The speed of a major overhaul to Peterborough Transit routes because of provincially mandated COVID-19 health safety measures is creating consternation among bus drivers, according to the local union president.

Among several changes taking effect June 28 is a reduction in the number of bus routes from 12 to nine, with just five of those routes going directly to the Simcoe Street terminal. Up to this point, all 12 bus routes led to the downtown Peterborough terminal. In addition, three new community bus routes are being added and bus stop locations are changing.

While acknowledging the more grid-like route changes are mostly an improvement over the status quo, the president of Local 1320 of the Amalgamated Transit Union that represents bus drivers and garage staff is concerned over the speed with which the changes are being put into effect.

“We pictured a slower implementation so drivers and passengers can get used to it,” says Tyler Burns. “It’s being tossed at us and we’re going to have to hit the ground running.”

“I hope it’s a smooth transition because I think it is time for our transit system to grow up and grow for the better. It would be a real shame if this stumbles hard and we have to wait another 10 years to try something like this out again. My main concern, as it always is, is the safety of my members.”

While acknowledging that the timeline is tight, City of Peterborough transit manager Laurie Stratton says mandated pandemic health safety measures have necessitated the fast tracking of the new route system. She recognizes the speed of the changes has had an impact on transit riders as well as drivers.

“Transit has been making the necessary changes at breakneck speed, responding to the focus on public safety as well as mandates put out to all public transit authorities to deliver safe service to customers as well as keep employees safe,” she says.

“Our customers have adjusted to rear door boarding. They have adjusted to expectations regarding physical distancing and seat limits, and having to wait patiently while we run overflow buses or bring buses in from stand-by locations. This change is another in a series of changes that have come at them quickly.”

Stratton points out there normally would have been a traditional consultation process before implementing changes of this scope, but the summer months provide an opportunity for on-the-fly consultation before the busier fall season.

“Typically we would have had traditional consultation. We plan to have that going forward. With our ridership low right now, we’re looking toward a fall ridership increase. Can we make these changes in September? That’s unthinkable. This July/August timeline while our ridership is lower gives our drivers and customers the opportunity to experience it and learn about the changes, and for us to gather feedback, prior to the busier fall.”

Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien admits the new transit route system has been rolled out quickly, “like everything that we’ve done in response to COVID-19,” adding, “we don’t have the luxury of time.”

“Under the state of emergency, staff is empowered to make some of the decisions they have to make to ensure public health and safety. They’ve been really good at informing council of any changes. In a normal year there would probably be a staff recommendation to change some things. There are budgetary implications when you’re running more buses or running less buses. Something like that would come to council for the okay.”

Mayor Therrien notes one positive outcome of the new route system will be less crowding at the downtown terminal, which speaks directly to the physical distancing requirement. She adds that bio-shields to protect drivers will be installed at some point in July, creating the ability to again collect fares again — an important consideration during a year that has seen the city lose many of its regular revenue streams.

While Burns gets that driver and passenger safety is the motivation for bringing in the new route system quickly, he says he’s looking for even quicker answers on their effect on drivers.

“Traditionally drivers have had their lunch breaks either at the terminal or the bus garage, but with these changes that will no longer be the case,” he notes. “We’ll have people have their lunch at Lansdowne Place, at Trent University, and at Fleming. We’re not 100 per cent sure on the logistics of that — what we’ll have access to, what we won’t have access to.”

“It’s pretty apparent it won’t be business as usual come the fall, so we’re not sure what we’ll have available in terms of facilities, or access to a kitchen or a hand-washing station,” Burns adds. “We have just a few days before the changes come into effect. I like to know there’s something set in stone by then in terms of what drivers will be doing for breaks and meals.”

Regarding that concern, Stratton says management is working with driver trainers to solicit feedback on how to best accommodate meals and breaks at locations other than the terminal or garage.

