People with challenges finding employment will be helping clean downtown Peterborough beginning in June. Clients of the charity One City Peterborough will join workers with Clint's Property Maintenance to assist with cleaning the downtown during the summer months. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
People with challenges finding employment will be helping clean downtown Peterborough this summer beginning in June.
The One City Peterborough program was originally launched in 2018 as an initiative of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) in partnership with the Warming Room Community Ministries.
The 2018 program saw 13 people with various barriers to employment hired to help clean the downtown core, along with a pair of outreach workers to to reach out to vulnerable people in the area.
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This year, clients of One City Peterborough will join workers with Clint’s Property Maintenance to assist with cleaning the downtown during the summer months.
The One City Peterborough “clean team” will be in downtown Peterborough during the day with cleaning carts to sweep sidewalks, pick up litter, remove old posters from lampposts, safely disposing of discarded needles, and other small cleaning tasks.
In 2019, the DBIA issued a new request for proposals for its downtown streetscape maintenance contract, with a request that proposals include a social enterprise component. In January, the DBIA awarded the contract to Clint’s Property Maintenance in partnership with One City Peterborough.
“We’re excited to have One City Peterborough back,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “This partnership with Clint’s Property Maintenance shows what organizations can do when they add social procurement into their contracts.”
The One City Peterborough “clean team” will be in downtown Peterborough during the day this summer with cleaning carts to sweep sidewalks, pick up litter, remove old posters from lamp posts, safely disposing of discarded needles, and other small cleaning tasks. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
“Not only are we going to end up with a cleaner downtown, but we’re going to help who really need it,” Gueil says. “We’re going to make downtown stronger.”
The One City Peterborough program aims to help people with barriers to employment to get back into the workforce, including connecting team members with local employment agencies and potential employers.
One City Peterborough, which was among 10 charities to receive $200,000 in funding in April from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough and United Way Peterborough & District’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund, also provides supportive housing for small groups of previously homeless people.
For more information about One City Peterborough, visit onecityptbo.ca.
kawarthaNOW is providing a daily report of COVID-19 cases in the greater Kawarthas region.
Here’s today summary: there are 89 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 151 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland County, 8 in Haliburton County, and 43 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
For the second day in a row, there are no new cases to report.
There has been a total of 39 deaths. The most recent death was reported on May 7 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.
Province-wide, there are 29,047 confirmed cases, an increase of 338 from yesterday. A total of 22,811 cases are resolved, an increase of 327 from yesterday. There have been 2,312 deaths, an increase of 19 from yesterday, with 1,472 of the deaths being residents in long-term care homes, an increase of 7. A total of 765,501 tests have been completed, an increase of 17,537 from yesterday, with 11,636 tests under investigation, an increase of 1,014.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units and hospitals. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data.
We publish the daily report, usually by late afternoon, with the most current information released by health units. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
Confirmed positive: 89 (no change) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 78 (increase of 2) Total tests completed: Over 9,150 (increase of 300+) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
Confirmed positive: 176, including 151 in Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland, 8 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations: 11 (no change) Deaths: 32 (no change) Resolved: 148 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
Confirmed positive: 43 (no change) Probable cases: 184 (increase of 2) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 33 (no change) Total tests completed: 7,626 (increase of 63) Institutional outbreaks: None
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 29,047 (increase of 338) Hospitalized: 791(decrease of 10) Hospitalized and in ICU: 127 (increase of 2) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 92 (increase of 5) Deaths: 2,312 (increase of 19) Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,472 (increase of 7, 63.7% of all deaths) Total tests completed 765,501 (increase of 17,537) Tests under investigation: 11,636 (increase of 1,014) Resolved: 22,811 (increase of 327)
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from May 3 – June 3, 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 May 3 – June 3, 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)
A masked waitress takes an order from customers at a restaurant in Lithuania during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ontario government is considering a regional approach to reopening the province during the pandemic, in which restrictions would be loosened sooner in regions such as Peterborough that have low rates of COVID-19 cases. (Photo: Michele Ursi)
If and when the Ontario government adopts a regional approach to reopening the province, the Peterborough area is well positioned to one of the regions given the green light.
