A new initiative to keep Peterborough streets clean, a revised council code of conduct, a new winter shelter response plan, traffic changes to Armour Road, delegation of authority to city staff during the “lame duck” period of council during an election year, and a pilot program to help seniors clean snow from the end of their driveways are some of the items on city council’s upcoming agenda.

Council will meet in open session as general committee at 6 p.m. on Monday (May 25), following a closed session to consider items related to litigation or potential litigation and to receive advice from city legal counsel.

Here are some highlights of what’s on the open session agenda:

Proposed “Clean Streets Peterborough” initiative

A report from municipal operations commissioner Ilmar Simanovskis and community services commissioner Sheldon Laidman is recommending that council implement a wide-ranging “Clean Streets Peterborough” initiative “intended to improve the cleanliness of parks, streets, the downtown core, and other public spaces.”

Combining waste management changes, public education, enforcement, and community outreach, the coordinated strategy is aimed at tackling illegal dumping, overflowing public bins, improper waste set-outs, and garbage accumulation in parks and public spaces across the city.

According to the report, a working group of city staff was established last fall to explore new ways of addressing waste management issues, both downtown and across the city. In the downtown core, staff began increased weekend enforcement to fine property owners where waste was found in front of their properties outside the collection days.

That led to some property owners being fined for what councillor Alex Bierk called “orphaned garbage” — garbage placed on a property that does not belong to the property owner — and resulted in council approving a motion that directed staff to pause the fines until they could consult with affected property and business owners and report back to council with recommended by-law amendments “to improve clarity and fairness in enforcement.”

The report being presented to council, which is a result of the staff working group recommendations and a response to council’s motion, also summarizes interim results from a city-wide survey that has so far received about 400 responses.

Between 70 and 80 per cent of respondents identified household garbage in public bins, waste left beside bins, and illegal dumping of bulk items as major concerns. Respondents identified parks as the places where they believe most debris is being found, and reported household bagged garbage and food waste as being a common material.

Around 10 per cent of the respondents admitted to participating in illegal dumping themselves, with over half reporting they knew it was wrong but felt they had no other option. Others said they assumed the city or someone else would collect it, didn’t consider it a big deal, didn’t know how to properly dispose of it, or believed everybody else did it as well.

Many respondents linked illegal dumping to disposal fees, missed collection days, lack of transportation, and frustration with current waste collection rules. About 60 per cent agreed that some city waste rules do not match some residents’ real living conditions, while 85 per cent supported more visible enforcement and 82 per cent supported lowering disposal costs.

“The results support moving forward with a program that combines faster cleanup, clearer communication, easier legal disposal options, targeted enforcement, hotspot monitoring, and stronger expectations for property owners and landlords,” the report states.

Among the proposed changes is eliminating the city’s bulk item collection fee for the remainder of 2026, which currently costs $60 for the first item and $30 for each additional item. Staff say disposal costs were repeatedly identified in the survey as a factor contributing to illegal dumping of furniture, mattresses, and appliances.

Staff are also proposing a surveillance camera pilot program at selected parks and other public locations where recurring garbage accumulation, illegal dumping, or misuse of public receptacles is taking place. The cameras would be used to identify recurring behaviours and to discourage illegal dumping.

Another recommendation is temporarily doubling residential garbage bag limits until the end of 2027, with staff citing concerns that bi-weekly garbage collection, clear bag requirements, and existing bag limits may be contributing to improper disposal behaviours. The report notes survey respondents identified extra garbage bags as one of the hardest waste items to dispose of properly.

Other recommendations include reducing the replacement cost of the city’s green bins from nearly $89 to about $35, launching a public communication and engagement campaign, improving the city’s reporting process for illegal dumping, and resuming enforcement against unattributed garbage left on boulevards in the downtown area after the temporary pause approved by council.

Other than investing in cameras, staff estimate the initiative could be implemented without additional costs, although the city would forgo up to $20,000 annually in bulk item collection fees and up to $20,000 in reduced green bin replacement fees.

“Overall, the Clean Streets Peterborough program provides a balanced path forward,” the report concludes. “It reduces barriers that may contribute to improper disposal, improves the city’s ability to respond to problem locations, and creates a clearer framework for education, compliance, and enforcement. Staff will monitor implementation and outcomes so that council can assess the effectiveness of the program and consider any future refinements based on evidence and community experience.”

Amendments to council’s code of conduct

A report from the city’s people and culture director Jen McFarland proposes an amended code of conduct for council, originally initiated in response to a December report from the city’s integrity commissioner over Mayor Jeff Leal’s use of the N-word at Trent University the previous March. In his report, the commissioner suggested council may wish to amend council’s code to address conduct to prohibit the use of the N-word.

