The public boat launch on the Scugog River at Rivera Park in Lindsay. (Photo: Google Maps)
A tragedy has been averted after a good Samaritan pulled two teens from the Scugog River in Lindsay on Thursday afternoon (June 17).
According to Kawartha Lakes police, at around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday the two 17-year-old boys were fishing at Rivera Park when one of them dropped a fishing pole into the river.
One of the teens entered the water to retrieve the fishing pole. The teen, who was not a strong swimmer, soon began to struggle in the water.
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The second teen then went into the water to help his friend but also began to struggle.
A witness in the park saw the teens struggling in the water, jumped in, and pulled them to shore. Another witness, who is a nurse, assisted the teens until emergency services arrived.
One of the teens was taken to Ross Memorial Hospital by Kawartha Lakes Paramedics, while the second teen went to the hospital on his own at a later time for assessment.
Police, who report both teens are in good condition, have not released the names of the teens or the witnesses who helped them.
Every Friday during swimming season, we post The Beach Report™ — our weekly report of the results of water quality testing at beaches in the greater Kawarthas region — and update it throughout the week as conditions change.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials recommend staying home if you feel sick, visiting a beach close to your home to avoid unnecessary travel, bringing hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes, and maintaining at least two metres of physical distance from other beachgoers.
As of Wednesday, June 23, the following beaches have been posted as unsafe for swimming:
Roger’s Cove – Peterborough
Wellington Beach in Wellington Bay – Prince Edward County
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Below are the complete results of water quality testing at beaches in the City and County Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
In the City of Peterborough, Peterborough Public Health Inspectors sample the beaches at Rogers Cove and Beavermead every business day, and public beaches in the County of Peterborough are sampled at least once a week (except for Chandos Beach, Quarry Bay Beach, and White’s Beach which are sampled at least once in June, July, and August).
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit provides weekly testing results for beaches in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Northumberland County. Testing is based on the most recent test results from the provincial lab in Peterborough for water samples taken from these beaches.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health provides weekly testing results for beaches in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
During the summer, local health units sample water at area beaches and test for bacteria such as E. coli to determine if the water quality at a beach is safe for public use. Popular beaches, like the beach at Roger’s Cove in Peterborough’s East City, are tested every business day while most other beaches are tested weekly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Important note
The following test results may not reflect current water quality conditions. Water samples can take one to three days to process and heavy rainfall, high winds or wave activity, large numbers of waterfowl near a beach, or large numbers of swimmers can rapidly change water quality.
You should always check current conditions before deciding to use a beach. You should also monitor other factors that might suggest a beach is unsafe to use, such as floating debris, oil, discoloured water, bad odours, and excessive weed growth.
City of Peterborough Beaches (sampled each business day)
Roger’s Cove (131 Maria St, Peterborough) – sample date 22 June – UNSAFE
Beavermead (2011 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough) – sample date 22 June – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled weekly)
Back Dam Beach (902 Rock Rd., Warsaw, Township of Douro-Dummer) – sample date 17 June – SAFE
Buckhorn (John Street, Buckhorn) – sample date 17 June – SAFE
Crowe’s Line Beach (240 Crowe’s Line Rd, Harvey) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Curve Lake Lance Woods Park (Whetung St E, Curve Lake) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Curve Lake Henry’s Gumming (Chemong St S, Curve Lake) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Douro (205 Douro Second Line, Douro-Dummer) – sample date 17 June – SAFE
Ennismore (1053 Ennis Road, Ennismore) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Hiawatha (1 Lakeshore Rd, Hiawatha) – Not Currently Open to the Public – sample date – 21 June – SAFE
Jones Beach (908 Jones Beach Road, Bridgenorth) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Lakefield Park (100 Hague Boulevard, Lakefield) – sample date 18 June – SAFE
Norwood (12 Belmont St, Norwood) – sample date 17 June – SAFE
Sandy Lake (1239 Lakehurst Road, Municipality of Trent Lakes) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Selwyn (2251 Birch Island Road, Selwyn) – sample date 16 June – SAFE
Squirrel Creek Conservation Area (2445 Wallace Point Rd, South Monaghan) – sample date 21 June – SAFE
Warsaw Caves (289 Caves Rd, Warsaw) – sample date 17 June – SAFE
Peterborough County Beaches (sampled monthly)
Belmont Lake (376 Miles of Memories Road, Belmont) – sample date 4 June – SAFE
Chandos Beach (Hwy 620, North Kawartha) – sample date 4 June – SAFE
Kasshabog Lake (431 Peninsula Road, Methuen) – sample date 4 June – SAFE
Quarry Bay (1986 Northey’s Bay Rd, Woodview) – sample date 4 June – SAFE
White’s Beach (Clearview Drive, Galway) – sample date 10 June – SAFE
City of Kawartha Lakes
Birch Point – Fenelon Falls – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Blanchards Road Beach – Bexley – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Bond Street – Fenelon Falls – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Burnt River Beach – Somerville – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Centennial Beach – Verulam – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Centennial Park Beach – West – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Four Mile Lake Beach – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Head Lake Beach – Laxton – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Norland Bathing Area – Laxton – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Omemee Beach – Emily/ Omemee – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Riverview Beach Park – Bobycaygeon – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Sturgeon Point Beach – Fenelon Falls – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Valentia/ Sandbar Beach – Valentia – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Verulam Recreational Park – Verulam – sample date June 17 – SAFE
Beach Park – Bobycaygeon – Not currently being tested due to construction
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Haliburton County
Northumberland County
Caldwell Street Beach – Port Hope – sample date June 14 – SAFE
Harwood Waterfront & Dock – Hamilton – sample date June 14 – SAFE
Hastings Waterfront North – Trent Hills – sample date June 14 – SAFE
Hastings Waterfront South – Trent Hills – sample date June 14 – SAFE
Little Lake – Cramahe – sample date June 14 – SAFE
East Beach – Port Hope – sample date June 14 – SAFE
West Beach – Port Hope – sample date June 17 – Open – Green
Sandy Bay Beach – Alnwick Haldimand – sample date June 14 – SAFE
Victoria Park – Cobourg – – sample date June 17 – Open – GreenNote: Beach is CLOSED on weekends and statutory holidays. Click here for more information.
