Parks Canada has announced it is beginning work on a multi-year infrastructure project along the Trent-Severn Waterway in Peterborough that includes rehabilitation of earth dams along the canal, sealing of leaks in the Peterborough Lift Lock, and the complete replacement of the Maria Street Swing Bridge.

Mobilization for the project began on Thursday (February 19), but no closures are expected during the initial phase. Work will be scheduled outside of the canal’s operational season to minimize impacts on boat navigation.

The earth dam rehabilitation will take place between Lock 20 – Ashburnham to the McFarlane Street Bridge north of the Peterborough Lift Lock, and follows earlier work completed from 2015 through 2019. According to Parks Canada, the canal banks are experiencing erosion and instability, with past protection measures failing and creating safety hazards. Rehabilitation will stabilize the canal banks, improve safety, and extend the lifespan of the dams by 75 years or longer.

As for the Peterborough Lift Lock, Parks Canada says the historic structure is experiencing water leakage into its interior spaces, putting sensitive mechanical and electrical systems at risk. Repairs will seal the leaks and ensure its continued safe operation.

Some sections of the canal banks and pathways may be closed temporarily during construction for safety reasons, and some interruptions for boaters may be required during construction. Parks Canada says it will provide advance notice of any closures.

Meanwhile, Parks Canada says the 61-year-old Maria Street Swing Bridge is due for a complete replacement. While interim repairs have been made to maintain traffic, key components are too deteriorated for long-term rehabilitation.

The new bridge will have the same two-lane and single-sidewalk structure and will closely resemble the existing bridge. However, the replacement bridge will be constructed of modern-grade steel that will result in an increased load rating, meaning the current load limitation posting will be removed.

The existing bridge will require intermittent closures during inspections, and a longer-term closure during the installation of the new structure, with the closures planned between 2026 and 2028. Advance notice will be given of any closures. In-water work will take place only during the winter months, so boating will not be affected during the navigation season.

Detours will be in place for vehicular traffic, as well as for pedestrians and cyclists, during the closures. When closures are in effect, drivers will require extra travel time, as delays may occur along detour routes.

Parks Canada says it is working closely with the construction contractor and the City of Peterborough to minimize disruption, including coordinating emergency access routes, scheduling around other municipal projects, and securing necessary road closure approvals.

While the project schedule and timeline is still being refined and will depend on factors including weather, temperature, and material availability and procurement, Parks Canada says the public can expect the project to take three to four years to complete.

Parks Canada says it will provide regular project updates through a dedicated project webpage and an email subscription list. A public information session is planned for March, and more details about the construction phases, timelines, and closures will be provided.

Those who still doubt that high-speed rail will come to Peterborough had best pay attention: things are happening, and they’re happening fast.

Just a few days after Peterborough city council endorsed funding for a Coldsprings secondary planning study with an eye toward Peterborough’s future Alto high-speed rail station being located in the former hamlet southeast of the city, Alto CEO Martin Imbleau updated city and county business leaders on the rail network that will ultimately span 1,000 kilometres between Toronto and Quebec City.

In an event hosted by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce at The Stonehouse Hall west of Peterborough on Thursday morning (February 19), Imbleau spoke virtually to the audience — a move necessitated by his flight being grounded due to weather concerns. However, his enthusiasm for, and firm commitment to the success of, the largest Canadian public infrastructure project in recent history jumped off the jumbo screen.

‘Peterborough is at the heart of this project, not on the sidelines’

“To quote Rick Mercer, ‘Canada is a world leader in high-speed rail reports,'” said Imbleau.

“He’s right. For a decade, high-speed rail showed up on wish lists, was debated, was studied, and shelved again and again. But around this time last year, it all became real when (the federal) government moved forward with Alto, Canada’s first high-speed rail network connecting Toronto to Quebec City.”

“Today, my message is simple. It’s a clear call to action to prepare together to build it.”

Noting the initial phase of the project will see the rail corridor connecting Ottawa with Montreal developed, Imbleau said there’s good reason for that.

“Ottawa to Montreal is a distance we can manage responsibly and use as a learning ground, because that segment brings together most of the challenges we’ll face across the (entire) corridor,” he explained.

“It’s still a very large-scale project with 200 kilometres of track and three stations. But I want to be absolutely clear on one thing: Peterborough is at the heart of this project, not on the sidelines. This city is a key driver of the corridor’s future.”

‘It’s too early to present specific station locations’

That message was welcomed by those gathered to hear Imbleau speak — an audience that included Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal, Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark, most of the township mayors, and several local economic development leaders.

