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What’s new on Netflix Canada in January 2021

By kawarthaNOW -
Nicolas Cage takes us through the history and cultural impact of six common curse words in the new Netflix original series History of Swear Words, premiering on January 5, 2021. (Photo: Netflix)

Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada.

With Netflix raising prices in January for everything except its basic plan, viewers will again have to decide whether the streaming service is worth it — but if you’re thinking of switching to Disney+, be aware that streaming service is also raising its prices by $3 in February.

In January, Netflix is bringing us History of Swear Words, a new original series hosted by Nicolas Cage. Through interviews with experts in etymology, pop culture, historians and entertainers, the six-episode series explores the origins, pop culture-usage, science, and cultural impact of “F**k”, “Sh*t”, “B*tch”, “D**k”, “Pu**y”, and “Damn”. History of Swear Words premieres on Tuesday, January 5.

VIDEO: Penguin Bloom official trailer

Netflix has acquired the distribution rights for the film Penguin Bloom, which had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival in September. Based on the best-selling novel, the film tells the true story of Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts), a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her unable to walk. Penguin Bloom, which also stars Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead), comes to Netflix on Wednesday, January 27.

Season three of the popular Netflix original series Cobra Kai is also premiering in January, although Netflix hasn’t specified a release date. Season three finds everyone reeling in the aftermath of the violent high school brawl between their dojos, which has left Miguel in a precarious condition. While Daniel searches for answers in his past and Johnny seeks redemption, Kreese further manipulates his vulnerable students with his own vision of dominance.

Other returning series include season two of Bonding (no release date specified), season two of Dream Home Makeover and season two of Monarca (both on Jan. 1), season three of Nailed It! México (Jan. 5), season five of Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons (Jan. 8), season four of Carmen Sandiego and part three of Disenchantment (both on Jan. 15), season four of Hello Ninja (Jan. 19), season four of Call My Agent! and season five of Riverdale (both on Jan. 21), season two of Blown Away and season three of Busted! (Jan. 22), and season two of Snowpiercer (Jan. 26).

Other new and returning series coming to Netflix include season one of LA’s Finest (Jan. 5) and season five of Outlander (Jan. 16).

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New original Netflix series include 50M2 and The Netflix Afterparty (both with no release date specified), Headspace Guide to Meditation (Jan. 1), Lupin (Jan. 8), Bling Empire (Jan. 15), Spycraft (Jan. 20), Fate: The Winx Saga (Jan. 22), and Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (Jan. 23).

Netflix documentaries premiering in January include The Minimalists: Less Is Now (Jan. 1), Surviving Death and Tony Parker: The Final Shot (both on Jan. 6), Pretend It’s a City (Jan. 8), Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (Jan. 11), Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (Jan. 13), and We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Jan. 28).

Netflix films include June & Kopi (no release date specified), What Happened to Mr. Cha? (Jan. 1), Pieces of a Woman (Jan. 7), Charming (Jan. 8), Outside the Wire (Jan. 15), The White Tiger (Jan. 22), and The Dig and Finding ‘Ohana (both on Jan. 29).

Finally, theatrically released films coming to Netflix in January include The Aviator, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Daddy Day Care, First Man, Godzilla (2014), Jason and the Argonauts, John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and Terminator Salvation (all on Jan. 1), Abduction (Jan. 4), Summerland (Jan. 5), The Blues Brothers,The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Scorpion King, Ted, Ted 2, and Trainwreck (all on Jan. 6), Escape Room (Jan. 7), The Tax Collector (Jan. 8), and Miss Bala (Jan. 15).

VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in January 2021

Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in January along with what’s leaving.

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Coming in January (no release date specified)

  • 50M2 (Netflix original) – After betraying his bosses, a hitman hides out in a vacant tailor shop, where he’s mistaken for the late owner’s son, an identity he decides to embrace.
  • Bonding: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Totally broke and banned from every dungeon in New York City, best friends Tiff and Pete work to rebuild their reputations in the bondage community.
  • Cobra Kai: Season 3 (Netflix original) – Cobra Kai takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Season three finds everyone reeling in the aftermath of the violent high school brawl between their dojos, which has left Miguel in a precarious condition. While Daniel searches for answers in his past and Johnny seeks redemption, Kreese further manipulates his vulnerable students with his own vision of dominance. The soul of the Valley is at stake, and the fate of every student and sensei hangs in the balance.
  • June & Kopi (Netflix film) – After being rescued by a loving couple, a stray dog must learn how to trust and accept her new family.
  • The Netflix Afterparty (Netflix original) – The Netflix Afterparty is a first-of-its-kind weekly comedy panel show where comedians, casts, and creators come to chat about the buzziest shows and films. Hosts David Spade, Fortune Feimster, and London Hughes will also be joined by a different Netflix comedian to round out the panel.

 

Friday, January 1

  • Dream Home Makeover: Season 2 (Netflix original) – Shea and Syd McGee keep the dream alive for families in search of stylish spaces, whether it’s a comfy cabin or a manor sporting NBA-worthy hoops.
  • Headspace Guide to Meditation (Netflix original) – Take a deep breath and start the new year by being kind to your mind with the new Netflix original series Headspace Guide to Meditation. Over the course of eight animated episodes, Andy Puddicombe—former Buddhist monk and co-founder of the globally beloved Headspace meditation app—takes viewers through the benefits and science behind meditation. Each 20-minute episode showcases a different mindfulness technique that aids in the practice of meditation—focusing on subjects such as stress, sleep, and letting go—and ends with a guided meditation at the finale of every chapter. Headspace Guide to Meditation provides a moment of stillness and illustrates that practising meditation is easy and accessible for everyone. Headspace Guide to Meditation is the first of three series with Headspace and Vox Media Studios, with subsequent series to include Headspace Guide to Sleep and an interactive experience.
  • The Minimalists: Less Is Now (Netflix documentary) – They’ve built a movement out of minimalism. Longtime friends Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus share how our lives can be better with less.
  • Monarca: Season 2 (Netflix original) – The Carranza siblings face a new enemy in their cousin Sofía, as past actions threaten to dismantle the future of the Monarca empire.
  • What Happened to Mr. Cha? (Netflix film) – With the peak of his career long behind him, an actor clings to his past glory — until a sudden wake-up call forces him to face who he’s become.
  • The Aviator
  • Blended
  • The Creative Brain
  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  • Daddy Day Care
  • First Man
  • Godzilla (2014)
  • Hostel: Part III
  • In the Cut
  • Jason and the Argonauts
  • John Wick
  • John Wick: Chapter 2
  • One Direction: This Is Us
  • Richie Rich
  • Robin Hood (2018)
  • Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
  • Terminator Salvation
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Saturday, January 2

  • Asphalt Burning (Børning 3) (Netflix film) – When the brakes slam on his wedding, Roy accepts a challenge from a new foe to race for his runaway bride at the iconic Nürburgring track in Germany.

