A detail of an illustration created by local artist Jason Wilkins in real-time to capture ideas and key concepts shared at a 2019 community forum on the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. The forum brought together 120 community leaders, politicians, students, and educators to learn more about the agenda and to identify priorities for the Peterborough region using collaborative activities and discussion. (Photo: Kawartha World Issues Centre)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Hayley Goodchild, Sustainability and Landscaping Project Coordinator at GreenUP.
This is the first article in a three-part series about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (also called the 2030 Agenda).
In Part 1, we explain what the 2030 Agenda is and how the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC) and GreenUP are working together to advance the agenda locally.
On the cusp of 2021, I’m reflecting on the importance of the next decade for improving the health and well-being of all life on Earth. Time is of the essence. COVID-19 has contributed to the first increase in global poverty in decades, and scientists warn that we must massively reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 to prevent catastrophic climate change.
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development offers a way to navigate these interconnected crises. It is an ambitious global plan to “free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want, and to heal and secure our planet.”
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The 2030 Agenda: 17 goals for sustainable development
Haven’t heard of this 2030 Agenda? You’re not alone. A survey conducted by the World Economic Forum in 2019 found that just 51 per cent of Canadians are aware of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), well below the estimated global rate of awareness of 74 per cent.
The 2030 Agenda was adopted by the United Nations general assembly in 2015. It is a framework of 17 interconnected goals ranging from ending poverty to combating climate change. The Millennium Development Goals focused on the development of the Global South and served as the predecessor to the SDGs. Unlike the Millennium Development Goals, the SDGs apply to every nation around the world.
The 2030 Agenda, adopted by the United Nations general assembly in 2015, is a framework of 17 interconnected sustainable development goals addressing the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. (Graphics: United Nations)
I like to think of the 2030 Agenda as a forest, where each SDG is a unique tree that is integral to the whole. In a forest, trees are only as healthy as the soil that feeds them.
Equity is the soil that nourishes each of the SDGs and makes their achievement possible. The United Nations calls this underlying principle “Leave No One Behind.” In Canada, leaving no one behind means reckoning with the injustices facing Indigenous peoples, people of colour, people with disabilities, women and gender-diverse people, and others.
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Connecting the global to the local
In 2019, local efforts to increase awareness about the SDGs kicked off with a community event hosted by the Kawartha World Issues Centre (KWIC), GreenUP, Fleming College’s Office of Sustainability, the Ontario Council for International Cooperation, Trent University, and the Regional Centre for Expertise.
This forum brought together 120 community leaders, politicians, students, and educators to learn more about the 2030 Agenda. Participants identified priorities for our region using collaborative activities and discussion.
“I enjoyed how we were able to get so many different groups of people, of different ages and backgrounds, to collaborate and prioritize these goals in Peterborough,” explains Faith Mwesigye, who helped organize the forum. “It was a good example of what can happen when different voices come together to listen and learn from each other.”
In Peterborough, the Kawartha World Issues Centre and GreenUP are working together to advance the 2030 Agenda locally, focusing on five of the 17 goals: ending poverty, providing quality education, clean water and sanitation, climate action, and partnerships with Indigenous peoples. (Graphics: United Nations)
In 2020, KWIC was awarded federal funding to build upon the foundations established at that event, in partnership with GreenUP. We’ve formed five diverse and inclusive action teams to promote further action toward the 2030 Agenda while leaving no one behind.
Four of the teams are organized around specific goals: No Poverty (SDG 1), Quality Education (SDG 4), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), and Climate Action (SDG 13). The fifth group, called the Indigenous Leadership Action Team (ILAT), supports the work of the other four groups by bringing diverse Indigenous perspectives to each issue.
All five teams are connected to priorities identified at the 2019 Community Forum.
One of the five local priorities for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is eliminating poverty. (Graphic courtesy of GreenUP)One of the five local priorities for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is providing high-quality education. (Graphic courtesy of GreenUP)One of the five local priorities for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is providing clean water and sanitation. (Graphic courtesy of GreenUP)One of the five local priorities for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is taking action on climate change. (Graphic courtesy of GreenUP)One of the five local priorities for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is creating partnerships on the goals, specifically with Indigenous peoples. (Graphic courtesy of GreenUP)
“Too often in Canada and within the SDGs, Indigenous peoples are the furthest left behind,” explains Shaelyn Wabegijig, one of the coordinators of the project and an Algonquin youth. “This work is about learning how to maintain good relationships between people and the natural world we are part of.”
“Michi Saagiig community members carry the knowledge of their ancestors to maintain good relationships in this place since time immemorial,” Wabegijig adds. “This is why it is so important for Michi Saagig community members to guide our work through the Indigenous leadership action team.”
In addition to the Indigenous leadership action team, two Indigenous consultants and an Elder advisor are supporting the SDG project as a whole.
On February 24 and 25, 2021, Advancing the 2030 Agenda in Peterborough Nogojiwanong will culminate in a second Community Forum. At this forum, Indigenous leadership and the action teams will share their work and discuss next steps in the spirit of leaving no one behind.
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Coming up in February
Look for Part 2 of this series of articles in February. In that article, we speak with the project’s Indigenous consultants and Elder advisor to learn more about how Indigenous knowledge and leadership are guiding this work and promoting action toward the 2030 Agenda in a good way.
Advancing the 2030 Agenda is funded through the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Program. For more information about the project and our 2021 Community Forum, please visit greenup.on.ca/sdg/.
Canada's public safety and emergency preparedness minister Bill Blair speaking virtually at a media conference on December 30, 2020, when the federal government announced all air travellers entering Canada must prove they have had a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours before arriving in the country. (CPAC screenshot)
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
After reporting a record increase of 2,553 new cases yesterday, today Ontario is reporting a new record of 2,923 cases, with the seven-day average of daily cases across the province increasing by 74 to 2,310.
As provincial data and individual public health unit data will not be available on New Year’s Day as it is a statutory holiday. kawarthaNOW will not be posting a COVID-19 update on January 1. Data for January 1 will be included in the January 2 update.
