Peterborough Regional Health Centre Offering Fast Pass Screening Options For Patients And Essential Caregivers

Beginning Wednesday, Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) will offer a fast pass screening option for patients and essential caregivers at both the main entrance and the Emergency Department (ED) entrance.

File Photo.

Upon arrival, those who have completed the screening tool will be asked to show their pass on either a device screen or in printed form to enter the hospital building.

The regular screening process will continue to be offered for those who do not complete the fast pass process. All patients and caregivers are strongly encouraged to use the fast pass tool to expedite their entry into the hospital.

All patients and caregivers continue to be required to wear a hospital-provided, medical-grade mask at all times when inside the Health Centre, except in the designated area of the cafeteria, where masks may be removed to eat or drink.

A new, after-hours screening process will also begin at the hospital’s main entrance only on Monday. Between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., anyone requesting access through this entrance must use the buzzer to contact Security and be screened before they are permitted to enter the building.

The ED entrance will continue to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with fast pass and regular screening available. This entrance is reserved for patients/caregivers who are coming to the ED or to Labour & Delivery.

The pre-screening tool is available online at prhcscreening.ca and can be completed anytime within the 24 hours before the patient or caregiver comes to the hospital.

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Rotary Club of Peterborough Celebrates Century Milestone With Semi-Formal Gala in June

The Rotary Club of Peterborough is turning back the clock a century with a semi-formal gala to commemorate its 100th anniversary for June 11.

(From left to right) Betty Halman-Plumley, Catherine Hanrahan, Elizabeth Ichniovsky, Milan Ichniovsky, Sally Harding and Atul Swarup.

The club began in 1921 but could not celebrate its true century mark last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions.

The semi-formal gala is happening at The Ballroom at Fleming College with tickets at $150 which anyone can attend. The Rotary wanted to celebrate in style where some guests will wear era-appropriate clothing and accessories.

“We always wanted to do a party, it was always going to be a party to celebrate 100 years,” said Atul Swarup, 100th anniversary committee chair.

“We wanted to set it apart from what we see all the time, this is about dressing up, feeling proud and feeling like we've been here 100 years,” said Sally Harding, Rotary co-chair. “This is not a fundraiser, this is just a celebration of 100 years.”

The gala features a three-course dinner made by Fleming culinary students. Alcohol such as red and white wine and champagne is being served with tuxedo strawberries. Rock band ‘The Dreamboats’ will have a live performance and a DJ for guests to dance to.

Tickets can be purchased on the Rotary website via Eventbrite.

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The City Of Peterborough Will Collect One Extra Bag Of Garbage Per Household To Support Storm Clean Up

The City of Peterborough will be collecting one extra bag of garbage per household this week, to support residents disposing spoiled food due to the extended power outage.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.

Specifications for garbage bags are:

• 1 plastic garbage bag no greater than 66 centimetres by 90 centimetres and a maximum of 23 kilograms (50 pounds) in weight;

• 1 garbage can no greater than 125 litres (30 gallons) with side handles and a lid and 23 kilograms (50 pounds) in weight; or

• 1 item less than 1 metre (3 feet) in length and 23 kilograms (50 pounds) in weight.

Peterborough residents may also take garbage directly to the landfill at 1260 Bensfort Rd. during operating hours of Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Standard tipping fees apply.

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Voice of Business: Rebuilding and Growing Tourism

Our tourism industry is beginning to bounce back — but our leaders need input from tourism-related businesses on how to guide that recovery.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is conducting public consultations on the development of a post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy.

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development estimates that our region attracts more than three million visitors who spend more than $300 million annually. Nationally, Destination Canada estimates tourism contributed $43.6 billion to our Gross Domestic Product.

In 2020, Statistics Canada found our tourism GDP dropped by 49 per cent. Since then, it rose 4.4 per cent in 2021 and continues to increase, including an 8.7 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2021. Accommodation and food and beverage are leading the recovery with air transportation and travel services lagging behind.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director, Transportation, Infrastructure and Regulatory Policy Robin Guy recently published an editorial in the Toronto Sun calling on the federal government to assist our airports in their recovery, noting travel declined by 95 per cent from 2019 levels during the pandemic. It’s noted that in 2016, our airports contributed $48 billion to our economic output and employed 194,000 people.

