Linlor Farm and Forest is one of many local food producers featured at the Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market in Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township. They are members of Kawartha Choice FarmFresh, an economic development initiative supported by Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough, and the City of Kawartha Lakes. (Photo courtesy of Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market)
With the increasing consumer interest in purchasing food grown close to home, producers at local farmers’ markets like Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market are growing their sales with the help of agricultural programs supported by Peterborough County.
According to Farmers’ Markets Ontario (FMO), sales at farmers’ markets across the province have increased by 10 to 12 per cent annually over the past decade, reaching approximately $800 million.
Elmer Buchanan, who manages Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market and is also chair of the FMO board, says the trend is a result of the continued desire for consumers to know where — and who — their food is coming from.
“It’s the chance for a direct connection between the producer and the consumer — there are still a lot of people who enjoy the opportunity to talk to the person who produced or grew the product,” Buchanan says. “It’s part of the growing local food phenomenon, and farmers’ markets are where the rubber meets the road and you can actually do it and not just talk about it.”
Connecting local producers with consumers is one of the reasons Buchanan helped establish the Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market in 2018. A farmer himself, he also brings his past expertise as Hastings-Peterborough MPP from 1990 to 1995, when he served as Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture and Food and was widely praised for his handling of the agriculture portfolio.
With the growing interest for consumers in purchasing locally grown food, the Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market was founded in 2018 and continues to run seasonally on Friday afternoons in the Village of Havelock. Market manager Elmer Buchanan says the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale program, delivered in part by Peterborough County, will help farmers expand beyond farmers’ markets and connect with wholesale buyers such as restaurants, food retailers, tourist attractions, golf courses, and more. (Photo courtesy of Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market)
The Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market runs on Fridays annually from the Victoria Day long weekend in May through the Thanksgiving long weekend in October. Located on the south side of Highway 7 in the Village of Havelock in Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township, the market is open from 1 to 6 p.m. during the summer, with food vendors on-site beginning at 11 a.m. On the last Friday of every month, the market also features a farm display.
Visitors to the market will not only find a range of locally grown produce, meats, maple syrups, and baked goods, but artisan products as well, including jewellery, fibre arts, bath and body products, and more.
Many of the farmers who attend the Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market are members of the Kawartha Choice FarmFresh economic development initiative. Supported by Peterborough County along with the City of Peterborough and the City of Kawartha Lakes, the program provides a brand identity for local producers, a network for members to share and access resources, and an online database for consumers to find local producers.
While Buchanan says farmers’ markets are a great way for local producers to meet customers, he points out many farmers don’t have the resources or time to expand beyond farmers’ markets and make connections with local food buyers, such as restaurants, food retailers, tourist attractions, golf courses, and more.
That’s why Peterborough County has also partnered with the City of Peterborough and the City of Kawartha Lakes to deliver the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale program, which aims to increase the capacity for local food distribution by connecting local food producers with wholesale buyers through the Green Circle Food Hub developed by Graze & Gather.
Buchanan says the two agricultural programs supported by Peterborough County are important because he believes local farms are the future when it comes to food security.
“Developing those kinds of networks is where we’re going to get our food security from,” Buchanan says. “I applaud the work that people have put into making it happen.”
To learn more about the Havelock Farmer & Artisan Market, visit www.havelockmarket.ca.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series celebrating the farmers, food producers, food retailers, and agri-tourism businesses that make The Kawarthas thrive, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
Agriculture is a key economic driver and a point of pride for Peterborough County, with local farms producing a wide variety of high-quality goods, from traditional crops and livestock to organic and specialty products, reflecting the strength and diversity of this vital sector. With a growing focus on sustainability, local food systems, agri-innovation, and agri-tourism, agriculture offers strong potential for growth and diversification.
The Local Advantage with Peterborough County series spotlights the Kawartha Choice FarmFresh and Kawartha Local Food Wholesale initiatives, which aim to strengthen connections from farm to table across our region.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
Lake associations in the Kawarthas are joining the "Let's Get the Lead Out" initiative, an Ontario-wide campaign encouraging anglers to switch to lead-free fishing tackle to protect loons and other wildlife. Associations in Haliburton County and Peterborough County have been hosting tackle exchanges and raising awareness to the dangers of angling with lead tackle. (Photo: Let's Get The Lead Out website)
With loons having returned to Ontario cottage country, lake associations in the Kawarthas are joining a campaign to protect them by encouraging anglers to get rid of their lead-based tackle.
The grassroots “Let’s Get The Lead Out” campaign was launched by the Wolfe Lake Association in Westport in 2022 to encourage anglers to switch to lead-free fishing tackle, in response to studies showing lead poisoning is the leading cause of death for adult common loons.
The highly toxic metal also poisons other wildlife, including ducks, geese, herons, swans, eagles, ospreys, gulls, otters, turtles, and game fish.
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According to federal government research, 545 metric tonnes of lead — equivalent to 20,000 car batteries or 44 fully loaded dump trucks — enters Canada’s lakes and rivers every year from lost fishing tackle.
Suzanne Montgomery, director at large for the Drag and Spruce Lakes Property Owners Association in Haliburton County, came across the campaign through her network and connections with other lake associations.
“We’ve got a lot of residents who really cherish our loons as well as the rest of our wildlife,” she says. “Everyone in the lake community here is very concerned about our loons and wanting to ensure that we do everything to protect them, so this was something that fell in line with that.”
A common loon with her two loonlets. Loons intentionally eat pebbles from the bottom of lakes to help them digest food and can mistake lead sinkers that have sunk to the bottom of a lake for pebbles and swallow them. Even just one small lead sinker is enough to poison a loon and kill it within two to four weeks. (Photo: Mark Peck)
Montgomery was surprised to learn how quickly lead, which is highly toxic, can kill a loon.
Because loons swallow their food whole, they intentionally eat pebbles from the bottom of lakes that act like surrogate teeth in their gizzard to grind up indigestible fish bones, crustacean shells, and aquatic insect exoskeletons. They can mistake lead sinkers that have sunk to the bottom of a lake for pebbles and swallow them.
Even just one small lead sinker is enough to poison a loon and kill it within two to four weeks of ingestion.
