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Downtown Peterborough’s Holiday Shopping Passports are a win-win for shoppers and local businesses

By kawarthaNOW -
You could win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates by participating in the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area's Holiday Shopping Passport program. Get your passport stamped for every $10 you spend at 148 participating downtown Peterborough businesses and, after you fill your passport with 20 stamps, it becomes a ballot for one of three prizes of $500 and a grand prize of $1,500 in "downtown money". (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

This holiday shopping season, it’s more important than ever to support our local independent retailers — so it’s great news the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has brought back its popular Holiday Shopping Passport program this year.

The annual program is a win-win for both shoppers and local businesses, by rewarding people when they shop, dine, or treat themselves at one of nearly 150 downtown Peterborough businesses.

“The Holiday Shopping Passports are always a favourite for our downtown shoppers,” says Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough DBIA. “It has been a difficult year for many people and many of our downtown businesses. The passports are a great way to reward people for shopping local this holiday season.”

Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, shows off a Holiday Shopping Passport during the launch of the 2019 program, which encouraged shoppers to spend more than $2.3 million at local businesses in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, shows off a Holiday Shopping Passport during the launch of the 2019 program, which encouraged shoppers to spend more than $2.3 million at local businesses in downtown Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

Pick up a Holiday Shopping Passport at one of the participating downtown businesses and, for every $10 you spend at any of the businesses, you get a stamp in your passport. When it’s filled with 20 stamps ($200 worth in spending), you complete the form and drop the completed passport off at a ballot box at one of the participating locations. See a list of all participating locations below.

Each completed passport is a ballot for one of four draws to win “downtown money” — gift certificates you can redeem anytime at downtown businesses. Three prizes of $500 in downtown money will be drawn on the first three Wednesdays of December (2nd, 9th, and 16th) with a grand prize of $1,500 in downtown money to be drawn on Wednesday, January 13th.

You can get your passport started at no cost with a complimentary stamp when you use the Peterborough Public Library at 345 Aylmer Street North or when you drop by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Visitor Centre in the VentureNorth building at 270 George Street North (limit of one complimentary stamp per person).

Peterborough musician Lindsay Barr in a promotional video for the 2019-20 edition of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area's Holiday Shopping Passport program. To help keep both shoppers and business owners and employees safe during the pandemic, the Peterborough DBIA and participating businesses are taking steps to limit physical contact with the passports. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Peterborough musician Lindsay Barr in a promotional video for the 2019-20 edition of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area’s Holiday Shopping Passport program. To help keep both shoppers and business owners and employees safe during the pandemic, the Peterborough DBIA and participating businesses are taking steps to limit physical contact with the passports. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

To help keep both shoppers and business owners and employees safe during the pandemic, the Peterborough DBIA and participating businesses are taking steps to limit physical contact with the passports. When you’re getting your passport stamped, place it open on the check-out counter of the business so it can be stamped without being picked up by the business owner or employee. This ensures only you are handling your passport.

Along with the chance to win downtown money while supporting local businesses, there are three more reasons to do your holiday shopping in downtown Peterborough.

The annual Downtown Peterborough Holiday Window Contest begins on Thursday, November 19th and runs until Saturday, December 5th. Downtown businesses will get you in the Christmas spirit by creatively decorating their street-front windows for the season. After the contest starts, you can vote online for your favourite window.

Watson & Lou co-owner Erin Watson with the first place award for Downtown Peterborough's 2019 Holiday Decorated Window Contest. The 2020 contest runs from November 19th to December 5th. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Watson & Lou co-owner Erin Watson with the first place award for Downtown Peterborough’s 2019 Holiday Decorated Window Contest. The 2020 contest runs from November 19th to December 5th. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

Downtown businesses will also be hosting some of their biggest sales of the year on Black Friday on November 27th, giving you an opportunity for great deals while getting even more stamps for your Holiday Shopping Passport.

Finally, courtesy of the City of Peterborough, you can take advantage of two hours of free parking in downtown Peterborough starting Black Friday and continuing until the end of December.

The Holiday Shopping Passport program is a great way to reward yourself while supporting the local economy. Last year, shoppers stamped more than $2.3 million worth of local purchases on their passports.

Karen Procyk of Peterborough collected $1,500 in "downtown money" in January 2020 after her Holiday Shopping Passport was drawn at the culmination of the annual initiative by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) to encourage people to shop local. Also pictured is DBIA executive director Terry Guiel (left) and Wild Rock Outfitters co-owner Kieran Andrews. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Karen Procyk of Peterborough collected $1,500 in “downtown money” in January 2020 after her Holiday Shopping Passport was drawn at the culmination of the annual initiative by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) to encourage people to shop local. Also pictured is DBIA executive director Terry Guiel (left) and Wild Rock Outfitters co-owner Kieran Andrews. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)

For more information about the Peterborough DBIA and downtown Peterborough businesses, visit downtownptbo.ca.