On the heels of intense criticism of Ontario finance minister Rod Phillips contravening provincial public health directives by taking a personal vacation to the Caribbean in December, the federal government announced today that all air travellers entering Canada must prove they have had a negative PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours before arriving in the country.
“We have implemented some of the strongest border measures in the world,” said Bill Blair, federal public safety and emergency preparedness minister, during a media conference. “Today, we want to reinforce a very simple but important message: we strongly advise against travel unless it is absolutely necessary. No government in Canada can prevent Canadians from travelling, but we want to be very clear — we strongly advise against all discretionary travel.”
The new requirement takes effect on January 7, 2021. Blair emphasized it does not replace the mandatory 14-day quarantine period when travellers enter the country.
“If you must travel, understand that upon your return to Canada, you must follow guidelines and quarantine for 14 days,” Blair said. “It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the law.”
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 24 new cases to report and 19 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region increasing by 4 to 115.
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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (with another record increase of 998), Peel (441), York (408), Durham (158), Windsor-Essex (144), and Halton (114).
There are double-digit increases in Niagara (82), Hamilton (69), Waterloo (69), Ottawa (68), Middlesex-London (67), Simcoe Muskoka (65), Southwestern Public Health (46), Lambton (40), Brant (25), Chatham-Kent (21), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (20), Huron Perth (17), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (16), and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (12), with smaller increases in Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (8) and North Bay Parry Sound (6).
The remaining 12 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 3 health units (all in northern Ontairo) reporting no new cases at all.
New infections continue to predominate in people 40 years of age and older, with 52% of today’s cases in that age group. The highest number of cases (1,039) remains among people ages 20-39, followed by 885 cases among people ages 40-59 and 458 cases among people ages 60-79. With 2,237 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.2% to 86.0%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 1.3% to 8.4%, meaning that 84 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 29.
Ontario is reporting 19 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 12 deaths in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 313 to 1,177, although this increase is from the 864 hospitalizations reported on December 28, which omitted data from more than 10% of Ontario hospitals and was likely higher than reported. With 19 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs reported today, there are now 323 COVID-19 ICU patients in Ontario.
A total of 39,210 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 22,105 to 54,955.
Due to the winter break and the remote learning period during the provincial shutdown, there will be no data to report for Ontario schools between December 22 and January 8. There are 40 new cases in licensed child care settings, an increase of 11 since yesterday, with 10 cases among children and 30 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 24 new cases to report, including 17 in Peterborough, 4 in Hastings Prince Edward (including 1 in North Hastings), 2 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland. There are no new cases in Haliburton. None of the new cases in licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There is 1 new hospitalization in Kawartha Lakes and 1 new hospitalization in Northumberland.
An additional 19 cases have been resolved, including 7 in Hastings Prince Edward, 6 in Northumberland, 4 in Peterborough, and 2 in Kawartha Lakes.
There are currently 115 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 4 from yesterday, including 60 in Peterborough, 19 in Hastings Prince Edward (8 in Quinte West, 9 in Belleville, 1 in Prince Edward County, and 1 in North Hastings), 20 in Kawartha Lakes, 14 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 335 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (270 resolved with 5 deaths), 246 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (207 resolved with 32 deaths), 232 in Northumberland County (216 resolved with 2 deaths), 29 in Haliburton County (27 resolved with no deaths), and 277 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (253 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on December 27.
Province-wide, there have been 178,831 confirmed cases, an increase of 2,923 from yesterday, with 153,799 cases resolved (86.0% of all cases), an increase of 2,237 from yesterday. There have been 4,474 deaths, an increase of 19 from yesterday, with 2,738 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 12 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 313 to 1,177, although this increase is from the 864 hospitalizations reported on December 28, which omitted data from more than 10% of Ontario hospitals and was likely higher than reported. With 19 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs reported today, there are now 323 COVID-19 ICU patients in Ontario. With 3 fewer COVID-19 patients on ventilators reported today, there are now 204 COVID-19 patients on ventilators. A total of 7,858,200 tests have been completed, an increase of 39,210 from yesterday, with 54,955 tests under investigation, an increase of 22,105 from yesterday.
The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.
17 new cases
4 resolved
60 active cases
Confirmed positive: 335 (increase of 17) Active cases: 60 (increase of 13) Close contacts: 203 (decrease of 10) Deaths: 5 (no change) Resolved: 270 (increase of 4) Hospitalizations (total to date): 14 (increase of 1)* Total tests completed: Over 39,100 (increase of 100) Institutional outbreaks: Riverview Manor in Peterborough, Unidentified congregate living setting (no change)
*As of December 29, Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in the ICU (transferred from another hospital).
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 507, including 246 in Kawartha Lakes, 232 in Northumberland, 29 in Haliburton (increase of 3, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland)* Active cases: 36, including 20 in Kawartha Lakes, 14 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (decrease of 6, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 5 in Northumberland) Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 236, including 42 in Kawartha Lakes, 163 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (net increase of 10)** Hospitalizations (total to date): 21, including 13 in Kawartha Lakes, 7 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 2, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland) Deaths: 34 (no change) Resolved: 450, including 207 in Kawartha Lakes, 216 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 8, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 6 in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg (no change)
*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.
**This total includes 28 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 277 (increase of 4) Active cases: 19 (decrease of 3) Deaths: 5 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 3 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change) Resolved: 253 (increase of 7) Swabs completed: 26,745 (increase of 26) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 178,831 (increase of 2,923) Resolved: 153,799 (increase of 2,237, 86.0% of all cases) Hospitalized: 1,177 (increase of 313)* Hospitalized and in ICU: 323 (increase of 19) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 204 (decrease of 3) Deaths: 4,474 (increase of 19) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,738 (increase of 12) Total tests completed: 7,858,200 (increase of 39,210) Tests under investigation: 54,955 (increase of 22,105)
*This increase is from the 864 hospitalizations reported on December 28, which omitted data from more than 10% of Ontario hospitals. It is likely the actual number of hospitalizations on December 28 was higher than reported.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 29 – December 29, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 29 – December 29, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from November 29 – December 29, 2020. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from November 29 – December 29, 2020. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Members of the Kawartha Lakes Police Service and Kawartha Lakes Fire and Rescue rescue a woman who had fallen through thin ice on Scugog River in Lindsay on December 29, 2020. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Lakes Police Service)
On Tuesday (December 29), Kawartha Lakes police rescued a woman who had fallen through the ice on Scugog River in Lindsay.
