Voice of Business: Investing in Workforce Resources

The single biggest hurdle for many businesses is rebuilding their workforce, especially in service sectors like tourism, retail, food service and hospitality.

Rebuilding our local economy will take years and a series of calculated investments from the private sector. According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Canadian Survey on Business Conditions Report, Q3 2022, 39 per cent of respondents identified recruiting skilled employees as an obstacle to business over the next three months, 37 per cent listed a shortage of labour force and 31 per cent identified retaining skilled employees.

Access to thorough, accurate and no-cost labour information and expertise will help businesses adapt, influencing our economic growth.

Our local Workforce Planning Boards are an indispensable partner in rebuilding our workforce. Locally, the Workforce Development Board has been providing workforce resources for 26 years. They bring direct experience in identifying and addressing labour market and workforce development trends, opportunities and priorities within their catchment areas. Local businesses regularly use resources like the Local Jobs Hub and Labour Market Information Help Desk. The annual Local Labour Market Planning Report provides crucial summaries of key data and qualitative feedback gathered through consultation and collaboration with industry, businesses, training and employment service providers.

Right now, businesses are looking for data and expert advice on providing competitive compensation, investing in career ladders to retain staff, and labour market information regarding planned growth — all of which is available for free from the Workforce Development Board.

Our local Workforce Development Board is one of a number of Workforce Planning Boards across Ontario — all of which are facing the same challenges. In order to provide local labour market information, service coordination and public education, Workforce Planning Boards need more sustainable funding. Operating on one-year contracts on budgets that have decreased over the years has made it difficult to recruit and retain talent to provide these services.

Together with Chambers of Commerce and other business-focused organizations, we issued a letter of support to Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development requesting:

  • An increase in funding for each Workforce Planning Board by a minimum of $120,000 per fiscal year

  • An increase in the length of funding agreements with Workforce Planning Boards to three years

Additionally, the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce will be submitting a policy resolution on this subject to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to potentially become part of their advocacy efforts.

Workforce challenges are one of the biggest barriers to economic growth in Ontario. It is essential that businesses, non-profits and charities have access to as many workforce resources and tools as possible. After years of funding cuts and precarious one-year funding agreements, now is the time to re-invest in our Workforce Planning Boards with increased funding and three-year contracts.

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

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Freezing Rain Warning Issued for Peterborough and Surrounding Area

A freezing rain warning was issued by Environment Canada for Peterborough and the surrounding area at 5 a.m. on Wednesday.

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Environment Canada is calling for showers ending this morning, with some cloudy skies and periods of rain to follow around noon. Fog patches are set to dissipate later in the morning.

Periods of freezing rain mixed with ice pellets are expected to start Wednesday night, with temperatures dropping to a low of -1.

Cloudy weather and a 40 per cent chance of snow flurries are expected until this Saturday.

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Peterborough Petes Keep Rolling With 5-3 Road Win Over the Defending-Champion Hamilton Bulldogs; Extending Winning Streak to Six

The Peterborough Petes extended their winning streak to six games as they defeated the defending OHL-champion Hamilton Bulldogs on the road in a 5-3 win at the FirstOntario Centre on Tuesday.

The Peterborough Petes are on a six-game winning streak after being on a five-game losing streak. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes quickly got on the board as Sahil Panwar scored just 1:07 into the game getting his own dump-in behind the net and ricocheting it off of Bulldogs goalie Tristan Malboeuf’s pad and into the net.

Donovan McCoy got his first goal of the season four minutes later as he threw it at the net and deflected it in for a 2-0 lead. Avery Hayes got Hamilton on the board late in the period, scoring his league-leading 27th goal of the season to make it 2-1 into the second.

The second period was all Peterborough as J.R. Avon tacked on a short-handed goal on a breakaway at the seventh-minute mark for a 3-1 lead. Peterborough had a buzzer-beater moment as Avon fed Sam Mayer and ripped a one-timer past Malboeuf as the buzzer went. After review, the goal was determined to cross the line before time expired and it as 4-1 into the third.

Just like the first period, Panwar wasted no time for the Petes ashe scored again just 1:15 into the period. Hamilton made things interesting scoring two straight goals from Marek Vanacker and Artem Grushnikov to make it 5-3. Hamilton appeared to have scored at the final second but the goal did not beat the buzzer and was disallowed as Peterborough hung on for the win.

