Two people were seriously injured in a single-vehicle rollover on Highway 35 in Haliburton County late Saturday afternoon (June 24).
Shortly after 4 p.m., Haliburton Highlands Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency services responded to the collision in Minden Hills Township.
A passenger vehicle travelling southbound on Highway 35 crossed into the northbound lanes and rolled, coming to a rest on Moore Lake Estates Road.
Advertisement - content continues below
Two occupants, including one who was extricated from the vehicle, suffered serious injuries. They were transported to Haliburton hospital before being airlifted by Ornge air ambulance to a Toronto-area trauma centre.
Highway 35 northbound was reduced to one lane while police investigated and has since reopened.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage and has not yet spoken with police is asked to call the Haliburton Highlands OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for the southern Kawarthas region for Saturday (June 24).
The rainfall warning is in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County.
Heavy showers have begun and are expected to continue on and off throughout the day.
Advertisement - content continues below
These showers are very slow moving and some areas may receive significant rainfall amounts, with 50 to 75 mm possible.
Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Heavy rainfall in combination with other weather factors, such as hail, wind and lightning will make outdoor activities unsafe.
If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop.
A star-studded cast of improv performers will take to the stage at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on June 29, 2023 for klusterfork entertainment's "School's Out" improv comedy show. Left to right, top and bottom: Linda Kash, Matt Baram, Naomi Snieckus, Janet Van De Graaff, Mark Rostrup, and Kerry Griffin. Danny Bronson and Blair Packham (not pictured) will be providing musical entertainment. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
Anything can happen with improv. One minute you’re hosting an interview and the next, you’re breaking up with your boyfriend Joe because his Rottweiler ate your daughter.
That’s the sort of chaos and hilarity that’s sure to ensue on Thursday, June 29th when klusterfork entertainment brings a star-studded cast to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough for an evening of improv comedy.
“School’s Out!” will see klusterfork co-founder Linda Kash welcome comedy duo Naomi Snieckus and Matt Baram back to Peterborough for the first time in years. The couple first met while working at Second City Toronto before starting not-for-profit theatre company The National Theatre of the World. They’ve since spent more than 10 years doing improvised shows through their company and have travelled extensively for international festivals.
Advertisement - content continues below
Also joining the line-up are performers local audiences will be familiar with from klusterfork’s “Impros vs Joes” series at the Gordon Best Theatre, including Janet Van De Graaff, Mark Rostrup, and Kerry Griffin (who also appeared in “April Fool’s Gold,” klusterfork’s improv comedy show at the Market Hall last spring).
A portion of the ticket proceeds from “School’s Out!” will go to the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge’s Change the Cycle campaign to raise funds for its Garden Homes project, which aims to will provide affordable small homes for vulnerable people at risk of homelessness. On June 24, the organization is hosting a cycling fundraising event beginning in Nicholls Oval and proceeding along the Rotary Trail.
Advance general admission tickets to the June 29th “School’s Out!” show at 8 p.m. cost $30, with assigned cabaret table seats going for $40, available in person at the Market Hall box office at 140 Charlotte Street from 12 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday or online anytime at tickets.markethall.org. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $35.
Linda Kash, along with Pat Maitland and Ian Burns, founded klusterfork entertainment in 2019 with the intention of producing live comedy shows as well as hosting workshops focused on various aspects of the entertainment industry. While arguably best known for her TV ad portrayal of the Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Angel, Kash has a long and impressive acting resumé overflowing with film, television, and stage credits. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kash)
Like klusterfork’s previous Market Hall shows, including last year’s “April Fool’s Gold” and 2020’s “It’s Winter! Still,” this year’s production is a celebration of a time of year.
“June always felt like the beginning of summer to me,” Linda Kash tells kawarthaNOW during an interview where she was joined by Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus. “All of our classes have stopped, so School’s Out! just feels like a celebration of a few amazing semesters at klusterfork.”
“But also parents and people are done with the routine of school, and it’s time to have a glass of wine and laugh and just celebrate the beginning of summer break.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Kash, who just finished a production of Casey and Diana in Stratford, co-founded klusterfork alongside Pat Maitland and Ian Burns in 2019. In addition to live performances, klusterfork produces entertainment industry workshops led by other Second City alumni and local comedians.
