Police are investigating after shots were fired in a Peterborough neighbourhood late Tuesday night (November 12).

At around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, officers were called to 850 Fairbairn Street, a 36-unit townhouse located between Parkview Drive and Highland Road that is operated by the Peterborough Housing Corporation, after multiple reports of gun shots.

Upon arriving, officers learned that multiple units of the townhomes were struck with bullets and several more bullets were fired into the air. Police also found shell casings on the ground.

No one was injured in what police are calling “a disturbing incident” and the seventh shooting in Peterborough in 2024.

“It’s just a reminder of the violent acts that follow the illicit drug trade,” said deputy police chief Jamie Hartnett during a media conference late Wednesday morning (November 13) at the site of the shooting.

Police are looking for three male suspects, all dressed in dark clothing, who left the area in a dark-coloured sedan heading north on Fairbairn Street, possibly out of the city. There may have been a fourth suspect in the vehicle, which police believe may have been in the area prior to the shooting.

“We’re just thankful that no one was injured, or worse, from the brazen actions of the suspects last night,” Hartnett said.

“There’s no question Peterborough is feeling the pinch of the big city with the criminal activity and the violent crimes that are ongoing,” Hartnett added. “The safety of our community is paramount, and we will band all our resources for this investigation.”

Other than being connected with the illicit drug trade due to what police call “the drug sub-culture in the community,” police are not aware of the motive for the shooting.

Acccording to detective sergeant Josh McGrath, who also spoke to media, police do not believe the incident is connected to a shooting at the same location in May, when a 24-year-old Oshawa man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg.

In response to a reporter’s question noting the shooting occurred on the same day that city council was reviewing the police service’s draft 2025 budget, Hartnett noted it’s “all hands on deck” for a criminal investigation like this, with additinal police resources diverted to the initial invetigation.

“We’ll have upwards of 20 investigators right now trying to identify (the suspects),” Hartnett said. “We try to front-load it at the beginning. It’s critical in the first 24 to 48 hours to try to identify (the suspects) and we’ll continue with that.”

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident, or anyone who may have driven in the area of Fairbairn Street and Parkview Drive in the last few days and has dashcam footage, to contact Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at stopcrimehere.ca.

Over the course of a marathon public meeting at Peterborough City Hall on Tuesday night (November 12), city councillors heard from 33 registered delegations providing feedback on the city’s draft 2025 budget.

Most of the delegations were impassioned pleas from arts and social services organizations asking councillors to reject a proposed 25 per cent across-the-board cut in city funding to the organizations, which could threaten the financial viability of as many 75 organizations while only saving $286,000 — less than one per cent of one per cent of the city’s $411 million operating budget.

Tuesday night’s three-and-a-half hour public meeting of city council’s general committee followed a meeting earlier in the afternoon where councillors received presentations on the 2025 budgets of the police, paramedics, and the Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), and received reports on the 2025 budgets for Peterborough Public Health, Fairhaven Long-Term Care Home, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, and Peterborough Humane Society.

At that meeting, Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts argued for an 8.8 per cent increase to the police’s 2025 budget, instead of the three per cent increase proposed in the 2025 draft budget, insisting the police could not meet community safety and policing requirements with only a three per cent increase. The requested 8.8 per cent increase, if approved, would increase the proposed 7.8 property tax rate in the city’s 2025 draft budget to 8.75 per cent.

DBIA executive director Nour Mazloum and board chair Sacha Lai-Svirk presented on the accomplishments of the organization, as well as its plans for 2025 to increase revenue and decrease expenditures and its long-term version. They argued against the proposal in the 2025 draft budget for the city to eliminate $150,000 in funding to the DBIA.

That funding was the result of a 2017 settlement between the DBIA and the city, after the DBIA agreed to drop its appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board of the city’s decision to allow a casino at 1400 Crawford Drive instead of in the downtown core. Under the settlement, the city agreed to pay the DBIA $150,000 annually for 20 years — funding that the DBIA has been using for events, promotion, and security.

