Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

Ontario is reporting 296 new cases today — the lowest daily increase since September 13 when 313 cases were reported — with most of the cases in Peel (62), Toronto (60), and Waterloo (45). The seven-day average of daily cases has fallen by 24 to 479.

Hospitalizations have increased by 49 to 433, although the increase may reflect underreporting over the past two days. ICU admissions have decreased by 27 to 382 (the same number reported on January 8 when there were 1,457 hospitalizations) and patients on ventilators have decreased by 24 to 244. Ontario is reporting 13 new deaths, with two new deaths in long-term care homes.

Over 11.5 million vaccine doses have been administered with more than two million people now fully vaccinated. Of Ontario’s total population, over 78% have received at least one dose of vaccine and almost 14% are fully vaccinated.

For a daily summary of cases in Ontario, including a breakdown of cases in each of Ontario’s 34 health units, visit ontario.ca/page/how-ontario-is-responding-covid-19.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 9 new cases to report, including 8 in Peterborough and 1 in Northumberland. There are no new cases in Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, or Hastings Prince Edward.

There is 1 new COVID-related hospitalization in Peterborough.

An additional 9 cases have been resolved, including 5 in Peterborough, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland.

Active cases have increased by 3 in Peterborough and decreased by 3 in Kawartha Lakes, with no change in Northumberland, Hastings Prince Edward, or Haliburton.

There are currently 56 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region (no change from yesterday), including 34 in Peterborough, 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 5 in Hastings Prince Edward (2 in Quinte West and 3 in Belleville), and 4 in Northumberland. There are no active cases in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,561 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,506 resolved with 21 deaths), 1,072 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,015 resolved with 57 deaths), 933 in Northumberland County (912 resolved with 17 deaths), 121 in Haliburton County (120 resolved with 1 death), and 1,126 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,110 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on June 5.

For detailed data for each health unit, visit the COVID-19 trackers for Peterborough Public Health, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

The City of Peterborough has announced Reem Ali is the city’s first diversity, equity and inclusion officer.

The newly created position, approved by city council in the 2021 budget, will assist the city with addressing racism, discrimination, and the prevention, identification, and removal of barriers to access in opportunity.

“The new position reflects the city’s commitment to diversity and inclusion,” said Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien in a media release on Monday (June 14) announcing the appointment.

“For our community to thrive, we need to be open and welcoming to all people,” Mayor Therrien added. “Diversity of experiences, backgrounds and cultures makes us a better, stronger, more vibrant community.”

“As we see the historical and present-day experiences of discrimination and hate that have destroyed lives, we have a responsibility to learn, to understand, and to take action to improve our city and our country.”

Ali is currently the interim executive director of the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre in Peterborough. Previously she worked as workplace integration liaison and community development worker with the New Canadians Centre Peterborough, which supports immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers to become full and equal members of Canadian society.

Ali has a wide range of experience working and volunteering with community organizations in Peterborough as well as internationally. Prior to coming to Peterborough, Ali worked in Egypt with several organizations to protect the rights of vulnerable children.

She received her Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry from Trent University, her Master of Science degree in biochemistry from McMaster University, her Master of Public Administration in international development from Carleton University, and a certificate in ethics and contemporary social issues from Saint Paul University.

Ali serves on non-profit boards including the YWCA, the Kawartha World Issues Centre, the Peterborough Field Naturalists, and the Clean Slate Enterprise. She is also the chair of the Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Market steering committee.

In 2018, she received the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s 4-Under-40 award as well as an inaugural Women’s Leadership Award from Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef.

“I am very honoured to have been trusted with this new and important role in my home city of Peterborough,” Ali said, “and look forward to advancing this challenging but much-needed diversity, equity and inclusion work within the city and our local community.”

Ali will start in the new position in July.

It’s not difficult to find a row of packaged hummus stocked on most Canadian grocery stores’ shelves. However, according to Turkey native Tuncay Alkan, the version of this Middle Eastern dip and spread found in grocery stores does not compare to the version made and sold in the Middle East itself.

Tuncay (pronounced Toon-Jai) and his partner Laura moved to Canada from Turkey in 2019 after having their first child. The couple first met in Istanbul while Tuncay was completing his master’s degree in welding engineering. After working in places such as Saudi Arabia and Germany as well as various cities in Turkey for a few years, Tuncay and Laura settled in Peterborough — Laura’s home town.

