Photos: Community Futures Peterborough Leads Business Owners Through ‘The Modern Entrepreneur Experience'

Community Futures Peterborough (CFP) and the Business Advisory Centre hosted ‘The Modern Entrepreneur Experience,’ designed to empower local business owners with modern tools, insights, and connections for growth, held at the El(p) on Tuesday morning.

Devon Girard, CFP executive director (far left) addresses the audience after their lunch break at the El(p). All photos by David Tuan Bui.

According to CFP, the event brings together industry leaders, creative strategists, and marketing experts for a half-day of learning, networking, and inspiration, showcasing Peterborough’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

There were several speakers at the event. Jason Fiorotto, a marketing and sales leader for over 25 years, taught attendees how to attract the right customers, convert leads and build long-term growth.

Shelby Leonard-Watt & Mike Watt of Plush, Flavour and SOS spoke about building a personal brand and sharing storytelling insights while exploring how style and brand presence can elevate business success.

Influencer Megan Patterson discussed how to leverage authentic storytelling and influencer strategy to connect with audiences and drive meaningful results.

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Trent University Recognizes Nine Recipients With Alumni Awards

Nine individuals are honoured through the 2025 Trent University Alumni Awards to recognize their contributions to shaping a better world.

Photo courtesy of Trent University.

This year’s recipients are being recognized for efforts advancing research in public health and family well-being, leading in sport and science and inspiring creativity, compassion and leadership in family-law policy, health equity, forensic science, community building, student leadership and student governance.

“This year’s recipients embody what it means to be part of the Trent community,” says Naomi Handley, Trent director of Alumni Engagement and Services. “Their leadership, innovation, and compassion shine through everything they do, from advancing research and championing equity to inspiring the next generation of learners. We’re honoured to recognize their accomplishments and the many ways they carry Trent’s spirit into the world.”

The 2025 alumni award recipients are:

Distinguished Alumni Awards

Dr. Zach Conrad ’02 (Champlain College) is an internationally recognized nutritional epidemiologist whose transformative research shapes national and international policy for the world’s biggest challenges around nutrition, health equity, and sustainability.

Dr. Robert (Bob) Glossop ’67 (Champlain College) is a distinguished researcher on family dynamics whose three decades of work have directly influenced social policy and family law across Canada to better support the well-being of families.

Spirit of Trent Award

Neil Horne ’96 (Champlain College) is a passionate and dedicated leader in Trent’s rowing community, whose 14 years of service to the Head of the Trent Regatta have elevated both the Trent Rowing Club and the regatta to international recognition.

Young Leaders Award

Dr. Theresa Stotesbury ’07 (Gzowski College) is an esteemed forensic scientist whose groundbreaking research on the degradation of biological tissues, such as blood, has revolutionized forensic investigations across Canada.

Jordan MacDonald ’17 (Lady Eaton College) is a dedicated researcher and community advocate whose work is reshaping how we understand and support teen parents – advancing policies that help young parents overcome barriers, complete their education, and thrive.

Founder’s Spirit Award

Newly introduced this year, the Founder’s Spirit Award honours alumni whose visionary leadership and lasting contributions have strengthened Trent University and its broader communities. The late David Christopher (Chris) Leach ’70 (Peter Robinson College) was a leader and Olympian whose founding role in Trent and Peterborough’s rowing clubs - including his instrumental role in creating the Head of the Trent Regatta - left a lasting legacy on sport, mentorship, and University life.

David Glassco Prize (student leadership)

Izabelle (Izzy) Miranda is a dynamic student leader who has held more than 10 leadership positions in campus clubs and organizations, leaving a lasting impact on the Trent community.

Robert W.F. Stephenson Prize (student governance)

Rylin Wormington (Otonabee College) is a fourth-year student who has served as junior senator, vice-president, and now president of the Otonabee College Cabinet, demonstrating exceptional commitment to student governance and University life.

Anne Warigia Kitheka ’18 (Lady Eaton College) is a dynamic leader whose dedication to equity, mentorship, and student advocacy has left a lasting impact at Trent while continuing to shape her path in science and business.