During her weekly media briefing held Wednesday (June 3), Peterborough’s medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra said she believes the local region “is primed to move ahead with the relaxing of some restrictions” ahead of other regions.
Cause for her optimism can be found in the low number of cases locally in comparison to the provincial average.
In the Peterborough Public Health catchment area of Peterborough city and county and Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations, there have been 60 positive cases detected per 100,000 people compared to Ontario’s rate of 193 positives cases per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, the local incidence rate over the past week is 4.7 positive cases per 100,000 people, again much lower than the provincial incidence rate of 17 cases per 100,000 people.
The challenge with regional openings, noted Dr. Salvaterra, lies in the likelihood of people from outside the region coming here to take advantage of services still not open or available in their home region.
“That’s always the tension when you take a regional approach,” she said. “I would expect that there would be provincial guidance given to ensure people will respect whatever regionalization there is and stay close to home.”
While the local rate of positive cases versus the provincial rate is indeed favourable, community transmission locally is still a concern.
Of the region’s reported positive cases, 19.1 per cent are connected to community spread where contact with a known case or travel circumstances was not a factor. That’s the highest that number has been locally.
“That number is really critical,” said Dr. Salvaterra, noting it is being watched carefully. “We’re not sure where will we land. We’re learning as we go in terms of how low we can get that community transmission rate.”
That said, Dr. Salvaterra noted “the community is doing very well” as the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures approach the three-month mark.
“I think the community is doing very well. The (anti-racism) protest yesterday (Tuesday) was another clear example that people are taking the physical distancing message to heart. I was there. Everyone was wearing a mask. The emcee asked people to adhere to physical distancing and they did.”
Protesters respected public health directives during a rally in downtown Peterborough on June 2, 2020 calling for an end to police violence against black and indigenous people of colour. (Photo courtesy of Sean Bruce)
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday (June 2), the total number of positive cases in the region was 89 — an increase of six cases over the past week.
Of the positive cases, 76 have been resolved while 11 cases remain active, with two COVID-19 related deaths reported so far for the entire duration of the pandemic. There are currently no institutional outbreaks reported in the region.
Meanwhile, an estimated 9,150 people have been tested, with 1,800 of them over the past week. One of every 16 residents in Peterborough Public Health’s catchment area has been tested.
Dr. Salvaterra also spoke to the success of the drive-through COVID-19 testing centre at the Kinsmen Arena, noting 1,855 have been tested at that site since it opened last Wednesday (May 27) — a daily average of 265 people tested.
To date, 1,350 test results have been reported, all negative except for one, which was a positive test result for a visitor to the area from Durham Region.
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The Kinsmen Arena testing centre will remain open until at least this Friday (June 5). Dr. Salvaterra said drive-through testing will now also be introduced in rural areas.
Drop-in clinics will be held in Curve Lake this Friday (June 5), Hiawatha on Saturday (June 6), and in North Kawartha Township on Monday (June 8). Both the Curve Lake and Hiawatha are for residents of those communities only, while the North Kawartha clinic will be open to the general public.
The time and location of each clinic is yet to be determined. That information will be posted on the Peterborough Public Health website at peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
Dr. Salvaterra again addressed a recent alarming increase in the number of local suspected opioid-related deaths, with two more reported over the past week — bringing to eight the total in May and 17 so far in 2020.
“We have engaged the early warning system task force to identify common factors behind these tragic deaths,” she said.
“There are likely multiple factors causing these untimely deaths. We continue our call for a comprehensive approach to this tragic epidemic involving opioids and other potent drugs. Our board of health is on record with a motion asking the federal and provincial governments to legalize a safe supply of opioids as one part of a comprehensive approach.”
Users are reminded to never use drugs alone, avoid mixing drugs, carry a naloxone kit and keep it visible for others to see, do not use drugs at the same time as those with you, and test your drug using a small amount first.
Also participating in Wednesday’s media briefing were Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef and Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien.
This story has been updated to correct “the local incidence rate over the past week is 4.7 per cent” to “the local incidence rate over the past week is 4.7 positive cases per 100,000 people”.