 

Monday, January 4

  • Abduction

 

Tuesday, January 5

  • Gabby’s Dollhouse (Netflix family) – Cute cats, quirky crafts and colourful magic! Join kitty enthusiast Gabby and her sidekick Pandy Paws as they team up for a series of animated adventures.
  • History of Swear Words (Netflix original) – An education in expletives: the history lesson you didn’t know you needed. History of Swear Words, hosted by Nicolas Cage, is a loud and proudly profane series that explores the origins, pop culture-usage, science and cultural impact of curse words. Through interviews with experts in etymology, pop culture, historians and entertainers, the six-episode series dives into the origins of “F**k”, “Sh*t”, “B*tch”, “D**k”, “Pu**y”, and “Damn”. History of Swear Words features Joel Kim Booster, DeRay Davis, Open Mike Eagle, Nikki Glaser, Patti Harrison, London Hughes, Jim Jefferies, Zainab Johnson, Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, Baron Vaughn, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. Experts include Benjamin Bergen (PhD, Cognitive Scientist, Author of What The F), Anne Charity Hudley (PhD, Linguist and Educator), Mireille Miller-Young (PhD, Professor of Feminist Studies), Elvis Mitchell (Film Critic/Host of The Treatment on KCRW), Melissa Mohr (PhD, Author of Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing), and Kory Stamper (Lexicographer, Author Of Word By Word).
  • LA’s Finest: Season 1
  • Nailed It! México: Season 3 (Netflix original) – Crooked cakes, deflated bakes and hapless takes on Pancho Villa and Einstein put the pressure on amateur pastry chefs hoping to win a sweet cash prize.
  • Summerland

 

Wednesday, January 6

  • The Blues Brothers
  • The Mummy
  • The Mummy Returns
  • The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
  • The Scorpion King
  • Surviving Death (Netflix documentary) – From director and executive producer, Ricki Stern (Reversing Roe, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work), and based on best-selling author and journalist Leslie Kean’s book, Surviving Death is an in-depth investigative series exploring the possibility of an afterlife. Over six episodes, Surviving Death explores questions that have been contemplated throughout time: What does it mean to die, and is death the end of our existence? Weaving together innovative new research with firsthand accounts from those who’ve been close to—and even experienced—death, the series takes viewers on an extraordinary journey into a world beyond human existence as we know it.
  • Ted
  • Ted 2
  • Tony Parker: The Final Shot (Netflix documentary) – This documentary examines the background and career of Tony Parker, whose determination led him to become one of the greatest French basketball players.
  • Trainwreck

 

Thursday, January 7

  • Escape Room
  • Pieces of a Woman (Netflix film) – A heartbreaking home birth leaves a woman grappling with the profound emotional fallout, isolated from her partner and family by a chasm of grief.

 

Friday, January 8

  • Charming (Netflix film) – On the eve of his 21st birthday, an adored prince must find his one, true soulmate before a spell takes away all love from his kingdom.
  • The Idhun Chronicles: Part 2 (Netflix anime) – In part two of this fantasy trilogy, Jack, Victoria and Kirtash have grown and so have their problems. Are they still destined to change Idhún’s fate?
  • Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 5 (Netflix original) – Raphael Rowe, who spent years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, volunteers to go behind bars in the Philippines, Greenland and South Africa.
  • Lupin (Netflix original) – Inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin, gentleman thief Assane Diop sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family.
  • Mighty Little Bheem: Kite Festival (Netflix family) – An innocent toddler’s boundless curiosity– and extraordinary might –lead to mischief and adventure in his small Indian town.
  • Pretend It’s a City (Netflix documentary) – Writer Fran Lebowitz discusses life in New York City as a reader, walker and incisive observer of the changes in contemporary culture and the city.
  • Stuck Apart (Azizler) (Netflix film) – Knee-deep in a midlife crisis, Aziz seeks solace from his mundane job, lonesome friends and rowdy family as he puts on an act of sanity.
  • The Tax Collector
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Monday, January 11

  • Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy (Netflix documentary) – In the early 1980s, the crack epidemic tore through America’s inner cities like a tsunami, ravaging all in its wake. Decades later, the destructive effects on people’s lives, families and communities are still deeply felt. From award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson, Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy examines not only the personal devastation caused by the drug, but also the shadowy origins of the crisis and the resultant, ongoing marginalization of Black and Brown people trapped by the U.S. prison and healthcare systems.

 

Wednesday, January 13

  • Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer (Netflix documentary) – Beneath the sunlit glamor of 1985 L.A. lurks a relentless serial killer, a willing acolyte of evil. Two detectives won’t rest until they catch him.

 

Friday, January 15

  • Bling Empire (Netflix original) – Bling Empire follows a wildly wealthy group of Asian and Asian American friends (and frenemies) in Los Angeles. While their days and nights are filled with fabulous parties and expensive shopping sprees, don’t let the glitz and glamour fool you. Between running multi-billion dollar businesses and travelling the world, these friends are as good at keeping secrets as they are at spilling them. And there is certainly no shortage of secrets.
  • Carmen Sandiego: Season 4 (Netflix family) – From the snowy Himalayas to the pyramids of Egypt, Carmen and friends race to stay one step ahead of V.I.L.E. on their latest adventures.
  • Disenchantment: Part 3 (Netflix original) – Bean must step up her princess game amid royal plots, deepening mysteries, King Zøg’s increasing instability and concerns about who will rule Dreamland.
  • Double Dad (Pai Em Dobro) (Netflix film) – While her mother is abroad, an 18-year-old who’s lived in a hippie commune all her life sneaks out into the real world to find her biological father.
  • Kuroko’s Basketball: Season 1
  • Miss Bala
  • Outside the Wire (Netflix film) – Set in the future, Harp (Damson Idris), a drone pilot, is sent into a deadly militarized zone where he finds himself working for Leo (Anthony Mackie), an android officer, tasked to locate a doomsday device before the insurgents do. Outside the Wire is directed by Mikael Håfström
  • Pinkfong & Baby Shark’s Space Adventure

 

Saturday, January 16

  • Outlander: Season 5

 

Tuesday, January 19

  • Hello Ninja: Season 4 (Netflix family) – In their fourth season, Wesley, Georgie and Pretzel go on more fun-filled adventures, solve mysteries and learn important life lessons along the way.

 

Wednesday, January 20

  • Daughter From Another Mother (Madre solo hay dos) (Netflix original) – Two very different women form a peculiar family when they discover that their 6-month-old children were erroneously exchanged at birth.
  • Spycraft (Netflix original) – This is a look at the gadgetry behind some of history’s greatest stories of espionage, the minds that invented them and the agents that used them.

 

Thursday, January 21

  • Call My Agent!: Season 4 (Netflix original) – The agents at top Paris talent firm ASK are back for a fourth season with Andrea in charge and the agency in a precarious state.
  • Gigantosaurus: Season 1
  • Riverdale: Season 5 (Netflix original) – Archie and the gang are back for another season of this teen drama. New episodes weekly.