The Petes return home to the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday to take on the Owen Sound Attack on Bell Let’s Talk night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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PTBOCanada's Top 10 Stories of 2022

2022 marked the first full year since owner Kirtus Evoy bought the business from Neil Morton early last year. It was a fantastic year that PTBOCanada hopes to keep rolling into 2023.

Here are the top stories that were the most read, engaged and liked by the PTBOCanada community in chronological order.


"‘Coach Cal’ HAS MADE APPEARANCES ON OTHER AMERICAN SHOWS SUCH AS ABC’S GOOD MORNING AMERICA AND FOX LOS ANGELES. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL ROZMAN/WARNER BROS.

Callan Perks aka ‘Coach Cal’became a viral sensation in late 2021 with the Peterborough Petes and took his stardom to the City of Angels as he was a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show that aired on Jan. 5.

He gave a pep talk to DeGeneres for having her show run for 19 seasons as it was her final year.

As a gift, Degeneres gave Perks a tracksuit, clipboard and megaphone to continue his motivational speaking.


THIBAULT WAS BORN IN MONCTON, N.B. HE LEAVES BEHIND HIS FIVE-YEAR-OLD SON RYDER (RIGHT). PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNIE THIBAULT.

It was an unfortunate incident for 32-year-old Donnie Thibault whose body was found at Jackson Park on Jan. 5 last year.

A GoFundMe was created, raising $3,555 to help with funeral costs and family support for his tragic passing. He leaves behind his six-year-old son Ryder who was born on July 14, 2016.

Thibault would have celebrated his 33rd birthday this past Sunday.


PERKS IS A STUDENT AT LAKEFIELD DISTRICT PUBLIC SCHOOL. HIS FAVOURITE NHL TEAM IS THE EDMONTON OILERS WITH CONNOR MCDAVID AS HIS FAVOURITE PLAYER. PHOTO COURTESY OF LARA PERKS.

Coach Cal strikes again as he got to open up the Jan. 22 edition of Hockey Night In Canada with his signature motivational pre-game speech encouraging kids to remain strong during the temporary closure of hockey.

He previewed the night’s matchups of all the Canadian teams playing and gave a motivating speech for the hosts of Hockey Night in Canada in Ron MacLean, Kelly Hrudey, Jennifer Botterill, David Amber and Elliotte Friedman.


PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIANNA GILL.

High school sweethearts Brianna and Josh Gill were seeking out a surrogate to help them start the family that they’ve always wanted.

Brianna was around 16 she was diagnosed with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome which left her born without a uterus but still had her ovaries intact.

Eventually, they found a surrogate in mid-June that reached out on Facebook. Their last update was posted in late November saying they’ve had four failed frozen embryo transfers with one remaining for now.


File Photo.

Peterborough was part of the May 2022 Canadian derecho that saw a huge storm knock over powerlines, uplift trees and caused tremendous amounts of damage.

The City declared a State of Emergency on May 25 as a result of the storm as most of Peterborough was without power.


The Havelock Jamboree was cancelled after 30 years of operation and hadn’t run since 2019 from COVID-19.

The organizers announced on social media that the 2022 festival has been cancelled and plans for 2023 are uncertain.

Regarded as one of the big country music festivals in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, its cancellation left a stinging feeling to those who frequent what has been a Peterborough County mainstay for three decades.


PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PETERBOROUGH PETES.

It was an unfortunate incident for Peterborough Petes prospect Eli Palfreyman who passed away during a Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League preseason tournament game on Aug. 30.

He passed out in a locker room during an intermission and medical staff were unable to resuscitate him.

Palfreyman was selected by the Petes 223rd overall in the 12th round from the Cambridge Hawks in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.


GOFUNDME PHOTO.

A fatal car crash on Hwy. 7 killed four people including three MacHart family members, leaving one with critical injuries on Nov 22.

A GoFundMe was created with a $10,000 goal to help care for Rowghan MacHart, the lone survivor and cover any incidentals. The community rallied and raised over $90,000 for the cause.

The driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision was also killed as a result of the incident.


Peter BOUZINELO’S BRAND OF OLIVE OIL AVAILABLE AT THE PIZZA FACTORY CAME FROM HIS HOME VILLAGE OF KOUTSI, GREECE. THE TREES WERE PLANTED OVER 50 YEARS AGO THAT MADE THE OIL. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

What a ride for Peter Bouzinelos and The Pizza Factory as they are closing their doors since opening in 1980.

Bouzinelos is retiring and is closing the restaurant on Jan. 29.

In addition to his food, he is known for his brand of signature Caesar dressing and olive oil under the name ‘Peter’s Famous Foods.’

