23 Local Businesses Chosen for 2026 Starter Company Plus Program After Nearly 90 Applications

By Scott Arnold

From New Zealand hand pies and a baseball invention to a spiritual boutique and a women-owned plumbing company, this year’s Starter Company Plus cohort reflects the wide range of ideas and businesses taking shape across Peterborough and Peterborough County.

The 2026 Starter Company Plus cohort gathers for a group photo after 23 local businesses were selected for the six-week program through Community Futures Peterborough’s Business Advisory Centre. Nearly 90 businesses applied for this year’s program. (Photo by Scott Arnold)

Twenty-three local businesses are getting the opportunity to take their next step after being selected for the 2026 Starter Company Plus program through Community Futures Peterborough’s Business Advisory Centre.

The new cohort was announced Wednesday, September 16th, with nearly 90 applications received for the highly competitive program.

For Rosalea Terry, manager of the Business Advisory Centre and Corporate Communications at Community Futures Peterborough, the number of applications was only part of what made this year’s group stand out.

“The quality of applications this year was exceptional,” Terry said. “There were so many strong businesses, great ideas, and incredible drive to grow.”

She said the diversity of the businesses and the passion behind them were particularly noticeable during the selection process.

And there is certainly plenty of variety.

The 2026 cohort includes a New Zealand-style hand pie company, a ballroom dance studio, a patented baseball product, an organic skincare company, pet care providers, a women-owned plumbing company, a café, a brewery and blending business, a travel mug company, a craft supply business, a cleaning company and several other ventures.

The businesses will spend the next six weeks taking part in in-person workshops, one-on-one advisory sessions, mentorship and networking opportunities designed to help them refine their strategies, strengthen their marketing and build the skills needed for sustainable growth.

Successful graduates can also access up to $5,000 in grant funding.

For the people behind the businesses, though, the program is about more than the financial support.

MPP Dave Smith told the new cohort that while Starter Company Plus may sound like it is designed for people just starting out, many of the businesses have already done the difficult part of getting their ideas off the ground.

“What this is about is helping you grow, helping you be successful and ensuring that you can be those job creators, that you can be the entrepreneur in the community,” Smith said.

He also encouraged the 23 participants to make use of one another, not just the program's mentors.

“You have 22 other people here who are in that same step as you,” he said. “They want to do more. They want to build their company. They want to build their community. They want to be successful.”

That mix of businesses means there is plenty of opportunity for those connections to happen, even when the businesses themselves have little in common on the surface.

Smith pointed to the range of businesses in the room, noting that whether someone is working with babies, cider products or plumbing, there are still connections to be made.

“The link is you have that desire to take an idea or a concept, commercialize it, build upon it, and turn it into something,” he said.

Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal also congratulated the 23 businesses, noting that being selected from nearly 90 applications was an accomplishment in itself.

“This year's cohort reflects a range of entrepreneurship we have right across Peterborough region, from food and professional services to manufacturing to professional care to recreation and skilled trades,” Leal said.

Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark also spoke about the importance of entrepreneurship in rural communities, drawing from her own family's experience in business and agriculture.

Clark said her family started a small business focused on renovations and repairs 35 years ago, which has since been passed down to her son, while her family has also been involved in a five-generation family farm.

Her message to the new entrepreneurs was straightforward: setbacks are part of the process.

“You divert, detour, regroup, and start again,” Clark said. “Never give up. That's just an opportunity to rethink what you're doing and redirect.”

From a Homemade Baseball Seat to a Business

One of the more unusual products represented in this year's cohort belongs to Peterborough's Rick Johnston, whose company Fungo Rocker has developed an ergonomic seat designed specifically around the baseball bat.

The idea has actually been with Johnston for decades.

While coaching overseas in the late 1990s, Johnston found himself trying to figure out how to stay close to the action on a baseball field while still having somewhere to sit. His solution was decidedly homemade.

