Peterborough Man Arrested For Break and Enter; Police Seeking Another Suspect Who Fled

A 35-year-old Peterborough man is facing charges after a break-and-enter incident Wednesday evening. 

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At roughly 8:15 p.m, officers were called to a George Street North and Brock Street building about two unwanted people. Officers learned that one person was still inside.  While checking the building, officers located that person and took them into custody.

Theman was arrested and charged with:

• Break, Enter a place - with intent to commit indictable offence

• Fail to Comply with Probation Order

• Possession of a Schedule I Substance- Other Drugs

The accused is currently bound by a probation order with the following condition: to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

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

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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JA-NEO Unveils Class of 2025 Business Hall of Fame Inductees

Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario (JA-NEO) has revealed this year’s exceptional business leaders into the class of 2025 10th Annual JA-NEO Business Hall of Fame (BHF), announced at the Venture North Building on Wednesday morning.

Toni and Kelli Grady; Donnell Leahy, Natalie McMaster and Julia Leahy and Margo and Paul Hudson were absent from the event. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The nominees are being inducted at an event at The Venue on May 29. Each year, JA-NEO highlights nominees and their contributions that have significantly impacted the local business landscape, according to a press release.

“JA-NEO is excited to unveil the 10th annual class of inductees to join our ever-growing Business Hall of Fame as we mark our 10th induction ceremony this May,” said John McNutt, JA-NEO CEO and president. “As we celebrate 10 years of our Business Hall of Fame, we are thrilled to welcome our biggest class yet who are helping to inspire and show local youth that starting their own business can be rewarding and last multiple generations much like the business leaders being honored today.”

The 2025 JA-NEO Business Hall of Fame Inductees for Peterborough are:

• Darrell Junkin, Craftworks at the Barn

• Toni and Kelli Grady, Grady Feet Essentials

• Grant Seabrooke, Machine Dynamics Ltd.

• Matt Holmes and Michael Riseley, Holmes Riseley LLP

• Donnell Leahy, Natalie McMaster and Julia Leahy, Natalie Donnell Entertainment

• Margo and Paul Hudson, Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods

• Nancy Wiskel, Dan Joyce Clothing

• Martin and Kelly Carbajal, La Mesita Restaurante

• Drew Merrett, Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre

• Diane Richard, Diatom Consulting

• Raj Patel, Ennismore Foodland

• Peter, Rita, Michael, Eric and Graeme Eatson, Peterborough Volkswagen

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Canadian Mental Health Association Offer Tips To Battle Mental Health Stigma On Bell Let's Talk Day

To mark the 15th annual Bell Let’s Talk Day, the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) have joined the latter in providing tips to help beat the stigma of mental health.

Since its launch in 2010, Bell Let’s Talk has significantly advanced Canada’s mental health conversation. This initiative has reduced stigma, spurred open dialogue, and fostered positive changes in attitudes and behaviours surrounding mental health. File Photo.

 CMHA HKPR encourages the public to be part of the change and use this campaign as an opportunity to take action that is meaningful. 

How to Get Involved:

• Text the keyword “YOUTH” to 45678 to donate $5 to support youth mental health. Bell will match these donations up to $1 million.

These are the five ways to help fight the stigma surrounding mental illness:

1. Language matters – pay attention to the words you use.

2. Educate yourself – learn, know and talk more – understand the signs when someone needs help. Consider education offered through CMHA HKPR, including corporate and workplace mental health education as well as certificate training.

3. Be kind – small acts of kindness to someone struggling can help a lot.

4. Listen and ask – sometimes it is best to just listen.

5. Talk about it – start a dialogue, break the silence!

In October, Bell announced a $10 million contribution to mental health in 2025, increasing its total investment to $184 million since 2010.

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Innovation Cluster Announce Record-Breaking Year In 2024

The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas have declared 2024 as its best-performing year on its twentieth anniversary, announced on Wednesday.

The organization serves over 125 early-stage companies in 23 countries and regional and provincial Ontario Canadian clients. File photo.

According to Innovation Cluster, in 2024, international and regional demand for technology-based incubator and accelerator programming drove a 19 per cent increase in active clients.

“Working with the Innovation Cluster was an incredible experience,” said Kinen Ocitti, CEO & Founder of Kuwota. “We received valuable guidance from the program's experts-in-residence, who helped us understand our platform's value to individuals and mental health professionals, explore different customer acquisition strategies and build partnerships with mental health organizations.”

The following are Innovation Cluster’s 2024 highlights:

● 30 events across a broad spectrum of topics focused on skill-building and networking

● Launched the LevelUP accelerator program and conducted two over-subscribed cohorts with over 50 per cent of the applicants new to the Innovation Cluster

● Expanded the Expert-in-Residence (EXiR) program with additional expertise in funding, IP, operations, and service models and delivered over 130 expert advisory hours

● Continued to receive Government funding for new programming.