 

Friday, January 22

  • Blown Away: Season 2 (Netflix original) – The hot shop is open! A new batch of glass-blowing artists from around the world battle the heat, the clock and each other in 10 dynamic challenges.
  • Busted!: Season 3 (Netflix original) – In the third season of this hybrid reality-scripted variety show, celebrity sleuths take a stab at solving smaller crimes that lead to a larger mystery.
  • Fate: The Winx Saga (Netflix original) – Fate: The Winx Saga follows the coming-of-age journey of five fairies attending Alfea, a magical boarding school in the Otherworld where they must learn to master their magical powers while navigating love, rivalries, and the monsters that threaten their very existence. From creator Brian Young (The Vampire Diaries), Fate: The Winx Saga is a live-action reimagining of the Italian cartoon Winx Club from Iginio Straffi.
  • Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous – Season 2 (Netflix family) – The teen campers still on the run from dinosaurs find hope of a rescue with a small group of eco-tourists. But things aren’t what they seem.
  • So My Grandma’s a Lesbian! (Salir del ropero) (Netflix film) – When Eva’s grandmother decides to marry her best friend, Celia, Eva worries what her conservative fiancé and his family will think.
  • The White Tiger (Netflix film) – The ambitious driver for a rich Indian family uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and become an entrepreneur. Based on the bestselling novel.

 

Saturday, January 23

  • Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (Netflix original) – Everything comes unravelling for three successful women who work on a radio show as twists, turns and troubles plague their seemingly happy marriages.

 

Tuesday, January 26

  • Go Dog Go (Netflix family) – Handy and inventive pup Tag chases adventure with her best pal, Scooch, solving problems and helping the citizens of Pawston along the way.
  • Snowpiercer: Season 2 (Netflix original) – It’s another season of the post-apocalyptic drama in which Earth has frozen over and the last surviving humans live on a giant train circling the globe. New episodes weekly.

 

Wednesday, January 27

  • Penguin Bloom (Netflix film) – Penguin Bloom tells the true story of Sam Bloom (Academy Award nominated Naomi Watts), a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her unable to walk.

 

Friday, January 29

  • Below Zero (Bajocero) (Netflix film) – When a prisoner transfer van is attacked, the cop in charge must fight those inside and outside while dealing with a silent foe: the icy temperatures.
  • The Dig (Netflix film) – When a wealthy widow hires an amateur archaeologist to excavate burial mounds on her estate, they uncover history-changing treasure.
  • Finding ‘Ohana (Netflix film) – A summer in rural Oahu takes an exciting turn for two Brooklyn-raised siblings when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an epic adventure with new friends, and leads them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage.
  • We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix documentary) – From Emmy-award winning filmmaker Rudy Valdez (The Sentence), Imagine Documentaries, and Disarming Films comes We Are: The Brooklyn Saints, a four-part documentary series following a youth football program in the heart of inner city East NY, Brooklyn. Geared towards boys 7-13 years old, the Brooklyn Saints program is more than a sport – it’s a family, and a vehicle for opportunity. Through intimate verité footage, the series immerses us in the world of Brooklyn Saints football and their community, chronicling the personal stories of the driven young athletes, as well as the support system and challenges of coaches and parents rallying behind them. Over the course of a season, we witness the Saints’ power on and off the field, as they celebrate victories and overcome losses, both personal and athletic. Raw and authentic, the pressures of adolescence unfolds in real time as the boys work to propel themselves to a brighter future.

 

Leaving Netflix Canada in January

Tuesday, January 5

  • Crazy Rich Asians
  • The Nun

Friday, January 8

  • Mary Poppins Returns

Friday, January 15

  • Waco: Limited Series

Sunday, January 24

  • Captain America: The First Avenger

Sunday, January 31

  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

 

All titles and dates are subject to change.

Ontario reports record 2,275 new COVID-19 cases, including 22 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -
Health minister Christine Elliott responds to a reporter's question about the record increase of 2,275 new COVID-19 cases in Ontario during a media briefing at Queen's Park on December 15, 2020. (CPAC screenshot)

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

Ontario is reporting 2,275 new COVID-19 cases today — although the province is attributing at least some of the sharp increase to a change in how data is now being collected.

The government says Public Health Ontario has made several updates in how it extracts and analyzes COVID-19 case data, including changing the data extraction time from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for health units using case and contact management. This change, which has captured 2.5 hours worth of cases today that would have been reported tomorrow, has resulted in a one-time increase in case counts.

“That explains some of the increase,” Ontario health minister Christine Elliott said today during a Queen’s Park media conference providing an update on the province’s vaccination rollout. “But those are still disturbing numbers, and we do know that in some areas people are still not complying with the public health rules and regulations”, adding “It’s really important that people not get together in gatherings larger than their own household — that’s how we have the community transmission that we have.”

While the province hasn’t specified how many additional cases the data collection change has added to today’s total, the seven-day average of daily cases has now increased by 86 to 1,927.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 22 new cases to report and 14 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region increasing by 9 to 134.

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Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (711), Peel (586), Windsor-Essex (185), and York (154).

There are double-digit increases in Hamilton (99), Durham (92), Waterloo (71), Halton (65), Niagara (65), Simcoe Muskoka (55), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (37), Middlesex-London (31), Brant County (28), Southwestern Public Health (21), Huron Perth (12), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (11), and Haldimand-Norfolk (11), with smaller increases in Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unitt (8) and Chatham-Kent (8).

The remaining 15 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with only 2 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 51% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (815) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 672 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 1,810 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.1% to 85.4%. The average positivity rate across Ontario since yesterday has increased by 0.8% to 5.4%, meaning that 54 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 14.

Ontario is reporting 20 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 1 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have jumped by 108 to 921, with 5 more patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs and another 7 patients on ventilators.

A total of 39,566 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has increased by 13,725 to 45,770.

There are 319 new cases in Ontario schools today, an increase of 182 cases from yesterday, with 270 student cases, 48 staff cases, and 1 case among unidentified individuals. There are 55 new cases in licensed child care settings, an increase of 29 from yesterday, with 30 cases among children and 25 cases among staff. Cases reported on Tuesdays include the total number of cases reported from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 22 new cases to report, including 10 in Hastings Prince Edward, 8 in Peterborough, and 4 in Northumberland. There are no new cases in Kawartha Lakes or Haliburton.

Of the cases in Ontario schools, 1 student case has been reported at Merwin Greer School in Cobourg, and 2 student cases at Northumberland Hills Public School in Cramahe. None of the reported cases in licensed child care settings are in the greater Kawarthas region.

An additional 7 cases have been resolved in Northumberland, 4 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 3 in Peterborough. An employee of Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough has tested positive, prompting the home to declare an outbreak today; however, the health unit has not officially confirmed the outbreak.

There are currently 134 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 54 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (with 22 in Quinte West and 24 in Belleville), 44 in Northumberland, 24 in Peterborough, 11 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 255 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (226 resolved with 5 deaths), 218 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (188 resolved with 32 deaths), 170 in Northumberland County (125 resolved with 1 death), 27 in Haliburton County (26 resolved with no deaths), and 233 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (174 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.