The Let’s Get The Lead Out campaign encourages fishers to swap their lead tackle for sinkers and jigs made from tungsten, bismuth, steel, tin, or ceramics. Some of these alternatives are more durable, have improved sensitivity on the fishing line, and are not toxic.
Montgomery suggests anglers can even drill a hole in a pebble or a stone to create a sinker.
“There are cheaper alternatives if you think outside the box,” she says.
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In the spring, Montgomery conducted a survey across members of the Drag and Spruce Lakes Property Owners Association to determine how much they knew about the dangers of lead tackle.
“What was interesting about the poll results is that a lot of the respondents had awareness of lead and the harm it can do to wildlife and our ecosystems and some of them already fish with lead-free tackle,” Montgomery says.
“Others actually gave us commitments that they were going to start fishing with lead-free tackle, that they were going to empty their tackle box, swap it, and were going to now start fishing without lead. They had an idea (about lead poisoning) but didn’t realize to the extent and now they’re committed to making the change.”
A municipal grant for the “Let’s Get the Lead Out” campaign and other initiatives of the Drag and Spruce Lakes Property Owners Association supported the build of kiosks at each of the lakes’ boat launches and public beaches. The association has posted signs to educate locals and visitors about the “Let’s Get the Lead Out” campaign and the dangers posed by fishing with lead tackle. (Photo: Drag and Spruce Lakes Property Owners Association)
The survey is the same metric Montgomery will be using to track progress following a series of educational events and exchanges happening throughout the summer. Recently, the association used a municipal grant to erect kiosks at lake boat launches and public beaches. The kiosks include posters and other information around lead-free fishing.
“For Haliburton, our tourism is completely tied to our environment, and the more we can do to educate people, the better,” says Montgomery. “Even if people who visit our lakes see our kiosks and see the Let’s Get the Lead Out signage, they’ll consider fishing lead-free. The more we can sway even one person here or there, it all helps.”
The grant also allowed the association to purchase lead-free tackle to distribute to residents and members who are getting rid of the lead currently in their tackle boxes. These exchanges will take place at member events throughout the summer, including at the association’s annual general meeting on July 12, where the more lead tackle members swap, the more likely they are to win prizes from local businesses.
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Since beginning the exchanges, the Drag and Spruce Lakes Property Owners Association has collected more than four pounds of lead tackle, which will be brought to trusted partner recycling facilities.
“I won’t take it anywhere unless I know for sure it’s definitely not going back into the fishing tackle industry,” says Montgomery.
The association has also partnered with other local organizations to support the initiative, including getting Outdoors Plus, to stock more lead-free tackle and provide posters and educational resources. They are also working with U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research to further assess barriers to the program, and will be hosting lunch and learns to help other local lake associations develop their own campaigns.
“If we can make it easier for someone else, we’re more than happy to do that,” Montgomery says.
Outdoors Plus is supporting the Drag and Spruce Lakes Property Owners Association in Haliburton County to promote lead-free fishing through participation in the “Let’s Get the Lead Out” campaign by hanging educational signs and stocking lead-free alternative fishing tackle, including tungsten, bismuth, steel, tin, or ceramics. (Photo: Outdoors Plus)
Other lake associations in the Kawarthas have similarly taken notice of the Let’s Get the Lead Out campaign.
In 2024 and 2025, the Lake Kasshabog Association in Peterborough County held tackle exchanges during events, offering rewards for those who participated, and placed signs at each of the boat launches and near major lake entrances.
Anglers on the lake were also approached with information and tungsten tackle to exchange with their own. Over the two years, 12 pounds of lead were collected from local tackle boxes and redirected from lakes.
Since its founding in 2022, Let’s Get the Lead Out has expanded to 29 lake associations across Ontario, with 500 pounds of lead tackle collected and safely recycled.
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During that time, the campaign has also been circulating a petition calling on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to ban the sale and use of lead sinkers, weights, and jigs under 50 grams in weight and any lead-headed tackle under 6.5 cm in length across all lakes in the province.
In the U.S., similar bans have been effective in New Hampshire, New York, and Maine, where lead-related deaths in loons and another animals began to decline after their bans were implemented.
“That’s going to create a larger public campaign beyond lake associations, and that would be wonderful,” says Montgomery. “If that builds the momentum for a wider breadth of people to have awareness, that’s a bonus.”
For more information about the Let’s Get The Lead Out campaign and to sign the petition, visit fishleadfree.ca.
North Kawartha Township mayor Carolyn Amyotte raised a notice of motion at the meeting of Peterborough County council on June 24, 2026 identifying concerns with the voters' list in her municipality for the upcoming municipal election, identifying that a significant number of seasonal residents appear to be missing from the list. (kawarthaNOW screenshot of Peterborough County video)
Peterborough County council is sounding the alarm for voters and the Ontario government alike that there are discrepancies on the voters’ list for the 2026 municipal election.
A motion brought before council on Wednesday (June 24) by North Kawartha Township mayor Carolyn Amyotte urges the province to prioritize the verification of all voter information in a timely manner.
“It’s really important that we get these lists as accurate and as complete as possible, prior to them being handed over to the municipalities,” Amyotte told kawarthaNOW following the notice of motion.
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On October 26, residents of the eight municipalities that form Peterborough County — Township of Asphodel-Norwood, Township of Cavan-Monaghan, Township of Douro-Dummer, Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Township of North Kawartha, Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, Township of Selwyn, and Municipality of Trent Lakes — will be voting for members of their lower-tier councils whose leadership makes up the membership of county council.
Amyotte said that many residents of the county live in the region on a temporary or transient basis, referring in particular to seasonal cottage owners. It is these individuals that Amyotte noticed were not included consistently on voter registration lists provided by the province.
In 2022, the Ontario government passed Bill 204 stating that Elections Ontario would be taking over responsibility for the provision of voter registration lists for municipal elections from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).
Unlike elections at the provincial and federal level, during municipal elections individuals may vote in multiple municipalities where they own property or reside. However, according to Amyotte, this is not always known by cottage owners.
“A lot of folks don’t realize that they can actually vote where they cottage, as long as they’re a property owner,” Amyotte said.
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Earlier this month, Amyotte noticed a significant reduction in the number of eligible voters, compared to the 2022 municipal election, when reviewing the registration lists with the election returning officer.
