems, including star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies that will be visible as the evening progresses. There will be a chance to see Venus and, later on, Saturn and its rings.

Both events are weather dependent and will be cancelled if skies are cloudy.

Tips for viewing the Perseid meteor shower

Find the darkest place you can, away from any light pollution, with as much open sky as possible. Rural areas away from city lights with few buildings or trees are the best. If you can’t get away from your city, find a park or golf course.

Lie on your back and take in as much of the night sky as possible. You don’t have to face Perseus (to the northeast) to see the meteor shower, but the more sky you can see, the better your chances.

Be prepared to stay outside for at least an hour. It takes 20 to 30 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness, and the meteors come in spurts and lulls — so the longer you wait, the more you’ll see.

Stay awake. The Perseids are typically best between midnight and dawn.

As the October 26 municipal election in Peterborough approaches, residents are asking candidates hard questions about their most pressing issues. While councils are responsible for a wide array of issues, economic development underpins all operating activities within a municipality.

Economic issues raised by local residents have included revitalizing the downtown core, support for small and local businesses, and the attraction of new employers and job opportunities.

As the city works on its first economic development strategic plan since assuming responsibility for economic development in January 2025 following the dissolution of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED), successful council candidates will be responsible for implementing and guiding the plan.

As of the date of this story, Peterborough has six candidates for mayor (Michael Eamon, Brian Lumsden, Jacob Méthot, Neil Morton, incumbent councillor Keith Riel, and Rebecca Schillemat) with incumbent mayor Jeff Leal still to declare his intentions.

Meanwhile, 24 people are competing for 10 councillor positions (two in each of the city’s five wards), including seven incumbent councillors and 17 first-time or repeat candidates. The nomination period is still open until August 21, so it’s possible even more candidates may decide to throw their hats in the ring.

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).

Having published their responses verbatim, kawarthaNOW has now contacted all registered ward candidates to ask for their position on key election issues, including the question “How should Peterborough approach economic development strategies and opportunities?”

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

I serve as the Chair of the City’s Economic Development Working Group. This Group provides helpful knowledge and direct experience benefitting many Economic Development programs and services.

The City has assumed direct responsibility for Economic Development (and Tourism). This initiative has led to several positive outcomes, including: Doctor Recruitment; Sports Tourism (Telus Cup, Prospects Game); Support of existing businesses; Re-opening of the Liftlocks Visitor Centre.

The City needs to draw sustained primary employment, gain access to additional services lands, make best use of the many and varied City attributes and to maximize the potential of the Peterborough Regional Airport. I wish to be part of the City Council that will ensure these matters are addressed and implemented!

Lucas Graham

Peterborough’s economic strategy should be about building local prosperity, not just chasing the next big employer. Attracting new investment matters, but so does helping the businesses already here survive, grow, and create good jobs.

I want City Hall to be easier for small businesses and entrepreneurs to navigate, with fewer unnecessary delays and clearer support when someone wants to open, expand, or invest. I’d also like us to make better use of tools we already have, including social procurement, so more City spending supports local businesses, employment, and community benefit where possible.

Economic development also can’t be separated from housing and transportation. A new job doesn’t help much if the person taking it can’t afford to live here or reliably get to work.

With Peterborough developing a new economic strategy, I want us to be clear about what success actually looks like: more local businesses surviving and growing, more good jobs, a stronger commercial and industrial tax base, and more of the wealth we create staying in the community.

Lesley Parnell

The current council & staff have made some significant moves towards positioning our sustainable growth. Numerous changes have happened in the planning division to encourage more housing including cutting in development charges in half. This move is intended to get shovels in the ground by builders, reduce the costs of these new homes for buyers and the city will be mostly reimbursed by the Provincial and Federal grants.

We have a vision to rejuvenate downtown IF we can work positively towards significant and essential private and upper-level government investment.

We continue to enhance our Community Well-Being with opportunities in the arts, sport, recreation, and community engagement for all ages. An active community is a happier, healthier community.