We all with Bouzinelos the best in retirement and we’ll miss the in-house pizza and pasta.


(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) JOHNATHAN MACDONNELL, ROWGHAN MACHART, RIDDICK HART AND STEFPHANIE HART. THE FAMILY ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR THE BLUE JAY MOTEL IN OTONABEE-SOUTH MONAGHAN TOWNSHIP. PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHRYN WILSON.

Actor Ryan Reynolds sent Rowghan MacHart a video of encouragement following the aforementioned Hwy. 7 crash.

During that time, we learned that Rowghan endured five major surgeries over three weeks during her recovery process. Doctors fear she may never be able to walk again but Rowghan remains hopeful.


As we enter 2023, PTBOCanada is proud to have 88,000+ followers and counting across all our platforms.

A big thank you to everyone who continued to support us and we will strive to continue giving great local coverage of Peterborough and the Kawarthas. 2023, here we come!


Peterborough Police Service RIDE Checked 495 Vehicles; Administered 11 ASDs

The Peterborough Police Service conducted a Festive RIDE check, there were 495 vehicles that were seen with 11 Approved Screen Devices (ASD) administered on New Year’s Eve (Saturday).

Police remind motorists to plan ahead. Anyone who has consumed alcohol or cannabis is urged not to drive.

Alternate solutions are to call or arrange a ride, stay overnight or contact a designated driver suggested by the police.

If you suspect that someone is driving while impaired, police ask that you call 9-1-1.

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The Peterborough Theatre Guild Presents ‘The Crucible’

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible to take the stage at the Peterborough Theatre Guild, with performances beginning Jan. 20.

File photo.

Directed by Jane Werger and produced by Linda Conway and Elaine Orgill, The Crucible will be brought to life by an 18-member cast on the Theatre Guild stage from Jan. 20-22, 26-29 and Feb. 2-4.

Winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play, The Crucible is an ode to courage and conscience; featuring a tender love story with a cautionary tale. Miller, one of America’s most celebrated playwrights used the historical Salem, Massachusetts witch trials as an analogy for the political turmoil of his time, when the House Un-American Activities Committee held its infamous Communist “witch” hunts. 

The play will be set in the 1930’s for the Guild’s performances, bringing the themes of social and political climates closer to our time.

Matinee shows (Jan. 22 and 29) will start at 2 p.m. and evening performances at 7:30 p.m. The Feb. 3 performance will have reduced capacity with COVID-19 protocols in place. The Peterborough Theatre Guild notes that masking is encouraged at all performances.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for senior and $15 for students and can be purchased online at the Peterborough Theatre Guild website, or by phone at (705) 745-4211.

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Peterborough Airport 2023 Lineup of Destinations Announced

Blowes & Stewart Travel Group Ltd. (BST Vacations) announces 2023 lineup of destinations through their Peterborough Departures program at the Peterborough Airport.

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BST Vacations will be travelling to their top four best selling destinations of all time and adding one new destination to the lineup this year. This includes flights to New York City, St. John's, Newfoundland, Boston, Massachusetts, Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas.

“2022 was a very exciting and successful return to the program after not being able to run for 2 years during the pandemic. That success would not have been possible without the support of our past passengers,” says Scott Stewart, president of BST Vacations. “At the end of the 2022 season, we asked (passengers) for destination suggestions for 2023. Overwhelmingly our passengers asked us to return to cities that we visited previously over the past 9 years of the program.”

BST Vacations says passengers can expect the same, hassle free flights the service has always offered, minus the traffic that comes from travelling to Toronto for a flight.

Food and beverage is included with your flight, and is all locally sourced. BST’s “community first initiative” aims to support Peterborough local businesses rather than outsourcing the food and beverage to the airline. Continental breakfast and in-flight meals are hand picked and made to order the morning of the flight by the catering department at Sobeys on Lansdowne Street.

Spirits and beer on board are from local distilleries and craft brewers. BST Vacations served the Publican House Pet Pilsner onboard in 2022, and were able to collect $1,500 in donations for the Humane Society’s Pet Project.

They are also welcoming a new Airline Partner for the 2023 season, Nolinor Airlines. Founded in 1992, Nolinor Aviation is the largest airline carrier offering specialized commercial charter flights in Canada.

The Boeing 737-800 is the largest aircraft in their fleet, and can carry 189 passengers. This aircraft type is part of the Boeing 737 Next Generation series and is the aircraft that will be used for the 2023 season flights. BST says this is the largest passenger aircraft to ever land/take off from the Peterborough Airport.