While adjusting to his new country, Tuncay found himself craving a taste of home. Hummus is the food that says home the most for Tuncay, since it is a popular and signature food in Turkey. Chickpeas, the key ingredient in hummus, date back more than 10,000 years in Turkey — they were first domesticated from a wild plant that today only grows in southeast Turkey.

“Hummus is classical in my geography,” Tuncay explains. “There are places that only make hummus — nothing else. I hadn’t tried making it because I was always buying it from the best places in Turkey.”

He ventured into a Canadian grocery store, only to find the hummus sold there was not as good as what he ate in Turkey.

“I need to make my own hummus to feel like I’m home again,” Tuncay recalls thinking.

Recreating a native dish has helped Tuncay adjust to his new home in Canada over the past two years. Making and sharing food — especially when it holds personal meaning — is a great way to cultivate social relationships. Especially in Turkey, where hospitality is a cornerstone of the country’s culture.

“Whenever I share and cook Turkish food for someone here, I feel like I’m hosting them in my home country,” Tuncay says.

While volunteer cooking for Food Not Bombs Peterborough, Tuncay felt like he was hosting hundreds of Canadians in his native land. He made and shared his hummus and other Turkish recipes several times for the organization, which serves food to around 150 to 200 people a week.

Tuncay Alkan’s Turkish Hummus Recipe (Two Ways)

Tuncay is happy to share his hummus recipe with kawarthaNOW readers. Tuncay’s recipe features the two most popular ways of making and serving hummus in Turkey: with butter as a rich dish to be eaten soon after it is made (such as for an appetizer on toasted bread or pita before dinner), and with olive oil for a lighter-tasting version that lasts longer and can be enjoyed as a spread or a dip.

Making and sharing food from your own culture is also a powerful way to promote feelings of belonging when in a new country, something Tuncay himself noticed while working for a non-government organization in Turkey that assists refugees.

“I found the best and most connecting activity was related with food,” Tuncay explains. “Whenever we made food with refugees, people used to feel like home.”

For Tuncay, the practice of cooking home foods holds as much nostalgic meaning as it does taste.

“I create a little Turkey in my kitchen,” he says. “Whenever I want to visit Turkey, I go to the kitchen.”

His passion for cooking dates back to his childhood and spending time in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother, who passed on their love for cooking.

“It was a family thing for me,” Tuncay says.

But it wasn’t until he was living alone while attending university in Turkey that he found himself cooking alone for the first time out of necessity. As a vegan, he explains that it was not easy to buy food that met his dietary restrictions.

“Being vegan is not easy in Turkey,” says Tuncay. “You need to cook every day — you will not find (vegan) food outside. I needed to find new recipes so it wouldn’t be boring for me. I love trying new things, so I kept cooking after that.”

In describing Turkish cuisine, Tuncay cites the rich spice culture and dense forests in the country — aspects of Turkish culture reflected in his recipes. It’s clear from his description that cooking Middle Eastern food here in Canada connects him back to the land, culture, and family he left behind in Turkey.

According to Tuncay, experiencing that connection to Turkey through cooking has helped him get through one of the biggest challenges while adjusting to a new country: missing his family and friends.

“We miss them a lot,” Tuncay says. “We talk every day, having video talks and showing them around. We talk about what’s happening here and there.”

Another major challenge for Tuncay has been adjusting to the Canadian winter, especially during the pandemic, when social gatherings and winter activities have been limited.

“Winter is not my favourite climate,” he laughs. “I was excited to find some winter activities eventually.”

Despite these challenges, Tuncay does feel a sense of home and belonging in Peterborough. He and his family enjoy exploring trails and nature and have a goal to explore one new location every week.

“I love living in Peterborough,” he says. “It’s a really family-friendly city with beautiful trails and nature. There are so many beautiful places to discover.”

In addition to practicing cooking and exploring nature, Tuncay credits the New Canadians Centre (NCC) in Peterborough for helping him settle in his new country, such as by providing assistance to help him obtain a work permit and his permanent residency.

Prior to the pandemic, NCC was also helping Tuncay pursue his idea of opening a café in Peterborough. Unfortunately, the project is on hold due to the pandemic, but Tuncay hopes to make it happen in the future.

“I could just live in the kitchen for the rest of my life, so I decided to something that I love and planned to open a little café,” he explains. “I’m currently working, so I’m not in a rush, but it’s still on my mind. I probably will do it after COVID.”

So even if you don’t test out Tuncay’s hummus recipe, you may still have a chance to try it someday.