Wicklow Beach – Alnwick Haldimand – sample date June 17 – Open – Green
Crowe Bridge Park – Trent Hills – Will not be tested as a swimming area this summer.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 370 new cases today, with most of the cases in Toronto (67), Waterloo (57), Peel (47), and Ottawa (34).
The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 32 to 443, and the positivity rate per 100 people tested has fallen to 1.3%.
Hospitalizations have decreased by 41 to 397, with ICU patients decreasing by 15 to 362 and patients on ventilators decreasing by 10 to 232. Ontario is reporting 7 new deaths, with no new deaths in long-term care homes.
Almost 12 million vaccine doses have been administered, a record increase of 210,611 since yesterday, with over 81% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. Almost 2.4 million people have been fully vaccinated, representing over 16% of the total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from May 17 – June 16, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from May 17 – June 16, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from May 17 – June 16, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 6 new cases to report, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes, 2 in Peterborough, and 1 in Haliburton. There are no new cases in Northumberland, or Hastings Prince Edward.
There is 1 new hospitalization in Peterborough and 1 new hospitalization in Northumberland.
An additional 6 cases have been resolved, including 4 in Peterborough, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland. An outbreak at LCBO Port Hope has been declared resolved.
Active cases have increased by 3 in Kawartha Lakes and by 1 in Haliburton, decreased by 3 in Peterborough, and remain unchanged in Northumberland and Hastings Prince Edward.
There are currently 59 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 1 from yesterday, including 32 in Peterborough, 14 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward (3 in Quinte West and 3 in Belleville), 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,566 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,513 resolved with 21 deaths), 1,078 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,019 resolved with 57 deaths), 937 in Northumberland County (914 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (120 resolved with 1 death), and 1,127 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,110 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on June 5.
After having to shut down because of the pandemic, Play Cafe owner Sarah Susnar (right) partnered with Sonja Martin (left) in fall 2020 to rebrand and expand Play Cafe as Lavender and Play, a family boutique and studio that doesn't rely on groups of children for its revenue. The Ontario government has denied Lavender and Play's application for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant because it considers it to be a different business than Play Cafe for the grant's revenue eligibility criteria. (Photo: Lavendar and Play)
According to the application guide for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, it is intended “to help small businesses in Ontario that are required to close or significantly restrict services under Ontario’s province-wide shutdown.”
Yet one small business owner in Peterborough, who says her business fits this description perfectly, has spent the past six months unsuccessfully fighting for the grant.
Sarah Susnar, owner of Lavender and Play, says the reason for her grant denial is the same thing that has kept her business afloat this past year — rebranding her business. Susnar and her new business partner Sonja Martin had to take on a different Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) number after they partnered to remodel the previously named Play Café into a family boutique and studio.
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“Parents came in, they would drink coffee, and their kids would play,” Susnar recalls, explaining the business model of Play Café. “We did birthday parties, classes, and had a little pre-school. When the shutdown happened, and I had to close the doors for four months, I realized that we will have to look different when we reopen things. Kids aren’t going to be able to be together, and parents aren’t going to want to take little kids out.”
“I had been working with Sonja for years at the Play Café,” Susnar adds. “She had a business called Rooted Lavender, and she did a lot of my classes at Play Café. So we partnered, bought a bunch of inventory, and reopened as a boutique and studio.”
