Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 841 new COVID-19 cases. Most of the new cases are in Toronto (335), Peel (162), York (106), and Ottawa (72), with smaller increases in Durham (29), Halton (29), Simcoe Muskoka (24), Hamilton (20), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (10), Middlesex-London (10), Niagara (9), and Waterloo (9). The remaining 22 public health units reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 9 reporting no cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 53% are among people under the age of 40. With 741 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases remains unchanged at 86%. The positivity rate also remains unchanged at 2.5%, meaning that 2.5% of all tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on October 21.
For the second day in a row, there have been 9 new deaths, including 3 in long-term care homes. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 10 to 270, with 3 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 38,860 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 5,452 to 34,784.
The number of new cases in Ontario schools today has fallen to 74, a decrease of 70 from yesterday, with 49 student cases, 5 staff cases, and 20 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 7 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 12 from yesterday, with 3 cases among children and 4 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 3 new cases to report in Hastings and Prince Edwards counties, increasing the number of active cases there to 10. There are no new cases in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, or Haliburton.
None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 19 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 8 in Peterborough, 10 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 141 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (131 resolved with 2 deaths), 184 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (164 resolved with 32 deaths), 45 in Northumberland County (44 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (18 resolved with no deaths), and 73 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (58 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 67,527 confirmed cases, an increase of 841 from yesterday, with 58,066 (86% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 741. There have been 3,071 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 1,984 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 10 to 270, with 3 more patients admitted to ICUs and 1 less patient on a ventilator. A total of 4,785,832 tests have been completed, an increase of 34,784 from yesterday, with 34,784 tests under investigation, an increase of 5,452 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
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: 141 (no change) Active cases: 8 (no change) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 131 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 33,400 (increase of 200) Institutional outbreaks: None (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: 248, including 184 in Kawartha Lakes, 45 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 227, including 164 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change) Active cases: 1, in Kawartha Lakes (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (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: 73 (increase of 3) Active cases: 10 (increase of 3) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 58 (no change) Total tests completed: 44,968 (increase of 524) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 67,527 (increase of 841) Resolved: 58,066 (increase of 741, 86% of all cases) Hospitalized: 270 (increase of 10) Hospitalized and in ICU: 74 (increase of 3) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 48 (decrease of 1) Deaths: 3,071 (increase of 9) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,984 (increase of 3) Total tests completed: 4,785,832 (increase of 38,860) Tests under investigation: 34,784 (increase of 5,452)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 21 – October 21, 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 September 21 – October 21,2020. 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)
Kash has passed her wings to Humberly Gonzalez, the newest Philly Cream Cheese Angel.
Gonzalez is a Venezuelan-born Toronto-based actor whose credits include Orphan Black, Saving Hope, Workin’ Moms, and Utopia Falls.
“Canadians have a strong emotional connection to Linda Kash as the iconic ’90s Philly Angel, but a new decade calls for a new angel and the chance for Philly to modernize and be reflective of Canada today,” said Nina Patel, head of marketing and innovation at Kraft Heinz Canada, in a September 28th announcement.
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Philadelphia Cream Cheese began the hunt for a new Philly Angel in February, encouraging Canadians — with Kash’s help — to submit their audition videos on social media. There were more than 300 auditions, and the company has since decided to have more than one Philly Angel in the future.
“Throughout the search, it was humbling to see so many talented Canadians audition, each bringing their own unique perspective to the role,” Patel said. “We were inspired by what we saw and we look forward to welcoming many Philly Angels in the years to come.”
According to a media release, “Before hanging up her halo for good, Linda will train Humberly on what it takes to be a Philly Angel, sharing inside tips on wing maintenance, the perfect Philly-to-bagel ratio and, of course, a little heavenly gossip as well.”
VIDEO: Linda Kash welcomes Humberly Gonzalez as a new Philly Angel
Kash hasn’t hung up her wings quite yet, though. She has been continuing to appear alongside Gonzalez — who was born in 1995, when the original Philly Angel ads starring Kash were running — in television and social media spots.
“I grew up eating Philly Cream Cheese and am now honoured to be teaming up with this iconic brand to help spread joy and positivity throughout Canada, as one of many new Philly Angels,” Gonzalez said. “Linda has had such an amazing career and her work as the Philly Angel was so inspiring. I can’t wait to meet other future Philly Angels and hope to do Linda’s wings the justice they deserve.”
The two suspects in a theft from a William Street grocery store in Lindsay that left an employee with minor injuries. (Police-supplied photo)
Kawartha Lakes police are seeking two suspects after a theft at a grocery store in Lindsay on Wednesday afternoon (October 21) that injured an employee.