Of note, in light of Peterborough city council’s approval of the Coldsprings secondary planning study, Imbleau said “it’s too early to present specific station locations.”

“We’re exploring different options in each of the seven cities. A station is not just a dot on a map. Once you build it, it defines how a city connects for decades. The right (station) site must serve three things at once: the city, the regional network, and the long-term performance of the corridor.”

“I know there’s a lot of anticipation, and that’s understandable. I’m asking you for just a little bit more patience. After all, Petes fans have mastered patience since, what, 1979?” Imbleau joked, referring to the one and only time the hockey club won the Memorial Cup.

Following Imbleau’s remarks, Mayor Leal said Peterborough has answered Alto’s “clarion call” to start preparations now for what’s to come — hence the approval of the Coldsprings secondary planning study with an eye toward Peterborough’s high-speed rail station being located there.

“We want to be proactive, so we’re starting that planning process as we speak,” said Mayor Leal. “We always felt that the narrowest point for a crossing (of the Otonabee River) is the southeast corner of the city that is known locally as Coldsprings, so we want to be in position to get our planning work completed as soon as possible.”

‘It will be built largely by Canadian workers, with Canadian materials’

Meanwhile, Imbleau also spoke at length of the logistics of what he termed “a weapon of mass construction.”

“It will be built largely by Canadian workers, with Canadian materials, and drawing on best practices from around the world,” he said. “Building a 1,000-kilometre network requires tons of materials, crazy levels of engineering, and people. Lots of people. Because of that, Alto will set entire sectors in motion.”

“We need 4,000 kilometres of steel tracks — the equivalent of five round-trips to the International Space Station. For the first segment alone, we’re talking thousands of tons of steel, but also concrete, copper, and aluminum. That’s why we’ve already begun direct outreach to the Canadian steel industry. We’re engaging producers now to understand the readiness of the domestic supply chain.”

As for jobs created by the project, Imbleau noted “50,000 people will be required, enough to fill the Peterborough Memorial Centre about 12 times over. We’re talking welders, surveyors, electricians, signal and communication technicians to keep trains running safely at full speed, and construction crews to build bridges, tunnels, and electrified tracks.”

“The time to start preparing is now. That’s why I hope we’ll work closely with universities, colleges, and professional schools to develop training capacity. And with Cadence, we will soon start meeting with construction firms, construction associations, and union partners to assess their readiness to answer our coming calls to market.”

Cadence is an alliance of Canadian and international private partners with expertise in the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of large-scale, complex rail infrastructures. Cadence will co-develop the project with Alto, formerly known as VIA HFR, which is a Crown corporation formed in 2022 to oversee the high-speed rail project.

‘Alto will succeed if, and only if, it is built in collaboration with communities’

Imbleau also reaffirmed that Alto is wholly committed to connecting with residents, listening closely to questions and concerns, and ensuring perspectives from Peterborough and communities across The Kawarthas inform every stage of planning.

To that end, Alto has launched an initial three-month public consultation process that includes a drop-in open house in Peterborough on Thursday, February 26 between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. at the McDonnel Street Community Centre at 577 McDonnel Street.

Alto’s first two open houses, held in Ottawa and Montreal on January 21 and 22, collectively saw more than 1,000 attendees.

At the Peterborough open house, there will be a variety of booths set up to share stories of how high-speed rail will revolutionize mobility and quality of life across communities along the corridor.

In addition, members of Alto’s community engagement team will be available to share why high-speed rail is a groundbreaking project for Canada, what the project timeline looks like, how the trains will work, and how they will transform mobility between Toronto and Quebec City. Attendees will also be able to meet experts from the Alto team who can speak to engineering, design, environmental consultations and more,

“I’ve said since day one that Alto will succeed if, and only if, it is built in collaboration with communities,” said Imbleau.

“Obviously, we cannot give all the answers on day one. A consultation where everything is already decided is not a consultation — it’s a sales pitch. Listening now before decisions are made is what creates clarity going forward. In 2026, it’s about consultation, refining the alignment and coming back to communities by year-end with a very precise proposal.”

‘This is a very ambitious timeline but, if we do it properly, it’s a doable one’

“In 2027-28, we’ll focus on detailed design and environmental work,” Imbleau said. “By 2029, market preparation will start translating into contracts being awarded, work utilities and the first on-the-ground activities. By the end of 2030, construction will be underway between Ottawa and Montreal.”

“I’m not going to lie. This is a very ambitious timeline but, if we do it properly, it’s a doable one.”

“Of course, building responsibly also means being honest about the challenges. There will be questions. There will be skepticism. It will test our coordination across jurisdictions, and our capacity to stay the course over many years.”