Plus, we have paid attention to the necessary infrastructure to sustain this growth – water, wastewater, stormwater, roads, active transportation and FREE youth transit. I consider policing and fire as essential Community Well-Being components. We continue to work with the Provincial and Municipal partners on employment lands.

All of this investment adds a solid community base, adds confidence and attracts more investment.

Chris Potter

Peterborough needs an economic development strategy that is realistic about what kind of city we are and what kind of city we want to become.

We need to support small businesses, attract good employers, protect and grow our industrial tax base, and make it easier for people to build, invest, and create jobs here.

Economic development can’t just be about ribbon cuttings and announcements. Those are fine, but they only mean something if they lead to local jobs, stronger tax revenue, and a city where people can afford to live and work.

We should be looking at sectors where Peterborough has a real advantage, including trades, clean technology, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and food systems, tourism, arts and culture, education, and health-related services.

We also need City Hall to be easier to deal with. If someone wants to open a business, build housing, expand a service, or invest here, the process should be clear, fair, and efficient. It shouldn’t feel like people are being sent through a maze before they can get a straight answer.

Ward 2 – Monaghan

Matt Crowley

What I have learned over the last four years is economic development isn’t just about “attracting businesses”, but it’s laying foundations and creating the kind of city where people want to invest, start a business, build a career, and raise a family.

One of the best ways to keep property taxes affordable over the long term is by growing our commercial and industrial tax base. When more businesses choose Peterborough, they create jobs, strengthen our local economy, and help reduce the pressure on homeowners.

We’re already seeing encouraging signs from everything we have been working towards over the last few years. The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario recently reported that Peterborough had the fastest pace of employment growth of any major urban centre in Ontario in 2025. That’s something we should all be happy about, but it’s also something we need to continue to build on.

I was proud to support bringing economic development back in-house because I believe it gives the City greater accountability and a stronger focus on attracting investment and supporting local businesses.

In spite of what you might see on social media, Peterborough has a lot going for it. We have excellent post-secondary institutions, a skilled workforce, a vibrant arts community, a great quality of life, beautiful parks, and a strategic location in the Province. Our job now is to keep that momentum going by supporting local businesses, attracting new employers, and making it easier for companies to invest here.

Economic development isn’t just about creating jobs today, but it’s about building a stronger, more financially sustainable Peterborough for the future.

Ashley Flynn

Economic development has to become one of Peterborough’s biggest priorities because it impacts almost every issue we’re facing.

We need to be far more aggressive in attracting new industry, supporting local businesses, and creating good-paying jobs. Growing our industrial and commercial tax base reduces the pressure on homeowners while giving the city more revenue to invest in roads, infrastructure, recreation, housing, and public services.

As a business owner, I understand what companies look for when deciding where to invest. I want Peterborough to be known as a city that’s easy to work with, welcomes investment, and is serious about sustainable economic growth. When our economy grows, our entire community benefits.

Rose Kitney

We need to ensure Peterborough is a destination of choice. Councillors need to be forward thinkers in regard to strategies for economic growth. The future growth of the city depends on economic development. Peterborough needs to be a destination for businesses and families in order for the city to grow and prosper, now and in the future. The vision of a new arena and vibrant community centre in the city is a step in the right direction however federal and provincial funding opportunities will need to be explored.

The strategies in the Official Plan need to be reviewed and revised to ensure this occurs.

Jen Lacey

It should be approached in a balanced way. We need to support the local businesses that already are invested in Peterborough because that will create an environment that will attract new businesses. City Hall’s role is to support, not be a barrier. Using this approach will help create local jobs. We need to improve communication, streamline processes whenever possible and reducing unnecessary delays. Delays could mean the difference of a family being able to afford their groceries or not.

We need to further develop partnerships with local small businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and post-secondary institutions. We need to ensure that our local infrastructure can support a strong workforce. We need to be fiscally responsible while also being clear with how decisions are being made.