To be eligible for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, a business must demonstrate it has experienced a revenue decline of at least 20 per cent between April 2019 and April 2020. Since Lavender and Play appears as an entirely new business on paper — despite operating for the past five years under another name and CRA number — the provincial government is calculating their revenue loss by comparing revenue from December 2020 with their highest sales month — which also happens to be December.
“December 2020 was our highest sales month because we’re a toy store at Christmas, so there’s no revenue decline,” says Susnar. “I filled out the application on the very first day it opened in January and waited. It was February when I got the email saying we were denied.”
Susnar says she had no expectations of being denied the grant because, other than the name change and new CRA number, they “had all the criteria” required to receive it.
“We got shut down for four months,” she says. “COVID really affected this business.”
Originally expecting to receive the grant, Susnar and Martin ordered more inventory for Lavender and Play. When they were denied the grant, “we had to go to Community Futures and get a top-up on our loan.”
With applications accepted from late January to early April this year, the Ontario Small Business Support Grant provided $10,000 to $20,000 to help pandemic-affected businesses with their ongoing costs. In March, the Ontario government announced small businesses that already been approved for the grant would automatically receive a second payment equal to the amount of their first payment, for a total grant of $20,000 to $40,000.
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If Lavender and Play had been approved for the grant, Susnar estimates they would have received the minimum amount of $10,000 for each payment.
“$20,000 would pay our rent for months and pay off some of the debt we incurred at Christmas because we had to maintain inventory because stuff was flying off shelves,” Susnar explains.
After the initial shock at being denied the grant, Susnar called the government’s support number. She recalls being told to change some of the application information and expect an email response.
“I waited a few weeks and called again, and they said the same thing,” says Susnar. “Then a few weeks go by and I hear nothing, so I call again. The last person I spoke to said every time you call, and we escalate it, you’re getting bumped to the back of the line.”
“I was really upset about that,” she adds. “I had been talking to a similar business — a play café that switched over to retail — and they said they had emailed all of these MPs and I should try that.”
Susnar wrote her story in an email that she sent along to anyone she could think of who might help: Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Premier Doug Ford, and more. She was then “so excited” when she finally received a call from someone in the Ontario ministry of finance with some guidance on her application.
According to Susnar, she was instructed to redo the application to include her 2019 and 2020 sales. She was given an email address where she was to send her revised application and told to include as much information about her case as possible.
Susnar has also been in contact with the office of the Ombudsman Ontario, who told her they would look into her case. However, they said they would not be able to do anything if she is, in the end, denied the grant.
Susnar says she also corresponded with MPP Smith’s office about the issue at some point between April and June. His office collected information about the case and told Susnar they would look into it.
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But now, in June, none of these correspondences have been followed up with answers.
Then, just the other day, Susnar says she received a call from a woman at the finance ministry.
“She proceeded to tell me why my application was denied,” Susnar recalls. “I told her I knew why and the reasons why it should be approved. I told her I sent in more information like I was asked. She told me there was nothing she could do for me.”
“I feel devastated because I’m now fifty grand or more in debt because of COVID,” says Susnar. “I feel like the government is failing small businesses. They’re falling through the cracks of the criteria they’re asking for.”
Susnar is not the only small business owner experiencing difficulties and delays receiving the grant. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) launched an online petition urging the province to fix the program’s shortcomings.
“Giant gaps in eligibility requirements, unacceptable delays, poor customer service, and the lack of a third round of support have meant my business isn’t getting the help it needs,” the petition reads.
Susnar says she herself knows a handful of other business owners who have experienced a similar difficulty receiving the grant, including a Peterborough restaurant owner who also had to change their CRA number recently.
“They had a different CRA number because they bought the business from somebody else, but it was the same restaurant,” Susnar says. “She said she called and explained it, and they ended up giving the grant to her. I don’t know why that hasn’t happened for me.”
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“Please help us,” Susnar pleads to anyone who might be able to help. “It’s not fair that we should have to go into more and more debt for wanting to support our city and be open.”
For Susnar, being denied the grant adds insult to injury given the nature of Lavender and Play.
“Our business supports postpartum mental health and family wellness. We feel like we’re a vital part of the community. Moms and dads come in here and tell us what’s going on and how they’re feeling.”
Now that Ontario is gradually reopening, Susnar is hoping she can get more customers in the door to help generate more revenue to offset the debt.
“If the community wants to help, it would be wonderful if they could share our business name to family and friends, that we are a family boutique, that we are open again, that they can come and shop, and that they can sign up for classes.”
“It would be really helpful to have more traffic coming in because, with the pivot, people knew us as a play cafe and not necessarily as a store. So we’re still trying to spread the word about that.”
kawarthaNOW contacted the office of Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith for comment on this story.
His office replied, stating in an email they are aware of Susnar’s application and “have worked closely with the applicant” on the application but “due to confidentiality policies, we cannot comment further on any file a constituent or business has with the government.”
