Members of the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus (EOWC) at Queen's Park in Toronto in May 2025. EOWC represents 13 counties and single-tier municipal governments across eastern Ontario and advocates for the needs of over 800,000 residents. (Photo: EOWC)
Saying it would reduce “essential access for residents who rely on rail service,” the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) is opposing a proposed VIA Rail Canada pilot project that would eliminate some rail stops in the eastern Ontario region.
On September 24, EOWC chair Bonnie Clark issued a statement about VIA Rail Canada’s decision to introduce direct trains between Toronto and Montreal, which would reduce the number of intermediate stops in communities including Cobourg, Belleville, Brockville, and Kingston.
“The Toronto to Montreal route is a major transportation corridor in eastern Ontario and these cuts will have a profoundly negative impact on our communities,” Clark said. “This decision was made without any consultation with our residents and businesses and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus is extremely frustrated with this decision and supports the efforts of the Eastern Ontario Mayor’ Caucus as well as our MPPs and MPs who stand united against this decision.”
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VIA Rail intended to introduce the three-month pilot of direct service on select trains between Montreal and Toronto on Monday (September 29), but has since delayed the project, citing “operational constraints” with its rail partner CN.
However, the Crown corporation stated it will “continue to work closely with CN to explore solutions that would allow us to test and implement this service in the future.”
In a LinkedIn post that accompanied Clark’s statement, the EOWC said that “communities across eastern Ontario have supported significant public investments, such as VIA’s $1.4 billion fleet modernization, and deserve to see a return on those investments through reliable, inclusive transit service.”
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“The EOWC believes that innovation in transportation must go hand-in-hand with equity and regional inclusion. Removing service from small urban and rural communities not only limits mobility, but also impacts our economic development, sustainability, and population retention.”
“We urge VIA Rail to engage in meaningful, proactive dialogue with local governments to explore solutions that balance efficiency with access, ensuring that all communities along the Toronto-Montreal corridor remain connected.”
On a related issue, EOWC has also expressed concerns about the lack of rail service to eastern Ontario communities in the proposed Alto high-speed rail network between Toronto and Quebec City, which would include a stop in Peterborough.
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Following former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement in February that the consortium had been selected to develop the project and confirmed $3.9 billion in federal funding for the project over six years, Clark sent a letter on behalf of EOWC to Martin Imbleau, president and CEO of Alto, the Crown corporation that will work with the consortium to implement the project.
“While the EOWC supports transportation expansion across rural and small-urban communities as a long-standing priority, if built, this project will cut through our region’s communities without bringing benefits to local businesses, trail systems, tourist destinations, or our 800,000+ residents,” Clark wrote.
“Although we recognize that a stop is planned in Peterborough, overall, the train network will still have little to no benefit for the region as a whole. The EOWC is urging that additional train stop(s) be included across Eastern Ontario as part of the Alto high-speed rail system. Additional stop(s) will improve transit across our rural and small-urban communities as well as strengthen regional connections.”
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On September 11, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced five nation-building projects that he was referring to the new Major Projects Office (MPO), which will work to fast-track the projects by streamlining regulatory assessment and approvals and helping to structure financing, in close partnership with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and private investors.
At the same time, he announced five early-stage projects that, with further development, could also be considered by the MPO — the Alto High-Speed Rail project among them.
“The MPO will work to accelerate engineering, regulatory, and permitting work to enable construction of the project to start in four years, cutting the original eight-year timeline in half,” stated a media release from the Prime Minister’s office.
Mycelium, the part of a fungus hidden under the soil, connects to the roots of trees and provides a network through which trees communicate and transfer carbon nutrients to one another using chemical signals. The reciprocity between species mimic that which can be found through connections in community. (Photo: Yvonne Hollandy / GreenUP)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Alixandrah Lonsdale, former Trent University Communications and Marketing Program Assistant, GreenUP.
Taking action against climate change can feel like an isolating and impossible task at times. Alone, individuals can lower their personal carbon footprint; however, when working together, people can foster greater change. The root of change comes from open communication between community members.
Forests, like communities, thrive the most when there is the opportunity for open communication amongst its members. Members of diverse forests rely on their neighbours for survival through interconnectedness, which is done through mushrooms.
The mushrooms seen on the surface of the earth are the fruit of the fungus — underneath the surface of the earth grows the mushroom’s mycelium (mai-see-lee-uhm), a root-like system that connects plant and fungal life in the forest.
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Mycelium connects to the roots of trees, creating “the nervous system” or “internet” of the Earth, providing a network through which trees communicate and transfer carbon nutrients to one another using chemical signals.
Suzanne Simard, author of the best-selling book Finding the Mother Tree, explains how trees communicate with one another through mycelium. First, she explores how Mother Trees, or hub trees, can identify their kin in the forest and pass them needed nutrients through the mycelium web to help increase their likelihood of survival.