A staff report presented to council at its March 23 general committee recommended that the section of the code of conduct that states that members of council must not “use indecent, abusive or insulting words, or expressions toward any other (member of council), and member of staff or any member of the public” be amended to read “use indecent, abusive or insulting words, expressions or racial slurs.” At that meeting, councillor Joy Lachica put forward a motion to refer the matter to city DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) staff to report back to council with recommendations on wording.

On April 13, McFarland presented a report to general committee recommending further amendments to the code of conduct, including adjusting gendered language, referencing protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code, aligning the definition of harassment with the Ontario Human Rights Code, and expanding the examples of harassment. Council approved the report at general committee and at the city council meeting the following week.

McFarland’s report to general committee at Monday’s meeting includes a draft by-law for the code of conduct with the recommended amendments, which have been reviewed by city legal staff.

The draft by-law replaces the use of “his or her” and “himself or herself” with “their” and “themselves,” provides a definition of discrimination, expands the definition of harassment to include examples, includes a definition of racial harassment with examples, expands the definition of sexual harrasment, and references the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Winter shelter response plan

A report from community services commissioner Sheldon Laidman recommends options for a planned seasonal winter shelter model for people experiencing homelessness in winter 2026-27, instead of the temporary temperature-based shelter response used this past winter.

The report states the city “continues to face sustained pressure” on its four emergency shelters and overnight drop-in program providing 127 beds, with demand exceeding available capacity and people remaining unsheltered, especially during the winter months.

According to the report, at least 932 people experienced homelessness in 2025, a 16 per cent increase from 2024, with an average of 370 people experiencing homelessness on any given day. The report also highlights several homelessness trends in Peterborough, including increases in chronic homelessness, first-time homelessness, and longer shelter stays. Indigenous people continue to be overrepresented among the homeless population, according to staff.

The report notes the city operated an emergency temperature-based shelter response at the former fire station on Carnegie Avenue for up to 40 people per night over 10 days during the winter of 2025-26, but staff say the model created significant operational and staffing challenges and could not reliably open during all periods of extreme cold.

The report presents two options for a planned overnight shelter model, both of which would operate out of the former fire station and provide at least 30 additional beds nightly.

The first option would operate for three months from January through March — the coldest winter months — and would cost about $303,000 annually, plus $20,000 in startup costs.

The second option would run for six months from November through April at an annual operating cost of about $576,600, plus $20,000 in startup costs. Staff say the longer model would provide greater operational stability, better staffing retention, and shelter access during colder fall and spring periods and over the holiday season.

A third option would see the city decline to fund any additional winter shelter spaces. Staff warn that, without additional seasonal shelter capacity, unsheltered individuals would face continued exposure to prolonged periods of cold weather, increased health and safety risks, and additional strain on existing shelters already operating at or above capacity.

“Options A and B presented in this report reflect a shift toward a more planned and reliable approach to winter shelter provision,” the report concludes. “While a seasonal model does not fully address year-round system demand, it represents a practical and achievable step to increase access to indoor space during the highest-risk period.”

Armour Road traffic operations review

A report from infrastructure, planning and growth management commissioner Blair Nelson presents the findings and recommendations of a traffic operations review of Armour Road between Hunter Street and Parkhill Road.

The report recommends a series of traffic-calming and pedestrian safety measures as a result of the review, which identified high vehicle speeds, limited pedestrian crossing opportunities, and sightline problems caused by on-street parking.

City staff are recommending seven short-term measures for implementation in 2026, including a new 40 km/h speed limit throughout East City, lane narrowing through pavement markings, additional no-stopping and no-parking restrictions, new permanent driver feedback signs, and an extension of the existing community safety zone north to Swanston Avenue. These measures would cost around $70,000, an amount that is available in the 2026 approved capital budget for traffic improvements.

As a medium-term objective, the report also recommends the installation of a new intersection pedestrian signal at Armour Road and Dufferin Street, with staff requesting council pre-commit $250,000 in the 2027 capital budget for the project.

The traffic review found vehicles consistently speeding on Armour Road at around 60 km/h despite a posted speed of 40 km/h in the portion of the road fronting Kaawaate East City Public School and 50 km/h elsewhere. The report states the road’s wide lanes between Parkhill Road and Douro Street and steep grades south of Parkhill Road and north of Hunter Street contribute to speeding, and recommends reducing lane widths from 5.75 metres to 3.3 to 3.5 metres using urban shoulder pavement markings.

