Devon Girard is the new executive director of Community Futures Peterborough, a not-for-profit organization supporting small businesses in the City and County of Peterborough with flexible financing.

A Peterborough native, Girard has more than two decades of experience in communications, government, not-for-profit, and media. She most recently led the Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy at Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC), where she founded StrikeUP Canada, Canada’s largest digital conference for women entrepreneurs.

“Devon’s proven ability to unite stakeholders and lead new initiatives will no doubt serve our communities for years to come,” says Charlina Westbye, Community Futures Peterborough board chair, in an announcement on Thursday (February 2). “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Devon to the Community Futures Peterborough team.”

Prior to her time at Northumberland CFDC, Girard was director of marketing and communications at three Peterborough companies: Park Place Financial, Peak Benefit Solutions Inc., and Farm Life. Before then, she spent almost a decade in various senior roles in the British Columbia government, where she led large-scale projects for the 2010 Olympics and also served as a political advisor to the Premier and Minister of Economic Development.

From 2017 to 2020, Girard was a board director of Community Futures Peterborough, holding the positions of governance chair and vice chair until she left the board to work for Northumberland CFDC.

Girard is taking over from Gail Moorhouse, who recently left Community Futures Peterborough after almost five years as executive director to pursue a career in governance and board training.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to join the team at Community Futures Peterborough and work with our incredible partners to shape our entrepreneurial landscape and local economy,” Girard says. “I am grateful for the support of our board of directors as we embark on this exciting chapter for the organization.”

Girard lives in Peterborough with her husband and two daughters.

Funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), Community Futures Peterborough has invested more than $38 million in 1,000 small businesses since 1985, creating or maintaining more than 4,000 jobs in the City and the County of Peterborough.

Environment Canada has issued a snow squall watch for much of the Kawarthas region for Thursday afternoon (February 2) into evening.

The snow squall watch in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.

A brief but intense snow squall, associated with a fast-moving arctic cold front, will push southeastward across southern Ontario Thursday afternoon through early evening. Heavy snow will combine with gusty northwesterly winds to give near zero visibility at times.

With snowfall accumulations of 2 to 5 cm in an hour or two and wind gusts of 50 to 70 km/h, expect sudden whiteout conditions in heavy snow and blowing snow.

Snow squalls cause weather conditions to vary considerably; changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common. Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather. Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero.

Plunging temperatures in the wake of this front will usher in the coldest air of the season so far, with temperatures approaching -30°C (-40°C with wind chill).

This story has been updated with the latest forecast from Environment Canada.

Susan Leask of Peterborough is one of 16 recipients of the 2022 Ontario Senior Achievement Awards, the provincial government announced on Tuesday (January 31).

The awards recognize people for significant contributions to their communities after the age of 65.

This includes fundraising, leading community beautification projects, helping with programs such as Meals on Wheels, volunteering in hospitals, local churches, senior organizations, retirement homes and long-term-care homes, and supporting and empowering the aging population by serving as advocates for veterans, people who are homeless, new immigrants, the Francophone community, people with disabilities, and job seekers.

The recipients were honoured by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell and Ontario Minister for Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho at a recognition ceremony in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite at Queen’s Park in Toronto.

“I am pleased to recognize the impressive recipients of the 2022 Ontario Senior Achievement Award,” said Dowdeswell. “I would like to thank each person for their outstanding contributions to their communities and for making a positive difference in the lives of Ontarians.”

Leask has been a dedicated and active volunteer at Hillsdale Terraces, a long-term care home in Oshawa operated by the Regional Municipality of Durham, since 2015 and has been registered as a regular and active volunteer within the home.

“As Family Council President, Susan has built strong and consistent council membership that welcomes, educates, and supports families who join,” reads her award citation. “She represents families at Strategic and Operational Planning Days, and Quality Improvement and Regional LTC Advisory Committees.”

Leask was also recognized for using her gardening expertise to help improve the quality of life for the home’s residents.

“Since 2017, Susan has also been volunteering in the Serenity Garden and has worked to transform it into a multi-season sanctuary for residents, families and staff. Her contributions to resident care, tasks and projects have made her an invaluable member of the Hillside Terraces family.”

