Three-week-old Eva sleeps peacefully, as Five Counties staff member Lauren Richardson carries out an infant hearing screening. The screening is typically done within a few weeks of a baby being born. It helps to identify potential hearing issues early on, ensuring newborns and babies can get referrals for further assessment and assistance if needed. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children's Centre)
“Hush little baby, don’t say a word, we’re going to check your hearing and see how it works.”
Every month, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides a story about the work of the charitable organization. This month’s story is Bill Eekhof, Communications Coordinator.
While the lyrics in our version of ‘Hush Little Baby’ are slightly different than those of the traditional lullaby, the words should be just as soothing to newborns and their families. For when checking an infant’s hearing in the first few weeks of life, we can identify any problems immediately. This ensures these bundles of joy get the supports they need to develop language for life — whether it’s spoken or signed.
It’s ‘sound’ support, also known as Ontario’s Infant Hearing Program, which provides free hearing screening for all newborns in hospital or community settings. Five Counties Children’s Centre is part of the provincially funded Tri-Regional Infant Hearing Program (led by the Oak Valley Health Child Development Program) that delivers the Infant Hearing Program in our region.
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The Infant Hearing Program checks infants for hearing loss. If there are any hearing concerns identified during the screening, more assessment will be done. This usually means a referral to an audiologist for a more in-depth assessment. If needed, a child can get access to technology and assistive devices (like hearing aids) or be referred to other support services.
While most babies will easily pass the screening, some do not. The fact is two out of 1,000 babies have hearing loss at birth and two more will develop hearing loss by the age of five. Even if it’s only a handful of babies per one thousand who have hearing issues, it’s important to know who they are.
After all, hearing is vital to a child’s future development. The first few months and years of a baby’s life are crucial for developing language. Not being able to hear properly makes this difficult and can have a cascading effect. Without proper hearing, kids may have delayed speech development. Lack of speech skills can lead to behavioural and emotional problems. This can impact learning in school and a child’s future success.
Five Counties staff member Lauren Richardson displays the device used to screen a newborn’s hearing. The device measures the ear’s (or brain’s) response to soft sounds played to the baby. If needed, small stickers may also be placed on a baby’s head. Infant hearing screening is safe, reliable and comfortable, and is generally best done when a baby is asleep. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)
In identifying a hearing issue early on, a child can learn to communicate in the way that works best for them — be it the spoken word or sign language — ensuring they develop and reach their full potential.
The infant hearing screen is reliable, comfortable, safe and gives results right away. It measures the ear’s (or brain’s) response to soft sounds played in the baby’s ear and, if needed, may use small stickers placed on a baby’s head. Generally, the screening is best done when the baby is asleep.
In many cases, the infant hearing screening will also be carried out in hospital. At Peterborough Regional Health Centre, infants can have their hearing screened approximately 24 hours after birth. Babies born at other area hospitals or at-home will be screened at community clinics, including those provided at Five Counties.
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If, for whatever reason, an infant did not get a hearing screen, families are encouraged to call Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital site at 1-888-703-KIDS (5437), ext. 4, or go online to book an appointment for their child.
At Five Counties, our team of Communicative Disorder Assistants — Lauren and Stephanie in Lindsay, Wendy and Lynne in Peterborough, and Diane in Cobourg — feels fortunate to be part of the Infant Hearing Program. It’s heartwarming to work with parents and their beautiful babies to give them peace of mind about infant hearing or, if there is a red flag, to direct them for support to help their child succeed.
Infant hearing screening is a publicly funded program and takes only a few minutes. It’s a sound investment in your child!
The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun stars with Ali Wong in the new Netflix dramedy series "Beef", which follows two strangers who descend into an escalating vendetta after a road rage incident. It premieres on Netflix on Thursday, April 6th. (Photo: Netflix)
Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada. Here are a few highlights of what’s coming to Netflix in April.
If you’ve ever experienced road rage, you may to check out the new Netflix dramedy series Beef. Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead, Nope, Burning) stars as Danny, a failing contractor who almost backs into an SUV driven by Amy, an unfulfilled entrepreneur played by Ali Wong (Always Be My Maybe, Birds of Prey).
After Amy flips him off, Danny chases her through traffic, nearly killing himself and others before she almost hits him before speeding off. Danny memorizes her license plate number to find her, leading to an escalating vendetta by both that brings out their darkest impulses. Beef premieres on Netflix on Thursday, April 6th.
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For something a little lighter, there’s the Netflix family fantasy adventure film Chupa. Alex (Evan Whitten) is a shy and lonely 13-year-old boy from Kansas City who, while visiting his family in Mexico, discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandfather’s shed. After befriending the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins must embark on the adventure of a lifetime to save it. Chupa debuts on Netflix on Friday, April 7th.
The comedy series Florida Man from Donald Todd (Ugly Betty, This Is Us) tells the story of a struggling disgraced ex-cop (Edgar Ramírez), who is forced to return to his home state of Florida to find a Philly mobster’s runaway girlfriend. What should be a quick gig becomes a wildly spiralling journey into buried family secrets, and an increasingly futile attempt to do the right thing in a place where so much is wrong. Florida Man premieres on Netflix on Thursday, April 13th.
For fans of the Netflix British historical fiction series The Last Kingdom, the film Seven Kings Must Die wraps up the story as it follows Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon) and his comrades as they venture across a fractured kingdom in the hopes of uniting England In the wake of King Edward’s death. The film comes to Netflix on Friday, April 14th.