Province-wide, there have been 144,396 confirmed cases, an increase of 2,275 from yesterday. However, this increase reflects changes in how Public Health Ontario extracts and analyzes COVID-19 case data, including capturing cases reported 2.5 hours later than in the past, which has resulted in a one-time increase in case counts. A total of 121,563 cases have been resolved (85.4% of all cases), an increase of 1,810 from yesterday. There have been 3,992 deaths, an increase of 20 from yesterday, with 2,491 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 1 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 108 to 921, with 5 more patients with COVID-19 admitted tn ICUs and another 7 patients on ventilators. A total of 7,059,300 tests have been completed, an increase of 39,566 from yesterday, with 45,770 tests under investigation, an increase of 13,725 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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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: 255 (increase of 8)
Active cases: 24 (increase of 7)
Close contacts: 81 (increase of 7)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 226 (increase of 3)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 12 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 37,950 (increase of 50)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)**

*Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports that, as of December 15, there is 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit.

**On December 15, Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough declared an outbreak after an employee tested positive, but this information has not yet been confirmed by the health unit.

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 415, including 218 in Kawartha Lakes, 170 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 4 in Northumberland)
Active cases: 56, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 44 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (decrease of 3 in Northumberland)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 154, including 29 in Kawartha Lakes, 124 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (net decrease of 20)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 18, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 339, including 188 in Kawartha Lakes, 125 in Northumberland, 26 in Haliburton (increase of 7 in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: Extendicare Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay (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 daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 233 (increase of 10)
Active cases: 54 (increase of 6)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 1 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 174 (increase of 4)
Swabs completed: 14,885
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 144,396 (increase of 2,275)*
Resolved: 123,373 (increase of 1,810, 85.4% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 921 (increase of 108)
Hospitalized and in ICU: 249 (increase of 5)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 156 (increase of 7)
Deaths: 3,992 (increase of 20)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,491 (increase of 1)
Total tests completed: 7,059,300 (increase of 39,566)
Tests under investigation: 45,770 (increase of 13,725)

*Several updates have been made to how Public Health Ontario extracts and analyzes COVID-19 case data that may impact today’s results, including changing the data extraction time from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for health units using case and contact management. This change has resulted in a one-time increase in case counts, as some cases that would have been reported tomorrow are being reported today instead.

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 14 - December 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 November 14 – December 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 November 14 - December 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 November 14 – December 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.

Loblaw’s steps up to help North Kawartha residents during the holidays after loss of Sayers

By kawarthaNOW -
Through its PC Express service, Loblaw's Real Canadian Superstore in Peterborough will be delivering around 80 grocery orders per day to Apsley on December 20, 21, and 22, for Apsley and North Kawartha Township residents who cannot travel to get groceries. North Kawartha Township lost Sayers Independent Food Town, its only full-service grocery store, to fire on December 11, 2020. (Photo: Google Maps)

Loblaw’s Real Canadian Superstore is going to help residents of Apsley and North Kawartha Township get through the holidays after the recent loss to fire of Sayers Independent Food Town in Apsley, the only grocery store in North Kawartha Township.

“We have worked with the store for years,” the company announced in a media release on Tuesday (December 15), referring to Sayers carrying Loblaw’s products.

“We’d like to help while they focus on rebuilding. Real Canadian Superstore has worked with the township of North Kawartha to find a temporary solution to help residents as they prepare for the holidays.”

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Through PC Express, the company will bring online grocery orders from the Real Canadian Superstore in Peterborough to Apsley, for curbside pickup at the North Kawartha Community Centre at 340 McFadden Road.

In addition, the company will be providing $5,000 worth of most-needed products to the North Kawartha Food Bank.

“When we heard about the fire in Apsley, we immediately wanted to help,” says Lauren Steinberg, senior vice president of Loblaw Digital, which runs the PC Express service.

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With Sayers Foods destroyed by fire, access to food is immediate challenge for Apsley residents

“The Real Canadian Superstore team in Peterborough along with our team at Loblaw Digital were able to bring this all together quickly, adding extra help to prepare the orders and putting together some much-needed items for the food bank. Hopefully, this can help the residents of Apsley and North Kawartha have a happy holiday season.”

Residents can place online grocery orders for pickup at the North Kawartha Community Centre on December 20, 21 or 22 by visiting superstore.ca/apsley.

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As with any PC Express pick-up order, the prices and sales are the same as shopping in the store, and the company has waived all pick-up fees. The truck will bring approximately 80 orders per day to Apsley, with four different time slots available each day.

Customers who require assistance placing an order or creating a PCid account can reach out to the PC Express customer service team at 1-844-295-8219.

“I can’t thank them enough,” says Carolyn Amyotte, mayor of North Kawartha Township.

“At a time when our town has suffered such a tragic loss and really needs some holiday cheer, we are very grateful to Real Canadian Superstore for their generous offer of support for our community.”

VIDEO: North Kawartha Township Mayor Carolyn Amyotte

Posted by Carolyn Ball on Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Another COVID-19 outbreak declared at Fairhaven in Peterborough after employee tests positive

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

Only four days after a COVID-19 outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home in Peterborough was declared over, an employee has tested positive for the disease and another outbreak has been declared.

“Peterborough Public Health has informed Fairhaven that a person, who is employed by our home, has tested positive for COVID-19,” Fairhaven executive director Lionel Towns writes in an email on Tuesday (December 15).

Towns says the employee was not infected at Fairhaven and has not worked in the building for the past five days. However, as a result of the positive test, an outbreak has been declared for the Riverside 3 (R3) home area only.

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Towns stresses that there are no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 among residents at the municipally run home located at 881 Dutton Road.

“Our home has a strict staff/resident cohorting policy which means that the person who tested positive only worked on R3,” Towns writes. “Tomorrow morning, all staff and residents on this home area will be swabbed.”

While the outbreak is in effect, all visits to Fairhaven will be postponed.

“There is a high rate of community transmission in the areas surrounding Peterborough and we need to take everyone precaution possible to ensure that the virus does not spread, or is not introduced, to other areas of our home,” Towns writes. “It is too early to determine a projected end date for the outbreak; we will keep everyone informed as we receive more information.”

Police warn public about rental scam resurfacing in Peterborough area

By kawarthaNOW -

Peterborough police are warning the public about a rental scam that is resurfacing in the area.

The Peterborough Police Service has recently received numerous reports about area homes advertised on different websites as being available for rent when in fact they are not.

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Rental housing scam on the rise in Peterborough

Online rental scam circulating in the Peterborough area

In the rental scam, fraudsters take a photo from an MLS listing of a actual property for sale and then post it online indicating the property is available for rent. Given the current rental market, a victim may provide the scammer with a security deposit or advance rent payment to secure the property. The victim eventually discovers the supposed rental property is occupied by a homeowner.