Although she recognizes that voters continue to register every day, initially Amyotte identified over a 40 per cent reduction in eligible voters listed.
“It was significantly and noticeably impacting the non-resident eligible voters, which for us is seasonal residents — that’s cottagers,” she added.
In its voter’s guide, the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing states that individuals can qualify to vote in a municipality as a non-resident voter “if you own or rent property in a municipality, but it’s not the one where you live.”
This also includes students living away from their home community to attend post-secondary education, if they intend on returning after their schooling is completed.
Amyotte said that data accuracy is especially important at the municipal level due to the high percentage of people using remote voting options such as mail-in ballots or telephone voting. As such, voters may not have the opportunity to register in-person at the polling station on October 26.
Both Amyotte and Municipality of Trent Lakes deputy mayor Carol Armstrong, who seconded Amyotte’s motion at council, spoke about the importance of non-resident voters ensuring they are registered in their Peterborough County municipalities to make sure their voice is heard.
“Not to be dramatic, but it ends up being taxation without representation,” said Armstrong at Wednesday’s council meeting.
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During the meeting, Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark said she had discussed the issue of non-resident voters being unintentionally omitted from voting lists at an executive meeting for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). Clark noted that awareness of this issue was not comprehensive across all AMO board members.
“We need to get the word out, how best we can,” said Clark.
Amyotte’s resolution, which passed council unanimously, will be shared with the Premier, provincial partners including MPPs, the AMO and the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), and other municipalities and relevant partners.
“Your vote is your voice — so speak up,” said Amyotte.
To check whether you’re on the voters list, to update your information, or to add yourself, visit www.registertovoteon.ca.
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A list of all uncertified candidates registered in each of Peterborough County’s eight municipalities, as of June 29, is provided below. Each municipality’s council comprises a mayor, deputy mayor, and three councillors.
Township of Asphodel-Norwood
Mayor: Patrick Wilford (incumbent), Rodger Bonneau, Stephanie Hodge-Greaves
Deputy Mayor: Lori Burtt (incumbent)
Councillor at Large (three): Paula Warr (incumbent), Barry Walsh (incumbent), Trever Donnelly, Joseph Maddison, Cory Kozmik
Township of Cavan Monaghan
Mayor: None to date
Deputy Mayor: None to date
Ward 1: Nelson Edgerton (incumbent)
Ward 2: None to date
Ward 3: Lance Nachoff (incumbent), David Lundrigan
Township of Douro-Dummer
Mayor: J. Murray Jones, Peter Leahy
Deputy Mayor: Harold Nelson (incumbent), April Hope
Councillor at Large (three): Beverly Flagler (incumbent), Bill Seabrook, Krista Thomas, Paul Wood, Richard Wood
Township of North Kawartha
Mayor: Carolyn Amyotte (incumbent)
Deputy Mayor: Ruth Anne McIlmoyl
Councillor at Large: None to date
Ward 1 (previously Chandos): Bruce Paterson
Ward 2 (previously Burleigh Anstruther): Jim Whelan, Guy Sprung
Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan
Mayor: Bonnie Clark
Deputy Mayor: Mark Allen
Councillor at Large: Tara Loucks, Joe Crowley
Otonabee Ward: Nick Powers (incumbent)
South Monaghan Ward: Terry Holmes (incumbent)
Township of Selwyn
Mayor: Ron Black
Deputy Mayor: None to date
Ennismore Ward (Ward 10): Mary Coulas
Smith Ward (Ward 20): None to date
Lakefield Ward (Ward 30): Michael Barrett
Municipality of Trent Lakes
Mayor: Terry Lambshead (incumbent)
Deputy Mayor: John Braybrook
Councillor at Large: Carol Armstrong
Harvey Ward: Peter Franzen (incumbent)
Galway-Cavendish Ward: Joe Cadigan (incumbent), Caroline McGee, Ira Peters
The original version of this story has been updated to correct the title of the list of candidates for the Municipality of Trent Lakes, which was mislabelled as the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, and to add a link to the voter registration website.
encoreNOW for June 29, 2026 features (from left to right, top and bottom) "Spamalot" at The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Bancroft Village Playhouse, "Come From Away" at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre, Lighthouse at Peterborough Musicfest, the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival, and "Sore Losers" at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights Spamalot at Fenelon Falls’ The Grove Theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Bancroft Village Playhouse, Come From Away at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, Lighthouse at Peterborough Musicfest, the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival, and Sore Losers at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre.
Monty Python rules all summer long at The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls
VIDEO: “Spamalot” promo
There are some comedy films that, if you don’t laugh out loud at least once while watching them, you best check yourself for some sign of life.
Take Monty Python and the Holy Grail, for example. The 1975 British comedy film, written and starring the ridiculously funny Monty Python comedy group of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, is still widely considered one of the best comedy films of all time. In fact, in 2011, ABC’s Best In Film: The Greatest Movies Of Our Time listed it second to front runner Airplane!
It took 30 years, but the hilarious spoof of Arthurian legends made its way to Broadway in the form of Spamalot, where it amassed close to 1,600 performances, made a ton of money, and was nominated for 14 Tony Awards, taking home three including for Best Musical.
More than two million people took in Spamalot on Broadway. That certainly bodes very well for The Grove Theatre which, starting Friday (July 3), is staging Spamalot all summer long at its outdoor venue in Fenelon Falls.
Audiences can expect all the laugh-out-loud moments associated with the related film, including killer rabbits, the knights who say Ni, and the bridge-keeper’s ridiculous three-question test. And, course, there’s lots of music, including the signature song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” that was repurposed from the 1979 film Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
Curtain is 8 p.m. from July 3 to 6, 10 and 11, 13 and 14, 22 and 23, and 28, and August 5, 14 and 15, 18 and 19, 27, and 30. Tickets costs $64.50 at www.grovetheatre.ca.
Spelling bee pressure mounts at Bancroft’s Village Playhouse
VIDEO: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” promo
Oh boy, local theatre lovers are being spoiled big-time this summer, with yet another Tony Award-winning musical comedy to take in, with this one in Bancoft.
With book by Rachel Sheinkin and music and lyrics by William Finn, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opens a 14-show run on Wednesday, July 8 at the Bancroft Village Playhouse.
