Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party is Looking for a Local Candidate for MPP

The Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party of Ontario Constituency Association announced Wednesday that they are looking for contestants for nomination as the local Green Party Candidate for MPP.

Photo courtesy of The Green party of Canada

“We heard loud and clear during the Federal election that people in our riding are concerned about the affordability of housing. The Green Party of Ontario has a stellar housing strategy. It is time for the needs and the solutions to meet,” said Pati Beaudoin, President, Peterborough-Kawartha Green Party.

This emphasis on Housing and Environment fits the priorities outlined by Mike Schreiner, MPP, and leader of the Green Party of Ontario, who tabled at motion on this topic in the legislature last week.

“Transportation is the biggest source of climate pollution in Ontario,” Schreiner said. “And a big portion of that comes from cars commuting back and forth pumping carbon into the air. That’s why I tabled a motion to tackle the housing affordability issues that are leading to more sprawl. This way we can greatly reduce pollution and tackle the housing and climate crises at the same time.”

The Green Party’s 9-point housing strategy focuses on building “15-minute communities” by lifting red-tape that prevents building duplexes, triplexes, laneway houses, tiny homes, etc., within urban boundaries. The policy includes provisions for “housing by Indigenous People and for Indigenous People” in urban areas. Housing First and Housing is a Human Right are fundamental principles. The policy provides for 60,000 units of permanent supportive housing along with other models such as shelters.

For more information on running as contestant for the Green Party contact info@ptbogreens.org

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Kawartha Lakes Trustee Resigns After 11-Year Tenure

After more than 11 years of service to the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board, Kawartha Lakes Trustee Michelle Griepsma has moved out of the Board’s jurisdiction and has resigned from her role announced Wednesday.

Griepsma, a mother of four, was first elected as a trustee in 2010 and served as Board Chairperson for seven years from 2013 to 2020. Having relocated outside of the Board’s jurisdiction, Griepsma is no longer eligible to serve as a trustee. The Board accepted her resignation during the Sept. 28, 2021 Board meeting.

“It has been a wonderful journey serving in this role. I hope I have been able to contribute to the betterment of the Board and the Catholic Education of our students,” said Griepsma. “I want to thank all the Trustees and board administrators, the students, and dedicated staff and educators that I have worked with throughout my time on the Board. I wish the Board the greatest success moving forward.”

Board chairperson David Bernier has served alongside Griepsma for the duration of her time as a trustee and said he was impressed with her leadership skills from the beginning.

“I was so excited in 2010 when Michelle was first elected as Kawartha Lakes Trustee. I knew then what she brought to the table, a love for Catholic Education and strong leadership skills that she quickly put into use,” Bernier said. “PVNC Catholic has benefited from Michelle’s dedication and passion to see that our board delivers excellence in Catholic Education and that the needs of all students are being met. We will miss Michelle’s wisdom and leadership at this table. We all wish Michelle the very best as she moves on.”

During her time as a trustee, Griepsma also held leadership roles with the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA), first as a regional director before being elected OCSTA Vice-President in 2018 and serving for two years in that role.

“Michelle has invested so much time and energy in service to our board and to the promotion of Catholic Education at the provincial level,” Director of Education Joan Carragher said. “She came to board and committee meetings prepared, was diligent in her leadership roles and always participated or chaired meetings with the utmost level of professionalism and always with the best interest of our students and staff at heart. We thank Michelle for her dedication and wish her the best as she enters this new chapter in her life.”

PVNC is now seeking candidates to fill the vacancy on the Board of Trustees and to represent separate school ratepayers for the City of Kawartha Lakes. The appointed trustee will serve with the Board of Trustees until Oct. 24, 2022, when the next Municipal Election determines a successful candidate for the Dec. 1, 2022 – Nov. 30, 2026 term of office.

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Trent Tops Undergraduate University Rankings in Ontario for Eleventh Consecutive Year Now 3rd in All of Canada

Trent University has topped the charts as the number one undergraduate university in Ontario for the eleventh year and moved up to number three in its category in all of Canada in the 2022 Maclean’s University Rankings.

File Photo.

“These rankings reaffirm Trent’s position a leader in the postsecondary sector in Canada,” said Dr. Leo Groarke, president and vice-chancellor. “For eleven years in a row, we have been ranked as Ontario’s top undergraduate institution. This year’s rankings shine a further spotlight on our growing reputation, which is squarely founded on our faculty and staff commitment to a transformative student experience.”

The rankings also position Trent as an institution committed to student satisfaction and success, ranking as the top primarily undergraduate university in Canada for academic advising staff, and number one in Ontario for scholarships, administrative staff, course instructors, student services and extracurricular activities.

Trent ranks number one in Canada for promoting Indigenous visibility, number one in Canada for academic advising staff and number two in Canada for student satisfaction. St. Francis Xavier ranked first in student satisfaction.