Stay home, stay safe, and drink craft beer! The 6th annual Kawartha Craft Beer Festival has gone virtual this June due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can browse beer and cider options online and choose mixed packs that suit your beer style preferences, and pair with food options from local restaurants. The festival will also be streaming two live concerts on its Facebook page. (Photo: Kawartha Craft Beer Festival)
The Kawartha Craft Beer Festival is going virtual, just in time for the Father’s Day weekend.
The annual festival, which was launched in 2015, usually takes place during June in downtown Peterborough and attracts 5,000 visitors each year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an in-person festival can’t take place in 2020.
So festival organizers, in partnership with maker marketplace Electric City Works, have developed an alternative so the community can continue to experience the best of Ontario craft beers, local food, and live entertainment.
“We are thrilled that we’re able to continue with the festival this year,” says festival director Kim Cranfield.
“We’ve had incredible support from the community over the years and we’re just so happy to support the local breweries, restaurants, and musicians, and hope we can bring together craft beer lovers on Father’s Day Weekend — even if it’s only virtually.”
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On Monday (June 1), the festival launched a new online store at kcbfshop.com where you can browse beer and cider options and choose mixed packs that suit your beer style preferences.
The mixed packs will feature beer and cider exclusively from the festival’s 2020 vendors and include many selections that are available only at the breweries.
Local restaurants are providing food options you can order online as well, which pair well with any of the craft beers.
One of the food options available from the virtual Kawartha Craft Beer Festival is a half pound of pulled pork from Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews in Peterborough. (Photo: Kawartha Craft Beer Festival)
To provide some live music while you enjoy your beer and food, the festival is streaming two performances live on the festival’s Facebook page at facebook.com/kcbf2020.
Country band Buck Twenty will be performing live from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, June 19th.
The Ontario singer-songwriter duo of Mike Ure and Aidan Johnson-Bujold was a finalist at the 2020 International Songwriter Competition. The band’s trademark sound is filled with harmonies and catchy hooks.
VIDEO: “Here’s To The Nights”- Buck Twenty
Then, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20th, Tragically Hip tribute band Practically Hip will perform live.
Founded in southern Ontario in 1997, Practically Hip has been performing for more than 20 years, with lead singer Dean Hughes recreating the full Gord Downie experience.
VIDEO: “Courage” performed by Practically Hip
Online ordering at kcbfshop.com is now open and orders will be ready for pick-up at Electric City Works, located at 200 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough, on Friday, June 19th from 12 to 5 p.m. and on Saturday, June 20th from 12 to 5 p.m.
You can also have your orders delivered for a small fee through a partnership with Y Drive Ptbo.
As a special thank you for supporting local, 10 patrons will receive weekend passes to next year’s Kawartha Craft Beer Festival in their beer packs if ordered by Saturday, June 20th.
The in-person Kawartha Craft Beer Festival will return to Del Crary Park on June 4 and 5, 2021. Anyone who has purchased tickets to the 2020 festival can use their tickets for the 2021 festival; otherwise, to receive a ticket refund, email info@kawarthacraftbeerfestival.com.
Peterborough city councillor Stephen Wright has been heavily criticized for taking a 10-day trip to New Brunswick in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when that province has a ban on non-essential travel. (Photo: Stephen Wright)
Peterborough city councillor Stephen Wright has issued a public apology for travelling to New Brunswick in May during the COVID-19 pandemic — a trip that prompted outrage in New Brunswick and national news coverage.
In the apology “to the residents of New Brunswick and Peterborough”, Wright says he made an error in judgment by travelling to New Brunswick during this pandemic.
“My over zealous approach to research the restaurant sector in the anticipation of reopening our economy, and for that I am truly sorry,” he writes in part.
On Friday (May 29), Wright was interviewed by Joelle Kovach of the Peterborough Examiner about a “fact-finding road trip” he had taken to New Brunswick the previous weekend.
Wright, who is part of the City of Peterborough’s economic recovery task force, told Kovach he took the trip to investigate the impact of restaurants reopening in that province.