AJ Shearer

Economic development is one of the best long-term affordability strategies available to council.

Peterborough relies heavily on residential property taxes to fund city services compared to other cities of its size. By attracting new employers, supporting local businesses and encouraging investment we can help expand our commercial and industrial base while creating good local jobs. The broader the commercial and industrial base becomes, the less the burden falls on homeowners as it has for quite some time.

The current council has begun taking steps to streamline approvals and recently reduced development charges after seeing that they had become a barrier to some projects. The next council should continue looking for practical ways to encourage investment while ensuring growth contributes to our city’s infrastructure and quality of life. This means ensuring we have serviced employment lands available, making development approvals as efficient as possible and continuing to promote Peterborough as a great place to invest.

By growing the economy responsibly, we will broaden our commercial and industrial assessment base, strengthening the city’s long-term financial sustainability which benefits us all.

Ward 3 – Town

Alex Bierk

I think Peterborough needs to rethink its approach to economic development. Too often, we look for a single, silver bullet approach, to relieve the tax burden on residential taxpayers — while the independent businesses, arts organizations, tourism sector, and community partners that already drive our local economy struggle to get the support they need.

Supporting our downtown, strengthening the arts and culture sector, and helping independent businesses succeed should be central to our economic development strategy.

Jenni Cathcart

I believe the best investments are the ones that pay for themselves over time through economic growth, a broader tax base, and reduced long-term costs. I see three opportunities that meet these criteria and could transform this city over the next five to ten years.

First, we need to expand Peterborough’s boundaries. Right now, our tax base is roughly 80% residential — far out of balance with the ideal ratio of 60/40. That’s partly because there’s very little land left zoned for commercial or industrial use. Expanding our boundaries would open up room for new businesses, create jobs, and take pressure off residential property taxes. This is a foundational fix that makes everything else easier.

Second, a new stadium and conference centre located near the waterfront downtown. This isn’t just about keeping the Pete’s in Peterborough — though that matters, too. It’s about giving our downtown an anchor that draws people in. Tourism already generates an estimated $277 million annually for our region. A modern facility would allow us to compete for conferences, events, and visitors we can’t attract right now.

Third, we need to get ahead of high-speed rail. The Province’s Alto high-speed rail corridor has the potential to connect Peterborough with Toronto and Ottawa — cutting travel times dramatically and making our city more attractive to commuters, businesses, and remote workers who want more space and a lower cost of living. Cities that are ready when the investment arrives get the jobs, the growth, and the spinoff development. That means having our zoning, infrastructure plans, and station-area vision ready to go — so that if and when the government gets to “yes,” Peterborough isn’t scrambling to catch up. We should be shovel-ready before we need to be.

Jessica Kuhlmorgen-Hille

With open minds, and the willingness to learn from other areas who have been more successful than we have. Our current strategy has not been successful, as we have lost thousands of full time jobs in the past few years. We need to focus on ensuring our current small businesses have what they need to grow, and that larger companies feel secure — confident even, about not only remaining here, but expanding here — willing to put in long term investment for generations to come.

Joy Lachica

As Economic Development co-liaison via the Infrastructure Planning and Growth Management Portfolio, I believe and always underscore the importance of communication, transparency and fostering a collaborative approach to priority-setting and strategic planning. Strategic planning requires an essential tier of community input. Such an approach ensures clarity for council, staff and the public and establishes a common understanding of key opportunities and setting the best way forward. Quarterly reports by the Economic Development division to Council are important, especially since bringing this division newly in-house.