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Police are providing the following warning signs of a rental scam:

  • The landlord doesn’t want to meet you in person.
  • The landlord wants you to move in immediately, without ever physically viewing the rental property. They may claim this is because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The landlord insists on an advance rent payment or a security deposit before you sign a lease.
  • The rent is “too good to be true”.
  • The listing has several spelling errors, poor grammar, or excessive punctuation.

To avoid falling victim to a rental scam, always insist on scheduling a viewing of the property and meeting the landlord in person before signing a lease or paying any upfront fees.

Police are also reminding the public to be careful about how much personal information they provide to a stranger online.

Cobourg Community Centre to remain closed over the holidays due to COVID-19

By kawarthaNOW -
Cobourg Community Centre is located at 750 D'Arcy Street in Cobourg. (Photo: Town of Cobourg)

The Town of Cobourg has announced it is extending the temporary closure of Cobourg Community Centre until January 11, 2021.

The town initially closed the facility at 750 D’Arcy Street on Friday (December 11) after users reported coming into close contact with a person who had tested positive for COVID-19.

Originally, the centre was going to be reopened on Monday after undergoing a thorough cleaning and sanitization, which was completed over the weekend.

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However, after consulting with Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, the town’s emergency control group decided to extend the closure until after the holidays to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 within the community.

Effective immediately, all programming at Cobourg Community Centre has been cancelled.

The region served by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit — which includes Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton — was moved into the “Yellow-Protect” level on December 7th.

Since then, Northumberland County has experienced a significant rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, with 51 new cases reported over the last week. There are currently 47 active cases in Northumberland, although the health unit does not report the number of cases in individual municipalities.

“We are taking every necessary step to protect our community by stopping any potential spread of COVID-19, which is why we have decided to extend the closure of the community centre until after the holidays,” says Tracey Vaughan, Cobourg’s chief administrative officer.

The centre will be reopened at 8 a.m. on Monday, January 11th, pending the COVID-19 situation at that time.

“We will reassess in the new year based on the current numbers and where our public health region currently falls within the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open.”

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Anyone who used the facility between Sunday, December 6th through Friday, December 14th is encouraged to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, which include:

  • fever (feeling hot to the touch, a temperature of 37.8°C or higher)
  • chills
  • cough that’s new or worsening, barking cough, making a whistling noise when breathing
  • shortness of breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing
  • runny, stuffy or congested nose
  • lost sense of taste or smell
  • pink eye
  • headache that’s unusual or long lasting
  • digestive issues
  • muscle aches, extreme tiredness that is unusual
  • falling down often.

Residents who have developed COVID-19 symptoms can be tested by appointment at the Northumberland Hills Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre (Northumberland Hills Hospital, 1000 DePalma Drive, Cobourg, 905-377-7783), Trent Hills COVID-19 Testing Centre (Campbellford Memorial Hospital, 146 Oliver Road, Campbellford, 705-395-1801), or the Canton COVID-19 Testing Centre (Port Hope Community Hub, 5325 County Road 10, 905-377-7783).

Primal Cuts in Peterborough offers old-school butcher shop experience with sustainably raised meat and transparency

By Paula Kehoe -
George Madill, owner of Primal Cuts at 550 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough, is not a typical butcher. One of the few butchers in the Kawarthas trained in nose-to-tail butchery, Madill offers both sustainably raised meat and transparency, with all cutting and cooking done in full view of the customer. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)

To put it simply, Primal Cuts in Peterborough is not your typical butcher shop and owner George Madill is not a typical butcher.

Since 2012, Madill has been running a hybrid of sorts: nose-to-tail butchery — with all meat cutting, trimming, and aging done on-site — alongside a full-service kitchen that hosts an array of ready-to-cook items and specialty goods, and a counter that flanks the front window for dining.

He says his focus has always been on bringing back what once reigned supreme and what’s been lost over the years: a neighbourhood butcher shop that emphasizes both sustainably raised meat and transparency.

Primal Cuts carries pasture-raised beef, Chantecler chicken, lamb, and heritage breeds of pork sourced from farmers across Ontario. There's also fresh turkey, Cornish hens, partridge, and Muscovy duck from both Ontario and Quebec, high-end products including Wagyu beef imported from Australia and Kobe beef from Japan, and fresh and sustainable seafood. (Photo: Whitney Lu / whitcreative.co)
Primal Cuts carries pasture-raised beef, Chantecler chicken, lamb, and heritage breeds of pork sourced from farmers across Ontario. There’s also fresh turkey, Cornish hens, partridge, and Muscovy duck from both Ontario and Quebec, high-end products including Wagyu beef imported from Australia and Kobe beef from Japan, and fresh and sustainable seafood. (Photo: Whitney Lu / whitcreative.co)

Those aren’t just catchwords as far as Madill is concerned. There are two coolers with large windows where you can see whole lambs, pigs, and cuts of beef hanging and also witness the dry-aging process. One of the shop’s walls is actually transparent — a glass pane that looks into the cutting room, dubbed “The Tank”.

Customers can watch the butchers at work and have real talks with them about what they’re taking home for dinner, where it’s from, and how it’s been treated.

“When you come into the shop, there’s no hidden back room,” Madill says. “It’s completely open, where all of our cutting and cooking is done in full view of the customer. This allows our customers to talk directly to our butchers for hands-on advice, to request what they want, and to see a cut of meat.”

“I want people to see that their meat doesn’t come on a Styrofoam tray. We’re taking it back to the good old days where you could talk to your butcher as he was cutting and wrapping your meat before your eyes.”

At Primal Cuts, there are two coolers with large windows where you can see whole lambs, pigs, and cuts of beef hanging and also witness the dry-aging process. One of the shop's walls is actually transparent, with a glass pane that looks into the cutting room, dubbed "The Tank". (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)
At Primal Cuts, there are two coolers with large windows where you can see whole lambs, pigs, and cuts of beef hanging and also witness the dry-aging process. One of the shop’s walls is actually transparent, with a glass pane that looks into the cutting room, dubbed “The Tank”. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)

For years, he explains, the subtle art of butchering has been replaced by factory farming, where mass-produced meat has come under harsh criticism for its waste, excessive use of antibiotics, and hazardous conditions for animals.

Madill says whole animal butchery is one of many benefits of the farm-to-fork movement and the fact that more people want to know the origins of their food.

“We’re bringing back the traditional ways of caring for our meat and moving away from mass-produced meat,” Madill explains. “I’m an ethical butcher, as much as I can be when it comes to nose-to-tail. We don’t have a lot of waste in our kitchen and we try to utilize all the meat.”

A chalkboard at Primal Cuts showing all the cuts of meat and organ meats from swine. As a nose-to-tail butcher, owner George Madill tries to use all the meat from an animal, including the bones to make broths and stocks. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)
A chalkboard at Primal Cuts showing all the cuts of meat and organ meats from swine. As a nose-to-tail butcher, owner George Madill tries to use all the meat from an animal, including the bones to make broths and stocks. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)

Primal Cuts carries pasture-raised beef, Chantecler chicken, lamb, and heritage breeds of pork sourced from farmers across Ontario, including Campbellford, Hamilton, and Harrison.