“I basically ended up cutting a hole in a piece of wood, shoving it down a bat, and that became my seat,” Johnston explained.

The idea stayed with him and gradually evolved. Over the past two-and-a-half years, Johnston has worked to turn that original concept into the Fungo Rocker.

The result is a five-piece seat that uses a baseball bat as its support. It includes a base, seat with foam pad, collar, back support and a back support rib.

Johnston's extensive baseball background has given him plenty of first-hand experience with the problem he is trying to solve. He played in Peterborough before moving to Toronto, attending school in the United States on a scholarship and eventually playing for Team Canada for approximately six years, including the 1988 Olympic Games and Pan American Games.

He later coached with Team Canada and overseas.

That experience helped him see the need for something more comfortable than the traditional five-gallon bucket often used by coaches.

“It's turning into the Fungo Rocker now as it is,” Johnston said.

The product is designed to allow coaches to sit at a more natural 90-degree angle while still being able to move and rotate as they coach. Johnston also sees uses beyond the baseball diamond, including around fire pits and in backyards.

His immediate goal through the Starter Company Plus program is to move from prototypes toward production.

Johnston has several prototypes completed and is waiting for samples that he plans to test before sending feedback back to the factory.

“We'll be beating them up a little bit, if you will,” he said.

From there, he hopes to place the first order and get the product onto the market.

Bringing a Taste of New Zealand to Peterborough

For Lauren Cameron, the idea behind Kia Ora Pie Co. came from a food she discovered while living in New Zealand.

Cameron makes savoury New Zealand-style hand pies, something she became familiar with while travelling, working and, in her own words, eating plenty of pies.

“I thought we should bring them to Canada,” she said.

The business didn't begin immediately after her time in New Zealand, however.

It was several years before Cameron started making the pies again, initially for herself, friends and family. As a Red Seal chef, she already had the culinary background to develop the idea, but the business really began to take shape during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After being temporarily laid off from her job, Cameron returned to making the pies and eventually turned that into a business.

Kia Ora Pie Co. has now been operating for almost six years.

Customers can find the pies through curbside pickup, festivals and markets, as well as at One Fine Foods and Nanaberry's.

At Wednesday's announcement, Cameron brought along two of the company's popular varieties: steak and cheese, along with chicken, brie and cranberry.

The eight-ounce pies are designed to be hearty, with meat, rich sauces and cheese at the centre rather than the vegetable-heavy filling associated with a traditional pot pie.

For Cameron, being selected for Starter Company Plus is an opportunity to figure out what comes next for a business that has already established itself locally.

“It was a bit nerve-wracking,” she said of the application process. “So definitely kept myself lucky to be one of the select 23.”

She's now looking forward to seeing what can come from the mentorship and support offered through the program.

Building a Community Around Lavender Moon

Bethany Telford is taking a different approach with Lavender Moon, her downtown metaphysical and spiritual boutique.

Telford says the business is intended to be more than a place where people purchase spiritual products.

“We don't just sell you a product, but we actually teach you how to utilize that product to your best advantage,” she said.

Lavender Moon offers workshops, classes and events, including a monthly gathering called Tea and Talk, where people can discuss spiritual and metaphysical topics.

Telford said the idea for the business grew from her own experience and a desire to create a stronger sense of community for spiritually minded people.

She opened Lavender Moon in 2021 with a business partner after moving back to her hometown from Kingston.

The timing was significant.

Coming out of the pandemic, Telford said she saw a need for people to reconnect and find a sense of community.

“So many people feel isolated,” she said. “They feel alone. They feel like they're going through everything by themselves.”

That sense of community is something she wants to build into the future of Lavender Moon.

Through Starter Company Plus, Telford hopes to expand the business by bringing in more practitioners and creating what she describes as a one-stop spiritual shop, with services ranging from tarot and Reiki to mediumship, astrology and general guidance for people exploring their own spiritual interests.

