Kawartha Downs Announces New Harness Racing Manager
/Jim Huck is out as Kawartha Downs’s harness racing manager as the racetrack has given Lindsay Bax the new role, announced on Wednesday.
File Photo.
Peterborough Blogs
Graffiti Vandalizes Several Peterborough Businesses Along Lansdowne Street
/Several businesses on Lansdowne Street between Lock Street and River Road South were discovered vandalized with graffiti on Tuesday morning.
Del Mastro RV Centre, Mattress Outlet and More and Bruiser Automotive Tire were confirmed businesses on Lansdowne Street with the same graffiti tag.
Del Mastro RV Centre had its side exterior wall and front sign vandalized.
“This is no way to start your day. Peterborough is not the city I grew up in or worked to make stronger, it's a mess (Hello City Council),” said Dean Del Mastro, Del Mastro RV Centre owner in a Facebook post. “What exactly would anyone get out of defacing someone else's property? People need to take pride in themselves and respect their community or they need to be taught to do so.”
Jay Quinn of Bruiser Automotive and Tire also confirmed that his business fell victim to graffiti artists in the same Facebook thread from McNabb’s original post. Earlier this month, the business was subject to vandalism, with its glass front door being smashed (but not broken apart).
According to Dean Porter, owner of Mattress Outlet and More, this kind of graffiti was not the first time it had occurred at the store. He believes the incident occurred on Monday night.
“They got my business again—the fourth time in the last two weeks,” said Porter in a Facebook post. “I'm getting tired of cleaning it and then the next day, they do it again. This time, they got at least six different businesses along Landsdowne Street. I have seen the same type of spray painting on different businesses all over Peterborough.”
Porter mentioned that Currie Tire and Peterborough Bearings & Drives were also graffitied but this has yet to be confirmed.
Access Storage on High Street was hit with a different pattern of vandalism; however, it is unknown if the vandalism is related to the ones on Lansdowne Street.
Amanda McNabb, Access Storage site manager, disclosed camera footage of the incident on a Facebook post on Tuesday morning. The video shows that three suspects were involved. One smashed a spray can that went everywhere after the graffiti was tagged.
“I went and got graffiti remover because I couldn’t have that on my building for long,” she said in a Facebook comment. Just wanna know who it is.”
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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring The Avant-Garden Shop, Just Like New, Peterborough Volkswagen and VVents Kawartha
/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…
We’re celebrating some big milestones today!
Brenda Ibey at The Avant-Garden Shop is celebrating 22 years in business.
She opened the store in 2002 and has spent most of those years at her 165 Sherbrooke St. location in downtown Peterborough. The Avant-Garden Shop is the place to go for all your bird-feeding needs, beautiful gifts and many items made by Canadian artisans. Winner of four Chamber of Commerce awards, The Avant-Garden Shop has proven to be one of the best retail shops in the region. Drop by Thursday from 9:30 am to 7 p.m. to celebrate with refreshments, door prizes and special sales all day.
Marg Botosh is celebrating 32 years in business with Just Like New Boutique.
Just Like New specializes in gently used women's clothing and highly curated consignment clothing and accessories. It’s the type of place where you’ll find some truly unique outfits and accessories at affordable prices. Drop by 377 Queen St. in downtown Peterborough to check out their anniversary deals. Ten per cent of sales between now and Black Friday will support Right To Heal.
This year marks 55 years for Peterborough Volkswagen.
1969 was a big year, from the Apollo 11 moon landing to Woodstock to Peter and Rita Eatson opening Peterborough Volkswagen at the corner of Reid and McDonnel Streets in Downtown Peterborough. They created a business that now spans three generations and has served thousands of happy local customers with great customer service for their car shopping and service needs. They’ve been busy with some renovations as their business keeps growing. Drop by 500 Towerhill Rd. and see what’s happening at Peterborough Volkswagen.
And we have a brand-new business. Karri Dalton-Hull has launched a new virtual events agency.
Vvents Kawartha produces local virtual events to give small businesses new ways to connect online with other entrepreneurs, consumers and the community. They are a membership-based model and with support for Big Brothers Big Sisters Peterborough. Their upcoming events include Kawartha Virtual Expo, a seven-day virtual tradeshow, and Kawartha Virtual Business Network, a networking group to meet and connect with other entrepreneurs. Find out more at vvents.ca.