To view the complete list of university rankings click here.

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Fleming To Host Third Annual FemSTEAM Summit

In celebration of International Day of the Girl, Fleming College will host the third annual FemSTEAM Summit to encourage women to pursue careers in science, technology and trades, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) on Wednesday.

Photo Courtesy of Fleming College.

FemSTEAM was started by three local businesswomen three years ago to encourage young girls in the region to consider STEAM fields and skill-oriented careers through mentorship, events, education and outreach activities. Fleming College and Trent University alternate hosting the annual summit, with Fleming organizing the first one on campus in 2019, followed by a virtual event last year by Trent. Due to the pandemic restrictions, this year’s event will be virtual.

“It is expected that 50 per cent of jobs in society will be related to fields of STEM study,” states Rhonda Barnet, a FemSTEAM founder and president and COO, AVIT Manufacturing. “Women in North America make up 48 per cent of the workforce. Yet they make up less than 30 per cent of STEAM graduates and only 23 per cent of science and technology workers around the world. In response to these staggering statistics, FemSTEAM’s mission is to move the dial on girls in Canada entering post-secondary studies in STEAM.”

Teachers and students from local school boards are invited to attend the event. Fleming President Maureen Adamson and Cathy Bruce, Vice President of Research and Innovation at Trent University will provide the welcome remarks. The agenda for the morning includes keynote addresses by Nicole Verkindt, founder of OMX Offset Market Exchange, and Jamie McMillan, founder of Kickass Careers, virtual tours of Fleming College and Trent University, and a panel featuring current students and graduates from both institutions.

Panellists include:

• Krista Scaldwell, vice-president of communications and public affairs, Canada Life

• Joanne Dereta, principal and managing director, CI Private Wealth

• Sarah Aftergood, director of environmental permitting, Orsted Onshore North America

• Mackenzie Barclay, Welding & Fabrication Technician student

• Emma Tozer, Electrical Engineering Technician student

• Rebecca Yaxley, Carpentry Apprentice

“Our goal at Fleming is to provide equal opportunities for women to pursue and thrive in STEAM careers,” said Pam Stoneham, Dean, School of Trades and Technology at Fleming. “The female enrolment in trades and technology programs at the College is currently around nine per cent. We believe initiatives like the FemSTEAM Symposium and Mentor Mondays will contribute to our goal of doubling that number by 2026.”

“At Trent University, we have many state-of-the-art and renowned facilities and over 100 academic programs–all accessible by our students so they can get hands-on experience in the fascinating fields of the sciences, technology, engineering, the arts, and math,” notes Cathy Bruce, vice president of research and innovation at Trent University. “As a mathematician and mathematics educator, I know first-hand how transformational it can be for students to study alongside renowned professors who are also leaders in their fields. Trent University takes those student experiences very seriously.”

More than 600 students are expected to watch the event from the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board. Students from the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board will also participate. This year’s virtual event will reach more than 1,000 grade seven and eight students in the area.

The virtual FemSTEAM Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 13 begins at 9:30 a.m. For more information and to join the live stream, please visit www.femsteam.ca.

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Peterborough Regional Farmers Market is Heading Indoors for the Season

The Peterborough Regional Farmers Market (PRFM) is folding it’s tables and moving inside for their winter market on Saturday.

The market will be inside Peterborough Square from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday until spring.

The indoor market will feature both new and returning vendors.

“Most of our indoor vendors are people who are also outdoor vendors,” said Emily Shapiera, market administrator. “It’s still busy inside, there’s a lot of crossover.”

Shapiera points out that many farmers who sell fresh produce at the outdoor market don’t have much product to sell during the winter months, though some shift to sell produce and other products that are in season.

The winter market features vendors selling things like potatoes, apples and root vegetables as well as farmers selling meat, eggs honey and maple syrup.

The PRFM is one of the only farmers markets in Ontario that did not have to shut down throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been really amazing to continue to be open during COVID,” Shapiera said. “There’s all these local businesses that have been really struggling with what’s going on. The market is great because it’s this venue for local businesses to come and sell and it’s an easy way for the people of Peterborough to come and support local. You’re giving your money to someone in the community and it’s going back into the community - it’s a great cycle and I think it’s more important than ever these days.”

COVID-19 protocols will be followed at the indoor market.

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Ennismore Curling Club Hosts Try Curling Day

The Ennismore Curling Club is inviting anyone that wants to try their hand at the sport to join them at their Try Curling Event on Sunday from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy of the Ennismore Curling Club.

A group of volunteers from the curling club will be at Sunday’s event to help newcomers step onto the ice for the first time and to offer tours of the club.

“We’re hoping that people who might think it fun to try curling will perhaps step on the ice, hold a rock, slide down the ice,” said Peter Gardiner, vice-chair, Ennismore Curling Club. “This would be an opportunity for them to understand how it works.”