At around 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, police responded to a report of a woman who was stranded on the ice on Scugog River in the north end of Lindsay.
The woman had been out walking with friends when she became stranded on the thin ice. When officers arrived on the scene, the woman had fallen through the ice but had managed to keep herself above the surface.
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With the assistance of Kawartha Lakes Fire and Rescue, officers quickly managed to get a rope to the woman and were able to pull her out of the water and to shore.
She was transported to hospital by Kawartha Lakes EMS where she was treated and released.
Police are reminding the public that conditions remain unsafe and they should stay off of the ice due to fluctuating temperatures and strong currents.
Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County for Wednesday morning and afternoon (December 30).
An area of snow will move into the region between 5 and 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Around 2 centimetres of snow will fall within the span of an hour or so.
Road conditions may quickly deteriorate once the snow arrives.
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After a lull in precipitation, a wintry mix of freezing rain and ice pellets will move in by late Wednesday morning in southern Peterborough County and southern Kawartha Lakes. The threat of freezing rain should end in the afternoon.
In northern Peterborough County and northern Kawartha Lakes, several additional centimetres of snow is likely, particularly over areas of higher terrain. Over lower terrain areas, precipitation may become mixed with rain by Wednesday afternoon.
In Haliburton County, snow will become heavy at times through early Wednesday afternoon, with accumulation of around 10 centimetres.
Travel is expected to be difficult due to accumulating snow and possible freezing rain. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to exercise caution.
"The Essential Project" photography series by Jules Gagne profiled 20 Peterborough-area artists and their pandemic experiences, including The Theatre On King artistic director Ryan Kerr and theatre artist and writer Kate Story. (Photo: Julie Gagne)
By March 17, 2020 — a day that shall live in infamy — every artisan fair, community space, concert hall, club, festival, gallery, museum, and theatre in the Kawarthas had gone dark, which led to a never-ending list of cancelled cultural events that has since devastated the arts and culture sector.
Like a black hole, from which no light can escape, the pandemic consumed everything in its path; yet, somehow, this year has miraculously seen much incredible work in the arts.
2020, our year of the virus, has also been the year of art in spite of all.
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In the early days of uncertainty, people all over the world turned to the arts — whether they binged-watched Netflix, read books or poems, scrolled through collections of images and inspirational quotations, or listened and danced to music, art made the lockdown bearable.
As much of our lives went online, so too did the arts. Local musicians, poets, dancers, actors, artisans, and visual artists created much online content to keep us inspired and connected during the first lockdown.
Local musicians brought us memorable moments such as the #TogetherAtHome video with Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor and the Peterborough Singers’ virtual choir performance of the song “Bobcaygeon” in support of Pinecrest Nursing Home where COVID-19 claimed the lives of 28 residents. The Live! At the Barn video series safely connected us to our favourite local musicians.
VIDEO: Live at the Barn! featuring The Weber Brothers
Public Energy Performing Arts livestreamed archived performances of theatre, dance, and circus-arts in The Rewind Room, which provided financial support for the featured artists.
Local photographer Julie Gagne documented local citizens and business owners for her portrait series “Within”, which inspired The Essential Project that Gagne created with the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) to raise awareness of the precarious situation of local artists and arts organizations during the pandemic. As part of EC3’s Artsweek SHIFT, local painter John Climenhage chronicled the vacant, ghostly locked-down spaces onto canvases.
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As lockdown restrictions began to lift in the summer, artists found more ways to safely present their work to audiences.
The First Friday Art Crawl safely resumed to celebrate the completion of Peterborough’s newest mural. Galleries such as Artspace and The Art Gallery of Peterborough featured exhibits by appointment and the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour restarted.
Peterborough illustrator Kathryn Durst in front of her public art mural in the alleyway of the Commerce Building in downtown Peterborough. The mural, commissioned by the First Friday Peterborough volunteer committee and Commerce Building owner Ashburnham Realty, was celebrated on September 4, 2020. (Photo: First Friday Peterborough / Facebook)
Some local musicians were able to return to work on patios or behind plexiglas in our many clubs, while outdoor performances such as The Verandah Society and drive-in concerts in both Lindsay and Peterborough made the most of the warmer weather while it lasted.
Countless more online performances became available as the colder weather and the second wave of COVID forced us back indoors. Most recently, In From The Cold broadcast and livestreamed on Trent Radio, and the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s holiday concert, Comfort and Joy, gave audiences near and far a collective musical experience. Many organizations and individuals turned towards research and development to make sure artists have the safety, security, and time to continue to create their work.
Notably, 4th Line Theatre brought on award-winning artist Beau Dixon to begin developing institutional strategies to deter the systemic discrimination faced by artists who are Black, Indigenous, people of colour, or living with disabilities. Artspace hosted ‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’, photo-based community art project from the First Peoples House of Learning featuring Indigenous students at Trent University. EC3 and Public Energy also demonstrated their commitment to diversity via declarations, programming, and exhibitions.
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Artspace, EC3, and Public Energy all announced artist in residence programs to foster creation during the pandemic, including performer Brad Brackenridge as the 2021 artist in residence at Artspace and poet Justin Million as downtown Peterborough’s first artist in residence — a partnership between EC3, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), and Leslie Menagh of Madderhouse Textile Studios.
Against all odds, works of art — across all disciplines — have escaped the black hole that is this godforsaken pandemic. Though it is paramount that we celebrate the remarkable adaptation, improvisation, and resilience required of our local artists to create art in spite of all, we must also recognize that we are at risk of losing our beloved cultural institutions and practitioners.