Not only that, shoppers at Primal Cuts will find fresh turkey, Cornish hens, partridge, and Muscovy duck from both Ontario and Quebec, as well as superb pasture-raised beef from PEI.

The seafood counter at Primal cuts is full of fresh and sustainable varieties — Primal Cuts is a proud partner of Ocean Wise, an ocean conservation program that empowers consumers and businesses to choose sustainable seafood options that support healthy oceans.

The seafood counter at Primal Cuts is full of fresh and sustainable varieties. Primal Cuts is a proud partner of Ocean Wise, an ocean conservation program that empowers consumers and businesses to choose sustainable seafood options that support healthy oceans. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)
The seafood counter at Primal Cuts is full of fresh and sustainable varieties. Primal Cuts is a proud partner of Ocean Wise, an ocean conservation program that empowers consumers and businesses to choose sustainable seafood options that support healthy oceans. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)

Of course, there are also high-end products like Wagyu beef imported from Australia, available all the time, and Kobe beef from Japan, available for holidays.

Primal Cuts staff also makes broths and stocks from the animal bones, with zero preservatives or salt added.

“We wouldn’t have the opportunity to do that unless we had access to the whole animal,” Madill notes.

Primal Cuts also offers an array of take-home meals, nitrate-free deli meats, savoury meat pies, salads, specialty goods, and more. (Photo: Whitney Lu / whitcreative.co)
Primal Cuts also offers an array of take-home meals, nitrate-free deli meats, savoury meat pies, salads, specialty goods, and more. (Photo: Whitney Lu / whitcreative.co)

Customers can also enjoy a variety of nitrate-free deli meats, savoury meat pies, salads, and take-home meals.

Madill knows that how a customer plans to cook the meat influences the cut. If a cut of meat is too expensive or not available, he’ll recommend another cut that can save the customer money without sacrificing flavour.

The way meat is raised, Madill explains, is as important as how it tastes. None of the meat sold at Primal Cuts comes from animals that have been treated with antibiotics or hormones.

To run the Primal Cuts nose-to-tail program, Madill takes pride in collaborating with local farmers who raise their animals in a humane and natural way.

“The farmers I work with take great pride in the animals they raise,” he says.

Primal Cuts emphasizes both sustainably raised meat and transparency. To run the Primal Cuts nose-to-tail program, owner George Madill takes pride in collaborating with local farmers who raise their animals in a humane and natural way. None of the meat sold at Primal Cuts comes from animals that have been treated with antibiotics or hormones. (Photo: Whitney Lu / whitcreative.co)
Primal Cuts emphasizes both sustainably raised meat and transparency. To run the Primal Cuts nose-to-tail program, owner George Madill takes pride in collaborating with local farmers who raise their animals in a humane and natural way. None of the meat sold at Primal Cuts comes from animals that have been treated with antibiotics or hormones. (Photo: Whitney Lu / whitcreative.co)

To ensure shoppers get the best, most responsible meat available, Madill goes through an in-depth process: he has important conversations with the farmers, tours their land, inspects their livestock, and makes sure that both sides understand each other’s values and beliefs about the industry.

Twice he has made the trip to PEI to visit with farmers and work with Atlantic Beef Products, a beef processing facility that marries old-world farming traditions with innovative processing.

There’s no doubt that butchering is in Madill’s blood. He got his first introduction to meat-cutting skills decades ago while working a summer job at a grocery store on Brock Street in Peterborough when he was just 14 years old.

At Primal Cuts, meat doesn't come on a Styrofoam tray. Owner and butcher George Madill says whole animal butchery is one of many benefits of the farm-to-fork movement and the fact that more people want to know the origins of their food. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)
At Primal Cuts, meat doesn’t come on a Styrofoam tray. Owner and butcher George Madill says whole animal butchery is one of many benefits of the farm-to-fork movement and the fact that more people want to know the origins of their food. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)

“There was a top sirloin sale,” he recalls. “I was asked if I wanted to help out in the meat department. That’s how I started out learning to cut meat.”

He eventually moved on to hone his skills at Butcher Block in Bridgenorth, training under the late Craig Green and Stan Knott, both highly skilled butchers in Peterborough.

The Butcher Block experience taught Madill much, he says. As a rookie, he learned how to cut, grind, weigh and package meats into retail-ready portions. He also learned a valuable old-school work ethic and the importance of paying attention to detail as well as to sales.

“Craig taught me a lot about sales. He said to me, ‘You can teach anyone how to cut meat, but if you don’t know what to sell, how to sell it and when to sell it, you’re not going to make it.'”

But it was Knott who got Madill interested in whole animal butchering, a bonus for Madill as few butchers are trained in the nose-to-tail butchery in the Kawarthas.

“Stan and I worked together for years,” Madill says. “It was during that time he showed me how to break the animal down and use every piece.”

Later Madill moved from Peterborough to Toronto, where he worked for nine years in two of the city’s premiere butcher shops and helped design and open a flagship butcher shop in the downtown core.

It was that entire process, he says, that sparked the vision of moving back to Peterborough, where he was born and raised, to open his own butcher shop aimed at sourcing meat from farms that grow healthy livestock and practice environmentally responsible techniques.

Along with meat, seafood, and prepared food, Primal Cuts offers branded clothing and accessories, cutting boards, Charcuterie boards, grilling planks, and more. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)
Along with meat, seafood, and prepared food, Primal Cuts offers branded clothing and accessories, cutting boards, Charcuterie boards, grilling planks, and more. (Photo courtesy of Primal Cuts)

Madill’s years of experience are shown in his broad knowledge of meat, from standard to exotic breeds. It’s also the reason his customers remain so loyal.

“Customers do their research and know what they want, so we really pride ourselves in taking care of them and offering the best quality of meat they won’t find anywhere else.”

And like with many of the old-fashioned butcher shops, Madill and his staff are happy to offer customers a few tips on how to prepare the meats. He says this hands-on approach and personal service to food that also sets Primal Cuts apart from other butchers and high-end food shops in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

“Our customers continuously tell us how they’re blown away with our products and service,” Madill points out. “And that’s the key — we treat people how we want to be treated.”

Primal Cuts logo

Located at 550 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough, Primal Cuts is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Curbside pick-up is also available by calling 705-775-6328.

Health and safety guidelines are in place to keep everyone safe and masks are mandatory to enter the shop. Due to the pandemic, the shop has paused indoor dining.

For more information, visit primalcuts.ca, where you can learn more about their products. You can also follow Primal Cuts on Instagram and Facebook.

 

This story was created in partnership with Primal Cuts.

Ontario’s police watchdog issues update on investigation into November 26 shooting in Kawartha Lakes

By kawarthaNOW -
A Kawartha Lakes police vehicle blocks access to Pigeon Lake Road east of Lindsay after a police shooting on November 26, 2020 that resulting in a 33-year-old suspect and an OPP officer being seriously injured. The suspect's one-year-old son was found fatally shot in the man's pickup truck. (Photo: CBC)

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has issued an update on its investigation into a police shooting in Kawartha Lakes on November 26 that resulted in a 33-year-old man and his one-year-old son sustaining gunshot wounds.