At 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday, a man and woman entered the William Street grocery store and began placing merchandise into a hand basket. An employee of the store observed the couple leaving the business without paying for the items they had selected.
When the employee attempted to take control of the hand basket from the man, a struggle ensured and the employee was knocked to the floor, sustaining minor injuries in the process. The man and woman fled from the store prior to the arrival of police.
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Police describe the male suspect as white, 6′ tall, medium build with “buzz cut” brown hair. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with “Champion” on front in white letters, grey and black camouflage pants, and black running shoes with white soles.
The female suspect is described as white, 5’5″ tall, medium build with long straight dark brown hair worn up in a “messy” bun on top of her head. She was wearing a black jacket with prominent chrome zippers, grey tight-fitting pants, black running shoes with white soles and carrying a large black leather purse with leather and chain shoulder strap.
The Kawartha Lakes Police Service is asking that anyone who may have information about this incident contact them at 705-324-5252. Information can be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or at www.kh.crimestoppersweb.com.
This man and woman are wanted in a theft from a William Street grocery store in Lindsay that left an employee with minor injuries. (Police-supplied photos)
When you flush the toilet or drain the bathtub, where does the wastewater go?
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Jenn McCallum, Water Programs Coordinator at GreenUP .
Although you may not want to think too much about raw sewage and its treatment, this is an important water issue to consider. Here in the City of Peterborough, we are fortunate to have the wastewater treatment plant treat our sewage, meaning that we don’t have to worry about this topic on a daily basis — or maybe we do.
After my July article about water treatment, I wanted to learn more about wastewater treatment. So I reached out to Kent Keeling, chief environmental officer with the City of Peterborough, to get a better sense of how our wastewater system works.
Keeling says there is an important distinction between sanitary sewers and storm sewers.
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“The sanitary sewer system connects your home (toilets, showers, sinks, etc.) to the wastewater treatment plant for treatment prior to re-entering the Otonabee River,” Keeling explains. “By contrast, storm sewers are connected to the square curbside grates on the city’s streets. These are meant to carry rainwater away to the nearest lake, river, or stream.”
You may notice both types of sewers in your neighbourhood, but the treatment of wastewater is different than that of stormwater. While we all need to be careful about what goes into our stormwater system to minimize pollution to our waterways, wastewater requires comprehensive treatment to protect both the environment and our health.
“Wastewater treatment is designed to treat and remove solids, ammonia, and phosphorous,” Keeling says. “These contaminants are associated with typical household waste: things like bodily wastes, showers, dishwashing, laundry, etc.”
The sanitary sewer system carries wastewater from our homes to the wastewater treatment plant, where it is thoroughly treated before being pumped back into the Otonabee River, which is also where Peterborough gets its drinking water. Flusing items down your toilet or drains instead of disposing of them properly can negatively affect this infrastruture and, in the case of pharmaceuticals or toxic chemicals that are not removed by the wastewater treatment plant, our drinking water. (Photo: Jenn McCallum)
The solids Keeling is referring to include feces, which contain phosphorous. The other human waste is urine. While mostly water, urine also contains phosphorus and urea. Urea is composed of ammonia and carbon dioxide. High amounts of both ammonia and phosphorus are considered harmful to aquatic life and are removed during the wastewater treatment process.
The only things that we should be flushing are pee, poop, and toilet paper, referred to collectively as “The Three Ps.” Remember your toilet is not a garbage can. Dispose of your other waste properly, Keeling urges, and never flush these items:
Unused pharmaceuticals. These can be returned to your local pharmacy for disposal.
Hazardous chemicals like paint, gasoline, and pesticides. These need to go to the Household Hazardous Waste Depot at 400 Pido Road.
Things like latex gloves, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, dental floss, bandages, hair, and condoms should all go in the garbage and not down the drain.
But what if items other than the Three Ps are flushed?
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“The first issue is they can get caught in your household plumbing,” Keeling says. “This may not cause an immediate problem, but over time other debris and solids will get caught up on this item, eventually blocking the pipe and causing sewage to back up into your home.”
“If the item manages to clear your household piping, then it would make its way to the municipal sewer system where the exact same situation could happen — only this time the sewage would back up out of a manhole and into the environment and possibly into your neighbour’s house.”
If the item manages to make it to the wastewater treatment plant, Keeling explains it has the potential to clog one of the pumps. This could affect the plant’s ability to pump sewage and maintain the treatment process, and would require staff to take the pump apart to remove the blockage.
“If the item somehow made it past all these points, then it would be removed at our screening facility at the start of the treatment process,” he adds. “An excess of these items (baby wipes, rags, toys, etc.) can and have caused the screens to become clogged, requiring staff to make repairs to the screening system.”