● Added a virtual component to all programming and moved to new offices in response to client needs

“I am excited to bring my experience in deep tech, venture capital, and innovation strategy to help scale startups and drive transformative change,” said Moien Giashi of GreenSky Ventures Inc. “As an ExIR, my priority is to empower founders to overcome complex challenges, fast-track their journey to market, and contribute to the ongoing success of the Innovation Cluster's dynamic and impactful ecosystem.”

“The rapid growth we experienced last year, coupled with our ability to maintain consistently high customer satisfaction, validates our vision and the quality of our programming,” said Nicole Stephenson, Chair of the Board of Directors. “2024 was a year of change in the industries and communities we serve and our organization. We left 2024 well positioned for continued growth in 2025 and beyond.”

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Police Seeking Missing 35-Year-Old Peterborough Man

The Peterborough Police Service is asking the public’s assistance in locating a missing person 35-year-old Justin Lambert, reported on Wednesday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

He was last seen leaving his residence in the downtown area around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. His family and police are concerned for his well-being.

Lambert is described as:

• black jacket

• green toque yellow "Zelda" logo

• prescription glasses

• black pants

• reddish hair

• 6'1

• Thin build

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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City Opens Registration For Summer Day Camp Programs at the Kinsmen Civic Centre

The City of Peterborough has opened registration for its summer camp programs at the Kinsmen Civic Centre.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

This is the first time summer camp programming has been offered at the Kinsmen Civic Centre. This new location gives the City’s Recreation and Parks Services division a chance to offer more programming to hundreds of campers throughout the summer.

Summer day camps at the Kinsmen Civic Centre include:

• Beach Party, July 7 – July 11

• Wild Zoofari, July 14 – July 18

• Pirates and Mermaids, July 21 – July 25

• Superhero Showdown, July 28 – Aug. 1

• Space Adventure, Aug. 5 – Aug. 8

• Dinosaur Daze, Aug. 11 – Aug. 15

• Dreaming of Disney, Aug. 18 – Aug. 22

These programs are also offered at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre on the same dates.

Summer and day camp programs are also at the Art Gallery of Peterborough and the Peterborough Museum and Archives, and sports programs are at numerous sites across the city.

Residents can sign up for summer camp programs by calling 705-742-0050 or visiting online.

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Crawford Drive Closed Due to Main Water Break; Expected to Be Reopened Tuesday Evening

Crawford Drive has been closed by Peterborough Utilities Group due to a water main break, announced on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan bui.

The area between Erskine Avenue and The Parkway is the closed section.

Repairs are already underway and Peterborough Utilities Group expects the work to be completed later in the evening.

Emergency access is still available through The Parkway.

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City Council Endorses Draft 2025 Budget

City Council has endorsed a Draft 2025 Budget that outlines investments in municipal services and infrastructure.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

There is a proposed 6.72 per cent all-inclusive rate increase that equates to $10.44 per month per $100,000 of property assessment for the typical residential property.

Council is expected to consider final approval of the City’s 2025 Budget on Feb. 3

Through its budget deliberations in November, Council cut spending in several areas and added back funding that had been removed earlier in the budget to reduce the property tax requirement. Council started with a 7.8 per cent all-inclusive rate increase when the draft budget was initially presented.

To reduce the tax requirement for residents and businesses, the Council asked the Peterborough County/City Paramedics and Peterborough Police Services Board to reduce their requested increases for 2025. Peterborough Paramedics reduced its funding request to $7,299,067, an increase of $488,270, or 7.2 per cent, from 2024. Peterborough Police Services Board responded with a request for $37,802,241, an increase of $2,727,054, or 7.8 per cent, from 2024 – after initially requesting an 8.8 per cent increase.

Council made many changes to the City’s Draft 2025 Budget to reduce the property tax requirement by decreasing spending, increasing revenue and drawing from reserve funds.

Among the changes to the draft budget, Council:

• Restoring $298,153 for Community Grants that had been cut from the draft budget

• Adding a $500,000 interest-free loan for the replacement of the roof at Showplace Performance Centre

• Increasing Transit fares by 25 cents to generate an estimated $125,000 in revenue

• Reducing the proposed 2025 stormwater management funding by $620,000

• Providing $250,000 from the Social Services Reserve to help fund architectural, engineering and planning services for the proposed new Brock Mission Housing Project that would create 50 transitional housing units

• Drawing $904,000 from the Social Services Reserve for several housing and homelessness services enhancements, including extending the Trinity Community Centre overnight drop-in program to a full-year service, increasing funding to the Housing Stability Fund, and increasing the capacity of the Brock Mission shelter to 40 beds from 32 beds

