D.B. Mcleod is an Anishnaabe Kwe comedian whose home territory is Sagamok Anishnaabek First Nation on the north shore of Lake Huron. One of six acts at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival, running June 23-27, 2021 at Trent University, she will be performing her stand-up show 'Denis with an E'. (Photo via Ontario Performing Arts Presenting Network)
Live performance is returning to Peterborough-Nogojiwanong this summer at the world’s first Indigenous Fringe Festival, taking place in June at Trent University, and tickets are now available online at tickets.showplace.org.
The inaugural Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF), originally scheduled for 2020, is going ahead this year despite the pandemic because organizers have ensured the festival is COVID-safe.
“We all miss performance,” says festival founder Joeann Argue in a media release. “We miss pow wows. We just miss being in the company of others; being in community. That’s why we decided to move ahead with NIFF this year as a fully outdoor festival.”
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Indigenous Fringe Festival shifts into cars
Originally scheduled to be performed to small audiences at several outdoor locations on Trent University’s East Bank campus, the festival will now be taking place as a drive-in event in parking lot X to comply with the performing arts restrictions of step one of the Ontario government’s reopening plan.
From Wednesday, June 23rd to Sunday, June 27th, six Indigenous performing artists will present 35 shows at four outdoor venues at Trent University, with a maximum of 10 tickets available for each show.
Tickets for all performances are $10 each, with all proceeds from ticket sales going directly to the performing artists.
The outdoor performance spaces at Trent University include the East Bank campus, around the Enwayaang building (home of the Chanie Wenjack School of Indigenous Studies), and outside of Gzowski College.
As is fringe festival tradition, the six performers were chosen by lottery and include D.B. McLeod (comedy), Jennifer Alicia Murrin (theatre), Stephanie Pangowish (comedy), “Tiger” Will Mason (music and stories), Vanguardia Dance Projects (dance), and Zaagi’idwin Collective (theatre). A schedule of all the performances is provided below.
“Tiger” Will Mason is an Upper Cayuga Mohawk actor and musician who has been onstage for more than half his life as an underground folk, rock, native rock, and country rock musician. One of six acts at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival, running June 23-27, 2021 at Trent University, he will perform ‘The Music and Stories of a Modern Mohawk’. (Photo: Tiger” Will Mason)
“Think of it as practice for those golden days ahead when we can gather in larger groups and hugs our friends and family tight,” Argue says. “Think of it as a taste of NIFF to come, when Indigenous artists from all over Turtle Island can converge here is Nogojiwanong.”
“Most of all, think of just how excited this year’s NIFF artists are to be able to perform live, for you, with no screens in between. We’re so excited too and we can’t wait to welcome you.”
Tiger Will Mason: The Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 6 p.m.
Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 7:30 p.m.
D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 8:30 p.m.
Stephanie Pangowish is an Anishnaabekwe comedian from Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island and co-founder of Manifest Destiny’s Child, Canada’s first collective of Indigenous women stand-up comedians. She will be performing at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival, running June 23-27, 2021 at Trent University. (TedX video screenshot)
Thursday, June 24
Bagnani Gardens
Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 6 p.m.
Fire Pit
Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 7 p.m.
Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 9 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 6 p.m.
Stone Circle
Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 8 p.m.
Friday, June 25
Bagnani Gardens
Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 8 p.m.
Fire Pit
Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 6:30 p.m.
Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 9 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 7:30 p.m.
Stone Circle
Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 7 p.m.
D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 8 p.m.
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Saturday, June 26
Bagnani Gardens
Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 4 p.m.
Fire Pit
Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 9 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Stone Circle
Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.
D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E” at 1:30 p.m.
Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 8 p.m.
Norma Araiza and Olga Barrios of Vanguardia Dance Projects will present ‘Mujeres Hibridas (Hybrid Women)’ at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival, running June 23-27, 2021 at Trent University. Araiza is Mexican of Yoeme/Basque heritage and Barrios is originally from Bogotá, Colombia. (Photo: Vanguardia Dance Projects)
Sunday, June 27
Bagnani Gardens
Vanguardia Dance Projects: Hybrid Women at 6 p.m.
Fire Pit
Jennifer Alicia: Restor(Y)ing Identity at 3 p.m.
Gzowski Stairs
Zaagi’Idiwin Collective: Streetheart at 4 p.m.
Closing ceremony at 8 p.m.
Stone Circle
Stephanie Pangowish: Stand Up Comedy at 4 p.m.
D.B. McLeod: Denis with an “E at 5 p.m.
Tiger Will Mason: the Music & Stories of a Modern Mohawk at 6:30 p.m.
NIFF supporters include the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, City of Peterborough, Fringe Festivals, Trent University, TD, Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, New Stages Theatre, Mississaugas of Scucog Island First Nation, Nish Tees, The Peterborough Foundation, and Showplace Performance Centre.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 2,362 new cases today, with only 5 of Ontario’s 34 health units reporting triple-digit increases. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased to 2,616 and the proportion of active cases continues to decline for the 25th day in a row.