“We have given the people what they want, added Austin as a new destination, and are able to accommodate more passengers with the larger aircraft. We look forward to an amazing season of travel and exploring,” says Stewart.

For more information like departures dates and times from the Peterborough Airport, visit the BST website.

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Ladies Curling Team Go Undefeated In Runback U18 Curling Championships; Qualify For Provincials

Team Langford finished off 2022 on a winning note as they went undefeated at the Canadian Junior Cup U18 Runback Championship at the Oshawa Curling Club in Oshawa in a three-day tournament concluding on Sunday.

(From left to right) coach Dave Levecque, Jordan Graham, Hillary Brown, Toula Pappas and Katelin Langford. Photo courtesy of Dave Levecque.

Coached by Dave Levecque, the team consists of Jordan Graham, Hillary Brown, Toula Pappas, Katelin Langford (with the latter two from Peterborough).

They won their first and only match of Tuesday against Team Sone in an 8-3 win, scoring three points in the fourth and sixth end.

The team steamrolled Team Barrack in their second match on the second day in a 15-1 blowout win, scoring five, two, four and four points in the first four ends.

Team Wrigley made it close as Langford’s next opponent of the day, with the former, holding a 3-1 lead after five ends. Langley came back with three points in the sixth end and capped an insurance marker for one more point in the seventh for the 5-3 win.

Their final opponent before the playoffs was a close one as Team Leung tested Langford’s poise with a 4-4 tie into the eighth and final end. Langford was able to escape with a point to win 5-4.

Their semifinal playoff matchup against Team Sone was another rout, winning 7-1 to advance to the finals.

They finished off their undefeated tournament, defeating Team Leung in an 11-2 convincing fashion with five points in the seventh end.

The team is competing next in Cornwall for the Ontario Winter Games Last Chance Qualifier from Friday to Sunday. They’ll return to Oshawa for the Ontario Provincial Championships from Jan. 12 - 16. The winner of that event will represent Ontario at the National Championship in Timmins on Feb. 5 - 11.

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Team Canada Moves to Semifinals in 4-3 Overtime Win Against Slovakia; Peterborough Pete Brennan Othmann Gets Assist

Team Canada had a close call at the 2023 World Junior Championships (WJC) but they won in overtime against Slovakia, 4-3; Peterborough Petes’s Brennan Othmann got an assist in the winning effort.

Othmann had two goals and one assist during the round robin portion of the tournament. Photo courtesy of the Peteborough Petes.

Canada was drawn against the second-seeded Slovaks from Group B and played at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on Monday night.

Othmann’s assist came on the power play in the second period as Connor Bedard fed him a pass just outside the far-side faceoff circle. Othmann made a cross-crease pass to Dylan Guenther for a one-timer goal for a 2-0 lead.

The game eventually went into overtime with a 3-3 tie as Slovakia was able to overcome the two-goal deficit, midway through the third period.

Overtime saw magic from Bedard as he deked through the entire Slovenian team and scored for a 4-3 thrilling win.

“Connor is just something special,” explained Othmann. “He put on a show. Every game he put on a show in overtime and you get there on the ice, it’s nerve-wracking but it’s exciting. He can control those emotions better than anyone I know.”

Canada will face the top-seeded United States of Group B on Thursday night.

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Meet Luna; Peterborough’s First Baby Born in 2023

At 5:51 a.m. on Jan. 1, midwife Sarah Tucker delivered Peterborough’s first baby of 2023 at the Kawartha Community Midwives Clinic.

Photo courtesy of Jacob Werker.

Baby Luna is her parents Anna and Jacob’s second child, making five-year-old Josah a big brother.

Jacob says mom Anna began feeling contractions around 4 a.m., giving birth to a healthy, 6.7 pound baby under two hours later.

“It was an absolute privilege to attend Anna during her birth, as it is with every one of my clients, but a new year with new life is extra special,” said Tucker. “It’s refreshing and invigorating and just sets the tone for the new year.”

Kawartha Community Midwives on Stewart St. provides midwifery care in and around Peterborough.

Two midwives are required for each birth, and Tucker was backed up by midwife Lisa Chappell after the birth of Luna.

“It is an honour to be with someone at one of the most vulnerable times in their life. It’s incredibly humbling to know that people trust me to safely, and lovingly, bring their babies into this world,” said Tucker. “Birth can be so beautiful and normal, it doesn’t have to be scary, and when our clients feel well-supported it takes that fear away.”

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