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.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Hometown PTBO: Josh Fredricks With the Grand Opening of His New Restaurant, "The Locker Room"
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This week on Hometown PTBO, David Tuan Bui talks with Josh Fredricks about the grand opening of his new restaurant, The Locker Room, his past food ventures and why staying in Peterborough is best for raising his family.
Voice of Business: Canada’s International Student Cuts: A Double-Edged Sword
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This past September, the Canadian government announced another 10 per cent cut to international student permits.
This isn’t the first cut either. Earlier this year, there was already a 35 per cent reduction in student visas, plus a cap of 364,000 visas this fall (down from last year’s 560,000). So, what’s behind these numbers, and what does it mean for Canada? With all these restrictions on international students, there is a lot to unpack—and some potential serious consequences.
The conversation around international students has been heating up, especially with Canada’s housing crisis and labour shortages thrown into the mix. We’re seeing strong opinions on both sides. On one hand, there’s a group that says Canada’s infrastructure just can’t handle the volume of international students coming in. On the opposing side, national student associations argue that international students are wrongly blamed for the housing crisis. Cutting their numbers, they say, also hits universities hard, slashing a vital revenue stream.
And they’re not wrong—Canada’s colleges and universities rely on international student fees, which are much higher than domestic ones. For example, Fanshawe College recently reported they’re expecting a whopping 39 per cent cut in international students next January, with a 47 per cent drop in first-year international students alone. The Council of Ontario Universities also are projecting a loss of nearly $1 billion in revenue over two years with the drop in international student enrollment. Considering the average cost for an international student is around $36,000 a year, these reductions could severely impact funding for our post-secondary institutions.
The reliance on international students has sparked some tough questions: are schools too dependent on these higher fees to make up for gaps in public funding? And what happens when this revenue source shrinks? Some wonder if Canadian institutions should rethink their business models and find a more balanced way to fund education without leaning so heavily on international students.
There’s another layer to all this: international students contribute more than just tuition fees. They’re a crucial part of Canada’s workforce, particularly in the hospitality sector. According to Statistics Canada, international students make up around 4.6 per cent of that industry—a big deal in a sector that’s facing labor shortages. Plus, the Canadian Bureau for International Education shows that 70 per cent of international students indicated they want to stay and work in Canada after graduation, which could further add to our growing talent pool. Their economic impact also extends beyond tuition, who support local businesses and contribute millions to the economy in consumer spending.
But, of course, we can’t ignore the housing issue. With more than a million international students in Canada, and vacancy rates as low as 1.7 per cent in Ontario, housing is in high demand. More students mean more pressure on an already tight housing supply, which many Canadians feel directly. This is where the government’s policy shift could ease some of that strain, but it’s a double-edged sword. Fewer international students may help with housing, but it could significantly reduce revenues for post-secondary institutions and even lead to staff layoffs.
Ultimately, this situation highlights the complexity of relying heavily on international students. The recent policy changes make it clear: this isn’t just about the students. It’s about sustainable planning and strategies that support Canada’s needs, whether it’s in housing, education funding, or labor supply. Moving forward, we can only hope that these policy adjustments drive further investments in the infrastructure and resources needed to make Canada a stable place for everyone—both local and international residents.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Remembrance Day, Kawartha County Wines, ServiceOntario and Meals on Wheels
/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…
Today is Remembrance Day, when we recognize the sacrifices of those who served our country with honour in our armed forces.
Let’s also take a moment to recognize the hard work of our local legions and the volunteers who run them. They have organized more than a dozen Remembrance Day ceremonies across the area over the last week. They work throughout the year to help build stronger communities by hosting events and providing community space, supporting veterans and their families, and recognizing the legacy of those who served. Support your local Legion as they continue their work year-round.
Spice up your dance moves on Nov. 22 as Kawartha Country Wines and FriendLillySHOP.com team up to host a salsa night in support of Community Care.
Drop by Kawartha Country Wines at 2452 County Rd 36 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and take part in a 45-minute salsa lesson, enjoy a glass of cider or wine with a dessert wine sample and door prizes. Contact Kawartha Country Wines to get your tickets.
Community Care Peterborough is celebrating 60 years of the Meals on Wheels program.
What began in 1964 with just seven meals provided by Civic Hospital and delivered by volunteers from the Rotary Club of Peterborough has grown into a vital service that now provides over 50,000 meals annually to seniors and adults with physical challenges across the city and county of Peterborough. They will be marking the anniversary with a number of events and initiatives, including the Meals to Go program and a special 60 Stories for 60 Years series. Visit commcareptbo.org for more information.