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Handgun found in truck involved in police shooting near Lindsay where infant died of gunshot wound

The baby was pronounced dead at the scene, and the father succumbed to his injuries almost one week later.

In a media release issued on Monday (December 14), the SIU states it is not releasing the names of the victims out of respect for the family who has requested privacy.

“Understandably, there is a pressing public interest in this case, including how the child died and whether it was gunfire from the father or OPP officers that caused the death,” the SIU states in the media release.

“The SIU is working to make these determinations. Doing so, however, requires time as key evidence must be examined methodically in line with best practices.”

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The SIU says it has interviewed 14 witness officers to date, and three additional witness officers will be interviewed on Tuesday (December 15). Twelve civilian witnesses have been interviewed.

The SIU also says two police-issued rifles and one police-issued pistol were collected. The three officers who discharged these firearms multiple times were designated as subject officers.

A pistol was also located in the pickup truck. The pistol from the pickup truck has been sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences (CFS) for examination. The police-issued firearms will be submitted to the CFS in line with their procedures, once the SIU is granted approval to do so from the CFS.

The incident occurred east of Lindsay on Pigeon Lake Road between Heights Road and Settlers Road. (Google Maps)
The incident occurred east of Lindsay on Pigeon Lake Road between Heights Road and Settlers Road. (Google Maps)

A post-mortem of the child was conducted on November 28th and of the father on December 4th. The SIU states it is awaiting the reports of the post-mortem examinations.

The SIU says examination of the pickup truck continues at the CFS and involves several steps that must be completed in sequential order. Following the exterior examination of the pickup truck — which was completed Thursday (December 10) — blood pattern analysis by an expert was begun of the truck’s interior and is ongoing.

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As this is happening, the SIU states, its forensic investigators are documenting, photographing, and collecting evidence such as projectiles that are retrievable without affecting other evidence. Once this step is complete, a trajectory analysis will be performed with the assistance of the CFS to aid in understanding the direction of travel of projectiles through the vehicle.

Following 3D imagery of the truck, the truck will be released to the SIU forensic investigators for another thorough search for evidence. Any relevant evidence obtained will be sent for testing, and in the case of projectiles, will be compared to the firearms collected.

“The SIU assures the public that it is working as expeditiously as possible,” the media release states. “To the extent information regarding the results of the aforementioned-examinations can be released, once they are completed, without undermining the integrity of the investigation, the SIU will do so.”

Ontario reports 1,940 new COVID-19 cases, including 20 in greater Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

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

Ontario is reporting 1,940 new COVID-19 cases today, with the seven-day average of daily cases increasing by 2 to 1,841.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 20 new cases to report and 23 additional cases resolved, with the number of active cases in the region decreasing by 3 to 126.

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Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (544), Peel (390), York (191), Hamilton (134), and Windsor-Essex (114).

There are double-digit increases in Waterloo (71), Durham (68), Halton (64), Niagara (58), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (47), Ottawa (45), Middlesex-London (43), Simcoe Muskoka (33), Eastern Ontario Health Unit (27), Southwestern Public Health (26), Brant County (13), Huron Perth (12), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (11), and Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (11), with smaller increases in Leeds, Grenville & Lanark (8) and Haldimand-Norfolk (7).

The remaining 13 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 6 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 (731) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 521 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 1,535 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has decreased by 0.1% to 85.5%. The average positivity rate across Ontario since yesterday has increased by 1.4% to 4.6%, meaning that 46 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on December 13.

Ontario is reporting 23 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 11 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have increased by 44 to 813, but this number does not include data from around 40 hospitals. There are 9 fewer patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, with 7 more patients on ventilators.

A total of 57,091 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 19,006 to 32,045.

There are 137 new cases in Ontario schools today, a decrease of 14 from December 11, with 114 student cases and 23 staff cases. There are 26 new cases in licensed child care settings, a decrease of 2 from December 11, with 14 cases among children and 11 cases among staff.

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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 20 new cases to report, including 15 in Northumberland, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward. There are no new cases in Peterborough or Haliburton.

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

An additional 10 cases have been resolved in Northumberland, 7 in Hastings Prince Edward, 6 in Kawartha Lakes.

There is 1 new hospitalization in Hastings Prince Edward.

There are currently 126 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 48 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (with 22 in Quinte West and 20 in Belleville), 47 in Northumberland, 19 in Peterborough, 11 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 247 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (223 resolved with 5 deaths), 218 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (188 resolved with 32 deaths), 166 in Northumberland County (118 resolved with 1 death), 27 in Haliburton County (26 resolved with no deaths), and 223 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (170 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 23.

Province-wide, there have been 142,121 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,940 from yesterday, with 121,563 resolved cases (85.5% of all cases), an increase of 1,535 from yesterday. There have been 3,972 deaths, an increase of 23 from yesterday, with 2,490 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 11 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 44 to 813, but this number does not include data from around 40 hospitals. There are 9 fewer patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, with 7 more patients on ventilators. A total of 7,019,734 tests have been completed, an increase of 57,091 from yesterday, with 32,045 tests under investigation, a decrease of 19,006 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 12 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).

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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: 247 (no change)
Active cases: 19 (no change)
Close contacts: 74 (increase of 23)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Resolved: 223 (no change)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 12 (no change)*
Total tests completed: Over 37,900 (increase of 50)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

*Peterborough Regional Health Centre reports that, as of December 11, there is 1 patient with COVID-19 on an inpatient unit and 1 patient with COVID-19 in ICU (transferred from a partner hospital).

 

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.

The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding statutory holidays. As the health unit does not issue updates on Sundays, these numbers include December 13 and 14.

Confirmed positive: 411, including 218 in Kawartha Lakes, 166 in Northumberland, 27 in Haliburton (increase of 19, including 15 in Northumberland and 4 in Kawartha Lakes)
Active cases: 59, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 47 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (net increase of 3)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 174, including 35 in Kawartha Lakes, 138 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (net increase of 37)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 18, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 6 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 332, including 188 in Kawartha Lakes, 118 in Northumberland, 26 in Haliburton (increase of 16, including 6 in Kawartha Lakes and 10 in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: Extendicare Kawartha Lakes in Lindsay (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 daily reports, excluding statutory holidays.

Confirmed positive: 223 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 48 (decrease of 6)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Currently hospitalized: 1 (increase of 1)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change)
Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 0 (no change)
Resolved: 170 (increase of 7)
Swabs completed: 11,051
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

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Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 142,121 (increase of 1,940)
Resolved: 121,563 (increase of 1,535, 85.5% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 813 (increase of 44)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 244 (decrease of 9)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 149 (increase of 7)
Deaths: 3,972 (increase of 23)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,490 (increase of 11)
Total tests completed: 7,019,734 (increase of 57,091)
Tests under investigation: 32,045 (decrease of 19,006)

*The number of hospitalized patients does not include data from approximately 40 hospitals.

