With the nomination period for the October 26 municipal election closing on August 21, Peterborough voters are looking for answers from candidates for city councillor who have filed their nomination papers.

In a multi-story series, kawarthaNOW is contacting all registered candidates in each of the City of Peterborough’s five wards — Ward 1 (Otonabee), Ward 2 (Monaghan), Ward 3 (Town), Ward 4 (Ashburnham), and Ward 5 (Northcrest) — for their position on key election issues such as housing, affordability, and council transparency, with comments from new candidates added as required.

In the first series of stories, kawarthaNOW asked candidates 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.

In Ashburnham Ward, longtime incumbent Keith Riel has left his seat vacant by entering the mayoral race while fellow incumbent Gary Baldwin, who also serves as first deputy mayor, filed his nomination papers on May 4 to seek a fourth term on council.

Ashley Bonner, a proud East City resident and community organizer, became a first-time candidate when she filed on May 7.

Returning to the Ashburnham Ward race is Dreams of Beans owner Andrew McGregor, who ran in the 2022 election and failed to unseat either incumbent, coming in third behind Riel by 953 votes. McGregor entered the 2026 race on June 16.

Another familiar face is Jason Stabler, who launched his campaign on May 28. He previously ran in the 2014 municipal election as a Town Ward candidate, coming in third behind Diane Therrien by 1,174 votes.

kawarthaNOW asked each of the four candidates to respond to the three questions in email, and is publishing their answers verbatim with no editing. McGregor did not respond in time for publication; he provided a response on September 18, which has been added to this story.

1. Why have you chosen to run for ward councillor?

Gary Baldwin

It has been a privilege to have represented and served the residents of Ashburnham Ward for the past 12 years. As an experienced councillor, I understand how governance works and what it takes to get things accomplished. I have developed an excellent rapport and working relationship with City staff. I come to council meetings well-prepared, with a focus on debating the issues and representing my constituents to the best of my ability.

While there are big issues discussed at council meetings, what I like most about my role as a city councillor is the constituency work. I pride myself on delivering the best service possible. This often means meeting with constituents face-to-face, answering phone calls and emails, and then problem solving and working with staff to resolve concerns.

I have had a great deal of encouragement to continue in my role as councillor. I enjoy the work and am prepared to commit another four years to the residents of Ashburnham Ward.

Ashley Bonner

I’ve lived in Ashburnham Ward my entire life, and my decision to run comes from a deep love for this community and a strong commitment to public service. Over the years, I’ve had countless conversations with neighbours on doorsteps, in parks, and at community-led events. I’ve heard people’s stories, concerns, hopes, and ideas for how we can make our ward stronger.

I’m running because I want to help turn those conversations into action. Ashburnham Ward is a place with incredible community spirit, and I believe we can build on that by creating a more connected, inclusive, and resilient ward where residents feel heard, valued, and supported.

For me, leadership also means doing the work to understand how decisions are made. Out of commitment to this role and respect for the responsibility of public service, I’ve watched almost every council meeting for over a year. I believe it’s important to understand what has worked, where improvements are needed, and how to bring informed, accountable leadership to City Hall.

Andrew MacGregor

I deeply love my community, and have invested so much in helping to build it. As a business owner downtown, I have a front row view to all that is great about our town, and to what gripes we levy in how it is managed. My hope is to help govern differently, and foster positive change for the average neighbour, not just the wealthy or the lobbying.

Jason Stabler

Ashburnham Ward is where I grew up and where I am now raising my own family. I love this community, its neighborhoods, its people, and everything that makes it a great place to live. I want to give back to a place that has given me so much, and help ensure it continues to thrive for everyone who calls this place home.

2. What is the biggest challenge in your ward?

Gary Baldwin

Ashburnham Ward spans from Trent University to Bensfort Rd. As such, there are a myriad of issues throughout the ward. The challenge is addressing concerns when presented.

