$100,000 Available For Projects Supporting Economic Growth Through Community Futures Peterborough's Advancement Program

Community Futures Peterborough (CFP) is doubling the funding to $100,000 through its Community Advancement Program (CAP) for projects supporting economic growth, announced at the Art Gallery of Peterborough on Tuesday morning.

Girard addresses the public on CFP’s 40th anniversary at the Art Gallery of Peterborough with several dignitaries in attendance. Photo courtesy of Community Futures Peterborough.

The money came from the federal government through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The CAP will distribute an astonishing $100,000 to our region's not-for-profits, charities, municipalities and First Nation communities, a doubling from when it was first launched last year.

“Our organization is committed to advancing our local economy forward and is thrilled to be able to distribute $100,000 back into our community this year,” said Devon Girard, CFP executive director. “We fully understand and recognize the impact these dollars can make to create real change.”

The extra funding is part of CFP’s 40th anniversary where the City recognized the organization’s milestone.

“Building on a successful first year, the Community Advancement Program now offers even more support for businesses, non-profits and other eligible organizations to invest in the Peterborough region,” said Mayor Jeff Leal.

“Providing stability, building trust, and fostering a strong reputation in our region are all at the core of what we do at Community Futures Peterborough,” said Wayne Harding, CPF board of directors chair. “It's about giving back and demonstrating unwavering commitment to our community.”

The Community Advancement Program will provide 10 chosen applicants with non-repayable funding of $10,000 for their project.

Applications for the CAP program and full program guidelines are available on the Community Futures Peterborough website. The deadline to apply is March 7. All applicants will be notified by April 1 of the result of their application.

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City of Peterborough Discontinues Maintenance On Canal Due to Budgeting; Final Deliberations In Early February

As part of its 2025 Budget deliberations, the City of Peterborough is not maintaining a skating rink at the Peterborough Lift Lock and may remove that service as a cost-cutting measure.

File Photo.

With the canal property of Parks Canada, the City does not decide on public access to the property, according to a press release. Parks Canada has, in the past, installed steps for public access to the ice surface of the canal at the City’s request.

The City estimates an annual cost of $100,000 for maintenance, which includes activities such as regularly flooding the ice surface to create a smooth rink, snow clearing with snow clearing machines, and testing ice thickness.

The green flag was posted for safe skating on the canal beneath the Lift Lock for the following number of days for each of the past few seasons based on weather and ice conditions: 2021-2022 season, 12 days; 2022-2023 season, four days; 2023-2024 season, one day.

The City also operates an outdoor skating rink at Quaker Foods City Square on Charlotte Street. It administers a neighbourhood park rink program provided by volunteers who maintain rinks at neighbourhood parks.

City Council will continue its 2025 Budget deliberations on Jan. 20 with final approval of the 2025 Budget anticipated on Feb. 3.

The Draft 2025 Budget reflects an eight per cent all-inclusive property tax increase for 2025. City Council has indicated it would like options to reduce the all-inclusive property tax increase to seven per cent.

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Brampton Man Arrested For Theft at a Peterborough Home Depot

A 44-year-old Brampton man is facing theft charges after an incident at a Home Depot Monday night.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 7 p.m., officers were reported to the Home Depot at Lansdowne Street and Park Street about two suspicious males. Officers spotted a white van believed to be involved in the parking lot. 

They conducted a traffic stop with emergency lights and while speaking to the driver, the driver reversed, struck another vehicle, almost hit a police cruiser and took off. Officers then located a second man matching the description given to police in the parking lot and took him into custody.

During a search after arrest, officers located items from the store and several pieces of identification that did not belong to the suspect.

The man was arrested and charged with:

• Theft Under $5000

• Obstruct Peace Officer

• Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5,000 - in Canada X2

The accused is also wanted for similar offences in other jurisdictions.

The accused is being held in custody and will appear in court today on Tuesday.

Anyone with information about a white cube van with Ontario license plate AW88359 is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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JA-NEO Announces Kawartha Lakes 2025 Business Hall of Fame Inductees

Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario (JA-NEO) has named its inductees for the Kawartha Lakers 2025 JA Business Hall of Fame at Launch Kawartha/Invest Kawartha.