However, trees don’t only share nutrients with their kin. Simard also discovered that different species of trees communicate and share with one another to help each other during difficult seasons.
VIDEO: “How trees talk to each other” – Suzanne Simard
Through the mycelium network, Simard observed that birch trees and Douglas firs engage in two-way conversations.
During the winter when the birch trees shed their leaves, they are unable to absorb carbon to photosynthesize, so the Douglas fir — who keeps its needles year-round — sends it carbon through the mycelium web. Once summer arrives, the birch tree will share some of its nutrients with the Douglas fir in return.
Similarly to trees in a forest, Peterborough’s community is interconnected. People rely on family and other community members to propel green initiatives and keep the community healthy. GreenUP is a Mother Tree in Peterborough’s network, providing valuable programs and information to Peterborough residents and setting the bar for other organizations.
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Green Economy Peterborough provides valuable resources to local businesses, while GreenUP’s home energy program focuses on minimizing the impact home energy consumption has on the planet, and GreenUP’s summer camps and education programs foster a love and respect for the environment within local youth.
Alone, these programs are useful tools for building a greener Peterborough, but together they cultivate a resilient community with a common goal.
The interconnectedness of the forest can teach so much.
GreenUP Urban Bike Adventure campers taking a pancake break earlier this summer. Urban Bike Adventures Camp is one of the many ways Peterborough GreenUP engages community in the climate conversation. Fostering education and a sense of shared purpose between community members strengthens its resilience as a whole. (Photo: Liam Seaker / GreenUP)
“Through back-and-forth conversations, (trees) increase the resilience of the whole community,” Simard said in a 2016 TED Talk. “It probably reminds you of our social communities, and our families.”
Opening the door for all Peterborough stakeholders to participate in the climate conversation allows for important perspectives to be brought to the table, and various needs to be expressed.
In addition, observe how the trees in the above example help and support those most vulnerable in their networks. Similarly, it is important to take climate action now to support the groups in Peterborough who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
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Taking action can improve the quality of life of community members who are currently unable to do so, and enhance the future of the youth who call Peterborough home.
As Simard encourages, “We need to re-establish local involvement in our own forests.”
To learn more about GreenUP’s environmental programming and volunteer opportunities, visit greenup.on.ca and follow @PtboGreenUP on social media.
Alixandrah Lonsdale is a former Trent University communications and marketing program assistant with GreenUP. (Photo: Yvonne Hollandy / GreenUP)
Police have charged a 31-year-old Port Credit man with manslaughter in connection with a death in Bobcaygeon last Saturday night (September 27) and have identified the victim.
Officers with the Kawartha Lakes Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to the Bobcaygeon Agriculture Park on Mansfield Street last Saturday at around 9:18 p.m., where a person was found dead.
Kawartha Lakes OPP issued a media release the following day, indicating the victim’s cause of death had not been confirmed but they believed there was no threat to public safety. Police said the death is being investigated by the Kawartha Lakes OPP Crime Unit under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch.
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On Wednesday (October 3), Kawartha Lakes OPP issued an updated media release identifying the victim as 50-year-old Jason Bucsis of Toronto.
Police also revealed they had taken a person into custody last Saturday night, who they have now identified as 31-year-old Curtis Gordon of Port Credit.
As the result of an investigation, police have now charged Gordon with manslaughter and failure to comply with a release order. They have not released any details about the cause of death or whether Gordon and Bucsis were known to each other.
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The accused man is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Lindsay on Monday (October 6).
The Kawartha Lakes OPP Crime Unit is continuing the investigation under the direction of the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch, in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service. Assistance is being provided by the OPP Forensic Identification Services.
Police are asking anyone with any information that may assist the investigation to contact the Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The late Gerry Smith, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 62, was a sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who retired in 2017 after 30 years of service. (Photo via Peterborough County OPP)
The Smith-Ennismore Community Police will be dedicating their Bridgenorth office to the late Gerry Smith during a service on Thursday (October 2).
Smith was a sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who retired in 2017 after 30 years of service. He passed away suddenly at Campbellford Memorial Hospital on April 5, 2024 at the age of 62.
According to a media release from the Peterborough County OPP, Smith was a “huge supporter” of the OPP Auxiliary Program, Cops for Cancer / Pedal for Hope, and the Community Policing Program. In March, the Peterborough County OPP and Smith’s wife Julia presented the inaugural Auxiliary Award for Professionalism & Leadership, dedicated to Smith’s memory, to Auxiliary Steve Vance.
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Thursday’s short dedication service begins at 11:30 a.m. in the front parking area of the Community Police Office at 826 Ward Street in Bridgenorth.