 

Holiday Passport Locations

  • Absolute Hair
  • Africa Mission-Growth Market
  • African Dishes
  • Amandala’s
  • Antoinette Bridal
  • Arken Beauty Supply
  • Art School of Peterborough
  • B!KE
  • Beautique Canada
  • BioPed Footcare
  • Black Honey Bakery
  • Black Honey Dessert and Coffeehouse
  • Blue Shoes/Pensieri Shoes
  • Bluestreak Records
  • Boardwalk Board Game Lounge
  • Boater’s World
  • Brant Basics
  • Brick House Craft Burger Grill
  • Brothers Pizza
  • Buck or Two Plus
  • Burgundy’s Hair Salon
  • By The Bridge
  • Cahill’s Outerwear
  • Chalk Therapy
  • Champs
  • Charlotte Jewellers
  • Charlotte Paint & Wallpaper
  • Charlotte Street Comics and Collectibles
  • Charlotte’s Web
  • Cheslers Shoes
  • Chumleighs
  • Cork and Bean
  • Cottage Toys
  • Couture Candy PTBO
  • Cozy Home: Designs by Lacey
  • Creative Lounge
  • Curry Mantra
  • Curry Village
  • Dan Joyce Clothing
  • Dodrio
  • Dream Cyclery
  • Dreams of Beans
  • Dueling Grounds
  • Earth Food Store
  • Electric City Bread Co
  • Euphoria Wellness Spa
  • First Stop Swap Shop
  • Flavour
  • Fontaine’s Source for Sports
  • Food Forest Café
  • Fork It
  • Fresh Dreams
  • Full Tilt Cycle
  • Gentry Apparel
  • Gerti’s
  • Grady’s Feet Essentials
  • Green Street
  • GreenUp
  • Grey Guardian
  • Hanoi House
  • Hi Ho Silver
  • Hobies Sports Ltd.
  • Hock Express
  • Hot Belly Mama’s
  • Iceman Video Games
  • Insight Optical
  • Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine
  • Jack’s Hot Spot
  • Jasmine Thai Cuisine
  • John Roberts Clothiers
  • K and C Costumes
  • Kettle Drums
  • Kingan Home Hardware
  • Kit Coffee
  • Knock on Wood
  • La Hacienda
  • La Mesita
  • Larry Electric & Motor Service
  • Laurie Jones & Co Hair Designers
  • Lift Lock Escape
  • LiLi’s Convenience
  • Marie Cluthé Antiques and Collectibles
  • McThirsty’s Pint
  • Meta 4
  • Minh’s Chinese Grocery
  • Mr. Brock Barber Shop
  • Mr. Sub on George Street
  • My Left Breast
  • My Own Clouds
  • Naked Chocolate
  • Nateure’s Plate
  • Needles in the Hay
  • Needleworks
  • Next Level Mobile
  • Nielsen’s Watches and Jewellery
  • One Eighty
  • Pammett’s Flowers
  • Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism
  • Peterborough Inn & Suites
  • Peterborough Photo Service
  • Peterborough Public Library
  • Pettigrew Spa & Salon
  • Plant Goals
  • Providence
  • Rare Grill House
  • Rawscoe’s Sport Collectibles
  • ReBoot
  • Renew MediSpa
  • Ritual Apothecary
  • Runner’s Life
  • Running Room
  • S.O.S.
  • Sam’s Place
  • Sandy’s Cigar & Variety
  • Silk Roots
  • Smiles To You
  • Solid Leather
  • Starks Barber Company
  • Statement House
  • Studio East
  • Sugar Me Right
  • Sullivan Law
  • Sustain Eco Store
  • Taso’s Restaurant & Pizzeria
  • T-Elle Boutique
  • The Avant-Garden Shop
  • The Cell Shop
  • The Cheese Shop
  • The Food Shop
  • The Pasta Shop
  • The Toy Shop
  • The Unicorn
  • The Olde Stone Brewing Co
  • Things from Mom’s Basement
  • Tiny Greens
  • Tonic Hair Salon
  • Tribal Voices
  • Turnbull Café
  • Union Studio
  • Village of Thai
  • Watson & Lou
  • Whistle Stop Café
  • Wild Rock Outfitters
  • Yo Yo’s Yogurt Café

 

This story was created in partnership with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area.

Ontario reports 1,487 new COVID-19 cases, including 12 new cases in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,487 new COVID-19 cases, the 11th straight day of more than 1,000 new daily cases, with the average number of daily cases over the past 11 days increasing slightly to 1,346.

Most of the new cases are in Toronto (508), Peel (392), and York (170), with smaller increases in Waterloo (67), Ottawa (51), Halton (46), Durham (45), Simcoe Muskoka (35), Hamilton (35), Niagara (19), Windsor-Essex (14), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (14), Grey Bruce (10), Southwestern Public Health (10), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (9), Brant County (9), Chatham-Kent (7), Haldimand-Norfolk (7), Renfrew County (6), and Peterborough (6).

The remaining 14 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 2 health units (Northwestern Health Unit and North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit) reporting no new cases at all — the only time this has happened since the pandemic began.

Of today’s cases, 52% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (516) among people ages 20 to 39. With 992 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.3% to 83.0%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 0.4% since November 13 to to 4.1%, meaning that 41 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on November 15.

A total of 10 new deaths were reported today, including 4 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 21 to 500, although 41 hospitals did not submit data for today’s report so this number may be under-reported. There are 7 additional patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and 3 additional patients on ventilators.

A total of 33,351 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 9,893 to 16,254.

There are 106 new cases in Ontario schools, a decrease of 10 from November 13, with 63 student cases, 14 staff cases, and 29 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 15 cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 7 from November 13, with 8 cases among children and 7 cases among staff.

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There are 6 new cases to report today in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 3 in Northumberland, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton. After reporting 6 new cases yesterday, there are no new cases to report today in Peterborough. None of the reported new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

Additional cases have been resolved in Peterborough (1), Northumberland (2), Kawartha Lakes (1), and Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1).

There are currently 43 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 22 in Peterborough, 11 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 6 in Northumberland, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 179 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (153 resolved with 4 deaths), 191 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (169 resolved with 32 deaths), 60 in Northumberland County (53 resolved with 1 death), 23 in Haliburton County (22 resolved with no deaths), and 93 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (77 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 12.

