A local climate action advocacy group has released the results of a survey of all the municipal election candidates in the city and county of Peterborough.

For Our Grandchildren (4RG) invited all candidates in the City of Peterborough and Asphodel-Norwood, Cavan-Monaghan, Douro-Dummer, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, North Kawartha, Otonabee South Monaghan, Selwyn, and Trent Lakes to answer five questions about their intentions on the issue of the climate crisis:

1. Could you give one or two examples from your personal or public life of something you have done to mitigate climate change?
2. How high among the proper concerns of an elected official would you place climate change mitigation?
3. Could you briefly describe policies which you would like to see enacted, and actions which you would like to see taken, for the purpose of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in your municipality?
4. What do you consider the one or two biggest challenges which will be faced by the residents of your municipality as a result of global warming and climate change?
5. If elected, would you join the Climate Caucus, a national group through which elected officials share best practices for addressing the climate emergency? With which other organizations — local, provincial, or national — would you expect to consult and collaborate?

4RG first sent the survey to candidates on September 4, with two subsequent reminders. As of September 29, all mayoral candidates in the City of Peterborough had answered the survey questions, with more than half of all the other candidates also responding. The responses of candidates to the survey is available on the 4RG website at forourgrandchildren.ca/2022-municipal-election/2022-candidate-survey/.

“From the response to our survey, we saw a wide range of opinion about the importance of taking action and what candidates were interested in trying to accomplish,” 4RG states on its website. “For a minority of candidates who responded to our survey, taking action to reduce GHG emissions was a top or high priority.”

“However, for many, the priority was much lower or was not seen as important at all. Some didn’t think there was anything their municipality could do. We don’t know what opinion was held by those who chose not to respond to our survey.”

4RG has also produced a “report card” highlighting the voting record of all City of Peterborough councillors in the last session of council on five specific issues. The report card is available on the 4RG website at forourgrandchildren.ca/2022-municipal-election/2022-council-report-card/.

“We are in a climate emergency,” states a media release from 4RG. “Peterborough is responding to this crisis with a patchwork of projects whose gains are useful but insufficient to meet Peterborough’s commitment to a 45 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. We need municipal council leaders who consistently push for climate action and a long-term funded plan to reach our greenhouse gas reduction goals: plans that have already been developed by several Canadian cities.”

Established in 2006, For Our Grandchildren is a Canadian not-for-profit voluntary organization with a mission to engage and mobilize the community to take effective action to combat
climate change, to advocate support from local governments, and to collaborate effectively with like-minded community organizations.

A garage fire at a Peterborough home on Thursday afternoon (September 29) caused an estimated $75,000 in damage.

At 3:38 p.m. on Thursday, Peterborough Fire Services responded to the report of a garage fire on Brunswick Avenue west of High Street.

Upon arrival, fire crews found the garage fully engulfed in flames, with a vehicle inside the garage also fully engulfed in flames.

The intensity of the fire had caused it to spread to a home on one side of the garage. The fire also caused exposure damage to the home on the other side of the garage. Another vehicle in front of the garage received exposure damage as well.

Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire in the garage and the two vehicles and homes.

An occupant of one of the homes was treated for burns and transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre, where they were treated and released.

The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.

Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory for most of the greater Kawarthas region for Thursday overnight (September 29).

The frost advisory is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Hastings County.

Temperatures are expected to dip near or below the freezing mark overnight Thursday into Friday morning.

Frost may damage some crops in frost-prone areas.

Cover up plants, especially those in frost-prone areas, and take preventative measures to protect frost-sensitive plants and trees.

Environment Canada issues frost advisories when temperatures are expected to reach the freezing mark during the growing season, leading to potential damage and destruction to plants and crops.

The Peterborough County detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has announced that Inspector Chris Galeazza is the new detachment commander.

Galeazza began his OPP career in December 1998 and was first assigned to the South Bruce Detachment. He also served at Haldimand County, the Caledonia Command Post, City of Kawartha Lakes and, most recently, at Peterborough County as the interim detachment commander.

He has participated in various projects and working groups, including a post as Pan Am Games venue commander.

Galeazza holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with a focus in criminology from Brock University and has completed the senior police administration course from the Canadian Police College.

He is also the recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Medal (20 years).

“I can certainly speak for all of us in Peterborough County who are delighted to welcome Chris as the new detachment commander,” states County of Peterborough Warden J. Murray Jones in a media release. “Chris has proven time and time again that he has the skills and the compassion to lead our local detachment. His down-to-earth approach serves us well. Congratulation Chris, we are all in this together.”

The Twisted Trauma Foundation has donated $5,000 to BGC Kawarthas (Boys & Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes) to support three programs to help youth address their mental health needs and fight the stigma of mental illness and addiction.

Delivered by the Youth Warehouse team at BGC Kawarthas, the three programs — “Flex Your Head,” “Creating Connections,” and “REACH” — will be offered at no cost to youth in local schools, at BGC Kawarthas and through the Youth Outreach Program. Twisted Trauma Foundation’s will support the BGC Kawarthas’ delivery of six full sessions during the 2022-23 school year.

“It is an honour and a privilege for the Twisted Trauma Foundation to fund the programs for youth mental health at the BGC Kawarthas,” says Jon Perrin, who co-founded Twisted Trauma Foundation with his wife Jen, a registered nurse. Jon became a mental health advocate after developing post-traumatic stress disorder in his role as a Kawartha Lakes OPP officer.