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Kovach reported that Wright said the trip lasted three days, that he stayed in his car for the entire trip (including sleeping), and that he told an RCMP officer on his way into New Brunswick that he would stay isolated in his car for the entire trip.
Wright’s trip sparked outrage on social media, as there ia ban on non-essential travel into New Brunswick due to COVID-19.
Wright’s trip happened just before news of a COVID-19 outbreak in northern New Brunswick that was linked to a doctor at a hospital who had contracted COVID-19 outside of the province and who didn’t self-isolate when he returned.
It also happened at the same time as a scandal involving U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson’s chief advisor, Dominic Cummings, who was highly criticized for breaking that country’s lockdown rules by driving 425 kilometres from London to Durham.
Both Saint John Mayor Don Darling and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs raised concerns about Wright’s trip to the province. Higgs said at a media conference on Sunday (May 31) that the province had launched a “full investigation” into what provincial enforcement officers asked Wright at the Quebec-New Brunswick border and what he told them.
On Monday (June 1), CBC News interviewed Wright about his trip. Wright told CBC he was “misunderstood because of a poor phone connection” when he spoke to the Examiner, and that his trip to New Brunswick actually lasted 10 days — from May 14 to 23 — and that he stayed at the private home of an acquaintance, who he has refused to identify, rather than in his car.
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He also told CBC that he had called chambers of commerce and business associations in New Brunswick but that his calls were not returned. On Tuesday (June 2), four business groups in New Brunswick said they had no record of calls from Wright.
Also on Tuesday, the Peterborough Examiner reported that Peterborough mayor Diane Therrien demanded that Wright issue a public apology for the trip.
“Councillor Stephen Wright’s trip outside the province was not endorsed by myself, city council, or the city,” Therrien wrote in a statement to the Examiner. “He will not be reimbursed for any costs incurred as a result of the trip. Councillors Wright should apologize for the trip.
“As elected representatives, we are rightly expected to lead by example — especially during a public health emergency when we’re asking people to put their health and the health of the community first.”
On Wednesday (June 3), Wright issued the following public apology:
Hundreds of people, wearing masks and walking in small groups due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marched from Millennium Park to Confederation Square in downtown Peterborough on June 2, 2020 during a peaceful protest calling for an end to police violence against black and indigenous people of colour. (Photo courtesy of Sean Bruce)
Hundreds of people joined a rally in downtown Peterborough on Tuesday (June 2) for a peaceful protest calling for an end to police violence against black and indigenous people of colour.
The rally, organized by Black Lives Matter Nogojiwanong, was prompted by ongoing protests in the U.S. following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
The unarmed black man, who was accused of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill, died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt with his full weight on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes, despite the handcuffed Floyd’s urgent pleas that he could not breathe. Chauvin has since been fired and charged with murder, and the three other officers who assisted Chauvin were also fired.
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The Peterborough protesters gathered at Millennium Park at noon and marched north on Water Street to the Peterborough police station, then continuing to Confederation Square across from Peterborough City Hall.
Said Jiddawy, one of the organizers of the rally, issued health and safety guidelines before the event, asking people to stay home if they had any signs of illness and otherwise to wear a mask and to maintain a distance of two metres from other people. Protesters were also asked to march in groups of five people or less, ideally with people already in their social bubble, and to keep two metres away from other groups.
When organizing the event, Jiddawy consulted with Peterborough police, who said they would be at the protest only to manage vehicle traffic during the march and to protect the safety of protesters in case violence was instigated by outsiders.
Protesters respected public health directives during a rally in downtown Peterborough on June 2, 2020 calling for an end to police violence against black and indigenous people of colour. (Photo courtesy of Sean Bruce)
Before the protest, Peterborough police issued a public statement of solidarity with the protesters which read, in part, that the “Peterborough Police Service wishes to reaffirm its commitment to bias free policing and the right for people to gather in peaceful protest”.
Peterborough police chief Scott Gilbert and some fellow officers who were at Confederation Square joined the protesters and took a knee — a symbolic gesture started by some National Football League players in 2016, who knelt on one knee during the U.S. national anthem as a protest against police brutality and racism.