The outdoor service will include comments from Selwyn Township mayor Sherry Senis, Peterborough County OPP Detachment Commander Chris Galeazza, along with Smith’s family and friends. The public is welcome to attend.
Established in 1992, Smith-Ennismore Community Policing is a volunteer-staffed Community Policing Office that works with the Peterborough County OPP and the township with respect to policing matters in the wards of Smith and Ennismore in Selwyn Township.
Joel Wiebe (middle) receiving the James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in April 2025. After almost five years with the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, including the past three as vice president of government relations and operations, Wiebe is leaving the chamber on October 3, 2025 to take on the role of senior advisor, community relations with Alto, Canada's first high-speed railway, which is currently under development. (Photo: Ontario Chamber of Commerce)
After almost five years, Joel Wiebe is leaving the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce to take a senior position with the Alto high-speed rail project that will connect Toronto to Quebec City with a stop in Peterborough.
Chamber president and CEO Brenda Whitehead, who joined the chamber this past July, announced Wiebe’s imminent departure in an email to members on Wednesday (October 1). His last day in the office will be Friday.
“During his time at the Chamber, Joel has been a passionate advocate for local businesses at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels,” Whitehead writes. “He has worked tirelessly to ensure the voices of our members are heard on issues that matter deeply to our community. His efforts have strengthened the chamber’s role as a trusted voice of business throughout the region.”
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Wiebe joined the chamber in 2021 as government relations coordinator and has been the chamber’s vice president of government relations and operations for the past three years. At the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting and convention in April, he received the James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award that recognizes individuals for their mentorship, integrity, leadership, and impact within the chamber and their local communities.
“It has been a true honour to serve the local business community through the chamber,” Wiebe said according to Whitehead. “Working alongside such engaged members, colleagues, and partners has been deeply rewarding. While I will miss my role here, I am excited to continue advocating for our region through a project that will strengthen our community and open new opportunities.”
Wiebe has accepted the position of senior advisor, community relations with Alto, Canada’s first high-speed railway, that will span around 1,000 km from Toronto to Québec City with stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières. Trains will reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour to cut travel times in half and connect close to half of Canada’s population.
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On September 11, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced five nation-building projects that he was referring to the new Major Projects Office (MPO), which will work to fast-track the projects by streamlining regulatory assessment and approvals and helping to structure financing, in close partnership with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and private investors. At the same time, he announced five early-stage projects that, with further development, could also be considered by the MPO — the Alto High-Speed Rail project among them.
“The MPO will work to accelerate engineering, regulatory, and permitting work to enable construction of the project to start in four years, cutting the original eight-year timeline in half,” stated a media release from the Prime Minister’s office.
In February, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the consortium that had been selected to develop the project and confirmed $3.9 billion in federal funding for the project over six years. Called Cadence, the consortium is an alliance of Canadian and international private partners including CPDQ Infra, AtkinsRéalis, SYSTRA Canada, Keolis Canada, Air Canada, and SNCF Voyageurs.
Cadence will co-develop the project with Alto, formerly known as VIA HFR, which is a Crown corporation formed in 2022 to oversee the high-speed rail project. Alto, which means “high” in Italian, will also be the official name of the high-speed rail service.
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In February, the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce welcomed the announcement.
Former chamber president and CEO Stuart Harrison, a long-time advocate of bringing passenger rail service back to Peterborough, was involved in the non-profit Shining Waters Railway corporation, which produced a 2011 study that inspired VIA Rail’s initial plan to build a new high-frequency rail line from Quebec City to Toronto
Since then, the chamber has been working with VIA Rail, VIA HFR, and now Alto to develop the business case for the rail line.
“Having Peterborough as a major stop on this rail project is a win for the tireless advocacy work of the chamber,” Wiebe said in February.
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As for Wiebe’s departure from the chamber to work with Alto, Whitehead said “we are fortunate to have him as a connection throughout the development of this project.”
“While we are sad to see him go, we are thrilled that he will continue to champion our region in this new role and know he will do well for all of us,” she added.
Before he joined the chamber, Wiebe was communications manager with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area. A Loyalist College journalism graduate, Wiebe was also previously a reporter with Peterborough This Week.
Whitehead is inviting chamber members to give Wiebe a send-off at the “Chamber AM” networking event from 8 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14 at Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough.
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is bringing back the family-friendly "Halloween in the Booro" to downtown Peterborough on October 25, 2025 for its fourth straight year. New this year, several businesses in East City will also be participating. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
With the arrival of October and spooky season, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is going to help kids of all ages celebrate Halloween for the fourth straight year by hosting the family-friendly “Halloween in the Booro” celebration in the downtown core and, new this year, in East City.