In other words, flushing items other than the Three Ps can potentially be expensive to you, your neighbour, and to all municipal taxpayers, depending on where these items clog the sanitary sewer infrastructure.
The square-shaped grates on your street carry stormwater and other runoff to the nearest lake, river, or stream. The yellow fish painted near this storm drain is to remind us that whatever goes down the storm drain can impact our waterways. The Yellow Fish Road program raises awareness about keeping our storm sewers clean to protect our waterways. (Photo: Jenn McCallum)
Finally, I asked Keeling to explain the how wastewater is treated. Here’s how it works:
Screening. The screening process removes larger floating items and material that should not have ended up in the sanitary sewer, such as rags, food particles, plastic, and latex items.
Grit Removal. Larger materials, like sand that settles out quickly, are removed in the grit tanks. Screenings and grit end up going to the landfill.
Primary Clarifiers. This stage involves adding a flocculant (ferric sulphate) to attract smaller particles together to create bigger particles that then settle out. These bigger particles are sent to the anaerobic digesters, where they are broken down by micro-organisms. The primary clarifiers also remove solids and some phosphorus.
Aeration Tanks. After the primary clarifiers, the wastewater enters the aeration tanks. In these tanks, there is a mix of micro-organisms and bacteria that consumes the waste, and air is actively bubbled into the tanks to provide oxygen to these organisms. In this part of the process, ammonia is converted to nitrate and more phosphorous is removed.
Final Clarifiers. After the aeration tanks are the final clarifiers, where the micro-organisms are returned to the aeration tanks and remaining solids are removed and disposed of.
Disinfection. Clean water from the final clarifiers goes through ultraviolet disinfection (to remove harmful bacteria, for example) before being discharged into the Otonabee River.
Now that we have a better understanding of where our wastewater goes and how it is treated, we know it’s best to only flush the Three Ps down the toilet and dispose of other wastes properly.
Remember that our drinking water comes from the Otonabee River, and our treated wastewater eventually ends up in the river as well. Respecting this life-giving waterway is in our best interest.
Jo Anne's Place at 1260 Lansdowne Street in Peterborough has temporarily closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 on October 21, 2020. The employee has not worked at or visited the store since October 15. This is not the case at the McDonald's restaurant at 1045 Chemong Road North in Peterborough, where an employee who also tested positive was working at the store on October 21 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Photo: Jo Anne's Place)
A second business in Peterborough has now temporarily closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Jo Anne’s Place at 1260 Lansdowne Street in Peterborough found out on Wednesday evening (October 21) that one of its employees has tested positive.
“We immediately contacted Peterborough Public Health,” Jo Anne’s Place writes in an email on Thursday (October 22). “Public Health has stated that they do not have any concerns for the general public who have been shopping at the store, as this employee has not worked at or visited our store since Thursday October 15th.”
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The storefront at 1260 Lansdowne Street is closed and will be professionally cleaned and sanitized on Thursday. All Jo Anne’s Place employees have been notified and employees that may have come into close contact with the positive employee will self-quarantine.
Jo Anne’s Place’s other two locations, on Water Street in Peterborough and in Lindsay, remain open at this time.
The temporary closure of Jo Anne’s Place comes at the same time as the temporary closure of the McDonald’s restaurant at 1045 Chemong Road North in Peterborough after an employee there also tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to immediately shut down the restaurant for a thorough cleaning and sanitization by a certified third party,” reads a statement from the company.
Unlike the situation at Jo Anne’s Place, the employee who tested positive at McDonald’s had worked a shift on Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We continue to work with local health authorities to support our people and our guests, and look forward to getting back to serving our community as soon as we can,” the company stated.
Over the past week, Peterborough Public Health has reported new cases of COVID-19 almost daily, including four new cases on Wednesday. It is unknown whether these two cases are included in those four cases.
In a pre-recorded video, Angela Jones of Lakeshore Designs in Peterborough aceepts the Women's Business Network of Peterborough's Businesswoman of the Year (Entrepreneur), presented at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce 2020 Peterborough Business Excellence Awards online ceremony on October 21, 2020. The Women's Business Network of Peterborough also named the Chamber's own Sandra Dueck as Businesswoman of the Year (Organization). (YouTube screenshot)
Angela Jones of Lakeshore Designs and Ian Scates of Central Smith Creamery were among those honoured on Wednesday night (October 21) during the 17th annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards ceremony. Jones was named as Businesswoman of the Year (Entrepreneur) and Scates was named Business Citizen of the Year.