The other 15 recipients are Jean Aitcheson of Stratford, Donna Cansfield of Etobicoke, Elizabeth Churcher of Tweed, Larry Duffield of Windsor, Réjeanne Fairhead of Ottawa, Lorraine Finn of Barry’s Bay, John Harper of Toronto, Matt Mathews of Burlington, Joan McSweeney of Leamington, Jean Roy of Toronto (now of Ottawa), Martine Rutherford of Beardmore, Anton Schwab of Uxbridge, Gwendolyn The of Toronto, Reijo J. Viitala of Sudbury, and Earl Windsor of Winchester.

Minutes after the Peterborough Police Services Board announced deputy police chief Tim Farquharson would be “retiring” from the Peterborough Police Service effective March 1, the Port Hope Police Services Board announced he has been named the new police chief of the Port Hope Police Service.

Farquharson began his policing career in 1986 at the age of 24 as a constable with the Peterborough Police Service (then called the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service). His assignments over his career included front line and community patrol, criminal investigations, intelligence, drug unit, and support services, becoming deputy chief in 2013.

Farquharson also served as acting police chief over the past year, after previous police chief Scott Gilbert’s sudden retirement in February 2022. Stuart Betts, formerly deputy chief of operations for the London Police Service, was hired as the new police chief effective January 9 this year.

He has received many accolades throughout his career, including the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Bravery and being invested as a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, for his role in creating the Peterborough Drug Strategy Task Force.

“The Peterborough Police Services Board acknowledges and thanks Tim Farquharson for his exemplary dedication to serving the citizens of Peterborough, Township of Cavan-Monaghan and Village of Lakefield over the past 36 years,” reads a media release from the board. “His commitment to the service members and community was most recently noted as he took on the role of Acting Chief during the past year. The Board wishes Deputy Farquharson all the best on his upcoming retirement.”

Farquharson is replacing the previous Port Hope police chief Bryant Wood, who announced his retirement last fall after move than 30 years with the service, including the last eight years as chief.

“I am leaving incredible people and a great police service to start with another great police service that has established positive partnerships with the OPP, Cobourg Police Service, and Peterborough Police Service,” Farquharson says in a media release. “Leadership is about people, and I look forward to learning from members of the board, partners, and the community.”

The original version of this story has been updated.

Award-winning Indigenous musician and community activist Susan Aglukark will be the keynote speaker at INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day event on Wednesday, March 8th in downtown Peterborough.

Early bird tickets are available until February 18 for the inaugural event, which is being led by photographer Heather Doughty, founder of INSPIRE: The Women’s Portrait Project.

Heather created INSPIRE in 2018 as a series of portraits of remarkable local women and non-binary individuals. Now a registered not-for-profit charity with a board of directors, INSPIRE has subsequently launched additional photography-related projects including Day of the Girl, Resilience, #SheINSPIRESMe, Women in Farming, and Mom Bod.

“INSPIRE is turning five this year and we wanted to have a year-long celebration,” Heather tells kawarthaNOW. “We wanted to pepper the year with fun events and naturally International Women’s Day was one of the first events mentioned.”

Prior to the pandemic, Louise Racine of Thirteen Moons Wellness had organized four annual International Women’s Day events in Peterborough. The final event was held in early March 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

“I reached out to Louise to see if she was planning on bringing her event back,” Heather says. “She was not and very generously offered to share her knowledge if INSPIRE decided to move forward. International Women’s Day is a very important day. Hosting an event where women and young girls could come together to celebrate all that has been achieved, to celebrate who they are, and to empower them to move forward aligns with INSPIRE’s mission of providing a safe place to celebrate, share, and build community. So INSPIRE decided to create an event.”

First taking place in 1911, International Women’s Day has become a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The theme for 2023 is “Embrace Equity”, asking people to imagine a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, where difference is valued and celebrated.

Running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8th at the Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront at 150 George Street, INSPIRE’s inaugural International Women’s Day event will include workshops facilitated by inspiring local women, an artisans’ market featuring the works of 25 local makers, and empowering talks by two Indigenous women: Nogojiwanong-Peterborough entrepreneur Ashley Lamothe and keynote speaker Susan Aglukark.

Ashley Lamothe is the owner and CEO of Creative Kwe, a business that focuses on amplifying, celebrating and decolonizing creativity through workshops, seminars and her online shop. In 2021, she was named entrepreneur of the month by the Native Women’s Association of Canada and, in 2022, received The President’s Award from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. The AnishnaabeKwe/Metis Two Spirit mother of two also works at Trent University within the First Peoples House of Learning as the Indigenous Student Success Coordinator.