The 2025 awards will be presented at a reception on Nov. 18 at Trent University.

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OLG Issues Second-Quarter Gaming Revenue Payment to Peterborough of $716,653

Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has made their second quarter payment totaling $716,653 to the City of Peterborough for hosting Shorelines Casino Peterborough.

Since 1994, host communities have received more than $2.3 billion in non-tax gaming revenue. File Photo.

The quarter was from July 1 to Sept. 30.

During OLG’s fiscal year (April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026), Peterborough has received $1,428,934. Since the gaming site opened in October 2018, Peterborough has amassed $16,524,145 according to a press release.

These payments to host communities are based on a formula consistently applied across all gaming sites in Ontario using a graduated scale of gaming revenue at the hosted site as stated in a press release. 

“Peterborough is able to offer local programs and improve the quality of life of our residents through the economic activity generated through revenue from Shorelines Casino Peterborough,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “The people of Ontario benefit from OLG’s gaming revenues as 100 per cent of OLG profits are reinvested in the province to support provincial priorities.”

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Peterborough Memorial Centre to Host OFSAA Wrestling Championship From March 2 to 4

Canada’s largest wrestling tournament –the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Wrestling Championship – is returning to town on March 2 to 4 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The championship brings together over 900 competitors and 450 coaches from 250 secondary schools across Ontario. Last held in Peterborough in 2012, it will be hosted in collaboration with three Peterborough secondary schools: Kenner Collegiate, Adam Scott Collegiate and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.

“Events like the OFSAA Wrestling Championships celebrate the incredible dedication, spirit, and talent of young athletes from across Ontario,” said Councillors Lesley Parnell and Alex Bierk. “We’re proud to welcome this next generation of athletes and their supporters to Peterborough, and to showcase the best of what our community has to offer as we continue to position the City as a destination of choice for sporting events.”

OFSAA is a federation of 18 regional school athletic associations from across the province that supports 45 provincial championships and seven festivals across 21 sports for Ontario’s student athletes.

“It is a dream come true to bring the OFSAA Wrestling Championship to Peterborough,” said Ryan McCracken, OFSAA convenor and Adam Scott Collegiate teacher and coach. “Being able to host this event will not only inspire a new generation of wrestlers in the region, but it will also recognize the hard work our local athletes and coaches have been doing to grow the sport after it was shut down for several years due to the pandemic. With the help of local partners and sponsors, we plan on pulling out all the stops to put on an unforgettable event.”

Athletes will be competing this season to earn the right to attend the OFSAA Championship, with the top two wrestlers from each region qualifying.

Each category features 32 wrestlers competing for the podium, divided into 18 female and 18 male categories.

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Trent Excalibur Women’s Lacrosse Team Capture OUA Patterson Cup

The Trent Excalibur women’s lacrosse team are Ontario University Athletics (OUA) champions after claiming the 2025 Patterson Cup over the weekend in Waterloo.

Photo courtesy of Marina Particelli.

Trent entered the championship as the top seed following a 7-1 regular season. The Excalibur opened their postseason with a 17–2 rout over the McMaster Marauders on Friday evening.

Saturday’s semifinal was a rematch against the host Laurier Golden Hawks, the only team to defeat Trent during the regular season. The Excalibur got revenge with a 14–6 win to Sunday’s championship. 

In the final, Trent faced the two-time defending champion, Queen’s Gaels. Their first matchup saw the Excalibur defeating them 13–6 in their season opener back in September.

Queen’s got on the scoreboard first but the Excalibur quickly responded with a pair of goals by OUA Rookie of the Year Maddy Baxter to take a 2-1 lead after the first quarter. Trent’s Tyler McDonald and Natalie Fournier book-ended a Gaels marker in the second quarter to give the green and white a 4-2 half-time lead. 