VIDEO: “Beef” trailer
VIDEO: “Chupa” trailer
VIDEO: “Florida Man” trailer
VIDEO: “Seven Kings Must Die” trailer
VIDEO: “Chimp Empire” trailer
Chimp Empire is a Netflix documentary exploring the complex social politics, family dynamics, and dangerous territorial disputes of the largest group of chimpanzees ever discovered, deep in the forest of Ngogo in Uganda. Narrated by Academy award winner Mahershala Ali and directed by Academy award winner James Reed (My Octopus Teacher), Chimp Empire debuts on Netflix on Wednesay, April 19th.
The new Netflix political thriller series The Diplomat stars Keri Russell (The Americans, Felicity) as Kate, as a career diplomat who, expecting to be posted in Afghanistan, instead finds herself the new U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom — a high-profile job she’s unsuited for that has tectonic implications for her political future and her marriage to Hal (Rufus Sewell), himself a brilliant diplomat and political star. Created by Debora Cahn (Homeland, The West Wing), the eight-episode series comes to Netflix on Thursday, April 20th.
Also coming to Netflix is the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul, and part two of season two of Firefly Lane.
Theatrical films coming in April include 10,000 B.C., Catwoman, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Jurassic Park, the Mission: Impossible films Fallout, Ghost Protocol, and Rogue Nation, Something’s Gotta Give, Superbad, and Wild Wild West (all on Apr. 1), 42 (Apr. 20), 8 Mile and Erin Brockovich (both on Apr. 21), and Stowaway (Apr. 22).
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VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in April 2023
Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in April, along with what’s leaving.
Coming in April (no release date specified)
Ex-Addicts Club (Netflix series) – A support group of five quirky strangers try to move on with their lives after breaking up with their respective exes.
Welcome to Eden: Season 2 (Netflix series) – With new threats on the island and no way out, the rebellion ignites an intense battle for freedom while Astrid carries out her plans for the New Eden.
Saturday, April 1
10,000 B.C.
Catwoman
Click
Crash
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Girls Trip
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Jurassic Park
Laurence Anyways
LEGO Ninjago: Season 4 Crystallized- Part 2
Louis Cyr, l’homme le plus fort du monde
The Many Saints of Newark
Miracles from Heaven
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
New York Minute
Shark Tale
Something’s Gotta Give
Superbad
Wild Wild West
You Got Served
Zathura: A Space Adventure
Weathering (Netflix film) – After losing her baby and nearly her life during labour, a journalist unravels amid disturbing visions and chilling attacks as she grieves alone at home.
Sunday, April 2
War Sailor: Limited Series (Netflix series) – When WWII erupts, two sailors on a Norwegian merchant ship face brutal conditions as they fight to survive a conflict they were never asked to join.
Tuesday, April 4
My Name Is Mo’Nique (Netflix comedy) – You think you know Mo’Nique? From staring down a racist teacher to her grandmother’s sex warning, the comedy legend spills all in this stand-up special.
The Signing (Netflix series) – In this reality show, young Latino artists must impress music legends like Lex Borrero, Tainy and Rauw Alejandro to score the contract of a lifetime.
Wednesday, April 5
Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (Netflix documentary) – This intimate, all-access documentary chronicles Lewis Capaldi’s journey from a scrappy teen with a viral performance to a Grammy-nominated pop star.
Thursday, April 6
Beef (Netflix series) – A road rage incident between two strangers — a failing contractor and an unfulfilled entrepreneur — sparks a feud that brings out their darkest impulses.
Reminiscence
Friday, April 7
Chupa (Netflix film) – While visiting family in Mexico, a lonely boy befriends a mythical creature hiding on his grandfather’s ranch and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
Into the Storm
Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign (Netflix film) – When Granny Chetty is abducted by an evil ex-cop, Ticky and Baboo return for a wild rescue mission, complete with a prized necklace and a musical show.
Oh Belinda (Netflix film) – A young actor’s perfect life takes a madcap turn when she agrees to star in a commercial — and suddenly gets transported to her character’s world.
Thicker Than Water (Netflix series) – A journalist’s life devolves into chaos when she shields her brother from the law, inadvertently entangling her family in a drug lord’s merciless scheme.
Transatlantic (Netflix series) – Two Americans and their allies form a scrappy rescue operation in 1940 Marseilles to help artists, writers and other refugees fleeing Europe during WWII.
Saturday, April 8
Hunger (Netflix film) – A talented young street-food cook pushes herself to the limit after accepting an invitation to train under an infamous and ruthless chef.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw
Monday, April 10
CoComelon: Season 8 (Netflix family) – Fun and learning go hand and hand in this kid-friendly compilation featuring familiar tunes like “Yankee Doodle,” “Skip to My Lou” and “Hokey Pokey.”
Tuesday, April 11
Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman (Netflix comedy) – She loves Jell-O salad, her three kids and her brawny grandbaby. Leanne Morgan shares stories about her life as a wife, mother and wearer of big panties.
Wednesday, April 12
American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing (Netflix documentary) – The 2013 Boston Marathon bombing paralyzed a great American city on what was supposed to be its happiest day. Ten years later, this three-part series delves into the massive manhunt that followed the tragedy, as remembered by the law enforcement officials who brought the bombers to justice and the survivors caught in the crossfire.
Celeste Barber – Fine, thanks (Netflix comedy) – Actor and comedian Celeste Barber takes the stage in Sydney to get personal in public about marriage, mental health, celebrity-branded sex toys and more.
Operation: Nation (Netflix film) – A member of a nationalist group in Warsaw begins a forbidden romance with a passionate, left-wing activist, leading to a series of surprising events.
Smother-in-Law: Season 2 (Netflix series) – After some time in prison, nosy Isadir returns to her now-growing family — and to new friends, lovers and chances to cause trouble for Carlos and Alice.