The #CookWithNCC series was created in partnership with the New Canadians Centre (NCC) in Peterborough to share stories of immigration and integration. Other stories in the series include Jessie Iriwanto and her beef rendang recipe, Imad Mahfouz and his yalanji recipe, and Gayathri Rajan and her biryani recipe.

Aromas, flavours, ingredients, who we cook for and how we share our recipes — they all tell stories that shape us as a community. On this journey through pantries and kitchens, we hope that you will fill both your plate and your heart.

Share your experience trying out these recipes, or your own story and recipe, on social media using the hashtag #CookWithNCC.

To join the New Canadians Centre on their 40-year journey of welcoming immigrants and refugees, visit nccpeterborough.ca.

Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.

Ontario is reporting 447 new cases today, with most of the cases in Toronto (110), Peel (61), and Waterloo (56). The seven-day average of daily cases has fallen to 503.

Hospitalizations have increased by 11 to 384, ICU admissions have decreased by 17 to 409, and patients on ventilators have decreased by 5 to 268. Ontario is reporting 4 new deaths, with no new deaths in long-term care homes.

A total of 11,344,441 vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 135,574 from yesterday, with 1,894,320 people now fully vaccinated, an increase of 97,538 from yesterday. Of Ontario’s total population, 77% have received at least one dose of vaccine and almost 13% are fully vaccinated.

For a daily summary of cases in Ontario, including a breakdown of cases in each of Ontario’s 34 health units, visit ontario.ca/page/how-ontario-is-responding-covid-19.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 6 new cases to report, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Peterborough. There are no new cases in Haliburton or Hastings Prince Edward.

There is 1 new COVID-related hospitalization in Peterborough.

An additional 21 cases have been resolved, including 10 in Kawartha Lakes, 5 in Peterborough, 4 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton. Outbreaks at an unidentified workplace in Peterborough and at Riverview Manor long-term care home in Peterborough have been declared resolved.

Active cases have decreased by 7 in Kawartha Lakes, 4 in Peterborough, 3 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton. Active cases remain unchanged in Hastings Prince Edward.

There are currently 56 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 16 since yesterday, including 31 in Peterborough, 16 in Kawartha Lakes, 5 in Hastings Prince Edward (2 in Quinte West and 3 in Belleville), and 4 in Northumberland. There are no active cases in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,553 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,501 resolved with 21 deaths), 1,072 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,012 resolved with 57 deaths), 932 in Northumberland County (911 resolved with 17 deaths), 121 in Haliburton County (120 resolved with 1 death), and 1,126 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,110 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on June 5.

For detailed data for each health unit, visit the COVID-19 trackers for Peterborough Public Health, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

For more information about COVID-19 in Ontario, visit covid-19.ontario.ca.

The memorial on the steps of Peterborough City Hall, which honours the 215 Indigenous children whose remains were discovered in unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia, has a new home.

A ceremony was held on Sunday (June 13) to move the memorial — which includes children’s shoes, stuffed animals, and medicines — to a new wooden platform installed right beside the concrete steps where the memorial was originally located.

On Sunday morning, the local Indigenous women who had initiated the memorial and volunteers were planning a “closing ceremony” to remove the items from the city hall steps, prior to the reopening of city hall to the public.

They intended to remove the items in a respectful way consistent with their original intentions and with Indigenous teachings, including by creating chalk outlines of the shoes on the steps and then cleaning the shoes and preparing them for donation.

However, when they arrived at city hall, they discovered two city workers were busy building a set of wooden steps right beside where the memorial was originally located.

Organizers contacted Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien to find out why the platform was being built, and she told them it was intended as a new location for the memorial.

Mayor Therrien told organizers that having the items remain on the city hall steps creates a legal liability and access issue.

However, since she was not comfortable having the memorial removed, and not knowing who had organized the memorial and was responsible for its caretaking, she had reached out earlier in the week to both Chief Laurie Carr of Hiawatha First Nation and Chief Emily Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation for their advice.

Both Chiefs felt the memorial should remain at Peterborough City Hall. As a result, Mayor Therrien directed city staff to quickly build a wooden platform, so the city could offer it as a new location for the memorial.

After hearing from the mayor, organizers accepted the offer and Sunday’s closing ceremony instead became one for moving the items to their new home.

The ceremony included drumming, song, prayer, and a talking circle. Participants took turns choosing a pair of shoes and cleansing them with a smudge, and then placing them with care on the new wooden platform. Medicines from the steps were placed in a basket to be burned offsite and new medicines were placed with the shoes on the new platform.