Nigel Lister

First, we should focus on our own. We should prioritize those who are already here and make Peterborough the fantastic place it is already. While helping our own thrive we also need to focus on attracting larger entities and also larger infrastructure projects to Peterborough that will provide well-paying jobs for our citizens. As current President of the Peterborough + District Construction Association I know how impactful large-scale projects can be for our local workforce

Ward 4 – Ashburnham

Gary Baldwin

As you know, the City of Peterborough has brought the economic development portfolio in-house. The goal of any economic development program is to implement strategies that will improve the city’s economic well-being and quality of life. As a member of Council, I have been supportive of trying to create an environment that will facilitate job creation. This term, Council approved cross-border servicing in an effort to attract business and bring jobs to the Peterborough region. An increase in jobs is a tangible measure of how healthy our community is. To further address job creation, it is imperative that Council continue toward the acquisition of strategically-located serviceable employment lands.

Ashley Bonner

Peterborough needs to approach economic development in a way that is realistic and rooted in what is already happening here.

Of course, we should be looking for new opportunities, new investment, and good jobs. But we also need to better support the businesses and organizations that are already part of our community. Small businesses, local employers, tradespeople, entrepreneurs, artists, farmers, and non-profits all play a role in our local economy, and they need to feel like the city is working with them, not making things harder.

To me, economic development is also connected to everyday life. If people can’t find an affordable place to live, can’t get to work reliably, or businesses can’t find staff, that affects the whole local economy. So when we talk about economic development, we also have to talk about housing, transit, childcare, infrastructure, and affordability.

Peterborough has a lot to build on. We have strong neighbourhoods, local talent, post-secondary institutions, a thriving creative arts and culture scene, tourism, agriculture, and a growing interest in green and sustainable industries. We need to focus on those strengths while remaining open to new ideas and partnerships.

Economic development shouldn’t just be about chasing the biggest project; it should be about building a local economy that is steady, diverse, and benefits the people who live here. That means listening to business owners, workers, and residents, removing barriers where we can, and making decisions that support both growth and quality of life.

Andrew MacGregor

Peterborough should be prioritizing addressing economic detractors. Whether public safety, bureaucracy of business permitting, policing, the best areas of focus should be on things we can fix, instead of committing huge amounts of money to legacy projects that will suffer from the same problems.

Jason Stabler

I am committed to supporting the growth of local businesses and tourism initiatives and developing the infrastructure needed to attract new investment. I also believe that the arts and cultural sector — the galleries, venues, festivals, and creative community that give this city so much of its character — deserves to be recognized and supported as the serious economic and social contributor it is.

Ward 5 – Northcrest

Andrew Beamer

Securing employment lands and attracting new industry needs to be the city’s top priority. This would create jobs for our community, secure long-term local prosperity, and provide much needed property tax revenue. We need to grow our commercial/industrial tax base to provide much needed relief for the residential taxpayers. There is only so much we can put on the backs of the property taxpayers, and we have reached that limit. Securing additional commercial/industrial tax revenue will take the pressure off residential taxpayers and will allow us to further invest in important infrastructure projects and services to move the city forward. Securing employment lands is vital for the growth of the entire region.

City Council needs to collaboratively work with our regional neighbours and must advocate for Provincial assistance. Also, I will continue to support and vote in favour of employment land opportunities like I did in December 2021 when I supported an annexation offer from Cavan Monaghan that would have created a new 272-acre industrial park which would have provided the City employment lands for the next 30 years.

Phillip Jolicoeur

Peterborough should approach economic development by building on its existing strengths while making sure we are genuinely ready for new investment.

For more than 20 years, I have worked alongside small businesses, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, tradespeople, artists, tourism operators, and community organizations. I understand how much people risk when they choose to open or expand a business.

Economic development is not handled by one department. It is connected to housing, infrastructure, transportation, planning, tourism, workforce development, and how efficiently the City responds to investment opportunities.

I propose an Investment Readiness Report that would bring existing City work into one clear public document. It should identify where Peterborough is prepared to compete, where gaps remain, and what Council should prioritize next. If a company wanted to invest here and create hundreds of jobs, we should be able to clearly explain what we can offer, how we can make the processes simpler for those who are serious, and welcome industry with open arms.

