The search for missing Trent University student Brett LeBlanc has ended in tragedy.

As a result of information received, Peterborough police with the assistance of the Peterborough County OPP conducted a search of the Otonabee River on Monday (November 23).

At around 3:15 p.m. on Monday afternoon, the OPP Underwater Search and Recovery Unit located LeBlanc’s body.

LeBlanc, who was legally blind, was reported missing on Friday (November 20) after having last been seen on campus late on Tuesday night.

Police and university security personnel conducted a ground search of Trent University property on Saturday, and a public search of the Trent University Wildlife Sanctuary that included LeBlanc’s friends and family took place on Sunday.

Peterborough police say the Ontario coroner has now assumed investigation of this incident and police will be providing no further information.

A third resident of Fairhaven has passed away because of COVID-19.

Lionel Towns, executive director of the municipally operated long-term care home on Dutton Road in Peterborough, made the announcement on Monday (November 23).

“We are saddened to report that we have experienced the loss of another COVID positive resident,” Towns says. “This is the third death of a person who has contracted the virus at Fairhaven since our outbreak began.”

“It is very difficult to lose a resident at any time; during a pandemic it is even more difficult for families and staff,” he adds. “I am in awe of the strength that staff have. To hear this news, and then continue to do their work, at such a high level, is remarkable.”

On a less sombre note, Towns reports no additional positive cases have been identified, and seven more residents have fully recovered and will be moved out of the home’s COVID-19 isolation unit by the end of Monday.

This will leave six active COVID-19 cases among residents.

One staff member has also fully recovered and will be returning to work at the home, leaving two active cases among staff.

“Staff are fully aware that the outbreak is not over and are as determined as ever to finish off the virus as soon as possible,” Towns states.

Some criminals never learn.

For the second time this fall, a 41-year-old Lindsay man has been arrested and charged with theft after being captured on home video surveillance.

At around 4:30 p.m. last Thursday (November 19), a man stole a package from the front porch of a Wellington Street home in Lindsay. A security system installed at the home recorded the theft.

Using the footage, the investigating officer was able to determine the suspect’s identity and arrested him on Saturday (November 21).

Jason David Gerrow, 41, of Lindsay has been charged with theft under $5,000, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and failing to comply with the conditions of his probation order.

He will appear at the Ontario Court of Justice, located at 440 Kent Street West in Lindsay, on January 21, 2021.

This is the second time this fall Gerrow has been arrested and charged with theft after being captured on home video surveillance. On October 8th, he was one of two people who allegedly stole a cannabis plant from the backyard of a Lindsay home.

The complainant provided police with video surveillance from his home, which showed a man and woman stealing the plant. Using the video, the investigating officer was able to determine the identity of the couple responsible.

On October 31st, Gerrow was arrested and charged, along with 39-year-old Pamela Shorey, with theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.

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

Today, Ontario is reporting 1,534 new COVID-19 cases, with the average number of daily cases over the past seven days increasing by 41 to 1,415.

Peel leads the province with 490 new cases reported today, followed by Toronto at 460 cases and York at 130. Both Peel and Toronto will be going into lockdown on Monday (November 23).

There were also double-digit increases in Hamilton (66), Waterloo (54), Durham (50), Halton (48), Ottawa (32), Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (30), Windsor-Essex (29), Simcoe Muskoka (24), Niagara (22), Grey Bruce (16), Brant County (12), Thunder Bay (11), and Haldimand-Norfolk (10), with smaller increases in Eastern Ontario Health Unit (7) and Middlesex-London (7).

The remaining 16 health units are reporting 5 or fewer new cases, with 4 health units reporting no new cases at all.

Of today’s cases, 55% are among people under 40 years of age, with the highest number of cases (562) among people ages 20 to 39 followed by 404 cases among people ages 40 to 59. With 1,429 more cases resolved since yesterday, the percentage of resolved cases has increased by 0.1% to 84.2%. The average positivity rate across Ontario is not available on weekends.

Ontario reported 14 new COVID-19 deaths today, including 7 in long-term care facilities. Hospitalizations have decreased by 29 to 484, but data from around 40 hospitals was not submitted for today’s report so this number is likely inaccurate. One additional patient with COVID-19 was admitted to an ICU and 2 additional patients are on ventilators.