Attendees included both Indigenous people and settlers, children and Elders, both urban and rural. One Elder shared his experiences of being taken from his family as a toddler. A young Indigenous woman attended with her non-Indigenous adoptive family. A settler brought her three children who devotedly moved shoes.

“My heart was deeply touched by this offer from our mayor and her actions,” writes Kerry Bebee in a Facebook post. “She quickly mobilized and had a very nice wooden platform created so that our Memorial could continue.”

“Instead of asking us to take away the items, she took action and demonstrated her support and caring about what has happened, this unspeakable tragedy for Indigenous people, by having this wooden platform created for this community memorial. This is the spirit with which we need to move forward together. My heart is lifted.”

The organizers for the memorial will be meeting with Chief Carr and Chief Whetung to discuss longer-term plans for the memorial.

In the interim, everyone is invited to continue to visit the memorial and add shoes, medicines, and other offerings to honour all Indigenous children who have lost their culture, their families, and their lives to Canada’s residential school system.

kawarthaNOW thanks Ziysah von Bieberstein for providing the text and photos for this story.

The first case of the highly transmissible Delta variant (B.1.617.2, first identified in India) of COVID-19 has been detected in Peterborough.

During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Monday (June 14), medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra confirmed one person has been infected with the variant, resulting in three close contacts now being closely monitored.

All four of those affected have been self-isolating since Saturday.

“So far testing has shown it’s a household cluster — they all live together — but we are continuing to investigate,” said Dr. Salvaterra, adding “We need to be very sure we have this under control.”

According to Ontario’s science advisory table, the Delta variant is expected to become the dominant strain of the virus in Ontario this summer. It is around 50 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7, first detected in the UK), which was the variant driving the third wave of the pandemic in Ontario.

While a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine is not as effective against the Delta variant as it is against the Alpha variant, vaccine effectiveness improves dramatically after a second dose.

“This serves as a good reminder to everyone to get their second dose as soon as they’re eligible,” Dr. Salvaterra said.

That said, while vaccinations continue at a brisk pace, the number of local residents aged 18 and up who have not yet received a first dose sits at more than 29,000, while the number of adolescents aged 12 to 17 that are yet to be vaccinated is at more than 5,000.

Dr. Salvaterra said the reason for that can be traced in part to the later local arrival of mass quantities of vaccine compared to earlier identified hot spots.

“I think people just need more time to book their appointments,” she said. “Looking ahead, we have lots of booked appointments, so it’s really just a matter of time. We are expecting a very large shipment of Moderna each week for the next two weeks.”

At present, more than 93,000 local residents have received at least their first dose of vaccine — an increase of 8,000 over the past week — and more than 16,000 have been fully vaccinated, 4,500 more than reported last week.

“We have now reached more than 75 per cent of residents with at least one dose and are almost at 40 per cent of youths aged 12 to 17 with their first dose,” Dr. Salvaterra said. “We hope to have that increase more with our dedicated youth clinics this week. We remain in a race against time to reach vaccination targets (set by the province) while we continue to follow public health measures.”

As of Sunday (June 13) at 4:30 p.m., the number of active cases in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake, and Hiawatha was reported as 35 — an increase of six since last Monday. The number of close contacts of positive cases being monitored continues to decline in a big way, now at 38, 42 less than what was reported last Monday.

Meanwhile a pandemic rarity of sorts is now being reported, with no current outbreaks in the Peterborough region.

On the enforcement front, Peterborough County OPP Sergeant Chris Galeazza confirmed a large weekend gathering at Sandy Beach prompted police monitoring but resulted in no charges.

“The site was very busy throughout the entire weekend,” Galeazza said. “We ask that people be mindful of space. If the parking lot is full, come back at another time. Congregation in large numbers was the issue. We have the ability to disperse but that would create a larger enforcement issue. Charges haven’t been laid at this point, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any forthcoming.”

Also commenting during Monday’s briefing were Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, and Peterborough board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.

A serious collision on Highway 28 on Sunday morning (June 13) has closed the highway is both directions at Woodview in North Kawartha Township.

The Peterborough OPP and emergency crews responded to the accident that happened at around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday near Butler Drive.

Police say a motorcycle travelling southbound on Highway 28 was involved in a collision with two vehicles travelling northbound.

The driver of the motorcycle has since been transported to a Toronto area hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Highway 28 will remain closed in both directions for several hours while police measure and document the scene. Detours are in place on Highway 28 at Northey’s Bay Road and Mount Julian Viamede Road.

For updates on the road closure, check @OPP_COMM_CR on Twitter.