The winner of both Tony and Drama Desk awards, the musical comedy takes us to Putnam Valley Middle School where six precocious elementary school students, guided by three equally quirky adults, compete in a spelling bee.
While disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the kids spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake.
Six enter the bee and one emerges a champion, with a juice box awaiting the others. The result is “a riotous ride, complete with audience participation.” I’m guessing that, like the Broadway production, a few audience members will be invited onstage to compete.
Curtain is 7 p.m. from July 8 to 11 and 15 to 18, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 9, 11 and 12, 16, and 18 and 19. Tickets cost $41 ($36.50 for seniors and $26.50 for students/youth/arts workers) and are available at www.villageplayhouse.ca. Of note, the show isn’t recommended for younger children as it does contain some mature content and themes.
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“Come From Away” lands safely at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre
VIDEO: “Gander’s Ripple Effect: How a Small Town’s Kindness Opened on Broadway”
Amidst all the tragedy, despair, and fear that September 11, 2001 will forever be associated with, there’s the remarkable kindness and empathy that the people of Gander, Newfoundland showed that day, and over the days following the terrorist attacks south of the border.
Of course, that had to be brought to the stage, and it was in the form of the multi-awarded musical Come From Away. Based on events in Gander following the arrival of 38 rerouted passenger planes carrying almost 6,600 people that landed in quick order at Gander International Airport, Come From Away is nothing short of a tribute to the remarkable spirit and welcoming open arms of Newfoundlanders.
Conceived by Toronto lawyer and theatre producer Michael Rubinoff, he reached out to the Canadian writing team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein to get the story down on paper after he was turned down by several writers. Sankoff and Hein, who lived in New York City at the time of the attacks, were all in, visiting Gander in 2011 to interview residents. While the characters are “a tribute” to the real people involved, every event in the musical is based on a corresponding real-life event.
Leave it to Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre to stage this ambitious production, which it is doing for an extensive run starting Friday, July 10.
Directed by Rob Kempson with musical direction by Jeff Newberry and choreography by Genny Sermonia, the sizable cast includes Peterborough musicians Beau Dixon and Melissa Payne — both far from being strangers to local audiences. The result is a touching story that speaks to the indomitable human spirit that so often prevails in the midst of despair and uncertainty.
Broadway World assures “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be a better person when you leave the theatre.” That’s a pretty good endorsement.
Curtain is 7:30 pm on July 10 and 11, 16 to 18, 23 to 25, July 30 to August 1, and August 6 to 8, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 12, 14 to 16, 18 and 19, 21 to 23, 25 and 26, 28 to 30, August 1 and 2, 4 to 6, and 8 and 9. Tickets cost $50 ($40 for those under 30) and are available at capitoltheatre.com — if you can get them, given that many performances are already sold out.
Lighthouse again promises one fine night during Peterborough Musicfest at Del Crary Park
VIDEO: “One Fine Morning” – Lighthouse (1972)
When it comes to staying power, Lighthouse is in a league of its own.
The horn-heavy Canadian rock band made its debut on May 14, 1969 at The Rock Pile in Toronto following an introduction by, of all people, Duke Ellington. Band co-founder Skip Prokop died in 2017 but his partner, keyboardist Paul Hoffert, is still at it at age 82.
The recipient of Juno Awards for Best Canadian Group of the Year in 1972, 1973, and 1974, Lighthouse’s combination of rock, jazz, swing, and classical musical elements gave it a distinct sound and a resulting huge following on the strength of mega-hits such as “One Fine Morning,” “Sunny Days,” “Hats Off To The Stranger,” and “Pretty Lady.”
While Lighthouse hasn’t recorded an album in decades, it remains a beloved Canada Walk of Fame legacy act with nine gold records and three platinum discs in its rearview mirror.
On July 11 at Del Crary Park, the 39th season of Peterborough Musicfest will welcome back Lighthouse, featuring Hoffert and fellow original member Russ Little on trombone. As always, admission is free to the 8 p.m. sponsor-supported concert, which will be preceded at 6:30 p.m. by local jazz and blues singer Carling Stephen doing a turn on the Future Sound Series stage just inside the George Street entrance to the park.
Stellar music lineup at the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival
VIDEO: “Need a Little Sugar in my Bowl” performed by Carling Stephen
For all its warts, I love that Peterborough is my home and has been since 1989. It’s been a great place to raise our kids and a city that has offered me so many opportunities, professionally and personally.
But, and it’s a big but, if I was fixing to move somewhere else, Lakefield would be squarely in my sights. Millbrook is quaint, as is Omemee and Norwood, but Lakefield is one happening place, and anyone who knows me knows I like happening.
The village that is home to the Lakefield Literary Festival, Performing Arts Lakefield, and a great venue in Lakefield College’s Bryan Jones Theatre is also home to the annual Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 11 at Isabel Morris Park, cradled next to the Otonabee River.
As its name implies, the all-ages festival will feature lots of art and crafted items to browse, but the jazz part of the equation is the big draw.
To that end, organizers of the summer celebration have again gifted us a great lineup, starting at 11 a.m. with Peterborough quintet Carpe Noctem, featuring Pete Woolidge on keys, Craig Paterson on bass, John Climenhage on drums, Mark Davidson on tenor sax and, filling in for Andy Cragg, Steve McCracken, also on tenor sax.
Following, in order, are New Orleans sound-inspired The Dixie Demons, fabulous Peterborough-based jazz/blues singer Carling Stephen, two-time Juno Award-nominated pianist Steve Holt leading his Jazz Impact Quintet, Toronto jazz fusion ensemble Snaggle led by multi-award-winning pianist Nick Maclean and, closing things out at 8:10 p.m., the Keith Guy Band and its homage to R&B greats such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few.
That is one diverse and stellar music lineup for the very reasonable $12 admission at the gate. For more information, visit lakefieldjazzfest.ca.
Strikes, spares, and misses make for laughs at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon
Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon is premiering actor Bradley Austin’s new play “Sore Losers” from July 15 to 25, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)
One of my favourite winter things to do, besides cursing the @&$#@% Leafs, is bowl — specifically bowling of the 10-pin variety on Tuesday nights at Lakeview Bowl.
So it is that when a play about bowling is coming to these parts, you have my attention. Bowling has been the subject of feature films, the hilarious Kingpin and The Big Lebowski being two notable examples. It’s about time my winter obsession received its due on stage.