The police service’s request for an 8.8 per cent budget increase and the cut in DBIA funding were both referenced by some of the registered delegations during Tuesday night’s public meeting. Chaired by councillor Dave Haacke, the public meeting began an hour later than scheduled and continued until 10:30 p.m., after all 33 delegations were heard.

Of the 33 delegations that addressed council during Tuesday night’s public meeting, each speaking for five minutes, 17 were community organizations that would be affected by the 25 per cent cuts or other possible reductions proposed in the budget:

• Joy Simmons, Kawartha Youth Orchestra
• Sue Ditta, Electric City Culture Council
• Chad Hogan and Joe Grant, Market Hall
• Leslie Menagh, Artspace
• Mark Wallace, New Stages Theatre
• Debbie Keating, Art Gallery of Peterborough
• Ken Doherty, Showplace Performance Centre
• Scott Lale, Showplace Performance Centre
• Alan Wilson, Brock Mission
• Christie Goodwin and Michael Newnham, Peterborough Symphony Orchestra
• David Wesley, Peterborough Historical Society (Hutchison House)
• Rob Davis, Peterborough Folk Festival
• Bill Kimball, Electric City Culture Council (also Public Energy Performing Arts)
• Sue Sauve and Raymond Dart, Peterborough GreenUP
• Diane Therrien-Hale on behalf of Anna Eidt, Peterborough Children’s Chorus
• Annie Hedden, Housing Resource Centre, Community Counselling Resource Centre
• Nico Koyanagi, OPIRG
• Rhea Shahe, Community Race Relations Committee
• Patricia Wilson, Community Race Relations Committee

Business owners Lisa Couture of Couture Candy and Jack Henry of OmniWorks Design also made delegations objecting to the proposed cuts, as did several citizens including PRHC emergency room physician Dr. Thomas Miller, Deborah Berrill, artist Alexandra Box McCoy, Joanne Bazak-Brokking, Margie Sumadh, Roy Brady, and more.

“These cuts will be more damaging to the city’s economic future than any dollars that they save,” said Mark Wallace, artistic director of New Stages Theatre, which has received a community investment grant from the city. “Last year, the $9,900 granted to New Stages led to $85,000 returning directly to the pockets of the community, to its businesses and residents.”

“That doesn’t even count the tourism and economic impact of the over 2,000 people who are coming to our shows, who are coming downtown. The people who are shopping for Christmas presents or dining at restaurants. Some of them come multiple times a year.”

“It doesn’t count the impact on community togetherness and belonging. It doesn’t count the impact on increased foot traffic downtown that increases safety. It’s just the economic impact, and that’s just one organization — that’s New Stages, one of 75.”

Wallace also pointed out the city’s own strategic plan enthusiastically promotes the city’s arts and culture community in its first few pages.

“We are a big part of the good news story the city is using to sell what makes us a great place worth living in and investing in,” Wallace said.

The discrepancy between the city’s promotion of arts and culture and the proposed 25 per cent cut to arts organizations was highlighted in an anecdote shared by Christie Goodwin, general manager of the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO), during her comments to council.

“Two weeks ago, just ahead of the PSO’s opening concert, I was contacted by the City of Peterborough staff, asking permission to have a photographer attend our concert,” Goodwin recalled. “The stated purpose of the documentation was to update the city’s database, making photos available for use on city websites, social media, and promotional materials.”

“I very excitedly shared this new with the orchestra, and had all 60 musicians on stage — and my musical director (Michael Newnham) — complete the waiver forms, thinking this was a harbinger of good news. Surely the city was going to increase our funding if they were gathering assets to use the PSO as a selling feature. Two days later, this draft budget came down.”

The comments from Wallace and Goodwin reflected some common themes that emerged from all the delegations that presented to council, some of which are highlighted below.