“It’s not going to be easy. Projects like this never are, but challenges do not make this project less necessary.”

‘High-speed rail has the potential to redefine how people and businesses move’

One challenge that Alto doesn’t have to overcome is convincing the leaders of those communities the high-speed rail line will connect of its need, its benefits, and its value.

“Today we’re talking about how we shape the future of economic growth, workforce, mobility, environmental sustainability, and regional competitiveness,” said Warden Clark in her opening remarks. “High-speed rail has the potential to redefine how people and businesses move, connecting communities like ours more effectively to major urban centres and opening new doors for opportunity.”

“Getting this right matters. As a county, we know that meaningful infrastructure decisions require partners at the table — municipal, provincial, federal, Indigenous, industry, and most importantly, our residents. High-speed rail will only succeed if it is planned with care, is grounded in community needs, and is developed in a way that respects local context, protects our environment, and strengthens our rural and urban fabric.”

For more information on Alto’s public consultation process, visit www.altotrain.ca/en/public-consultation. To stay informed about upcoming milestones and additional opportunities to engage, sign up for Alto’s monthly newsletter at www.altotrain.ca/en/stay-updated.

In their lifetime, a person who is menstruating can spend upwards of $6,000 on hygiene products — and that doesn’t include incidentals like new underwear and pain relievers. For vulnerable persons living in poverty, those products are often sacrificed in lieu of other essential expenses.

That’s why United Way Peterborough & District has launched the 10th annual Period Promise campaign (formerly called Tampon Tuesday) with the goal of collecting 25,000 hygiene products for vulnerable community members.

All donated period products and financial donations to the organization until Friday, March 13 will be given to Kawartha Food Share to distribute to partner agencies in the city and county of Peterborough.

Items can be dropped off at the United Way office (277 Stewart Street) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday (with the exception of Thursday, February 26 when staff will be preparing for the Peterborough Performs benefit concert).

“It’s part of our mandate to focus on moving people from poverty to possibility and this drive is especially important because so many people who menstruate are living in poverty and can’t access the products they need,” says Elisha Rubacha, community impact officer for United Way Peterborough & District. “This is an opportunity to not only get products into people’s hands, but to get people thinking about menstruation and the body because there’s so much stigma around it.”

According to a 2023 survey, one in four people in Canada who menstruate have had to choose between purchasing menstrual products and purchasing other essential items like food or paying rent. This could result in people relying on unsafe alternatives, like using a product for too long, or missing out on school, work, and social events because they don’t have the right protections.

Despite the need for this basic necessity, menstrual hygiene products are one of the least donated items at local food banks.

“Stigma might contribute to that, but I think people just don’t always think about it — it’s not on people’s minds,” says Rubacha. “We don’t talk about it, so of course people aren’t thinking to donate those products.”

This is why the Period Promise is not just about collecting and distributing donated menstrual hygiene products, but also about starting and normalizing conversations around menstruation.

Research has shown the continued prevalence of the idea that menstruation is “dirty” or “shameful” and something that should be concealed, even in one’s own home.

“People need to be able to be in their bodies in their own homes, so if we can just get people talking about it, that’s a big step,” Rubacha says. “If we can get people implementing workplace policies that help people who are either menstruating or in menopause — all of those things are a big help.”

Items accepted by the United Way include pads, liners, tampons, cups, reusable and disposable underwear, and any other menstrual hygiene products. The organization is also accepting financial donations that will be funnelled towards purchasing under-stocked items at the end of the campaign.

“A lot of living in poverty means having your choices limited and so if we can open that up and give people more choices, that has a profound impact,” Rubacha says. “Trans men often menstruate, and they might not be comfortable using anything inserted like tampons, for instance. Maybe underwear makes you feel more comfortable in your body, and you don’t have that dysphoria that’s associated with a tampon or even a cup. Just providing more options for more people is really important with this campaign.”

Motivated by having collected a total of more than 85,000 individual products in the past five years alone, United Way has set an ambitious goal for the campaign’s 10th anniversary in trying to beat their 2022 record of collecting 23,000 products.

Period Promise has already kicked off to a good start thanks to a collection drive held during the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough’s most recent meeting. More than 6,101 products were donated, accounting for nearly one quarter of this year’s goal.

The United Way is encouraging businesses and workplaces to participate in the campaign by starting their own drives, or connecting with Rubacha to find other ways of starting the conversation or addressing period poverty.

“If other people come to me with an idea to talk about advocacy or workplace policies, we can figure that out,” she says. “I’m really excited to hear how other people want to engage with this campaign.”