Adding to issues with investments in our airport infrastructure and the large lines and delays in processing passengers, many Canadian passengers are struggling to get their passports. After a couple years of very limited international travel, Service Canada is struggling to keep up with a surge in demand. Calls to Service Canada about passports jumped from 5,000 to 200,000 per day and passports issued jumped from 363,000 to 1,273,000 over the last year.

The Government of Canada launched Creating Middle Class Jobs: A Federal Tourism Growth Strategy in 2019, but the tourism sector has changed dramatically since then. Tourism and hospitality felt the effects of the pandemic immediately and continue to deal with COVID-related challenges.

The Government of Canada is looking to work with the tourism sector, provincial and territorial counterparts and Indigenous tourism partners to renew the strategy and set a course for growth, investment and stability.

The renewal of the tourism growth strategy was announced as part of the 2022 federal budget to help fuel the resurgence of tourism. The public consultation on the development of a post-pandemic Federal Tourism Growth Strategy opened May 18 and will run until July 20.

As per the federal government, the consultation will build on the work already done since the launch of the original strategy in 2019, with a particular focus on:

• labour gaps and instability

• investment attraction and destination development

• long-term economic growth across the country.

To share your views on how Canada can build on its reputation as a world-class destination, please send an email to tourisminfo-tourismeinfo@ised-isde.gc.ca. The deadline for submitting feedback is 11:59 p.m. EST on July 20.

Tourism is an important part of our local, provincial, and national economy and we need to invest in rebuilding, renewing, and expanding it for years to come.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas Welcomes First International Clients To Peterborough

Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas announced on Tuesday that it has welcomed its first international clients to Peterborough since launching its government-accredited STARTup Visa Program (SUV) in February 2021.

Dmitriy Sevostyanov and Laura Sevostyanova enjoy a poutine at Rileys.

Dmitriy Sevostyanov and Laura Sevostyanova, an entrepreneurial duo from Kazakhstan, arrived in Peterborough last week.

They came to begin the next phase of SUV, which has a mission to provide innovative startup business mentorship and programming to immigrant entrepreneurs so they may successfully relocate to Peterborough and the Kawarthas to grow sustainable businesses, create jobs, and become an active contributor in the community.

Before arriving in Canada, the duo participated in an initial 3-month virtual accelerator program and a formal review process by the Innovation Cluster. After successfully completing both, the Kazakhstani team was granted a Letter of Support which helped them immigrate to begin their Canadian entrepreneurial journey.

Now, Dmitriy and Laura have begun SUV’s next phase — a 12-month, in-person business incubation program facilitated from the Innovation Cluster’s downtown hub. Over the next year, they will gain knowledge, skills, mentorship, and networking opportunities to prepare them for business success and the ability to compete on a global scale.

“Canada was our top choice due to Canadians’ large ecological consciousness and the support programs available to startups,” said Dmitriy. “Among all Startup Visa Programs offered in Canada, the Innovation Cluster’s SUV program caught our attention due to its ideal location and its expertise with the cleantech and agtech sectors.”

Dmitriy and Laura’s established business, ReGreen, specializes in producing 100% recyclable eco-bags using spunbond nonwoven fabric. The material is breathable, durable, and lightweight with the ability to decompose in less than one year without emitting any harmful chemicals. They have been manufacturing eco-bags in Kazakhstan since 2015.

Since launching SUV in February 2021, the program has run three cohorts per year, has accepted 47 client companies to-date, and 40 companies have received Letters of Support and are awaiting additional government documents so they can join Dmitriy and Laura in Peterborough.

For more information on the STARTup Visa Program, visit https://www.innovationcluster.ca/startupvisa/.

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JA Northern and Eastern Ontario Recognizes Community Members At Hall Of Fame Event

JA Northern and Eastern Ontario (JA-NEO) celebrated and recognized local students, a teacher, and a volunteer for their outstanding efforts and contributions, last week.

Photo courtesy of JA-NEO

JA-NEO offers financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness education to students across Northern and Eastern Ontario.

The awards were presented at the annual JA-NEO Business Hall of Fame event held at the Loomex Group Hangar at the Peterborough Airport.