Due to the pandemic, the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce presented the awards ceremony online for the first time. More than 50 businesses and individuals were recognized in more than 20 categories.
The award recipients were announced live during the online ceremony emceed by Megan Murphy. To accommodate the change from an in-person ceremony, all award finalists were asked to record an acceptance video in advance of the ceremony, and the previously recorded video for each award recipient was played when the recipient was revealed.
VIDEO: 2020 Peterborough Business Excellence Awards ceremony
The Businesswoman of the Year award, normally presented in a separate event by the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN), was included in the Peterborough Business Excellence Awards ceremony this year. However, finalists for the award were chosen by a panel of judges selected by WBN that was independent of the Peterborough Business Excellence Awards panel of judges.
The Businesswoman of the Year award was split into two categories this year, to recognize both female entrepreneurs and women working in organizations, with Angela Jones of Lakeshore Designs receiving the entrepreneur award and Sandra Dueck of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce receiving the organization award.
Ian Scates, president and chief executive owner of Central Smith Creamery, was selected as the 2020 Business Citizen of the Year.
VIDEO: Ian Scates – 2020 Business Citizen of the Year
In addition to his leadership at transforming his family-owned business into a national distributor of ice cream and frozen dessert products and support of local suppliers, Scates was also recognized for his and his company’s support of the community, with a focus on Scates’ passion for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation.
Previously announced but recognized during the online ceremony were the Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture’s Farm Family of the Year, as well as the Chamber’s 4-Under-40 Profiles, which recognize business and community leadership in individuals under the age of 40. The 4-Under-40 Profiles have been designated in the memory of former Chamber board chair Kathy Windrem, for whom a tribute was featured at the ceremony.
Here’s the complete list of finalists (listed alphabetically) and recipients:
Hard Winter Bakery, owned by Graham Thoem and Jessica Arsenault, is now open at 133 Hunter Street East in Peterborough's East City, just across the street from the Liftlock Foodland. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
businessNOW™ is our round-up of business and organizational news from Peterborough and across the greater Kawarthas region.
In businessNOW, our managing editor collects news and events related to businesses and organizations from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
It’s Small Business Week this week, and we are featuring Peterborough’s newest bakery, Hard Winter Bakery in East City, along with Dan Joyce Clothing in Peterborough, whose owner is celebrating her first year of ownership by giving back to the community.
Also featured this week is the return of the Million Dollar Makeover Program in Kawartha Lakes, which supports property and business owners who want to improve the visual and functional aspects of their properties, and highlights of business and organizational news over the past few weeks.
New business events added this week include the Peterborough Airport’s virtual Peterborough Aerospace Summit on October 27th, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s TD Economic Outlook 2020 on November 18th, and Elevating Canadian Experiences’ online workshops for local tourism operators on November 23rd and 24th.
Hard Winter Bakery opens in Peterborough’s East City
Hard Winter Bakery co-owner Graham Thoem behind the counter at Peterborough’s newest bakery, which opened in mid-October. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Between the weather and the pandemic, it may end up being a hard winter — but lovers of sourdough bread, bagels, and other baked goods will find solace at Hard Winter Bakery, Peterborough’s newest bakery.
Located at 133 Hunter Street East in East City (just across the street from the Liftlock Foodland), Hard Winter Bakery opened just last week. Owners Graham Thoem and Jessica Arsenault originally launched Hard Winter Bread Company in Lakefield in 2014. The couple, who have been married since 2006 and have two young sons, had no storefront location and were selling their products at local farmers’ markets and selected restaurants and specialty food shops.
With the demand for their handmade sourdough breads, pastries, and Montreal-style bagels increasing, Graham and Jessica began looking for a storefront location in 2018 and finally purchased the East City location.
Hard Winter Bakery offer sourdough breads as well as a range of fresh baked goods. The bakery is currently bringing in Montreal-style bagels every few weeks from Montreal (of course), but is working to bring back production of their popular bagels. (Photo: Hard Winter Bakery)
“I just kept coming back to the idea that in a community,” Jessica told kawarthaNOW’s food writer Eva Fisher in 2019. “I love when there are neighbourhood stores: a neighbourhood coffee shop, or a little grocer. To me, East City epitomizes that.”
Along with their popular sourdough breads, Hard Winter Bakery offers breakfast cookies, chocolate chunk cookies, classic ginger cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, granola, breakfast scones, wheat-free brownies, biscotti, and more. All their products are baked fresh from scratch with natural and healthy raw ingredients.
Montreal-style bagels are currently in short supply, available only every few weeks, as Graham and Jessica are bringing them in from (of course) a Montreal bakery. Montreal-style bagels are cooked in a wood-fired oven, which Hard Winter Bakery currently doesn’t have onsite. However, Graham and Jessica say they have plans in the works to bring back their bagel production.
