Members of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of Realtors (PKAR) have donated $23,318.74 to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton.

Every year, PKAR members select a registered charity to support with a focus on initiatives that directly benefit shelter-based needs in our community.

Through programs and services including the YWCA Crossroads Shelter, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton helps women to safely escape dangerous situations involving violence and provides the necessary support to rebuild their lives.

“It is integral for us to get behind this meaningful organization and contribute towards helping provide support for women who experience violence and abuse,” says PKAR president Jon Maxwell in a media release. “As a result of the generosity of our members over the years, PKAR is proud to have donated over $100,000 to local charities like the YWCA.”

A non-profit trade organization established in 1949, PKAR has more than 700 members across central Ontario, including the city and county of Peterborough and Northumberland and Hastings counties.

“YWCA Peterborough Haliburton is honoured to receive this generous donation from PKAR in order to provide much-needed safe shelter and support for local women and children experiencing gender-based violence,” said Kim Dolan, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s executive director.

“The need at YWCA Crossroads Shelter has increased as a result of the pandemic and we are immensely thankful to PKAR’s membership for their dedicated and compassionate response.”

To learn more about how you can donate to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, visit ywcapeterborough.org/give/.

Dr. Thomas Piggott officially began his role as Peterborough’s new medical officer of health on Wednesday (December 1).

Dr. Piggott, who is also chief executive officer of Peterborough Public Health and takes over as incident commander for the local COVID-19 emergency response, was welcomed by health unit staff and a full day of community health briefings.

“I’m excited to finally be here and join the tremendous team at Peterborough Public Health,” Dr. Piggott said. “My top priority is to connect with as many of our stakeholders as possible to understand local priorities and how together we can strategically advance the public health of our community.”

“While there are many pressing issues locally and opportunities for positive change, addressing the opioid crisis and responding to climate change are areas I expect will become a major focus for us in the years ahead,” Dr. Piggott said. “There is already a great deal of good work happening on these fronts and I want to help our team focus on equity, or fairness, in these areas and all of the work we do.”

Dr. Piggott added his immediate priority will be on the continued pandemic response.

Over the coming weeks, Dr. Piggott will be meeting with representatives across every sector in the community, including local Indigenous leaders, municipalities, healthcare and social service organizations, education institutions, businesses, environmental groups, and more. He will also serve on numerous provincial committees, including the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health.

AUDIO: Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott

A newcomer to the Peterborough area, Dr. Piggott was previously the medical officer of health of Labrador-Grenfell Health in the northern regions of Labrador, where he also served as the executive lead for population health and rural and remote health in the region.

He has experience collaborating on public health with Indigenous communities in Canada and internationally, and led a pandemic response along with Indigenous governments in Labrador for outbreak prevention and a vaccination rollout with priority on Indigenous communities.

Prior to his role at Labrador-Grenfell Health, Dr. Piggott worked as a field doctor with Médicins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is a public health and preventive medicine specialist as well as a practising family physician.

Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell, who is chair of the board of health, was also on hand to greet Dr. Piggott when he arrived at Peterborough Public Health this morning.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Piggott here today as he takes on this important role in our community,” Mitchell said. “He brings a clear vision on how public health can build stronger communities for everyone’s benefit. I’m confident this vision, in combination with his exceptional enthusiasm and expertise, will produce meaningful improvements in the health of local residents.”

Mitchell also thanked Peterborough Public Health staff, acting medical officer of health Dr. Ian Gemmill, and Larry Stinson and Donna Churipuy for their work over the past 10 weeks keeping the organization running smoothly and ensuring a smooth transition for Dr. Piggott.

Dr. Piggott’s first public speaking engagement will take place on Thursday at the bi-weekly COVID-19 media briefing. He will also be presenting a virtual education session next Thursday (December 9) at 6:30 p.m. for parents and caregivers with questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 years.

Dr. Piggott is planning to attend several local upcoming municipal council meetings as well, starting with a budget presentation to the County of Peterborough Council on Wednesday, December 15th.