“Feedback about the (people) crunch at the terminal, this has been a historic complaint of our drivers. This new system addresses that. We’ve heard a lot of concerns from our drivers about crowding on limited peak time buses. This addresses that as well.”

“If we had not changed the routes, the option was reducing service. We’re here to support the community through its economic and social recovery. We’re trying to get the trust of the public, to let them feel confident to use transit. Jamming them down here at the terminal or jamming them into the limited peak time buses is not a safe way to do that.”

Along with the implementation of the new transit route system, a possible second challenge is looming.

Should Trent and/or Fleming not be open in September for traditional classes, transit ridership will take a major hit. Student fares bring in about $1.6 million annually. Unless other levels of government step up with funding to offset any major loss of revenue, a reduction in routes is possible that, in turn, could possibly result in driver layoffs.

“It’s a tough budget year and we don’t want to be losing any more money than we already are,” says Mayor Therrien.

Union concerns aside, the new transit route system will roll out June 28. Both Stratton and Burn do totally agree on one thing — the need for transit users to give the changes a chance to succeed.

“Change is always a challenge,” says Stratton. “We expect both positive and negative reaction.”

“The biggest thing with transit is to try and optimize what you can deliver to the most people. We know this new system will mean some folks will have to travel a little further to get to their stop, and that they will experience untimed on-the-street transfers. That’s new. But what it allows us to do is reduce overall travel times. We don’t want people on the bus longer than they need to be in a confined space.”

“I urge the public to be patient with the drivers,” adds Burns. “We’re learning the new route system at the exact same time as everybody else.”

“Tt’s going to be frustrating for drivers. Passengers are going to be frustrated too. There’s various ways to contact the city and transit management with your concerns, so take advantage.”

The new routes and other information can be viewed at www.peterborough.ca/transit. Transit customers can provide feedback on the new routes at forms.peterborough.ca/Transit/Transit-Feedback-New-Routes.

Aleksandr (Aleks) Goloborodko writes beautifully. An email requesting an opportunity to chat is returned with an artfully crafted response that includes, “I would like to signify my gratitude to you for inviting me to the interview.”

A phone conversation with Aleks, a new Canadian who has settled in Peterborough, is equally charming, with his wife Iryna offering comments and encouragement from another room.

For this Ukrainian native who has made a home in Peterborough as an artist, language will be the path to success in his newly chosen country. Aleks was originally happy with life in Ukraine. He was involved with real estate and law and he operated a successful company.

He is educated and a hard worker, a family man, and someone who pays attention to details. From a brief conversation, Aleks is clearly a glass-half-full kind of guy.

Sharing his journey to Canada, he explains how 2014 was a difficult year in his home country. Rising political instability and civil unrest were signs for Alex and his wife to leave while they could. Their son Volodymyr was already enjoying a unique opportunity studying nursing at Trent University and, to Aleks, Peterborough sounded like a nice place.

Ready to leave the crisis behind, he and his wife decided to start again in Canada.

“If you understand that your life has changed and you cannot be in this place anymore, you will find it easy to drop everything and to move,” Aleks says. “It was a terrible reason to leave, but the stars showed us the way.”

Now in Peterborough, Aleks has started to create art. He works in mixed media, letting his feelings flow freely and without language barriers, because the art he creates is its own language.

“I like being an artist now, because artists don’t need so many languages,” he says.

But, as Aleks recognizes, the language of art could only take him so far in his new country.

“I needed English,” Aleks says. “I (also) speak German, but English was new.”

Determined to succeed and ready to remove barriers, Aleks spent a difficult first year in Canada, learning English day by day and month by month through ESL programs offered at Trent University.

“It was funny to sit with teenagers in class at 50 years,” Aleks laughs. “Now I am a student at Fleming ESL and I don’t have a choice. I need to speak, to write, and language barriers make you uncomfortable. I also need language to bring my art to people, in galleries or festivals.”