Hospitalizations have fallen substantially, with only 1 new ICU patient and a small decrease in the number of patients on ventilators. Ontario is reporting 26 deaths today, with no new deaths in long-term care homes.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 29 new cases to report, with Peterborough accounting for more than half of the increase with 15 cases — the second straight day of a double-digit increase, after 19 cases were reported yesterday. There are 5 new cases in Hastings Prince Edward, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
Except in Peterborough and Haliburton, active cases have declined across the region by 7 to 257, with an additional 35 cases resolved. See below for detailed information from each health unit in the region.
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Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (691), Peel (563), York (224), Durham (148), and Hamilton (112).
There are double-digit increases reported today in Ottawa (99), Middlesex-London (66), Halton (63), Waterloo (55), Niagara (50), Windsor-Essex (45), Simcoe Muskoka (40), Peterborough (23), Brant (23), Porcupine (22), Southwestern (22), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (20), Eastern Ontario (18), and Haldimand-Norfolk (17), with smaller increases in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (9), Lambton (9), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (8), Huron Perth (8), Thunder Bay (6), and Chatham-Kent (6).
The remaining 9 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 2 health units (Timiskaming and Leeds, Grenville & Lanark) reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s new cases, 61% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (1,006) among people ages 20-39 followed by 643 cases among people ages 40-59 and 422 cases among people 19 and under.
With 3,502 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.3% to at 92.8% — the 25th straight day the percentage of resolved cases has increased. The average positivity rate across Ontario has increased by 0.4% to 6.1%, meaning that 61 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on May 13.
Ontario is reporting 26 new COVID-19 deaths today, with no new deaths in long-term care homes. Ontario has averaged 28 new daily deaths over the past week, an increase of 1 from yesterday.
Hospitalizations have decreased by 50 to 1,582, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs increasing by 1 to 777 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators decreasing by 8 to 560.
A total of 44,040 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation decreasing by 2,128 to 22,237.
A total of 6,771,128 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 141,765 from yesterday, and 415,531 people have been fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, a record increase of 7,931 from yesterday.
The number of fully vaccinated people represents 2.82% of Ontario’s population, an increase of 0.05% from yesterday, with fully and partially vaccinated people representing 45.96% of the total population, an increase of 0.96% from yesterday. An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 29 new cases to report, including 15 in Peterborough, 5 in Hastings Prince Edward, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton.
There are 39 new regional cases of variants of concern, including 20 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward, 5 in Northumberland, 4 in Kawartha Lakes, and 4 in Haliburton.
There is 1 new hospitalization in Kawartha Lakes.
An additional 35 cases have been resolved, including 15 in Hastings Prince Edward, 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 5 in Peterborough, and 4 in Northumberland. An outbreak at an unidentified home child care centre in Peterborough County was declared resolved on May 14.
There are currently 257 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 7 from yesterday, including 99 in Peterborough, 68 in Hastings Prince Edward (13 in Quinte West, 31 in Belleville, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 6 in Prince Edward County, 10 in Central Hastings, and 6 in North Hastings), 48 in Kawartha Lakes, 32 in Northumberland, and 10 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,360 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,244 resolved with 17 deaths), 807 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (716 resolved with 56 deaths), 866 in Northumberland County (818 resolved with 16 deaths), 116 in Haliburton County (105 resolved with 1 death), and 1,042 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (964 resolved with 10 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on May 12.
The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day, as well as from systems in Toronto, Ottawa, and Middlesex-London at 2 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 1,360 (increase of 15) Total variants of concern cases: 556 (increase of 20) Active cases: 99 (increase of 10) Close contacts: 304 (increase of 19) Deaths: 17 (no change) Resolved: 1,244 (increase of 5) Hospitalizations (total to date): 60 (no change)* ICU admissions (total to date): 13 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 51,200 (increase of 100) Total vaccine doses administered (residents and non-residents): 66,045 (increase of 5,618 as of May 14) Number of residents who have received first dose: 60,524 Number of residents fully vaccinated: 4,575 (increase of 154 as of May 14) Outbreaks: Unidentified congregate living facility #3 in Peterborough, Sunshine Daycare in Peterborough, Helping Hands Day Care in Peterborough County (decrease of 1)**
*As of May 13, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 12 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 (decrease of 1) and a total of 73 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (no change).
**An outbreak at an unidentified home child care centre in Peterborough County was declared resolved on May 14.
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 Sundays and statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 1,789, including 807 in Kawartha Lakes, 866 in Northumberland, and 116 in Haliburton (increase of 9, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 3 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton)* Total variants of concern cases: 499, including 200 in Kawartha Lakes, 270 in Northumberland, and 29 in Haliburton (increase of 13, including 4 in Kawartha Lakes, 5 in Northumberland, and 4 in Haliburton) Active cases: 90, including 48 in Kawartha Lakes, 32 in Northumberland, and 10 in Haliburton (net decrease of 7) Probable cases: 6, including 5 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland (no change) Hospitalizations (total to date): 66, including 34 in Kawartha Lakes, 29 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (increase of 1 in Kawartha Lakes)** Deaths (including among probable cases): 73, including 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 16 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change) Resolved: 1,639, including 716 in Kawartha Lakes, 818 in Northumberland, and 105 in Haliburton (increase of 15, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes and 4 in Northumberland) Tests completed: 187,432 (increase of 561) Vaccine doses administered: 79,432 (increase of 7,067 as of May 10) Number of people fully vaccinated: 4,462 (increase of 191 as of May 10) Outbreaks: Staples and Swain Law Office in Lindsay, OPP Offender Transport Lindsay, Dairy Queen in Lindsay (no change)
*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.