• A blanket 25 per cent cut to all arts and social services organizations does not consider the impact on individual organizations, some of which may be unable to survive such a cut. The ability of organizations to obtain grants from other funders often depends on the demonstrated level of municipal funding support they receive.
• A ripple effect may compound the impact of the cuts even further. For example, a 25 per cent reduction in city funding to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Showplace Performance Centre may force both not-for-profit venues to increase their rental fees, making the venues too expensive for community groups.
• The economic benefit the city receives from its investments to the arts far outweighs the cost of that investment, in part because arts-related events draw both locals and visitors who spend money at local businesses (retail, restaurants, hotels and motels), particularly in the downtown area where many of the events take place. Like the ripple effect that may compound the impact of the cuts on other community groups, the cuts may also have a similar effect on local businesses.
• The city’s investment in both the arts and social services organization is an investment in the well-being of Peterborough citizens.
• A vibrant arts community encourage people to move to Peterborough, including physicians and other healthcare professionals.
• An increase in the police budget to $36.1 million (or to $44 million if council approves the police service’s request for an 8.8 per cent increase) should not come at the expense of social services organizations, as police cannot replace these services, many of which provide the social supports that help prevent crime.
• There is a contradiction between the city’s willingness to spend $4.4 million to redevelop Bonnerworth Park, which is opposed by many residents mainly due to the inclusion of 14 pickleball courts and the loss of greenspace, while cutting grants to arts and social services organizations to save $286,000.

For the most part, there were few questions from councillors to the delegations that presented. Councillor Kevin Duguay, who posed the most questions, commonly asked organizations whether they serve people from Peterborough County and, if they do, whether they receive any funding from the county — presumably implying that some organizations should be seeking funding from the county.

City council meeting as general committee will review, discuss, and debate the draft 2025 budget from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 18 and 19. No public delegations will be allowed at these meetings. The mayor is expected to present the draft budget to city council on December 9, when registered delegations will have another opportunity to present to council.

Representatives and supporters of several Peterborough arts and service organizations rallied outside Peterborough City Hall late Tuesday afternoon (November 12) in protest of a proposed 25 per cent cut in the city’s draft 2025 budget to the community grants annually provided to them.

On page 206 of the lengthy draft city budget document, it’s noted that “all grant programs are proposed to be funded at 75 per cent of their 2024 budgeted amount,” with funding for Sustainable Peterborough eliminated completely.

The cuts to community grants — part of the city’s draft $411 million budget that will be reviewed by councillors starting November 18 — represent a savings of $286,000.

Under the banner “Community, Not Cuts,” some 250 people gathered outside city hall, many carrying placards decrying the city staff-recommended cuts.

“I’ve been in the arts for 40 years and I’ve put together a lot of budgets,” said Electric City Culture Council (EC3) executive director Su Ditta, one of the rally speakers.

“I believe strongly that if city staff and city councillors sat down together and put their minds to it, they could take small amounts away from every department and not grab the low-hanging fruit of these incredible 75 organizations.”

“Write your city councillors. Talk to them on the phone. Remind them that you voted for them. Remind them that you pay taxes too. And remind them that if they’re looking for value for the dollar, they don’t get any better than investing in these arts and social service groups.”

VIDEO: Rally at Peterborough City Hall – November 12, 2024 by Phillip Jolicoeur

Sneha Wadhwani, coordinator of the BIPOC peer support program offered through the Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, also addressed the crowd.

“Intimate partner violence was declared an epidemic by the City of Peterborough last year and then realized ‘Oh, we’re going to cut 25 per cent of funding that goes to the Kawartha Sexual Centre’,” she said of one of the organizations facing a grant cut, drawing cries of “Shame!” from the crowd.

In that crowd was Anne Elliott, a member of the Women’s Art Association of Peterborough, which was instrumental in the founding of the Art Gallery of Peterborough.

“I’m here because I’m passionate about the arts and their importance in bringing joy to people’s lives, helping people with their mental health, and improving the atmosphere within our community,” she said.

“It’s particularly frustrating to think that the City of Peterborough might not be supporting the arts in whatever way it can. It’s the support of the city that brings other funding to these organizations.”