Aleks is one of the many Peterborough residents closely connected to the New Canadians Centre who will be missing the organization’s annual Multicultural Canada Day celebrations because of the restrictions needed to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s causing sadness and difficulty, but Aleks is taking it in stride.

“Many festivals and events are now cancelled, so I cannot show my art,” he says. “But this makes space for me to create more pieces and to contact other places for my art.”

Aleks has a strong desire to build connections for his art and to be connected to new people. He’s excellent at networking and he notes how helpful New Canadians Centre has been in helping him rebuild his sense of community, saying the centre has brought him into contact with many new friends.

“One friend hooks another and then you build more and more with friends,” Aleks says, a smile coming through in his voice.

Cancelled festivals and COVID-19 aside, Aleks is loving his new community. When asked about how his son, now an intensive care unit nurse, is enjoying having parents so close by, there is more laughter.

“He is not always so happy with his mom asking so many questions all the time,” Aleks remarks, while his wife makes some comments in the background. “He is happy with his first line job. He loves it and he is happy with that.”

After some more discussion about his art, painted landscapes, and some portraits, Aleks declares the interview a success.

“This was my first interview in my life,” he laughs. “So many new things for me here in Canada.”

To contact Aleks about his art, you can email him at alekshartist@gmail.com.

This year, the New Canadians Centre is celebrating 40 years of welcoming and supporting newcomers, and the annual Multicultural Canada Day Festival is an important part of this history. The festival brings our community together for a celebration of our country’s birthday and the multiculturalism that is core to Canada’s national identity.

Newcomers and their families have grown to be part of the rich cultural fabric that binds our community together. “Peterborough Is My Home” — our chosen home that we love, cherish, and support. This year’s Multicultural Canada Day programming embraces this sentiment and has been adapted to reflect physical distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about other #PtboIsMyHome activities and events leading up to and on Canada Day, please visit nccpeterborough.ca. You can also follow New Canadians Centre on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

The Canadian and Ontario governments are investing $8 million in Peterborough County and the Township of Selwyn’s project to improve the James A. Gifford Causeway in Bridgenorth.

The two governments are also investing in other road and bridge improvement projects in the Kawarthas region, including in Hiawatha First Nation, Asphodel-Norwood in Peterborough County, Faraday in Hastings County, and Minden Hills and Highlands East in Haliburton County.

The funding was announced on Friday (June 19) by federal rural economic development minister and Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, Ontario infrastructure minister and Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott, and Peterborough County warden J. Murray Jones.

The James A. Gifford Causeway project will see improvements made to around 1.4 kilometres of the causeway, including repairs to the Chemong Bridge. An additional 5.3 kilometres on Yankee Line (County Road 14) are also being rehabilitated. These improvements will increase safety for motorists and pedestrians and extend the life of the bridge and roadway for many years.

The federal government is contributing $4.8 million to the project, with the Ontario government contributing $3.2 million and Peterborough County and the Township of Selwyn contributing $1.9 million.

“The James A. Gifford Causeway is the county’s busiest stretch of road and the causeway improvement plan is the largest infrastructure project that Peterborough County has undertaken and the largest overall grant-funded project in our history,” Jones said.

VIDEO: Infrastrucutre investments in Central and Eaatern Rural Ontario

Other projects in the Kawarthas region being jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments and local municipalities include:

• $1.9 million for the reconstruction of nine kilometres of Centre Line Road between County Road 45 and Asphodel 3rd Line in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood in Peterborough County
• $1.1 million for the replacement of the Old Hastings Road Bridge in Faraday in Hastings County
• $4.8 million for the recontruction of two kilometres of Paudash Street between Cowe Street and Lakeshore Road in Hiawatha First Nation
• $1.6 million for the replacement of the South Wilberforce Bridge in Highlands East in Haliburton County
• $1.2 million for the replacement of the Sedgewick Bridge in Minden Hills in Haliburton County

“Not only will these vital projects help create well-paying jobs during the construction phase, they will have long-lasting benefits for residents and businesses for years to come,” Monsef said.