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Thursday, April 13
The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib: Season 2 (Netflix family) – After exiting Baby Corp, the Boss Baby and Tina form a fledgling startup to corner an untapped market: “difficult” babies who are the hardest to love.
Florida Man (Netflix series) – A disgraced cop in debt is forced to return to his home state of Florida for a shady mission only to get swept up in a wild — and deadly — treasure hunt.
Obsession (Netflix series) – A respected London surgeon’s affair with his son’s fiancée turns into an erotic infatuation that threatens to change their lives forever.
Friday, April 14
Phenomena (Netflix film) – Three middle-aged women who investigate paranormal events are put to the test when their leader Father Pilón disappears. Inspired by the real Hepta Group.
Queenmaker (Netflix series) – After a crisis of conscience, a powerful fixer uses her skills to propel a civil rights lawyer’s mayoral campaign — and take down her former employer.
Queens on the Run (Netflix film) – Four best friends — and their newfound pet chicken — finally take the road trip they planned in high school. Will they manage to steer clear of trouble?
Seven Kings Must Die (Netflix film) – In the wake of King Edward’s death, Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his comrades adventure across a fractured kingdom in the hopes of uniting England at last.
Saturday, April 15
Bolduc, La
Doctor Cha (Netflix series) – Twenty years after leaving her medical career, a housewife returns as a first-year resident — struggling to find her footing in a job full of surprises.
Le mirage
Sunday, April 16
The Nutty Boy Part 2 (Netflix family) – Nutty Boy is an out-of-the-box kid with big ideas who loves involving everyone in his adventures — even though they don’t usually go as planned!
Monday, April 17
Oggy Oggy: Season 2 (Netflix family) – From the ski slopes to under the seas, Oggy Oggy and his cute kitty friends stick together through any adventure and make sure everyone’s all smiles.
Tuesday, April 18
Better Call Saul: Season 6
How to Get Rich (Netflix documentary) – Money holds power over us — but it doesn’t have to. Finance expert Ramit Sethi works with people across the US to help them achieve their richest lives.
Longest Third Date (Netflix documentary) – When Matt and Khani match on Hinge, sparks fly. So much so that they spontaneously fly to Costa Rica for their third date — and get stuck as the world shuts down in March 2020. An extended stay in paradise becomes the ultimate test of compatibility.
Wednesday, April 19
Chimp Empire (Netflix documentary) – From the Academy award-winning co-director of My Octopus Teacher and the team behind Rise of the Warrior Apes, Chimp Empire explores the fascinating world of the largest chimpanzee society ever discovered as they navigate complex social politics, family dynamics and dangerous territory disputes. Narrated by Academy Award® winner Mahershala Ali.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (Netflix film) – When Rita Repulsa returns, the Power Rangers are the only ones who can stop her! But after 30 years, can the team still be the heroes the world needs?
Thursday, April 20
42
The Diplomat (Netflix series) – In the midst of an international crisis, a career diplomat lands in a high-profile job she’s unsuited for, with tectonic implications for her marriage and her political future.
Tooth Pari: When Love Bites (Netflix series) – A rebellious vampire with a broken tooth falls for a shy dentist on the streets of Kolkata — but will human and mystical forces keep them apart?
Friday, April 21
8 Mile
A Tourist’s Guide to Love (Netflix film) – Work brings an American travel executive to Vietnam, where a free-spirited tour guide helps open her eyes to a beautifully adventurous way of life.
Chokehold (Netflix film) – Evading a scandal, a couple from Istanbul starts over in a town on the Aegean coast — but quickly discover the locals are determined to get rid of them.
Erin Brockovich
Indian Matchmaking: Season 3 (Netflix series) – From London to New Delhi, matchmaker Sima Taparia helps more marriage-ready singles find romance while providing plenty of reality checks along the way.
One More Time (Netflix film) – On her 40th birthday, Amelia makes a fateful wish to be 18 again back in 2002 but soon regrets it when she’s stuck reliving the day over and over again.
Rough Diamonds (Netflix series) – When a prodigal son sends his family’s empire into crushing debt, his estranged brother returns to Antwerp’s diamond district to pick up the pieces.
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Saturday, April 22
Ada Twist, Scientist: Season 4 (Netflix family) – Ada, Iggy and Rosie add a new friend to the science squad this season: technology whiz-kid Benny B. He’s got great ideas — and a super-cool robot dog!
Stowaway
Tuesday, April 25
John Mulaney: Baby J (Netflix comedy) – Emmy-Award winning comedian, writer and actor John Mulaney is back with a brand new Netflix special, John Mulaney: Baby J, premiering globally April 25th.
Wednesday, April 26
The Good Bad Mother (Netflix series) – A tragic accident leaves an ambitious prosecutor with the mind of a child — forcing him and his mother to embark on a journey to heal their relationship.
Kiss, Kiss! (Netflix film) – Convinced he can charm any woman, a tenacious flirt sets his sights on a headstrong bride-to-be engaged to the son of an ambitious politician.
Love After Music (Netflix series) – No one can and no one should live without love. This biographical sseries traces the passionate life and career of iconic Argentinian rock star Fito Páez.
Thursday, April 27
Firefly Lane: Season 2 Part 2 (Netflix series) – For Kate and Tully, no obstacle is too big when it comes to their lifelong friendship. But is there one mistake that could tear them apart forever?
The Matchmaker (Netflix film) – When an office worker becomes powerfully infatuated with his office’s beautiful intern, he follows her to a desert resort beset by bizarre forces.
The Nurse (Netflix series) – A new nurse at a hospital begins to suspect her colleague’s desire for attention may be tied to a series of patient deaths. Based on a true story.