One such instructor and “School’s Out!” performer, Janet Van De Graaf will be playing bass beside Blair Packham (lead vocalist and guitarist of 1980s Toronto rock band The Jitters) as he makes his klusterfork debut with a special half-time show. Peterborough musician Danny Bronson will provide the improvised score for the evening.
Kash explains that “School’s Out!” will kick off with some warm-up games to “demystify the audience,” before heading into long-form improv for the second half of the show.
“It sort of makes them feel at ease, while giving them a taste of what it is like to think on your feet so that, when they see the long form, they’re like ‘oh my God, how do they do that?'”
Comedy duo Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus first met while working at Second City Toronto before starting not-for-profit theatre company The National Theatre of the World. They’ve since spent more than 10 years doing improvised shows through their company and have travelled extensively for international festivals. A 2015 Toronto Star headline described them as “the city’s most laughable couple.” (Photo: Little Blue Lemon Photography)
An example Kash provides is the word-by-word game, wherein each participant says one word, building on the last, until a story is created. Anything can happen — like losing both your daughter and your boyfriend because of his man-eating Rottweiler … apparently.
For his part, Matt Baram says these games not only help the audience understand the spontaneity of improv, but they symbolize how the performers must work together to make engaging comedy.
“It shows that spontaneity can happen with togetherness, and we call that ‘Bringing a brick, Not a cathedral.'”
Advertisement - content continues below
Baram explains that improv performers must bring only a piece of the comedy and trust their fellow performers will feed off of it. “You don’t have to carry the whole story by yourself.”
Kash adds that a main rule to think about when performing improv is that “improvisers don’t lie.”
“Everything you say to another character is the truth,” she explains. “I can’t block your lie because if you say there is a unicorn flying around, then that’s the truth. The best improv allows for the truth to be told, however crazy the logic is. So every offer is welcome, and that just makes for considerate improv.”
Janet Van De Graaff, Mark Rostrup, and Kerry Griffin will join Linda Kash and Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus on stage at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough for klusterfork’s “School’s Out” on June 29, 2023. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
After the warm-up comes the main act. During the long-form feature, the performers will improvise storytelling based on pieces of information provided by the audience. Audience members will be rolling in hysterics, as nobody can really predict the sort of antics that will ensue.
The last time Baram and Snieckus performed in Peterborough was at a fundraiser in honour of Kash’s late husband Paul O’Sullivan, a highly respected and accomplished actor and improv performer. In 2009, O’Sullivan and Kash founded the Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts, where Kash continues to teach young children the art of improv.
Though Baram and Snieckus often frequent their cottage in Apsley, the Toronto-based duo has never performed at the Peterborough’s Market Hall. Kash assures them Peterborough has a “great” and “comfortable” audience for improv.
“Anything can work if it’s a supportive environment, and if (audience members) know their job is to not only support but to engage and to give good, positive suggestions,” Baram notes.
Advertisement - content continues below
Kash adds that an ability to adapt to the audience is the beauty of improv.
“It’s different from a play or stand-up because if (we) read the audience and sense they are smarter than we thought — or maybe they’re here because they want to talk about racy things, or they’re political — then we can change the show and tailor it to them. For a play, you’ve already set your course — you have to say the lines and follow the material — but we’re adaptable.”
Naomi Snieckus, in comedic style, compares improv to running a buffet.
“If we gave you a buffet of different food and notice you really like Szechuan chicken, we can serve that up,” she says. “We can get some Szechuan going because we know you like that. And if you say ‘I’m not keen on the bean sprout’ then, okay, let’s not do any more bean sprout tonight because she’s not into it.”
Peterborough musician Danny Bronson and Blair Packham (lead vocalist and guitarist of 1980s Toronto rock band The Jitters) will be providing musical entertainment during klusterfork’s “School’s Out” at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on June 29, 2023. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
“We will do whatever you want,” adds Kash. “We will serve up whatever you want, because maybe we’ve never tried that and we’re all really greedy for that laughter.”
Snieckus agrees entirely.
“I feel like the laughter that brings us together is like my religion,” she says, adding she wants to share her religion.
klusterfork’s “School’s Out” improv comedy show takes place at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on June 29, 2023. (Poster: Rob Wilkes / Big Sky Design)
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of klusterfork entertainment’s “School’s Out!”.