**As of May 14, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 6 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (decrease of 2).
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, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 1,042 (increase of 5) Confirmed variants of concern cases: 411 (increase of 6) Active cases: 68 (decrease of 10) Deaths: 10 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 17 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 7 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 5 (no change) Resolved: 964 (increase of 15) Tests completed: 136,183 (no change) Vaccine doses administered: 71,680 (increase of 1,697) Number of people fully vaccinated: 5,216 (increase of 279) Outbreaks: Quinte 5 at QHC Belleville General Hospital, ICU of QHC Belleville General Hospital, Unidentified child care facility in Belleville, Unidentified workplace in Belleville, Unidentified workplace in Central Hastings, Community outbreak in Hastings Highlands in North Hastings (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 504,533 (increase of 2,362) COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) cases: 103,864 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 2,632); 594 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (increase of 20); 1,746 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 19) VOC R(t): 0.87 (decrease of 0.05 as May 8)* 7-day average of daily new cases: 2,616 (decrease of 115) Positivity rate: 6.1% (decrease of 0.4%) Resolved: 468,033 (increase of 3,502), 92.8% of all cases (increase of 0.3%) Hospitalizations: 1,582 (decrease of 50) Hospitalizations in ICU: 777 (increase of 1) Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 560 (decrease of 8) Deaths: 8,431 (increase of 26) 7-day average of daily new deaths: 28 (increase of 1) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,937 (no change) Total tests completed: 14,695,084 (increase of 44,040) Tests under investigation: 22,237 (decrease of 2,128) Vaccination doses administered: 6,771,128 (increase of 141,765), 45.96% of Ontario’s population (increase of 0.96%)** People fully vaccinated (two doses): 415,531 (increase of 7,931), 2.82% of Ontario’s population (increase of 0.05%)**
*R(t) is a virus’s effective reproduction number, which is the average number of new infections caused by a single infected individual at a specific time (t) in a partially immunized population. To successfully eliminate a disease from a population, R(t) needs to be less than 1.
**An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from April 13 – May 13, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from April 13 – May 13, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from April 13 – May 13, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day rolling average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from April 13 – May 13, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from April 13 – May 13, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
Peterborough’s agonizing wait for increased vaccine supply ends next week — good news as the region’s active case count has shown a dramatic upswing this week.
During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Friday (May 14), medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra confirmed more than 7,000 Pfizer doses — more than twice that which has been received in recent weeks — are expected to arrive Monday (May 17).
“We’re going to be doubling our capacity at our Evinrude (Centre) clinics and we will also be going back to seven days per week rollout,” she said. “We’ll look again to see about clinics outside of Peterborough. We’re in conversation with our partners about extending the hours of our clinics with more immunizers.”
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“We’re also making plans to move the vaccine clinic from the multi-purpose room to the Leon’s ice pad, which will essentially triple the volume we’re currently able to do.”
For people who are eligible for the vaccine but have been unable to find available appointments, Dr. Salvaterra encouraged them to try again next week.
“We’re putting appointments online as we can,” she said. “I suggest people keep checking back and book appointments when they become available. We expect to be able to deliver 65,000 vaccines per month moving forward.”
Confirmation of increased vaccine shipments coincides with the encouraging news that close to 50 per cent of eligible residents have received at least their first dose.
“In the last week alone, we’ve increased the vaccination rate by almost four per cent of the eligible population,” said Dr. Salvaterra, noting 66,045 total doses have been administered — 60,524 of them to Peterborough city and county residents — with 4,575 people having received two doses and now considered fully vaccinated.
“I feel confident that we will able to achieve the provincial target of 65 per cent (of all adults receiving their first does) by the end of May. That’s quite impressive considering the limited vaccine supply we’ve had over the past several weeks.”
Area residents are directed to phone the provincial call centre at 1-833-943-3900 to book their COVID vaccination appointments when they are in the age group that has become eligible. The line is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week. Eligible residents can also continue to book their appointments online by visiting ontario.ca/bookvaccine.
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Speaking to the provincial government’s pause in administering the AstraZeneca vaccine due to the rare risk of blood clots, Dr. Salvaterra is expecting news on that front will come soon.
“I recognize that close to 7,000 local residents who received their first dose (of AstraZeneca) likely have many questions. We are awaiting (health) ministry guidance on how best to address second doses for this group. We’ll need another week or two before there may be some firm decisions that we can share.”
Provincial health officials are considering whether to proceed with second doses of AstraZeneca, since the risk of blood clots is much lower with second doses, or whether to second doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines instead.
Meanwhile, those disappointed, frustrated, or even angry over the government’s decision to extend the stay-at-home order until at least June 2 might want to look at the most recent local case count numbers.