Province-wide, there have been 95,496 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,487 from yesterday, with 79,295 cases resolved (83.0% of all cases), an increase of 992. There have been 3,371 deaths, an increase of 10 from yesterday, with 2,145 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 4 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 21 to 500, but 41 hospitals did not submit data for this report so this number may be under-reported. There are 7 additional patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and 3 additional patients on ventilators. A total of 5,677,273 tests have been completed, an increase of 33,351 from yesterday, with 16,254 tests under investigation, a decrease of 9,893 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day.

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Peterborough Public Health

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.

Confirmed positive: 179 (no change)
Active cases: 22 (decrease of 1)
Close contacts: 32 (increase of 7)
Deaths: 4 (no change)
Resolved: 153 (increase of 1)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 10 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 35,600 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

 

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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 274, including 191 in Kawartha Lakes, 60 in Northumberland, 23 in Haliburton (increase of 6, including 3 in Northumberland, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton)
Active cases: 10, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (net increase of 3)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 34, including 21 in Kawartha Lakes and 13 in Northumberland (net increase of 12)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 244, including 169 in Kawartha Lakes, 53 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (increase of 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg (no change)

 

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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 93 (increase of 6)
Active cases: 11 (increase of 5)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized (total to date): 7 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change)
Resolved: 77 (increase of 1)
Total swabs completed: 6,379*
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

*This number does not include swabs completed at hospitals and other health care facilities.

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 95,496 (increase of 1,487)
Resolved: 79,295 (increase of 992, 83.0% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 500 (increase of 21)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 125 (increase of 7)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 70 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 3,371 (increase of 10)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,145 (increase of 4)
Total tests completed: 5,677,273 (increase of 33,351)
Tests under investigation: 16,254 (decrease of 9,893)

*As is always the case on weekends, a number of hospitals (approximately 41) did not submit data to the Daily Bed Census for November 14. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases. The number of hospitalizations reported

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 16 - November 15, 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)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 16 – November 15, 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 October 16 - November 15, 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 tests completed in Ontario from October 16 – November 15, 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)

 

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

More than 180,000 Hydro One customers without power after Sunday’s severe windstorm

By kawarthaNOW -
More than 1,800 active hydro outages in southwestern and central Ontario on the morning of November 16, 2020 after a severe windstorm swept across the province the previous day. (Map: Hydro One)

Hydro One is continuing to assess damage and restore power after Sunday’s severe windstorm.

As of 9:30 a.m. on Monday (November 16), there were still more than 1,800 active outages leaving more than 180,000 customers without power.

“High wind gusts of over 100 km/hour caused significant damage province-wide, and continue to move east,” Hydro One states on its storm centre website. “Crews and support staff remain ready to respond.”

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“Additional crews are being sent to the hardest-hit areas of southwestern and central Ontario, and specialized off-road equipment and helicopters will be used to assist in restoration efforts. We thank customers for their patience as our team works to get the lights back on.”

You can report an outage online or by calling 1-800-434-1235.

Hydro One says its top priorities are emergencies and restoring power “to the largest number of customers in the shortest period of time.”

“Be sure to stay clear of any fallen power lines,” Hydro One states. “If you spot a fallen line, keep at least 10 metres back, even if it does not appear to be live. Report it to the police and call Hydro One at 1-800-434-1235.”

For more information about power outages, visit the Hydro One website at hydroone.com.

Artist Christy Haldane uses glass and stone to create functional and wearable art

By Barb Shaw -
An example of Peterborough-area artist Christy Haldane's functional art, fusing glass and stone to create a one-of-a-kind vase. She uses the same technique to create wearable art including pendants, and custom "Memory Stones" where she creates keepsake pendants or sculptures using stone that you provide. You can order her functional and wearable art, which make unique gifts, from her website. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)

It’s been a long time since Christy Haldane was drawn to the blue tint of commercial glass that caught her eye on her daily commute from Toronto to Oakville. As condos rose around her, the textures, the shapes, and the glass brought about a focus and a fascination that remains the signature tint in her functional sculptures and wearable art.

Living just outside of Peterborough, she has fused that passion for glass with the grounding of local stone to create tactile pieces that do more than just look nice. Christy’s creations are available from her website at www.christyhaldane.com and, as we move into the holiday season, she hopes her art will be a top choice for those seeking a very special gift

As a renowned artist, Christy’s sculptures have graced the banks of the Trent Severn Waterway and have made appearances in galleries across the region. As with all artists, the pandemic has limited Christy’s opportunities to exhibit her work, but she has embraced the isolation to reflect and focus on creating new art.

Peterborough-area artist Christy Haldane is renowned for her work in repurposed glass, which she combines with other materials such as stone, concrete, and steel. Now she is creating wearable and functional art using glass and stone, such as the hanging pendant she's wearing in this photo, available online from her website. (Photo: Miller Dodgson)
Peterborough-area artist Christy Haldane is renowned for her work in repurposed glass, which she combines with other materials such as stone, concrete, and steel. Now she is creating wearable and functional art using glass and stone, such as the hanging pendant she’s wearing in this photo, available online from her website. (Photo: Miller Dodgson)

“This was a time for me to be able to slow down and to look around,” Christy says. “I made myself stop and, because I didn’t have any shows, I went back to found items and collected pieces — there was inspiration in these found items.”

Christy has been creating art from recycled items throughout her entire career and her location has always inspired what she has been able to find, adapt, and harness.

She is attracted to concrete as a medium, noting the differences in the stones that form the material, which are determined by physical location. Found industrial materials also bring her great joy and, over the years, recycling glass has become more and more of her focus.

Some of artist Christy Haldane's hanging stone-and-glass pendants, which are available online at her website. A selection of the pendants will also be available at the Art Gallery of Peterborough's gallery shop in late November. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)
Some of artist Christy Haldane’s hanging stone-and-glass pendants, which are available online at her website. A selection of the pendants will also be available at the Art Gallery of Peterborough’s gallery shop in late November. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)

“I recycle windows — those old sliders,” Christy laughs. “When they made them, they added iron and that’s where you get the blue colour. It comes from the iron.”