Lavender and Play is located at 1-1434 Chemong Road in Peterborough and is open for in-person shopping Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can find the boutique and studio online at their website at lavenderandplay.ca, as well as on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Elyse Saunders, born and raised in Peterborough, is a top 10 finalist in CBC Music's Toyota Searchlight competition for her summer anthem 'Free'. (Publicity photo)
As she awaits word on her Rising Star Award nomination from the Country Music Association of Ontario, anyone that follows Peterborough born and raised singer-songwriter Elyse Saunders knows full well that her star has been rising for quite some time now.
Searchlight winner announced
On June 22, 2021, Toronto R&B musician Jhyve was selected as the grand prize winner of CBC Music’s Toyota Searchlight. Elyse Saunders was one of four runner-ups, along with Michaela Slinger, The Royal Foundry, and Riell.
Since proclaiming during her early teen years that she would one day go to Nashville and be a recording artist, Saunders’ trajectory has indeed taken her to the heights she boldly envisioned.
Others have taken notice in a big way, the latest being the judges who have shortlisted Saunders for the 2021 CBC Music Toyota Searchlight grand prize on the strength of her summer 2020 hit song ‘Free’.
“I was pretty shocked and surprised … to know that they believe in the song and they believe in me as an artist is a huge compliment,” says Saunders of being named a top 10 finalist in what’s billed as CBC Music’s ‘annual hunt for the country’s next great undiscovered talent’.
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“The cool thing about it is I was one of the judges’ picks,” Saunders says, referring to being one of the seven finalists selected by CBC Music producers, with the other three finalists decided by popular vote.
“Two or three artists went through on voting. That helps — I had a lot of fans in my corner — but to know the judges picked my song is a real compliment. My journey in music has come a long way. To know that it’s paying off now, that people are recognizing that and that the stuff I’m putting out is resonating, is huge for me.”
The Toyota Searchlight winner will be announced on Tuesday (June 22) on CBC Radio’s Q with Tom Power, with the big prize being a five-day residency at Studio Bell, the Calgary home of the National Music Centre, with access to recording studios and music production professionals.
VIDEO: “Free” by Elyse Saunders
In addition, the winner will receive a full-service global music promotion distribution campaign from Play MPE for a single or album release and, from Toyota Canada, $2,500 worth of studio recording time and $2,500 worth of music equipment.
Saunders’ song ‘Free’, co-written with Shawn Moore and produced by Dan Swinimer, has garnered more than 500,000 streams on Apple Music, with the video earning more than 100,000 YouTube views while remaining in regular rotation on Stingray Music’s Country Music Video TV channel.
The video also earned Saunders Video Of The Year honours at the Mississauga Music Awards, and has most recently brought her two award nominations from the Country Music Association of Ontario for Female Artist of the Year and the aforementioned Rising Star Award.
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“I wanted to write a summer anthem song,” says Saunders, noting the success of her 2017 song Rise, which has the same empowering feel, proved to her that she was onto something good.
“I was really inspired by my hometown of Peterborough, growing up there and the times of being a teen and feeling a little more free of responsibilities — a time when weekends are most important to you. I wanted to capture those moments. I love nature and the simple things in life and I wanted to put that into lyrics.”
“The message is it’s important we take the time to be in the moment; to slow down and schedule that time to be free. I’m working hard all the time now and I have to schedule in those weekends to have my sanity. It helps ground me and helps me celebrate all of the hard work I’ve put in. It’s nostalgic but it’s also a reminder of that.”
VIDEO: ‘Wine Down’ by Elyse Saunders
Saunders called on friends to be in the video, which was shot at Young’s Cove on Chemong Lake near Ennismore as well as at a friend’s pool and field property.
“Originally I was supposed to do a whole story concept and part of the video was to be filmed on the Musicfest stage (in Del Crary Park) but we couldn’t because of restrictions. I thought ‘We can’t do our big plan so let’s just have fun.’ That’s really what a summer anthem is all about.”
“Dan fell in love with the song and was 100 per cent on board with it,” Saunders says, referring to producer Dan Swinimer, founder of Manicdown Music. “He said ‘This song is a hit and if it doesn’t do what I think it will do, I’m quitting.’ He was right. It’s a song that keeps on giving.”
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‘Free’ is destined for inclusion on Saunders’ new album, also titled Free and scheduled to be released in October. Among its tracks are the early 2021 release ‘Wine Down’, which reached the top spot on Amazon’s Breakthrough Country playlist, and Saunders’ current single ‘Sunshine State of Mind’ which has already close to 70,000 YouTube views.
The upcoming album will be Saunders’ third, the first being a self-titled disc released in late 2008 under the guidance of Peterborough-based Nashville songwriter Cyril Rawson and the second being 2015’s appropriately titled I’m On My Way.
As excited as Saunders is for her new album’s release, not unlike musicians across Canada she’s most looking forward to again performing before live audiences.