Written by Bradley Austin, new Canadian comedy Sore Losers opens on Wednesday, July 15 at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, and it’s a world premiere to boot.
Sore Losers tells the story of a family-run bowling alley, operated by Burt and his niece Angie, that is facing financial ruin due to the opening of the sleek and modern Galaxy Bowl. Unlike their famously successful fathers who were bowling champions, Burt and his pal Jim have won squat.
Desperate to save the business and their pride, Jim comes up with an outrageous plan to win the provincial title that hinges on recruiting the town’s clueless new dentist for a ragtag team that hopes to finally come in on top. Strikes, spares, and misses ensue, as do a lot of laughs.
Curtain is 8 p.m. from July 15 to 18 and 22 to 25, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 18 and 25. Tickets cost $50 at www.globustheatre.com, with a $100 dinner and show package also available before evening performances.
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Encore
Billed as “a day of faith, music and community,” Gospel Fest 2026 will be held on Saturday, July 11 in Campbellford at Old Mill Park. Presented by Second Chance Ministries and starting at noon, a number of gospel music acts will be featured right through to 7 p.m. Admission is free with a non-perishable food item for the Campbellford Food Bank. Donations to this year’s benefactor The Children’s Foundation are requested, so bring a few dollars along.
Also on July 11, “a hot time in the old town” is assured as family and friends of singer Jane Archer gather at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough for her 75th birthday bash. The blues/R&B/classic country/Americana singer will be joined by her son Michael, who arrives fresh from vibrant music scene in Austin, Texas. Things get underway at 9 p.m., but do yourself a favour and arrive for 5 p.m. to catch Emily Burgess headlining the early show. Happy Birthday, Jane!
Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for the Kawarthas region for the next four to five days, beginning Tuesday (June 30).
“Orange” heat warnings are in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County, with “yellow” heat warnings in effect for northern Peterborough County and northern Kawarthas Lakes.
A long duration heat event will begin Tuesday and continue through Friday and possibly into Saturday.
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The southern areas of the region have “orange” heat warnings as maximum daytime temperatures of 31 to 33°C expected, possibly reaching as high as 36°C. There will be little relief at night, with minimum temperatures of 21 to 24°C.
The northern areas of the region have “yellow” heat warnings as temperatures will be slightly more moderate, with maximum daytime temperatures of 31 to 33°C expected and minimum temperatures of 21 to 23°C. However, humidex values of 34 to 36°C are also expected.
The hottest days are expected to be Wednesday (Canada Day) and Thursday, with maximum temperatures of 34 to 36°C expected in the southern areas of the region and 34°C in the northern areas of the region.
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The City of Peterborough is encouraging residents who need of a place to cool down to visit the following city-operated facilities during regular business hours.
The Peterborough Public Library (345 Aylmer St. N.) is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Miskin Law Community Complex (271 Lansdowne St. W.) from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre (775 Brealey Dr.) from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Note that, on Canada Day, the Peterborough Public Library is closed and the Miskin Law Community Complex and Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre are only open until 2 p.m.
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Environment Canada recommends taking action to protect yourself and others as extreme heat can affect everyone’s health:
Drink water often and before you feel thirsty to replace fluids.
Close blinds, or shades and open windows if outside is cooler than inside.
Turn on air conditioning, use a fan, or move to a cooler area of your living space. If your living space is hot, move to a cool public space such as a cooling centre, community centre, library, or shaded park.
Plan and schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day.
Limit direct exposure to the sun and heat. Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
Never leave people, especially children, or pets inside a parked vehicle. Check the vehicle before locking to make sure no one is left behind.
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Determine if you or others around you are at greater risk of heat illness. Check on older adults, those living alone, and other at-risk people in-person or on the phone multiple times a day.
Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and others. Signs may include headache, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine, and intense fatigue. Stop your activity and drink water.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 or your emergency health provider if you, or someone around you, is showing signs of heat stroke which can include red and hot skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and change in consciousness. While you wait for medical attention, try to cool the person by moving them to a cool place, removing extra clothing, applying cold water or ice packs around the body.
Hot and humid air can also bring deteriorating air quality and can result in the Air Quality Health Index approaching the high-risk category.
Sponsored by Trent Valley Honda, the grand prize of the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha's first-ever Pay It Forward Lottery is a Honda Hybrid CR-V, with the winner to be drawn on August 15 at the Peterborough Folk Festival, one of five local organizations that will receive the proceeds from the lottery. The winner of the final early bird prize will be drawn on July 17, with the winners of both of the first two early bird prizes donating them. (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha’s first-ever Pay It Forward Lottery is living up to its name.
With the lottery now well underway, both of the first two early bird prize winners have chosen not to keep their prizes for themselves but instead donate them back to support the spirit of the community fundraiser.
The first two early bird prizes — a camping package from Wild Rock Outfitters and a paddleboard package from Cottage Toys — have already been drawn. In both cases, the winners decided to “pay it forward,” with one prize package donated back to Kawartha Rotary and the other being donated to a kids’ camp.
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One of the donated prize packages has been put up for auction, with proceeds going back into the campaign. The paddleboard package will be donated to Camp Northern Lights for use by underserved children who attend the camp.
Jim Lowe of Assisting You Social, who has helped promote many charitable lotteries for other organizations and is supporting Kawartha Rotary with the campaign, said he has never seen anything like it before.
“The spirit of the lottery has really been embraced by the public,” Lowe said. “People are not only buying tickets, they are truly paying it forward.”
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Inspired by the generosity of the paddleboard package winner, Cottage Toys will now be donating the entire value of its prize package — $1,800 — rather than providing it to Kawartha Rotary at a discounted rate as originally arranged.
Sponsored by Trent Valley Honda, the Pay It Forward Lottery features a grand prize Honda Hybrid CR-V, a 50/50 draw, and three early bird prize packages. The grand prize draw and 50/50 draw will take place at the Peterborough Folk Festival on August 15.
There is still one early bird prize remaining: a kayak package from Wild Rock Outfitters, which will be drawn at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 17.
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Proceeds from the Pay It Forward Lottery will benefit five local organizations: Kawartha Food Share, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, Right to Heal, YES Shelter for Youth and Families, and the Peterborough Folk Festival.