Hard Winter Bakery is located at 133 Hunter Street East in Peterborough’s East City, just across the street from the Liftlock Foodland. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
For more information about Hard Winter Bakery, visit hardwinterbreadco.com. For the most recent updates, follow them on Facebook,
New owner of Dan Joyce Clothing in Peterborough marks first-year anniversary with clothing donation drive
Nancy Wiskel purchased Dan Joyce Clothing one year ago. (Photo: Dan Joyce Clothing)
Nancy Wiskel, who purchased the 40-year-old business Dan Joyce Clothing one year ago after returning to her home town of Peterborough, is celebrating her first-year anniversary with a clothing donation drive in support of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.
Until Friday, November 6th, Wiskel will be accepting drop-offs of gently used clothing items (women’s, men’s, and children’s) at Dan Joyce Clothing’s location 87 Hunter Street West in Peterborough. The donations will be safely bagged before being given to St. Vincent de Paul for sale in the Vinnies thrift store. Proceeds from Vinnies support St. Vincent’s food pantry.
“I’m proud to celebrate my first year as owner of this important fashion boutique, and to receive the support of local shoppers as well as Peterborough’s vibrant small businesses community,” Wiskel says. “With this donation drive, we can all come together to show the best of our great city and help those in need.”
Nancy Wiskel is providing in-store visitors with a donation bag they can fill with gently used clothing, which Dan Joyce Clothing will supply to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for sale at their Vinnies thrift store. (Photo: Dan Joyce Clothing)
Wiskel is also providing in-store visitors with a donation bag they can fill and then drop off at the store. Dan Joyce Clothing will even deliver the bag to your home or office (depending on your location). Volunteers will then come by to collect your full clothing bag for delivery to Vinnies.
In return for their generosity, Wiskel will provide each donor with a 10 per cent discount on their next purchase at Dan Joyce Clothing, including at their online store at danjoyces.com.
Drop off gently used clothing at Dan Joyce Clothing (87 Hunter St. W., Peterborough) or call 705-743-8131 to arrange a donation bag to be brought to your home and later picked up.
Million Dollar Makeover Program returns to Kawartha Lakes
Applications are now open for the next round of the Million Dollar Makeover Program in the City of Kawartha Lakes. (Graphic: City of Kawartha Lakes)
Applications are now open for the next round of the Million Dollar Makeover Program in the City of Kawartha Lakes, supported by the Kawartha Lakes Community Future Development Corporation.
Million Dollar Makeover is a funding program designed to encourage and support economic development in Kawartha Lakes. The program supports property and business owners who want to improve the visual and functional aspects of their commercial, mixed-use commercial/residential, or heritage designated residential buildings.
“We’ve seen a lot of success since the program launched in 2018 and together with participating businesses and property owners we’re able to transform Kawartha Lakes one makeover at time,” says Carlie Arbour, community economic development officer with the City of Kawartha Lakes. “Building on our past success, this year we’re excited to expand the funding programs to also include a number of new incentives to encourage more investment in our commercial districts and properties with heritage designations.”
The fall application intake round includes 10 funding opportunities, with a focus on downtown main street revitalization and enhancements, heritage districts and building restoration and improvements, derelict building repairs and improvements to functionality, and affordable rental housing private space retrofits in mixed-use buildings.
Highlights of other business and organization news from across the Kawarthas
Alex Papanicolaou, founder and CEO of ThermoScans smart thermal imaging technology, which is being used by the Cobourg Police Service. (Photo: ThermoScans)
The top 10 group finalists for the Innovation Cluster’s annual Pitch It! entrepreneurial competition for Trent University and Fleming College students have been announced. The finalist teams are led by Diksha Chhabra, Manush Desai, Mereeta Figarado, Jobin John, Rahul Nair, Trushna Patel, Sarandeep Singh, Parth Soni, Rupak Thakur, and Pravalika Vejendla. Winners will be announced on Friday, October 30th.
Dr. Natalie Bocking will be the new Medical Officer of Health for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit effective April 5, 2021, taking over for the retiring Dr. Lynn Noseworthy.
Emterra Environmental, the recycling contractor for the City of Peterborough, has partnered with the Peterborough Petes to introduce the Emterra Clean Community Cup, a challenge for families in the Peterborough area to participate in a community clean-up. Organizers will start accepting challenge entries on October 26th. Visit gopetesgo.com/clean-community-cup for details.