Sharkdog: Season 3 (Netflix family) – Sharkdog loves being a part of Max’s family, but he wonders if there are more Sharkdogs out there like him — and goes on a wild adventure to find out!
Sweet Tooth: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Gus and his fellow hybrids are held captive by the Last Men in order to find a cure for the Sick. To save his friends, Gus must find new strength as he uncovers the origins of The Great Crumble.
Friday, April 28
AKA (Netflix film) – A steely special ops agent finds his morality put to the test when he infiltrates a crime syndicate and unexpectedly bonds with the boss’s young son.
InuYasha: Season 6
King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch (Netflix series) – Ken Goldin and his savvy team run the thrilling action in this series that goes inside a leading auction house specializing in rare collectibles.
Ticket holders at YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s Empty Bowls fundraising event on February 25, 2023 received a handcrafted ceramic or wooden bowl and a restaurant coupon card featuring discounts from participating local restaurants. Proceeds from the event will support YWCA Nourish Food programs to prevent and relieve hunger in the city and county of Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton)
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s annual Empty Bowls event has raised over $33,000 to help address food insecurity in the Peterborough area.
The 19th annual event was held February 25 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough at a cost of $50 per ticket. Ticket holders received a handcrafted ceramic or wooden bowl and a restaurant coupon card featuring discounts from participating local restaurants.
Proceeds from the fundraiser, which raised $31,000 last year, will support YWCA Nourish Food programs to prevent and relieve hunger in the city and county of Peterborough.
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“Our hearts are so full,” says YWCA Peterborough Halliburton executive director Kim Dolan in a media release. “When I pause to think about all the people and all the time that goes into making this event possible year after year, I’m overwhelmed by the good in our community.”
“Thank you to everyone who carved, created, sponsored, donated, attended, or lent a hand in order to help folks experiencing food insecurity. Your support of Nourish means so much to the hundreds of people in our community who access our healthy food workshops, advocacy training, community gardens, and food boxes every month.”
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton is encouraging everyone to support the restaurants that participated in this year’s event, including Amandala’s, Baked 4U, Black Honey, Central Smith, Fresh Dreams, Naked Chocolate, Pastry Peddler, Sam’s Place, That’s a Wrap, and The Cheesy Fromage.
This year’s event was supported by members of the Kawartha Potters Guild and Kawartha Woodturners Guild, and sponsored by Kawartha Cardiology, Cornerstone Family Dentistry, The Venue, kawarthaNOW, Pure Country 105, Move 99.7, The Peterborough Examiner, Peterborough This Week, The Wolf 101.5 FM, Global Peterborough, and Fresh 100.5.
Peterborough Regional Health Centre's COVID-19 assessment centre opened in April 2020 to respond to the community need for COVID-19 assessment and testing. In December 2022, the clinic expanded its services to provide assessment, testing, and treatment for patients with respiratory symptoms from colds and flu as well as COVID-19. (Photo: PRHC)
Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has announced the closing of its COVID-19, cold, and flu clinic, two days after Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay did the same.
PRHC’s clinic will close at the end of next Friday (March 31), with Ross Memorial Hospital’s clinic closing this Friday. Both clinics are closing due to declining patient volumes.
Both clinics were previously known as COVID-19 assessment centres, with PRHC’s opening in April 2020 to respond to the community need for COVID-19 assessment and testing. In December 2022, the clinic expanded its services to provide assessment, testing, and treatment for patients with respiratory symptoms from colds and flu as well as COVID-19.
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“The work done to launch and operate PRHC’s COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic over the last three years represents a truly community effort, with a number of health care partners coming together to make this service possible for patients,” says Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC’s chief of staff and incoming president and CEO, in a media release.
“I am incredibly proud of the work of this clinic, and I want to thank everyone who has been involved in its success, including every physician and staff member who stepped forward to provide their service and support at a very challenging and uncertain time for all of us.”
Ross Memorial Hospital’s COVID-19 assessment centre originally opened in March 2020 offering drive-through COVID-19 testing in the hospital’s ambulance bay. Later that month, it moved to the Lindsay Exhibition Fairgrounds until October 2020, when it was relocated to its current location in the former admitting department inside the hospital. It also spent a month at the Victoria Park Armoury in early 2022.
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Over the course of three years, the Ross Memorial Hospital clinic conducted more than 70,000 PCR tests and over 10,000 clinical assessments.
“RMH’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre and Cold, COVID-19 and Flu Care Clinic played a significant role in our community’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic by helping limit exposure to the virus and providing access to timely care during a period of great uncertainty and concern for many,” says Kelly Isfan, Ross Memorial Hospital’s president and CEO, in a media release. “That is something we are truly proud of. The hospital thanks all of our staff and physicians whose dedication and commitment helped navigate the clinic’s success.”
With the closure of both clinics, residents requiring assessment and treatment for respiratory symptoms can contact their family doctor, attend a clinic for unattached patients, or call 811 or visit the Health811 website to connect with a registered nurse day or night for free, secure and confidential health advice. Many local pharmacies also offer onsite PCR and rapid testing and prescribe and dispense Paxlovid, an anti-viral medication for the treatment of COVID-19 symptoms.
On May 21, 2022, a derecho windstorm moved across southeastern Ontario, resulting in sustained winds of up to 120 kilometre per hour that toppled hydro transmission towers and broke utility poles, damaged homes, and uprooted trees, with broken branches also taking down power lines and damaging property. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
Four municipalities in the greater Kawarthas region are receiving almost $1.2 million in provincial disaster recovery funding to help cover the costs of the emergency response and repairs to municipal infrastructure related to last May’s windstorm that swept across southeastern Ontario.