• Restoring funding for discretionary benefits, which had been proposed to be reduced, at a cost of $235,695

• Reducing preventative maintenance at municipal facilities for a savings of $153,000

• Ending the lifeguard service for swimming at Roger’s Cove for a savings of $39,995 (lifeguard service continues to be provided at the nearby Beavermead Park beach)

• Ending the maintenance of the Trent-Severn Waterway canal south of the Lift Lock in winter for skating for a savings of $100,000

• Reinstating a $150,000 annual payment to the Downtown Business Improvement Area that had been proposed to be removed

• Removing a $132,500 expense for contracting streetscape maintenance services to the Downtown Business Improvement Area as the City will directly provide the service in 2025

• Reducing spending on graffiti management, forestry contractual services, and street cleaning totalling $60,000

• Reducing Transit expenses for cleaning supplies and contractual services by $75,000

• Reducing the budget provision for insurance premiums by $115,000

Through its 2025 Budget, Council has endorsed transitioning stormwater funding from the tax base to a dedicated user fee effective April 1, using a simplified interim rate structure. The proposed user fee will replace what is being paid by property owners through the property tax base and place a charge, or a user fee, on the utility bill. Unlike many municipalities with dedicated stormwater networks and raise the necessary funding through a user fee, the City of Peterborough currently funds the program through the tax base.

The benefits to implementing a Stormwater Management Fee according to the City include:

• Dedicating a funding stream allocated back to providing the service

• Awareness and transparency showing owners what they pay for the service and what is required for capital and operating costs

• Fairness where owners may pay based on stormwater contribution as opposed to property assessment

• Introducing the opportunity for economic incentives, giving owners the opportunity to reduce their costs associated with delivering the service

The Budget details investments in municipal services and infrastructure, such as water and wastewater infrastructure and treatment, garbage collection, the Green Bin program, the landfill and composting facilities, affordable housing, homelessness services, roads, recreation and parks, arts and culture, policing, fire services, paramedics, and public health.

The Draft 2025 Budget, as presented on Nov. 4, includes $411 million in operating expenses, with $185.9 million from property taxes and the remainder funded by other revenues such as grants from other governments, user fees and service charges.

On the capital side, the Draft 2025 Budget as presented on Nov. 4, includes $147.4 million for 174 projects such as the Transit Garage Replacement, police station renovations, major infrastructure work on Brealey Drive between Lansdowne and Sherbrooke streets, updating and replacing equipment at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and various road projects.

The City started the 2025 Budget process in March 2024 with community consultation, including a survey and public meetings held through March and April. Council held General Committee meetings in June to review information and consider input from the community. Council considered detailed breakdowns of budget implications for services and capital projects before recommending guidelines for preparing the Draft 2025 Budget.

Council heard from public delegations on the Draft 2025 Budget at a meeting on Nov. 12.

The City held informal public meetings on Nov. 7 and Nov. 12 to present information, respond to questions and get feedback on the Draft 2025 Budget ahead of Council’s deliberations.

On Dec. 9, 2024, Council gave final approval to specific projects and programs in the 2025 Budget to allow that work to proceed while Council considers the remainder of the Draft 2025 Budget. Council also approved the 2025 User Fees and Charges.

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City to Continue Taking Natural Christmas Trees For Curbside Pickup

The City of Peterborough continues curbside collection of natural Christmas trees throughout January. 

File Photo.

The first City-wide collection round was completed last week and a second round began on Monday.

Collection takes place weather permitting and does not follow regular curbside collection schedules. Residents do not need to call to request collection.

Trees will be composted, therefore all decorations and tinsel must be removed and trees must not be in plastic bags.

Residents are asked to place trees at the curb in a visible location within safe reach for collection staff. Please avoid snowbanks and ensure that trees do not get buried in snowbanks.

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Third-Annual I ❤︎ Beer and Taco Festival Hits Peterborough Memorial Centre

The fun food combination is coming back to town as the the third-annual I ❤︎ Beer & Taco Festival has returned to the Peterborough Memorial Centre on April 12.

photo courtesy of the peterborough memorial centre.

The festival will contain beer, cider and spirit sampling, games, dancing and tacos. New this year for the night sessions is a 90's Dance Party.

Tokens are $2.50 and can be purchased on-site or online. They are used for food and drinks. The event is cash-only, with three ATMs on site.

All general admission tickets include an official 10-ounce I ❤︎ BEER sampling cup. Session one will take place from noon to 5 p.m. and session two will take place from 5 to 10 p.m.

Tickets start at just $9.99 for Session one and $14.99 for Session two (plus HST and Ticket Fees) and slowly make their way up to our regular ticket price of $14.99/$19.99 (plus HST and Ticket Fees)

The Peterborough Memorial Centre notes that this is a 19+ event and to drink responsibly.

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