Running from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, the free event features spook-tacular family fun including trick-or-treating at more than 45 businesses in the downtown and East City, whimsical costumed characters stationed along George Street and surrounding blocks, and a family fun zone with a Halloween-themed photobooth and costume contests for kids, adults, and pets.
As well as bringing the community together to celebrate the year’s sweetest day in downtown Peterborough (which the DBIA has branded “The Boro”), Halloween in the Booro shines a spotlight on the locally owned, independent businesses that make The Boro a special and unique destination.
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By drawing hundreds of families to the core, the event creates opportunities for residents to discover local businesses, increases evening foot traffic, and supports the small business community that is central to Peterborough’s economy.
“Halloween in the Booro is one of our favourite events,” says DBIA executive director Nour Mazloum in a media release.
“It brings local families and merchants together for a safe, welcoming night of family-friendly fun that highlights everything we love about our downtown. It makes our city feel like home and creates the kinds of memories that keep people returning to the downtown as a destination for their family to enjoy unique activities.”
“Halloween in the Booro” in downtown Peterborough on October 25, 2025 is for kids of all ages. This year’s event will feature a fun Halloween-themed photobooth and costume contests for kids, adults, and pets. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Participating businesses like the Boardwalk Game Lounge at 261 George Street North will be decorating their storefronts and handing out Halloween treats.
“We’ve loved seeing how Halloween in the Booro has continued to grow each year, bringing more families downtown and shining a light on local businesses,” says co-owner Dylan Reinhart.
“It’s become a tradition for many, and events like this are a great reminder of how vibrant and welcoming our downtown really is.”
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Halloween in the Booro is free for everyone to attend, and the Peterborough DBIA encourages families — locals and visitors alike — to come downtown and join the celebration.
To keep up to date on Halloween in the Booro and other DBIA events, visit theboro.ca and follow The Boro on Instagram and Facebook.
During “Halloween in the Booro” in downtown Peterborough on October 25, 2025, whimsical costumed characters will be stationed along George Street and surrounding blocks to greet trick-or-treaters. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness was founded after Buckhorn resident Jodi Forestell found herself feeling unwell and groggy in her mid-forties. She found healing through a holistic lifestyle focused on the pillars of nutrition, exercise, stress, and sleep and now supports other clients feel like themselves again as a Natural Nutritionist Clinical Practitioner, Metabolic Balance Coach, and Forest Therapy Guide. Through her practice, she recommends many local businesses who align with her holistic wellness approach. (Photo courtesy of Jodi Forestell)
Through her small business, certified holistic nutritionist and forest therapy guide Jodi Forestell is not only helping locals across The Kawarthas build healthy lifestyles, but she is building healthy communities.
Residing in Buckhorn in the Municipality of Trent Lakes, one of eight townships in Peterborough County, Forestell began her online business Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness after she found herself dealing with anxiety and feeling unwell in her mid-forties.
After finding healing through holistic solutions, she wanted to share her discoveries with others and became a Natural Nutritionist Clinical Practitioner, Metabolic Balance Coach, and Forest Therapy Guide. By focusing on four main pillars of health (stress, sleep, nutrition, and exercise), Forestell helps individuals who struggle with a lack of energy, weight gain, brain fog, and stress to get them back to feeling like themselves again.
Through her six-month Metabolic Balance program, Forestell creates a customized nutrition plan based on a client’s lab test results and lifestyle and provides them with accountability. She is also updating the Nourish & Thrive Formula she designed to help women nourish their bodies and reduce symptoms of menopause through stress management, sleep, gut health, movement, and nutrition. The improved eight-week group course will be launching in 2026 and Forestell is currently searching for test group participants.
“I really want women to understand that, yes, nutrition plays a major role in their well-being,” she says. “But I also want them to understand that those other three pillars — sleep, stress, and movement — can have a major impact on their health.”
In addition to leading nutrition workshops for local businesses, Jodi Forestell donates her time by leading forest bathing walks for local organizations including Kawartha Land Trust, Peterborough Hospice, and the YES Shelter for Youth and Families. (Photo courtesy of Jodi Forestell
To support her practice and help clients feel like their best selves, Forestell often recommends local businesses that align with her own work and values. Some of these businesses include holistic health practitioner and menstrual cycle guide Heather Litster of Peterborough’s Moon & Bloom, Gravity Pilates Studio in Peterborough, and naturopath Dr. Meaghan McLaren. To gather ingredients and vitamins for the nutrition plans, Forestell supports regional farms like Davis Orchards in Douro-Dummer as well as Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods in Peterborough and Lindsay.
Earlier this year, Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness was the nutrition support for a challenge being done at F45 Training PTBO Central. She has also hosted nutrition workshops for the gym’s clients, as well as for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and for students at Fleming College through the Peterborough Sports and Wellness Centre.
