Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Community Futures Peterborough, Fastsigns and Kawartha Local Food Wholesale

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…

Summer Company Program is Open

A sure sign that the seasons are changing is that applications are now open for the 2026 Summer Company Program through Community Futures Peterborough.

Students aged 15 to 29 in Peterborough and the county are encouraged to apply for up to $3,000 in grants, plus training and mentorship, to start their own summer business. Funded by the Province of Ontario, it builds hands-on experience for young entrepreneurs returning to school in the fall. Deadline is April 30, so head over to www.communityfuturespeterborough.ca/programs/summercompany to find out more…

New Ownership For Fastsigns

FASTSIGNS, a Peterborough Signage provider is being acquired by a group of franchise specialists, bringing in new investment and leadership to support growth and expand capacity for commercial clients across the region.

The centre has been purchased by a consortium led by industry expert Paul Watson and print-industry veteran Bill Goss, who will also serve as general manager. Operating in Peterborough since 2005, FASTSIGNS delivers bespoke signage and visual communications for local government, construction, retail, and large-scale brand rollouts. You can learn more about FASTSIGNS by going to www.fastsigns.com/Peterborough-ON

Kawartha Local Food Wholesale

Peterborough County is boosting its farm economy by promoting the Kawartha Local Food Wholesale program.

This initiative, funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, connects over 800 local farms across 180,000 acres with buyers like restaurants, retailers, food services, tourist spots and golf courses in Peterborough County, the City of Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes. There is nothing like local Farm to Table meals and you can learn more about them by checking out www.grazeandgatherfood.ca or www.Kawarthachoice.com

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 brenda@pkchamber.ca.

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CUPE Health Care Workers Rally For Change; Protest Health Care Spending Cuts

CUPE health care workers and community allies protested the government’s health care spending cuts, gathering outside MPP Dave Smith’s office Monday morning.

According to CUPE, Peterborough is projected to lose 115 nurses and PSWs by 2027 to 2028 while the regional hospital could lose 32 staffed beds due to government funding cuts.

The Financial Accountability Office of Ontario’s analysis estimates that hospitals across Ontario will see a bed reduction of 2,450 staffed beds if the government does not increase funding.

@ptbo_canada CUPE health care workers and community allies protested the government’s health care spending cuts, gathering outside MPP Dave Smith’s office Monday morning. Visit ptbocanada .com to learn more. #ptbocanada #CUPE ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada

“Nurses are working at unsafe ratios within the hospital,” said registered practical nurse Rachel Fleming. “Ideally, it would be great to have a 1:4 ratio as it gives you enough time to take care of the patient and provide them with the appropriate attention, but instead because they’re cutting jobs they’re making an increased workload for us. Every time you add a patient on top of a 1:4 ratio it increases the chance of death for all patients by 7 per cent.”

MPP Smith has reportedly not addressed CUPE’s concerns.

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Peterborough Regional Health Centre Seeking New Board of Directors Members

The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is seeking new members for its Board of Directors, announced on Monday morning.

PRHC's board of directors in 2025. Photo courtesy of THE PETERBOROUGH REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE.

The Board is responsible for:

  • Governing the affairs of PRHC in line with best practices in the sector

  • Valuing and embracing anti-oppression, anti-racism, equity, diversity and inclusion practices and principles within its governance processes

  • Commitment to continuously building a truly inclusive and safe organization at every level

  • Supporting the implementation of the hospital’s Strategic Plan and ensuring that all decisions are made in accordance with the Plan

  • Reviewing and approving PRHC’s Annual Operating Plan

  • Providing oversight to quality of care

  • Fostering regional relationships needed for seamless care

All interests are welcome, in particular from those with a background and experience in Finance (CPA or business equivalent), Research Translation/Innovation, Digital Strategy/Data, Cybersecurity/AI Governance and/or Risk Management and Compliance.

To express interest and request an application form, contact Margaret Clark via email or by mail at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Administration W4660, 1 Hospital Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7C6.