Robyn Judd, a volunteer firefighter with Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service, pictured on August 31, 2021 after she and two colleagues rescued a 12-year-old girl who had become trapped in an exhaust tunnel of the generator station at Elliot Falls in Norland while swimming. (Photo: Kawartha Lakes OPP)
Kawartha Lakes volunteer firefighter Robyn Judd was awarded the 2022 Ontario Medal for Firefighter Bravery at a special ceremony hosted by Ontario’s lieutenant governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell at Queen’s Park in Toronto on Thursday (June 22).
She was one of 13 firefighters to receive the medal, which was created in 1976 to honour firefighters who have gone above and beyond to protect and serve their community.
Judd, who works as a service manager at Kawartha Garage in Coboconk, volunteers with Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service out of Station 17 in Norland.
Advertisement - content continues below
On August 31, 2021, Judd and fellow firefighters Stephen Hertel and Roger Gostlin responded to a distress call reporting a 12-year-old girl who had become trapped in an exhaust tunnel of the generator station at Elliot Falls in Norland while swimming. She was unable to get out of the tunnel because of the force of the current.
Judd, a level three water rescue professional, was lowered on a safety rope by her colleagues into the water, in an area marked with ‘No Swimming’ signs due to the treacherous currents. Judd swam into the tunnel and threw a bag to the girl, and both were pulled back to safety.
“This courageous act exemplifies volunteer firefighter Judd’s selflessness and unwavering commitment to saving lives,” reads the citation of Judd’s award.
Rayne and I. Receiving the Ontario medal of fire fighting bravery. ??
Along with Judd, 11 firefighters from the London Fire Department and one from Blue Mountains Fire Services Department received the award.
The Ontario Medal for Police Bravery was also awarded at the same ceremony to 21 police officers from the Hanover Police Service, Lac Seul Police Service, Niagara Regional Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Ottawa Police Service, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, Timmins Police Service, Toronto Police Service, Windsor Police Service, and York Region Police Service.
“I have spent much time thinking about the constant risks and dangers that first responders face,” Dowdeswell said at the ceremony. “Our province has benefited greatly from their service, and today, we recognize the remarkable bravery of 34 police officers and firefighters from across Ontario. In accepting these medals, I hope that these brave men and women will re-commit themselves to serving the public with integrity, knowing that their accomplishments will help motivate a new generation of Ontarians to join their ranks — looking to follow their example.”
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™ — our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the greater Kawarthas region — and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
As of Friday, June 23, the following beaches are unsafe for swimming:
Centennial Park West – Eldon – City of Kawartha Lakes
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton – City of Kawartha Lakes
Caldwell Street Beach – Port Hope – Northumberland County
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton Township – Northumberland County
Hastings Waterfront North – Trent Hills – Northumberland County
Advertisement - content continues below
Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health provides weekly testing results for beaches in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
Award-winning singer-songwriter Kelly McMichael is returning to her hometown of Peterborough to perform with her band (John Moran, Geordie Dynes, and Claire Whitehead) at Jethro's Bar + Stage in downtown Peterborough on Saturday night, with John Moran opening. (Photo: Dustin Rabin)
Every Thursday, we publish live music events at pubs and restaurants in Peterborough and the greater Kawarthas region based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, June 22 to Wednesday, June 28.
If you’re a pub or restaurant owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our nightlifeNOW editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com. For concerts and live music events at other venues, check out our Concerts & Live Music page.
With the exception of karaoke, we only list events with performing musicians. Venues may also host other events during the week (e.g., dancing, DJs, comedy shows).
7pm - Borderless Music & Arts Festival w/ live music by The Colton Sisters, Will Ward, Harbhajunkie, Shahrazi ($10-$15 in advance at https://www.borderlessarts.ca or at door)
Saturday, June 24
7pm - Borderless Music & Arts Festival ft OMBIIGIZI, Singing Wild Rice Girl (Missy Knott), Will Ward ($15-$20 in advance at https://www.borderlessarts.ca or at door)
Friday, July 7 7pm - FFA: Free For All open mic w/ poast Niambi Tree, musician Will Ward, DJ Infinite Lee (no cover, sign up at https://www.eventbrite.com/656996814157)
Susan Donald (right), pictured with Bhojan Indian grocery store co-owner Aniket Khera, won $1,500 in Boro gift cards after participating in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area's 'golden goose chase' spring downtown shopping promotion. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Local shopper Susan Donald has won $1,500 in Boro gift cards in this spring’s ‘golden goose chase’ scavenger hunt organized by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
Running in April and May, the retail incentive program saw 20 golden goose eggs hidden inside downtown retail locations on a rotating schedule. All of the eggs were hand-painted by local artists, with each egg showcasing their own unique style.