To further contribute to making healthy communities, Forestell donates her time as a forest therapy guide to various organizations. She regularly leads walks with Hospice Peterborough and will soon be hosting some for the clients at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families as well as the Kawartha Land Trust. Further giving back to her community, Forestell is a member of the Women’s Business Network and 100 Women Peterborough.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark with Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Brenda Whitehead, both wearing orange shirts in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, during the second annual Warden's Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene's Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW
Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark provided the equivalent of a state-of-the-union address Tuesday morning (September 30) before a gathering of economic development, business, and community leaders.
The second annual Warden’s Breakfast, sponsored by Enbridge in partnership with the county, was held in the McCloskey International Great Hall in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum.
Hosted by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, the main event saw Warden Clark, who is also the current chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, field questions posed by chamber president and CEO Brenda Whitehead.
During their 40-minute interaction, the warden shared her thoughts on a number on a number of challenges and issues as they pertain to the county proper, as well as its eight municipalities.
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Back in April 2024, during the inaugural Warden’s Breakfast, the then-pending dissolution of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, which provided services to the county, was on the mind of many in the audience who wondered just the county would pivot to provide those services.
On Tuesday, Warden Clark noted the county has since “looked at economic development in a couple of different ways, and has picked priorities.”
“The first one is agriculture. We’ve looked at how we can support, how we can expand, whether it’s food hubs, the overall volume of what is being produced, looking at institutional, looking at restaurants, that kind of thing. Also looking at the agritourism business. It is global and certainly something I think we can expand.”
“Around businesses, our philosophy is to support the businesses we have, first and foremost. It has been hard with the tariffs and going through COVID, and they are a priority. We have a website around economic development that you can follow and reach out for support there. But, in saying that, I don’t think we’re ever going to have a mega manufacturing sector when you look at the lay of the land.”
Economic development, business, and community leaders gathered in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on the morning of September 30, 2025 for the second annual Warden’s Breakfast featuring Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Key, said Warden Clark, is investment in transportation corridors “to make sure the county is connected.”
“We’re going to need hydro. We’re going to need natural gas. We have to look at our infrastructure. Our water and wastewater — we need a huge investment in that. Hopefully the province steps forward again. We know that Selwyn needs an upgrade of its water system. Cavan-Monaghan got a nice start, but water systems cost a lot. We need a lot of investment, so we’ll be lobbying the (provincial) government hard.”
“But when you get growth, you also get the social side — the need to be able to have young families be able to work. We have a huge waiting list for daycare. There are so many spin-offs involving growth that we have to be very cognizant of and invest wisely.”
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Warden Clark also touched on the creation of employment lands: property that already has infrastructure in place to accommodate businesses looking to locate here.
“The county is working with the city (of Peterborough). We’ve always been at the table talking about that. But in saying that, we’re doing our own employment land survey, looking at what we have here in the county. We know there’s a lot of interest in Cavan-Monaghan. There are also opportunities on the Chemong Road commercial corridor. But you do need water and waste (systems) capacity. It takes a long time to put that into the ground.”
“But we are looking at standing on our own two feet, developing our own lands. We can’t wait until that survey is completed because, with the growth plan the province has put out, there are opportunities.”
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When the discussion turned to the formation and adoption of a new official plan for the county, Warden Clark expressed some frustration over the delay in that process.
“I can’t tell you what the hold-up is, but I can tell you what the hold-up isn’t and that’s the county,” she said, drawing laughter and hearty applause.
“It was rush, rush, rush to get our official plan done by June of 2022 and we met that deadline, then the province changed it to the provincial planning statement,” she said, referring to the Ontario government’s October 2024 province-wide land use planning policy framework, intended to provide municipalities with the tools and flexibility to build more homes through their official plans.
“That made changes to our official plan. If we had adopted (our official plan), it would have been redundant. We went to the (provincial) minister (Paul Calandra) and asked ‘Do we really have to do this whole thing all over? Can’t we take some sections out?'”
As Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Brenda Whitehead looks on, Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark addresses the audience during the second annual Warden’s Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Minister Calandra, says Warden Clark, subsequently approved what is termed a “red line approach” — a process which facilitates the revision of some sections as opposed to a wholesale start-to-finish revision of the entire plan.
“In saying that, our planning department has been working day and night. We had to have public consultations yet again. That takes time. Now we are hopeful — I’m being very optimistic — that by January 2026 it does go through. We are assured it is on the (minister’s) desk. It’s not on the bottom of the pile. It’s on the top. Our red line entries have been accepted.”
Meanwhile, with curbside blue box pickup set to end come January 1st for businesses, institutions, and service points, Warden Clark said the county has lobbied the province hard on that pending change.