At the announcement, she brought along a large amethyst crystal, which she said represented the kind of community she hopes to create.

“If there's a fracture in the circle, if there's a little bit of a break, it's not as strong,” Telford said. “But when all together, super strong.”

Meet the 2026 Starter Company Plus Cohort

The 23 businesses selected for this year's program are:

City of Peterborough

• Lauren Cameron, Kia Ora Pie Co.

• Courtney Carter, PTBO Ballroom

• Jason Christopher Rose, Pneuma Systems Inc.

• Madhu Gahalot, Melange Organics

• Rick Johnston, Fungo Rocker

• Bee Pratt, Owl Fix It Plumbing

• Melinda Szilagyi, My Time Studio

• Daniel Taro, PuzPuz Media

• Bethany Telford, Lavender Moon

• Angie White, B&B Craft Supplies

• Holly Wilkinson, Begin with Baby

• Brittany Zarobiak, Birch + Bloom Consignment Boutique

Peterborough County

• Lisa Cantelon, Studio Eighteen (18), Selwyn

• Carolyn Carr, Serenity Lane Café, Asphodel-Norwood

• Dan Ellis, Ferm Farm Brewing & Blending Ltd., Otonabee-South Monaghan

• Riley Gillespie-Friesen, Millbrook Pet Care, Cavan Monaghan

• Cullen Groome, Rescue Sector Innovations, Douro-Dummer

• David Manning, Cozy Days Travel Mug, Inc., Trent Lakes

• Lois O'Neill Jackson, The Pantry Cupboard, Trent Lakes

• Karen Parker, Parker Frames, Otonabee-South Monaghan

• Jeannine Thumiah, Quantum Innerstanding, Otonabee-South Monaghan

• Amanda Willett, The Ritual Cart, Cavan Monaghan

Curve Lake First Nation

• Melissa Gray, Reliable Home Cleaners

This is the third year Community Futures Peterborough has run the Starter Company Plus program.

As the newest cohort begins its six-week program, the 23 businesses now join the growing network of entrepreneurs who have gone through the program and are continuing to build their businesses in the region.

For Rose Terry, the diversity of this year's group is exactly what makes the cohort so exciting.

“We are so proud to be a part of their journey and help them to take those ideas to the next level,” she said.

Scott Arnold is a Journalist and Content Creator at PTBOCanada Media Inc

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Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Urges Public to "Buy Canadian" Amid Tense Trade Talks With United States

Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP, has urged residents to ‘buy Canadian’ amid tense trade talks between Canada and the United States over tariffs.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

In a social media post made on Sunday, Smith stated that any deal that hurts Canadians is ‘not the right deal.’

“The US demanding concessions at the last hour on things that had already been agreed upon demonstrates they had no interest in actually honouring their word,” said Smith.

Mark Carney, Canadian Prime Minister, had suspended trade negotiations with the United States on Friday. This followed President Donald Trump’s sudden intention to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Canada on Saturday, said Carney. The Canadian Prime Minister stated that the tariff would affect roughly $28 billion of Canadian goods.

“Last-minute changes in the U.S. proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic and called into question the reliability of any deal,” he said.

Smith encouraged the public to buy Canadian to support its country during these trying times.

“Stay strong, buy Canadian and support your neighbours and friends,” he said.

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CUPE Health Care Workers Rally For Change; Protest Health Care Spending Cuts

CUPE health care workers and community allies protested the government’s health care spending cuts, gathering outside MPP Dave Smith’s office Monday morning.

All photos by Felicia Massey.

All photos by Felicia Massey.

All photos by Felicia Massey.

According to CUPE, Peterborough is projected to lose 115 nurses and PSWs by 2027 to 2028 while the regional hospital could lose 32 staffed beds due to government funding cuts.

The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario’s analysis estimates that hospitals across Ontario will see a bed reduction of 2,450 staffed beds if the government does not increase funding.