Paul Ayotte has retired as board chair of JA Northern and Eastern Ontario (formerly Junior Achievement of Peterborough Lakeland Muskoka) and Patrick Davis has been elected as new chair.
Applications for the second round of the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), which provides financial support to charities and other qualified organizations adapting their front-line services to support vulnerable Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic,>are open until October 30th. United Way Peterborough & District has $132,808 available for charities and non-profit organizations Peterborough, and the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes has $57,280 available for Kawartha Lakes.
Gauvreau & Associates Chartered Professional Accountants in Peterborough has been named in the 32nd annual Growth List ranking of Canada’s fastest-growing companies.
Peterborough’s Streambed Media, headed by Trent University alumna Jenna Pilgrim, has won Wyoming Sandcastle Startups challenge for blockchain innovation. The company’s prize includes $12,500 USD, and a guaranteed spot for the Sandcastle finals in Dubai at the World’s Fair in October 2021 to compete for up to $250,000.
ThermoScans, smart thermal imaging technology that can accurately measure real-time temperatures from symptoms of COVID-19 or other illnesses, was recently awarded a Class 1 Medical Device Establishment License (MDEL) from Health Canada. Developed by Alex Papanicolaou and Nisha Sarveswaran and designed and made in Northumberland County, the technology is being used at the Cobourg police station in its cell block as a means to take temperature readings of individuals during the booking process.
Ganaraska Brewing Company held an official groundbreaking on October 9th for its new facility at 33 Mill Street South in Port Hope. The new microbrewery, which will included a tasting room, a rooftop patio overlooking the Ganaraska River, and a limited food menu, is expected to open in July 2021.
Clean tech company Rainmaker Inc., headquartered in Peterborough, has announced the signing of a joint venture with the Carlaw Group Ltd. to provide water to Kenya, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo in Africa.
The annual Hike for Hospice, held virtually this year in September due to the pandemic, exceeded its goal of $35,000 by raising $56,538 for Hospice Peterborough.
The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign in September in Peterborough, Bridgenorth, Lakefield, and Curve Lake raised $65,860.10 for YMCA of Central East Ontario Balsillie Family Branch Strong Kids campaign.
The Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge golf tournament in September, presented by sponsor Quality Construction and Renovations, raised $18,500 for community mental health supports.
Tri-Association Manufacturing Conference goes virtual on October 22
The Northumberland Manufacturers Association, Quinte Manufacturers Association, and Kawartha Manufacturers Association are presenting the Tri-Association Virtual Manufacturing Conference from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 22nd.
The theme of the virtual conference is resilience: how Canadian manufacturers innovate, create, and overcome disruption. The virtual conference features keynote speaker Liane Davey on building resilient teams, plant tours with Harco Enterprises and Research Castings International, a panel discussion, four workshops (Create a Team of Problem Solvers, A Mobile Workforce – Infrastructure & Security, Building A Resilient Health & Safety Culture, Supply Chain Disruption), and a virtual trade show with 20 exhibitors.
The cost is $100 for members and $125 for non-members. For more information and for tickets, visit themanufacturingconference.ca.
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Peterborough Airport presents virtual Peterborough Aerospace Summit on October 27
This year’s Peterborough Aerospace Summit will be presented virtually from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, October 27th.
The keynote speaker is Daniel-Robert Gooch, president of the Canada Airports Council, with guest speakers including Trent Gervais and Nancy Hewitt of the Peterborough Airport, Lynne McMullen of Seneca College’s School of Aviation, Gary Wood of Flying Colours, Eileen Waechter of SOAN, and Mary MacLeod of Fleming College.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development hosts TD Economic Outlook 2020 on November 18
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is hosting TD Economic Outlook 2020 from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, November 18th.
This free online event will feature a discussion with Derek Burleton, TD Bank Group Vice-President and Deputy Chief Economist, about what will shape our economic landscape as we plan for the year ahead.
The event will also include an update from Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development President & CEO, Rhonda Keenan on the resiliency of companies in Peterborough & the Kawarthas during and post COVID-19.
Elevating Canadian Experiences hosting online workshops for local tourism operators on November 23 and 24
In partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, Elevating Canadian Experiences is delivering free online workshops for local tourism operators on Monday, November 23rd and Tuesday, November 24th.
The workshops will focus on two themes: culinary tourism and winter and shoulder season tourism.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Today, Ontario is reporting 790 new COVID-19 cases. Most of the new cases are in Toronto (321), Peel (157), Ottawa (57), and York (76), with smaller increases in Durham (43), Hamilton (34), Halton (24), Niagara (19), Waterloo (15), Simcoe-Muskoka (13), and Eastern Ontario Health Unit (9). The remaining 23 public health units are reporting 5 or fewer cases, with 13 reporting no cases at all.