To learn more about Period Promise, to make a donation directly to the campaign, or to get involved, visit www.uwpeterborough.ca/period-promise/.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor for this year’s Period Promise campaign.

Volunteer Canada’s “Value of Volunteering Wheel” illustrates the multifaceted ways in which volunteering positively affects all aspects of a community.

Volunteering allows businesses to attract new talent, neighbourhoods to become more cohesive, and individuals to develop new skills.

Yet despite the many advantages of volunteerism, new research shows a concerning trend afoot.

Every five years, Statistics Canada collects data through its Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating. The 2023 results, published in June 2025, show that the number of Canadian volunteers dropped 12 per cent between 2013 and 2023, while overall volunteer hours logged also declined during that period.

In 2018, Canadians contributed five billion hours of formal and informal volunteering, compared with only 4.1 billion hours in 2023. This 18 per cent drop equates to a loss of roughly 451,000 full-time jobs, according to Volunteer Canada.

This contrasts with the period between 2004 and 2013, during which both charitable donations and volunteerism remained stable.

“The data doesn’t signal a shift — it signals a breakdown,” says Joanne McKiernan, executive director of Volunteer Toronto, on the organization’s website. “Canadians are stretched thin — financially, emotionally, and with their time. When both types of volunteerism and charitable giving decline together, it signals a fraying social fabric.

“If we want people to keep showing up for their communities, we need to show up for them,” McKiernan adds. “Volunteerism doesn’t just happen — it requires investment, infrastructure, and intention. Without it, we risk volunteer labour shortages across the sector and rising social isolation in the years ahead.”

Award-winning volunteer engagement professional Jessica Pang-Parks points to several contributing factors. As life has become more expensive, the demographic of people who can afford to volunteer has declined in several ways. There are fewer single-income households, many delay retirement due to mounting costs, and young adults cannot afford to invest time beyond school or work.

“The pool of willing volunteers is shifting, but the decline also reflects something deeper: a long-standing disinvestment in the infrastructure that enables volunteerism,” writes Cara Eaton, senior director of strategy and growth at Volunteer Toronto, in a recent op-ed.

“At one time, Ontario had 30 volunteer centres; now there are only 15, many closing because of unstable or insufficient funding.”

During the pandemic, half of volunteer management roles were eliminated or reduced. The sector has not fully recovered. Many Canadians may want to volunteer, but when they reach out to an organization, they do not hear back. A 2025 Volunteer Toronto survey of 90 volunteers showed that this happens 24 per cent of the time.

High volunteer rates are consistently associated with stronger social networks, higher capacity to support vulnerable populations, and increased community resilience during times of crisis — core components of a healthy city.

Locally, Jessica Barbuto, executive director of Mapleridge Recreation Centre, has also seen a change in how people prefer to contribute.

“There is a strong trend toward short-term, time-limited, and project-based volunteering, rather than long-term role commitments,” she says.

Peterborough has more than 480 non-profits in the region that depend on volunteers, and at least 35 organizations with dedicated staff to support volunteers.

GreenUP is one of those, having recently secured funding for full-time staff capacity to support and grow volunteer programs and build community connections. Volunteer Peterborough, a neighbourhood hub for volunteer opportunities that is part of the Canadian Volunteer Centre Network, has offered a rallying point for local organizations that also rely on volunteering.

Amplifying those opportunities to GreenUP’s audience and beyond supports the growth of a larger volunteer culture that residents can benefit from.

Here are just a few of many ways in which residents can contribute to a stronger Peterborough:

• The Peterborough Humane Society cultivates a space where compassion for animals and their well-being is part of everyday life. Volunteer opportunities range from dishes and laundry to dog walking, cat socializing, sorting donations, greeting visitors, and lending a hand at events.
• Community Care Peterborough provides a variety of essential services to seniors and adults with physical challenges that empower them to live at home with dignity. Volunteer opportunities include delivering meals, helping people get to their medical appointments, and having friendly visits.
• Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region helps families build strength, stability, and independence through affordable home ownership. Volunteer opportunities include helping with tool maintenance and inventory at the Peterborough Tool Library, processing donations and customer service at the ReStore, and administrative support in the office.

Through a robust network of volunteers, Peterborough can become more proactive, resilient, and united.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities at GreenUP, complete a volunteer application form or register to join an upcoming in-person volunteer information session at greenup.on.ca/volunteer.

The City of Peterborough is eyeing the Coldsprings growth area at the southern edge of the city as a potential location for an Alto high-speed rail station.