In Peterborough County, the Township of Asphodel-Norwood is receiving up to $142,000. In Hastings County, the Township of Tudor and Cashel is receiving up to $531,000, the Township of Limerick is receiving up to $402,000, and the Township of Wollaston is receiving up to $117,000.
The financial support is being provided through Ontario’s Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance program, which helps municipalities address extraordinary emergency response costs as well as damage to essential municipal property or infrastructure like bridges, roads, and public buildings, as a result of a natural disaster.
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To be eligible for the program, municipalities must submit a resolution of council and an initial claim with documentation within 120 calendar days from the date of the onset of the disaster,
On May 21, 2022, a derecho — a widespread and long-lived windstorm associated with a line of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms — moved across southeastern Ontario, resulting in sustained winds of up to 120 kilometre per hour that toppled hydro transmission towers and broke utility poles, damaged homes, and uprooted trees, with broken branches also taking down power lines and damaging property.
The severe weather resulted in significant municipal costs for emergency response, including providing shelters, cleaning up fallen trees and branches along roads, and repairs to damage to municipal infrastructure.
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“The Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance program is an important source of funding for municipalities that have suffered extensive damage due to unexpected natural disasters,” said municipal affairs and housing minister Steve Clark in a media release. “I want to thank municipal staff, volunteers, and emergency responders for working together to keep people safe during the storm.”
In total, 10 municipalities in southeastern Ontario are receiving up to $5 million under the program. The other six municipalities receiving the funding are:
Township of Addington Highlands in Lennox & Addington County (up to $932,000)
Township of Uxbridge in the Regional Municipality of Durham (up to $881,000)
Township of Alfred and Plantagenet in United Counties of Prescott and Russell (up to $809,000)
City of Clarence-Rockland in United Counties of Prescott and Russell (up to $751,000)
Township of Greater Madawaska in Renfrew County (up to $272,000)
Township of North Frontenac in Frontenac County (up to $193,000)
Pictured here in 1999, Joyce Echaquan was a 37-year-old Indigenous woman and mother of seven who died on September 28, 2020 in a Quebec hospital. Before her death, she recorded a Facebook Live video that showed her screaming in distress and health care workers abusing her. She was later given morphine, despite her concerns she would have an adverse reaction to it, and died later that day of a pulmonary edema. (Photo: Alice Echaquan)
Today (March 21) is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and we’d like to speak to you about racism and health. Recognized annually around the globe, March 21 is an opportunity to reflect on progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s also a time to re-commit to ending racism, discrimination, and hate individually and as a society every day.
This opinion piece was jointly submitted by Hiawatha First Nation councillor and Peterborough Public Health board chair Kathryn Wilson, Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott, and Peterborough city councillor Joy Lachica.
Re-committing first requires acknowledging that racism exists in our community and in our country. In health, stories of racism against Indigenous patients are the tip of the iceberg of racist experiences. Recall the 2008 death of 45-year-old Brian Sinclair, who was ignored for 35 hours while awaiting care in the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre Emergency Room. More recently, 37-year-old Joyce Echaquan was subjected to racist abuse by health care providers in her dying moments.
We have also heard local experiences of racism in health care that equally break our hearts.
Everyone deserves dignity, safety, and access to the conditions that will allow them to live healthy and fulfilling lives. Racism, discrimination, and hate stand in the way of these goals, and the evidence shows this has a really bad impact on health.
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Racism is a big driver of unfairness, or inequity, in health. This can be reduced by addressing racial discrimination in our health and social systems. In Canada, these systems have been and are deeply influenced by white supremacy and by colonialism. White people contribute to and benefit from systemic racism — sometimes intentionally but often unknowingly. For Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities, experiences of racial discrimination within our systems and institutions are a harsh and daily reality.
The COVID-19 pandemic provides many examples of how racial discrimination prevents health equity. For example, data from cities such as Toronto and Ottawa show that COVID-19 infection is 1.5 to 5 times higher among racialized populations than non-racialized groups. Why is this? How can we explain the difference?
Answers can be found in understanding how social factors such as our living and working conditions influence health and wellness, and how racism impacts these outcomes. Sometimes health is impacted by things we control, decisions we make day to day, but often it’s shaped by things outside of our control. Not having enough money, precarious employment, or living in overcrowded or unsafe conditions can increase the chance of illness and chronic disease. These non-medical factors are called the social determinants of health (SDoH), and they are more important to health than access to health care and our genes combined.
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Due to systemic racism, racialized communities are more likely to be working in conditions that are unfair and unjust, such as working in front-line or essential occupations, where contact with other people is frequent and opportunities to work from home are limited. This was especially critical during peak COVID-19, before vaccines were available and lockdowns were ongoing. When we acknowledge the impact of racial discrimination, we have a better understanding of why COVID-19 wasn’t experienced evenly across our population.
Peterborough Public Health is committed to addressing racism. We know that racism is a public health issue, and that discrimination, prejudice, and hate have no place in our programs and services, or the broader health care system. Full stop.
We can all work towards ending racial discrimination and contribute to building health equity in our communities. As individuals, we can recognize our own social positions and educate ourselves on how racism affects health. We can also monitor and challenge biases that lead to unfair differences in health, beginning with our own. Consider taking an implicit bias test to better understand how we can participate in racism, often without knowing it.
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For organizations, eliminating racism in our workplaces and institutions is urgent and critical work. To move forward, we need to build our understanding of how unfair differences show up in our services and settings. Collecting and interpreting race-based data can help us expose and understand whether racial and ethnic disparities exist, and whether these are decreasing or getting worse. We also need to continuously work towards allyship and solidarity with racialized communities and organizations.
Today and every day, the work to achieve health equity cannot wait. Together we can create communities that are safe, inclusive, and healthy for all.