The study also identified a lack of protected pedestrian crossings in the 640 metres between McFarlane Street and Parkhill Road. Staff recorded frequent pedestrian crossings at Dufferin Street by residents, students, trail users, and transit riders accessing Nicholls Oval Park, the Rotary Greenway Trail, bus stops, and nearby businesses.

Although the Dufferin Street location does not technically meet the city’s warrant requirements for a signalized pedestrian crossing, staff are still recommending the installation because pedestrians currently face only one safe crossing opportunity every three to four minutes during peak traffic periods.

Collision data reviewed between 2017 and 2024 showed 84 reported collisions along the corridor and at the Hunter Street intersection, including 11 collisions involving injuries or fatalities. Staff identified angle and turning-movement collisions as a significant concern, with restricted sightlines at intersections blamed partly on parked vehicles, hydro poles, and vegetation.

Staff are recommending the implementation of no-stopping signs a minimum of 30 metres from all intersections between Hunter Street and Parkhill Road, and the removal of on-street parking on the west side of Armour Road between Hunter Street and Douro Street.

The report also recommends pavement markings and signage at entry points to Nicholls Oval Park to help provide clear direction for park visitors and extending the existing community safety zone on Armour Road to encompass the pedestrian crossing at McFarlane Street, which has an existing school crossing, and the proposed pedestrian crossing at Dufferin Street.

Delegation of authority during council’s “lame duck” period

A report from legislative services commissioner David Potts recommends the delegation of authority to allow the city’s chief administrative officer (CAO) to temporarily exercise certain powers during a potential “lame duck” period in the 2026 municipal election year.

Ontario’s Municipal Act imposes restrictions on the authority of council during an election year once it’s determined the incoming council will have less than three-quarters of the members of outgoing council either seeking re-election or re-elected. For Peterborough, the threshold would be fewer than nine of the current 11 council members (including the mayor).

The restricted act period could either begin after the nomination period ends on August 21 and fewer than nine of the current members of council are certified to run for office, or following voting day on October 26 if fewer than nine of the current members of council have been re-elected.

During the restricted acts period, council is prohibited from making certain decisions, including hiring or dismissing city employees and (unless it was already included in the 2026-27 budget) disposing of municipal property worth more than $50,000 or approving any expenditure or incurring any liability over $50,000.

To maintain continuity of municipal operations during such a period, staff are recommending council approve a temporary by-law delegating limited authority to the city’s CAO. The proposed delegation would allow the CAO to appoint or remove commissioners, approve property dispositions over $50,000, and authorize expenditures or liabilities exceeding $50,000 if necessary.

The report notes the city already has existing delegated authority provisions through its procurement and CAO by-laws, but the proposed by-law would address any remaining operational gaps during the restricted acts period.

The report also notes the Ontario government is proposing changes to the Municipal Act that would affect strong mayor powers during a municipal election year. Specifically, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is proposing to limit outgoing heads of council in designated strong mayor municipalities from proposing the municipal budget for the year immediately following a regular municipal election.

Mayors in designated strong mayor municipalities would also be restricted from appointing or removing the CAO and other municipal division heads, changing the organizational structure of the municipality, or (if not already authorized in the municipality’s budget) exercising their by-law power to dispose of property valued over $50,000 or authorize expenditures or liabilities over $50,000.

These restrictions, which would be in place before nominations close for the 2026 municipal election, would apply if it can be determined that either three-quarters of the outgoing members of council will not be members of the new council or if it can be determined that the outgoing head of council will not be the incoming head of council.

Windrow removal subsidy pilot program

A report from municipal operations commissioner Ilmar Simanovskis is recommending a pilot subsidy program for seniors and residents with disabilities, beginning in the 2026-27 winter season, for the removal of windrows — the often large and difficult-to-remove ridges of snow and ice left at the end of residential driveways by city snow plows.

The proposed program comes in response to a February council motion, initiated by Mayor Jeff Leal, that directed staff to investigate snow-clearing support options for older adults and people with mobility challenges. Staff are recommending a subsidy model rather than a municipally delivered or contracted snow-clearing service.

Under the proposal, eligible residents would receive a subsidy of up to $450 per winter season to help offset the cost of hiring private contractors to clear windrows.

To qualify, applicants would need to be Peterborough residents who own and live in their homes, are either age 65 or older or have a physical disability, have no other able-bodied adult in the household able to clear the windrow, and fall below Statistics Canada’s low-income measure threshold.

The report says a public survey conducted through Connect Peterborough received 636 responses, with 63 per cent of respondents reporting they have a disability or health condition that makes clearing windrows difficult. Seventy per cent said they have avoided leaving their homes because of uncleared windrows.