You can follow Dr. Piggott on Twitter @twpiggott, where he has shared further details of his priorities in his new role.

In my experiences elsewhere, the opioids crisis needs a collaborative & caring harm reduction approach, & the meaningful engagement of people who are using drugs to inform the response & services. I'm looking forward to learning and helping. pic.twitter.com/HYKwV4cb4B

— Dr Thomas Piggott (He/Him) (@twpiggott) December 1, 2021

Income insecurity is the main reason why most people in the City of Kawartha Lakes visit local food banks, according to Kawartha Lakes Food Source — a situation that echoes the provincial findings of Feed Ontario’s 2021 Hunger Report released on Monday (November 29).

According to the annual report from the collective of more than 1,000 food bank and hunger-relief agencies across the province, over 592,000 Ontarians visited food banks during the first year of the pandemic.

This represents an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year, the largest single-year increase since 2009. The proportion of senior citizens accessing a food bank in Ontario has grown by 36 per cent over the previous year, with senior citizens nearly twice as likely to access a food bank compared to adults under 65 years of age.

Ontario’s insufficient social assistance programs, precarious employment, and the lack of affordable housing are the primary drivers of food bank use, the report states.

In the Kawarthas Lakes, 70 per cent of food bank visitors cite social assistance — including Ontario Disability Support Program, Ontario Works, or Old Age Security — as their primary source of income, according to data from Kawartha Lakes Food Source. This compares to 59 per cent of food bank visitors provincially.

Seventy-five per cent of food bank visitors in Kawartha Lakes are rental or social housing tenants, according to Kawartha Lakes Food Source, and nearly 70 per cent are single parent or single adult households.

Feed Ontario found that over 60 per cent of food bank visitors have less than $100 left per month after paying for housing and utilities.

“Employment in the rural setting of the City of Kawartha Lakes comes with added transportation challenges and sparse childcare options,” reads a media release from Kawartha Lakes Food Source.

Feed Ontario recommends building a stronger social safety net by investing in social programs, aligning Ontario’s social assistance rates with the poverty line of the recipient’s community, and adjusting rates annually with inflation.

The Hunger Report also found that less than one per cent of those who visited food banks were receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, which the federal government introduced to help those who lost income due to COVID-19. According to Feed Ontario, the $2,000 monthly benefit meant people did not have to choose between their housing and utilities and food.

“In order to ensure that food bank use does not continue to escalate, Feed Ontario is calling on the Government of Ontario to address the province’s income security and affordability issues immediately,” the 2021 Hunger Report states.

Kawartha Lakes Food Source — a not-for-profit central distribution centre in Lindsay that supplies food and other household essentials to member organizations that provide support to individuals in need — is endorsing the 2021 Hunger Report’s recommendation that the provincial government pass Bill 60.

The legislation would establish a social assistance research commission to ensure people with lived experience have the opportunity to advise the provincial government on the development of policies that will impact their daily lives.

“The food insecurity crisis is worsening,” reads the media release from Kawartha Lakes Food Source. “Your voice matters. Help bring anti-poverty platforms to the forefront of the 2022 provincial and municipal elections.”

The organization is also encouraging people to learn about issues in the community, educate family and friends, and advocate for policy changes by continuing local politicians.

To read Feed Ontario’s Hunger Report 2021: How The Pandemic Accelerated the Income and Affordability Crisis in Ontario, visit feedontario.ca/research/hunger-report-2021/.

Cobourg police have arrested five people and laid 25 charges in connection to a rash of thefts from vehicles in the Town of Cobourg this fall.

Since October, police have received 53 reports of theft of personal property from vehicles in Cobourg. Most incidents took place after dark in residential neighbourhoods.

In 10 of the reported theft from vehicles, a car window was smashed to gain access to the vehicle. In the other cases, suspects gained entry through an unlocked door.

During the investigation, police canvassed affected neighbourhoods to gain dash cam and home surveillance video footage from homes and businesses in the area, and also increased patrols in key neighbourhoods.