“Do they (councillors) want a community that doesn’t have access to an art school, a symphony orchestra, an art gallery? I hope this (rally) makes them stop and think on their way into their meetings.”

Prior to the rally, Ditta told kawarthaNOW that the proposed cuts “are the most serious that the City of Peterborough has ever seen.”

“They range anywhere from a 25 per cent (cut) of grants to arts organizations, in the social services category, and in the community investment and project grants category, as well as separate documents that propose up to 100 per cent (funding) cuts to the Art Gallery of Peterborough, and to EC3 and all its programs.”

The elimination of city funding for the Art Gallery of Peterborough, along with a long list of other possible funding reductions, are included in the 2025 draft budget as “discretionary” service eliminations or reductions that would be required to limit the property tax rate increase, currently proposed at 7.8 per cent, to five per cent as requested by council

“Of course, arts lovers want there to be a robust ecology of music, dance, theatre, writing, film, poetry, circus arts … all of the fabulous disciplines that are represented in the city. But those organizations and the venues where they perform — Showplace, Market Hall, The Theatre On King, the AGP (Art Gallery of Peterborough), Artspace — also play a really vital role in the vitality of the downtown.”

Ditta said recently released statistics from the Ontario Arts Council show that for every one dollar spent by government on the arts, $25 is returned to the economy.

“It (grant cuts) will ultimately reduce the revenue side of the budget,” assesses Ditta, adding “You’re cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

“Sports, recreation, the arts and really critical social services are all important parts of a healthy city. If you look at page two of the city’s strategic plan, it describes very clearly how they’re all important to a healthy city. I think there are times — maybe this is one of them — when the city could slow down some capital expenditures (to the benefit of arts and social services organizations).”

Still, Ditta believes “the majority of councillors, including the mayor, understand that it’s not smart economics to cut arts funding. It’s not a smart mental health move. It’s not smart in terms of the health and vitality of the downtown. It’s not smart in terms of attracting tourists, doctors, and high-end businesses.”

“Smart cities make long-term investments in the arts. They don’t put their arts organizations in a situation where, every year, they drop everything they’re doing for three weeks to a month to fight (for grant money),” said Ditta.

“It’s time the City of Peterborough, with a visionary mayor who says he wants to make Peterborough a modern, contemporary city, understands that whether or not support for the arts is legally discretionary, in terms of the health and welfare of the city, it’s not smart management to make (financial support) discretionary and put them (arts and service organizations) through this every year.”

Over the days leading up to the rally, a number of arts and cultural organizations strongly expressed their dismay via emails and social media posts while urging supporters and the public at large to speak out against any cuts in city grant funding.

In a statement, the Peterborough Folk Festival board of directors asks residents to “imagine a city without the Peterborough Folk Festival, Market Hall, Showplace, The Theatre On King, Musicfest, ReFrame (Film Festival), the New Canadians Centre, Community Care, the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, Public Energy or New Stages … and that’s just 12 of the 75 (organizations that would be impacted).”

The festival board’s statement adds “With no staff to cut and non-discretionary costs escalating, any reduction in the city grant will lead to direct reductions in (folk festival) programming.”

Terming the proposed community grants reduction “unwarranted and shortsighted,” the statement notes a savings of just .07 of one per cent would be realized.

“The blanket 25 per cent (proposed) cut was made without any consultations or feasibility studies, and has forced 75 arts and service organizations into survival mode. These cuts will be far more damaging to the city than the dollars they save.”

Meanwhile, Market Hall executive director Chad Hogan, speaking on behalf of the downtown venue’s board, notes in an email to members and supporters that, if approved, a 25 per cent cut in its community grant will see “increased community rental costs, increased ticket prices, reduced economic impact for downtown and fewer artists visiting our city.”

Noting Market Hall hosted 33 community groups/fundraisers, sold 24,000 tickets to more than 150 events, welcomed close to 7,000 residents to free events and hosted more than 5,000 visitors to the city over the past year, Hogan wrote “Cutting our budget, and the budgets of other arts and social services, will have far-reaching, negative impacts we don’t want to see in our city.”