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“One of the things the province has moved on is multi-residential units — they were going to not pick up recyclables from those. The other thing we’re pushing strong on, especially for rural Ontario, is the fact that recycling (collection companies) can’t pick up from businesses and residences with the same vehicle, which is asinine. You talk about a carbon footprint.”
“Each municipality in the county, as well as the county, has written letters (to the province). We’ve weighed in when there has been calls from the province around our position on this. We will keep pushing. We know that every landfill in Ontario has less than a decade of life. This is just filling those landfills. This is not what we want and we will not move on that (position).”
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Other talking points centred around family physician recruitment efforts and increasing tourism to Peterborough County. The latter saw Warden Clark give a shout-out to kawarthaNOW for “a great partnership” which to date has seen the digital media platform publish 23 of 25 “The Local Advantage” stories promoting county businesses and attractions.
As for the county’s ongoing relationship with the City of Peterborough, the ever-optimistic warden refuted any perception the county and city are working less closely together to the detriment of the region. Quite the opposite, she said.
“County council has a very good relationship with city council. We work closely on physician recruitment. There’s the summer job fair for students that the city and the county hosted. We do many things together. I’m thinking of social services, the paramedics the county takes care of for the city and the county, and our waste management. We’re both looking at employment lands. The press (media) likes drama, but there are things happening behind the scenes that people don’t see.”
Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) CEO Jason St. Pierre took to the podium during the second annual Warden’s Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025 to share progress made on improving cell and internet service in rural eastern Ontario. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Prior to Warden Clark’s time on stage, Jason St. Pierre, the CEO of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN), took to the podium to share progress made in terms of a challenge that has faced rural Ontario for years in the form of cell and internet service connectivity issues.
“There were large gaps across Eastern Ontario and there was no plan to try and close those gaps,” he said.
“The EOWC (Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus) reached to the EORN and tasked us to begin doing the work; doing analysis and creating a business plan. In 2020, the provincial government agreed to the plan and supported that.”
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The goal, said St. Pierre, is 99 per cent coverage in Eastern Ontario, including Peterborough County, for people to make and receive voice calls. In addition, 95 per cent of people will be able to receive standard definition services — web browsing, email, online banking, social media access — where they “work, live, and travel.” In addition, 85 per cent of people will receive high-definition coverage, which allows for video conferencing, Zoom calls, streaming and other “intensive applications.”
But such extension of services doesn’t come cheap — addressing the Eastern Ontario cell gap project alone estimated to cost $300 million. The federal and provincial governments are investing $71 million each, with another $10 million coming from the EWOC and the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus, along with $681,000 from Peterborough County and $564,000 from the City of Peterborough. Rogers, meanwhile, is making a minimum investment of $150 million.
“Broadband networks are no longer a distant promise — they are here, and they’re transforming how we live, work, and connect,” said St. Pierre.
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Following the event, Warden Clark told kawarthaNOW that gatherings like this allow her “the opportunity to let people know what we’re working on, and that we’re here to receive input. We’re here as vessels to listen to who we serve, and that is our constituents. We need to hear from them.”
“As a county, we’re creatures of the province. We talked about recycling and how we’re not happy with the way that’s being handled. Tariffs are certainly affecting our businesses, so we’re cognizant of that and how we can support our businesses.”
Over the next year — Clark’s last year in the role of warden — “a laundry list” of issues, both ongoing and new, will require debate and action.
“I feel we have pushed the ball forward and have momentum. I feel we’re gaining. We’re gaining for everyone, for our communities, and that’s fulfilling.”
At the end of the Warden’s Breakfast, Lifloc Holsteins (Thom and Krista Murray and family) was recognized as the 2025 Peterborough County Farm Family of the Year. The annual award is sponsored by the Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture and the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
Lifloc Holsteins (Thom and Krista Murray and family) was recognized as the 2025 Peterborough County Farm Family of the Year during the second annual Warden’s Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025. The annual award is sponsored by the Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture and the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Three of the 150 women who participated in the 2024 She Owns It Women's Entrepreneurship Conference. Presented once again by the Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland (BECN), the third annual event takes place on November 6, 2025 at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre. (Photo: BECN)
With scores of successful female entrepreneurs in the area, women in Northumberland County and beyond are proving they “own it.”
The Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland (BECN) is inviting women to come together for the third annual entrepreneurship conference, “She Owns It,” taking place on Thursday, November 6 in Cobourg.
“As we head into our third year of the in-person She Owns It conference, our biggest hope is to truly reflect the voices of our past attendees,” BECN business development coordinator Kailyn Coupland told kawarthaNOW. “We’ve listened closely to their feedback, and this year we’re shaking things up to make the event even more engaging, inspiring, and practical.”