After the event, participants are able to sign up for the Learn to Curl Program, an eight-week program that will begin Oct. 24.

After the Learn to Curl Program participants are welcome to join a social league that will begin in January.

“We find that in the middle of a dark winter’s night, it’s fun to get out to a social event and a physical activity,” said Gardiner. “It’s mostly to come out and meet with good friends, meet new friends and also to stay active.”

Participants are asked to bring clean running shoes that have not been worn outside. Anyone under 19 is required to wear protective headgear, though it is suggested that anyone stepping onto the ice to wear a helmet.

Sunday’s event is free and open to all ages.

For more information on the Ennismore Curling Club and their Try Curling Day click here.

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A New Indian Street Style Restaurant is Coming to Peterborough

Chaska, a fast casual Indian Street food restaurant is bringing savoury spices, with flavourful herbs and marinades to Peterborough at it’s fourth location on George Street, on Oct. 18.

Photo courtesy of Chaska restaurant.

The restaurant first opened it’s doors in 2017 in Mississauga. After a successful launch, the chain opened three more locations in Toronto.

“We did a lot of research, and Peterborough seems to be lacking good quality Indian food,” said Naveen Seth, CEO and Founder of Chaska. “It has enough of a population both Indian and non-Indian to justify bringing this brand to Peterborough.”

Located at 441 George St. N, the former site of Pete's Subs and Burgers, Chaska will be both a dine-in and a take-out restaurant.

“We see this as an ‘Indian Chipotle’,” Seth said. “It’s made in front of you, it’s fast, but it’s good quality food, it’s not ‘fast food’.”

Customers will be able to chose menu items that are different from traditional curries and sauces that are commonly found at Indian restaurants, according to Seth.

“A lot of non-Indians only have knowledge of four or five dishes,” he said. “I wanted to make people aware of the modern, light and fresh Indian flavours that we can offer, which is true authentic Indian food.”

Seth says that Chaska, the Hindi word for obsession, was born from his childhood spent in India.

“Looking back on my childhood in India, some of my favourite memories are those of family road trips to different cities to visit friends and relatives. These trips were a feast for the senses; from the vivid colours and artistry of the trucks we would pass along the way and the distinctive sounds of their horns, to the delicious flavours and aromas of the street food,” said Seth on chaska.com

The new restaurant will open on Oct. 18.

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Stirling Minor Hockey Receives Free Equipment Thanks to the Egg Farmers of Ontario

Stirling Minor Hockey is one of ten recipient associations of The Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s (OMHA) new Player Assist Program presented by Egg Farmers of Ontario.

Photo courtesy of OMHA.

The pilot project will eliminate the cost of equipment for 350 hockey families across 10 minor hockey associations for players under 7 entering the game.

The sets include skates, shin pads, pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, neck guard and helmet.

The associations will retain the 350 sets of equipment at the conclusion of the hockey season to loan to players in following years, similar to loaning out a library book.

The 10 Associations who have each received 35 sets of equipment over the past month are Flamborough, Georgina, Ilderton, Parry Sound, Shallow Lake, Simcoe, South Huron, Southpoint, Stirling and Twin Centre.

“With hockey now back on the ice, we know this equipment is going to be put to use right away,” said OMHA Executive Director Ian Taylor. “We know some of our families are feeling the pinch because of COVID-19 and we hope programs like this one will help families participate in the game across the province.”

The OMHA is working with each of the 10 Associations on delivering programming for the recipients to ensure a positive first experience. The Associations are each hosting an Initiation Program festival as well as parent information sessions throughout the season.

Since 2018, the Egg Farmers of the Ontario has supported the OMHA’s Playdowns where more than 31,000 minor hockey players compete on 6750 teams from January through March. With Playdowns unable to take place the past two seasons because of the pandemic, the Egg Farmers of Ontario wanted to support OMHA participants in a new way.

“Egg Farmers of Ontario is proud to be a part of a program that supports and encourages children to be active as part of a healthy lifestyle. We are excited to lend a helping hand to new players who are keen to learn about Canada’s favourite past time without the worry of the cost of equipment,” said Scott Helps, Egg Farmers of Ontario Chair.

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PTBOCanada Staff Take On the Flame Spitter Hot Sauce Challenge

PTBOCanada editor David Tuan Bui and brand strategy director Aaron Elliott take on chicken wings with hot sauces from Flame Spitters' founders Codie Coulter and Mitch Lowes while getting to know more about the duo and their new business.

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Seven Fleming College Alumni Nominated for Prestigious Premier’s Awards

Fleming College announced on Thursday that seven Fleming alumni have been nominated for the 2021 Premier’s Awards among 125 Ontario college graduates.

Deputy Chief Tim Farquharson. File Photo.