As of Thursday (May 13) at 4:30 p.m., the number of active cases in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake, and Hiawatha was reported as 89 — a dramatic increase of 24 since Tuesday. So far this week, 45 new cases have been detected while the number of close contacts of positive cases being closely monitored by public health staff has again risen, now at 285, up 58 this week. As for active outbreaks, that number has dropped to three with this week’s clearing of an ongoing outbreak in a daycare setting.
“I support this decision,” said Dr. Salvaterra of the extension of the stay-at-home order. “We need a little more time to being our cases under control and to increase the percentage of our population that has some protection before we open up.”
“I want this lockdown to be our last. I understand that people are getting weary, but this is not the time to give up. We are on the verge of getting to the other side of this.”
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On the enforcement front, talk centred on the continued defiance of public health restrictions by Hill City Baptist Church.
Under the lockdown, religious services cannot exceed 10 people in attendance. Last Saturday (May 8) at Nicholls Oval, some 30 to 40 people gathered for an outdoor service and a charge was laid against Pastor Alex Kloosterman.
“We have received complaints against three different places of worship,” confirmed Dr. Salvaterra.
“All have been investigated, including site visits. None have resulted in charges. Overall I’d say this sector has been extremely co-operative and compliant — with one exception, that being Hill City Baptist Church.”
“Last year we also received several complaints,” Dr. Salvaterra recalled. “The church disregarded and disputed public health measures. We did pay a visit to the church — I went myself — and we observed that the majority of congregants were removing their masks upon entry.”
“We met with Pastor Kloosterman and he made it very clear he had no intention of complying with the provincial requirement for masking. We were preparing to take additional enforcement action, but that wasn’t required as the church vacated the building it was leasing on December 17.”
For his part, Pastor Kloosterman has argued that outdoor gatherings are not a high-risk activity, and that freedom of religion and expression supercede the Re-Opening Ontario Act.
Asked for her take on his argument, Dr. Salvaterra made her position clear.
“I’m not prepared to get into an argument with the pastor through the media. I’ve made my case to him. He knows where I’m coming from. I know where he’s coming from. We have a difference of opinion.”
Also commenting during Friday’s briefing were Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien, and Peterborough board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.
The Municipality of Port Hope recognized local residents who have contributed to the betterment of the community on May 13, 2021 with a virtual ceremony for the 2020 Civic Awards, pre-recorded at the Capitol Theatre and emceed by York Bell-Smith. (Screenshot)
The Municipality of Port Hope celebrated citiens who have contributed to the betterment of the community during a pre-recorded online ceremony for the 2020 Civic Awards on Thursday night (May 13).
“There hasn’t been a more important time in recent history to celebrate and honour the good work being done by our citizens,” said Port Hope Mayor Bob Sanderson. “If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that we rely on our community to get us through some of the tough moments.”
Awards for the 33rd annual ceremony were presented in seven categories, including the Outstanding Citizen and Outstanding Youth awards, which were presented virtually to Barry Adamson and Jordan Mapley.
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Adamson was recognized for his work in growing the Port Hope Agricultural Heritage Club, rejuvenating the Float your Fanny Down the Ganny event, and his volunteer contributions to many other events and activities in the community.
Mapley was recognized for her more than 600 hours of community service and contributions to extracurricular activities at her high school, all while maintaining an outstanding academic record.
Other recipients of the Port Hope Civic Awards include:
Agriculture
Cindy Osland
Arts & Culture
Arline Smith
Miles Bowman
The Farley Mowat Boat Roofed House Working Committee (Anna Lyn Baxter, Bree Nixon, Charles Wickett, Claire Mowat, David Pamenter, Jan Hill, Gord Thompson, John Mowat, John Shaw-Rimmington, Mary Shaw-Rimmington, Paul Godin, and Stephen Smith)
Community Service
Kaitlyn Thompson
Michael Yip
Loretta Hu
Nolan Finn
Active Fit and Fun Exercise Program Volunteers (Phyllis Pecile, Louise Sirtonski, Colleen Budd, Betty Finnie-Hunt, Vicki Bobiash, Patricia Bylok, Victoria Meneilley)
Tammie Staples
Jennifer Mercer
Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce Volunteers (James White, Betsey Price)
Northumberland Fare Share Port Hope
Port Hope Rotary
I Love Port Hope Admin (Don McNeil, Katie Traugott, Jeff Lees)
Capitol Theatre Volunteers (5 years of service: Eleanor Stanley, Betty McIntosh, Ricarda Renner, Vincie Spicoluk, Rita Zeran, Doris Buttar, Glenn Case, Joanne Aitchison, Elizabeth Stewart;
10 years of service: Ray Avery, Sadie Avery, Margaret Benns, Beverley Chrisomalis, Margaret Darrah; 15 years of service: Cathy Case; 20 years of service: Lorna Abrams; 25 years of service: Barbara and Peter Holton)
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Inspiration
Brandon Bliss
Trish Dryden
Paul Griffin
Colleen Bulger
Margaret McAulay
Cathy Nevin
Philanthropy
Papa’s Pizzaland Port Hope
Adam Pearson
“This year’s Civic Awards reminds us that, even when there is turmoil, humans are still contributing to our community in ways that wow us everyday,” Mayor Sanderson said. “Congratulations to all of the nominees and award winners.”