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“Each year, we’re proud to welcome women entrepreneurs from across southeastern Ontario, from Toronto to Kawartha Lakes to Prince Edward County, and connect them with a day that blends motivation, education, and meaningful interaction,” Coupland said. “This year’s program balances both local talent and international perspective: a powerful keynote, an authentic business panel, and hands-on workshops designed so attendees can walk away with strategies they can apply immediately in their own businesses.”
Designed to empower, inspire, and connect women, “She Owns It” has welcomed more than 150 attendees from the county and elsewhere each year since its launch.
“This growing reach underscores the scale and excitement of the event, which has quickly become a must-attend gathering for women in business across the region,” the BECN noted in a media release.
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This year’s conference, taking place at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre at 930 Burnham Street, is expanding to a full day schedule that boasts a line-up of speakers. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., with registration opening at 9:15 a.m.
Keynote speaker Leisse Wilcox, an award-winning speaker, executive coach, and bestselling author, will kick off the day with a session about “how to own the room and leverage your leadership voice, impact, and presence.”
“Backed by neuroscience and delivered with equal parts humour, hard truths, and practical strategies, Leisse will share insights from over 20 years of experience helping leaders cut through mental clutter and lead with courage.”
Following the keynote presentation, four local women in business will share their stories, strategies, and lessons learned during a panel discussion. The panel includes Cobourg-based influencer and content creator Tash Cook, D’s Modern Caribbean chef and owner Dawn Fryer, Sandra Dee’s Consulting for Seniors and Family founder Sandra Dee Hicks, and The GoldenLine Spiritual Studio founder Tiffany Jarvis.
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Mel Hannah from KX 105 in Peterborough is returning as the emcee for the event, which will also include two hands-on workshops and an interactive “Solve Sprint” session designed to spark collaboration, tackle business challenges, and create meaningful connections with other business owners.
The interactive workshops planned for the afternoon include “The Human-First AI Sales Playbook: Five Steps to Win More Customers in Just 15 Minutes” with BriteLite founder and AI educator Claire Bouvier and “Key Ingredients to Transform Your Business, Income & Impact” with author, speaker, television host, and entrepreneur Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse.
The conference is presented in partnership with TD Bank Cobourg and TD Insurance.
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Tickets for the event are limited, and advance registration is required. Tickets are $52 plus tax and can be purchased at northumberland.ca/sheownsit.
The BECN expects attendees will leave with practical tools, expanded networks, and renewed motivation to pursue their entrepreneurial goals.
“Our hope is to sell out once again but, more importantly, to create a day where both first-time participants and returning attendees feel inspired, connected, and supported as part of the She Owns It community,” Coupland concluded.
The BECN is a leading source for business information, strategy, resources, and education for entrepreneurs and small business owners in Northumberland. A service delivered by Northumberland County in partnership with the Province of Ontario, the BECN offers micro grants, free consultations, training, information and resources, and workshops and seminars for community members thinking of starting or expanding a small business in the county.
Warsaw-based consultant Rudy Massimo recently published a memoir titled "Where the Trails Lead: One man's journey of adventure, adversity and leadership." Originally written for his three adult children, the memoir chronicles the outdoor adventures Massimo has taken throughout his life, while weaving in life lessons learned from decades spent in leadership positions and his complicated personal relationships. (Photo courtesy of Rudy Massimo)
According to Warsaw-based consultant Rudy Massimo, watching a kid interact at the skatepark is one of the best ways to identify if they have the potential to grow into a leader or entrepreneur.
That’s one of the many life lessons, leadership insights, and stories of adventures that Massimo shares in his recently published memoir Where the Trails Lead.
Subtitled “One man’s journey of adventure, adversity and leadership,” the memoir explores Massimo’s life from the streets of New York City to the peaks of South America and the outback of the Canadian north. Chronicling his life, it covers stories of adventure, shifting relationships, professional highs and lows, and the people who were there for him every step of the way.
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“It’s become so much more than a memoir,” Massimo says. “Everyone takes something different away from the book.”
As president of Rudy Massimo & Associates, Massimo offer a range of philanthropic, leadership, and educational consulting services. He draws from his own background in leadership positions, including as executive director of Camp Kawartha for a decade, founder of Peak Adventures Inc., CEO of Outward Bound Canada, and a campaign leader for Lakefield College School.
These insights combined with his lifelong pursuit of outdoor adventures many can only dream of — dog sledding in the Yukon, participating in the Boston Marathon, and a year-long adventure climbing mountains to name a few — prompted his three adult children to encourage him to begin writing a book. It was only when his editor suggested his memoir might have a broader audience did he decide to print more than just three copies of it to give to his children.