Kathryn Wilson, Dr. Thomas Piggott, and Joy Lachica. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
Kathryn Wilson is chair of the board of health for Peterborough Public Health and is an elected councillor of Hiawatha First Nation.
Dr. Thomas Piggott, MD PhD CCFP FRCPC, is medical officer of health and chief executive officer of Peterborough Public Health. You can follow Dr. Piggott on Twitter @twpiggott.
Joy Lachica is a local leader and politician living in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough, Ontario. Her career has been rooted in education, as a classroom teacher, as an elected member of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and as president of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto. Joy is Town Ward councillor for the City of Peterborough, where she resides.
Hikers at the base of the James Cooper Lookout Trail in Haliburton Highlands during the annual Hike Haliburton Festival, one of four festivals in the greater Kawarthas region among the list of the top 100 festivals and events in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario. (Photo: Hike Haliburton Festival / My Haliburton Highlands)
Four festivals in the greater Kawarthas region have made the list of the top 100 festivals and events in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario.
A non-profit organization that has been representing the festivals and events industry in Ontario for 30 years, Festivals and Events Ontario received submissions from its members last fall, which were then judged by an independent panel of judges.
Hike Haliburton Festival, Tweed & Company Theatre, Port Hope Arts Festival, and Port Hope Candlelight Festival were among those presented with the award at Festivals and Events Ontario’s annual conference on March 8th in London, Ontario.
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Established in 2003, the Hike Haliburton Festival is Canada’s largest hiking festival. The main festival takes place in September, with a winter edition happening in February. Along with hikes throughout Haliburton Highlands, the festival integrates arts, culture, heritage, and foodie experiences to showcase the area.
Located in Hastings County, Tweed & Company Theatre owns and operates the Marble Arts Centre in Tweed and also operates The Village Playhouse in Bancroft. along with a new outdoor stage in Tweed that will officially open in May.
The Port Hope Arts Festival is an annual festival taking place in downtown Port Hope during August, which is arts month in Port Hope. The Port Hope Candlelight Festival is an annual holiday festival taking place from late November to early January that include projections and light displays, outdoor vendor markets, music, wagon rides, and more.
Emily Mewett, Tricia Black, and Tim Porter of Tweed & Company Theatre with their Festivals and Events Ontario award at a ceremony in London, Ontario on March 8th, 2023. (Photo: Tricia Black)
Members of the Peterborough Peace Council at their monthly vigil on the corner of George and MacDonnel streets in Peterborough on March 28, 2022. The group, which has held its monthy vigil consistently for the past eight years, will apply to form a local chapter of World Beyond War, a global nonviolent movement to end war and establish a just and sustainable peace. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Peace Council)
The Peterborough Peace Council, which will be holding its 96th monthly vigil next Monday (March 27), intends to form the first Ontario chapter of the global World Beyond War movement.
Formed in November 2014 to foster compassionate non-violent direct action and conflict resolution through information sharing, the Peterborough Peace Council began hosting a monthly vigil for peace eight years ago, on the corner of George and MacDonnel streets, from noon to 1 p.m. on the last Monday of every month.
According to a media release, the group has never missed a monthly vigil, despite sleet and snow, extreme summer heat, and even a windstorm that nearly carried their banner away. They continued to hold the vigil during the pandemic, keeping physical distance and wearing masks.
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While the monthly vigil will continue, the Peterborough Peace Council has decided the vigil is “not enough”, according to the media release.
The group will apply to form a local chapter of World Beyond War “to promote public discussion about who benefits from war, and to document creative and effective responses to conflict when nations commit not to meet violence with further violence, but to find another way.”
Founded in 2014, World Beyond War is a global nonviolent movement to end war and establish a just and sustainable peace. The organization has 22 chapters in 12 countries and maintains partnerships with 97 affiliates around the world. The Peterborough Peace Council would represent the organization’s first chapter in Ontario.
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Along with the monthly vigil and the intent to form a local chapter of World Beyond War, the Peterborough Peace Council is hosting two upcoming events.
On Thursday, May 11th, the group will host a presentation by a speaker from the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace to “reclaim” Mother’s Day, which originally was conceived to be a day of peace.
Mother’s Day was founded by an American woman named Anna Jarvis in 1905, the year her mother Ann Jarvis died. A peace activist and community organization, Ann Jarvis had cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War during the 1860s and, along with another peace activist and suffragette named Julia Ward Howe, had been urging the creation of a “Mother’s Day For Peace,” where mothers would ask that their husbands and sons were no longer killed in wars.
The Peterborough Peace Council will also again host the annual lantern ceremony on Sunday, August 6th, the day in 1945 when the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in Japan. The ceremony will renew the call to make the use of nuclear weapons unthinkable, and for Canada to sign on to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
These six Peterborough entrepreneurs overcome pandemic challenges to launch businesses providing in-demand services. Each particpated in Starter Company Plus, an entrepreneurial training program offered locally by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Ontario government. Left to right, top and bottom: Desiree Bandi of 1.5 Degrees Composting Solutions, Karen Kearney of K9 in Motion Wellness, Jenish Odigineyev of Odigski Media, Lyle Saunders of Peterborough Disability Tax Services, and Shawn and Jolene Morris of Trim Time. (Photos: Jenish Odigski)
Events that were unleashed in March 2020, and the related restrictions that followed, proved particularly daunting for both established and aspiring small business owners.
For existing entrepreneurs, it was very difficult if not impossible to stay ahead of ever-changing rules and regulations as they switched to survival mode. For aspiring entrepreneurs, it was equally challenging to consider moving forward with a business idea during a time of constant change and even more uncertainty.