A maquette of “Portage”, a bronze work by Madoc artist James C. Smith, in the Rain Garden south of Maryboro Lodge (home of the Fenelon Museum) in Fenelon Falls. The final sculpture, to be installed in the Rain Garden, is an homage to the location’s history as a portage and gathering area of First Nations peoples. It features three life-sized bronze canoe paddle figures participating in a portage. (Photo courtesy of Fenelon Arts Committee)
The arts and culture sector — an immense economic driver — is among the hardest-hit in the economy. The situation is dire. For this reason, the most important work that has been done in the arts this year is the oft-invisible, behind-the-scenes administrative and fundraising work.
New partnerships were formed among the arts community, such as the Peterborough Performing Arts Recovery Alliance, a group of local performance venues and arts organizations that formed to to advocate, organize, and lobby for support.
The sheer volume of fundraisers is both a testimony to the love for the arts and the generosity of our communities; and, an indication that the financial support available through multiple levels of government is inadequate.
Much like the team of professionals assembled by the Allied forces during WWII for the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program (also known as the “Monuments Men”), the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) proved to be champions for the arts here in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough, fighting tirelessly to preserve the arts.
An artist’s rendering of the completed outdoor amphitheatre in Fenelon Falls. Although it was planned before the COVID-19 pandemic, the open-air amphitheatre will allow for safe, physically distanced live performances to take place. (Image courtesy of Kawartha Works Community Co-operative)
Long before the CERB program was expanded to include artists, EC3 immediately provided urgent, short-term financial support to local professional artists who had experienced the sudden loss of artistic income due to the COVID-19 pandemic by means of Micro Subsistence Grants. They also disseminated crucial information and resources regarding relief funds and grants for artists and arts organizations.
EC3 also worked closely with the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development to ensure that artists and arts organizations could participate in vital digital initiatives such as gift card programs and digital marketing consultancy sessions.
Throughout the pandemic, EC3 has been quietly raising funds for the Peterborough Arts Alive Fund which, thanks to Peterborough city councillors Kemi Akapo and Keith Riel, recently saw the City of Peterborough’s Budget Committee pledge to match the $40,000 relief fund.
The Electric City Culture Council (EC3)’s Peterborough Arts Alive fund was established to help charitable arts organizations in the Peterborough area make it through the COVID-19 pandemic. (Graphic: EC3)
2020, our year of the virus — of art in spite of all — has given us much to celebrate and even more to lament. Though there is hope on the horizon, it seems distant as we brace ourselves to enter 2021 in another lockdown. For better or for worse, we have made it this far and, together, we can make it to the other side.
Together, we can ensure the arts will be ready and waiting on the other side to help us process this collective trauma — that we can return to all of the things that make life worth living.
If you have the means (and if you’d like to get a charitable tax receipt before the end of the calendar year), please consider making a donation to the Peterborough Arts Alive fund, administered jointly by EC3 and the Greater Community Foundation of Peterborough, to help keep the arts alive in Peterborough.
Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario's deputy chief medical officer of health, provided an update on Ontario's COVID-19 situation at a media conference at Queen's Park on December 29, 2020. (CPAC screenshot)
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
COVID-19 data will not be released on New Year’s Day as it is a statutory holiday. kawarthaNOW will not be posting a COVID-19 update on January 1. Data for January 1 will be included in the January 2 update.
After reporting 1,939 new cases yesterday, today Ontario is reporting a record increase of 2,553 new cases, eclipsing the previous record high of 2,447 cases reported on Christmas Eve.
The seven-day average of daily cases across the province has increased by 24 to 2,236.
At a media conference at Queen’s Park on Tuesday (December 29), Ontario’s deputy chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe noted the record increase in cases, along with the record high positivity rate of 9.7%, but added the increase in cases is not related to the Christmas holidays.
“It’s too early for us to be seeing the results of any get-togethers that may have occurred,” Dr. Yaffe said. “But what we have learned from our colleagues at Toronto Public Health, is that the increase in their daily numbers can in part be attributed to pre-Christmas shopping trips, often in groups. We will also need to closely monitor to determine whether our numbers continue to trend in a similar direction, or if this is a one- or two-day anomaly.”
While Yaffe acknowledged no-one wants to be living through the lockdown measures that came into effect on Boxing Day, she said it is essential to reduce the increasing case numbers.
“This is what we need to do — what we must do — to slow the transmission of this infection,” Yaffe said.
In the greater Kawarthas region over the past 2 days, there are 27 new cases to report, 39 additional cases resolved, and 1 new death, with the number of active cases across the region decreasing by 18 to 111.
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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (with a record increase of 895), Peel (496), Windsor-Essex (147), Hamilton (144), York (142), Niagara (115), and Durham (108).
There are double-digit increases in Middlesex-London (86), Halton (78), Ottawa (65), Waterloo (57), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (57), Simcoe Muskoka (34), Southwestern Public Health (25), Chatham-Kent (19), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (16), Lambton (16), Brant (11), and Haldimand-Norfolk (10), with smaller increases in Thunder Bay (9) and Huron Perth (8).
The remaining 13 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 5 health units reporting no new cases at all.
The number of new infections continue to increase in people 40 years of age and older, with 53% of today’s cases in that age group. The highest number of cases (885) continues to be among people ages 20 to 39, but it is now closely followed by 778 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 2,233 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 86.2%.
Since it was last publicly available on December 24, the average positivity rate across Ontario has jumped by 6.0% to 9.7%, meaning that 97 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 28. This is the highest provincial positivity rate yet reported.
Ontario is reporting 41 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 18 deaths in long-term care facilities. Combined with yesterday’s increase of 37 deaths (including 12 in long-term care facilities), Ontario has reported 78 deaths in the last two days.
Hospitalizations have decreased by 11 to 864, but this total does not include data from more than 10% of hospitals. With 8 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs reported today and 11 more yesterday, there are now 304 COVID-19 ICU patients in Ontario. With 4 fewer COVID-19 patients on ventilators reported today but 17 more reported yesterday, there are now 207 COVID-19 patients on ventilators.