We must also support businesses already operating here. Tourism, arts, culture, sports, and events should be treated as economic drivers. Success means more investment, stronger local businesses, good jobs, and a city where people can build their future.

Paul Lawton

Peterborough should focus on the conditions that allow families, workers, small businesses, and employers to thrive.

That means safe streets, clean public spaces, reliable infrastructure, reasonable taxes, predictable approvals, and a City Hall that does not make it harder than necessary to invest, build, hire, and grow here.

Economic development should not be reduced to slogans or large announcements. The basics matter. If roads are deteriorating, public spaces feel unsafe, costs are unpredictable, and approvals are slow or unclear, that hurts economic confidence.

The city should support small business, reduce unnecessary red tape, make better use of employment lands, and be honest about the infrastructure needed to support growth.

Charmaine Magumbe

Economic growth in Peterborough is of concern, with recent announcements that Woodward Canada is closing its plant in August 2027, Minute Maid Coca-Cola is ending frozen product manufacturing at its Lansdowne plant, and Siemens Canada is relocating 160 manufacturing roles from Peterborough, retaining only 40 staff. In these difficult economic times, with high unemployment hovering close to 7%, which is higher than the national average. We on Council must find ways to strengthen the city’s economic industries.

My economic vision for the City of Peterborough is to increase the number of businesses to diversify our tax base so our main tax source does not come mostly from residential taxes. With the growing population and the post-secondary student population from both Fleming College and Trent University, we must attract businesses with well-paying jobs to retain our young people in Peterborough.

It will be interesting to see the final report of the Peterborough Economic Development Strategy, which will be presented to City Council and shared with the community from September to October. According to the facilitators, the report will summarize consultations and what we heard from key interest groups, businesses, community groups, and Council to draft an economic development strategic plan and implementation plan.

I, along with the citizens of Peterborough, am looking forward to the final report from the Peterborough Economic Development Strategic Plan—to see how this report addresses the lack of industrial land and how it will attract and retain businesses in Peterborough. With this report, we as Council can work together with key interest groups and individuals to create more businesses and jobs in the city.

Gavin Muir

Economic development isn’t a nice-to-have for Peterborough — it’s a matter of survival. Our residential tax base alone cannot carry this city forward. We need a real, thriving economic engine to share that load and that has been missing in our city for a long time. That’s why I have real reservations about how we brought economic development in-house. For over 25 years, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development gave the city and county a shared structure for pursuing growth together — when the city chose not to renew that agreement, it effectively forced the county’s hand too, and that shared regional structure no longer exists. “Control” over our own division doesn’t mean we have all the skills, ideas, or relationships that real economic development requires.

Opening up development lands or offering sweetheart deals isn’t a strategy, it’s a bidding war we can’t win against bigger cities with deeper pockets — and it’s an approach that’s let us down before. Businesses aren’t drawn here by acreage and perks alone. They’re drawn by mature partnerships and a genuine ecosystem: a place where post-secondary institutions, business leaders, arts and culture, and social service providers are all contributing fresh ideas, not working in isolation. That’s what actually attracts investment, and it’s what convinces employees this is a place they want to build a life, not just take a job. Peterborough won’t earn that reputation by acting alone, or by settling for what’s easy — we’ll earn it by building something genuinely innovative, together.

Jim Wasson

This is a bit of a complex question with no one direction that fits all. Having said that Peterborough should be “Open For Business”. A successful strategy should focus on creating good jobs, expanding the tax base and ensuring growth benefits all neighbourhoods, including Northcrest Ward. That would include supporting existing businesses, attracting new investment, building a skilled work force, revitalize commercial area, investing in infrastructure, and promoting tourism. All this which would help in tackling the unemployment rate for the area.

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

The original version of this story has been updated with a correction: Michael Eamon’s name was inadvertently omitted from the list of mayoral candidates.

The original version of this story has been updated with a response from Monaghan Ward candidate Rose Kitney.

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.