Staff considered three possible delivery models: an in-house city-operated service, a contracted service, and a subsidy program.

The report says a municipally operated service would require additional staff, specialized equipment costing up to $170,000, and more storage space at the city’s public works yard. A contracted service would cost an estimated $55,000 for 100 driveways to as much as $100,000 per year, depending on the number and distribution of participating households and the severity of winter weather.

Staff ultimately concluded the subsidy model would provide residents with greater flexibility to hire contractors familiar with their properties, while limiting the operational burden on city staff during major winter storms.

The report also recommends the city support the promotion of the volunteer-based “Snow Angels” initiative, although the program would operate independently and not be administered by the municipality.

Council is being asked to pre-commit $45,000 in the 2027 public works budget to fund a pilot program supporting up to 100 households. Staff would report back to council in early 2027 on the pilot’s effectiveness.

“The introduction of a windrow removal subsidy program will enhance the safety of our neighbourhoods within the existing staff resources the city has,” the report concludes. “Complementing the subsidy with the promotion of the Snow Angels volunteer initiative further strengthens the city’s response by fostering community support networks and expanding assistance options.”

Items endorsed by general committee on May 25 will be considered by council for final approval the following Monday.

Council meetings are streamed live at www.peterborough.ca.

Having focused on building a strong foundation since it was established in 2024, the Peterborough Community Health Centre (PCHC) is now looking to increase its impact through new programs, resources, and increased participation in services.

A non-profit community-governed organization located on two floors in Peterborough Square in the downtown core, the PCHC provides a combination of primary healthcare services, community programs, and community development initiatives.

“We’re seeing a lot of strong engagement for the community programs — there’s an appetite for this,” said Ashley Safar, inaugural executive director of the PCHC, in a recent interview with kawarthaNOW.

Providing primary healthcare and more for marginalized communities

Safar said the PCHC plays a critical role in addressing gaps in the healthcare system, especially for those whose needs are not met by a traditional healthcare system or provider.

The PCHC’s priority population is people who self-identify as Indigenous and those who do not have a primary care provider and experience barriers related to social, economic, cultural, or systemic factors.

That includes people from one or more of the following groups: people from racialized groups or communities, people with physical or mental disabilities (including mental health conditions, substance use challenges, or both), people who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, people experiencing homelessness, newcomers (including immigrants and refugees), people living in conditions of extreme poverty, and people living in geographically or physically isolated areas who face barriers to accessing care.

“We’re doing outreach work where we attend spaces like Trinity (Community Centre) and other places in the community with other organizations to be able to decrease barriers and increase access to care,” said Safar.

To date, the PCHC has served over 4,300 individuals totalling over 13,000 visits through a combination of primary care, cultural services, and community programs.

For Safar, a key facet of the PCHC’s work is to build rapport and personal relationships with community members to promote trust and positive engagement.

“One of the needs of community is to meet people where they’re at,” she said.

Holistic wellness model expands beyond primary healthcare

Safar said, in line with the provincial government goal to connect every Ontarian with a primary healthcare provider by 2029, the PCHC has been able to serve currently unattached patients from the Healthcare Connect waitlist.

However, the PCHC also recognizes the importance of providing support and care for individuals who are not able to register for Healthcare Connect or who experience other barriers to mainstream healthcare.

The Peterborough Community Health Centre also differs from traditional healthcare providers by taking a holistic approach to health and wellness, which they define as “supporting the whole person — mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing.”

To support this approach, the PCHC employs a 30-person team of medical and paramedical professionals, including nurses, physicians, health promoters, social workers, system navigators, and other team members.

In March, the PCHC introduced a wellness team to the organization. This team includes a program manager, social workers, system navigators, a health promoter, and an Indigenous cultural wellness coordinator.

This team, sometimes known as an allied health team, provides interdisciplinary and intersectional wellness support that focuses on social determinants of health such as housing stability, social connection, access to community services, and cultural supports.

“We want to continue to build community programming that support mental health, social connection, community connection, and overall wellbeing,” Safar said of the goal of these interdisciplinary services.

Embedding Indigenous knowledge and culturally safe care

Safar highlighted the inclusion of the Indigenous cultural wellness coordinator on the wellness team and the ongoing dialogue and collaboration between the PCHC and local First Nation communities as central to the organization’s mission to provide culturally safe care for Indigenous patients.

“Indigenous people have often faced discrimination, barriers, and challenges (in the healthcare system) and continue to do so,” said Safar.