But six Peterborough-area entrepreneurs saw an opportunity during the pandemic. Despite all the restrictions and uncertainty, there remained a high demand for the services they were offering. Demonstrating passion, commitment, and courage, they decided it was the right time to either launch or expand their businesses.
These six entrepreneurs — Desiree Bandi, Karen Kearney, Jenish Odigineyev, Lyle Saunders, and Shawn and Jolene Morris — took the courageous leap by participating in Starter Company Plus, an entrepreneurial training program offered locally by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Business Advisory Centre with funding from the Ontario government.
Now, fully leveraging what they learned through their Starter Company Plus participation and with the proven sound advice of their respective mentors ringing in their ears, Desiree, Karen, Jenish, Lyle, and Shawn and Jolene are steadily growing their businesses while fully realizing a shared goal of providing a much-needed service to their clients.
Find out about their businesses, in their own words, below.
We provide an organic waste collection service for Peterborough residents and businesses to divert their food and organic waste away from the landfill and transform it into high-quality compost that can be used to enrich soil and grow healthy plants.
We understand that managing organic waste can be a significant challenge for people in our community. That’s why we offer a hassle-free service that’s tailored to meet the needs of each individual.
We provide a range of collection options, including weekly and biweekly pickups to ensure that our customers’ waste is collected at a time that’s convenient for them. We provide conveniently sized six-gallon buckets, sealable lids and compostable bags, ensuring our service is as low maintenance as possible so our customers can spend less time fussing over their garbage.
No business or organization in Peterborough offers a service quite like ours. As far as organic waste collection goes, we have pioneered the way, offering the first service of its kind in Peterborough. We give back the finished compost in the spring to our community partners and local community gardens, ensuring that our service comes full circle, nourishing the land in our community while diverting waste. By choosing our organic waste collection service, you’ll be taking an important step towards reducing your environmental impact.
Karen Kearney, owner of K9 in Motion Wellness. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
K9 in Motion Wellness was established in 2016. We are a pet wellness clinic currently offering mobile services in pet rehab, retail pet specialties and home exercise programs for animals in need.
Our services offered entail canine massage, canine hydrotherapy, cold laser therapy, specialty aids/mobility aids, home exercise programs, pet first-aid, pet bereavement, and holistic health products for animals.
We are unique because there are no other mobile clinics like K9 in Motion Wellness in the Peterborough and surrounding areas within Kawartha Lakes. We provide mobile services to canines or felines that cannot walk, or are in their later senior years.
Their recovery is much better when pet owners are able to participate in their care/rehab. We have a unique exercise program that is specifically designed for each animal.
We care about our clients and we work with their veterinarians to achieve the best results for the animal.
Jenish Odigineyev, owner of Odigski Media. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Are you looking for stunning, high-quality videos that capture the essence of your brand or event? Look no further than our videography business!
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From corporate events to product launches and everything in between, we work closely with our clients to ensure their vision is brought to life.
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We understand the needs associated with having a loved one with a disability or special need, and the planning and worry that is involved regarding their future care for years to come.
After applying for the Disability Tax Credit and receiving all maximum taxable benefits for my oldest son Austin, I founded Peterborough Disability Tax Services to assist other families with a local frontline service to help maximize their taxable benefits towards improving their household’s quality of life and savings opportunities.
After applying for the Disability Tax Credit and adjusting all allowable tax years, our household received thousands in taxable benefits.
In turn, we used savings benefits such as the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and the Tax Free Saving Account (TFSA) to double and grow our benefits. These saving structures will also minimize government claw-backs for Austin’s future withdrawals as an adult.
Peterborough Disability Tax Services is a local business based in Peterborough since 2018. We are a multi-year Chamber of Commerce member and Love Local sponsor as well a five-year sponsor/supporter of Peterborough Challengers Baseball. We have been awarded numerous local awards including the 2021 Business Excellence Award ‘Top-4-Under-40′; a 2022 PTBOToday.ca Spirit Award recipient for Best Tax Service 2022; and a Platinum Readers’ Choice Award from both The Examiner and Peterborough This Week.
Shawn and Jolene Morris, owners of Trim Time. (Photo: Jenish Odigski)
Trim Time is a mobile cannabis trimming and processing business. We trim, make hash and rosin and more right at your door.
We save the time and stress that can occur harvesting cannabis plants, especially larger ones! Make it easy and trust your plants with our full service mobile cannabis trimming and processing service.
We have heard from our customers that they appreciate our professional and knowledgeable team, as well as the technology and machinery we use to trim their plants.
So don’t waste your time, call Trim Time. Check us out today at trimtime.ca.
This is one of a series of branded editorials created in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Specializing in shop-made confections, Peterborough candy store Flossophy is adding flour-based treats to its product line of hand-spun cotton candy, gourmet popcorn, homemade chocolate, candy apples, soft-serve ice cream, gummies, and novelty candy. Pictured is a Japanese mochi donut topped with chocolate and Skor pieces. (Photo: Flossophy)
Danielle McIver’s excitement is not unlike that of a kid in a candy store, as she reflects on the success of her Peterborough business and what’s on the horizon.
To be clear, Danielle is no kid but she does indeed have a candy store — Flossophy — that, since opening at 75 Hunter Street East in June 2021, has fully satisfied the sweet tooth of both the young and the young at heart.
Initially specializing in multiple flavours of hand-spun cotton candy, Flossophy’s product line has since expanded in a big way to include gourmet popcorn, homemade chocolate, candy apples, soft-serve ice cream, and a huge assortment of candy, allowing customers to ‘build a bag’ of their favourites.