We want to extend a big thank you to Deb Lowcock, who recently retired from ServiceOntario in Lakefield after 34 years!
Deb is the longtime supervisor for the Lakefield office, serving the community with a great attitude and customer service. She will be missed by the team at ServiceOntario, the Chamber and Lakefield community.
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.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
WorkScore.ai Triumphs At Innovation Cluster's LevelUP Pitch Competition
/After the dust settled, WorkScore.ai has been declared the winner of the Innovation Cluster’s LevelUP Pitch Competition at downtown Peterborough’s Market Hall on Tuesday afternoon.
The LevelUP Pitch Competition is the culmination of an intensive 12-week accelerator program that supports later-stage businesses. This second 2024 cohort brought together ten semi-finalists from a record pool of applicants, each representing the next generation of high-impact ventures poised to drive economic growth in the Peterborough region through job creation, innovation, and scalable solutions. Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster.
Alex Bilyan, Chief Sales Officer of WorkScore.ai, took home the top prize with its AI-powered platform which is designed to optimize warehouse efficiency through real-time performance tracking.
“We’ve come a long way since the start of the year, and the LevelUP program has been incredibly valuable in shaping our success,” said Bilyan. “The difference in our pitch from the beginning to now is remarkable. The mentor sessions were instrumental in helping us refine our pitch, stripping out unnecessary details and building confidence through feedback from different perspectives.”
Runner-up finalist Kuwota received a comprehensive branding package valued at $10,000. Their mental health platform provides a safe space for users to journal and share entries confidentially with their licensed therapists according to Innovation Cluster.
The audience participated in voting for the Best-in-Show prize which was awarded to Creativity by Cod. The prize includes five Expert-In-Resident (ExIR) sessions from the Innovation Cluster to help the company further advance its growth.
"Judges evaluate many factors—the polish, timing, and enthusiasm of each pitch. Some people are natural presenters, while others need to practice to convey their passion,” said Gilberto Gandra, competition judge. “What ultimately set the winner apart was a combination of enthusiasm, visuals, clarity, and investability.”
“The talent and dedication we witnessed at the second cohort of the 2024 LevelUP Pitch Competition were exceptional,” shared Nicole Stephenson, Chair of the Board of Directors. “It was inspiring to watch each cohort participant grow, evolve and refine their business during the program. LevelUP’s mission to foster the Peterborough and Kawarthas region’s most promising businesses is vital to strengthening our community’s economy and reinforcing our role as a center of innovation.”
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NAKA Japanese Under New Ownership
/Naka Japanese Food & Drink is under new ownership as former owner and founder Susan Tung handed the keys over to Emily Tan effective last Friday.
Emily Tan (left) as the new owner of NAK with former owner Susan Tung (right). Tung announced the opening of Naka in an Instagram post back on Jan. 25 last year. Photo courtesy of SUsan Tung.
Tung founded the restaurant which opened in February last year. Its menu features ramen, yakitori, sandwiches, an oyster bar, cocktails, and draft beer.
Tan says she is continuing Naka’s tradition and looks forward to meeting its community of patrons.
“I look forward to welcoming both familiar faces and new guests,” she said.
NAKA is located at 213 Hunter St. W., the former location of the Vietnamese restaurant Hanoi House. In July 2022, Hanoi House had two locations but Tung closed the Hunter Street location to consolidate the restaurant into its Lansdowne Street spot. She opened Hanoi House on Valentine’s Day 2020.
Tung plans to focus on her original project of Hanoi House after selling Naka,
“Naka has been an incredible project,” she explained. I’m excited to focus on Hanoi House while knowing that NAKA is in good hands.”
Naka is continuing its regular hours, offering dinner service from Tuesday to Saturday, with the same menu and staff.
The restaurant is open at the following times:
Tuesday - Wednesday: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Thursday - Saturday: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
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Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Flavour, Business Excellence Awards, Ontario Chamber and Mayor's Breakfast
/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…
Flavour Fashion is celebrating 25 years in business at 383 George St. N. in downtown Peterborough.
Mike and Shelby Watt have built their store into a local retail icon, serving the streetwear, sneakers, and skate scene since 1999. They not only carry top brands in the market, but also their own Ptbo Northern Originals lineup of locally banded clothing and accessories. Drop by their George Street location or visit flavourfashion.ca to see their online store and order from the comfort of your home.