A total of 34,112 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation increasing by 6,397 to 32,850.
Due to the winter break and the remote learning period during the provincial shutdown, there will be no data to report for Ontario schools between December 22 and January 8. There are 29 new cases in licensed child care settings, an increase of 5 since the last report on December 24, with 11 cases among children and 18 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 27 new cases to report over the past 2 days, including 8 in Hastings Prince Edward, 8 in Northumberland, 6 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Haliburton. Peterborough has reported 3 new cases today but, since its last update on December 27, the total case count has been reduced by 2.
There has been 1 new death due to COVID-19 in Northumberland.
Over the past 2 days, 25 additional cases have been resolved in Northumberland, 7 in Hastings Prince Edward, 4 in Peterborough, and 3 in Kawartha Lakes.
None of the new cases in licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 111 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 18 since December 27, including 47 in Peterborough, 22 in Hastings Prince Edward (7 in Quinte West, 11 in Belleville, 2 in Prince Edward County, and 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto), 21 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 318 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (266 resolved with 5 deaths), 245 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (205 resolved with 32 deaths), 223 in Northumberland County (210 resolved with 2 deaths), 29 in Haliburton County (27 resolved with no deaths), and 273 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (246 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on December 27.
Province-wide, there have been 175,908 confirmed cases, an increase of 2,553 from yesterday, with 151,562 cases resolved (86.2% of all cases), an increase of 2,233 from yesterday. There have been 4,455 deaths, an increase of 41 from yesterday, with 2,726 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 18 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 11 to 864, but this total does not include data from more than 10% of hospitals. With 8 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs reported today and 11 more yesterday, there are now 304 COVID-19 ICU patients in Ontario. With 4 fewer COVID-19 patients on ventilators reported today but 17 more reported yesterday, there are now 207 COVID-19 patients on ventilators. A total of 7,818,990 tests have been completed, an increase of 34,112 from yesterday, with 32,850 tests under investigation, an increase of 6,397 from yesterday.
The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers include December 28 and 29.
Confirmed positive: 318 (3 new cases reported on December 29, but a net decrease of 2 cases in total) Active cases: 47 (decrease of 6) Close contacts: 213 (decrease of 9) Deaths: 5 (no change) Resolved: 266 (increase of 4) Hospitalizations (total to date): 13 (no change)** Total tests completed: Over 39,000 (increase of 100) Institutional outbreaks: Riverview Manor in Peterborough, Unidentified congregate living setting (no change)
*As of December 29, Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in the ICU (transferred from another hospital).
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers include December 28 and 29.
Confirmed positive: 505, including 245 in Kawartha Lakes, 231 in Northumberland, 29 in Haliburton (increase of 15 over the past 2 days, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, 1 in Haliburton)* Active cases: 42, including 21 in Kawartha Lakes, 19 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (net decrease of 13) Probable cases: 0 (no change) High-risk contacts: 226, including 35 in Kawartha Lakes, 159 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (net decrease of 69)** Hospitalizations (total to date): 19, including 12 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes) Deaths: 34 (increase of 1, in Northumberland) Resolved: 442, including 205 in Kawartha Lakes, 210 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 28 over the past 2 days, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes and 25 in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg (no change)
*On December 28, 5 new cases were reported in Kawartha Lakes, 2 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton. On December 29, 5 new cases were reported in Northumberland and 2 in Kawartha Lakes.
**This total includes 28 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from December 28 and 29.
Confirmed positive: 273 (increase of 8 over the past 2 days) Active cases: 22 (increase of 1) Deaths: 5 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 3 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change) Resolved: 246 (increase of 7 over the past 2 days) Swabs completed: 26,719 (increase of 354 over the past 2 days) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
December 28
Confirmed positive: 175,908 (increase of 2,553) Resolved: 151,562 (increase of 2,233, 86.2% of all cases) Hospitalized: 864 (decrease of 11)* Hospitalized and in ICU: 304 (increase of 8) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 207 (decrease of 4) Deaths: 4,455 (increase of 41) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,726 (increase of 18) Total tests completed: 7,818,990 (increase of 34,112) Tests under investigation: 32,850 (increase of 6,397)
December 27
Confirmed positive: 173,355 (increase of 1,939) Resolved: 149,329 (increase of 2,151, 86.1% of all cases) Hospitalized: 875 (increase of 52)* Hospitalized and in ICU: 296 (increase of 11) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 211 (increase of 17) Deaths: 4,414 (increase of 37) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,708 (increase of 12) Total tests completed: 7,784,878 (increase of 39,565) Tests under investigation: 26,453 (decrease of 825)
*This total excludes data from more than 10% of hospitals.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 28 – December 28, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 28 – December 28, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from November 28 – December 28, 2020. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from November 28 – December 28, 2020. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
The biggest news story of the year was of course the COVID-19 pandemic, which destroyed and disrupted countless lives but also brought governments and communities together. Wearing face masks inside businesses became mandatory in the Kawarthas in July, and The Big Apple bakery and restaurant on Highway 401 in Colborne in Northumberland County showed its support by installing a face mask on the iconic 12-metre tall Mr. Applehead. (Photo: The Big Apple / @bigapple401 on Instagram)
Goodbye 2020 — and good riddance. Looking back at the 1,300 stories kawarthaNOW published in 2020, it comes as no surprise more than 1,000 of them were related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s difficult to summarize the pandemic year, other than to say everything changed for everyone beginning in March.
Schools and businesses closed and people were thrown out of work. Thousands lost their lives, mainly our most vulnerable citizens living in long-term care homes. “New normal”, “uncertain times”, “uncharted waters”, “we’re all in this together”, and “unprecedented” and “pivot” became the most overused phrases and words of the year.