VIDEO: ‘Sunshine State Of Mind’ by Elyse Saunders
A backyard concert in Ancaster and a drive-in concert at Blue Mountain are scheduled for September, followed by her Thursday, October 21st appearance at the Showplace Performance Centre as part of Peterborough Performs II: Musicians Against Homelessness.
“We’re starting to set up rehearsals with the band to work out all of the kinks — we’re a little bit rusty but we’ll be back full force,” pledges Saunders, saying the pandemic and associated restrictions left her “shocked and thrown off and a little depressed.”
“I was also supposed to go to Nashville and record a single with a friend for a duet. I had tours set up for the summer (of 2020). There was all this stuff in the works. Everything I know was changing. I tried to find ways to keep busy and have purpose.”
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‘Free’, adds Saunders, was the perfect pandemic tonic, for both herself and her audience.
“It just blew up. I think that was because of the type of song it is. It couldn’t have come at a better time. It found its perfect place.”
As she awaits word on the Searchlight verdict, Saunders says she’s in a very good place, career-wise and personally.
“I’ve been doing it for so long that it’s just part of my life. I don’t really know any different. Where I start to pinch myself is when these successes come or I reach major goals. It’s a reminder to me that it’s pretty amazing to be able to have this gift and be able to help people’s lives in some way through music. It’s pretty cool that I get to do this.”
“I could never have a nine-to-five job. I would go crazy. I love having flexibility and being an entrepreneur. I own my business and I own my art. I can make my own schedule and be my own boss. I do like that.”
“I’ve just scratched the surface. It’s like going through school learning all about the industry. I feel now is the time that I’ve graduated. Now I get to shine.”
For more information on Elyse Saunders, visit elysesaunders.com. For details of the Toyota Searchlight contest, including bios of each of the finalists and videos of their song entries, visit cbc.ca/searchlight.
Due to an increased supply of 3.4 million doses of Moderna vaccine in June, Ontario officals announced on June 17, 2021 the province is further accelerating the roll-out of second doses. (Photo: Peterborough Regional Health Centre)
Ontario is further accelerating the roll-out of second doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
During a technical media briefing on Thursday (June 17), provincial officials provided details of the accelerated roll-out, which is intended to prevent the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant (B.1.617.2, first identified in India).
Beginning on Monday (June 21), adults who received their first dose between April 19 and May 9 will be able to book an earlier appointment for their second dose. Originally, the eligibility date for accelerated second doses was July 19.
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Beginning on Wednesday (June 23), adults who live in Delta hot spots and received their first dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine on or before May 30 can book an accelerated second dose. The current Delta hot spots are Halton, Peel, Porcupine, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, York, Hamilton, Simcoe-Muskoka, and Durham.
Beginning on Monday (June 28), the province will “gradually” accelerate eligibility for second doses for the remaining adult population who received their first dose on and after May 10. Originally, the eligibility date for adults who received their first dose from May 10 to 30 was August 2, and the date for adults who received their first dose May 31 and later was August 16.
For children, youth, and young adults, the province will accelerate the eligibility dates for second doses, originally scheduled between August 9 and 22, but has not yet confirmed the new dates.
Provincial officials provided a schedule for the accelerated roll-out of second doses of COVID-19 vaccines during a technical media briefing on June 17, 2021. (Graphic: Government of Ontario)
According to provincial officials, the acceleration of second doses is possible because additional shipments of the Moderna vaccine have been confirmed for June, including more than 1.2 million doses this week and almost 2.2 million doses next week, for a total of 3.3 million Moderna doses.
The province is also receiving almost 1 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week and each of the following two weeks, for a total of 2.8 million Pfizer doses.
Because the increased vaccine supply is primarily the Moderna vaccine, provincial officials said some people accelerating their second-dose appointments may receive a dose of Moderna rather than Pfizer.
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People booking through the provincial system will only learn which type of vaccine they will receive when they arrive at the clinic. Provincial officials acknowledged that some people have shown reluctance to receive the Moderna vaccine.
For people who received a first dose of AstraZeneca, as of June 14, they became eligible to receive a second dose of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna between eight and 12 weeks after they received their first dose.
To date, 75 per cent of adult Ontarians have received at least one dose of vaccine, with more than 19 per cent of adults fully immunized. Over 48 per cent of Ontarians between 12 and 17 years of age have received at least one dose.
For the second year in a row, the annual fall Crayola Sale at the Lindsay Exhibition has been cancelled because of the pandemic.
Crayola Canada, which has been running the event as a fundraiser for United Way for the City of Kawartha Lakes, decided to cancel the one-day sale that draws hundreds of people from across Ontario seeking Crayola products at discounted prices — some even camping out in advance of the sale.
“With so much uncertainty, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel the sale again, as the health and safety of staff, customers, and volunteers is our highest priority,” say Crayola Canada general manager Paul Murphy in a media release.