Susan Aglukark is an Inuk musician, community activist, and children’s author whose blend of Inuit folk music traditions with pop songwriting has made her a recording star in Canada. She has released nine albums (her single “O Siem” reached number one on the Canadian country and adult contemporary charts in 1995) and has won three Juno awards — including the first Juno by an Inuk artist.

A long-time advocate for northern Canadian communities, Aglukark is the founder of the Arctic Rose Project, which helps create emotionally safe environments for Indigenous children and youth, for which she received the Juno 2022 Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Aglukark is also the co-founder of the Aboriginal Literacy Project and the former chair of the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.

An officer of the Order of Canada, Aglukark has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, the Canadian Country Music Association Vista Rising Star Award, the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award, Native American Music Award, and three honorary doctorates. Named one of Maclean’s magazine’s “100 Canadians to Watch,” she has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, Canadian Prime Ministers Jean Chrétien and Brian Mulroney, French President Jacques Chirac, as well as several other dignitaries.

VIDEO: Susan Aglukark receives the Humanitarian Award at the 2022 Juno Awards

Emceed by Peterborough comedian and actor Megan Murphy. INSPIRE’s International Women’s Day event will include six workshops, with participants able to select one morning and one afternoon workshop.

The workshops include “Women and Financial Wellness” with money coach Angie Ross, “Women’s Connection to The Earth” with Curve Lake First Nation community Anishinaabemowin coordinator Anne Taylor, “Self-Compassion: An Exploration through Expressive Writing” with author and Open Sky Stories owner Erica Richmond, “Redefining Success” with Nectar Co. founder and Canadian Canoe Museum philanthropy associate Rose Terry, a workshop where Rebecca Turland of One City and Bridges Peterborough will share her journey through mental illness, addiction, poverty, and motherhood, and “The Healing Powers of Expressive Art” with artist and expressive arts therapist Lindsay Dixon.

Tickets for INSPIRE’s International Women’s Day event are available as of Wednesday, February 1st at inspirethewomensportraitproject.com/international-womens-day-event, with special early bird pricing of $60 per person until Saturday, February 18th (the price will be $75 after February 18). As INSPIRE believes in accessibility and inclusivity for all, tickets have been shared with local community partners to ensure that all who wish to join have the opportunity to participate.

“INSPIRE wants to build a sustainable event and that is why we are hard at work to create a program that will empower and inspire participants and also have them excited to return next year,” Heather says. “That is also why sponsorship and community support is so important, so that we have the ability to move forward and build on the foundation of this event for years to come.”

Local businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in sponsoring the event can visit inspirethewomensportraitproject.com/sponsorship-packages.

According to Heather, hosting the International Women’s Day event “is a big step for INSPIRE” but has become possible because of the support of the community and the hard work of the women who have been members of INSPIRE’s board of directors.

“The board created a strong foundation to build the INSPIRE house on, so we can move forward now with INSPIRE’s goals,” Heather explains. “This event is a natural progression for INSPIRE — providing the platforms for voices to speak and the safe space to learn and to build community. It gives me goosebumps.”

For more details about INSPIRE’s International Women’s Day event, including the day’s agenda and workshop descriptions, and to purchase tickets, visit inspirethewomensportraitproject.com.

kawarthaNOW is proud to be the exclusive official media sponsor of INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day event.

You can show your love for food-insecure families during February by participating in “Love Month”, a month-long series of events Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting with local businesses and organizations — including Kawartha Conservation, which will be lighting and decorating a forest trail at Ken Reid Conservation Area in Lindsay.

During Love Month, Kawartha Lakes Food Source is raising awareness about food insecurity in the City of Kawartha Lakes while also providing the community with more opportunities to donate during one of the months when the non-profit food distribution organization feeds the most people yet receives the fewest donations.

Love Month kicks off on Wednesday (February 1) with Kindness Bingo, where participants have until February 25 to fill a straight or diagonal line on a bingo card by completing the tasks in each square of a bingo card. Tasks include a variety of free activities, donating to local charities, shopping at local businesses, and taking part in the rest of the events connected to Love Month. Kindness Bingo participants will have a chance to win two tickets to the “Take a Bite Out of Hunger!” gala dinner in April.