Other jointly funded projects in central and eastern Ontario include road improvements in Beausoleil First Nation and Collingwood, as well as bridge repairs and replacements in Adjala-Tosorontio and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte.

The Canadian government is investing over $22 million in these projects through the Rural and Northern Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, with the Ontario government contributing more than $10 million, and municipalities and First Nation communities contributing more than $5 million.

“Investing in infrastructure is essential to the recovery of central and eastern Ontario’s economy,” Scott said. “These projects build new roads and bridges and drive local economic development in these communities.”

The Ontario government is requiring school boards to prepare for three scenarios for the reopening elementary and secondary schools in September: a normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols, a modified school day routine that allows for physical distancing, and at-home learning.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the province’s “school safety plan” on Friday (June 19) at a media conference at Queen’s Park, along with health minister Christine Elliott and education minister Stephen Lecce (who participated remotely).

“Nothing is more important than protecting our kids in this province,” Ford said. “This plan takes the best medical advice available from our public heath experts to ensure every school board and every school is ready to ensure students continue learning in the safest way possible.”

While the scenario that a school board chooses will depend on the public health situation come September, the government is asking each school board to prepare their own safety plans that include the following three scenarios:

1. A normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols. In this scenario, students will attend classrooms every school day with standard class sizes in place.
2. A modified school day routine that allows for physical distancing and limits the number of students and teachers in contact at any one time. In this scenario, there will be a limit of 15 students in a classroom, and timetables would be implemented so students remain in contact only with their classmates and a single teacher for as much of the school day as possible. This scenario would also require alternate day or alternate week delivery to a segment of the class at one time.
3. At-home learning. In this scenario, where school closures are extended due to COVID-19 or where some parents choose not to send their child back to school because of health and safety, school boards would offer remote education, delivered online as much as possible, as well as minimum expectations for students to have regular direct contact with their teacher at the same time.

The government is also instructing school boards to plan for an adapted delivery model that could include alternate day or alternate week attendance (as in the second scenario above), staggered bell times and recess, and different transportation arrangements.

Ford says the safety plan for schools was created following extensive consultation with Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, health experts on the government’s COVID-19 command table, medical experts at The Hospital for Sick Children, education sector partners, front-line workers, and parents and students.

Education minister Lecce said parents who do not feel comfortable having their children physically return to school will always have the choice to pursue online remote learning.

School boards have until August 4th to submit their safety plans to the Ministry of Education, which will provide all boards with an opportunity to share their draft plans and seek feedback from a formalized table of medical experts that the ministry will be convening.

School boards will be required to outline their safety plans with parents and students prior to the start of the 2020-21 school year, provide guidance on health and safety measures and protocols, and share any other changes that will be implemented when schools open in September.

The government announced it is investing an additional $736 million in public education for the 2020-21 school year. The funding, which the province says is the largest investment in public education in Ontario’s history, will increase the average amount of funding per pupil to $12,525, an increase of $250 over the previous year.

The government also announced $4 million in net new funding for cleaning, cleaning protocols, and financial support to hire additional custodial staff in September to ensure schools are safe.

Like many in-person groups, 100 Women Peterborough has gone virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic — but still managed to raise more than $5,000 for Community Care Peterborough.

The collective philanthropy group met virtually for the first time on Tuesday (June 16) to raise funds for an organization in need.

The group usually meets in person four times a year, to hear presentations from three organizations randomly drawn from a larger list of organizations nominated by members of 100 Women Peterborough. Each member of the group commits to donate $100 at each of the four events hosted throughout the year.

However, 100 Women Peterborough’s first in-person meeting of 2020, scheduled for late March, was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After deciding to hold a virtual meeting instead, the group held a special call for nominations for charities and not-for-profit organizations that have suffered because of the pandemic.