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The fundraising sale ran for 30 years prior to its cancellation in 2020, and raised more than $1 million for the United Way in conjunction with Crayola’s workplace campaign.
“The cancellation of the sales does not change Crayola Canada’s commitment to our relationship with the United Way,” Murphy says. “We will continue to work with them and find new ways to support their efforts within our community.”
It's better for students' health and the environment if they have active transportation options when they head back for in-person learning in the fall. Pictured are parents, guardians, teachers, school staff, and other community members in May 2019 during a walkabout of the Immaculate Conception School area in Peterborough's East City, an important opportunity to hear directly from community experts about active school travel challenges and opportunities. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Jaime Akiyama and Sara Crouthers, Program Coordinators at GreenUP.
Summer is nearly here, and schools are continuing with remote learning for the final weeks of this school year.
It is understandable that people are not really thinking about how they travel to school right now but, here at Active School Travel Peterborough, it’s on our minds a lot.
While many families in Peterborough walk or wheel to school, many also drive. When we do get back to in-person learning, it will be more important than ever to encourage active school travel.
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Mobility data shows that, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, car use has increased dramatically. Data from post-lockdown countries shows that car dependence is not reducing as COVID-19 restrictions are reduced.
Luckily, a number of local school communities are on their way to addressing travel barriers with school travel planning, and that number is growing. Funding from Green Communities Canada and the Ontario government is allowing Active School Travel Peterborough to build upon efforts at schools in the City of Peterborough and the Township of Asphodel-Norwood, and to expand into the Township of Selwyn.
The school travel planning process focuses on the five Es approach: education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement, and evaluation. Recently, a sixth ‘E’ was added: equity. Equity has entered into discussions of active travel to allow consideration for how identity affects every aspect of one’s life.
Students at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Norwood participate in a planning exercise during the creation of their school travel plan in November 2018. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
This process works directly with the school community and is tailored to the specific needs of each school. Over the past three years, we have worked closely with communities in Peterborough and Norwood to meet the goals of parents and teachers alike.
“Through our school board’s be well plan, we strive to help students become healthy, active, engaged citizens,” shares Joan Carragher, director of education for the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board. “Active school travel has been shown to help students reach necessary daily physical activity targets and arrive at school with a clear mind, ready to learn.”
“Working alongside GreenUP, our students have been engaged in deep learning with respect to their modes of travel and the impact transportation has on their school communities and the environment. By bringing various stakeholders together, the school travel planning process continues to identify improvements to decrease traffic congestion and create safer school zones.”
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We learned a lot from the first school travel planning schools and look forward to celebrating the completed plans with school communities in the coming school year. We’ve also developed a brand-new program based on the feedback families provided.
What do you do when your kids are too big for the stroller, but still have difficulty keeping up while walking? This in-between period is a challenge for many families.
The solution? Access to a scooter can help balance the different speeds of various family members, making active school travel possible even on busy days. Active School Travel Peterborough’s new ‘Roll & Stroll’ project is getting families moving together. Five schools will be piloting scooter parking and pedestrian safety education in support of school travel planning.
Students work on an “I Spy” activity in May 2019, designed to assist them with navigating Peterborough East City neighbourhood, during a Jane’s Walk event planned in partnership with Active School Travel Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
While continuing work in Peterborough and Norwood, Active School Travel Peterborough is also extending into Selwyn Township. We’ve already been busy meeting schools and students this spring, and will spend the summer popping up in Bridgenorth, Ennismore, and Lakefield (and online) to gather community input.
Selwyn is the most populated municipality in the County of Peterborough and boasts an engaged population and a focus on climate action. School travel planning aligns with other innovative pilots geared towards encouraging sustainable travel, such as the Link — a public transit service connecting Selwyn Township, Curve Lake First Nation, and the City of Peterborough.
“The Township of Selwyn is excited to be bringing school travel planning to Selwyn schools this year,” says Anna Currier, former climate change coordinator for the Township of Selwyn. “School travel planning will help advance the township’s climate change action plan goals.”
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“As part of a continued partnership with GreenUP on community climate action initiatives, school travel planning is an opportunity to cultivate a culture of climate change awareness in the context of transportation,” Currier adds. “Through school travel planning, students, their families, and the wider community benefit from health-promoting transportation alternatives and opportunities to engage with their neighbourhoods and nature in a new way.”
“We’re excited to be involved in this project as a partner with Active School Travel Peterborough,” says Doug Saccoccia, manager of engineering and design for the County of Peterborough. “School travel planning aligns with the goals and objectives of the County’s Active Transportation Master Plan.”
We encourage all residents of Selwyn Township to get involved, have their voices heard, and help us build back better as we work towards a healthy, vibrant school walking culture. Please fill out the family travel survey today. Learn more and find the travel survey by visiting greenup.on.ca/school-travel-planning.