In his plea, Folk Under The Clock artistic director Mike Barker, who has staged the majority of his concerts at Market Hall since 1986, asks “Have you enjoyed an arts or cultural event downtown? How important are these events to your love of the city?”

“There are many studies that have shown that when arts and culture thrive, the community is healthy. Downtown restaurants, hotels, and shops have benefited from patrons attending events at Market Hall. We know our patrons have come from all over Ontario and internationally. They spend money downtown.”

And in a lengthy statement, New Stages Theatre writes that the potentially impacted arts and service organizations “have gone into survival mode … scrambling to attend emergency meetings. Seventy-five executive directors and artistic directors are having to stand up and defend, once again, their (organizations’) contributions to the social and economic fabric of the city.”

“Last year, New Stages’ city grant leveraged 8.5 times is economic value back into the community, with money going to local businesses and residents, including staff and artists, venues, print shops, hotels, restaurants, bookkeepers/accountants, set builders, etc. At minimum, you’ll see a 25 per cent reduction in artistic programming and services in the city across the board, likely much worse. Some will need to change direction. Some will need to close.”

On Tuesday, the Women’s Art Association of Peterborough sent a letter to Mayor Leal and members of council, urging council “to maintain current funding levels” for the arts sector “which is so vital to who we are as a community.”

Another letter, penned by artist Ann Jaeger, noted “Artists can’t help but think the city considers its cultural slice of the budget pie as a kind of expendable slush fund to balance its operating budget. Artists are rightly angry when the city spends $4.4 million on a fair-weather-only pickleball court, or over $60 million on a new sports arena, but considers stable arts funding a bridge too far.”

Ditta notes, if there is a silver lining, it can be found in the “extraordinary” coming together of arts and community service organizations to fight the proposed cuts.

“Lots of times, arts leaders have written letters to councillors and what not, but this time they’re asking their members and subscribers to do so. They’re issuing emergency bulletins and coming to the rally. But the other piece, which is equally important, is the coalition that’s been formed between arts group and social services groups.”

“These groups have come together to say ‘We’re not discretionary. We’re the best investment you can make. We’re cheap, we’re effective, we’re efficient, we deliver and you’re nuts to cut us.”

Tuesday’s afternoon rally preceded an evening public meeting on the draft 2025 budget where city council’s general committee heard from 36 delegations, including arts and social services organizations — almost all objecting to the proposed cuts.

This story has been updated to revise the number of rally participants from 400 to 250 to reflect an estimate from rally organizers.

Prior to 2024, it would be a rare occasion for the Salvation Army Peterborough to dish out more than 100 morning meals in one day through its breakfast program.

“Now, on most days, it has become the norm,” JoAnne Leach, the Salvation Army’s Christmas support worker, told kawarthaNOW.

So far this year, Salvation Army Peterborough has experienced a 33 per cent increase in the number of breakfast meals being served compared to the same time period last year. The numbers for September alone were more than double what they were in September 2023.

“With the increased homelessness in our community, we anticipate the numbers for those seeking assistance this Christmas to be up as well,” Leach said. “These are tough times, and we are striving to provide support to those who come to us for help.”

In response, Salvation Army Peterborough is launching its “Hope for All Seasons” campaign to support the breakfast program and its food bank, which is also seeing increased demand.

The Hope for All Seasons campaign is “urgently” calling for donations to sustain the Salvation Army’s mission.

“Our main hope would be to reach or surpass our fundraising goal of $540,000 through our Hope for All Seasons campaign,” Leach said. “The breakfast program we run five mornings a week is totally funded by donations, and with the cost of groceries increasing and the number of people coming to access our food programs, the need for financial support is stronger than ever,” she said.

“For too many individuals and families, basic necessities like food are out of reach.”

Leach said a year ago that the organization reported a 74 per cent increase in the number of people using the food bank during the course of 12 months. Looking back at the last five years, there’s been a steady upward trend.

“We have to plan for a continuation of this upward trend,” she noted.