“The 100 Women Peterborough organizers decided to call out for new nominations from members to specifically support organizations that were in need during this difficult time,” says Rose Terry, one of the founding members of the group. “We knew that a special meeting was needed to support not-for-profits that had been severely impacted by the pandemic.”

While each member of 100 Women Peterborough usually commits to donate $100 at each meeting, resulting in a collective donation of at least $10,000, this meeting was optional for members since COVID-19 has impacted everyone in different ways.

Even so, more than 40 members joined Tuesday’s Zoom meeting to hear from the three selected organizations: Community Care Peterborough, Alternatives Community Support Services, and Kawartha Food Share.

After hearing the presentations, members voted to donate the funds to Community Care Peterborough, an organization that provides a variety of essential services to seniors and adults with physical challenges empowering them to live at home.

“Community Care was deemed an essential service and remained open throughout the pandemic as we serve seniors and adults with disabilities in the city and county of Peterborough,” says Alicia Vandine, donor relations and communications lead for Community Care Peterborough. “We saw a surge in the need for our supports during the COVID crisis, particularly in our Meals on Wheels program. We also grew this program to include grocery and pharmacy delivery for our clients so that we could keep them home and out of harm’s way.”

“One of the largest misconceptions about Community Care is that we are 100 per cent funded by the Ontario government,” Vandine points out. “This is simply not the case. With many of our fundraising events cancelled in the spring and summer, we are grateful to 100 Women Peterborough for choosing us for their June 2020 funds.”

Community Care Peterborough will use the donated funds to support its Meals on Wheels program throughout the Peterborough area.

“I look forward to reconnecting with the 100 Women in September to give them an update on how we used their donation and to give them more information about the Meals on Wheels program,” Vandine adds. “On behalf of our clients, thank you for your support.”

100 Women Peterborough was founded in February 2018 by Terry, Catia Skinner, Wendy Hill, and Alyssa Stewart, who were inspired by similar groups in other communities.

The concept of collective philanthropy began in the United States in November 2006, when Karen Dunigan of Michigan formed the “100 Women Who Care” group. After their first meeting, the women raised over $10,000 for the purchase of 300 new baby cribs for a local organization.

The movement has grown over the past 14 years to include almost 100 chapters in North America, including at least 15 in Canada.

By the end of 2019, 100 Women Peterborough had collectively donated around $100,000 to eight local organizations: Hospice Peterborough, Peterborough Youth Unlimited, One Roof Warming Room, New Canadians Centre, Cameron House, Five Counties Children’s Centre, Casa De Angelae, and Lakefield Animal Welfare Society.

Women who interested in joining 100 Women Peterborough should visit www.100womenptbo.ca for more information.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit, via its governing board of health, has joined a growing call for the transformation of the COVID-19 related Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) into a guaranteed basic monthly income payment for all those who qualify.

At their meeting Thursday (June 18), board members unanimously endorsed a recommendation from their colleagues overseeing the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit calling for the implementation of a guaranteed basic monthly program moving forward.

With the COVID-19 pandemic recovery ongoing, the federal government announced on Tuesday (June 16) that it would be extending the CERB program for eight more weeks, providing $2,000 monthly for those who apply and qualify.

In a May 20th letter — addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Finance Minster Bill Morneau, and circulated to other Ontario boards of health — Simcoe Muskoka board of health chair Anita Dubeau wrote now “is an opportune time for the federal government to take action to evolve CERB into a basic income,” adding, “CERB has helped demonstrate the logical feasibility of delivering a basic income.”

“We strongly recommend your government take swift and immediate action on the evolution of the CERB benefit into legislation for a basic income as an effective long-term response to the problems of income insecurity, persistent poverty and household food insecurity,” concluded Dubeau.

The HKPR District Health Unit board of health endorsement is significant in light of the fact that Lindsay was one of just four Ontario communities involved in the Ontario Basic Income Pilot Project undertaken in 2018 under Ontario’s former Liberal government.