In March, Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon experienced Ontario’s largest COVID-19 outbreak in March, with 28 residents eventually losing their lives to the disease. The situation at Pinecrest attracted national media attention. By the end of December, more than two-thirds of Ontario’s 4,474 COVID-19 deaths were among residents of long-term care homes. (Photo: Central East CCAC / YouTube)
By summer, things were looking up, with COVID-19 cases dropping and the economy opening up again. But by fall, the second wave hit — and it hit hard. Cases increased to the thousands and hospitals faced a crisis, resulting in a province-wide shutdown by the end of the year.
Aside from the pandemic, we also reported on a number of tragedies and losses throughout the year.
But it wasn’t all bad news this year. The pandemic also brought our governments and our communities together, supporting our front-line workers, small businesses, unemployed workers, and others affected by the crisis. By December, two vaccines were approved for use (with more to come), raising hopes that 2021 would bring a much better year.
Here are highlights of the stories kawarthaNOW covered in 2020, pandemic-related and more.
While the novel coronavirus originating in China was increasingly in the news in early 2020, it wasn’t until March 11th — when the World Health Organization characterized it as a pandemic and a public health crisis and urged countries to take immediate action to prevent infections and save lives — that we realized our lives might be about to change.
Ontario premier Doug Ford announces a state of emergency for the province due to the COVID-19 pandemic at Queen’s Park on March 17, 2020. Also pictured are Health Minister Christine Elliott, Ontario Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, and Finance Minister Rod Phillips. (Photo: Government of Ontario)
Along with businesses, charities and other non-profit organizations began to close down because of the pandemic, including the Lakefield Animal Welfare Society.
At the same time, the virus was entering Ontario’s long-term care homes, where the people who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 reside. On March 20th, three residents of Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon tested positive for COVID-19.
By the following week, Pinecrest was experiencing the largest COVID-19 outbreak in Ontario, with 14 staff confirmed positive and 35 more residents displaying symptoms. In an ominous sign of things to come, two residents of the home died from COVID-19. The outbreak at Pinecrest and the increasing number of deaths of residents attracted national media attention. By April, a total of 28 residents would lose their lives to the disease, devastating their families, the home’s employees, and the tight-knit Bobcaygeon community.
A health care worker at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, Ontario responds to passing cars honking support on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. (Photo: Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press)
While the virus was quickly spreading among long-term care homes, the rest of us were dealing with shortages in grocery stores. Hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies were in short supply, because at that time it was thought the novel coronavirus was spread mainly on surfaces, similar to the common cold.
There was also panic buying of paper products, most notably toilet paper. In an attempt to lighten the dark mood, kawarthaNOW published an April Fool’s Day story about Canada’s proposed Protection Of Our Paper (POOP) Act.
Police officers at an unidentified location in Canada protect a skid of toilet paper. (Photo source: jkooshan / reddit.com)
In an effort to help people who had lost their income because of pandemic-related closures, the federal government introduced the new $2,000 monthly Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
Meanwhile, events continued to be postponed or cancelled across the Kawarthas into the summer and even into the fall — including, for the first time since 1939, the popular Norwood Fall Fair which was scheduled for the Thanksgiving weekend.
With people self-isolating at home during April, sightings of wildlife in urban areas were becoming more common around the world — including in Peterborough, where a black bear was spotted roaming the city. Somewhat surprisingly, this was our top viral story in 2020, with almost 45,000 shares on social media.
As black bear spotted in the area of Romaine and Monaghan in Peterborough on the morning of April 19, 2020. (Photo via Sarah Nyarota / Facebook)
The pandemic led to a global resurgence in the popularity of drive-in theatres, as they allowed for entertainment while maintaining physical distancing. However, while other businesses in Ontario were allowed to re-open, drive-in theatres remained closed, leading the operator of the Lindsay Drive-In to object to the government’s policy. Eventually, the Ontario government relented and allowed drive-ins, including the Lindsay Drive-In, to re-open at reduced capacity.
Meanwhile, Peterborough city councillor Stephen Wright found himself in hot water after he had travelled to New Brunswick in May, despite a ban on non-essential travel to that province. He eventually issued a public apology.
Downtown Peterborough was reconfigured in the summer of 2020 to help create more space for pedestrians, restaurant patios, and pop-up commercial space during the pandemic. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
As Ontario’s economy continued to open up in June, Peterborough reconfigured its downtown core to create more room for pedestrians while allowing for expanded patios and pop-up commercial spaces.
In mid-July, the Ontario government announced the stage three reopening of the province, allowing dine-in restaurants, bars, performing arts venues, movie theatres, gyms and more to reopen, and increasing the limit on social gatherings up to 100 people outdoors and up 50 people indoors.
One of several photos of garbage left behind by visitors shared on Facebook by Ontario Parks, the government agency responsible for 340 provincial parks and 295 conservation reserves in Ontario. Littering at provincial parks increased during the summer of 2020, and parks staff have been “working tirelessly” to clean it up. (Photo: Ontario Parks / Facebook)
While the Kawarthas saw an influx of out-of-town visitors during the summer, there were some people unable to visit due to the closure of the Canada-US border. An American cottager who hasn’t been to her family’s cottage in the Kawarthas during the pandemic wrote a love letter to the Kawarthas (and Canada).
Retired general Rick Hillier, chair of Ontario’s vaccine distribution task force, speaks at a media conference at pharmaceutical distribution company McKesson Canada in Brampton on December 1, 2020. (CPAC screenshot)
While the pandemic has resulted in a tragic loss of life as well as hardship for businesses, families, and individuals, it also created an opportunity for the community to pull together and support front-line workers and those in need.
There are many more stories like these from across the Kawarthas, but here are the ones we were able to cover.
In the first month of the pandemic, people immediately began pulling together at a grassroots level to help one another. One example of this was the Peterborough Shares’ Facebook group, which was formed to help people find items in short supply.
This flyer distributed by the Hurlington family in Peterborough’s Marsdale neighbourhood offered assistance to self-isolating neighbours in March. (Photo courtesy of Moray Martin)
Locally owned independent businesses, many of which had to close at the beginning of the pandemic, also pulled together to support the community. One example was Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough, which donated five per cent of its online sales one week to The Theatre on King — one of the many performance venues that found itself with no revenue after being forced to close.