One fundamental challenge is the cost to deliver services constituents have come to expect. City council needs to focus on growing our tax base to help pay for the services levels we currently enjoy. However, the biggest challenges in Ashburnham are the changing landscape of the ward and traffic. The village of Ashburnham has already seen a transformation of its landscape as new apartment buildings have been constructed on Hunter St and a new condominium built on Armour Rd. With the approval of a 17-storey apartment building on Hunter Street, the proposed 700 home development just east of the Liftlock, the swing bridge at Maria Street, a single-lane bridge on McFarlane Street, and the single-lane tunnel through the liftlock, traffic and congestion throughout Ashburnham is top-of-mind.

Ashley Bonner

The biggest challenge facing Ashburnham Ward right now is balancing rapid growth with our ward’s financial and physical realities.

East City is a beautiful and geographically unique part of Peterborough. In many ways, we are an island within the city. But over the past five years, we’ve seen a major surge in development, and that growth has placed real pressure on our infrastructure. Residents are seeing increased traffic congestion, growing safety concerns, and the strain will only worsen with more development on the horizon.

This growth is affecting residents in two major ways: our streets are becoming more congested, and our property taxes continue to rise. Year-over-year tax increases have pushed many neighbours to their financial limits. In some cases, long-time residents have been priced out of the homes and community they helped build. What makes that even more frustrating is that many people look around the ward and don’t see those tax increases reflected in better services or stronger infrastructure.

I’m running because residents deserve a reliable voice at City Hall, transparency in decision-making, and a serious plan to manage growth responsibly. Ashburnham Ward can grow, but it has to grow in a way that protects affordability, improves infrastructure, and preserves the community we all care about.

Andrew MacGregor

Ashburnham Ward has seen explosive growth in development following the change of “Downtown Core” to include Hunter Street all the way to the LiftLocks. This is good for housing where fair-market rents are concerned, and good news for the municipal tax base income (hopefully slowing municipal tax rate raises), but introduces its own new slough of problems: 17 storey buildings are being built beside single dwelling two storey homes, infrastructure is not capable of handling all the new car traffic, and neighbourhoods feel entirely ignored.

As a councilor, I am hopeful to direct intensification in an equitable way, making way for a gradual intensification for neighbouring residential neigbourhoods to take part in this economic opportunity.

Jason Stabler

Transportation infrastructure. As the number of people living in Ashburnham grows, ensuring that people can travel across the canal (via new McFarlane Street Bridge), and north/south (via Ashburnham realignment) in a manner that minimizes impact on existing neighbourhoods and ensures that cycling and pedestrian options are included is important (there are currently limited options for crossing the canal as a pedestrian or a cyclist).

3. What makes you a unique candidate for councillor?

Gary Baldwin

Respectfully, as of this writing, I am the only candidate on the ballot with the experience of doing the job. I know first-hand the role of a councillor and understand the complexities of governance. I have a working knowledge of how the Corporation functions, I know the issues the city is facing, and I have a proven track record of working with staff to address concerns and find solutions. This coming term is an important one for Ashburnham Ward and the city. I look forward to ensuring Ashburnham Ward residents have a knowledgeable and experienced voice at the council table.

Ashley Bonner

What sets me apart is that my commitment to Ashburnham Ward isn’t a new campaign promise; it’s a proven track record. For the past ten years, I’ve been actively working to bring neighbours together, strengthen the local economy, and create a thriving and resilient neighbourhood.

I bring a unique combination of formal education in social services and international development from Fleming College and Trent University. In addition, I have a decade of business experience supporting local organizations, events, and small businesses through strategic marketing. But above all, I am a community organizer at heart. I don’t just talk about engagement; I roll up my sleeves and do the work.

I’ve been proud to help create and lead initiatives such as the Neighbourhood Networks, the Hey Neighbour pilot, the East City Neighbourhood Hub, the annual East City Neighbourhood Yard Sale, and East City CARE (Community Action for Resilience in Emergencies).

These projects reflect who I am and the kind of councillor I would be: present, prepared, collaborative, and deeply connected to the people I hope to represent. As councillor, I will bring that same energy, accountability, and dedication to City Hall to ensure all residents’ voices are heard and valued.