@ptbo_canada CUPE health care workers and community allies protested the government’s health care spending cuts, gathering outside MPP Dave Smith’s office Monday morning. Visit ptbocanada .com to learn more. #ptbocanada #CUPE ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada

“Nurses are working at unsafe ratios within the hospital,” said registered practical nurse Rachel Fleming. “Ideally, it would be great to have a 1:4 ratio as it gives you enough time to take care of the patient and provide them with the appropriate attention, but instead because they’re cutting jobs they’re making an increased workload for us. Every time you add a patient on top of a 1:4 ratio it increases the chance of death for all patients by 7 per cent.”

MPP Smith has reportedly not addressed CUPE’s concerns.

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MPP Dave Smith Gets Three-Peat and Is Elected For Third Consecutive Term For Conservative Party

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith has reached the political three-peat as was elected for a third term representing the PC Party after the provincial election held on Thursday.

Smith wins a third-consecutive term for the PC Party. John Melville Turner (1977-1987) was the last Conservative member to win three-straight terms. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Smith won the riding with 40.5 per cent of the votes (22,383). This was an increase from 38.5 per cent (20,188 votes) in his last election in 2022. He beat Liberal Party candidate Adam Hopkins, who had 36.4 per cent of the votes (20,135) as the runner-up.

“It is truly an honour to be able to do this. I've said it multiple times, I owe a debt to the people of Ontario that I can only repay by doing something like this, by giving back to our community,” exclaimed Smith. “I really appreciate the people of this area have decided they'll put their trust in me for four more years. To be able to move the needle so that we have a better place for all of us to live in.”

Smith held his election party at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club and had roughly 80 people in attendance. He was declared the winner roughly 80 minutes after the polls had closed, securing his third term. Premier Doug Ford was re-elected to a third term six minutes after polls closed and immediately had a majority government declared.

“When people take a look at the hard work that we've put into it, what we've tried to accomplish, the steps that we have taken so far, the groundwork has been laid,” explained Smith. “We have help coming and we have things starting to make a difference now.”

As Smith remains MPP, he says it’s obvious that healthcare needs to be worked on but employment opportunities are an even greater priority.

“We saw 3,900 jobs that could have come to this area because we did not have the appropriate land for it. We also had an agricultural company that came to look at it, they needed 65 acres of land. The largest that we had was 44. That company chose to go another location as a result of it,” explained Smith. “We need to have to find a way to have more employment land available so that when we have those opportunities to bring a company here, they actually decide this is the location for them.”

Despite Peterborough having a college and university, many graduates are not staying in town for work; something that needs to change according to Smith.

“We need to reverse that trend,” he said. “That's one of the main things we'll be working on the next four years.”

When asked about the people that did not vote for him, Smith says he’s happy they exercised their right to vote and he is willing to listen to their concerns.

“My door is always open, please feel free to reach out to us, talk to me about what your issues are,” he said. “If it's something that we can help with that's going to make a positive difference, we are going to take every opportunity then to look at that and make this place a better place for everyone.”

The following were the results of the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding:

• Dave Smith (Conservative) - 22,383 votes (40.5 per cent)

• Adam Hopkins (Liberal) - 20,135 votes (36.4 per cent)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic) - 9,480 votes (17.1 per cent)

• Lucas Graham (Green Party) - 1,738 votes (3.1 per cent)

• Andrew Roudny (New Blue) - 864 votes (1.6 per cent)

• Brian Martindale (Ontario Party) - 684 votes (1.2 per cent)

Smith (left) beign congratulated by Hopkins (right) moments after the former was declared the winner of the provincial election.

Hopkins made a brief visit congratulating Smith’s win. He is newer to the political world, being elected two weeks prior to the election. Despite being unable to defeat Smith, he was happy with the results since he was named the Liberal Party candidate in a short amount of time. He said he didn’t know how it was going to go or had a lot of confidence to start but it grew quickly with the election results since the Liberals gained some seats and regained official party status as a result with 14 (12 being the official threshold).