Musician Tim Baker performing at the 2019 Peterborough Folk Festival at Nicholls Oval Park in Peterborough. The 2019 festival was attended by more than 15,000 people. (Photo: Peterborough Folk Festival)
The 31st annual Peterborough Folk Festival has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The free three-day outdoor music festival was scheduled to take place from August 21 to 23, 2020 at Nicholls Oval Park in Peterborough.
“We wish to express our gratitude to attendees, vendors, sponsors, artists, the whole Peterborough and Kawarthas community, and most of all to the volunteers without their contributions the last 30 festivals would not have been possible,” reads a statement from the festival’s board.
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Over the past 30 years, the festival has featured musicians such as Serena Ryder, The Strumbellas, Kathleen Edwards, A Tribe Called Red, Donovan Woods, William Prince, Fred Penner, Sharon and Bram, and many more.
The economic impact of the summer festival, when combined with year-round programming, is estimated at $1.4 million for the city and surrounding area. In 2019, the festival was attended by more than 15,000 people.
“Peterborough Folk Festival is a celebration of music, art, culture, and above all else community,” the board writes. “Although our community has been shaken we are resilient. We are eager to share our future plans, as we want to continue the Folk Festival’s history of creating community driven positive and equitable space.”
Illustrator Aidan Cartwright and his wife, author Simone Tielesh, with their children's book "Kindness Is...". The couple, who volunteer for the Northwest Territories SPCA (NWT SPCA), wrote the book in 2017 and donated the rights to the NWT SPCA as a fundraising tool. Peterborough's Green Bamboo Publishing, founded by Trent University alumnus Jasmine Cabanaw, is translating the book into all nine indigenous languages of the Northwest Territories, the first time this has been done for a book of its kind. (Photo via Simone Tielesh / Facebook)
businessNOW™ is the most comprehensive weekly round-up of business and organizational news and events from Peterborough and across the Kawarthas.
Every week, our managing editor collects news and events related to businesses and organizations from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
The week’s edition features Peterborough’s Green Bamboo Publishing translating a children’s book into all nine indigenous languages of the Northwest Territories to raise funds for the Northwest Territories SPCA, OPSEU Local 362 purchasing $10,000 in Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area gift certificates, Pedal ‘n’ Paddle in Peterborough permanently closing, Jo Anne’s Place on Water Street in Peterborough reopening, META4 Gallery in downtown Peterborough reopening with books from Hunter Street Books, and other notable business news from across the Kawarthas.
This week’s events include the Peterborough Chamber’s virtual breakfast meeting featuring Central Smith Creamery on June 9th, the Innovation Cluster’s virtual power breakfast on COVID-19 recovery on June 12th, and the Innovation Cluster’s virtual workshop on COVID-19 lessons for business on June 16th.
Peterborough’s Green Bamboo Publishing to translate children’s book into all nine indigenous languages of Northwest Territories
The first two translations of Kindness Is …, in the Inuit language Inuktitut and the Dene language Tłı̨chǫ, are planned to be released on June 21, 2020 in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, with the next seven translations to follow within the next year. (Graphic: Green Bamboo Publishing)
Peterborough’s Green Bamboo Publishing, founded by Trent University alumnus Jasmine Cabanaw, is translating a children’s book into all nine indigenous languages of the Northwest Territories — the first time this has been done for a book of its kind.
The English version of Kindness Is… was written by Simone Tielesh and illustrated by her husband Aidan Cartwright in 2017. The couple donated the rights to the book to the Northwest Territories SPCA (NWT SPCA), where they both volunteer, as a fundraising product.
Jasmine Cabanaw, an alumnus of Trent University, founded Green Bamboo Publishing in Peterborough in 2014 as a way to combine her passion for writing with her goal of raising funds for animal charities. She relocated to San Francisco for a short time, and has now returned to Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Jasmine Cabanaw)
Kindness Is… teaches children and adults alike the importance of compassion, kindness, and empathy through a series of common but important examples of responsible pet ownership.
The book is best suited for children up to the age of five and is written in a cheerful style that is relatable and fun.
The illustrations are bright and colourful, using high contrast imagery, and have a unique feature — the fur for each illustrated dog is from a photograph of a real dog from the NWT SPCA.