Andrew MacGregor

We need councilors who are willing to put in long hours, willing to listen to constituents and change their minds when they’re wrong, and who understand the varied needs of residents and business owners. On top of owning and running Dreams of Beans, a community restaurant downtown, I have also sat on the board of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough. I have an informed perspective on housing, business, social services, policing, and I want to put my network of connections to good use and help Peterborough catch up on some missing pieces.

Jason Stabler

I have the background and experience to hit the ground running as a Councillor for Ashburnham Ward. I earned a law degree from the University of Manitoba and a graduate degree in public policy from the University of Victoria. Having worked in the BC public service and having held leadership roles in local community organizations, I understand how government works, and have experience building coalitions, navigating complex institutions, and leading initiatives that have made a real difference.

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

This story was updated on September 18 with a response from Andrew MacGregor.

Cheryl Watson, co-owner of Auto Connect Sales in Peterborough, believes it shouldn’t be hard to be a kid.

That’s why, on Saturday, August 8, the well-known used car dealership is partnering with United Way Peterborough & District to host a one-day donation blitz that will equip financially vulnerable students with the supplies they need to excel this academic school year.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the “Fill the Fords” event at Auto Connect Sales at 1175 Lansdowne Street West invites community members and businesses to donate to United Way’s Backpacks for Success program. The program supports local students in kindergarten to grade 12 by providing them with backpacks stocked with essential school supplies.

“We firmly believe that every student, no matter what it is that they’re walking through, deserves to walk into their first day of school feeling prepared, set up for success, and confident,” says Adeline Murphy, campaign officer for United Way Peterborough & District.

“Unfortunately for many families in our community, purchasing school supplies has just become increasingly difficult. What we have learned is that our community can come together through programs like this one to make a real difference in the lives of those students.”

The affordability crisis has made the situation even worse. According to the United Way Centraide Canada Financial Anxiety Index poll, conducted by Léger and released in June, 40 per cent of Canadians report difficulty sleeping due to financial stress and 22 per cent of Canadians have personally experienced poverty, which is up from 19 per cent in 2025.

“We see the effects of the affordability crisis that we’re experiencing across the country in our community every single day,” says Murphy. “For many families, school supplies have just become one more expense that is increasingly difficult to manage.”

The Backpacks for Success program meets this growing demand by curating backpacks with age-appropriate school supplies for students across the city and county of Peterborough. Families can request the backpacks through the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board and the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, as well as through United Way’s other local partners like the New Canadians Centre.

Since launching the program locally in 2003, United Way Peterborough & District has provided more than 12,886 backpacks to youth in the community, filled with new, age-appropriate supplies including pens, pencils, scissors, sharpeners, erasers, lined paper, calculators, binders, and more.

The program has evolved to include many local businesses and organizations across the city and county who sign up to host their own collection drives. As a result, the United Way met all requests from partners last year by supplying 457 backpacks to local students and new Canadians.

Murphy hopes to see even more businesses getting involved this summer by hosting their own drives and suggests businesses use the campaign to challenge one another.

“Some friendly competition could result in even more backpacks being assembled for local students,” she says. “We want it to feel like a big celebration of generosity in this community, and what better way than some healthy competition among friends in business?”

Auto Connect Sales was one of the businesses hosting a drop-off point last year but Watson was eager to expand their efforts this year by encouraging community members and businesses to “Fill the Fords.”

“I just remember when I was a kid and you would get excited about going back-to-school shopping and you’d get your new pencil case and your erasers and pencil crayons,” Watson says. “It just makes me so sad that some kids can’t do that. Some kids don’t have the money to get excited about going back to school so if we can help in a teeny, tiny, small way, that’s a good day.”

The goal is to gather enough school supplies to fill two vintage Ford pickup trucks in the Auto Connect Sales showroom: a 1996 Ford F150 and a restored 1951 Mercury that still has some of its original parts. There will also be a barbeque and ice cream available, as well as games and opportunities to learn about United Way’s essential programming.