“There's some good numbers and we've got some momentum behind some additional seats,” he said.

Liberal Party Leader Bonnie Crombie lost her Mississauga East-Cooksville riding to PC Party candidate Silvia Gualtieri by a vote count of 46.5 percent (16,763) to 43.1 per cent (15,536).

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MPP Dave Smith Reflects On Political Career As He Seeks Three-Peat In Thursday's Provincial Election

With the provincial election this Thursday, Peterborough Kawartha MPP Dave Smith reflects on his political career as he goes for the three-peat, seeking a third consecutive term.

Smith talks to constituants at AON Inc’s Royal Gardens Retirement Residence days before election this Thursday. Photo by David Tuan bui.

Smith was first elected in 2018 for the Progressive Conservative Party, defeating current Peterborough mayor and then incumbent Jeff Leal of the Liberal Party. He won his second term in 2022, making him the most recent Conservative Party member elected as Peterborough-Kawartha MPP in back-to-back terms since Gary Stewart did it from 1995 to 2003.

Smith visited Royal Gardens Retirement Residence and held a Q&A session for constituents living on the grounds.

Among topics discussed, including US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and employment, among other issues, healthcare was one of the critical topics Smith and the residents touched on.

“We've laid the groundwork for a lot of things. There are things like adding doctors. It just takes five years for a doctor to be trained. There's no way we can get around that,” explained Smith. “With the work we have done, the increase in the number of residence positions by 400. We are producing more doctors now than we were. We're going to see the benefits of that.”

“My whole philosophy on this is that I owe a debt to the people of Ontario that I cannot repay. The only way I can start to give back is to continue doing this work to make that our community is in a better position than it was when I first found it,” added Smith. “I think a lot of the work I've been doing has been about that. That's what my focus is on, ‘How can continue to improve the situation for people here?’”

Smith adds that the provincial government is adding a $6.2 million Homeless Addiction Rehabilitation Treatment (HART) hub, announced in late January. His government also proposed a $1.13 million detox and residential treatment facility in Peterborough, containing six drug and six detox beds for those battling with addictions that were announced in February 2023. These are several moves, among many, that he said he would continue to do for Peterborough-Kawartha.

“We've increased the funding for the Peterborough Regional Hospital. We've added tools for physician recruitment, we have changed the process, the scope of nurse practitioners can do more of what they're taught and not have their hands handcuffed on certain things and we'll continue down that path and meeting people where they are but we're not leaving them there,” Smith said. “We're going to do everything we can to improve the lives of as many people as possible.

Smith has been challenged by all new candidates since the last provincial election in 2022, except Jen Deck, who is once again running as the NDP candidate.

Regardless of Thursday’s outcome, Smith reflects on serving two terms at MPP and has not taken his role for granted.

“I'm proud of the fact that people have put their trust to serve their needs, to listen to what they have to say and I think when you look at what I have done, the legacy will be that I listened, I reacted, I tried to improve the situation and I'll continue to do that,” concluded Smith.

The following are the candidates running for Peterborough-Kawartha MPP:

• MPP Dave Smith: PC Party of Ontario (incumbent)

• Adam Hopkins: Ontario Liberal Party

• Jen Deck: Ontario NDP/NPD

• Lucas Graham: Green Party of Ontario GPO

• Brian Martindale: Ontario Party

• Andrew Roudny: New Blue Party

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MPP Dave Smith Named Ontario PC Party Candidate In Next Provincial Election For Peterborough-Kawartha

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith is going for a third consecutive term as he has been acclaimed as the Ontario PC party’s candidate in the next provincial general election, announced on Thursday.

Photo by Luke Best.

Smith earned his second term in a back-to-back after being re-elected in 2022 with 20,188 votes which is 38.5 percent of the ballots. Gary Stewart was the last Conservative MPP for the Peterborough-Kawartha riding to get elected for consecutive terms from 1995-2003.