Spending time in her studio during the quiet created by the pandemic, Christy says she had an opportunity to start revisiting the many bits and pieces she has collected over the years.

“There was a reason why I collected these things, and this was a time to rediscover ideas,” she says.

The rediscovery process has been rewarding and has unleashed a flood of creativity that is making its way into recent creations featuring dock wood, concrete, old steel, and so much stone.

“I do lots of thinking when I’m driving or out walking my dogs,” Christy notes. “I’m kind of a eureka moment person.”

These moments are why each of her functional sculptures are different.

Her vases, for example, are created from the same materials as her other works — stone and glass — but are completely unique.

Every one of Christy Haldane's glass-and-stone vases is functional as well as being an original, one-of-a-kind piece of art. The Peterborough-area artist uses natural stone from different regions of Ontario, including the Kawarthas, with some vases using concrete that also contains natural stone. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)
Every one of Christy Haldane’s glass-and-stone vases is functional as well as being an original, one-of-a-kind piece of art. The Peterborough-area artist uses natural stone from different regions of Ontario, including the Kawarthas, with some vases using concrete that also contains natural stone. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)

“I grew up in southern Ontario and the stone there is so different,” Christy says. “Stones change from region to region and this impacts what is created. It’s part of why as Canadians we are so grounded in our landscape — we see ourselves as part of it.”

This connection to the landscape is clearly expressed with Christy’s vase creations, but also in her pendants. While they are meant to be worn, the pendants beg to be held in your hand, to be warmed by skin. They are decidedly formal but, with such a rugged beauty, can easily be used as a casual accessory too.

VIDEO: Peterborough-area artist Christy Haldane at work in her studio

Christy’s vases are equally reflective of this rugged beauty. The functional sculptures combine beautifully with wildflowers or even weeds. Like the pendants, the pieces invite touch — they need to be felt, held, and turned based on mood. This is not the kind of art that should live on a high shelf away from hands and hearts.

Christy laughs while recalling a show she did at the Art Gallery of Peterborough.

“I used the Trent Severn as the inspiration,” Christy recalls. “The pieces were on the ramp and the curator went crazy because everyone was touching them. But I want to work with something people touch — even in outdoor shows the pieces warm up in the sun.”

Known for her large sculptural installations (pictured), Peterborough-area artist Christy Haldane is making her art accessible to everyone with glass-and-stone vases, sculptures, and wearable pendants. (Photos courtesy of Christy Haldane)
Known for her large sculptural installations (pictured), Peterborough-area artist Christy Haldane is making her art accessible to everyone with glass-and-stone vases, sculptures, and wearable pendants. (Photos courtesy of Christy Haldane)

Because Christy’s art is so accessible, she enjoys those moments when people suddenly “get it” — their deeper connection to an unspoken understanding of what it is to be Canadian and to be so impacted by our regional landscapes.

The global pandemic has also created a different kind of regional landscape and, as Christy prepares for a holiday season without shows, she says her work reflects what we have experienced over the past year. Forced to adapt to significant and previously unimaginable change and facing a fear of the unknown, many of us have found comfort in the beauty and stability of our natural surroundings.

Christy’s process is about capturing moments of history in found objects and then fusing these together to create a new story. That process is exemplified in her popular “Memory Stones”, one-of-a-kind stone-and-glass pendants, lone sculptures, and memorial sculptures. You provide her with stones you have collected that mean something to you — whether from a special place, person, or time in your life — and Christy incorporates them into a piece of art you can cherish forever.

Christy Haldane also creates custom "Memory Stones" that, like her vases and pendants, fuse glass with stone -- but you provide her with stones you have collected that have special meaning for you. Memory Stones are available as pendants, lone sculptures, and memorial sculptures. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)
Christy Haldane also creates custom “Memory Stones” that, like her vases and pendants, fuse glass with stone — but you provide her with stones you have collected that have special meaning for you. Memory Stones are available as pendants, lone sculptures, and memorial sculptures. (Photo courtesy of Christy Haldane)

“My work is first about the story,” Christy explains. “Then it’s process and medium driven.”

The year that is wrapping up is unlike anything we have experienced before, and the art Christy is creating for the holiday season is an antidote to uncertainty, stress, and isolation. Her work delivers a feeling of grounding, permanence, and fresh perspective and everything begs to be touched and held — creating the personal connection and closeness so many of us have longed for since the pandemic began.

Christy lives on a hobby farm outside of Peterborough, Ontario. Her work, ranging from small-scale wearable art to large sculptural installations, can be viewed and purchased on her website at www.christyhaldane.com. Selected works will also be available in the gallery shop at the Art Gallery of Peterborough (250 Crescent St., Peterborough) when the gallery reopens on November 21st after installing new exhibitions.

For more information, contact Christy at 705-931-0855 or christy@christyhaldane.com. You can also follow Christy and her art on Facebook and Instagram.

 

This story was created in partnership with Christy Haldane.

Ontario reports 1,248 new COVID-19 cases, including 6 in Peterborough

By kawarthaNOW -
Fairhaven is a municipal long-term care home facility located at 881 Dutton Road in Peterborough. (Photo: Fairhaven)

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,248 new COVID-19 cases, a drop of 333 from yesterday’s record high of 1,581 cases. This is the tenth straight day of more than 1,000 new daily cases, with the average number of daily cases over the past 10 days decreasing slightly to 1,332.

Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (364), Peel (308), and York (125), with smaller increases in Durham (62), Ottawa (62), Halton (54), Waterloo (48), Hamilton (31), Middlesex-London (29), Simcoe Muskoka (26), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (24), Windsor-Essex (23), Niagara (23), Southwestern Public Health (13), Sudbury (6), Huron Perth (6), and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (6).

The remaining 17 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 53% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (480) among people ages 20 to 39. With 1,062 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases remains unchanged at 83.3%. The average positivity rate across Ontario is unavailable on weekends.

For the thirteenth day in a row, there has been a double-digit increase in the number of deaths, with 29 new deaths reported today including 20 in long-term care facilities — the highest number of deaths and long-term care deaths since June. Hospitalizations have decreased by 23 to 479, but 40 hospitals did not submit data for this report so this number may be under-reported. There are 11 additional patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and 1 additional patient on a ventilator.

A total of 42,206 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 13,620 to 26,147.

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There are 6 new cases to report in Peterborough, at least some of which are likely related to the ongoing outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care facility in Peterborough.

“We have fourteen residents in our Riverside 2 COVID wing (all originally from Westview 2), with several results outstanding from our lab,” writes Lionel Towns, executive director of Fairhaven, in a email to families on Sunday morning (November 15). “There are currently four confirmed positive cases in staff with several test results outstanding. We should receive most of the outstanding swabs today or tomorrow.”

The outbreak at Fairhaven began after a caregiver visiting the Westview 2 unit tested positive for COVID-19 on October 31. Since then, the virus has spread and two residents have died from COVID-19.

An additional case has been resolved in Peterborough.

Reports are unavailable on weekends for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Hastings and Prince Edward counties.

There are currently 34 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 23 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 3 in Northumberland.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 179 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (152 resolved with 4 deaths), 189 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (168 resolved with 32 deaths), 57 in Northumberland County (51 resolved with 1 death), 22 in Haliburton County (22 resolved with no deaths), and 87 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (76 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death — a resident of Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough — on November 12.

Province-wide, there have been 94,009 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,248 from yesterday, with 78,303 cases resolved (83.3% of all cases), an increase of 1,062. There have been 3,361 deaths, an increase of 20 from yesterday, with 2,141 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 20 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 23 to 479, but 40 hospitals did not submit data for this report so this number may be under-reported. There are 11 additional patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and 1 additional patient on a ventilator. A total of 5,643,922 tests have been completed, an increase of 42,206 from yesterday, with 26,147 tests under investigation, a decrease of 13,620 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day. Health unit data is more current, and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day.

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Peterborough Public Health

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.

Confirmed positive: 179 (increase of 6)
Active cases: 23 (increase of 5)
Close contacts: 25 (increase of 9)
Deaths: 4 (no change)
Resolved: 152 (increase of 1)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 10 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 35,600 (increase of 100)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

 

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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from November 13.

Confirmed positive: 268, including 189 in Kawartha Lakes, 57 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 7, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 3 in Northumberland (increase of 5, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 22, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 11 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (decrease of 2)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 241, including 168 in Kawartha Lakes, 51 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg (no change)

 

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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from November 13.

Confirmed positive: 87 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 6 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized (total to date): 7 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change)
Resolved: 76 (no change)
Total tests completed: 6,986 (increase of 53)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 94,009 (increase of 1,248)
Resolved: 78,303 (increase of 1,062, 83.3% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 479 (decrease of 23)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 118 (increase of 11)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 67 (increase of 1)
Deaths: 3,361 (increase of 29)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,141 (increase of 20)
Total tests completed: 5,643,922 (increase of 42,206)
Tests under investigation: 26,147 (decrease of 13,620)

*As is always the case on weekends, a number of hospitals (approximately 40) did not submit data to the Daily Bed Census for November 13. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 15 - November 14, 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)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 15 – November 14, 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 October 15 - November 14, 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 tests completed in Ontario from October 15 – November 14, 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)

 

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

Sales of 2021 Turtle Guardians calendar will help protect and save Ontario’s turtles

By kawarthaNOW -
The 2021 Turtle Guardians calendar includes fun-filled turtle photos and educational quotes, with all proceeds from the sale of the calendar supporting the protection and care of Ontario's turtles. (Photo: Turtle Guardians / The Land Betweeen)

If you want to help protect and save turtles in the Kawarthas, pick up the new 2021 Turtle Guardians calendar.

Turtle Guardians is a conservation and citizen science program of Haliburton-based The Land Between, a national charity that works to conserve and enhance the cultural, natural, and economic features of a significant region in central Ontario that extends from Georgian Bay to the Ottawa Valley.

The Land Between is known as an “ecotone” — a transition area beteween the ecosystems of the St. Lawrence Lowlands, the Canadian Shield, and the Boreal Forest that contains elements from these ecosystems as well as entirely unique features. More than one-third of all of Ontario’s turtles live in The Land Between.

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Founded by Leora Berman — who received the Roland Michener Conservation Award from the Canadian Wildlife Federation in 2019 — The Land Between charity and Turtle Guardians have been working since 2006 to save turtles and turtle habitats, by installing turtle crossing signs, mapping and conserving wetlands, supporting turtle-related science, and installing underpasses to prevent turtles from being killed or injured on roads.

Turtle Guardians is a program that brings together children, adults, and communities to help turtles. It provides educational opportunities and tools to help participants identify turtles and turtle habitats, as well as online reporting so The Land Between can can install turtle crossing signs and monitor populations and habitats.