Photo courtesy of Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce.

The inductees strengthen our economy and community through their exemplary accomplishments of vision, leadership, and commitment to excellence in business over a lifetime a,ccording to John McNutt, JA-NEO president and CEO.

“JA-NEO is excited to unveil the 3rd annual class of inductees to join our ever-growing Business Hall of Fame for the City of Kawartha Lakes,” he said. “These exceptional business leaders are helping to inspire and show local youth that starting your own business can be rewarding and last multiple generations much like the business leaders being honored today.”

The inductees will be formally inducted at the third Annual JA Business Hall of Fame for the City of Kawartha Lakes on May 8 at Mackey Celebrations in downtown Lindsay.

The 2025 JA Business Hall of Fame inductees are as follows:

• Carly, Debbie and Jay Poole – Buckeye Marine

• Tim Wisener – The Grove Theatre

• Gord Ferguson – Northern Casket

• The Torrey Family – Torrey Family Farm

• Sherry Peel – Bigley Shoes and Clothing

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Peterborough Petes Goaltender Easton Rye Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Peterborough Petes goaltender Easton Rye has been named the OHL Goaltender of the Week after going 2-0-0-1 with a 2.91 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in three outings, announced on Monday afternoon.

Photo courtesy of Kenenth Andersen Photography and the Peterborough Petes.

Rye made 92 saves last week. He stopped 23 of 25 shots to help Peterborough get the 5-2 win over the Barrie Colts on Thursday. Rye made 39 saves and stopped two shootout attempts in a 5-4 loss to the Brantford Bulldogs on Saturday. Rye started in back-to-back games with a 30-save performance for a 5-2 victory against the Niagara IceDogs on Sunday.

The 18-year-old Peterborough native played in 16 games for the Petes this season, posting a 7-7-1-1 record with a 3.23 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Over two OHL seasons, Rye has played in 25 games, with an 8-11-1-1 record with a 4.03 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage.

The 6-foot, 196lb. netminder was selected by Peterborough in the fifth round (89th overall) of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection and spent the majority of 2023-24 with the PJCHL’s Lakefield Chiefs.

The Petes are back home to take on the Soo Greyhounds on Thursday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

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Peterborough Take Seven Players From MSL Draft Including Three Jr. A Lakers

The Peterborough Lakers have taken seven players, including three players from the Peterborough Jr. A Lakers system from the Major Series Lacrosse draft on Sunday.

Tye Scott as the team’s first pick of the MSL draft, taken in the second round, 12th overall. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Lakers.

The picks included Michael Blaymires (fourth round), Caleb Connell (fifth round) and Nick Dilauro (fifth round).

The team protected Nick Crowley, Frank Coyle and Cole Gervais from the Jr. A Lakers ahead of the draft.

The following are the Peterborough Lakers’s draft picks:

• Round 2 - Tye Scott, Brampton Excelsiors (12th overall)

• Round 3 - Chris Harland, Toronto Beaches (19th overall)

• Round 3 - Kash Doxtator, Six Nations Arrows (21st overall)

• Round 4 - Michael Blaymires, Peterborough Jr. A Lakers (23rd overall)

• Round 4 - Cole Begley, Mimico Mountaineers (26th overall)

• Round 5 - Caleb Connell and Nick Dilauro, Peterborough Jr. A Lakers (20th and 33rd overall)

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Police Seeking Help Finding Missing 14-Year-Old Peterborough Girl

UPDATE: Cameron has been found.

The Peterborough Police Service is seeking the public’s help in locating a missing 14-year-old Peterborough girl, Aaliyah Cameron, reported missing on Monday.

Cameron was last seen leaving a residence in the Towerhill Road and Hilliard Street area around 3 pm on Sunday. 

Cameron is described as:

• White female

• 173cm in height

• Cream colored 'Hurley' Hoodie

• Plaid burgundy pants

• Beige Ugg style boots

Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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Peterborough Petes Pick Up Three Points In Weekend Slate of Games

With an overtime loss to the Branford Bulldogs on Saturday and a dominant win over the Niagara IceDogs on Sunday, the Peterborough Petes walk away with three points over the weekend.

Photo courtesy of Rye Save (Vivd Eye Photography).