As a result of the investigation, five people have been charged:

• Lindsey Turland, 34, of Cobourg has been charged with theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime.
• Michael Berryman, 27, of Cobourg has been charged with mischief under $5,000, theft under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime, fail to comply with probation order, and enter when entry prohibited.
• Bradley Bridges, 37, of Cobourg has been charged with three counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, two counts of unauthorized use of credit card, and two counts of fraud under $5,000.
• Tiffany Doherty-Bowen, 35, of Cobourg has been charged with three counts of trespass by night, theft under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, assault with attempt to resist arrest, fail to comply with probation, and fail to leave premises as directed.
• Bradley Grundy, 52, of Cobourg has been charged with two counts of mischief, and enter premises when prohibited.

All the accused have been released from custody pending future court dates.

In addition to the above charges, Cobourg police are holding warrants for Ryan Benson, 35, of Port Hope and Patrick Basinger, 40, of Port Hope in connection to thefts from vehicles.

The investigation is continuing and Cobourg police say they expect to identify more people and make more arrests.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Cobourg police at 905-372-6821. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit stopcrimehere.ca.

Pink in the Rink, the Peterborough Petes’ annual fundraising game for the Canadian Cancer Society, will take place at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, February 5, 2022, when the Petes face off against the Niagara IceDogs.

The Petes organization announced details of the 13th annual fundraiser at a media conference on Tuesday (November 30), including the naming of honorary co-chairs Doug Gibson and Meaghan Roy.

Gibson played three seasons with the Petes from 1971 to 1973, breaking Mickey Redmond’s goal-scoring mark and competing in the 1972 Memorial Cup final. Roy is Global Peterborough’s sports anchor, beginning her career at CHEX TV in 2007 as a part-time news reporter and becoming the station’s first female sports anchor in 2014.

The fundraising goal for this year’s game is $50,000, with all proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society. There was no game in 2021 because of the pandemic, but the campaign still went ahead, raising almost $24,000.

Since 2010, Pink in the Rink has raised more than $812,099 for women’s cancer research through the Canadian Cancer Society Peterborough & District, making it the top fundraising event in the Ontario Hockey League.

This year’s jersey will feature the Canadian Cancer Society patch on the left shoulder and Petes’ alumnus Gary “Diller” Dalliday patch on the right shoulder. Fans can add the name of a loved one to be placed on the jersey, for $20 per name, by calling the Petes Store at 705-743-3681 or visiting gopetesgo.com/pink-in-the-rink-2022.

The first 200 names purchased will be featured on the jersey. Game-worn jerseys will be sold at an on-ice live auction following the game.

Fans can also support the fundraising campaign by participating in Euchre Night at Southside Pizzeria, Darling Insurance Chilifest, and Petes Celebrity Servers at Kelsey’s and Montana’s. Details of each event will be revealed at a later date.

Tickets for the February 5th Pink in the Rink game are available now through the Peterborough Memorial Centre’s box office at 151 Lansdowne Street West, by calling 705-743-3561 during regular business hours, or online at tickets.memorialcentre.ca.

For group tickets, call Ian MacGregor at the Petes Office at 705-743-3681 or by email at imacgregor@gopetesgo.com. For the first time this year, discounted tickets are also available to be donated to cancer survivors.

Cobourg police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating 52-year-old Kelly Aldred.

She was last known to be in the Town of Cobourg on Friday (November 26).

Aldred is described as being 5’’8″ and 130 lbs, with a slender build and long dark hair that is greying.

Aldred’s family and police are concerned for her well-being.

Anyone with any information about her whereabouts can call the Cobourg Police Service at 905-372-6821 and speak with the supervisor on duty.

If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or visit stopcrimehere.ca.

The holiday season is for many the most wonderful time of the year, and a big push is on to also make it the most bountiful for businesses in the Peterborough region.

Hometown Holiday, a new shop local campaign resulting from a partnership of four local chambers of commerce — the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, the Millbrook and District Chamber of Commerce, the Havelock Chamber of Commerce, and the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce and Tourism — is well underway, showcasing in a big way what local businesses have to offer this holiday season.