“Our northern animals and our northern peoples are important to the NWT SPCA,” says Dana Martin of the NWT SPCA. “It brings great joy to help kids learn about kindness while also helping to strengthen and preserve the traditional languages. Kindness Is… becomes a bridge that joins together the different peoples of the North, giving rise to a stronger community with common goals.”
The first two translations of Kindness Is… — into the Inuit language Inuktitut and the Dene language Tłı̨chǫ — are planned to be released on Sunday, June 21st in honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, with the next seven translations to follow within the next year. Included in every book are the English version of the original poem, information about the indigenous language, and a map of the official languages of NWT.
The book launch of Kindness Is… on National Indigenous Peoples Day, will encourage children of all backgrounds to honour indigenous cultures and participate in kind and responsible pet ownership. The main activity of the book launch will be storytelling, which has long played an important role in indigenous cultures. There will be virtual readings that parents and children all across Canada can access on June 21st. There will also be a colouring contest and books available to purchase online.
More activities for the launch will be announced on the Green Bamboo Publishing Facebook page leading up to the event.
Kindness Is… retails for $10 on the Green Bamboo Publishing website at greenbamboopublishing.com, and is also available for purchase online at sites such as Amazon, Indigo, and Walmart. All proceeds go to NWT SPCA.
OPSEU Local 362 purchases $10,000 in Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area gift certificates
OPSEU Local 362 represents around 600 workers at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, working at Robinson Place in downtown Peterborough (pictured), Trent University, Balsam Lake Provincial Park, Darlington Provincial Park, Emily Provincial Park, and Harwood Fish Culture Station. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
A local chapter of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is supporting independent businesses in downtown Peterborough by purchasing $10,000 worth of “downtown money” (gift certificates) from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) for use by their members.
“We have been getting a lot of support from our community through this crisis,” says Peterborough DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “We’ve had a lot of sales of downtown mMoney over the last couple months and we want to give a big thank you to OPSEU Local 362 for supporting our local businesses.”
OPSEU Local 362 represents around 600 workers at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, working at Robinson Place in downtown Peterborough, Trent University, Balsam Lake Provincial Park, Darlington Provincial Park, Emily Provincial Park, and Harwood Fish Culture Station.
OPSEU Local 362 will be distributing the gift certificates to their members when employees return to their work sites. The gift certificates can be redeemed at any of the participating downtown Peterborough businesses and organizations.
Downtown money can be purchased in $25 and $50 increments from the Peterborough DBIA by calling 705-748-4774 or emailing info@downtownptbo.ca.
Pedal ‘n’ Paddle in Peterborough has permanently closed
Lloyd Graham and Moe Grant have permanently closed their Pedal ‘n’ Paddle recreational service, which ran out of the Boat House below the Silver Bean Cafe in Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
Pedal ‘n’ Paddle in Peterborough has permanently closed.
The recreational business, which ran out of the Boat House below the Silver Bean Cafe in Millennium Park in downtown Peterborough, announced the closure on their Facebook page on Tuesday (June 2).
Pedal ‘n’ Paddle was started by Lloyd Graham and expanded in 2017 when Moe Grant joined as a partner. The business rented kayaks, canoes, bicycles, and paddle boats and offered “river run adventures”.
Hello Peterborough! It's a bittersweet announcement yet; Pedalnpaddle has closed for good. It's been a great ride! It is…
The business was already temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Graham and Grant decided it was too difficult to run the service while maintaining physical distancing requirements, according to the Facebook post.
Jo Anne’s Place on Water Street in Peterborough reopens
Jo Anne’s Place at 904 Water Street North in Peterborough. (Photo: Jo Anne’s Place)
Health food store Jo Anne’s Place has reopened its location at 904 Water Street North in Peterborough on Tuesday (June 2).
The same COVID-19 safety protocols in place at the store’s other locations in Peterborough and Lindsay have been implemented at the Water Street location. These include limiting the number of customers in the store, enforcing physical distancing, and adhering to a strict cleaning schedule.
The Water Street location is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Jo-Anne’s Place also offers curbside pickup or delivery through their website at joannesplace.ca.