The deadline to request an application is Mar. 12. Before applying, visit the website for more information.

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Postseason-Bound Peterborough Petes Notch Pair of Weekend Wins

The Peterborough Petes have punched their ticket to the postseason since their 2023 OHL Championship run and recorded two weekend victories over the Brampton Steelheads and Brantford Bulldogs.

The Petes are third in the East Division with a 33-21-1-2 record and have clinched a postseason berth. Photo courtesy of Charles Warburtonand the BRampton Steelheads.

In their final matchup of the season, Peterborough defeated Brampton, 4-1, which included two empty-net goals at the CAA Centre on Friday night.

Kieron Walton led the Petes with a goal and two assists. Adam Novotný scored and had an assist while Brennan Faulkner notched two helpers. Matthew Soto and Aiden Young scored, with James Petrovski and Francis Parish each getting an assist. Easton Rye stopped 34 of 35 for his 31st win of the season.

Peterborough officially clinched a postseason berth after Brampton lost to Owen Sound Attack, 5-0, on Saturday night.

The Petes returned home and won a nail-biter against the first-place Brantford Bulldogs in a 4-3 overtime win at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The game was Peterborough’s annual Talk Today Mental Health Awareness game in partnership with CMHA Haliburton, Kawartha, and Pine Ridge.

Faulkner tied the game with 48 seconds remaining and Novotný scored his second of the game and 30th of the season in overtime to give the Petes a 4-3 win.

Petrovski and Walton each had two assists. Matthew Soto recorded his 200th career OHL point, scoring his 17th goal of the season. Faulkner scored his 20th goal with Young getting an assist. Easton Rye stopped 30 of 33 for his league-leading 32nd win.

@ptbo_canada The @Peterborough Petes are playoff bound and notched two weekend wins after victories over the Brampton Steelheards and Branftford Bulldogs. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #sports ♬ Winning - ROKKA

The Petes play a rare Thursday road game when they travel to Windsor to take on the Spitfires for 7:05 p.m. at the WFCU Centre.

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Peterborough Man Arrested After Threatening to Kill a Woman and Attempted to Enter House With a Sword

A 32-year-old Peterborough man is facing charges after making a death threat at a woman and attempting to enter a house with a sword on Sunday evening.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., several 9-1-1 calls were received about a disturbance in the Stewart Street and Wolfe Street area. A man had been threatening to kill a woman, throwing rocks at a window, kicking at a door and trying to enter the home with a sword. Officers located a man matching the description given to police and ordered him to the ground. He was taken into custody.

The man was arrested and charged with:

  • Utter threats

  • Mischief under $5,000

  • Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose

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

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Peterborough Transit's Route 3 Park Gets Updated Schedule Starting Sunday

Peterborough Transit will update scheduled running times on Route 3 Park to improve service reliability, starting Sunday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Customers may notice minor changes to departure and arrival times. The bus route and the bus stop locations remain the same.  

Route 3 Park operates through the residential areas immediately north and west of downtown. Operating between Trent University West Bank and Summit Plaza on Lansdowne Street, the route primarily travels on Royal Drive, Barnardo Avenue, Wolsely Street, Park Street and Chamberlain Street.

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Ontario Government Invests $8,691,562 For Peterborough Critical Water Infrastructure

The Ontario government has invested up to $8,691,562 to rehabilitate water infrastructure in the City of Peterborough, announced at City Hall on Friday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The target area is the water systems at Lansdowne Street West and Park Street. The funding supports the replacement and upgrade of aging watermain, sanitary sewer and storm sewer infrastructure.

The City of Peterborough has outlined the project’s goals and benefits as follows:

  • Strengthen community resilience by helping protect the area during extreme weather events

  • Improve flood reduction and drainage through upgraded storm sewer infrastructure

  • Increase watermain and sanitary sewer capacity and to better serveexisting homes and businesses

  • Support future growth and development with expanded servicing capacity

  • Enhance public accessability thrrough roadway and intersection improvements

The funding comes from the province’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program’s Health and Safety Water Stream (MHIP-HSWS). The amount has increased by $700 million to $875 million.