The ask is as simple as it is direct: ‘shop local and make this a hometown holiday’ by spending your holiday gift dollars in the region.

“Home is where your heart is, so shop where your heart is,” says Tiffany Arcari, membership services and event coordinator for the Peterborough chamber. “The goal is to create a warm and fuzzy hometown holiday feeling. We felt it was particularly important this year to create that magic.”

“Our region has all that we need,” she adds. “I think it just comes down to education and being proud of community you live in. It’s too easy to hop in the car and drive to a different region to shop, but purchasing gifts locally is more thoughtful. You become more conscious of what you’re purchasing and who you’re supporting. This has been a really, really tough year for local retailers. It comes down to caring about where we live.”

The campaign, planned and pulled together by Peterborough-based advertising agency Outpost 379, is being featured on local radio, newspapers, television, and digital and social media platforms to get the message out, as well as to promote campaign-related special events as they roll out.

“We came at this project with an unwavering belief that if there was ever a time for intentionally supporting local shops and businesses, this holiday season was it,” says Outpost379 president Paul Hickey.

“We benefit in so many ways when we put our money in the hands of local merchants, entrepreneurs, and franchisees. We need to just do it in an oversized way. Sometimes even the best-intentioned people need a kick in the butt to vote with their wallets. We hope Hometown Holiday provides that kick.”

As part of the campaign, the two Hometown Staycation packages — each valued at $1,500 — will be up for grabs via a draw courtesy of Peterborough and Kawarthas Tourism. Attendees can enter to win when they visit one of the following shop local events during December:

• Wednesday, December 1 (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) – Buckhorn Festival of Trees
• Thursday, December 2 (7 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.) – Millbrook Christmas in the Village
• Saturday, December 4 (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.) – Christmas at the Cottage (The Cottage Havelock)
• Sunday, December 5 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – Lakefield Christmas Market
• Thursday, December 9 (7 a.m. – 10 a.m.) – Buckhorn Festival of Trees
• Saturday, December 11 (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.) – Peterborough Farmers’ Market (Morrow Building)
• Saturday, December 11 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market (Peterborough Square)
• Saturday, December 18 (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) – Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market (Peterborough Square)
• Tuesday, December 21 (7 a.m. – 10 a.m.) – Finale event at Peterborough Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, Hometown Holiday gift tags are available for retailers that provide a gift-wrapping service.

According to Arcari, there’s a distinct advantage in Hometown Holiday as a cohesive shop local campaign for the entire region.

“We’re stronger when we all put out the same message instead of having separate campaigns for shopping local — we’re stronger when we’re united,” she says, noting support from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the federal government has been key in getting the initiative off the ground.

“Our region has so much to offer, from the things that are made here to the artists that we have, from the small family-owned businesses to the big box stores. All the money spent here goes back into the region. Local businesses are hiring local people, they’re paying local taxes, and they’re sponsoring local events and sports teams. Our businesses really are at the heart of the tapestry of the region.”

VIDEO: Strolling Boots

The partnership involving the four chambers, adds Arcari, is also “historic” in that it has never happened before for a venture like this.

Buy-in came quickly, according to Havelock Chamber of Commerce president Rae McCutcheon.

“Our four local chambers jumped at the opportunity to partner together to create something for the benefit of the larger regional business community,” she says.

Over the past 18 months, local small businesses have had to reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of the pandemic, especially during lockdowns when they were unable to open for in-person shopping. For the first time, many businesses began to offer their customers the ability to browse and shop online. During the all-important holiday shopping season, this means small businesses have the opportunity to lure people away from the e-commerce giants.

“There were lessons and opportunities that came out of the pandemic,” Arcari points out. “One of those was Digital Main Street, a government-funded program that allowed helped businesses get online. It helped them with their e-commerce, helped them with their online sales, and helped them launch online stores. There’s really no need to shop anywhere else online. You truly can find what you’re looking for in our region.”