Students from the former King George Public School enjoy a walk on a local trail in October 2019. King George and Armour Heights public schools are being replaced by the new Kaawaate East City School, scheduled to open September 2021. (Photo courtesy of GreenUP)
For more information on school travel planning in the Township of Selwyn, email GreenUP project coordinator Sara Crouthers at sara.crouthers@greenup.on.ca.
For information on the Roll & Stroll project, email Active School Travel Peterborough chair Jaime Akiyama at jaime.akiyama@greenup.on.ca .
Diane Therrien in 2018 shortly after being elected Mayor of Peterborough. At that time, she told kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger she was optimistic the new council would "come together as a team". (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
What seemed liked a good idea at the time has become bogged down in the procedural red tape that is all too often frustratingly commonplace in the political realm.
A series of 21 recommendations emanating from the months-long work of the Community Recovery and Resilience Task Force — chaired by Mayor Diane Therrien — was presented to Peterborough city councillors Monday night (June 14).
The task force’s report came very close to being dismissed outright, as some councillors expressed concern over the future financial implications of the recommendations. Sensing that her motion seeking approval of the recommendations would fall short of the votes needed to pass, Mayor Therrien removed it.
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In its place, she put forward a motion that the task force be reconvened and that it meet with Peterborough Commissioner of Corporate and Legislative Services Richard Freymond to review the recommendations’ possible budget implications with a report coming to council in November.
That motion passed and will go before city council June 28 for a final discussion and vote, at which time registered delegations may speak to the matter.
The road to that point was messy to say the least, prompting Mayor Therrien to issue a lengthy statement on Twitter the morning after the meeting in which she accused some councillors of “using a procedural technicality to try and stall this report.”
She also lamented their “refusal to step up and seize on this opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient community,” adding “It is a refusal to step up and reflect on what is a watershed moment with regards to recovery from the devastating effects of the pandemic on virtually all sectors of Peterborough.”
Some thoughts on last nights general committee meeting. Disappointed, but at this point not surprised @PappasTown If you’d like to read the report and recommendations, it can be found at: https://t.co/fQziOrJtEf item 9 b. pic.twitter.com/F3yI4UAWka
In a subsequent interview with kawarthaNOW, Mayor Therrien said the councillors’ opposition to the recommendations by fearing their financial implications has no basis in truth. In fact, she says, the task force went out of its way to not connect dollars and cents to the recommendations.
“The goal (of the task force) wasn’t to look at things through a financial and economic lens but through the cultural and social impacts of COVID on the community,” Mayor Therrien said.
Many of the report’s recommendations are strategic and long term, and recognize additional work would be required by city staff to identify financial implications and pursue funding sources.
“The task force was very careful to not put any budgetary commitments in (the report),” Mayor Therrien added. “We knew at the moment there were any monetary commitments, council would take issue with it.”
“One of the goals of the task force was to get the city and the community thinking about (pandemic) recovery in a different way as opposed to having it tied to the budget cycle, the four-year election cycle — all that bureaucratic stuff. It’s bigger than that. It’s more complex than that.”
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Mayor Therrien said she had a feeling her motion would be defeated at Monday night’s general committee meeting, having been alerted prior to the meeting by one councillor “who had the courtesy to let me know there was an effort to defeat it without telling me, by using a procedural nitpicking tactic.”
“I’m disappointed but not surprised. During a term of many disheartening moments, this is yet another one. But the hardest part for me is there were so many people that put so much time into this (task force).”
“The process wasn’t perfect, the report certainly isn’t perfect, but the fact that this effort to not talk to me about it is what is most frustrating. People can personally attack me — I’m used to that — but this has impacts on the broader community.”
While those councillors opposed to the task force report cited potential financial implications of the recommendations as their main concern, a source tells kawarthaNOW the big point of contention is some councillors’ claims they were “blindsided” by the recommendations, only being aware of them for the first time when the committee meeting agenda was made available late last week.
The task force was struck in July 2020 with council’s approval. According to its terms of reference, the task force would exist for a six-month term with membership including the council-appointed chairs of social services and arts, culture and heritage (Councillor Keith Riel), waste management (Councillor Gary Baldwin), transportation (Councillor Kemi Akapo), housing (Councillor Henry Clarke), and arena, parks and recreation (Councillor Lesley Parnell), along with four city staff members.
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However, Councillor Riel tells kawarthaNOW he was never invited to any of the task force’s meetings.
“Unless I missed an email or something, I was never asked to attend any of these meetings, even though I’m supposed to be there,” he said, adding Councillors Baldwin and Clarke also weren’t notified of task force meetings either.
“So the meetings took place and then we got this list of recommendations. There are some good ones, there are some that are so-so, but others have huge financial implications for the city. These have to vetted. If on Monday night we just arbitrarily passed and accepted these recommendations, we’d be accepting them without any due diligence. We have to know what the cost is here.”