Brownies, cookies, and mochi donuts are among the new flour-based treats Danielle McIver is launching at Flossophy, her popular confectionery store in Peterborough’s East City. (Photo: Flossophy)
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Now, to complement her sugar-based confections, Danielle is adding delicious flour-based treats to the mix, launching the full line on Saturday, March 25th — one of her goals since first starting her business.
“This was a big part of our vision right from the beginning,” says Danielle, the beginning marked in March 2020 when, working from home during the pandemic, she opened Flossophy as an online order business only.
“We have a donut on our business cards and on our store window. People come in and ask, ‘Where are the donuts?’ We got so busy with sugar confections when we first launched that flour confections got put on the back burner.”
As Danielle points out, her vision to expand to include flour-based treats is reflected in the word that appears below her business name.
“Our banner says Flossophy Confectioneries, and we set it up that way for a reason,” she says. “We wanted to make sure we left the door open so that, when we were ready, we could go into phase two and do flour confections as well.”
Flossophy is teasing its expanded product launch with six new edible cookie dough flavours, named with pop culture references. (Photos: Flossophy)
Flossophy is teasing its expanded product launch with six flavours of cookie dough. Set to make their debut are brownies, squares, cookies, and cake truffles. Those products are in addition to mochi donuts, which Danielle describes as “a really cool Japanese dessert.”
Mochi donuts are commonly shaped into small balls connected in a circular shape that’s easy to pull apart.
“They have a chewy texture inside with a crispier outside,” she explains, adding “You get this crispness on the outside because they’re fried with a chewy inside.”
Mochi donuts aren’t something you’ll normally find in local donut shops or bakeries.
“There are a couple of really great donut places in town, but we wanted to add another layer on to what Peterborough has for donuts,” she says.
Mochi donuts are a Japanese dessert commonly shaped into small balls connected in a circular shape that’s easy to pull apart. They have a crispy exterior and a chewy interior. (Photo: Flossophy)
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Flossophy’s mochi donuts are handmade in-house, just like most of the other items you can find in the shop.
“We have a lot of handcrafted and shop-made products,” Danielle says. “That’s how we differentiate ourselves from other confectionery stores in town. Our goal is make as much as we can in the shop, using our signature flavours while putting our signature mark on it.”
Noting someone once referred to her and small staff — which includes her sister Melissa — as ‘flavour scientists’, Danielle says that’s a perfect descriptor.
“With our cotton candy, we’ve made more than 100 different combinations of flavours,” she explains. “We’d like to bring those same flavours into all our confections. We’ll change them up seasonally.”
“And we do our own chocolate bars. We have these gorgeous caramel bars, using the same caramel we dip our apples in. The caramel is made from scratch — we don’t melt down Kraft caramels. Melissa does a gorgeous buttery caramel. We were inspired by a little shop we went to as kids in St. Jacobs. Nostalgia hit us, and we knew we had to sell them. They’re very popular.”
Flossophy owner Danielle McIver (bottom) with her team Melissa, Jayslyn, and Cam. (Photo: Flossophy)
The only products Flossophy doesn’t make in-house, according to Danielle, are gummies and novelty candy.
“We have a build-a-bag candy section, and we make specific mixes with them. We also have some novelty candy. We want things at a price point for kids coming by who say ‘I have five bucks. What can I get for that?'”
Like any flavour-based business, Danielle says there’s a lot of trial and error involved when developing new products.
“We went through multiple trials with the mochi donuts,” she says. “It’s a long process and a little exhausting at times but, when you come out with a product that you can be proud of, it’s totally worth it.”
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Flossophy’s offerings tug at many customers’ nostalgia-laced heartstrings. They are a nod to a simpler time when, as kids, a trip to the corner variety store to buy candy was a treasured outing.
“People have come in and felt a bit of a vibe from the 1950s and 1960s,” Danielle says. “If people think we’re a throwback to that time, I’m happy to claim it.”
Danielle enhances that ‘kid in a candy store’ feeling by creating a fun customer experience, including a selfie photo wall near the entrance and new monthly product themes based on movies, TV shows, and events.
Still, like any small business, there are challenges to meet and overcome, especially when it comes to inflation.
“Food and candy costs have gone up, and that’s little scary because it’s something you’re not in control of,” says Danielle. “But I’m happy that people have latched onto what we’re doing, and have seen what sets us apart and what we are trying to do with the brand.”
Located at 75 Hunter Street East in Peterborough’s East City, on the south side of Hunter halfway between Burnham and Mark streets, Flossophy is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Photo: Flossophy)
A relatively small shop located in the heart of Peterborough’s vibrant East City, Flossophy is a sweet and surprising discovery for new customers.
“We love the community of East City. It’s been so supportive of us and we’re thankful. When a new person walks in and says ‘Wow, I’ve never seen you before!’, part of me thinks ‘Great, I’m so happy you found us’ and the other part thinks ‘I need to market more.'”
Ahead, Danielle isn’t ruling out the possibility of opening other locations, saying “We’re always open to that possibility.”
“Right now, we’re just super focused on making sure this launch goes well. But when it comes to sweet treats and flavours, I don’t think there’s an end to it. You can constantly be as creative as you want to be.”
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While Danielle is excited Flossophy is expanding to offer even more products, one thing that hasn’t changed is what prompted the name of her business — her lifelong love of all things cotton candy.
“It’s been my favourite thing forever,” she says, noting her constant exposure to all the treats Flossophy produces and sells “makes you crave other things too.”
“I’m very guilty of grabbing my favourite bars and saying ‘Put this on my bill’,” she laughs.
Located on the south side of Hunter Street East halfway between Burnham and Mark streets, Flossophy is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also visit www.flossophyptbo.com to browse products and place an order for pickup or delivery.
To keep up to date on Flossophy’s latest news, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
This branded editorials was created in partnership with Flossophy. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
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