Jon Perrin presents a cheque for $2,500 to the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation in Lindsay. Perrin, an OPP officer who suffers from PTSD, has become an advocate for mental health awareness. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)
Local OPP officer Jon Perrin has donated $2,500 to the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation in Lindsay.
Perrin has become an advocate for mental health awareness since being diagnosed with post-traumantic stress disorder (PTSD).
“This gift does more than support mental health care at the Ross,” says Erin Coons, CEO of the Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation. “Through his efforts, Jon is enhancing care throughout the community, encouraging those in need to reach out, and focusing on his own mental health. We’re honoured to receive this donation and help Jon help so many others.”
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Perrin, who was sexually assaulted at a young age and exposed to initiations and hazing while playing junior hockey, began working for the OPP in 2012. After responding to several traumatic events in his role as a police officer, he was diagnosed with PTSD in 2019.
In April, Perrin donated a $2,500 gift from real estate developer Flato Developments to the Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Branch.
Perrin intends to support local mental health care with donations to community organizations including the Ross Memorial Hospital Mental Health program.
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
With Ontario announcing the stay-at-home order will remain in effect until at least June 2, the province is reporting 2,759 new cases. Of Ontario’s 34 health units, 7 are reporting triple-digit increases and 16 are reporting double-digit increases. The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased to 2,731 and the proportion of active cases continues to decline.
Hospitalizations have decreased, with no change in the number of ICU patients and a small rise in the number of patients on ventilators. Ontario is reporting 31 deaths today, including 1 new death in a long-term care home.
In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 35 new cases to report (including 19 in Peterborough, 8 in Northumberland, 4 in Haliburton, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward) and an additional 29 cases resolved, with the number of active cases across the region increasing by 6 to 264. See below for detailed information from each health unit in the region.
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Most of the new cases reported today are in Toronto (774), Peel (602), York (258), Durham (147), Hamilton (113), Ottawa (110), and Halton (104).
There are double-digit increases reported today in Niagara (81), Middlesex-London (78), Waterloo (72), Simcoe Muskoka (65), Windsor-Essex (54), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (44), Brant (30), Lambton (28), Porcupine (24), Huron Perth (19), Eastern Ontario (18), Southwestern (16), Haldimand-Norfolk (15), Sudbury (12), Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (11), and Peterborough (10), with smaller increases in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (9), Renfrew (8), Northwestern (6), Algoma (6), North Bay Parry Sound (6), Hastings Prince Edward (6), Chatham-Kent (6), and Grey Bruce (6).
The remaining 3 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 1 health unit (Timiskaming) reporting no new cases at all.
Of today’s new cases, 60% are among people 39 and younger, with the highest number of cases (1,125) among people ages 20-39 followed by 781 cases among people ages 40-59 and 538 cases among people 19 and under.
With 3,455 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.2% to at 92.5% — the 24th straight day the percentage of resolved cases has increased. The average positivity rate across Ontario has decreased by 0.7% to 5.7%, meaning that 57 out of every 1,000 tests performed were positive for COVID-19 on May 12.
Ontario is reporting 31 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 1 new death in a long-term care home. Ontario has averaged 27 new daily deaths over the past week (no change from yesterday).
Hospitalizations have decreased by 41 to 1,632, with the number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs remaining the same at 776 and the number of patients with COVID-19 on ventilators increasing by 9 to 568.
A total of 47,638 tests were completed yesterday, with the backlog of tests under investigation decreasing by 3,809 to 24,365.
A total of 6,629,363 doses of vaccine have now been administered, an increase of 137,697 from yesterday, and 407,600 people have been fully vaccinated with both doses of vaccine, an increase of 5,342 from yesterday.
The number of fully vaccinated people represents 2.77% of Ontario’s population, an increase of 0.04% from yesterday, with fully and partially vaccinated people representing 45% of the total population, an increase of 0.96% from yesterday. An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 35 new cases to report, including 19 in Peterborough, 8 in Northumberland, 4 in Haliburton, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Hastings Prince Edward.
There are 32 new regional cases of variants of concern, including 21 in Peterborough, 8 in Hastings Prince Edward, 2 in Northumberland, and 1 in Kawartha Lakes.
An additional 29 cases have been resolved, including 9 in Peterborough, 6 in Hastings Prince Edward, 8 in Kawartha Lakes, and 6 in Northumberland.
5-day rolling average of active COVID-19 cases in the greater Kawarthas region by health unit from April 13 – May 13, 2021. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
There are currently 264 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, an increase of 6 from yesterday, including 89 in Peterborough, 78 in Hastings Prince Edward (14 in Quinte West, 39 in Belleville, 2 in Tyendinaga & Deseronto, 5 in Prince Edward County, 10 in Central Hastings, and 8 in North Hastings), 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 33 in Northumberland, and 8 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,345 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,239 resolved with 17 deaths), 804 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (705 resolved with 56 deaths), 863 in Northumberland County (814 resolved with 16 deaths), 114 in Haliburton County (105 resolved with 1 death), and 1,037 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (949 resolved with 10 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Northumberland on May 12.