Each week the special eggs moved to new shops and stores in the downtown core. Using a mobile app called Goosechase, shoppers took a photo of each egg they found to earn a ballot for a chance to win a $1,500 Boro gift card shopping spree. The more golden eggs they found, the greater their chances of winning.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“I love supporting small businesses and shopping locally because you’re supporting families above all else,” Donald says in a media release. “You get to know the people who you’re buying from, which is so much more meaningful than buying from large corporations.”
There were 200 shoppers who participated in the scavenger hunt, with more than 100 active scavenger hunters.
“It’s been really nice to see people getting excited for the summer and also getting out to explore small businesses and local retailers while having fun in the process,” says Aniket Khera, co-owner of Bhojan, a new Indian grocery store on George Street.
Advertisement - content continues below
According to the DBIA, many of the participating businesses noticed an increase of foot traffic as shoppers looked for the golden eggs.
“We had one group of friends come into our store, a couple of whom had just moved here from Toronto,” says Gentry Apparel owner Andrew Damiany.
“They had learned about the scavenger hunt and told us they were visiting about six different stores looking for the golden eggs, making purchases along the way as they discovered businesses.”
Formed in Toronto in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning and becoming an acclaimed musical collective with a revolving roster of members from Toronto's indie music scene, Broken Social scene will perform for the first time ever in Peterborough on August 19, 2023 at the Peterborough Folk Festival. (Photo: Richmond Lam)
The Peterborough Folk Festival has announced acclaimed Canadian indie alt-rockers Broken Social Scene will be the Saturday headliner for the 34th annual music festival taking place on August 19 and 20 at Nicholls Oval Park beside the Otonabee River.
Formed in Toronto in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning as a basement recording project, Broken Social Scene became a musical collective with a revolving roster of members including musicians from Metric, Feist, Stars, Apostle of Hustle, Do Make Say Think, KC Accidental, Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, Amy Millan, and Jason Collett.
Drew and Canning recorded and released the band’s debut album Feel Good Lost in 2001. Their material was almost entirely instrumental, so they brought in musicians from Toronto’s indie music scene to expand the lyrics and vocals in the band’s live shows, along with core members Justin Peroff, Andrew Whiteman, and Charles Spearin.
Advertisement - content continues below
In 2002, all of the musicians from the live show helped record the band’s second album, the Juno award-winning You Forgot It in People, which the band celebrated last year with a 20th-anniversary vinyl edition and tour.
In 2005, they released their self-titled album, earning the band their second Juno award for Alternative Album of the Year. Subsequent releases included Broken Social Scene presents …, two albums in 2007 and 2008 featuring the solo efforts of Drew (Spirit If) and Canning (Something for All of Us) assisted by fellow Broken Social Scene members, along with 2010’s Forgiveness Rock Record, 2017’s Hug of Thunder, and 2019’s two-volume EP Let’s Try the After.
During their career, Broken Social Scene have performed multiple times on Late Night with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Late Night with Stephen Colbert, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
VIDEO: “Halfway Home” – Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene’s evolving sound over the years has been described as everything from alt-rock to baroque pop and noise pop to experimental rock and soul music. However, one thing has remained constant: at the end of every show, Drew tells the audience to “enjoy your lives” — a call to action to get out there and be part of your own social scene.
Broken Social Scene’s appearance at the Peterborough Folk Festival will mark their first-ever performance in Peterborough.
“Inclusivity, belonging, and community are at the heart of Peterborough Folk Festival,” says Ryan Kemp, the festival’s artistic director, in a media release. “I can barely express how thrilled we are to have this iconic Canadian band take the main stage as the Peterborough Folk Festival 2023 headliner on August 19th.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival kicks off with ticketed concerts on Thursday, August 17th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Friday, August 18th at the Gordon Best Theatre, followed by an admission-by-donation weekend of music and more on Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th at Nicholls Oval Park.
The festival has already announced renowned Canadian singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt will be the Sunday headliner, with Juno award-winning children’s music duo Splash’N Boots also performing on Sunday.
“We’ve been building momentum with our festival partners, sponsors, and volunteer-run board to create a memorable event for everyone in Peterborough and across the region to enjoy,” Kemp says.