META4 Gallery in downtown Peterborough reopens with books from Hunter Street Books
Although Michelle Berry has closed the physical location of Hunter Street Books in downtown Peterborough (left), she continues to operate her online store and has partnered with META4 Gallery (right) to offer personally curated shelves of books. (Photos: Michelle Berry and META4 Gallery)
META4 Contemporary Craft Gallery in downtown Peterborough reopened, with reduced hours, for in-person shopping last Wednesday (May 27) — and is now selling books from Hunter Street Books.
Michelle Berry, owner of Hunter Street Books, announced on May 19th that she was closing her physical store at 164 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough, which she first opened in October 2016.
Although she has now closed the physical store, Berry continues to operate her online store at hunterstreetbooks.com. She offers free delivery in Peterborough, or pick-up at META4 Gallery, which is located two doors down from the book store’s former location.
META4 is also offering shelves of books personally curated by Berry, for those who prefer to browse in person. Owners Jennifer Hardie, Birgitta MacLeod, and Bonnie Thomson have implemented changes to address health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, including providing hand sanitizer at multiple locations in the store, a Plexiglas barrier at the sales counter, new directions for traffic flow, and tap payment functions. They will also be cleaning and sanitizing regularly.
META4 Gallery’s new hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. For more information, visit www.meta4gallery.ca.
Other notable business news from across the Kawarthas
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) has launched a new online portal for businesses recovering from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at peterboroughed.ca/recovery. The website provides resources and information to help local business mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.
PKED is also launching the region’s first annual count of businesses on Monday, June 15th. Between June and September, PKED will be conducting a brief voluntary business count, which will be offered through an online platform and conducted over the phone. The data collected will be used to inform the organization’s decisions and programming efforts to support business, and to disseminate information about programs and funding in the future. It will also be used in part to generate an up-to-date business directory for PKED and will be shared with partner municipalities, when agreed upon by businesses.
Two online resources are available for businesses in Peterborough and Kawarthas Lakes looking for personal protective equipment (PPE) as they reopen. Team Kawartha Lakes — which includes Kawartha Lakes Economic Development, chambers of commerce in Kawartha Lakes, and more — has created a list of local PPE suppliers in Kawartha Lakes and the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce has launched the Peterborough PPE Retail Hub.
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario is offering free membership to the entire tourism industry in Ontario for 2020. For more information and to become a member, visit tiaontario.ca/cpages/membership.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is offering the Small Business Relief Fund, providing $10,000 grants to 62 Canadian for-profit businesses to help their recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants can be used for salaries, the purchase of personal protective equipment for workers, replenishing materials, or funding new business models. To be eligible, a business must belong to a chamber of commerce, board of trade, or association that is a member of the Canadian Business Resilience Network, must have between two and 50 employees, must have been in business for two years, and must have an annual revenue between $150,000 and $5 million. Applications will be accepted until June 12, 2020. For more information and to apply, visit canadianbusinessresiliencenetwork.ca/smallbusinessrelieffund/.
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Peterborough Chamber hosts virtual breakfast meeting with Central Smith Creamery on June 9
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is hosting a virtual Chamber AM with Central Smith Creamery from 8 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9th.
Central Smith Creamery owners Ian and Jillian Scates will be the guest speakers.
Innovation Cluster hosts virtual power breakfast on COVID-19 recovery on June 12
The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas, in partnership with Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, is hosting a virtual power breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 12th.
Facilitated by Leo Bonato, deputy division chief at the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C., the session will provide insight into how COVID-19 is having a growing impact on the global economy and financial structure and what that means. The session is intended to provide business leaders, thought leaders and startups with a perspective on the evolving situation and its implications.
Innovation Cluster hosts virtual workshop on COVID-19 lessons for business on June 16
The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas is hosting “Hands-ON: The Importance of Crash Testing your Business on Paper” from 12 to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16th.
Facilitated by Adam McInroy, associate consultant of IG Wealth Management, the workshop will help business owners looking to reopen their businesses to reflect on the lessons that COVID-19 has taught us and to play through some “what if” scenarios.