The annual event, presented by Colleges Ontario, honours the important social and economic contributions that graduates make in the province and throughout the world. Colleges can nominate their alumni in seven categories: Apprenticeship, Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate, and Technology.

The 2021 Premier’s Awards nominees representing Fleming College include:

APPRENTICESHIP
Tyler Scott, Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship, Culinary, 2011
Tyler Scott is the owner and executive chef of Rare Restaurant located in Peterborough, Ontario. During a time that has been especially challenging for the restaurant industry due to the pandemic, Tyler and his team have defied the odds. They have found success by pivoting the restaurant’s take-out offerings, creating a ready-to-eat freezer meal program and recreating the parking lot into a whimsical European backlot patio. Tyler’s dedication to local ingredients in creating a hyper local menu is setting Rare apart while building a collaborative community in the region.

BUSINESS
Fred Clifford, Business Administration – Accounting, 1981
Fred Clifford recently retired from his role as Senior Partner with Ernst & Young LLP after 33 years. He is a Chartered Accountant, a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Planner. During his career, Fred focused on employee success and promoting a welcoming environment. Fred demonstrates community commitment, serving as the Rouge Valley Health System’s Foundation Board Chair and Chair of the hospital’s Board of Governors. As a Fleming graduate, Fred’s current role as Chair of Fleming’s Board of Governors is most satisfying for him, as he takes pride in the positive changes that have transpired, while preserving the warm and welcoming culture at Fleming.

COMMUNITY SERVICES
Deputy Chief Tim Farquharson, Law & Security Administration – Police Education, 1984
A member of the Peterborough Police Service with 35 years of experience, Deputy Chief Farquharson is a leader, community builder and advocate for marginalized communities. His passion for opioid response reforms and community-first strategies has supported the proposed Consumption and Treatment Services site and creation of the Peterborough Drug Strategy. Tim was recognized as a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Services, a highly prestigious award presented by the Governor General, for his role in creating the Peterborough Drug Strategy Task Force and for his tireless support for the most vulnerable in our community.

CREATIVE ARTS & DESIGN
Mark Campbell, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Tool and Die, 1975
Mark Campbell is the Senior Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Design for Global Furniture Group, one of Canada’s largest manufacturers, distributors and marketers of workplace, education and healthcare furnishings. With over 3,500 employees globally, Mark oversees the direction of new product development, branding and communication strategies. As a designer, Mark has been awarded and published internationally, including in Graphis, ID Magazine and AZURE. He was recognized by the Government of Canada as a National Design Council Scholar. Mark was also an associate professor at Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University where he taught for 35 years.

HEALTH SCIENCES
Leah Levesque, Nursing, 1984
Leah Levesque is the Chief Executive Officer for Arnprior Regional Health and previously was the Vice President Patient Care and Chief Nursing Executive at the Queensway Carleton Hospital. In the VP role, Leah provided professional leadership to over 1,400 nurses and other regulated health professionals across the organization and oversaw seven hospital units, including the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. Leah’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic was crucial to the region’s ability to handle rising cases and stress on hospitals. She worked with community partners to develop ground-breaking initiatives, including setting up a 56-bed inpatient transitional care unit and a Covid care and assessment centre.

RECENT GRADUATE
Ryan Tidman, Environmental Visual Communication, 2018
Ryan Tidman is a conservation photojournalist, videographer, filmmaker and biologist who is passionate about storytelling though photography. He is currently working on projects with Netflix, Disney+ and National Geographic. He has worked with world-renowned photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier for their ocean conservation non-profit SeaLegacy, where he photographed whale sharks in Mexico and navigated through untouched islands. With a large online presence and social media following, Ryan’s work focuses on environmental issues and highlighting the conservation efforts needed to restore the planet for future generations. He was recently accepted as an Associate Fellow to the International League of Conservation Photographers, a global community made up of top-tier photographers and filmmakers using solution-based media as a catalyst for conservation efforts.

TECHNOLOGY
Lynn Cooke, Business Administration – Accounting, 1985
As a Certified Public Accountant, Certified General Accountant and a Certified Management Consultant, Lynn Cooke has achieved extensive career success working in the male-dominated technology sector. Lynn is the President of 360 Visibility Inc., which was founded to provide technology solutions to mid-sized companies, while offering the big company service that clients expect. Lynn was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs (W100) by Profit Magazine, now Canadian Business magazine, for six years. Ranked based on the annual revenue of their firms, Profit W100 profiles the country’s most successful female business owners.

The Premier’s Award nominees will be recognized and winners announced at a virtual gala event on November 18, 2021. To nominate a deserving Fleming graduate for a 2022 Premier’s Award, please contact the Advancement and Alumni Relations Office at 705-749-5530 ext. 1390 or e-mail alumni@flemingcollege.ca.

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