With musicians unable to perform in public during the pandemic, many donated their time and talent to create virtual events to support local causes. Local Tragically Hip tribute band The Tragically Hits arranged a virtual sing-along of “Bobcaygeon” in support of Pinecrest Nursing Home in Bobcaygeon, with the Peterborough Singers performing their own virtual choir version of “Bobcaygeon” in support of Pinecrest Nursing Home.
A resident of Extendicare Cobourg greets Obi-Wan Kenobi, an alpaca from Haute Goat in Port Hope. Haute Goat owner Debbie Nightingale brought Obi and his mom Bella to the 69-bed long-term care home to entertain residents and workers. (Photo: Extendicare Cobourg / Facebook)
Trent University’s student-run theatre group Theatre Trent launched a relief fund for Peterborough performance venues, including a $6,000 donation to The Theatre on King and Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Fleming College president Maureen Adamson (front), New Canadians Centre workplace integration liaison Reem Ali (left), and Madderhouse Textile Studios owner Leslie Menagh (right) with members of the Newcomer Sewing Crew showing off some of the Fleming-branded face masks that were created for Fleming students, faculty, and staff in summer 2020. (Photo courtesy of Fleming College)
Some of the 13,560 pounds of food collected for for Kawartha Food Share during the “Spare A Square #2” city-wide porch food drive on October 24, 2020. (Photo: Kawartha Food Share / Facebook)
In addition to the losses caused by the pandemic, there were other passings and tragedies in the greater Kawarthas regions in 2020. Here are some of the sadder stories we covered during the year.
Sayers Foods in Apsley was engulfed in flames in the early morning of December 5, 2020. (Photo: Sayers Foods / Facebook)
Also in November, a tragic incident near Lindsay left an infant boy dead from a gunshot wound, his father fatally wounded, and an OPP officer seriously injured. The province’s Special Investigations Unit is continuing to investigate the incident to determine whether the infant was shot by police or by his father (a handgun was found in the father’s pick-up truck).
In December, Sayers Food in Apsley was destroyed by fire. The family-owned independent business was the only grocery store in Apsley and the only full-service grocery store in North Kawartha Township.
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Other notable stories of 2020
All the news in 2020 wasn’t tragic or related to the pandemic. Here are some of the other notable stories we covered in the past year, some light-hearted and some not so much.
In January, Jon Kolodziej and Dana Beren Watts of Peterborough created an epic “snowbear” in front of their home on George Street. They added a snowbear baby to the sculpture in February.
Jon Kolodziej and Dana Beren Watts created this snow sculpture of a polar bear and her cub outside of their home on George Street in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Allison MacGregor @allison.macgregor / Instagram)
Hundreds of people, wearing masks and walking in small groups due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marched from Millennium Park to Confederation Square in downtown Peterborough on June 2, 2020 during a peaceful protest calling for an end to police violence against black and indigenous people of colour. (Photo courtesy of Sean Bruce)
Old Norwood Road is one of three roads connecting Television Road to Ashburnham Drive the City of Peterborough has closed to through traffic until Parks Canada completes construction of the Warsaw Swing Bridge on Parkhill Road East between Armour Road and Television Road. As a result of the closures, an increasing amount of traffic (including heavy trucks) has been using McFarlane Street via Ashburnham Drive as an alternate route. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
We reported on the September decision by the Ontario Energy Board to uphold an order for Hydro One to end seasonal rates, which will see an estimated 84,000 cottage owners paying up to $1,000 a year more for hydro.
Tristan Nugent, an Indigenous student at Trent University who participated in the ‘Breaking Down Stereotypes’ photo-based community art project. Created by Trent’s First Peoples House of Learning with photographs by Annie Sakkab, the series features different students raising and refuting commonly encountered racist comments, racial microaggressions, and misconceptions about Indigenous peoples. (Photos by Annie Sakkab)
The Port Hope police station. (Photo: Port Hope Police Service)
Port Hope police have arrested and charged a woman with assault after she allegedly spit in a stranger’s face.
A Cobourg woman was in a vehicle, stopped at the intersection of Toronto Road and Bruton Street in Port Hope, with her passenger side window rolled down.
Police say the accused woman was walking by when, for no reason, she turned and spit through the window, striking the victim in the face area. The accused woman then began screaming and yelling.
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Police were called and the victim’s boyfriend pointed out the accused woman to police. After a short struggle, police arrested the accused woman.
Jennifer Prevedel has been charged with assault. She was released on an undertaking with conditions and will appear in court on February 3, 2021.
Police say the accused woman and the victim do not know each other and the attack was unprovoked.
At this time, police have not charged Prevedel with resisting arrest.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
As provincial data and individual public health unit data will not be available on statutory holidays (December 28 and January 1), kawarthaNOW will not be posting COVID-19 updates on these dates. Data for those dates will be posted the day after the statutory holiday.
Ontario is reporting 2,005 new cases today, the lowest number of new cases since December 14 when 1,940 cases were reported. The seven-day average of daily cases across the province has decreased by 45 to 2,212.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 12 new cases to report and 4 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region increasing by 8 to 129.
Today, Ontario’s associate chief medical officer of health Dr. Barbara Yaffe provided an update on confirmed cases in Ontario of the COVID-19 variant first identified in the UK. A third case of the variant has been reported in an Ottawa individual who had recently travelled to the UK. The local health unit has informed the individual, who is now in self-isolation, and case and contact management investigation is underway.
Dr. Jaffe also says that further investigation has revealed the first two confirmed cases of the variant — a couple from Durham — had indeed been in contact with a recent traveller from the U.K. It was initially reported the couple had no known travel history, exposure, or high-risk contacts — raising questions about how they could have become infected with the variant.
“This further reinforces the need for Ontarians to stay home as much as possible and continue to follow all public health advice, including the province-wide shutdown measures,” said Dr. Yaffe. “This is also an important reminder about the need for arriving international travellers to maintain quarantine for 14 days.”