One hundred per cent of net proceeds from the lottery will be used to support the five local causes.
“The Pay It Forward Lottery is an exciting and meaningful way for people to come together and support organizations that are making a real difference in our community,” said campaign lead Fraser Wilson. “Every ticket purchased helps fund important local work — from food security and housing support to youth services, healing initiatives, arts and culture, and community programs that improve lives across our region.”
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The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha says the lottery is part of its long history of investing in local initiatives that improve lives and help build a stronger community.
With one early bird prize still to be won, a grand prize vehicle on the line, and a growing 50/50 draw, community members are being encouraged to buy tickets at payitforwardlottery.ca and support the campaign.
Tickets for the grand prize and remaining early bird prize cost $20 for a single ticket, $50 for a three-ticket pack, and $100 for a seven-ticket pack. Tickets for the 50/50 draw cost $10 for a five-ticket pack, $20 for a 20-ticket pack, $50 for a 100-ticket pack, and $100 for a 250-ticket pack.
Retro rock tribute band Neon Nostaligic returns to Peterborough Musicfest for the second year in a row to perform a free-admission concert in Del Crary Park on Canada Day. The band performs hits from the 1980s and 1990s in synch with the artists' original music videos that are screened as a stage backdrop. The concert will be followed by a fireworks display over Little Lake. (Photo: Serrano Photography Studios)
Peterborough Musicfest presents Neon Nostalgic
When:Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 8 p.m. Where: Del Crary Park (100 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: Free admission
Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets (lawn chairs are available to rent). VIP seating available for sponsors. No smoking, alcohol, or pets permitted. There’s no public parking at Del Crary Park, but there’s neighbourhood street parking nearby and ample parking in downtown Peterborough.
There’s no reason to believe that what worked well once can’t work well again.
That in mind, Peterborough Musicfest has again turned to a touring retro rock tribute band that brought the heat to Del Crary Park on Canada Day last year, and kept the thermostat on high until fireworks over neighbouring Little Lake closed out Canada’s birthday in style.
On Wednesday (July 1), the same script will be followed as Neon Nostalgic headlines the second show of Musicfest’s 39th summer concert series. Admission to the 8 p.m. concert is free.
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Billed as “the world’s only live television music show,” Neon Nostalgic brings a unique twist to its tribute show, performing hit songs from the 1980s and 1990s that are in synch with the artists’ original music videos that are screened as a stage backdrop.
With a musical arsenal of more that 100 songs, Neon Nostalgic — Shawn Brady, Kevin Strom, Grant Strom, and John Johnstone — recapture the period when music videos ruled the television landscape, initially offered by MTV starting in 1981 and, three years later, by CHUM Limited-owned MuchMusic.
For pop and rock music stars, both new and long established, it was no longer simply good enough to simply release a vinyl record or, later in the decade, a CD. For their songs to gain any serious hit traction with their target audience, they had to be accompanied by a corresponding music video. More often than not, music videos were big productions — think Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
VIDEO: “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol – Neon Nostalgic
For more than 10 years now, Neon Nostalgic has sparked new interest in the music video craze that was so popular through the 1980s and well into the following decade.
Prince, Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, U2, Michael Jackson, INXS, The Cure, Oasis, and Pearl Jam are but a few of the top-selling acts they pay tribute to as their audience views the original video that was released for each song.
Following a July 2024 Neon Nostalgic performance at Toronto’s Sounds of Leslieville & Riverside music festival, Joe Taylor of Blast Toronto wrote “This was one hell of a good party.”
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“Shawn (Brady), the lead singer, took it upon himself to come off the stage and get into everybody’s face while he sang (David Bowie and) Queen’s ‘Under Pressure.’ Now the crowd was waking up. He took it a step further and got people to move forward to the fun heavy metal anthem from Twisted Sister, ‘We’re Not Going To Take it.’ People walked towards the stage while belting out the song of rebellion from their youth.”
Belanger’s review seems to pay truth to the band promoter’s claim that Neon Nostalgic “isn’t just a show; it’s an invitation to dance, sing and relive the magic of the past.”
And way back in 2017, the Bermuda Sun hailed Neon Nostalgic’s New Year’s Eve sold-out performance in that country as “a musical and visual triumph.” Since then, the quartet has brought their unique spin on the video craze to more than 15 countries. As it happens, Neon Nostalgic is returning to Peterborough on the heels of a June 26 show in Hamilton, Bermuda.
VIDEO: “Bobcaygeon” by The Tragically Hip – Neon Nostalgic
When all is said and done, a Neon Nostalgic show is a wide-open invitation to sing, dance and relive the past. On a day when we celebrate this country’s storied history, that seems like pretty good fit. Again.
While there will be no Future Sound Series prior to the concert on Wednesday night, there will be family-friendly entertainment beginning at 1 p.m. in partnership with the City of Peterborough and, following the concert, fireworks will again light up the night sky over Little Lake to celebrate Canada Day, starting at around 9:30 p.m.
The Future Sound Series will return on Saturday, July 4 prior to the Good Lovelies concert, when Ty Wilson will perform from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. near the food trucks at the George Street entrance to Del Crary Park. The Peterborough alt-country singer-songwriter just released his debut album Northern Heart, Southern Soul.
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Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 39th season, staged in Del Crary Park on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 19.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2026 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or call the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2026 season.
The original version of this story been corrected: there is no Future Sound Series on Wednesday night.
Peterborough mother Kristen LaRocque has returned to Trent University as a mature student in the field of psychology. It's given Kristen the opportunity to pursue research into autism, a topic that truly hits close to home for her and her family. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children Centre)
Every month, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides a story about the work of the charitable organization. This month’s story is by Bill Eekhof, Communications Coordinator, Five Counties Children’s Centre.
Returning to Trent University as a mature student to pursue her studies appealed to Kristen LaRocque. The fact her research focuses on autism is extra meaningful.
As this Peterborough mother knows all too well, autistic people are often misunderstood and unfairly judged. Kristen has first and second-hand experience on this front — she was diagnosed with autism and ADHD as an adult, and she has a neurodivergent son in middle school.
“Suffice it to say, I was very motivated to research topics that were relevant to me and my family,” Kristen reflects one day, sitting at her kitchen table.