Of today’s cases, 56% are among people under the age of 40. With 719 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 86%. The positivity rate has decreased by 1.1% to 2.5%, meaning that 2.5% of all tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on October 20.
There have been 9 new deaths, including 3 in long-term care homes. The number of hospitalizations has fallen by 14 to 260, with 1 less ICU patient but 4 new patients on ventilators. A total of 32,646 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 5,203 to 29,332.
The number of new cases in Ontario schools today has jumped to 144, an increase of 23 from yesterday and the second double-digit increase in a row, with 66 student cases, 13 staff cases, and 65 cases among unidentified individuals. There are 19 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 2 from yesterday, with 10 cases among children and 9 cases among staff.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 4 new cases to report in Peterborough, increasing the number of active cases to 8. There are no new cases in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Hastings and Prince Edwards counties.
None of the new cases in Ontario schools and child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.
There are currently 16 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 8 in Peterborough, 7 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 141 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (131 resolved with 2 deaths), 184 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (164 resolved with 32 deaths), 45 in Northumberland County (44 resolved with 1 death), 19 in Haliburton County (18 resolved with no deaths), and 70 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (58 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on September 8.
Province-wide, there have been 66,686 confirmed cases, an increase of 790 from yesterday, with 57,325 (86% of all cases) resolved, an increase of 719. There have been 3,062 deaths, an increase of 9 from yesterday, with 1,981 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 3 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 14 to 260, with 1 patient discharged from an ICU and 4 additional patients placed on ventilators. A total of 4,746,972 tests have been completed, an increase of 32,646 from yesterday, with 29,332 tests under investigation, an increase of 5,203 from yesterday.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
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: 141 (increase of 4) Active cases: 8 (increase of 4) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 131 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 9 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 33,200 (increase of 100) Institutional outbreaks: None (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: 248, including 184 in Kawartha Lakes, 45 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 15 (no change) Deaths: 33 (no change) Resolved: 227, including 164 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, 19 in Haliburton (no change) Active cases: 1, in Kawartha Lakes (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (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: 70 (no change) Active cases: 7 (no change) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 58 (no change) Total tests completed: 44,444 (increase of 34) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 66,686 (increase of 790) Resolved: 57,325 (increase of 719, 86% of all cases) Hospitalized: 260 (decrease of 14) Hospitalized and in ICU: 71 (decrease of 1) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 49 (increase of 4) Deaths: 3,062 (increase of 9) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,981 (increase of 3) Total tests completed: 4,746,972 (increase of 32,646) Tests under investigation: 29,332 (increase of 5,203)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from September 20 – October 20, 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 September 20 – October 20,2020. 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)
Our first pandemic Halloween need not be scarier than it normally is, according to Peterborough Public Health — as long as young trick-or-treaters and those handing out treats follow strongly recommended COVID-related protocols.
During her weekly media briefing held Wednesday (October 21), Peterborough’s medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra said that, because the Peterborough region remains in Stage Three of the pandemic recovery process, trick-or-treating can occur but only with a series of safety measures front of mind.
“Everyone on both sides of the treats must wear a face covering,” Dr. Salvaterra said. “That means no Halloween masks for children. Stick to face coverings only. We don’t want children wearing both a face covering and a mask. Store-bought masks have holes for the nose and mouth and those are the places face coverings cover.”
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For those trick-or-treating and those handing out treats, Dr. Salvaterra also strongly recommends following the measures announced earlier this week by Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health:
Screen for COVID-19 symptoms before trick-or-treating or handing out treats. Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms or feel ill.
Only travel or trick-or-treat with those in your household.
Maintain two metres’ distance from other groups. Avoid crowding in hallways and at doorways.
Wash or sanitize your hands frequently. Clean your hands before eating any treats.
Use tongs or another tool when handing out treats. Avoid leaving treats in a bowl for trick-or-treaters to grab.
Avoid handing out or eating homemade or repackaged treats.
In addition, Dr. Salvaterra urges that household Halloween parties not be held.
“Most homes in Peterborough can’t safely accommodate 10 physically distanced individuals,” she pointed out. “This is not the year to throw a party.”
Turning to the numbers, Dr. Salvaterra said the aftermath of Thanksgiving celebrations are beginning to be reflected with “case counts creeping up again.”
“We believe we have evidence of increasing community transmission, where there have been no links that we can find either to a close contact or travel. That’s disappointing but it’s not unexpected given the recent Thanksgiving long weekend.”
As of Wednesday morning, the local catchment area of Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake and Hiawatha had seen a total of 137 positive cases reported with four cases currently active.