Designed by Jaime Kearnan, the 2021 Turtle Guardians calendar is available for an early bird price of $15. (Photo: Turtle Guardians / The Land Between)
Designed by Jaime Kearnan, the 2021 Turtle Guardians calendar is available for an early bird price of $15. (Photo: Turtle Guardians / The Land Between)

Designed by Jaime Kearnan, the 2021 Turtle Guardians calendar includes fun-filled turtle photos and educational quotes. It’s available at turtleguardians.com/product/2021-turtle-guardian-calendar/ for an early bird price of $15 (regularly $19.95).

All proceeds from the sale of the calendar will support the installation of turtle tunnels and specialized fencing to direct turtles under roads in Haliburton Highlands, the excavation and incubation of turtle eggs under permits, monitoring roads, and caring for turtles.

For more information, including how to become a Turtle Guardian or donate, visit www.turtleguardians.com.

Ontario reports record 1,581 COVID-19 cases, with 50 new hospitalizations and 20 new deaths

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Today, Ontario is reporting a new record of 1,581 COVID-19 cases, exceeding the previous high of 1,575 cases on November 11. This is the ninth straight day of more than 1,000 new daily cases, with the average number of daily cases over the past nine days standing at 1,341.

Most of today’s new cases are in Peel (497), Toronto (456), and York (130), with smaller increases in Ottawa (77), Waterloo (67), Durham (64), Halton (54), Windsor-Essex (44), Hamilton (34), Simcoe Muskoka (34), Middlesex-London (19), Niagara (19), Brant County (11), Huron Perth (10), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (10), and Southwestern Public Health (9).

The remaining 18 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 5 health units — all in northern Ontario — reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 53% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (612) among people ages 20 to 39. Although 1,003 more cases have been resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has dropped by 0.3% to 83.3%. The average positivity rate across Ontario is unavailable on weekends.

For the twelfth day in a row, there has been a double-digit increase in the number of deaths, with 20 new deaths reported today, 12 of which were in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have jumped by 50 to 502, although there is only 1 additional patient with COVID-19 in an ICU and 1 less patient on a ventilator.

A total of 44,837 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 4,740 to 39,767.

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There are 3 new cases to report today in Peterborough. Reports are unavailable on weekends for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Hastings and Prince Edward counties.

There are currently 29 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 18 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 3 in Northumberland.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 173 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (151 resolved with 4 deaths), 189 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (168 resolved with 32 deaths), 57 in Northumberland County (51 resolved with 1 death), 22 in Haliburton County (22 resolved with no deaths), and 87 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (76 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 12.

Province-wide, there have been 92,761 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,581 from yesterday, with 76,238 cases resolved (83.3% of all cases), an increase of 1,003. There have been 3,312 deaths, an increase of 20 from yesterday, with 2,109 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 12 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 50 to 502, with 1 additional patient with COVID-19 in an ICU and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 5,601,716 tests have been completed, an increase of 44,837 from yesterday, with 39,767 tests under investigation, a decrease of 4,740 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day. Health unit data is more current, and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day.

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Peterborough Public Health

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.

Confirmed positive: 173 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 18 (increase of 3)
Close contacts: 16 (increase of 8)
Deaths: 4 (no change)
Resolved: 151 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 10 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 35,500 (increase of 100)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

 

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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from November 13.

Confirmed positive: 268, including 189 in Kawartha Lakes, 57 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 7, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 3 in Northumberland (increase of 5, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 22, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 11 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (decrease of 2)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 241, including 168 in Kawartha Lakes, 51 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg (no change)

 

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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from November 13.

Confirmed positive: 87 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 6 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized (total to date): 7 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change)
Resolved: 76 (no change)
Total tests completed: 6,986 (increase of 53)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 92,761 (increase of 1,581)
Resolved: 76,238 (increase of 1,003, 83.3% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 502 (increase of 50)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 107 (increase of 1)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 66 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 3,332 (increase of 20)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,121 (increase of 12)
Total tests completed: 5,601,716 (increase of 44,837)
Tests under investigation: 39,767 (decrease of 4,740)

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 14 - November 13, 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)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 14 – November 13, 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 October 14 - November 13, 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 tests completed in Ontario from October 14 – November 13, 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 in Ontario from October 14 - November 13, 2020. The red line is the number of new hospitalizations daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new hospitalizations. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Ontario from October 14 – November 13, 2020. The red line is the number of new hospitalizations daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of new hospitalizations. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from October 14 - November 13, 2020. The red line is the number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from October 14 – November 13, 2020. The red line is the number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day moving average of deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)

 

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

Strong wind gusts forecast for southern Kawarthas including Peterborough Sunday afternoon

By kawarthaNOW -

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the southern Kawarthas region for strong wind gusts of 70 to 80 km/h on Sunday (November 15).

The special weather statement applies to southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and all of Northumberland County.

A strengthening low pressure system is forecast to track across northeastern Ontario on Sunday, with winds strengthening throughout the day.

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The highest winds are expected to be ushered in with the passage of a cold front, where southwest winds gusting up to 80 km/h are forecast.

This front will move through southwestern Ontario beginning Sunday morning and through the Toronto to Barrie corridor in the afternoon.

Local power outages are possible. Strong winds may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break.

Wind will slowly ease Sunday night into Monday morning.

Ontario reports 1,396 new COVID-19 cases, including 12 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,396 new COVID-19 cases. This is the eighth straight day of more than 1,000 new daily cases, with the average number of daily cases over the past eight days at 1,311.

Most of today’s new cases are in Toronto (440), Peel (440), and York (155), with smaller increases in Halton (55), Waterloo (43), Hamilton (43), Ottawa (41), Durham (41), Simcoe Muskoka (27), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (19), Windsor-Essex (17), Niagara (12), Brant County (10), Huron Perth (9), Sudbury (6), and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (6).