The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day, as well as from systems in Toronto, Ottawa, and Middlesex-London at 2 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day. There may be discrepancies between the Ontario data reported today (which is from yesterday) and the local health unit data reported today (which is from today).
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 1,345 (increase of 19) Total variants of concern cases: 536 (increase of 21) Active cases: 89 (increase of 10) Close contacts: 285 (increase of 32) Deaths: 17 (no change) Resolved: 1,239 (increase of 9) Hospitalizations (total to date): 60 (no change)* ICU admissions (total to date): 13 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 51,100 (increase of 100) Outbreaks: Unidentified congregate living facility #3 in Peterborough, Sunshine Daycare in Peterborough, Unidentified home child care centre #1 in Peterborough County, Helping Hands Day Care in Peterborough County (no change) Vaccine doses administered: 60,427 (increase of 4,018 as of May 7) Number of people fully vaccinated: 4,421 (increase of 210 as of May 7)
*As of May 13, Peterborough Regional Health Centre is reporting 12 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 (decrease of 1) and a total of 73 patients transferred from other areas as a result of a provincial directive (no change).
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
The health unit provides reports from Monday to Saturday, excluding Sundays and statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 1,781, including 804 in Kawartha Lakes, 863 in Northumberland, and 114 in Haliburton (increase of 15, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes, 8 in Northumberland, and 4 in Haliburton)* Total variants of concern cases: 486, including 196 in Kawartha Lakes, 265 in Northumberland, and 25 in Haliburton (increase of 3, including 1 in Kawartha Lakes and 2 in Northumberland) Active cases: 97, including 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 33 in Northumberland, and 8 in Haliburton (net increase of 1) Probable cases: 6, including 5 in Kawartha Lakes and 1 in Northumberland (increase of 1 in Northumberland) Hospitalizations (total to date): 65, including 33 in Kawartha Lakes, 29 in Northumberland, and 3 in Haliburton (no change)** Deaths (including among probable cases): 73, including 56 in Kawartha Lakes, 16 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change) Resolved: 1,624, including 705 in Kawartha Lakes, 814 in Northumberland, and 105 in Haliburton (increase of 14, including 8 in Kawartha Lakes and 6 in Northumberland) Tests completed: 186,871 (increase of 517) Vaccine doses administered: 79,432 (increase of 7,067 as of May 10) Number of people fully vaccinated: 4,462 (increase of 191 as of May 10) Outbreaks: Staples and Swain Law Office in Lindsay, OPP Offender Transport Lindsay, Dairy Queen in Lindsay (no change)
*The health unit states that total counts and counts for individual counties may fluctuate from previously reported counts as cases are transferred to or from the health unit based on case investigation details and routine data cleaning.
**As of May 13, Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay reports 8 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (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, including on weekends, excluding statutory holidays.
Confirmed positive: 1,037 (increase of 1) Confirmed variants of concern cases: 405 (increase of 8) Active cases: 78 (decrease of 5) Deaths: 10 (no change) Currently hospitalized: 17 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU: 7 (no change) Currently hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 5 (no change) Resolved: 949 (increase of 6) Tests completed: 136,183 (increase of 5) Vaccine doses administered: 69,983 (increase of 1,292) Number of people fully vaccinated: 4,937 (increase of 192) Outbreaks: Quinte 5 at QHC Belleville General Hospital, ICU of QHC Belleville General Hospital, Unidentified child care facility in Belleville, Unidentified workplace in Belleville, Unidentified workplace in Central Hastings, Community outbreak in Hastings Highlands in North Hastings (no change)
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 502,171 (increase of 2,759) COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC) cases: 101,232 of B.1.1.7 UK variant (increase of 2,287); 574 of B.1.351 South Africa variant (increase of 6); 1,727 of P.1 Brazilian variant (increase of 44) VOC R(t): 0.87 (decrease of 0.05 as May 8)* 7-day average of daily new cases: 2,731 (decrease of 95) Positivity rate: 5.7% (decrease of 0.7%) Resolved: 464,531 (increase of 3,455), 92.5% of all cases (increase of 0.2%) Hospitalizations: 1,632 (decrease of 41) Hospitalizations in ICU: 776 (no change) Hospitalizations in ICU on ventilator: 568 (increase of 9) Deaths: 8,405 (increase of 31) 7-day average of daily new deaths: 27 (no change) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 3,937 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 14,651,044 (increase of 47,638) Tests under investigation: 24,365 (decrease of 3,809) Vaccination doses administered: 6,629,363 (increase of 137,697), 45.00% of Ontario’s population (increase of 0.93%)** People fully vaccinated (two doses): 407,600 (increase of 5,342), 2.77% of Ontario’s population (increase of 0.04%)**
*R(t) is a virus’s effective reproduction number, which is the average number of new infections caused by a single infected individual at a specific time (t) in a partially immunized population. To successfully eliminate a disease from a population, R(t) needs to be less than 1.