Smith was declared the winner 38 minutes after the polls had closed. Premier Doug Ford was re-elected to a second term 11 minutes after polls closed. They earned a majority government seven minutes later.

“I want to thank the great people of Peterborough Kawartha for putting their trust in me to once again carry the banner for Premier Ford and the Progressive Conservatives in the next provincial election,” said Smith. “We have accomplished so much over the last seven years but my work is not yet finished. I want to thank my family for their unwavering support and all of my friends who have rallied around me to help make life better for everyone in our region.”

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Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act (Bill 31) To Be Presented For Third Reading

The Murray Whetung Community Service Award Act will be presented for a third reading on March 25, 2025, announced by Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith on Friday.

The second reading passed unanimously at Queen’s Park in early March last year. pHOTO courtesy of Dave Smith.

In the First and Second World Wars, roughly 7,000 First Nations individuals volunteered to serve. As a result, many who served were stripped of their rights for a time away from the reserve. Indigenous veterans able to retain their status were often ineligible for benefits available to non-Indigenous veterans following the wars.

If passed, the bill will create an award for Cadet Corps and Squadrons at the Annual Ceremonial Reviews. They will select a member who has displayed exceptional volunteerism and citizenship over the previous year for a new award from the province of Ontario, the Murray Whetung Community Service Award.

“Murray Whetung was a pillar in our community. He volunteered fight in the Second World War and dedicated his life to family and service. I was honoured to receive his endorsement for this legislation before his passing,” said Smith. “This bill does more than recognize the life of one man; it seeks to teach others of the injustices First Nations veterans faced for risking their lives in service to Canada.”

“My Shomis (grandfather) was humbled when MPP Smith approached him about the idea of an award named after him. My Shomis did what he thought needed to be done and didn’t expect special recognition,” Emily Whetung, Curve Lake First Nation former Chief. “He was a shining example of choosing happiness in the face of adversity and an inspiration to so many of us.”

The third reading will follow the Opposition Day Motion and will be live on the Legislative Assembly video feed.

“I’ve long stood proud on November 11 because of the commitment and sacrifice he has made and as our second Remembrance Day without him approaches I can’t think of a better way to celebrate his memory,” said Whethung. “Chi-miigwetch for learning our history and ensuring it is remembered by cadets across Ontario.”

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Government of Ontario Partnering with Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre to Protect at Risk Species in Peterborough

The Ontario government is providing nearly $500,000 in funding through the Species at Risk Stewardship program to the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre as they undertake on-the-ground work to protect turtles at risk in the community.

photo by felicia massey.

Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough-Kawartha was joined by David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, as well as donors and other community members on Wednesday at the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre for the groundbreaking of their new hospital for Ontario’s native turtle species.

“This forever home has been a dream that is finally coming to reality. I cannot express how much great work the centre does, from rehabilitating injured turtles to the recovery and fertilization of turtle eggs from those turtles who sadly do not make it,” said Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough–Kawartha. “We are extremely fortunate to have such a world leader in conservation right here in our own backyard.”

Led by the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, the Hospital and Hatchling Program, and supported by the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, this project helps reduce some of the effects of road mortality on turtle populations. Seven out of eight of Ontario's turtles are at-risk. The funding will help mitigate threats to at-risk turtles through rehabilitation, education, field studies, research and data-sharing.

“Everyday, dedicated local and community organizations across Ontario demonstrate their commitment to protecting and recovering plants, insects, animals and their habitats,” said Minister Piccini. “Our government is proud to partner with grassroots organizations across the province to make a real impact. The 2023-24 projects continue Ontario’s track record of strong environmental stewardship and preserving the rich biodiversity of our province for future generations.”

As part of the Species at Risk Stewardship Program, Ontario has provided $914,703 to support the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre since 2018 in their work to rehabilitate, conduct field studies and research and mitigate threats for at-risk turtles. The new funding builds on this longstanding support and investment with the conservation centre.