Stuart Harrison, president and CEO of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, says it’s crucial that people invest in local retailers, restaurants, producers, creators, and attractions as we emerge from the pandemic.

“Our local businesses have proven themselves to be innovative and resilient, providing more convenient opportunities to shop, book, and order in-person and online,” Harrison says.

Arcari adds the Hometown Holiday campaign reflects the longstanding mandate of each participating chamber of commerce to bring together business and community.

“First and foremost, the chamber is an advocacy group,” she explains. “We hear the needs of businesses. We get change to happen through all the levels of government. That’s what we do.”

“We’re all doing similar work so we can have a healthy and strong region. We all live here. We care. Our hearts are in this. The work we do is relentless, be it advocacy, promotion of members, or bringing the community together. It all falls under our umbrella.”

While it’s still early on in the campaign, Arcari says feedback so far has been positive from businesses.

“They’re celebrating being celebrated. They care about our communities as much as we do. We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to keep doing what we do and drive the message. This year that message is a pledge to make it a Hometown Holiday. Spend your money where your heart is.”

As for the measuring stick of whether the campaign was successful, Arcari says success will be seen in “how we made businesses feel and how we made the community feel. The proof will be in the pudding.”

For more information on the Hometown Holiday campaign, visit the Peterborough Chamber of Commerece’s website at peterboroughchamber.ca/hometown-holiday.html.

This story was created in partnership with Outpost 379 for the Hometown Holiday campaign.

Katie Young-Haddlesey has been hired as the new chief operating officer for Curve Lake First Nation.

Curve Lake First Nation’s economic development officer since 2016, Young-Haddlesey has acted as chief operating officer on two occasions for a total of 18 months, most recently when Johnny Walker left the position in February.

“Katie also has a deep and important connection to Curve Lake, having married a member of our community and being a mother to the next generation of community members,” reads a letter to the community from Chief Emily Whetung on behalf of Curve Lake council.

Before joining Curve Lake First Nation, Young-Haddlesey worked as director of business development and communications for The Loomex Group at the Peterborough Airport and as communications officer for the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation (now Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development). Her consulting company Affinity Strategic Communications has also worked with Curve Lake First Nation in the past.

In October 2019, Young-Haddlesey won the Economic Development Officer of the Year Award at the Cando Conference in Gatineau, Quebec. Cando is an organization that promotes economic development in Indigenous communities across Canada.

“While Katie has been in the acting role, she has continued her education and had pursued and completed a university certificate in Public Administration and Governance in an Indigenous context,” reads the letter from Chief Whetung. “She is currently working to complete her BA in the second half of this program which will continue to support her development in the role.”

The Fenelon Landfill will be closed for the winter and early spring effective on New Year’s Day.

Located at 341 Mark Road in Cameron, the landfill has previously been open during the winter from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

The City of Kawartha Lakes announced the temporary closure on Monday (November 29), citing the need to extend the life of the landfill site.

“The landfill is currently estimated to be at capacity within the next three or four years,” a media release reads. “By extending the site’s life to six to eight years through this new winter closure, it delays the site from closing year round and prolongs continued service in the summer busier season.”

The Fenelon Landfill will reopen on May 1, 2022 and operate during summer hours until the next winter hour period begins on October 16, 2022.

To ensure sufficient landfill disposal services are still available during the winter, the hours at the Somerville Landfill (381 Ledge Hill Rd., Burnt River) and the Lindsay Ops Landfill (51 Wilson Rd., Lindsay) have been extended.

The Somerville Landfill will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and the Lindsay Ops Landfill will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays (including Wednesday) and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays

A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in Cobourg early Saturday morning (November 27).

At around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Cobourg police responded to a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle on King Street East at Coverdale Avenue.

The vehicle was travelling westbound on King Street East, approaching Coverdale Avenue, when it struck a pedestrian.

The pedestrian was taken to Northumberland Hills Hospital with serious injuries and then transported by air ambulance to a Toronto-area hospital.

The victim is currently listed as being in critical but stable condition.

While police continue to investigate the collision, they have determined the driver of the vehicle is not at fault.