**An estimated 70-90% of the population must be immunized to achieve herd immunity.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from April 12 – May 12, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 tests completed in Ontario from April 12 – May 12, 2021. The red line is the daily number of tests completed, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of tests completed. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from April 12 – May 12, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs, and the dotted orange line is a five-day rolling average of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 deaths in Ontario from April 12 – May 12, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily deaths, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily deaths. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ontario from April 12 – May 12, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of daily doses. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
kawarthaNOW writer Paula Kehoe rides the zipline at Treetop Trekking in the Ganaraska Forest near Port Hope in 2017. Outdoor adventure companies are among the tourism and travel businesses eligible for the Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant of up to $20,000, as long as they have fewer than 100 employees and can show at least a 20% decline in revenue between 2019 and 2020. (Video screenshot)
Applications are now open for the provincial government’s $100-million Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant.
The grant program, which was first announced on March 29, provides a one-time payment of $10,000 to $20,000 to support eligible small tourism and travel businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligible businesses include travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, hunting and fishing camps, indoor tourist attractions such as escape mazes, outdoor adventure companies, recreational rental services such as houseboat rentals, mobile food services like chip trucks, and more.
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To qualify, businesses must have fewer than 100 employees and demonstrate they have experienced a minimum 20 per cent revenue decline between 2019 and 2020. Businesses that began operating in 2021 are not eligible.
Businesses that have already received the Ontario Small Business Support Grant are not eligible for the new grant.
Also ineligible for the grant are campgrounds, caterers, convention centres, event planning services, museums, zoos, historic sites, farmers’ markets, tour and guide services, and more.
Small business owners can use the Ontario Tourism and Travel Small Business Support Grant in whatever way makes the most sense for their business.
On May 13, 2021, in his first media briefing in weeks at Queen's Park, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the province's stay-at-home order would be extended until at least June 2. (CPAC screenshot)
Ontario’s stay-at-home order will remain in place until at least Wednesday, June 2nd, Premier Doug Ford announced at a media briefing on Thursday (May 13).
“We need to do everything in our power to protect this summer for all Ontarians — my goal is to have the most normal July and August possible,” Ford said. “Obviously, that won’t mean large sporting events or concerts but, if we manage the next few weeks properly, I believe that we can have things in a very good place this summer.”
“To do so, we need to keep driving cases down and easing the pressure on our hospitals. We need to maintain the stay-at-home order and all public health measures until at least June the 2nd.”
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The stay-at-home order was originally set to expire next Thursday (May 20).
Ford said that, with “over 130,000 people” getting a dose of vaccine daily, he expects that Ontario will be able to reopen outdoor recreation on June 2nd. He added that, by then, the province would also provide more details on reopening Ontario “in the days and weeks to follow.”
Ford also announced that, beginning the week of May 31, the province will begin administering the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine to youth between the ages of 12 and 17, along with any family members who have not yet received the vaccine. Special dedicated youth and family clinics will also be set up throughout the weeks of June 14 and 21.
The province will work with public health units and school boards to offer both doses of Pfizer vaccine to youth aged 12 to 17 by the end of August, part of what Ford called a “two-dose summer.”
In the interim, all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools in the province will continue with virtual learning.
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During the media briefing, Ford continually returned to his requests to the federal government to enhance border measures, including reducing incoming international flights, implementing mandatory pre-departure PCR testing for all domestic air travellers entering Ontario, and addressing “the loophole” at Canada’s international land border by implementing a mandatory three-day hotel quarantine in federally designated hotels at the highest traffic crossings.
“In the past two weeks alone, 40 domestic and 24 international flights landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport with confirmed cases of COVID-19,” Ford wrote in a May 12th letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Unfortunately, because there is currently no testing requirement for domestic travellers, passengers who may have been exposed on the domestic flights are immediately able to move around within Canada.”
“During the same two-week period, 172,000 individuals, excluding essential truck drivers, have crossed Canada’s international border. Many of these travellers entered at the land border to bypass mandatory hotel quarantine.”
“Further, we have seen alarming reports that one in three individuals travelling internationally by air have also been able to bypass this requirement. According to recent data from the Public Health Agency of Canada, approximately 88,000 air travellers have been granted exemptions and no reasons were offered for why they were able to avoid the quarantine hotel rules.”
A 63-year-old woman is dead after a possible drowning in Loon Lake, about 12 kilometres southeast of the town of Haliburton in Haliburton County.
According to a media release from Haliburton Highlands OPP, police responded to a report of a “person in the water who appeared to be in distress” at 3 p.m. on Wednesday (May 12).
After arriving at the scene with Dysart et al Fire Department and Haliburton County EMS, police found a 63-year-old woman “with no vital signs.”
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The woman was transported to hospital where attempts to resuscitate her failed.
Police have provided no details on the cause of death and say they are still investigating the incident.
They will not be releasing any further information, including the woman’s name, at this time.
When you wash clothing made of synthetic materials like polyester or nylon, they shed tiny fibres that flow down the drain. These microfibres are so small they don't get filtered at sewage treatment plants and they enter our waterways, where they can distrupt the food chain. Microfibers account for 85 per cent of human-made debris found on shorelines worldwide. (Stock photo)
Throughout the month of May, students from across the region are zooming with the Peterborough Children’s Water Festival to learn about the importance of water and what they can do to conserve, protect, and improve their relationship with water.