A big congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Business Excellence Awards hosted by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
With more than two dozen recipients, we don’t have room to recognize everyone here, but highlights include Rosalea Terry and Heidi Popov as the Businesswomen of the year in the entrepreneur and organization categories. Phillip Jolicoeur is the 2024 Business Citizen of the year. This year’s 4-Under-40 are Dr. Taylor Bonner, Joe Curry, Hillary Flood, and Dylan Radcliffe. Check out the full list of well-deserving recipients and finalists from this year’s awards ceremony at pkexcellence.ca.
If you own or run a business, we want your input.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has launched its ninth annual Business Confidence Survey. Your insights and perspective will be used to guide political and business leaders across the province. The key is having enough local responses to be able to generate accurate local data for people like myself to use to advocate for the needs of local businesses. Please take five minutes to fill out the survey at occ.ca.
Do you want to learn about what Peterborough is doing to build a stronger business community?
The Chamber is hosting its annual Mayor’s Breakfast on Nov. 21 at Peterborough Golf and Country Club starting at 7:30 a.m. There will be a moderated discussion with Mayor Jeff Leal followed by a question and answer secession focused on local business issues. Get your tickets at pkchamber.ca.
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.
Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.
Peterborough and the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce Announce Business Excellence Awards Recipients
/The Peterborough and the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce handed out its 2024 Business Excellence Awards at a ceremony held at Showplace Performance Centre on Tuesday night.
Phillip Jolicoeur (middle) with his family, announced as the Business Citizens of the Year. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough and the Kawartha Chamber of Commernce.
The awards are designed to publicly recognize and honour local businesses with a passion for excellence.
Almost 50 businesses and individuals were profiled in 22 categories, with recipients announced live on stage.
The following are the nominees and award recipients:
4-Under-40 Profiles, in memory of Kathy Windrem
Dr. Taylor Bonner
Joe Curry
Hillary Flood
Dylan Radcliffe
Businesswomen of the Year
Entrepreneur
Rosalea Terry of nectar co. (Recipient)
Organization
Heidi Popov of Kawartha Gymnastics (Recipient)
Business Citizen of the Year
Phillip Jolicoeur of PJ The Marketing Guy, Phillip Jolicoeur Entertainment, Photo Booth Fun (Recipient)
Business Student Leadership Prizes (winners listed)
Ali Jammal (Trent University)
Joylyn Johnson D Souza (Trent University)
Swarna Latha Mareedu (Fleming College)
Commercial Development or Renovation
Ashburnham Realty (The Railyard Development)
The Canadian Canoe Museum (Recipient)
Holmes Riseley LLP (823 Park St. S.)
Customer First
The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge
Couture Candy (Recipient)
McLeod's EcoWater
Employer of the Year
Engage Engineering
Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory (Recipient
Entrepreneurial Spirit
Green Street Inc.
nectar co.
Wanderlight Alpaca Experience (Recipient)
Peterborough County Farm Family of the Year (winners listed)
• Scott, Paula, Jason & Shelby Cornish (Whiskey Lane Livestock)
Green Initiatives
Camp Kawartha (Recipient)
Cheeks Ahoy
Dietrich Homes
Health & Wellness
Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy
Flow Spa (Recipient)
Trent Health in Motion
Hospitality
Levantine Grill
Millbrook Mercantile (Recipient)
Local Focus
Lang Pioneer Village Museum (Recipient)
Market Hall Performing Arts Centre
OmniWorx Design
Marketing & Promotion
Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine
Harmony for Healing
nectar co. - The Viral Keepsake Campaign (Recipient)
Micro Business
The Chocolate Rabbit (Recipient)
Millbrook Mercantile
Peterborough Disability Tax Services
Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year
Sama Noor Yousafzai (Goodies on Mews)
Not-for-Profit
Five Counties Children's Centre
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region – (Recipient)
Kawartha Gymnastics
Professional Services
Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy (Recipient)
Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory
Holmes Riseley LLP
Retail
Dan Joyce's Retailing Limited
Paris Marine (Recipient)
Shop The Lake Inc.
Skilled Trades
R & M Smith Contracting (Recipient)
Tom's Heating and Cooling
Tourism
Beachwood Resort
Kawartha Country Wines
Lang Pioneer Village Museum (Recipient)