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“I kept running up against knowledge gaps among professionals in multiple domains, for example, when trying to access educational and health care services for myself and my son,” Kristen explains. “Even within autism-specific diagnostic services, I found that some clinicians did not have a nuanced understanding of neurodivergence or an appreciation for how it can look really different in different populations.”
As Kristen knows all too well, autism is a complex multi-dimensional spectrum, not a simple linear one and there is a lot of variability in this group.
“Some autistic individuals make eye contact, crack jokes, and demonstrate strong social skills, and these capacities can vary day-to-day, depending on the balance between energy and demands,” she says.
“Other autistic individuals will need support with hygiene-related tasks and may use alternate ways to communicate to interact with others. I think it’s important we move away from the notion that autism can be defined by a narrow set of characteristics or a handful of stereotypical presentations.”
As part of her undergraduate thesis in psychology at Trent Universty, Kristen LaRocque is working under the supervision of professor Dr. Mowei Liu to gather the perspective of parents and caregivers whose children are on the autism spectrum. As she continues to collect and analyze data, Kristen is hopeful that her research will lead to more awareness and understanding of autism beyond academia. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children Centre)
Trent University is familiar to Kristen and proving a good spot for her to explore people’s attitudes about autism. Kristen completed her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and applied ethics at Trent in 2008. After working in the non-profit sector for several years, the COVID pandemic hit — along with a growing recognition of her own neurodivergence and the fact that working in a public-facing role might not be sustainable for her in the long run.
Going back to Trent seemed like a better fit to Kristen. As she completes a second undergraduate degree in psychology, she intends to pursue graduate and doctoral studies that will support a career in community-based research.
As part of her undergraduate thesis, Kristen is working under the supervision of psychology professor Dr. Mowei Liu to gather the perspectives of parents and caregivers whose children are on the autism spectrum.
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This project focuses on the experiences of these parents who have recognized autistic traits in their child, and possibly themselves. The goal is to understand how recognizing autism within the family affects a parent’s confidence and satisfaction in the caregiving role, as well as their relationship with their child.
The study also considers how parents gain knowledge about autism prior to, during and after recognition, assessment, or formal diagnosis.
“Too often, families are forced to navigate piecemeal or siloed systems that still do not fully understand autism,” Kristen says. “I want this research to help create better supports, better recognition and better outcomes for autistic children and their families.”
Participants are still being sought until August 1, 2026 to take part in Trent-based research that explores autism in the family. The goal is to get upwards of 250 participants in the study. (Screenshot courtesy of Five Counties Children Centre)
The study uses a mixed-methods, multi-phased approach. In phase one, caregivers complete an anonymous, online survey which collects demographic information related to both parent and child. This is followed by a series of questionnaires that assess their confidence and satisfaction with the caregiving role, autism-specific knowledge, and individual characteristics.
Phase two is optional and consists of a one-hour interview conducted in-person, by phone, via email, or Zoom. During this phase, parents can offer insights into their lived experiences, specifically when and how autism was first recognized within their family and the influence this had on parenting practices and the parent-child relationship.
To date, dozens of parents have taken part in the study — the goal is to get upwards of 250 participants in phase one, with a smaller sample expected for phase two.
Based on a preliminary analysis, most parents demonstrate a robust understanding of autism, with their knowledge and awareness often occurring long before their child receives a formal diagnosis.
Another emerging theme is more sobering: autistic mothers tend to judge their own parenting abilities more harshly than their non-autistic peers, possibly as a result of internalized ableism, a tendency towards perfectionism, and/or the overwhelming pressure to meet the social expectations associated with caregiving.
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As she continues to collect and analyze data, Kristen remains hopeful that this research will lead to more awareness and understanding of autism beyond academia. In her own case, receiving an autism diagnosis was validating and liberating — especially when getting one was very rare for girls born prior to 1995.
As an example, Kristen refers to her hypersensitivity to loud noises. When a fire truck passed by, she would cover her ears and cringe.
“Before, I would feel like such a weirdo for covering my ears,” she says. “But now that I know I’m autistic, I feel empowered to cover my ears and attend to my sensory needs.”
Based on dozens of interviews with study participants, Kristen has observed a noteworthy trend. Many parents have told her that understanding and loving their autistic child is not the problem. Instead, it’s navigating the people and systems around them.
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Securing appropriate supports, finding respite, and watching a child struggle in environments that treat difference as deliberate defiance — that is the problem that makes parenting hard. Although many of the stories are harrowing, Kristen is hopeful that first-person insights can help to set the record straight and change that reality.
“Parents should not have to become experts and full-time advocates just to be heard or to access the right support,” Kristen notes. “If this study can help systems listen earlier and respond better, that’s where real change begins.”
Community leaders and representatives of municipal and provincial governments gathered at the Miskin Law Community Complex on June 26, 2026 to mark the launch of the Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Peterborough. Pictured are Trent Lakes mayor Terry Lambshead, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark, Scarborough-Rouge Park MPP and associate minister of mental health and addictions Vijay Thanigasalam, and Selwyn Township deputy mayor Ron Black, who is also board chair of the Four Counties Addictions Services Team (Fourcast), the lead organization for the HART Hub. (Photo courtesy of Ron Black)
Community leaders and representatives of municipal and provincial governments gathered at the Miskin Law Community Complex on Friday morning (June 26) to mark the launch of the Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Peterborough.
The Ontario government is providing $6.3 million in annual funding to support Peterborough’s HART Hub, which will provide transitional and supportive housing and addiction services as well as healthcare services at 210 Wolfe Street — the site of the City of Peterborough’s modular housing community for people experiencing homelessness.
Peterborough is one of 29 HART Hubs funded by the province representing a total investment of more than $560 million.
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Recovery and treatment model focused on residents of Wolfe Street modular housing community
“This historic investment will change the lives of many people in our community,” said Donna Rogers, executive director of the Four Counties Addictions Services Team (Fourcast), the lead organization for the HART Hub.
Those attending Friday’s event included municipal politicians Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott, and Scarborough-Rouge Park MPP and associate minister of mental health and addictions Vijay Thanigasalam, along with local politicians including Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal, Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark, Trent Lakes mayor Terry Lambshead, and Selwyn Township deputy mayor Ron Black, who is also board chair of Fourcast.