The planned three-year project, undertaken as a result of recommendations made by former senator Hugh Segal following public consultation, saw a basic income provided to 4,000 people, a portion of whom resided in Lindsay. Single participants received up to $16,989 annually while couples received up to $24,027. If participants were being paid a salary or wages, or drawing other benefits, that amounted was adjusted downwards based on a dollar-for-dollar formula.

However, 10 months after the first distribution of payments, the newly elected Ontario Conservative government cancelled the project, citing its high cost as one factor. The final payments under the program were made in March 2019.

“The project saw participants able to have more stability in their lives and able to have some certainty with regard to their income so they could make plans for their future,” said HKPR Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lynn Noseworthy.

“We had people go back to school, some set up businesses, and some people were able to buy the basic necessities of life and eat better and have more stability in their lives. When it was cancelled by the current government, that caused a lot of consternation among many people.”

“We know, with CERB, that the federal government is seeing its way clear to look forward to whether it can continue CERB in some other format, to ensure that people who are marginalized and who would benefit from such a program have the opportunity to enroll in that.”

Dr. Noseworthy added this is “a very opportune time to rally around this.”

“COVID-19 is pointing to the disparities that people face. We find that when we’re doing case and contact follow-up. Some don’t have anyone to assist them when in self-isolation at home, to get them groceries or their medication. Just like the 1918 pandemic affected people who were more marginalized, this (COVD-19) is affecting people who are more marginalized now.”

HKPR District Health Unit board chair Doug Elmslie concurred, noting what the provincial gave and then took away, Ottawa can give back.

“There seems to be far more acceptance of the idea of a basic income guarantee now and I think there are more receptive people in the federal government than there has been before,” Elmslie said.

“Anything we can do to influence them to at least look at it as an option is a step in the right direction. We’ve been fighting poverty for 4,000 years, watching people beg on the streets and throwing pennies at them. In terms of social housing and Ontario Works, people really can’t get ahead. Trying something different can’t hurt us. What we’re doing isn’t working, so let’s try something else.”

In her report on the issue to the board, Dr. Noseworthy noted “the premature termination” of the pilot project had “devastating effects” on basic income recipients — many of whom were improving their physical and mental health, had secured jobs, and were overcoming both food and housing instability. In the summer of 2018, the HKPR District Health Unit board implored Premier Doug Ford to reinstate the program.

To those concerned what the cost of providing a guaranteed basic income in some form would be, Dr. Noseworthy has an answer.

“When you look at the supports currently in place for people who have income issues, they (government) pays for a variety of supports. If you look at the cost of doing all those things versus providing basic income to individuals and families, the benefit is greater in the long term. They have better health, they end up getting jobs and they have more security in their lives. They also have fewer mental illnesses; they’re not worrying about the next paycheque.”

“The cost of providing the program will, over time, indicate it’s a worthwhile investment in people’s lives.”

Elmslie adds the Lindsay pilot project, abbreviated as it was, provided proof that providing a guaranteed income benefit makes good economic sense.

“What we found based on the short time we had the trial (in Lindsay) was about an eight per cent decrease in hospital visits by people who are on a basic income,” he says.

“Their nutrition was better, their health was better, and that translated into large savings on the health care side. You can’t look at it from just a social services side and say ‘Well, this is what we’re paying now and if we went to a basic income guarantee we would be paying this much more.’ You have to look at savings in other areas such as the health care system.”

Although she is set to retire this summer after serving 16 years as the District Health Unit’s medical officer of health, Dr. Noseworthy pledges to “continue to advocate as best I can” for the establishment of a guaranteed basic income for Canadians in need.

“One of the reasons I went into public health was to address these kinds of issues,” she says. “I was a general practitioner for five years before I went back to school to study public health.”

“When I was in general practice, I saw people who had a variety of health issues. Many of those issues were related to their life circumstances. They were unemployed, they lived in poverty or sometimes it was their life choices…things they ate, whether they were physically active or not. I chose a career to try and address those things.”