Councillor Riel adds the first time he saw the recommendations was when he received his committee meeting package last Thursday (June 10).
“I thought ‘Holy God, there are millions and millions of dollars here. There’s a huge impact to our budget here that needs to be addressed. So we’re going to defer it (acceptance of the recommendations) invite the people back together and look at each recommendation.”
“There were community members involved — and God love them for doing that — but we have to go back. Not throw out the baby with the bath water, but look at these recommendations and get the people that were supposed to be at the table together. We’re just starting the budget process, so it’s not a loss. We’ll discuss the recommendations and maybe even add some.”
According to its terms of reference, the task force also includes community representation from a broad range of sectors, including social services, the environment, arts, culture and heritage, sports, parks and recreation, urban Indigenous, and waste management.
One of the task force members is Su Ditta, the executive director of the Electric City Culture Council (EC3). She reiterated Mayor Therrien’s point that these are broad recommendations at this point, put in place to get the ball on pandemic recovery rolling sooner than later, with any financial implications reserved for a fuller discussion at a later time.
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“There are some (recommendations) that have financial implications in principal,” Ditta said. “It would be great to have investments in this kind of recovery program, but (the report) doesn’t ask for any particular amount of money.”
“I think it’s important for the city to have a report like this in hand, with very specific things, to help bolster their argument with the province and the feds for what kind of recovery initiatives they might take if money was offered or being discussed. These are the general priority areas.”
One of the report’s recommendations related to the arts sector reads “Task Force to work with City staff to identify specific financial investments, stimulus measures and City/arts sector partnerships and collaborations to provide support to professional artists, address on-going revenue challenges for arts organizations, help the sector prepare for safe and successful re-opening, and prevent permanent closures and loss.”
Another reads “Explore ways to recognize the important economic and social contributions that Peterborough’s vibrant arts and culture community make to the well-being of all citizens and to the quality of life of in the City of Peterborough. Promote on-going collaboration with and support of the arts, culture and heritage sector to ensure its long-term resilience.”
A full copy of the report to council and its 21 recommendations is provided at the end of this story.
“We have really great ideas coming forward on the environment front, on the Indigenous front, on the arts, culture and heritage front,” Ditta said. “Nobody is saying we need $200,000 for these. I’m not sure what the rationale was behind the push back. I don’t quite understand it.”
Ditta says EC3 will have a representative at the June 28 council meeting to address councillors prior to the vote on Mayor Therrien’s revised motion.
Pointing to the severe impacts of the pandemic on the local arts community, Ditta says the sector “has been perpetually underfunded. Some people think we give too much money to the arts, but the contribution that the arts makes to the economy in Peterborough is well documented. We’ve presented statistics to council many times.”
Despite the finger wagging and personal comments that Monday night’s meeting spawned, Mayor Therrien says the task force will remain active and relevant moving forward.
“The people that are on the task force will continue to do the work because that’s the kind of people they are. People who work in the environmental and non-profit and community-based sectors are used to overcoming obstacles. Still, I’m going to have to give a pep talk at the next meeting.”
Looking ahead to the June 28 council meeting when the matter will again be up for discussion and a vote, Mayor Therrien is hopeful that a central message will emerge.
“The community experts and volunteers that helped with this should be listened to. There is an urgency to this. There’s an opportunity for people to come and speak about the importance of supporting the arts and the environment and the other sectors as opposed to paying lip service to those things.”
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 384 new cases today, with most of the cases in Waterloo (71), Peel (60), Toronto (54). The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 4 to 475.
Hospitalizations have increased by 5 to 438, with ICU patients decreasing by 5 to 377 and patients on ventilators decreasing by 2 to 242. Ontario is reporting 12 new deaths, with no new deaths in long-term care homes.
Over 11.7 million vaccine doses have been administered, a record increase of 202,984 since yesterday, with almost 80 per cent of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. A record increase of 160,964 second doses were administered since yesterday, with almost 15 per cent of the total population now fully vaccinated.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from May 16 – June 15, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from May 16 – June 15, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from May 16 – June 15, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 11 new cases to report, including 4 in Peterborough, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Haliburton.
An additional 10 cases have been resolved, including 5 in Peterborough, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland.
Active cases have increased by 2 in Northumberland and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward, have decreased by 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and remain the same in Peterborough.
There are currently 58 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 2 from yesterday, including 34 in Peterborough, 12 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward (3 in Quinte West and 3 in Belleville), and 6 in Northumberland. There are no active cases in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,564 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,509 resolved with 21 deaths), 1,075 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,019 resolved with 57 deaths), 936 in Northumberland County (913 resolved with 17 deaths), 121 in Haliburton County (120 resolved with 1 death), and 1,127 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,110 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on June 5.
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