Kindness Bingo cards are available in Lindsay at Kawartha Lakes Food Source’s distribution centre at 164 Needham St., Unwrapped Kawartha at 112 Kent St W., Kawartha Art Gallery at 190 Kent St. W. (2nd floor), Burns Bulk Food at 118 Kent St. W., North Ward Coffee Co. at 172 Angeline St. N., Ken Reid Administrative Centre at 277 Kenrei Rd., Kawartha Lakes Public Library at 190 Kent St W., BGC Kawarthas at 107 Lindsay St. S., Hill’s Florist at 182 Lindsay St. S., and The Kent Florist at 92 Kent St. W.

Also beginning on February 1st is “Love Bright”, a forest trail at Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay that Kawartha Conservation is adorning with twinkling lights and Love Month decorations. Located near the off-leash dog park, the Love Bright trail will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the entire month of February.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this wonderful event and to help raise awareness and funds for those in need in our community,” says Kristie Virgoe, Kawartha Conservation’s director of stewardship and conservation lands. “We invite everyone to come and experience Ken Reid Conservation Area at night and to support a great cause while enjoying a unique and beautiful experience.”

One dollar from each $4 paid parking admission to Ken Reid Conservation Area between 5 and 9 p.m. for the month of February will go to support Kawartha Lakes Food Source. As well, visitors are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food donations in the Administrative Centre during regular business hours Monday to Friday. Visitors can also make monetary donations directly to Kawartha Lakes Food Source by scanning the QR code at the entrance of the Love Bright trail

“We had such an amazing response to the Illuminated Forest in December at Ken Reid Conservation Area,” Virgoe says. “We’re excited to be able to work with the Kawartha Lakes Food Source to create the Love Bright Trail and provide a new heart-warming experience for visitors.”

On Wednesday, February 8th from 7 to 8:15 p.m., Unwrapped (112 Kent St. W., Lindsay) will be offering a Vinyasa Flow yoga class. Admission is a food or monetary donation to Kawartha Lakes Food Source. All levels, from beginner to advanced, are welcome to join but must bring their own yoga mats.

On Valentine’s Day (Tuesday, February 14th), Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting a “Valentine’s Day Paint Night” at its distribution centre (164 Needham St., Lindsay). Participants will enjoy snacks, beverages, and a painting lesson from a professional artist.

Tickets are $55 per person and includes all materials, food, and drinks. They can be purchased online at eventbrite.ca/e/523780570787 or in person at the distribution centre.

Wrapping up Love Month is a food drive at the Kawartha Lakes Food Source distribution centre (164 Needham St., Lindsay) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 25th.

Non-perishable food items like peanut butter, coffee, and condiments are welcome, along with perishable food items including fresh vegetables, eggs, and milk. Personal care or household items are also welcome.

At the food drive, Kindness Bingo participants will have a chance to win two tickets to “Take a Bite Out of Hunger!”, a gala dinner to be held in April at Hobart’s Steakhouse (189 Kent St. W., Lindsay) featuring a new curated menu for the event and a selection of local beer. To be entered into the draw, bring a donation and completed Kindness Bingo card to the February 25th food drive.

To learn more about about Kawartha Lakes Food Source or Love Month, visit kawarthalakesfoodsource.com.

Peterborough city council approved the city’s 2023 budget on Monday night (January 30), including a property tax increase of 3.15 per cent.

The increase is 0.85 per cent less than the four per cent increase proposed in an earlier version of the draft budget to the property tax rate.

“Council made changes to the draft budget to ensure that investments reflect the priorities of the community, including spending on critical infrastructure and providing support for housing and homelessness, while at the same time respecting the current financial conditions,” said Mayor Jeff Leal.

The 3.15 per cent increase, which compares to a 2.87 per cent property tax increase in the 2022 budget, which would add $53.23 per year for each $100,000 of residential assessment for the typical household. For example, a city household with a home assessed at $600,000 would see an additional $319 annually in property tax.

“Residents in our community are feeling the costs of inflation and the challenging economic environment in their daily lives,” said councillor Andrew Beamer, city council’s finance chair. “Municipal services are also impacted by those pressures. Council made difficult decisions to lessen the increasing cost of services for taxpayers, drawing from reserves to meet needs in some areas and cutting spending in other areas to push down the tax increase.”