This year’s special recognitions included:

• Student of the Year - Kayla Scroggins

• Outstanding Contribution to Education - Sarah Taylor

• Lifetime Volunteer Recognition Award - Tania-Joy Bartlett

“We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s awards winners and recognize how their dedication, involvement, and achievements help to inspire others to become involved in JA,” said John McNutt, President and CEO, JA-NEO. “I want to congratulate each of the award winners on their success, and we look forward to your continued success.”

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Mayor Diane Therrien Proclaims May 29 - June 4 As National AccessAbility Week In Peterborough

Mayor Diane Therrien proclaimed the week of May 29 to June 4 as National AccessAbility Week in the City of Peterborough, on Monday at City Hall.

"People with disabilities continue to lead the way in making our communities more accessible for everyone,” stated Phil Mechetuk, Chair of the City of Peterborough’s Accessibility Advisory Committee. "On behalf of the City’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, I invite everyone to take time this week to recognize the contributions that people with disabilities have made. Let's keep working together for a more inclusive future.”

The theme of National AccessAbility Week 2022 is “Inclusion from the start.” This week, the City of Peterborough is launching the public consultation for its updated Accessibility Plan, a new five-year road map to help make Peterborough more accessible and welcoming for everyone. The plan will help set priorities to identify, remove and prevent barriers in City programs, services and facilities.

Residents can learn about the City’s Accessibility Plan and provide their input using this City’s community consultation website to complete a survey, mark accessibility barriers on a map and share accessible housing ideas online at connectptbo.ca/AccessibilityPlan.

The community consultation is open from June 1 to August 31. Hard copies of the survey are available at City Hall, 500 George St. N. To provide feedback by phone, please call 705-742-7777 ext. 1785.

Also, in light of National AccessAbility Week, The Capable Crew will be at the VentureNorth building on George Street on Saturday.

The Capable Crew, presented by The Council for Persons With Disabilities, is a fictional group of superheroes that use their disability as their superpower.

Capable Con welcomes anyone to attend the free, outdoor event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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NDP Leader Andrea Horwath Addresses Government Cuts in Campaign Visit to Peterborough

The New Democratic Party (NDP) is making its final push this provincial election as leader Andrea Horwath came to Peterborough to support candidate Jen Deck and criticize opposing parties in a rally on Monday.

NDP Peterborough-Kawartha candidate Jen Deck (left) with NDP provincial leader Andrea Horwath during a rally at Silver Bean Café. Horwath last visited Peterborough on Wednesday in her first day back to campaigning after leaving COVID-19 protocols. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Supporters chanted the candidates’ names and phrases such as, “Stop the cuts!” as the women came to the Silver Bean Café during the final week before the election this Thursday. Both candidates criticized the Ford government and their alleged cuts and the Liberal government for creating a “broken system.”

"I'm certain that people know what's at stake in this election campaign and they know that many of the things that are broken were broken by the Liberals," said Horwath. "Things have gotten much worse under Doug Ford and Conservative cuts always hurt. That's what we're hearing on the doorstep."

Horwath says stopping the cuts to the healthcare system one of the party’s top priorities if elected including scrapping Bill 124 which caps healthcare worker salaries. She criticized the Liberal government’s handling of releasing vast numbers of healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Deck has been a teacher in Peterborough for over 19 years. She says the teachers have been working tirelessly during the pandemic and deserve better treatment.

"When I talk to my teaching colleagues, they are exhausted after three hard years," said Deck. "We need to start treating our educators with the respect that they deserve, they've worked their butts off to make the experience as positive as possible but it's been really hard and they've had a lot going against them."

Both Deck and Horwath oppose Ford’s plan for mandatory online learning. Deck says not all students have proper Internet to be capable of online learning and miss out on the full experience as a result.

“It's about community, it's about sharing and it's about playing well with others. These are not skills you can teach on a Zoom call," "You need to be looking eye-to-eye with the kids and teaching them those life lessons and modeling behaviour that you'd like them to emulate."

The provincial election is on Thursday. Deck is challenging current MPP and Conservative candidate Dave Smith.