VIDEO: “Cause=Time” – Broken Social Scene
“It’s incredible to have this come together with the announcement of these fantastic performers,” Kemp adds.
Organizers will be making additional announcements during June, including the complete line-up of performers and the festival’s annual emerging artist.
For more information about the festival, including how to get involved as an artist, volunteer, or vendor, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2023 Peterborough Folk Festival.
Devon Girard, executive director of Community Futures Peterborough (left), meets with Sarah Budd, president and CEO of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce (second from left), along with Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area executive director Terry Guiel and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development president and CEO Rhonda Keenan at Black Honey in downtown Peterborough in January 2023. Since becoming executive director earlier this year, Girard has been strengthening partnerships with the area’s other economic development organizations to enhance the ecosystem for Peterborough-area entrepreneurs. (Photo courtesy of Terry Guiel)
Community Futures Peterborough has announced a new partnership that will see local entrepreneurs who are receiving loans from the economic development organization also benefit from free introductory memberships with the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
The announcement was made Thursday (June 22) at Community Futures Peterborough’s annual general meeting at Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough. The event, which featured remarks from Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal and Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark, was followed by a community celebration and lunch.
New loan clients of Community Futures Peterborough will receive a free six-month membership from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, providing area business owners with access to events and networking opportunities to further grow and expand their businesses.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“This is another step to showcase to our community the commitment we have to work together to support area businesses as they start, grow, and scale their operations,” says Devon Girard, executive director of Community Futures Peterborough, in a media release. “We are thrilled to work with ecosystem partners in our community who share similar beliefs.”
“Peterborough has a strong business support network, and we are happy to partner with Community Futures Peterborough and offer new loan clients a free introductory membership,” says Joel Wiebe, vice president of government relations and communications at Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. “Businesses that tap into resources from community organizations like Community Futures and the Chamber are better equipped for success and help us build stronger communities.”
The new partnership with the chamber builds upon other initiatives with community partners in which Community Futures Peterborough offers pre-approval of microloans up to $20,000 to local entrepreneurs, including graduates of the Summer Company and Starter Company Plus programs offered by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, all clients of Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas, students in Fleming College’s Global Business Management program, students in Trent University’s New Venture Planning and Design class, and finalists of Cleantech Commons and Rotary Club of Peterborough’s Rotary Environmentalist Innovators Fund.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Community Futures Peterborough is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), as part of the Community Futures Program.
“The Government of Canada knows that collaboration is the key to success,” says Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for FedDev Ontario. “When local businesses and local Chambers of Commerce work in partnership with Community Futures Peterborough, jobs are created, businesses grow, and communities are strengthened. Our government is pleased to see that Community Futures across Canada are making real differences in our communities with our support.”
Advertisement - content continues below
At Thursday’s annual general meeting, Community Futures Peterborough celebrated the organization’s successes over the past year, noting “the strong signals of entrepreneurship and small business investment in the area.” In the past three months alone, the organization has approved more than $1.1 million in loans for business owners in the city and county of Peterborough.
In the past year, Community Futures Peterborough approved over $1.6 million in business loans to 36 companies, creating or maintaining 176 jobs. Another 92 businesses were supported through other services offered by the organization including advisory programs, workshops, and courses.
Since it was founded in 1985, Community Futures Peterborough has invested over $40 million in more than 1,100 small businesses, creating or maintaining more than 4,100 jobs in the city and the county of Peterborough. For more information, visit cfpeterborough.ca.
This story has been corrected as Peterborough-Kawartha MP Michelle Ferreri was unable to attend and make remarks.
GreenUP's registered energy advisor Bryn Magee assesses a home in Douro this past winter. GreenUP is one of the providers of pre-retrofit home energy assessments in the K9H, K9J, K9K, K9L, K0L, L0A, K9V, K0M-Trent Lakes, L1A, and K9A postal codes. (Photo: Lili Paradi / GreenUP)
You’re ready to start tackling your home’s energy emissions. Where is the best place to start? The building envelope, or as the GreenUP Home Energy team likes to call it, the ‘skin’ of your home!
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Clara Blakelock, Program Manager of the Home Energy program at Peterborough GreenUP.
The building envelope is what divides the inside of the home from the outside. This includes basement walls and floor, exterior above-ground walls, windows, doors, ceilings below attics, and sloped ceilings.