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Jessica Todd, Resource Centre Associate and Wonders of Water Support Staff at GreenUP.
Adults can also learn how to have a more sustainable relationship with water, starting with how we care for our clothes.
Did you know that every time you do a load of laundry, hundreds of thousands of tiny plastic particles — known as microfibres — wash off our synthetic clothing and are released into our waterways?
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Most of us own some clothing or textiles made from synthetic materials, such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon. These fast-fashion materials are common because of their availability and affordability.
When we wash synthetic fabrics in the washing machine, hundreds of thousands of microfibres shed off the fabrics and flow down the drain. These microfibres make their way to local wastewater treatment plants, where most of them are too small to be filtered so they end up in our local rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Synthetic microfibres are particularly dangerous because they have the ability to disrupt the food chain. Microfibres are readily consumed by fish and other wildlife due to their small size. Since one animal eats another, the microfibres are able to travel up the food chain.
VIDEO: The Story of Microfibres
In recent research, plastic microfibres have been discovered in pretty much everything from plankton to humans. They have been found in the water we drink, the food we consume, and the soils we grow our food in. Microfibre pollution poses a major threat to our waterways, ecosystems, and human health.
To address this issue, we need systemic solutions from government in the form of policies and regulations. There are also behavioural solutions that we as individuals can offer to help reduce our microfibre footprint.
Here are five ways you can reduce microfibre waste:
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1. Wash synthetic garments less frequently
The more often we wash our clothes, the more fibres shed off and enter our waterways.
Wear that synthetic sweater a couple more times before you wash it. Also, the less we wash our clothes, the longer they will last.
If you want to freshen up your clothes before they need a wash, try hanging them outside for some fresh air!
2. Take care of your synthetics
If you are suddenly thinking of throwing your synthetic garments in the garbage to prevent microfibre shedding, please think again. A lot of resources and energy were used to create those garments, and the smartest thing you can do is make sensible use of them for as long as they last.
When washing synthetic garments, be mindful of wash cycles and temperature. Switching to a gentle cycle and a cooler temperature can reduce microfibre shredding.
Using gentler eco-friendly detergents, such as the Canadian-made Tru Earth laundry strips, can help reduce the shedding of microfibres. They are also better for the environment because they don’t use the plastic packaging typically associated with other laundry soaps. (Photo: Jessica Todd)
Synthetic garments tend to wear out faster when we wash them using more intense cycles and higher temperatures. The more worn-out our materials become, the more microfibres they shed. Choosing a shorter wash cycle or hand-washing when you can are also great options to help reduce microfibre shedding.
Be mindful of the detergents you use. Try using more gentle, eco-friendly detergents, such as Tru Earth and Down East. Tru Earth offers eco-friendly zero-waste laundry detergent strips and Down East is a liquid laundry detergent that is non-toxic and gentle on all fabrics. Both of these products are Canadian-made and can be purchased through the GreenUP Store at shop.greenup.on.ca.
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3. Use a fibre-collection device
One of the most effective ways to minimize your microfibre waste is to use fibre-collecting device when washing your clothes.
Washing bags like the Guppyfriend can reduce microfibre pollution from your washing machine.
At the end of a wash cycle, you just scoop out the collected microfibres from the bag and put them in your garbage.
Using a solution like the Guppyfriend Washing Bag both protects clothes and reduces microfibre pollution. You can purchase the Guppyfriend bag at the GreenUP Store. (Photo: Jessica Todd)
4. Be mindful when shopping for clothing
Choosing to purchase only 100 per cent natural fibre clothing is an effective way to avoid microfibre waste.
Whether clothing is made from wool, alpaca, cashmere, cotton, linen or silk, these natural fibres are biodegradable and can be broken down naturally — unlike plastic microfibres.
Clothing made from these materials is often more comfortable too!
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5. Educate yourself and take action
Maybe this is the first you’ve heard of microfibre pollution. That’s okay! Many people aren’t aware of this issue, and that’s why it’s important to continue to spread the word and build awareness.
Take time to do your research and educate yourself as a consumer. Look for how transparent brands are about their responsibility to reduce microfibre pollution.
Many companies market their efforts to create synthetic clothing out of recycled plastics. The bonus to this is that it can reduce our dependence on the raw petroleum resources used to make new plastics, shifting us away from a wasteful linear economy and more towards a circular economy.
In Peterborough, treated water is returned to the Otonabee River. Most microfibres are too small for water treatment technology to prevent this pollution from entering our watersheds and ecosystems. (Photo: Jessica Todd)
Be aware, however, that even garments made from recycled plastics will still produce microfibre pollution. The number of microfibres that are shed from different qualities of plastic is a relatively new area of study.
Obviously, avoiding synthetics entirely is the most robust way to reduce your personal footprint when it comes to microfibre pollution. That said, in time some studies may shed light on how some synthetic materials and design approaches may reduce microfibre pollution.
Next time you are buying a garment or doing a load of laundry, take a moment to consider the importance of water and what you can do to conserve, protect, and improve your relationship with water.
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