Peterborough fell behind quickly against the Bulldogs, allowing the period’s first three goals. The Petes were able to rally, scoring the next four with the last one early in the third period. Genc Ula scored his first goal as a Pete. Brantford tied the game almost halfway through the third and the game was solved in a shootout.

Shootout results:

• PBO - Caden Taylor (No Goal)

• BFD - Jake O’Brien (No Goal)

• PBO - Colin Fitzgerald (No Goal)

• BFD - Cole Brown (No Goal)

• PBO - Brady Stonehouse (No Goal)

• BFD - Patrick Thomas (Goal)

The Petes travelled to St. Catherine’s to face the Niagara IceDogs, their second matchup in 13 days.

Peterborough came out firing, scoring the game’s first five goals through two periods, including a pair from Petes captain Johnathan Melee. Niagara mustered two goals in the final frame but was nowhere near catching up to their five-goal deficit and the Petes left with two points to their name for a three-point weekend.

The Petes are back home to take on the Soo Greyhounds on Thursday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

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Peterborough Man Charged With Assault After Allegedly Lighting His Spouse's Hair On Fire

A 36-year-old Peterborough man wanted on a warrant is facing several more charges, including assault, after an incident Sunday morning.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 6:30 a.m., a disturbance occurred in the Towerhill Road and Hilliard Street area. There was a dispute between a couple and the male had thrown objects at the female, spat on her, lit her hair on fire and poured water on her.

The man was in the residence's basement and began calling out to him. After about 20 minutes, the man came out and was taken into custody.  Officers learned that there was a warrant for the suspect’s arrest for five charges, including assault causing bodily harm and forcible confinement.

The man was arrested on the strength of the warrant and further charged with:

• Assault with a Weapon - Spousal

• Assault – Spousal

• Fail to Comply with Probation Order

The accused is currently bound by a probation order not to communicate with the female involved. 

The accused was held in custody and appeared in Weekend and Statutory Holiday (WASH) court on Sunday.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Bentley Bits, Escape Maze, Electric City Catering and Carl Oake

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running the Business Beat columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

Looking for some special treats for your furry friend?

There’s a new local line of treats for dogs and cats called Bentley Bits from Bentley and Co. They’re not only tasty but healthy too. They are made with all-natural ingredients, like grass-fed beef tallow, coconut oil, and parsley. It’s good for their coat, skin, and digestion. Tracey Townsend started making treats as her cherished dog Bentley was getting older and could no longer eat hard treats. You can find them at Starfra Feeds at 152 Douro 9th Line with more locations coming. You can also buy direct by connecting on Facebook with Bentley and Co.

There’s a lot going on at Escape Maze these days.

Just 20 minutes south of Peterborough on a beautiful rural property, they offer elaborate escape rooms, party packages, tactical laser tag, corporate team bonding events, outdoor adventure gamers, and even weddings. They are renovating an old favourite room into a brand new adventure coming later this year. In the meantime, try their Wizards and Dragons room where magic, wonder and adventure come to life. Book your next outing at escapemaze.ca.

Susan Tung, founder of Hanoi House, is opening a new business — Electric City Catering.

The new catering business will launch this spring. It offers seamless service and show-stopping culinary creations, serving a wide audience and diverse range of special occasions, including weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. Electric City Catering takes pride in providing the wow factor with stunning food displays. Find out more at electriccitycatering.ca.

I’m going to take a moment to honour a true local business and community leader.

Carl Oake passed away recently and leaves behind a huge legacy. Carl embraced the Rotary club’s motto of Service Above Self. He built a successful business with Carl Oake Century 21 United Realty. Despite the busy life of an entrepreneur, Carl invested much of his time and resources in building a stronger community through charitable work. He raised more than $1.4 million over 38 years through his annual swimathon, raising funds for Easter Seals and rotary community projects. Carl served on numerous boards, fundraised for many charitable causes, and was recognized for his work with quite a few awards, including the Chamber’s Business Citizen of the Year back in 2002. There’s far too much to list here in the Business Beat, but there’s no doubt he has left our community a better place.

If you want to have your business featured on the Business Beat or know of a business doing something new and interested, shoot an email to joel@pkchamber.ca.

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