Queen’s cut the lead to 4-3 early in the third but McDonald scored her second of the game. Baxter completed the hat-trick to end the quarter as Trent increased their lead to 6-3. OUA offensive player of the year and Peterborough’s Abby Hiltz got on the board with a power play marker in the fourth quarter and Fournier notched her second of the game as Trent controlled the final stanza to win 8-4. 

OUA goalkeeper of the year Kieran Gerow was named Trent’s player of the game, making nine saves. The Excalibur outshot Queen’s, 14-13 for the game. 

The win marks Trent’s fourth OUA title in program history, following gold medal finishes in 2016, 2019 and 2021.

Trent Athletics will be hosting next year’s OUA Championship at Justin Chiu Stadium. 

Several Excalibur players were recognized among the league’s best for their outstanding performances throughout the year:

• OUA Rookie of the Year: Maddy Baxter 

• OUA Offensive Player of the Year: Abby Hiltz 

• OUA Goalkeeper of the Year: Kieran Gerow 

Trent’s excellence was also recognized across the league’s All-Star selections: 

• Attacker: Abby Hiltz 

• Midfielder: Natalie Fournier 

• Midfielder: Maddy Baxter 

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Metal Fire Extinguished Near Lansdowne Place's Superstore and Triple M Metal

A metal fire that broke out has been extinguished near the area of Triple M Metal and Superstore at Lansdowne Place on Monday afternooon.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The fire occurred before 2:30 p.m. and Peterborough Fire Services had neutralized the area before 3:15 p.m.

Residents and business owners in the area were advised to close windows and shut off HVAC units due to the poor air quality.

@ptbo_canada A large metal fire broke out near the Superstore resulting in smoke and poor air quality. #ptbocanada #journalism #news #fyp ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada

Security staff have closed off the area as first responders neutralize the fire.

The cause is currently unknown.

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Demolition Continues Lakefield Home Hardware Fire Aftermath

Demolition work of the the recent structure fire at the Home Hardware building continues in the Village of Lakefield.

Photo courtesy of James Forrester.

According to the the Township of Selwyn, significant progress has been made on the demolition of the structures razed by the fire. For safety reasons, Queen Street will remain closed for approximately another week as demolition continues. During this time, Burnham Street between Queen Street and Charlotte Street will also remain closed.

“We know how eager everyone is to see Queen Street reopen,” said Mayor Sherry Senis. “The closure is required to ensure public safety and provide a safe workspace for the demolition crew. We are grateful to residents and business owners for their continued patience and support as this important work continues.”

Businesses in Downtown Lakefield remain open during demolition.

In an effort to support local businesses and encourage visitation, the Township is highlighting several initiatives underway or in development, including:

• The Lakefield Scavenger Hunt – to help drive local engagement (postponed due to the fire and rescheduled for a later date);

• Lakefield Ladies Night – a community-focused shopping event;

• Holiday Programming aimed at supporting ‘shop local’ efforts; and

• An upcoming media story highlighting Selwyn, including Lakefield.

In addition to these supports, Peterborough County and the Township of Selwyn will be working together on an upcoming Social Media Campaign for Lakefield to Shop Local, Support Local, and Visit Local. This series will highlight local stores, community groups, and ongoing efforts while encouraging visitors to return and experience all that Lakefield has to offer.

To ensure continued collection services for businesses and tenants affected by the road closures, the following arrangements are in place:

• Business owners that back onto Charlotte Street must place their garbage and recycling on Charlotte Street.

• Businesses located on the corners of Queen Street can use the appropriate side street (Albert Street or Reid Street).

• All other businesses must take their garbage and recycling to the Reid Street end of Queen Street and place items on the inside of the road barricade (not on Reid Street itself).

The Townships asks to ensure containers are clearly marked with your address so they can be easily identified and returned after collection.

Two streetlights on Queen Street, immediately adjacent to the affected buildings, were removed during firefighting operations. These will be reinstalled once the demolition is complete. 

The Township extends sincere thanks to the demolition crews, emergency responders, Township staff, and community partners who continue to support Lakefield’s recovery efforts.