At city council’s general committee on Tuesday night (February 17), a report from Blair Nelson, the city’s commissioner of infrastructure, planning and growth management, recommended the allocation of $375,000 in each of the 2027 and 2028 capital budgets for a Coldsprings secondary planning study.

“Undertaking studies to support a Coldsprings secondary plan now will allow the city to work with Alto to identify options for preferred routes and station locations and establish an infrastructure and land use plan to maximize both Alto’s benefit to the region and the region’s benefit to Alto,” the report states.

Peterborough is one of seven stops along the corridor for the high-speed rail project, which is the largest public infrastructure project in Canada in recent history. When completed, the project will see trains reaching 300 km/h or more on an electrified rail network spanning around 1,000 kilometres between Toronto and Quebec City, slashing travel time between Toronto and Peterborough to just 40 minutes.

“In planning for routes and station locations, staff expects Alto will need to prioritize efficiency both in terms of overall system operation and ease of construction,” the report states. “To that end, staff anticipates that locations relatively unencumbered by significant urban development and natural heritage constraints will be preferred by Alto. In Peterborough, the Coldsprings planning area is one such area and may be selected by Alto as a possible option location for the station.”

Located at the southern limit of the city, the Coldsprings planning area is named after the former hamlet of Coldsprings. It comprises around 307 hectares (760 acres) of land, including land annexed by the city from Smith Township and Otonabee Township in 1998 along with additional land annexed from Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield and Otonabee-South Monaghan in 2008, with the purpose of accommodating the city’s future growth.

Bounded by the Otonabee River and Matchett Line to the west, Highway 7/115 to the north, Bensfort Road and Wallace Point Road to the east, and Driscoll Road to the south, the Coldsprings planning area is mostly rural and agricultural with some natural heritage areas of significance. It has direct access to Highway 7/115, is close to the Peterborough Regional Airport, and has direct arterial road access to Lansdowne Street East.

“Staff view Coldsprings as an ideal location to consider for Alto because of its large area, proximity to existing transportation facilities, and its relatively unencumbered land use pattern,” the report states.

While the city’s official plan identifies Coldsprings as an area for future development and city council has re-instated approval for two draft plans for subdivisions in the north portion of the area, the official plan requires a secondary land use plan to be prepared for the area to establish appropriate urban structure, delineate land use boundaries, and provide urban design guidelines and development policies that will guide the area’s long-term development.

In February 2025, city council directed staff to prepare a secondary plan. Although $250,000 was previously approved for the completion of planning studies, a request for $375,000 in the city’s 2026 budget was deferred until 2027. City staff are now requesting the allocation of $375,000 in each of the 2027 and 2028 budgets, for a total project budget of $1 million.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, Mayor Jeff Leal spoke in support of the report and the potential for an Alto high-speed rail station to be located in the area.

“The federal minister of transportation has indicated that the amount of land needed for Alto stations is going to be 42 squared metres (sic), which is approximately 10 acres,” the mayor said. “We assume that Alto will want to cross the Otonabee River at its narrowest point, so that’s certainly down in the Coldsprings area, and if we start the development of the station in that area, 10 acres would provide sufficient surface parking to serve the region.”

“We sense that Alto may choose the ONRoute type facility, provide food offerings and the sales of tickets, and we want to make sure that we position the City of Peterborough strategically,” Mayor Leal added.

Alto CEO Martin Imbleau will be in Peterborough on Thursday (February 19) to deliver a keynote address at an event called “PK Conversations: High Speed Rail Advancement with Alto” hosted by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce from 8 to 10 a.m. at The StoneHouse Hall (2195 Lansdowne St. W., Cavan Monaghan).

The following Thursday (February 26), Alto will be hosting a public consultation open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. at the McDonnel Street Community Centre at 577 McDonnel Street. There will be a series of booths where attendees can meet Alto team members to learn about specific aspects of the project like travel times, the corridor under study, engineering and design, economic impacts and more. Feedback from the open house will help inform Alto’s selection of the rail network alignment and station locations.

In the only other comment on the item, councillor Kevin Duguay said that it makes “eminent sense that we pre-commit (funding) and proceed with appropriate planning for the Alto station, so I wholeheartedly support this staff report.”

Council then voted 10-0 in support of the request to allocate $375,000 in each of the 2027 and 2028 capital budgets for a Coldsprings secondary planning study, which was a unanimous vote as councillor Don Vassiliadis was absent from the meeting.

Items endorsed by general committee will be considered by council for final approval next Monday (February 23), when registered delegations will be allowed to speak.

The original version of this story has been updated to clarify the mayor’s quote about the area required by Alto stations.