Understanding the building envelope can start with booking a home energy assessment with a registered energy advisor, including those at GreenUP. This home energy assessment unlocks access to grants and interest-free loans which will help you improve your home’s efficiency and comfort.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Bryn Magee, registered energy advisor with GreenUP, has conducted over 80 home energy assessments since becoming registered with Natural Resources Canada.
“Improving the building envelope comes down to two main things: improving airtightness and adding insulation,” Magee explains.
Energy advisors use a measurement called ACH50 to calculate how airtight your home is. ACH stands for “air changes per hour” and the ’50’ refers to 50 pascals, a measurement of the pressure difference between inside and outside the house.
GreenUP’s Home Energy program manager Clara Blakelock and registered energy advisor Collin Richardson set up blower door tests at local homes. home energy assessments can measure your home’s airtightness. (Photos courtesy of GreenUP)
A measurement of ACH50 tests how many times the entire volume of air in the home is replaced over the span of an hour when the house is depressurized to -50 pascals.
To test this, energy advisors use a blower door test. A brand-new home should have less than two ACH50, while older homes may have 10 ACH50 or more.
A lower ACH50 indicates a home that is airtight.
Advertisement - content continues below
Energy advisors can also measure how well your insulation is working.
R-value measures how well insulation keeps heat from leaving or entering your home. When an R-value is high, heat moves through insulation slowly. When your walls, attic, and basement have a high R-value, your home can climate control more efficiently.
As part of the home energy assessment, your energy advisor will walk through your home from the basement to the attic and give you advice. Here is some common advice GreenUP’s energy advisors may give you during a walkabout.
In many older homes, basements and basement headers (the area between the floor joists) are completely uninsulated. Finishing and insulating an uninsulated basement can often result in energy savings of 25 to 30 per cent. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
Basement insulation
The basement is one of the biggest opportunities for improving the building envelope and increasing energy efficiency in the home.
Collin Richardson, registered energy advisor with GreenUP, notes many of the homes he has assessed have no insulation at all on the basement walls or floor, or only have insulation coming halfway down the wall.
“There is often a lot of air leakage coming from basements,” Richardson notes. “Air can leak through holes which have been punched in the walls to vent out furnaces, or water heaters, or to bring in wiring.”
Many finished basements that Magee and Richardson assessed in the past year were only insulated to R-8 (about 2.5 inches of insulation) or R-12. Today’s building code requires a minimum of R-20 insulation in basements.
Advertisement - content continues below
Above-ground wall insulation
Without drilling a hole in the wall, it can be difficult to tell how the wall is constructed, but energy advisors can look for clues.
“Homes built before the 1950s often have no insulation in the wall cavities,” says Magee. “Sometimes insulation was added in the past, but may or may not be performing effectively today.”
A few different methods can be used to add insulation to existing walls, including blowing in cellulose insulation (something that looks, frankly, like ripped-up newspaper) by drilling holes in the interior or exterior walls, or adding a layer of continuous insulation underneath new siding.
In this home, installing a mini-split heat pump revealed an empty wall cavity. This is an opportunity to insulate with blown-in cellulose, adding an insulation value of R14. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
Windows
The impact of improving windows is often less than other upgrades.
“If you have single-pane windows, or if your windows are obviously leaky or damaged, then replacing them will get you some significant energy savings,” says Richardson. “But just because your windows are old, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to replace them.”
Airtightness around your windows is often a culprit in a window feeling drafty. Airtightness comes before all other upgrades on the path to energy efficiency.
Advertisement - content continues below
Attic insulation
Attic insulation can be a fairly easy upgrade that results in significant savings, but may require a quick (and safe!) peek at your insulation.
Today’s building code requires a minimum of R-50 insulation for attics, which is about 14 inches of blown-in cellulose insulation.
If you have six to eight inches of insulation or less, then you’d likely benefit from upgrading your insulation.
This attic contains only about three or four inches of insulation, for an R-value of less than 12. Today’s building code requires a minimum of R50 in attics, or at least 14 inches of blown-in cellulose or 18 inches of blown-in fiberglass. In this attic, insulating to R50 resulted in 11 per cent energy savings. (Photo: Clara Blakelock / GreenUP)
For more information about home energy assessments, check out greenup.on.ca/home-energy and join in on the next Home Energy webinar at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 6th.
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
Submit your event for FREE!
Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.
To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.