“I want to applaud the provincial government for their generous investment in our local HART Hub model,” Black said. “Your investment vision allowed local innovation and design, leveraging the expertise and experience of our local partners.”
MPP Smith, who has been an ardent supporter of the HART Hub, described its continuum of services as a “buffet” with a number of entry points.
“We’re giving them the opportunity to be reintegrated back into society, to be part of the community again and it’s something that we haven’t seen in a very long time,” Smith said of HART Hub clients.
For his part, MPP Thanigasalam shared stories from other HART Hubs and spoke of the Ford government’s focus on “breaking the cycle” of addiction by focussing on recovery and treatment.
“This is a comprehensive recovery treatment hub,” Thanigasalam said. “You can go through, get the treatment you need, and go through the journey all the way to employment training as well.”
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Long-term housing stability for unhoused people with addiction and mental health issues is the goal
Rogers said that the Peterborough HART Hub will provide specialized services to individuals living at the Wolfe Street modular housing community to enable them to secure supportive and long-term housing.
“Our unique model puts a laser focus on long-term housing stability for those with few housing options,” Rogers said. “We believe that housing is the solution for those in our community facing the intersecting crisis of addiction, mental health, and homelessness.”
The Peterborough HART Hub will operate four new services: an on-site healthcare team at Wolfe Street integrated with existing frontline staff from the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough (EFry), 50 units of transitional housing for residents moving out of modular housing, six spaces of supportive housing hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association – Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) for individuals with acquired brain injuries or a dual diagnosis including developmental disorders, and a six-month “sober living” program for people who are unhoused when entering addictions treatment.
Healthcare organizations involved in the HART Hub include the Peterborough Community Health Centre, Peterborough County-City Paramedics, and the Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
In an interview with kawarthaNOW in May, Rogers spoke about the design and values of the HART Hub and described how they intend to operate their services.
“Our goal is long-term stable housing, with the appropriate supports for the people who are the most complex in our community,” said Rogers.
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Specialized supports for modular housing community residents with complex needs
Fourcast and partners identified the residents of the Wolfe Street modular housing community as being highly complex due to the intersection of challenges with mental health, disability, addictions, and homelessness.
In particular, Rogers said that this is a population that does not have reliable access to primary care or specialized healthcare, which leads to health issues becoming more severe and complex. The on-site health team established by the HART Hub funding will address this disconnection and provide essential care to residents.
“This is a responsive and accessible model of healthcare,” said Rogers.
The 50 units of transitional housing will be provided in partnership with private and non-profit landlords, including One City Peterborough through their additional rental unit (ARU) developments.
Rogers said that securing and maintaining housing is difficult for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, especially residents of the Wolfe Street modular housing community who require low-barrier entry to services and shelter.
“Finding housing units is not easy — housing is not available for the people that we are trying to serve,” Rogers said.
Correen Day, director of services for EFry, spoke to kawarthaNOW about the challenges that Wolfe Street residents face when working towards transitioning out of chronic homelessness.
“We’re seeing intersections with our criminal justice system and with our healthcare system based upon the way they’ve had to survive over the time that they were homeless,” Day explained.
Day said that having on-site supportive services at all stages of the HART Hub system creates an accessible route for transition out of Wolfe Street for individuals who require additional support.
The HART Hub will provide specialized support for individuals with acquired brain injury or dual diagnosis including developmental disorders through the six spaces hosted by CMHA HKPR.
Kerri Kightley, director of programs and services at CMHA HKPR, said that securing housing for people with many co-occurring conditions and health issues as the care required is much more specialized, and therefore, more limited.
“I think we’re just looking at how we build small steps so that people have more opportunities to then live more independently and in housing that they choose,” Kightley said.
The six-month sober-living program that will serve unhoused people entering addictions treatment is the only HART Hub program that will require abstinence for participation, Rogers told kawarthaNOW.
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A philosophical shift away from supervised consumption sites
Although the Ford government has positioned the HART Hubs as a replacement for now-defunct Consumption and Treatment Sites (CTS), Rogers described the transition from the CTS model to the HART Hub model as a “philosophical shift,” further saying, “it’s doing diametrically different things.”
A response to the opioid crisis, Peterborough CTS’s opened in June 2022 in the former bus terminal at 220 Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough to provide a safe and medically supported space for people to consume pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of health professionals.
On March 16, the Ontario government announced it would end funding for seven CTS sites in communities that now have a provincially funded HART Hub, including Peterborough, with a “90-day wind-down period … to give clients time to transition to the support provided by their local HART Hub.”
Like all HART Hubs, the Peterborough hub will not offer safer supply, supervised drug consumption, or needle exchange programs.
When asked about the transition from a consumption-based model to an abstinence-based model, Thanigasalam said the Ford government is responding to calls for funding for recovery services.
“Our government doesn’t believe in providing tools for the most vulnerable communities to use drugs. Instead, we believe in providing recovery and treatment by breaking the cycle of addiction,” said Thanigasalam.
He further said that the investment in the HART Hub program is four times larger than what had been provided to operate CTS sites.
For his part, MPP Smith reiterated his position that “Harm reduction without treatment is palliative care.”
The driver and passenger of a northbound SUV that turned in front of a southpound pickup truck on Tara Road north of Ennismore on June 26, 2026 were both taken to Peterborough Regional Health Centre, with one later airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma hospital. (Photo: Peterborough County OPP)
One person was critically injured after a two-vehicle collision north of Ennismore in Selwyn Township late Friday afternoon (June 26).
At 4 p.m. on Friday, Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and emergency services responded to a report of a serious collision on Tara Road at Viner Line.
First responders arrived on the scene to find a pickup truck on the shoulder of Tara Road with significant front-end damage and an SUV on its side in the ditch.
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Witnesses told police the northbound SUV made a turn in front of the southbound pickup truck, resulting in the collision.
Both the driver and the passenger of the SUV were transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre, with one later airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma hospital.
The occupants of the pickup truck were treated for minor injuries.
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Tara Road was closed between Edenderry Ln. and Ennis Rd. for several hours while police documented the scene.
Police are continuing to investigate the collision.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dashcam or video footage and has not yet spoken to police is asked to callthe Peterborough County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
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