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Suspect Sought After Allegedly Striking Boy With Car Then Fleeing

Officers with the Traffic Management Unit are seeking a female suspect after an incident involving a six-year-old boy being struck with a vehicle while crossing at an intersection on Aug. 25.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

At roughly 3:30 p.m., the boy was struck as he and his dad were crossing at the traffic light on Chemong Road that serves the Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart plazas. The boy suffered minor injuries. The driver of the vehicle apologized and then left the scene.

The driver of the vehicle is described as:

• Female, white

• Slim build

• Should length brown hair

• Wearing a brown tank top at the time of the incident

The vehicle is described as:

• 2010 – 2015 KIA Optima

• Grey

• Four-door

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.

Anyone with information or video footage to call Peterborough Police Traffic Management Unit at 705-876-1122 x289, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

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Peterborough Petes Split Games Over the Weekend In OHL Rivalry Week

The Peterborough Petes split their weekend games during OHL Rivalry Week, defeating the Ottawa 67s on Saturday but falling to the Oshawa Generals Sunday night.

The Petes are fourth in the East Division with a 5-5-0-1 record. Photo courtesy of Kenenth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes hosted the Ottawa 67’s for the first time this season at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Adam Novotný’s late was the game-winner, defeating the Ottawa 67’s, 2-1.

Easton Rye led the way for Peterborough, stopping 25 of 26 shots for his fifth win of the season. Carson Cameron and Novotný scored, while James Petrovski picked up two assists. Matthew Soto (his 100th OHL assist) and Braydon McCallum each picked up an assist in the game.

The Petes finished rivalry week with a road game at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa. The Generals got revenge from Thursday’s game, defeating the Petes, 6-4.

Colin Fitzgerald had two goals, Novotný scored his sixth goal in his last five games and added an assist. Kaden McGregor and James Petrovski each picked up two assists in the game. Braydon McCallum scored, while Yanis Lutz and Leon Kolarik both had an assist.

The Petes are on the road this Thursday for their next game. They take on the North Bay Battalion with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens.

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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Country Bakery & Market, Mayor's Breakfast, Chicken N'Dough and Spark Centre

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…

Country Bakery & Market is growing, recently opening a new location in Lansdowne Place.

This complements their other locations at Fowler’s Corners, Belleville, Whitby, Scarborough and Courtice. Drop by and you’ll be sure to find some UK favourites, including pies, sausage rolls, Victoria sponge Cake, Empire Biscuits, scones and more. Country Bakery & Market is a celebration of timeless British baking, blending age-old traditions with fresh local ingredients to deliver a slice of Britain with every bite. Drop by their new Lansdowne Place location and try some delicious treats.

The Peterborough and the Kawartha’s Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting their annual Mayor’s Breakfast at Peterborough Golf & Country Club on Nov. 27 starting at 8 a.m.

The event will feature a keynote address from Mayor Jeff Leal followed by a Q&A session with the audience. The Mayor’s special guest this year is Stuart Betts, Chief of Police with the Peterborough Police Service. This is your chance to learn what the City and the police are working on and ask your questions. Get your tickets at pkchamber.ca.

Chicken N’ Dough have a new location in downtown Peterborough at 182 Charlotte St.

Chicken N’ Dough aims to provide a unique, yet messy experience with wings, burgers, and poutine. They also have locations in Oakville, Richmond Hill, Ajax, Oshawa, Eglinton, and Orangeville. Drop by and try a savory smashburger, get messy with some loaded nacho wings, or get your wings served shredded on poutine. They use the freshest ingredients, quality cheese, and pride themselves on marinating their wings to perfection.

There’s a new program to help female founders and newcomer entrepreneurs start and scale their ventures in eastern Ontario’s energy, environment and engineering sectors.

Landing-Pad Accelerator offers support, funding, and mentorship to help your business grow. The program will provide participants with customized support, skill development, and access to a network of innovative partners. Funding includes a grant of up to $10,000 plus another $10,000 in co-investment as well as loans of up to $50,000. It is put on by the Spark Centre with support from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. Find out more at sparkcentre.org.

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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