The following are the candidates for the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding in the provincial election:

• MPP Dave Smith (Conservative)

• Greg Dempsey (Liberal)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic Party)

• Robert Gibson (Green Party)

• Tom Morazzo (Ontario Party)

• Rebecca Quinnell (New Blue Party)

• Dylan Smith (None of the Above Party)

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Peterborough And The Kawarthas Tourism Encourages Residents To Explore Their City During Tourism Week

Tourism Week in Canada, led by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), is an annual invitation to come together to champion and promote Canada’s destinations, tourism businesses, and employees from May 29 to June 4.

File Photo.

Before COVID-19, tourism in Peterborough & the Kawarthas was responsible for 1 in 10 local jobs and more than $365 million in annual visitor spending.

According to Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, the pandemic decimated the industry across Canada, with hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, and forecasting doesn’t see the industry recovering until the end of 2025.

Now, it’s time to rebuild the industry and recover. This years theme is ‘Travel Now: For Work, Life, and Play!’.

“We were optimistic for a great start to the core tourism season. The recent May 21st storm is yet another setback after two challenging years,” said Joe Rees, Director of Tourism for Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED). “Local businesses continue to show resiliency, and our community continues to support local businesses - both important factors for successful recovery. However, we must be prepared to fight for our region’s competitive position as people start to travel again, not just this summer, but as travelers plan for fall and winter travel experiences.”

PKED is steadfast in its commitment to supporting this vital local sector and its economic, social, and cultural importance. Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, a division of PKED, has undertaken several activities in 2020 to support recovery by 2025:

• Launched www.investptbo.ca – a new economic development website to better position the region for growth and investment attraction, including the tourism sector.

• Launched a newly redesigned www.thekawarthas.ca to address recent changes in consumer sentiment and travel trends.

• Launched the SPARK program, which aims to support innovative local tourism ideas with mentorships and grants emphasizing spring, fall, and winter seasons and culinary experiences to better support year-round economic impact and sustainable tourism attraction.

• Hired a full complement of travel counsellors for the summer season and re-launching the mobile visitor services program, which will take place on weekends at the Peterborough Lift Lock all summer.

• Launching a new “Tourism in Motion” program, which will see travel counsellors throughout the City and County connecting with locals, visitors, and businesses where they are to provide onthe-spot visitor services.

• An enhanced suite of virtual visitor services, including live online chat, email, and phone information requests.

• Ongoing promotion of the O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge to encourage responsible travel in the region to counteract over-tourism issues and instill a sense of kindness and respect for people and places as the region works towards recovery.

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Peterborough Petes Accepting Applicants For Careers, Volunteers and Internships for Upcoming Season

The Peterborough Petes gearing up for the 2022-23 hockey season by accepting applications for full-time/part-time, volunteer and intern positions announced on Monday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Three positions include video coordinator, communication coordinator and marketing director.

The following is a list of hiring positions from the Petes:

Full-Time & Part-Time Paid Opportunities

• Marketing Director (Applications accepted until June 1 at 4:30 p.m.)

• Communication Coordinator (Applications accepted until June 1 at 4:30 p.m.)

Internships

Note: Unpaid internships with the Peterborough Petes are available for current post-secondary students who require Intern or Co-op placement hours for the completion of their accredited post-secondary degree or diploma program. 

Petes Internships are designed to meet the differing needs of students at all post-secondary institutions. Regardless of the number of hours needed to complete or the time of year applicants would like to complete their internship, these positions are open.

• Intern, Administration and Community Engagement (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Archives & Alumni Relations (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Communication & Digital Marketing (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Corporate Partnership & Ticket Operations (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, E-Commerce & Retail (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Game Operations & Major Events (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Sales and Service (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Ticket Sales & Service (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

• Intern, Video & Analytics (Now accepting applications for Fall 2022 term)

Volunteers

• Video Coordinator (Applications ongoing)

• Game Operations Volunteers (Applications ongoing)

To apply to any of these positions, please review the posting and submit a résumé and cover letter by email, referencing the position title in the subject line.

Qualified applicants should send an up-to-date résumé and cover letter to hiring@gopetesgo.com, citing the role(s) of interest in the subject line. All applicants will be contacted. 

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