A total of 46,389 tests were completed yesterday, and the backlog of tests under investigation has decreased by 12,620 to 30,427.

In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report today in Peterborough. With 3 additional cases resolved, there are 21 active cases as the Peterborough Public Health region moves into the “yellow-protect” level at 12:01 a.m. on Monday (November 23).

Individual health unit reports are unavailable on weekends for Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Hastings and Prince Edward counties. However, the Ontario data indicates there were 4 new cases for Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and 4 new cases for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health on November 21. These numbers, along with those for November 22, will be confirmed in tomorrow’s update.

There are currently 45 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, including 21 in Peterborough, 15 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties, 4 in Northumberland, 3 in Kawartha Lakes, and 2 in Haliburton.

Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 192 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (167 resolved with 4 deaths), 191 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (169 resolved with 32 deaths), 63 in Northumberland County (58 resolved with 1 death), 24 in Haliburton County (22 resolved with no deaths), and 101 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (81 resolved with 5 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Peterborough on November 12.

Province-wide, there have been 103,912 confirmed cases, an increase of 1,534 from yesterday, with 87,508 cases resolved (84.2% of all cases), an increase of 1,429 from yesterday. There have been 3,486 deaths, an increase of 14 from yesterday, with 2,213 deaths in long-term care homes, an increase of 7 from yesterday. The number of hospitalizations has decreased by 29 to 484, but data from around 40 hospitals was not submitted for today’s report so this number is likely inaccurate. One additional patient with COVID-19 was admitted to an ICU and 2 additional patients are on ventilators. A total of 5,920,252 tests have been completed, an increase of 46,389 from yesterday, with 30,427 tests under investigation, a decrease of 12,620 from yesterday.

The provincial data in this report is pulled from Ontario’s integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) at 4 p.m. the previous day. Data from local health units is more current and is usually reflected in the provincial data the following day.

Peterborough Public Health

Peterborough Public Health’s service area is the City and County of Peterborough and the Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations.

The health unit provides daily reports, including on weekends.

Confirmed positive: 192 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 21 (decrease of 2)
Close contacts: 45 (decrease of 1)
Deaths: 4 (no change)
Resolved: 167 (increase of 3)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 10 (no change)
Total tests completed: Over 36,100 (increase of 100)
Institutional outbreaks: Fairhaven (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 Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from November 20.

Confirmed positive: 278, including 191 in Kawartha Lakes, 63 in Northumberland, 24 in Haliburton (increase of 3, including 2 in Northumberland and 1 in Haliburton)
Active cases: 9, including 3 in Kawartha Lakes, 4 in Northumberland, and 2 in Haliburton (no net change)
Probable cases: 0 (no change)
High-risk contacts: 29, including 15 in Kawartha Lakes and 14 in Northumberland (net increase of 1)
Hospitalizations (total to date): 16, including 11 in Kawartha Lakes, 4 in Northumberland, and 1 in Haliburton (no change)
Deaths: 33 (no change)
Resolved: 249, including 169 in Kawartha Lakes, 58 in Northumberland, 22 in Haliburton (increase of 3, in Northumberland)
Institutional outbreaks: None (decrease of 1)*

*The outbreak at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg was declared over on November 19.

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 reports from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. These numbers are from November 20.

Confirmed positive: 101 (increase of 1)
Active cases: 15 (decrease of 2)
Deaths: 5 (no change)
Hospitalized (total to date): 8 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU (total to date): 2 (no change)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator (total to date): 2 (no change)
Resolved: 81 (increase of 3)
Total swabs completed: 7,079 (no change)
Institutional outbreaks: None (no change)

Province of Ontario

Confirmed positive: 103,912 (increase of 1,534)
Resolved: 87,508 (increase of 1,429, 84.2% of all cases)
Hospitalized: 484 (decrease of 29)*
Hospitalized and in ICU: 147 (increase of 1)
Hospitalized and in ICU on ventilator: 89 (increase of 2)
Deaths: 3,486 (increase of 14)
Deaths of residents in long-term care homes: 2,213 (increase of 7)
Total tests completed: 5,920,252 (increase of 46,389)
Tests under investigation: 30,427 (decrease of 12,620)

*Approximately 40 hospitals did not submit data to the daily bed census for November 20. The number of hospitalized patients may increase when reporting compliance increases.