The remaining 18 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 52% are among people under 40 years of age, with 514 cases among people ages 20 to 39. With 1,018 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has dropped by 0.2% to 83.6%. The average positivity rate across Ontario has increased by 0.2% to 4.5%, meaning that 45 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on November 12.

For the eleventh day in a row, there has been a double-digit increase in the number of deaths, with 19 new deaths reported today, 10 of which were in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 21 to 452, with 8 more patients with COVID-19 in ICUs and 5 more patients on ventilators.

A total of 40,509 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 2,530 to 44,507.

There are 116 new cases in Ontario schools, an increase of 13 from yesterday, with 56 student cases, 13 staff cases, and 47 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 22 cases in licensed child care settings, an increase of 12 from yesterday, with 11 cases among children and 11 cases among staff.

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There are 12 new cases to report in the greater Kawarthas region, including 4 in Peterborough, 4 in Northumberland, 3 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Haliburton. One additional case has been resolved in Peterborough.

In Northumberland County, an outbreak has been declared at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg after a second staff person tested positive for COVID-19 on November 13; the first case in a staff person at the hospital was confirmed on November 11, but an outbreak was not declared at that time. An outbreak at Warkworth Place was declared over on November 13; the outbreak was declared on October 29 after a symptomatic staff person tested positive for COVID-19.

None of the reported new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

There are now 26 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 15 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, and 3 in Northumberland.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 170 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (151 resolved with 4 deaths), 189 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (168 resolved with 32 deaths), 57 in Northumberland County (51 resolved with 1 death), 22 in Haliburton County (22 resolved with no deaths), and 87 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (76 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 12.

Province-wide, there have been 91,180 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,396 from yesterday, with 76,238 cases resolved (83.6% of all cases), an increase of 1,018. There have been 3,312 deaths, an increase of 19 from yesterday, with 2,109 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 10 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 21 to 452, with 8 additional patients with COVID-19 in ICUs and 5 additional patients on ventilators. A total of 5,556,879 tests have been completed, an increase of 40,509 from yesterday, with 44,507 tests under investigation, an increase of 2,530 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day. Health unit data is more current, and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day.

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Peterborough Public Health

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.

Confirmed positive: 170 (increase of 4)
Active cases: 15 (increase of 3)
Close contacts: 8 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 4 (no change)
Resolved: 151 (increase of 1)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 10 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 35,400 (increase of 50)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (no change)

 

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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 268, including 189 in Kawartha Lakes, 57 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (increase of 5, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 7, including 2 in Kawartha Lakes and 3 in Northumberland (increase of 5, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 22, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 11 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (decrease of 2)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 241, including 168 in Kawartha Lakes, 51 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg*

*An outbreak has been declared at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg after a second staff person tested positive for COVID-19 on November 13; the first case in a staff person at the hospital was confirmed on November 11, but an outbreak was not declared at that time. An outbreak at Warkworth Place was declared over on November 13; the outbreak was declared on October 29 after a symptomatic staff person tested positive for COVID-19.

 

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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 87 (increase of 3)
Active cases: 6 (increase of 3)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized (total to date): 7 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change)
Resolved: 76 (no change)
Total tests completed: 6,986 (increase of 53)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 91,180 (increase of 1,396)
Resolved: 76,238 (increase of 1,018, 83.6% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 452 (increase of 21)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 106 (increase of 8)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 67 (increase of 5)
Deaths: 3,312 (increase of 19)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,109 (increase of 10)
Total tests completed: 5,556,879 (increase of 40,509)
Tests under investigation: 44,507 (increase of 2,530)

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 13 - November 12, 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)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from October 13 – November 12, 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 October 13 - November 12, 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 tests completed in Ontario from October 13 – November 12, 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)

 

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

Ontario modifies COVID-19 colour-coding system after projections of up to 7,000 daily cases by end of December

By kawarthaNOW -
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces changes to the government's COVID-19 colour-coding system for Ontario health unit regions at a media conference at Queen's Park on November 13, 2020. The changes come a day after Ontario's top public health officials released new modelling data projecting Ontario could have 7,000 new daily COVID-19 cases by the end of December. (CPAC screenshot)

With Ontario’s top public health officials now projecting up to 7,000 daily COVID-19 cases in Ontario by the end of December, the Ontario government is lowering the thresholds of its colour-coded system for public health unit regions and moving additional health units into more restrictive levels.

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement on Friday afternoon (November 13) at a media conference along with health minister Christine Elliott and Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams.

“Yesterday, our top doctors and health experts provided us with updated modelling, and what we saw was alarming,” Ford said. “If we don’t take action, if we don’t change course in a big way, Ontario’s on track for 6,500 new cases per day.”

“That’s 6,500 more people who will catch this awful virus each and every day, and based on current projections, intensive care units could be overwhelmed in six weeks. The impact on our hospitals would be absolutely devastating. As Premier, I can’t accept that and I won’t accept that.”

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For each of the five levels in its colour-coded system, the government will be lowering the thresholds that determine when a public health unit is moved into a more restrictive level. Since it released the colour-coded system on November 3rd, the government has been criticized that the thresholds were set at too high a level.

With the November 13th announcement, the thresholds will be lowered for weekly incidence rates, positivity rate, effective reproductive number (Rt), outbreak trends, and the level of community transmission.

As a result, the public health units for Toronto, Hamilton, Halton, and York will move into the Red-Control level.

Brant County, Durham, Eastern Ontario Health Unit, Niagara, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, and Waterloo will move into the Orange-Restrict level.

Huron Perth, Middlesex-London, Sudbury, Southwestern Public Health, and Windsor-Essex will move into the Yellow-Protect level.

The changes take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday (November 16), except for Toronto, which will move into the Red-Control level at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday (November 14).