People can also make monetary donations to help the United Way purchase any additional needed school supplies, including more expensive items that are less likely to be donated such as math kits and scientific calculators. Another option is to shop for needed items using the United Way’s Amazon wishlist to send items directly to the United Way office.

United Way is also seeking $500 sponsorships that could be used to supply reusable water bottles to elementary school-aged children.

Businesses can get involved by hosting their own drives or collections by emailing the United Way at b4s@uwpeterborough.ca or by connecting through Facebook or Instagram.

“Whether you’re looking to donate, whether you want to be part of Fill the Fords with Auto Connect Sales, or whether you want to run a donation drive of your own, we welcome involvement of any and all kinds,” Murphy says.

In addition to supporting as many local students as possible, Watson hopes community members walk away from “Fill the Ford” with a greater sense of appreciation and understanding of the challenges faced by financially vulnerable families locally.

“I hope that it creates a bigger awareness for how big the problems are for kids,” she says. “It’s teaching their children to be kind and to just give a little bit because you don’t have to have the moon. It’s a drop in the bucket, but every drop counts. If you have $2 to give or you have $5 to give or you have $50 to give, it all counts.”

To learn more about Backpacks for Success, visit uwpeterborough.ca/get-involved/backpacks-for-success/.

Peterborough Musicfest’s “Woven Stories: A Night of Indigenous Music, Culture and Celebration” returns to Del Crary Park for a second year on Saturday (July 18).

Beginning at 6:45 p.m., the free event will feature a traditional canoe arrival and welcoming ceremony, drumming, storytelling, dancing, and interactive community programming before award-winning singer-songwriter Julian Taylor performs on the Fred Anderson Stage just after 8 p.m.

Developed in collaboration with local community partners and launched in 2025, Woven Stories gives audiences an opportunity to experience Indigenous traditions while bringing people together through ceremony and celebration.

“Woven Stories has become an important part of the Peterborough Musicfest season,” said Musicfest executive director Tracey Randall in a media release.

“We’re proud to continue building this evening in collaboration with our local community partners. It’s an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous culture while bringing people together through music, learning, and shared experiences.”

The evening will begin along the shoreline of Little Lake at Del Crary Park with a traditional canoe arrival featuring the Curve Lake First Nation Women’s Hand Drum Group, led by Janet McCue.

At 7:15 p.m., McCue and Healing with Drums will present a collaborative acoustic performance featuring Indigenous music and storytelling. That will be followed at 7:30 p.m. by a big drum and traditional dance exhibition, featuring the Curve Lake Men’s Drum Group and traditional dancers.

At 8 p.m., McCue will lead an interactive community round dance with singers, drummers, and dancers before Taylor’s headlining performance begins 15 minutes later.

Of Caribbean and Mohawk ancestry, the Toronto singer-songwriter and guitarist has earned acclaim for music that blends rock, folk, soul, roots, and country. He first gained national attention as a founding member of the alternative rock band Staggered Crossing, whose song “Further Again” became one of the most-played songs on Canadian rock radio in the early 2000s.

Taylor’s largely acoustic 2020 album The Ridge, which draws upon his personal experiences and family history, received Juno Award nominations for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year and Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year. It also earned Taylor the Canadian Folk Music Award for Solo Artist of the Year and a nomination for the Polaris Music Prize.

His 2022 album Beyond the Reservoir received a Juno nomination for Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year, while his most recent studio album, Pathways, was released in 2024 and co-produced with Grammy Award winner Colin Linden.

Admission is free to both Woven Stories and Taylor’s concert, thanks in part to festival sponsors like kawarthaNOW.

VIDEO: “Seeds” – Julian Taylor (2022)

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair, with VIP seating available for festival sponsors and their guests. Smoking, alcohol, and pets are not permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.

Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free concerts at Del Crary Park on Wednesday and Saturday nights during its 39th season, which continues until August 19.

For more information on this concert or the 2026 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or call the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2026 season.