The total approved project’s cost is $11,906,250:

  • The Province of Ontario will invest up to $8,691,562, representing approximately 73 per cent of the total project cost

  • The City of Peterborough will contribute $3,214,688, covering the remaining 27 per cent

Field investigations and utility relocations are expected to occur this year, construction starts next year and completion is expected in 2028. Planning and design for the project are already underway.

“Our government is taking the necessary steps to ensure that Peterborough has the robust, modern infrastructure needed to support our growing community,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “By investing nearly $8.7 million into the rehabilitation of water systems at Lansdowne and Park Street, we are not only protecting our access to safe drinking water but also clearing the way for new housing developments. This is about building a safer, more prosperous Peterborough where families can thrive for generations to come.”

 “This significant provincial investment in Peterborough’s water infrastructure is critical to protecting public health and supporting our city’s continued growth,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “Reliable, modern water systems are the foundation of safe neighbourhoods and economic development. We thank the Province of Ontario and MPP Dave Smith for recognizing the importance of investing in core infrastructure that will serve our community today and for generations to come.”

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Eligible Liquor Licensees Can Sell Alcohol As Early As 6 A.M. For Final Day of 2026 Winter Olympics This Sunday

For the final day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has approved a temporary extension of liquor sale and service hours across Ontario on Sunday.

PTBOCanada Video Screenshot.

Eligible liquor sales licensees may begin selling and serving alcohol at 6 a.m. The standard closing time of 2 a.m. remains unchanged.

The extension applies only to indoor licensed areas, not to outdoor licensed areas such as patios, etc.

The gold medal game for men’s hockey between Canada and the USA starts at 8:10 a.m. EST on Sunday.

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PHOTOS: Special Olympics Athletes Have a Ball At TASSS's Regional Bocce Tournament

Over 100 athletes gathered to compete at the regional Special Olympics Bocce Tournament at Thomas A Stewart Secondary School (TASSS) on Friday.

There were 22 teams from Peterborough and the Kawarthas that competed at the event. Schools included St. Peter CSS, Crestwood SS, Kenner CVI, Adam Scott CVI, Norwood DHS, Holy Cross SS, and Thomas A Stewart SS at this year’s tournament.

An opening ceremony was held prior to the tournament, featuring TASSS band Tommy and the Stewarts and a performance from the TASSS Dance Program.

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The Tiffany Show’s International Women’s Day Event Returns March 8

The Tiffany Show’s 3rd annual International Women’s Day Party event returns to inspire and uplift local women at The Venue March 8.

Photo by Felicia Massey.

The event aims to celebrate local women, share authentic stories and foster connection, confidence and empowerment.

Host of the Tiffany Show Tiffany Arcari announced prizes, partnerships and vendors for the event at a press conference Friday.

@ptbo_canada @The Tiffany Show’s 3rd annual International Women’s Day event is back; celebrating women in our community on March 8th at @The Venue! 🩷🚺 The free event has limited tickets still available, for more information visit ptbocanada .com #ptbocanada #internationalwomensday ♬ original sound - PTBOCanada

Event attendees are encouraged to bring a menstrual product donation as the United Way’s Period Promise aims to collect 25,000 menstrual products for Kawartha Food Share. Arcari says her own health issues encouraged her involvement in this initiative.

“I remember thinking ‘thank God I can afford period underwear, diva cups, ultra tampons and ultra pads because these things are not inexpensive,’” reflected Arcari. “‘What do women that do not have funds and access to resources do?’”

arcari unveiled her event’s partnership with the united way’s period promise, aiming to combat period poverty in our community. Photo by Felicia Massey.

Last year’s event hosted hundreds and shared stories from local women that inspired and uplifted attendees.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and limited tickets are still available online.

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