During the development of the PCHC, the organization worked with local Indigenization and decolonization consultant Mshkiki Gitigaan Kwe, to ensure that reconciliation values and practices were embedded into the structure and policies of the organization.

Safar described the PCHC as an organization that “weaves together traditional knowledge with western medicine to fit them together in a way that’s really meaningful and well-intentioned to create a space that is for everybody.”

One way in which the PCHC actions their values is through their engagement with the “Ode Bundle,” which uses the Seven Grandfather Teachings — a foundational set of guiding moral principles and values in Anishinaabe culture — to establish both organizational policies and systems and clinical and patient-facing care.

Safar told kawarthaNOW that the PCHC engages with the Ode Bundle in every meeting, where staff members are encouraged to “talk about one of the teachings and how this has showed up in their work.”

Also speaking to Indigenous-centric programming and services, Safar said the PCHC will be joined by Grey Cloud (James Carpenter) to offer two traditional healing clinics on May 25 and June 29.

‘It belongs to the community’: Community support and engagement important as PCHC looks to the future

Further, Safar said the support of community members, private, charitable, and governmental funders, and corporate and business partners is vital to supporting culturally safe and inclusive programming, noting these types of services typically fall outside funding that the Ontario government provides to PCHC as a primary care provider.

That includes PCHC’s washer and dryer and community kitchen, which have been funded with a $30,000 donation from MCI Constructors, formerly Mortlock Construction.

Safar said this donation will allow the PCHC to “better support clients experiencing housing instability (and) improve access to food and nutrition programming.”

Having on-site laundry services means PCHC can provide clean clothing to clients while the community kitchen will also provide nourishing meals to clients who arrive hungry.

“Those things can make such a big difference in terms of how people access the PCHC and what their experience is,” Safar added.

Looking ahead, the PCHC will continue to collaborate with healthcare providers, social services, businesses, and numerous other local organizations to amplify its impact and create sustainability within services.

One such initiative is the pilot collaboration with the Trent-Fleming School of Nursing, which provides mobile care to those living in the rural localities of Havelock, Ennismore, and Hiawatha First Nation.

As the PCHC expands its capacity to provide primary care and wellbeing services, the centre is looking to the community to provide feedback on areas of need and current barriers to care.

“That comes from meaningful engagement to help inform what types of programs we’re developing within the PCHC,” said Safar.

Safar added the PCHC is committed to listening to its clients and the community at large, and being responsive in its approach to care to ensure flexibility and accessibility.

“Being a community health centre, at the end of the day, it belongs to the community,” Safar said.

For more information on the Peterborough Community Health Centre, visit www.ptbochc.ca.

Thanks to Tim Hortons and community support, the annual Smile Cookie campaign in the Peterborough area has raised almost $137,000 in support of children with special needs and animals in care.

Both Five Counties Children’s Centre and the Peterborough Humane Society were the beneficiaries of this spring’s campaign, which saw 18 Tim Hortons locations across Peterborough, Bridgenorth, Lakefield, and Curve Lake donate 100 per cent of the proceeds of the sale of Smile Cookies between April 27 and May 3.

The campaign raised a total of $136,711.96, which will be split equally between Five Counties and the Peterborough Humane Society, with each charitable organization receiving $68,355.98.

For Five Counties, which supports children and youth with physical, developmental, and communication needs, the funds will go towards its Building Abilities for Life campaign that ensures kids can more easily access high-demand treatment services that will benefit them as they grow up.

“Our community truly came together to make this all possible,” said Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin in a media release. “We are grateful to everyone who volunteered their time, helped spread the word, purchased Smile Cookies, and supported this initiative.”

“We are also very appreciative of Tim Hortons and its staff, who warmly welcomed our volunteers. Their ongoing generosity and commitment to community organizations is truly inspiring, and it was a pleasure to work alongside them and the Peterborough Humane Society.”

For the Peterborough Humane Society, the funds will go towards animal care programs, including sheltering, medical care, and adoptions.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Tim Hortons owners for selecting us as a Smile Cookie beneficiary and for the opportunity to partner with both Five Counties throughout this campaign,” said Peterborough Humane Society CEO Shawn Morey.

“We’re proud to have more than 100 volunteers lend their time throughout the week. We extend our sincere thanks to the Tim Hortons staff who made us feel like part of the team. With the support of our community, many children, families, and pets will benefit.”

Since it was launched in 1996, the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign has raised more than $170 million for charities and community groups across Canada selected every year by Tim Hortons restaurant owners. This year’s campaign raised a record-breaking $23.3 million for more than 700 organizations.