A total of 131 local cases have been resolved with two COVID-related deaths reported, both occurring early in the outbreak. Some 33,200 area residents have been tested for a testing rate of 22.4 per cent.
Meanwhile, across Ontario, 790 new COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday morning with nine additional deaths occurring. The rolling seven-day average of new province-wide cases is now at 753.
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As for the possibility the Peterborough region will return to a modified Stage Two similar to Ottawa and some GTA municipalities that are seeing increasing case counts, Dr. Salvaterra said she doesn’t see that happening if the current numbers hold steady or improve.
“Our incidence rate is fairly low. At four (positive cases) per 100,000 people (compared to the provincial rate of 35 per 100,000), I don’t see a need to implement any further restrictions at this point. That said, we’ve had several months to put in place public health measures. We’ve created this new normal, and any business operating should be in full compliance. If we continue to use these tools, they will protect us.”
Peterborough board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell reinforced the need to stay the course.
“We’re not immune to what is happening elsewhere in the province,” he said. “The key to fighting COVID-19, while getting on with life, is to act responsibly and not place others at risk.”
As for pandemic fatigue, Dr. Salvaterra acknowledged it has been “a long haul and it’s not over yet,” adding the need to socially connect with others is of paramount importance.
“The isolation can be profound and can have emotional and mental health impacts,” she said. “This is going to be one winter where people should be outside, whatever the weather is.”
“Doing activities that you have maybe not tried before, whether it’s skating, skiing, hiking or snowshoeing, will be vital and keep you outdoors where the risk level is lower.”
On the testing front, Dr. Salvaterra noted the plan is re-open an indoor testing centre at Northcrest Arena on Monday, October 26th for those displaying symptoms. Attendance will be by appointment only. Visit peterboroughpublichealth.ca to book an appointment time.
Paul Finigan (front) and Pat Kramer (back) from Otonabee Conservation plant native shrubs at Peterborough Regional Health Centre on October 21, 2020. The tree planting, which honours the hospital's front-line healthcare workers, is one of six tree plantings with five community partners that Otonabee Conservation is hosting over the fall. In all, Otonabee Conservation will be planting 5,690 trees. (Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation)
In the latest in a series of tree-planting events this fall, Otonabee Conservation planted 78 native trees and shrubs on Wednesday (October 21) near the staff entrance at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) — honouring the hospital’s front-line healthcare workers.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the generosity of our community has been overwhelming,” said Brenda Weir, vice president and chief nursing executive at PRHC.
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“Planting these new trees outside the health centre will be appreciated by our healthcare professionals, support staff and volunteers, and also by the patients and visitors who are here at the hospital every day. Thank you to Otonabee Conservation and TD for this thoughtful show of support.”
TD provided funding for the planting, as part of their commitment to supporting those who are most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Peterborough also supported the planting by providing compost and mulch to promote tree health and growth.
The native species planted include white spruce, which provides excellent shelter for wildlife according to Otonabee Conservation, and fragrant sumac, a drought-tolerant shrub known for its brilliant red fall foliage. Both species will support natural diversity and wildlife habitat on the PRHC property, and in time, will create shelter and a windbreak for employees accessing the staff entrance.
Otonabee Conservation’s Kerry Norman plants a white cedar tree at the Harold Town Conservation Area, in the Township of Otonabee South Monaghan just outside of the City of Peterborough, on October 20, 2020. (Photo: Karen Halley / Otonabee Conservation)
“Trees provide countless benefits from filtering the air we breathe, to regulating temperatures, and providing shelter for wildlife,” explained Dan Marinigh, chief administrative officer for Otonabee Conservation.
“Planting trees, which are symbols of life and growth, is an ideal way to acknowledge front-line healthcare workers who are working tirelessly to care for our community during the pandemic, and always,” Marinigh added.
The PRHC planting is one of several Otonabee Conservation is hosting over the fall with five community partners to celebrate National Forest Week, which took place in September.
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Trees have already been planted at Siemens Peterborough (1954 Technology Dr.) on September 30th and at Harold Town Conservation Area, in Otonabee South Monaghan Township just outside Peterborough, on October 20th.
Additional plantings will take place at Meadows Stormwater Pond (2327 Marsdale Dr.) on October 22nd and 23rd, at Brock Mission (217 Murray St.) on October 26th, and at the Towerhill South Stormwater Pond (south of Walmart) from October 28th to 30th.
In all, Otonabee Conservation will be planting 5,690 trees, which will sequester more than 1.2 million kilograms of carbon over their lifetime. The initiative is supported with funding from Tree Canada, TD, Forests Ontario, and One Tree Planted.
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