The approved budget includes $131.2 million in capital expenditures including road work, a household organic waste composting facility and collection equipment, flood reduction efforts, facility maintenance, funding for the planned replacement of a fire station, sanitary sewer repairs, construction of the new twin-pad arena at Morrow Park, and police capital projects.

The approved budget also includes $325.8 million in operating expenditures for programs and services including waste management, road maintenance, wastewater sewers and treatment, social assistance, affordable housing, fire services, policing, and recreation, arts and heritage.

Highlights of the approved budget include:

• Eleven new hires at the Peterborough Police Service due to the increasing number of calls for service, increasing crime severity in the community, and an increasing population in the communities it serves.
• $6.1 million in municipal spending for housing and homelessness services (a 5.7 per cent increase over 2022), including support for approximately 2,000 social housing units, rent supplements, and the operation of four emergency shelters with 106 shelter beds.
• $7.6 million in the capital budget toward the $21.2-million household source separated organics program implementation, with a city-wide green bin program expected to start in fall 2023.
• $1 million for the implementation of the urban forest management strategic plan including tree planting and urban forestry management.
• $750,000 to upgrade 3,000 street light fixtures to LED lights, which reduce energy use and energy costs.
• Holding Peterborough Transit expenses at the 2022 level, which reduces the 2023 net requirement by $951,000.
• Deferring an $800,000 project that is part of upgrading water and sewer service to the Peterborough Airport, until a land deal is reached to bring the airport property within the City of Peterborough boundaries.
• Establishing a permanent annual individual artist grant program at $50,000 a year, through a three-year agreement with Electric City Culture Council, with funding from the capital budget in 2023 and the program built into the operating budget in 2024 and 2025.
• Providing $281,800 from the capital levy reserve for the final two instalments of the city’s contribution to the Eastern Ontario Regional Network cell gap project as approved by council in 2019.
• Using $287,780 from a reserve and contingency to provide additional funding, in addition to the amount included in the draft 2023 budget documents, to Peterborough Public Health.
• Deferring, until consideration in the 2024 budget, a proposed $150,000 project for the next stage of the development of a Downtown Heritage Conservation District Plan.
• Using $200,000 from the social services reserve to add a third worker at the overflow shelter program and Brock Mission to help individuals with better support for referrals to services and to assist with housing searches, develop more of a harm-reduction focus, address service restrictions differently, and other functions.

Here’s how the municipal portion of property taxes is being spent, per $100,000 of residential assessment:

23.6% goes to external organizations

• Peterborough Police Service – $232.59
• Peterborough Paramedics – $48.89
• Fairhaven Long-Term Care – $12.79
• Peterborough Public Health – $10.85
• Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development – $8.64
• Otonabee Conservation – $6.64
• Peterborough Humane Society – $3.63
• Business Improvement Areas – $1.42
• Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster – $1.15

22.9% goes to infrastructure and planning services

• Engineering, Construction and Public Works – $102.14
• Transportation – $103.79
• Environmental Services – $60.59
• Peterborough Airport – $18.19
• Asset Management and Capital Planning – $12.93
• Planning – $10.66
• Building Inspection and Protective Services – $6.91
• Office of Infrastructure and Planning Services – $1.42

22% goes to capital levy, debt payments, and other financial expenditures

• Capital financing costs – $265.67
• Property taxation costs – $24.15
• Other expenditures – $10.86
• Contingency provision – $3.83

13.3% goes to Community Services

• Social Services – $95.95
• Arts, Culture and Heritage – $42.87
• Arenas – $18.88
• Community Services Administration (incl. community grants) – $17.18
• Recreation – $9.70

11.8% goes to fire services and the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer

• Fire Services – $149.46
• Communication Services – $5.95
• Office of the Chief Administrative Officer – $4.65
• Emergency Management – $4.01

6.4% goes to Corporate and Legislative Services and City Council

• Corporate Information Services – $29.79
• Financial Services – $18.55
• Human Resources – $9.87
• Facilities Management – $9.58
• City Clerk – $7.08
• City Council – $6.51
• Legal Services – $5.51
• Facilities and Planning Services – $1.35

More details on the city’s 2023 budget are available at peterborough.ca/budget, including the budget documents, a breakdown for each program area, and a listing of the top capital projects.