While Salvation Army has a number of programs offering a hand up for people experiencing hardship in the community, the greatest strain is on the food bank and breakfast program as rising homelessness and significant increases in the cost of groceries seriously affects expenses.

“We need the support we receive from our fundraising efforts to make it happen,” Leach said.

Almost 75 per cent of the organization’s annual budget to support the services provided year-round comes in during the Christmas season through both the Hope for All Seasons fundraising campaign and the Christmas kettle campaign.

Salvation Army Peterborough hopes the $540,000 will be raised through the mailout appeal, and it is aiming to collect $125,000 through the Christmas kettles located throughout the city.

While the familiar round kettle bubble is still available for donations of cash and coins, each kettle stand is also equipped with a Tip Tap machine for people who want to donate using their debit or credit card. Tip Tap options are in $5, $10, and $20 denominations and can be tapped multiple times for donations of higher amounts. There are also cards located at the top of the kettle stand with QR codes for people who prefer to donate online using their phones. Income tax receipts can be arranged for those who request them.

There are also activities happening throughout the season to help with fundraising, Leach noted in a media release.

“One of which is the Teddy Bear Toss, taking place at the Peterborough Petes game on December 5. It is enjoyable for our band to see people walking in with teddy bears of all shapes and sizes while we serenade them with Christmas carols before the game,” she said.

“The great thing is that as a community, we can make a difference. Food and toy drives are great fundraisers for schools, businesses, churches, and even individuals to consider, or they can be creative with their own fundraisers. They can donate money, food, toys, or become volunteers,” Leach said.

“While many who come to our food programs are visible in their suffering, others might be your next-door neighbours, people we know who might be keeping their situation to themselves.”

Those in need of Christmas assistance for food and/or toys can contact the Salvation Army Peterborough by calling 705-742-4391. Appointments for Christmas assistance registration are available now through November 29. Toy and food support pick-up will happen December 10 through 20.

People using the food bank can make appointments. Meanwhile, the breakfast program that offers meals each morning from Monday to Friday is a first-come, first-served event with an expanding lineup, the Salvation Army noted.

Financial donations can be dropped off or sent by mail to 219 Simcoe St., Peterborough, ON, K9H 2H6, or by calling 705-742-4391 ext. 257.

Donations of new, unwrapped toys can be placed in the large bin near Old Navy at Lansdowne Place on Lansdowne Street. They can also be dropped off at The Salvation Army church located at 219 Simcoe St., Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Salvation Army Peterborough is also looking for volunteers for the Christmas kettle campaign. According to a media release, with generally five shifts per day per kettle, some days may require up to 30 volunteers as Christmas approaches. Those interested in volunteering can contact volunteer coordinator Brian Lee at brian.lee@salvationarmy.ca or 705-742-4391 ext. 225.

Community organizations are coming together to protest a proposed 25 per cent across-the-board cut to arts and social services organizations in the City of Peterborough’s 2025 draft budget.

An ad hoc coalition has organized a rally at 4 p.m. at city hall on Tuesday (November 12), which will take place prior to a public meeting at 6 p.m. where city council’s general committee will hear from members of the community about the draft 2025 budget.

Organized by Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, The Centre for Gender and Social Justice, OPIRG Peterborough, BLM Nogojiwanong, and community members, the rally will feature a lineup of speakers and will be followed by a community debrief session at Dreams of Beans.

The city’s draft 2025 budget is proposing a 25 per cent cut to the city’s community projects grants and community investment grants program, including existing service grants to Hutchison House and Kawartha Food Share, as well as a 25 per cent across-the-board cut of city funding for 15 organizations.

The organizations whose budgets would be cut by 25 per cent are Artspace, Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, Peterborough AIDS Resource Network, Community Care Peterborough, Peterborough Musicfest, Peterborough Folk Festival, Native Learning Program, Community Race Relations Committee, Council for Person with Disabilities, Showplace Performance Centre, Peterborough Lions Club, Peterborough GreenUP, New Canadians Centre, Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, and Peterborough Drug Strategy.