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from November 13 - December 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 November 13 – December 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 November 13 - December 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 November 13 – December 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)

 

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

Brad Brackenridge selected as 2021 artist in residence at Artspace in Peterborough

By Sarah McNeilly -
Peterborough artist Brad Brackenridge performing his puppetry magic in "Life Comes To Resemble Unimaginative Literature: Or, The Moment Of My Death" at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough as part of the Bernie Martin Festival in November 2016. The performer and designer has been named the 2021 artist in residence at Artspace in Peterborough. (Photo: Andy Carroll)

Peterborough native Brad Brackenridge — recently selected as the 2021 artist in residence at Peterborough’s artist-run Artspace — is the type of artist that makes you believe in magic.

Be it his impressive acting range or his skilfully designed puppet creations, Brackenridge’s work captivates and enchants his audiences.

Brackenridge is the founder of puppet-based theatre company The Nervous System, which has created and mounted productions for Erring, Artsweek, A Certain Place: The Bernie Martin Festival, and Precarious: Peterborough ArtsWORK Festival among other major festivals.

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He has also created puppets for notable companies and festivals such as Shaw Festival, Spiel Players, and 4th Line Theatre, to name but a few.

Like many accomplished local artists, Brackenridge cut his teeth at the now-defunct Union Theatre.

“I started acting by taking a 10-part improv course with Rob Winslow [of 4th Line Theatre], which a dear friend encouraged me to take part in,” he recalls. “By the end of it, Rob had asked us if we wanted to be in a Brecht play, The Good Woman of Szechwan, at the Union Theatre. It kind of sprung from there.”

Brad Brackenridge preparing a life-size puppet for "Terror and Erebus", an outdoor workshop presentation in August 2011 directed by Ian Carpenter. Brackenridge came up with the concept and designed and built the puppets and the set, as well as performing along with Charlie Glasspool and, Kate Story. (Photo: Ian Carpenter)
Brad Brackenridge preparing a life-size puppet for “Terror and Erebus”, an outdoor workshop presentation in August 2011 directed by Ian Carpenter. Brackenridge came up with the concept and designed and built the puppets and the set, as well as performing along with Charlie Glasspool and, Kate Story. (Photo: Ian Carpenter)

Since those early days, the actor has appeared in numerous film and theatre productions to critical acclaim — including recognition at the inaugural Peterborough Arts Awards in 2018 as outstanding mid-career theatrical artist.

However, it wasn’t until 15 years ago that Brackenridge made his first foray into the art of puppetry by means of an intensive workshop at the Banff Puppet Theatre in Alberta.

Part of the set for 2011's "Terror and Erebus", designed and built by Brad Brackenridge. (Photo: Brad Brackenridge)
Part of the set for 2011’s “Terror and Erebus”, designed and built by Brad Brackenridge. (Photo: Brad Brackenridge)

“I had always had an interest in puppets and dolls as a young kid but, as an adult, I had nowhere to go to learn about the art form,” says Brackenridge. “Banff really was a transformative experience. It was intense — I’ve never really experienced anything like it. It re-invigorated my artistic practice.”

“Since then, puppetry has gained a bit of momentum in and around North America. In Europe, it’s just a given that puppetry is a very serious art form because it’s been around forever there. It’s not just for children’s theatre — there’s certainly nothing wrong with that — but there are so many possibilities for the art form to explore more adult themes.”

Brackenridge’s work is a far cry from the Muppets of our childhoods. His puppet creations are soulful, sometimes sorrowful, and always living, breathing characters.

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His scripts, often based on historical events, weave a tapestry of hope and despair that somehow transcends loss.

“I’m definitely drawn to adult themes, to an expression of myself that can’t necessarily be conveyed with straight-up performance,” he says.

“Puppetry allowed me to think about shows that I wanted to create in a different way that’s not necessarily an acting show — it gives you more control. Puppetry gives you a chance to explore boundaries because you’re not limited by size or time or space.”

Brad Brackenridge performing in "Nut. Cracker." at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough in December 2018. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Brad Brackenridge performing in “Nut. Cracker.” at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough in December 2018. (Photo: Andy Carroll)

“My first big show [using puppets] was Terror and Erebus,” recalls Brackenridge. “It was a huge outdoor show about the Franklin expedition, based on a short prose poem by Gwendolyn MacEwen, which I picked up by accident.”

“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, this is really cool!’ There were multiple characters in it and, instead of asking 50 actors to play those characters, I made them.”

Now, thanks to his residency at Artspace, the artist will have the opportunity to create and design many more works of art sure to enchant all who encounter them.

Brad Brackenridge designed the set and puppets for "Komachi on the Shrine", his 2015 puppet play at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough with composer Kathleen Adamson. (Photo: Brad Brackenridge)
Brad Brackenridge designed the set and puppets for “Komachi on the Shrine”, his 2015 puppet play at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough with composer Kathleen Adamson. (Photo: Brad Brackenridge)

“With this residency, I can experiment and explore,” Brackenridge says. “I can make something and see how it works in space and explore the many different ways of working with the objects. It allows me to have 24-hour access to the space and to be able to work on multiple projects at once.”

“By having the time and space and freedom for development, it allows artwork to take on a life of its own.”

“I’m very humbled and honoured to be accepted — this is an incredible opportunity,” says Brackenridge of his residency at Artspace.

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“After eight months of this pandemic, it really has come at the perfect time to give me a little kick to turn it back on and get to these projects that are in various stages of development,” he adds.

The Artspace residency will also allow for community engagement, a welcome respite for the public after eight months of this pandemic limiting our chances to see art.

“I am going to remount a work that I did for the Emergency Festival called Vertep,” says Brackenridge. “It was a one-on-one performance that was set up kind of like a confessional. It’s something that can be done in a safe way — people can see it by appointment — so I’m looking forward to being able to revisit that work.”

“One the greatest things is sharing your work with people who otherwise might not have had access to that kind of art,” Brackenridge observes.

Brad Brackenridge flying a rocket ship in Planet 12 Productions produciton of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" in December 2019 at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Derek Weatherdon)
Brad Brackenridge flying a rocket ship in Planet 12 Productions produciton of “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” in December 2019 at The Theatre On King in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Derek Weatherdon)

“Being able to witness their discovery in and of itself is such a gift.”

This residency has closed the circle, in a sense, for the Peterborough artist who remembers his own moment of discovery at Artspace during his formative years.

“The first time I went to Artspace, it was this wacky gallery and there was this huge foam cactus,” recalls Brackenridge.

“I have such vivid memories of seeing that cactus. Now, however many years later, here I am doing a residency in the place that I saw as a young teen. It’s pretty mind-blowing.”

With any luck, some young teen will stumble upon the magic that Brad Brackenridge will create during his 2021 residency at Artspace and a world of unimagined possibilities will open to them.

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