Created by BGC Canada, “Flex Your Head” is designed to help youth think about, talk about, and understand issues of mental health and wellness. The program’s goals are to tear down barriers youth face in helping them cope with stress, and to create awareness and understanding of mental health and mental illness.

“Creating Connections” is a program designed to enhance addiction awareness among youth, prevent harm associated with substance use, and help reduce harmful stigma while focusing on health promotion.

“REACH” is a program to support children and youth in addressing daily challenges. Outcomes for the program include participants feeling more confident to use skills in a social environment and recognizing how their feelings, emotions and behaviours are connected.

“We are so grateful for Jon’s support as we try to help young people in our community build healthy habits and strengthen their resiliency,” says BGC Kawarthas executive director Amy Terrill.

For more information about BGC Kawarthas, visit www.bgckawarthas.com. For more information about Twisted Trauma Foundation, visit twistedtraumafoundation.com.

“Grab your stretchy pants.”

That’s the advice from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) about the Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival, which returns in October with 19 mac and cheese dishes available at participating downtown Peterborough restaurants.

The second annual celebration of local food and the talents of local chefs runs for the entire month of October. It’s a self-guided festival, so carb lovers can indulge as often as they like, alone or with family and friends. There are both traditional and innovative mac and cheese dishes, with vegan and gluten-free options also available. A map of the participating restaurants is available below.

“It’s the ideal number one comfort food, and we all need a little comfort coming out of COVID and all the restrictions,” said DBIA executive director Terry Guiel during a launch event on Wednesday morning (September 28) at The Food Shop at 374 Water Street.

Once again this year, downtown restaurants will be vying to be crowned Mac + Cheese Champion, an honour bestowed last year on Sam’s Place Deli for their Jalapeño Bacon Mac + Cheesewich.

“We were beyond proud to be chosen by the Peterborough Community as the winner for 2021, and we had a lot of fun coming up with our sandwich recipe,” says Sam’s Place Deli owner Sam Sayer. “It was an amazing feeling to hold that trophy above our heads, We can’t wait to compete again this year. More than anything, we are excited to see what the other chefs will be bringing to the table this fall.”

Foodies will be able to vote online for their favourite mac and cheese dishes all month long, with the victor chosen by the end of October — receiving bragging rights for the year, a cheesy hand-crafted trophy, and a sizable donation in their name to Kawartha Food Share.

Earlier this year, the Peterborough DBIA won the best special event and promotion award from the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association for the inaugural Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival.

“The idea for this mac and cheese festival really came from the fact that we are in a university and college community,” Guiel said. “I remember my time in college, and the number one food we all ate was Kraft mac and cheese.”

But unlike that simple box of macaroni with cheese product, the 19 dishes being offered by downtown restaurants during the Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival include some adventurous options such as Whistle Stop’s Mac n Cheese Poutine, DR. J’s Mac in a Waffle Bowl, La Mesita’s El Diablo Mac + Cheese, Crepes of Wrath Mac + Cheese Crepe, and Tragically Dipped Holly Macaroni — a donut-shaped mac and cheese. A full list of all 19 dishes is available below.

“We’re the culinary capital of the region and some of our restaurants are the best in the region,” Guiel said. “It’s great to see them take this very simple mac and cheese concept and turn it into a culinary luxury item.”

One again this year, the Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival will be partnering with Kawartha Food Share to run a food drive. During the festival, each participating restaurant will be accepting non-perishable donations. Festival-goers are encouraged to bring their donations downtown when visiting any of the participating restaurants.

New to this year’s festival is a make-at-home recipe challenge for budding home cooks. Along with a recipe for last year’s winning Jalapeño Bacon Mac + Cheesewich, a local mac recipe is available on the festival’s website.

Curated in partnership with The Food Shop, the local mac recipe features handmade pasta from the Pasta Shop paired with local cheeses, milk, and stone-ground flour. All the ingredients for the local mac recipe can be found at The Food Shop on Water Street.

Sponsored by Shorelines Casino, the Peterborough Mac + Cheese Festival runs from Saturday, October 1st until Monday, October 13th. For more information, visit www.ptbomacandcheesefest.com and follow the festival on Instagram and Facebook.

Mac and Cheese Dishes

Adventurous Macs

• BrickHouse No Eff’n Way Mac Burger
• Whistle Stop’s Mac n Cheese Poutine
• DR. J’s Mac in a Waffle Bowl
• Tragically Dipped Holly Macaroni (gluten free)
• Champs Spinach Mac + Cheese Dip
• Boardwalk’s Mactoberfest
• Real Thai’s Mac + Cheese Bowl
• La Mesita’s El Diablo Mac + Cheese
• Crepes of Wrath Mac + Cheese Crepe
• The Dirty Butter Chicken Mac
• Amandalas Cheese + “Howcutearewe”

Vegan Macs

• Forest Vegan Mac (Gluten Free)
• Nateure’s Plate Mac n Please
• Grilled Cheesewich
• Sam’s Mac & Cheese Loafwich
• Maple Moose Grilled Cheese

Classic Macs

• El (P) Creamy 3-Cheese Chorizo BeerMac
• McThirsty’s McTastic Mac
• Crook and Coffer’s Mac + Cheese Brulee
• Black Horse Sweet Potato Mac

Mac Map

View a standalone map