In addition, Sustainable Peterborough’s entire $39,738 budget would also be eliminated, as the organization — currently under the auspices of Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) — is dissolving at the end of this year along with PKED.

In total, 75 organizations would be affected by the proposed 25 per cent funding cut.

Not including the elimination of Sustainable Peterborough’s budget, the total savings to the city from all the reductions would be $298,153, which represents only .0007 per cent — less than one per cent of one per cent — of the city’s $411 million operating budget, yet would have a potentially devastating impact according to local organizations.

Artspace, New Stages Theatre, Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, Peterborough Musicfest, Electric City Culture Council, and Peterborough Folk Festival are among the organizations that have issued public statements so far expressing their dismay and concern about the proposed cuts.

All of these organizations have pointed out that the economic benefit to the city from investment in the arts far exceeds the size of the investment, and also has an immeasurable benefit to the quality of life of city residents.

“For every dollar invested in the arts, $25 is generated in economic impact,” reads a statement from Peterborough Musicfest. “In 2024 alone, city arts funding produced an estimated $38 million in economic benefits. Beyond numbers, arts programming fosters mental health, community engagement, and inclusion. Free and accessible events are increasingly vital as living costs rise, providing our city with invaluable spaces for connection.”

A statement from New Stages Theatre notes that the city did not consult with any of the organizations that would be affected by the cuts.

“The blanket (25 per cent reduction) was made without any consultations or feasibility studies to assess the impact this would have on individual organizations,” reads the statement. “75 arts and service organizations have gone into survival mode. 75 boards of directors are scrambling to attend emergency meetings. 75 EDs and ADs are having to stand up and defend, once again, their contributions to the social and economic fabric of the city.”

A statement from the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra notes that a 25 per cent cut to the budget of Showplace Performance Centre, the orchestra’s main performance venue, will also affect the orchestra’s financial viability.

“Our rental fees will almost certainly increase. We have already seen a nearly $2,000 increase in the rental fee and associated charges from last weekend’s concert (November 2) over years previous. This year alone, we project a $6,000 increase in production costs in the current funding scenario; and it will be more difficult if the city also reduces its support to Showplace.”

The Peterborough Folk Festival states that a 25 per cent reduction in municipal funding will lead to future reductions in provincial and federal support. As several other organizations have noted, granting agencies such as the Ontario Arts Council and the Ontario Trillium Foundation evaluate organizations on the basis of the municipal and community support they receive.

The folk festival also notes that, since it is run entirely by volunteers with no paid staff, any budget cuts will affect the festival’s ability to pay for non-discretionary costs such as stage and equipment rentals, mandatory insurance and policing, and food and accommodation for musicians — all of which have been increasing.

“For example, hotel rooms for visiting musicians cost $120 in 2023, $150 in 2024, and will be $180 in 2025,” the Peterborough Folk Festival states. “City police costs were $1,420 in 2023, $4,021 in 2024, and will be over $5,000 in 2025.”

The festival adds that a 25 per cent reduction in the city’s funding will result in a corresponding reduction in festival programming.

“The festival will not have the funds to book the bigger-name artists that have attracted record audiences in recent years. As a result, festival attendance will decline — particularly the out-of-town music lovers who travel to Peterborough to enjoy the bigger-name performers, leading to a direct reduction in tourism. We may also be forced to make tough decisions like discontinuing the PFF Emerging Artist Award that began in 2001 and the shuttle busses that we sponsored for the last two festivals.”

Several arts and social service organizations have indicated that their representatives will be attending Tuesday evening’s general committee meeting to address council about the proposed cuts.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, prior to the 6 p.m. public meeting, general committee will hear presentations on the 2025 budgets for Peterborough Police Services, Peterborough County/City Paramedics Service, and the Downtown Business Improvement Area, and receive reports on the 2025 budgets for Peterborough Public Health, Fairhaven Long-Term Care Home, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, and Peterborough Humane Society.

This story has been updated with additional details about the rally, including an earlier start time.