“The Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre gratefully acknowledges the tremendous support that the MECP's Species at Risk Stewardship Program has given, to enable us to continue our vital conservation work,” said Mandy St. Germaine, Chair of the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. “As we enter our new growth phase, we shall be able to increase our national impact in turtle conservation even more, and very much look forward to our continued partnership with MECP.”

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Ontario Government Providing Additional Funding for On-Call Care at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre

Member of Provincial Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha Dave Smith announced Friday that the Ontario government is investing $3,471,232 into the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) to support more on-call funding for doctors working after hours.

photo courtesy of dave smith, facebook.

This funding will help patients to continue to get the care they need in-hospital, right when and where they need it.

“This funding increase will help PRHC by increasing the number of physicians available for patients when the hospital needs that extra support.” said Dave Smith. “This is just one more step the province is taking to ensure the right level of care is available when it is needed and further help reduce wait times for the people of the greater Peterborough area.”

This funding follows through on previous agreements between the Ontario Medical Association and Ontario Ministry of Health to increase dedicated funding for physicians on-call. This funding will support on-call coverage at nearly 100 acute-care hospitals in Ontario.

This funding will support after-hours care at PRHC and allow for more stable after-hours coverage. This investment recognizes the efforts of health care workers, especially those who provide on-call services in addition to their regular working hours whenever hospitals need it.

“On behalf of PRHC, I want to thank MPP Smith, Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health for today’s exciting announcement,” said Dr. Lynn Mikula, president and CEO of Peterborough Regional Health Centre. “This funding for on-call support will have benefits for both our physicians and our patients, and help to ensure that the people of our community and region have better access to the care they need, when they need it.”

This funding includes a $12.5 million investment from the 2021 Physician Services Agreement with the Ontario Medical Association which will also commits to a fundamental re-design of the Hospital On-Call Coverage program into a burden-based funding model. This ensures equitable distribution of funding across physicians providing on-call services.

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Peterborough Animal Care Centre Receives Grant of Over $1.5 Million From Provincial Government

The Peterborough Animal Care Centre (PACC) has received a grant of $1,560,500 from the Minister of Infrastructure of the Province of Ontario to continue its building development and expansions announced by MPP Dave Smith and the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) on Friday morning.

A stray kitten with Sarah Graham, PACC animal care attendant. The kitten and her siblings were found in an abandoned house with their mother Ursula. Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The funding will aid in several programs and project completions such as an off-leash public access dog park, trail system, memorial patio and garden space according to Shawn Morey, PHS executive director.

"It's directly supporting our programming, we're doing a lot of kids camps, we're going to be doing some programming around responsible pet ownership and facilitation of adoption,” he said.

Kassie Graham, PACC Marketing & Communications Coordinator (left) with Moose (middle) and Sarah Graham (right). Moose is up for adoption at the PACC and is behign showcased at the future site of the centre’s off-leash public access dog park. Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The PACC had known about the funding for roughly over a year but was finalized around Christmas according to MPP Dave Smith. He says the work PACC does in conjunction with the Solicitor General’s office was obviously to lobby for the facility to receive government funding.

“The Humane Society, they are the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals locally. They do a lot of that work for us and work with the Solicitor General's office,” explained Smith. “We recognize what's happening in the greater Peterborough area and I'll even go beyond Peterborough County. The facilities they had previously weren't big enough to do a lot of things they needed to do.”

To that point, the PACC had been community-funded however Morey says that they are still seeking $3 million to finish it. There could be more requests down the road for building expansion within the next few years.

“This center has been built by the community, for the community. That's one of our big statements with making this come to fruition,” said Morey. “It's been 10 years in the making since we initially had this concept of building this state-of-the-art facility completion. Plus we have additional phases that we're going to look at over the next few years to help advance the building.”

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