The remaining health units in Ontario, including the three health units in the greater Kawarthas region (Peterborough Public Health, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Public Health, and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit), remain in the Green-Prevent level.

Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, discusses updated COVID-19 modelling projections at a media conference at Queen's Park on November 12, 2020. If current restrictions are not changed, Ontario is on track to see up to 7,000 new daily COVID-19 cases by the end of December. (Ontario Parliament screenshot)
Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, discusses updated COVID-19 modelling projections at a media conference at Queen’s Park on November 12, 2020. If current restrictions are not changed, Ontario is on track to see up to 7,000 new daily COVID-19 cases by the end of December. (Ontario Parliament screenshot)

The government’s decision to modify the framework comes one day after updated modelling projections presented at a media briefing on Thursday afternoon (November 12) by Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, along with Adalsteinn Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, and Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontario’s chief coronor and coordinator of the province’s COVID-19 response.

In a slide presentation during the media briefing, Brown compared Ontario’s COVID-19 situation to that of European countries.

When the data for the presentation was pulled together, Brown said, Ontario’s seven-day daily growth rate was at three per cent, already surpassing the growth rate in Germany that resulted in a four-week partial lockdown in that country on November 2nd. By the end of December, Ontario would exceed the growth rate in France — already in lockdown — with between 3,000 and 4,000 daily cases by the end of December.

“When we built these models a few days ago, three per cent was a reasonable way of capturing the average seven-day growth in total number of cases,” Brown explained. “Seven-day growth is actually probably closer to about four per cent right now, so it’s climbing up.”

At a five per cent daily growth rate, Ontario would see between 6,000 and 7,000 daily cases by the end of December — exceeding the growth rate in Germany, France, and the UK, and approaching the growth rate in the Netherlands.

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Brown emphasized that even small changes in the rate of growth result in large changes in the number of cases, and that Ontario’s growth rate could actually be higher than five per cent — resulting in even more than 7,000 daily cases.

“The three-day rate of growth a few days was about five per cent — it’s now six per cent,” Brown said. “So if the last few days is a reasonable point of extrapolation, it’s fair to say that the five per cent is a current, or maybe slightly optimistic, scenario.”

In addition to the growth rate, Brown said the number of cases in long-term care homes continues to accelerate, with a substantial increase in cumulative mortality — with 71 deaths in the past seven days.

“As case rates climb, we expect mortality to climb as well,” Brown said.

PDF: Update on COVID-19 Projections in Ontario – November 12, 2020
Update on COVID-19 Projections in Ontario - November 12, 2020

When it comes to hospitalizations, there has been a 61 per cent increase over the past three weeks, and a 167 per cent increase over the past six weeks.

“It is still a relatively low number of hospitalization compared to the total number of hospital beds in the province,” Brown noted. “But it’s important to keep in mind as well that our hospitals run very close to capacity at all times.”

Brown said there is some good news — the average length of stay in hospital for patients with COVID-19 has declined, especially for patients receiving ventilation in intensive care units (ICUs).

However, Brown added that the ICU occupancy in any of the modelling scenarios will exceed 150 beds within two or three weeks — the threshold for reducing access to care for non-COVID patients.

“Before the end of December though — within about six weeks — almost all of our scenarios take us well over 200 ICU beds being occupied, and in the worst-case scenario we get up close to 450 ICU beds occupied with COVID-19 patients.”

Brown said this would place significant limitations on the health system’s ability to react to additional patient needs and access to care.

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After Brown’s presentation, Dr. Dirk Huyer provided information on outbreaks and community transmission during the second wave of COVID-19 in Ontario.

He said there were 29 new outbreaks reported on November 12, including 18 outbreaks in the vulnerable sector and the school sector, six in the public-facing sector including retail and other settings where the public attend, and five in workplaces.

There has been a 57 per cent increase in the number of outbreaks over the past week, at 168, with 632 outbreaks over the past month. Outbreaks have been reported in 22 of Ontario’s 34 public health units, expanding beyond the vulnerable sector and schools.

“It’s important to remember that, while outbreaks are something that’s identifiable, it’s 10 per cent of the cases,” Huyer said.

Huyer added that, while outbreaks are not representative of community transmission, they provide a proxy of community spread in social settings.

Data provided by the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table shows that 40 to 60 per cent of cases are due to community transmission, but the source of the infection is unknown. However, evidence shows social gatherings in public and private settings must be responsible, including settings as indoor dining at restaurants.

“The increased number of cases and the increased number of contacts make it very challenging to be able to identify the source,” Huyer said.

“Because trying to understand the complexities of case management, with many people that you intersect with, makes it very difficult to sort backwards and try to figure out where the transmission actually occurred, and then also challenging to be able to contact and connect with all of those who might have been in contact in a high-risk situation, which is important to stop the spread.”

Huyer added that many of the outbreaks have been associated with specific social gatherings, including Halloween parties, weddings, and places of worship, where people get infected and then spread the virus in other settings.

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In his concluding remarks, Dr. Williams said that, after eight months of the pandemic, Ontarians are tired of the restrictions and want to get together with others, but social gatherings are feeding the spread of the virus.

“This is a critical time for our province. We know how difficult these past few months have been for everyone — Ontario’s communities, businesses, and families. But the challenge is we need to get these numbers down, to protect the health and safety of Ontarians and to protect our health care system from being overwhelmed, especially as we enter respiratory virus season and flu season.”

Williams said “time is of the essence” when it comes to taking action to address the growth rate.

In response to a reporter’s question, Brown said the growth rate would continue as projected if existing restrictions were not modified.

When another reporter asked if additional restrictions should be implemented in the province’s hotspots, Brown’s answer was straightforwards.

“If the goal is to reduce the number of cases, and the goal is to reduce the impact on the health system, then yes.”

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