Throughout his memoir “Where the Trails Lead,” Rudy Massimo tells stories and the life lessons he learned while on many outdoor adventures, including a year spent climbing mountains around the world with his wife and dog sledding in the Yukon. Alongside his stories of adventures, he shares what he learned throughout decades in various leadership positions for businesses, non-profits, and schools. (Photo courtesy of Rudy Massimo)
Given that throughout his life Massimo was also hearing stories about his father’s experience as a post-World War II immigrant from Italy, he always wanted these stories to be documented as well. When Massimo’s father was just a child, he was separated from his family who had been displaced and, years later, sought to begin a new life in North America.
Massimo was inspired to include stories about his father as the opening chapter of Where the Trails Lead, while the final scenes of the book explore his own trip to Italy in 2022 where Massimo visited the collapsing, boarded-up, and war-torn home his father had lived in.
“I wanted to record some of that history from my father, but I also really wanted to trace back to where it all began,” Massimo says. “In each one of these homes, there’s a story. Someone lived in these homes, and I’m telling you my story and I suspect it’s the beginning of other stories to come. It goes full circle from my dad living in this home to having the sense of walking in his steps down these cobbled roads. That’s why it’s called Where the Trails Lead.”
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The memoir explores Massimo’s childhood and teenage years in New York City, the discovery of his passion for sports and outdoor adventures, and the many lessons about death and falling he learned from exploring mountain peaks.
But woven throughout the story of adventure are stories of leadership, and some of the key pieces of advice he passes on to clients now, like the importance of early succession planning.
“I think people wait too long to talk about succession and leadership transitions and often those transitions are not smooth, especially if leaders stay far too long,” he says. “What happens then is their identity is so tied up with their title of CEO that they don’t like the thought that if they leave, they’re nobody — just regular Joe Blow from Idaho walking the streets. Being the head or the principal or executive director gives them purpose.”
Rudy Massimo originally began writing his memoir “Where the Trails Leads” after his adult children wanted him to record the stories of the many outdoor adventure and leadership roles he had had throughout his life. His editor suggested the book may appeal to be broader audience. (Photo courtesy of Rudy Massimo)
“There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of ego,” Massimo notes. “But it’s dangerous when you can’t let go of it and, in fact, it could be detrimental to the organization that you love so deeply.”
In Where the Trails Lead, Massimo goes into more detail about a topic that he often talks and writes about, which is the belief that “there is no better activity in the world to identify (a child’s) potential to be future leaders than skateboarding.”
This, he says, is because there are no referees or whistle-blowers.
“Every single skateboard park is self-directed, so when you see the little guy going in he’s doing one thing and one thing only: he’s observing the culture, he’s observing the court rules for that skatepark,” Massimo says. “And once he’s figured it out, he jumps in and goes. No one cuts in. You have to figure it out as you’re going and that doesn’t happen in any sport.”
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Massimo adds the skateboarding child fails nearly “99 per cent of the time” before finally landing the trick weeks later. He says this resiliency, dedication, and risk-taking is something they carry with them throughout their life.
“That tenacious behaviour is unprecedented,” he points out. “Sometimes they’re mentored by older kids, and when the kid lands the trick, the whole park explodes. It’s like the community celebrates that kid’s achievement because he was resilient, he had grit, he worked through the problem.”
Between these insights, Massimo tells stories of personal relationships, like the Magic Sugar Jaw he used to teach his children about manners and chores, and — the most difficult part of the memoir to write — the collapse of his marriage and reconciliation with his wife six years later.
“Where the Trails Lead” is a memoir written by Rudy Massimo, a leadership consultant who resides in Warsaw. While the memoir explores some of his professional and personal accomplishments, he also does not shy away from exploring his imperfections and the mistakes he has made. The book can be purchased through Massimo, at Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield, or through Amazon. (Images via Amazon)
But through poignant reflection, one thing Massimo does not shy away from in his memoir is admitting to the things he did not get quite right.
“I’ve done some pretty funky things in my lifetime but I’m not perfect and I made a lot of mistakes, and I share those mistakes openly,” he says. “We’re imperfect human beings.”
“I often read on LinkedIn about how great everybody is — ‘I’m great’, ‘I have top sales this month’ — but I don’t buy it anymore. I think we lose our sense of authenticity when we try to portray ourselves as being too perfect, and I think we’ve missed the boat in terms of what we’re looking for in true leaders.”
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While readers are taking away different messages from Massimo’s memoir, from it being a love story to a guidebook on leadership, for Massimo it’s about the relationships that have shaped his life.
“I’ve summited mountains and I waved the flag at the top, but that’s not what it’s about,” he says. “It’s about the people that I’ve met, the journeys that I’ve been on with those people, and being able to still contribute to organizations I’m passionate about. I’m hoping I’ll continue to make a difference for the rest of my life in some small way if I can.”
Where the Trails Lead can be purchased at Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield, online through Amazon, or by emailing Massimo at rudymassimo@gmail.com.
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