Here’s today summary: there are 89 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area, 151 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland County, 8 in Haliburton County, and 43 in Hastings County and Prince Edward County.
There are no new cases to report today.
There has been a total of 39 deaths. The most recent death was reported on May 7 by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.
Province-wide, there are 28,709 confirmed cases, an increase of 446 from yesterday. A total of 22,484 cases are resolved, an increase of 331 from yesterday. There have been 2,293 deaths, an increase of 17 from yesterday, with 1,465 of the deaths being residents in long-term care homes, an increase of 20 (the number of new deaths reported in long-term care homes exceeds the total number of new deaths reported; this may be a reporting or data error). A total of 747,964 tests have been completed, an increase of 15,244 from yesterday, with 10,622 tests under investigation, an increase of 4,195.
This report is based on data supplied by the province’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS), as well as any additional information supplied by health units and hospitals. This information is at least 24 hours old, so it is not real-time data.
We publish the daily report, usually by late afternoon, with the most current information released by health units. Note that each health unit reports the information in a different way.
Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.
Confirmed positive: 89 (no change) Deaths: 2 (no change) Resolved: 76 (no change) Total tests completed: Over 8,850 (increase of 200+) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s service area is the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County.
Confirmed positive: 176, including 151 in Kawartha Lakes, 17 in Northumberland, 8 in Haliburton (no change) Probable cases: 0 (no change) Hospitalizations: 11 (no change) Deaths: 32 (no change) Resolved: 148 (no change) Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s service area is Hastings County (including Bancroft) and Prince Edward County.
Confirmed positive: 43 (no change) Probable cases: 182 (no change) Deaths: 5 (no change) Hospitalized: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU: 0 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 0 (no change) Recovered: 33 (increase of 1) Total tests completed: 7,563 (increase of 128) Institutional outbreaks: None
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Province of Ontario
Confirmed positive: 28,709 (increase of 446) Hospitalized: 801 (increase of 20) Hospitalized and in ICU: 125 (no change) Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 87 (decrease of 2) Deaths: 2,293 (increase of 17)* Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 1,465 (increase of 20, 63.9% of all deaths)* Total tests completed 747,964 (increase of 15,244) Tests under investigation: 10,622 (increase of 4,195) Resolved: 22,484 (increase of 331)
*The number of new deaths reported in long-term care homes exceeds the total number of new deaths reported. This may be a reporting or data error.
New COVID-19 cases in Ontario from May 2 – June 1, 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 May 2 – June 1, 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)
This won't be happening at Victoria Beach in Cobourg in summer 2020. Cobourg council has voted to close the beach until August 31, 2020 to ensure both residents and visitors comply with emergency orders prohibiting social gatherings and health directives on physical distancing. (Photo: Linda McIlwain)
Victoria Beach in Cobourg is now closed for the entire summer.
At a special meeting on Monday (June 1), Cobourg town council voted unanimously to close the popular beach until Monday, August 31st, to ensure both residents and visitors comply with emergency orders prohibiting social gatherings and health directives on physical distancing.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision to make and I, along with the rest of council, listened and engaged with many citizens on this important matter,” says Cobourg mayor John Henderson.
“The beach is a popular gathering area starting around this time of year, and for the time being, we want to continue to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within our community. During these unprecedented times it is the health and safety of our citizens that will always come first.”
Municipal staff will be installing metal fencing and barriers, with emergency access points as necessary. Cobourg police and municipal by-law enforcement officers will continue to educate the public while increasing enforcement along the waterfront.
“At this time, we are using our patrols to proactively engage with the public and inform them of the recent beach closure,” said Cobourg police chief Paul VandeGraaf.
“Once fencing and signage are installed, making it clear that the beach is closed, individuals found trespassing on Victoria Beach will be charged.”
Provincial fines for trespassing are set at $65.
Town council has also directed muncipal staff to report back at the June 22nd meeting with statistics on waterfront area activities and any other areas of concern that may arise due to the beach closure. The report will also include recommendations on how to safely reopen the beach with restricted use, along with cost estimates, for council’s consideration.
Walk-through access at the Victoria Beach boardwalk and West Beach boardwalk remain open.
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