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

Members of the public began searching the trails at Trent University Wildlife Sanctuary on Sunday morning (November 22) for 24-year-old Trent University student Brett Michael LeBlanc.

LeBlanc, who was reported missing on Friday, was last seen on campus late on Tuesday night (November 17).

On Saturday, Peterborough police and university security personnel conducted a ground search of Trent University property but did not find LeBlanc. Police subsequently issued a missing person media release late Saturday afternoon.

LeBlanc, who is legally blind, is described as white, 5′ 10″ and 169 lbs, with brown medium-length hair and a thin moustache, and wearing white high-top sneakers.

Lucas Charron, a friend of LeBlanc, organized Sunday’s search of Trent University Wildlife Sanctuary through a Facebook event at facebook.com/events/2699433883654773/, with 60 people responding to the request for help.

“Brett is legally blind and if he did decide to walk through the sanctuary or any of the surrounding trails he could have easily gotten disoriented and lost,” Charron wrote on Facebook.

LeBlanc’s mother, Cheryl LeBlanc, posted a video to Facebook on Sunday morning from the wildlife sanctuary, welcoming anyone to help with the search.

LeBlanc typically wears black sunglasses — although, according to LeBlanc’s mother, did not have them with him when he went missing. While the police’s missing persons report states LeBlanc can walk without assistance, LeBlanc’s mother says he uses a cane.

In her Facebook video, LeBlanc’s mother also had a message for her son.

“Brett, if you are seeing this or hearing this, please come home to us,” she says, her voice breaking. “We need you.”

This story has been updated with information about the public search for LeBlanc, as well as the video posted by his mother.

A Peterborough woman is dead after being struck by a vehicle on Lansdowne Street between Ashburnham Drive and Television Road on Friday afternoon (November 20).

At 5:25 p.m. on Friday, police responded to a report that a pedestrian had been hit by an eastbound vehicle while walking on Lansdowne Street. Police have not indicated whether the pedestrian was walking on the side of the road or was crossing the road when hit.

The pedestrian was treated at the scene and transported to Peterborough Regional Health Centre for further medical treatment, but was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Police have identified the pedestrian as 38-year-old Nicole Kernohan of Peterborough.

The Peterborough Police Service’s Traffic Reconstruction Unit is continuing to investigate the collision.

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough police at 705-876-1122.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for all of the greater Kawarthas region, calling for significant snowfall beginning Sunday afternoon (November 22) and continuing into Monday morning.

Expected snowfall accumulations differ depending on the location. As of Sunday morning at 5 a.m., Environment Canada is forecasting:

• 15 to 20 cm for Hastings Highlands including Bancroft. Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for this area.
• 10 to 15 cm for Peterborough County, including the City of Peterborough, Lakefield, and Apsley. A brief period of freezing rain will also be possible Sunday night. Snowfall warnings may be required on Sunday if greater snowfall amounts appear likely.
• 7 to 14 cm for southern Kawartha Lakes including Lindsay. For areas near Lake Ontario, slightly milder temperatures are expected to result in lower accumulations due to the snow mixing with rain at times. Here, up to 7 cm of new accumulation is possible, with the higher amounts likely north of the Highway 401 corridor. Environment Canada has issued a weather advisory for this area.
• 5 to 10 cm for northern Kawartha Lakes including Fenelon Falls.
• 5 to 10 cm for Haliburton County including Haliburton and Minden.
• 5 to 10 cm for Northumberland County including Port Hope and Cobourg. Near Lake Ontario, the snow may become mixed with rain later on Sunday and, as temperatures rise, the snow will transition to rain. A brief period of freezing rain may occur before temperatures rise above zero. By early Monday morning, the rain will transition to snow once again as temperatures fall. Snowfall accumulations in the 5 to 10 cm range are likely, with the heaviest amounts expected inland from Lake Ontario.

The heavy snow is due to a strengthening low pressure system that will track northeastward across the lower Great Lakes on Sunday night.

Travel is expected to be impacted. Motorists should be prepared for winter weather driving conditions.

Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.

This story has been updated with the latest forecast from Environment Canada.