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Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (572), Peel (331), York (207), and Windsor-Essex (140).
There are double-digit increases in Waterloo (89), Niagara (83), Halton (80), Hamilton (74), Durham (71), Middlesex-London (53), Ottawa (49), Simcoe Muskoka (41), Lambton (37), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (34), Southwestern Public Health (28), Huron Perth (20), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (18), Peterborough Public Health (14), and Brant (11), with smaller increases in Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (9), Grey Bruce (8), Haldimand-Norfolk (8), and Chatham-Kent (6).
The remaining 11 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 51% are among people 40 years of age and older, with the highest number of cases (601) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 590 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 2,005 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to 85.9%. The average positivity rate across Ontario is not available on weekends.
Ontario is reporting 18 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 14 deaths in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 68 to 823, but this total does not include data from more than 10% of hospitals. There is 1 less patient with COVID-19 in an ICU and 7 more patients on ventilators.
A total of 41,783 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation at 27,278.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 12 new cases to report, including 7 in Peterborough and 5 in Hastings Prince Edward. Reports for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton are not issued on Sundays.
An additional 4 cases have been resolved in Hastings Prince Edward.
There is 1 new hospitalization to report in Hastings Prince Edward. The outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough was declared over on December 26
There are currently 129 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 8 from yesterday, including 53 in Peterborough, 36 in Northumberland, 21 in Hastings Prince Edward (5 in Quinte West, 9 in Belleville, 4 in Prince Edward County, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, and 1 in Central Hastings), 18 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 320 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (262 resolved with 5 deaths), 239 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (202 resolved with 33 deaths), 223 in Northumberland County (185 resolved with 1 death), 28 in Haliburton County (27 resolved with no deaths), and 260 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (225 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.
Province-wide, there have been 171,416 confirmed cases, an increase of 2,005 from yesterday, with 147,178 cases resolved (85.9% of all cases), an increase of 2,005 from yesterday. There have been 4,377 deaths, an increase of 18 from yesterday, with 2,696 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 14 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 68 to 823, but this total does not include data from more than 10% of hospitals. There is 1 less patient with COVID-19 in an ICU and 7 more patients on ventilators. A total of 7,745,313 tests have been completed, an increase of 41,783 from yesterday, with 27,278 tests under investigation.
The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays. No report will be issued on December 28 or January 1.
Confirmed positive: 320 (increase of 7) Active cases: 53 (increase of 7) Close contacts: 222 (increase of 67) Deaths: 5 (no change) Resolved: 262 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 13 (no change)* Total tests completed: Over 38,900 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: Riverview Manor in Peterborough, Unidentified congregate living setting (decrease of 1)**
*As of December 18, Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in the ICU (transferred from another hospital).
**The outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough was declared over on December 26.
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from December 26.
Confirmed positive: 490, including 239 in Kawartha Lakes, 223 in Northumberland, 28 in Haliburton (increase of 17, including 9 in Kawartha Lakes, 7 in Northumberland, 1 in Haliburton)* Active cases: 55, including 18 in Kawartha Lakes, 36 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 10, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton) Probable cases: 0 (decrease of 1) High-risk contacts: 295, including 32 in Kawartha Lakes, 167 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (net decrease of 29)** Hospitalizations (total to date): 19, including 12 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 414, including 202 in Kawartha Lakes, 185 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 8, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and in 7 in Northumberland) Institutional outbreaks: Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg (decrease of 1)***
*Two previously reported cases have been added to today’s counts but are not considered new cases. One previously reported case for Kawartha Lakes was determined to be a false positive and has been removed from the case count.
**This total includes 94 high-risk contacts directly followed up through the Public Health Ontario contact tracing process that are missing the contacts’ county.
***An outbreak declared at Case Manor Care Community in Bobcaygeon on December 18 is no longer listed on the health unit’s website.
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
The health unit provides daily reports, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from December 26 and 27.
Confirmed positive: 265 (increase of 5) Active cases: 21 (increase of 1) Deaths: 5 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 3 (increase of 1) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change) Resolved: 239 (increase of 4) Swabs completed: 26,365 (increase of 3,153) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 171,416 (increase of 2,005) Resolved: 147,178 (increase of 2,005, 85.9% of all cases) Hospitalized: 823 (increase of 68)* Hospitalized and in ICU: 285 (decrease of 1) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 194 (increase of 7) Deaths: 4,377 (increase of 18) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,696 (increase of 14) Total tests completed: 7,745,313 (increase of 41,783) Tests under investigation: 27,278
*This total excludes data from more than 10% of hospitals.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 26 – December 26, 2020. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from November 26 – December 26, 2020. The red line is the number of tests completed daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from November 26 – December 26, 2020. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day moving average of is a five-day moving average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from November 26 – December 26, 2020. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for Haliburton County, Hastings Highlands, and northern Peterborough County overnight on Sunday (December 27) and into Monday morning, along with a special weather statement for freezing rain Sunday night for southern Peterborough County and all of the City of Kawartha Lakes.
A low pressure system is bringing precipitation to the region later on Sunday.
In Haliburton County, Hastings Highlands, and northern Peterborough County (including Apsley), snow will begin Sunday evening, becoming heavy at times and continuing into Monday morning.
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Snowfall accumulations by Monday morning are expected to be in the 4 to 8 centimetre range for northern Peterborough County, with 5 to 10 centimetres possible for Haliburton County and Hastings Highlands including Bancroft.
A changeover to rain is possible later on Monday morning. Travel may be hazardous from late Sunday evening until mid-day on Monday due to rapidly accumulating snowfall and slippery conditions.
For southern Peterborough County (including Peterborough and Lakefield) and all of the City of Kawartha Lakes, a brief period of freezing rain is possible Sunday evening before it transitions to wet snow or rain later Sunday night or towards midnight.
Surfaces may become slippery this evening causing hazardous conditions for driving or walking. Environment Canada may issue freezing rain warnings later on Sunday.
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