Mayor Jeff Leal's Housing Task Force Releases Report

Mayor Jeff Leal has released the report from his Task Force for Housing Creation, announced near the Rotary Trail on Tuesday morning. 

Mayor Leal served as Chair of the Task Force, with Councillor Kevin Duguay as Vice Chair and Councillors Dave Haacke and Keith Riel providing input. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The report contains 15 recommendations intended to speed up housing construction in the City and help address the housing crisis. 

Mayor Leal appointed the Task Force members in January. He asked them to report back with recommendations to help facilitate the construction of more housing in Peterborough which is needed to meet the City’s Housing Target of 4,700 units by 2031. 

The recommendations cover three primary areas: speeding development, cutting building costs and fostering partnerships. 

Key proposals include: 

• Speeding up Development: Guaranteeing a one-year approval timeline for non-profit and multi-unit housing projects, establishing a dedicated team to fast-track priority developments, and simplifying requirements for housing approvals. 

• Cutting Building Costs: Adjusting municipal standards to reduce the cost of development, including re-evaluating requirements such as sidewalk placement and tree compensation fees. 

• Enhancing Partnerships and Advocacy: Encouraging partnerships with Indigenous, non-profit, and private sectors and advocating for federal and provincial support, particularly for affordable and Indigenous housing initiatives. 

Mayor Leal will present the Task Force's recommendations to the City Council at the General Committee meeting on Dec. 2.

The Task Force members are:

• Paul Bennett - Principal, Ashburnham Realty

• Chelsea Combot - Director of Policy, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services

• Brian Fenton - Principal, Peterborough Homes

• Hans Jain – Principal, Atria Development

• Hope Lee - former CEO of Peterborough Housing Corporation

• Rebecca Schillemat – Executive Officer, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association

• Brad Smith – President and CEO, AON Inc.

• Susan Zambonin – CEO, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region

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City Opens Applications For Low Income Property Tax Assistance

Applications are available for the City of Peterborough Low Income Senior and Low Income Property Tax Assistance Program.

File Photo.

Qualifying applicants will receive a $400 tax credit on their tax accounts which will be applied to the February 2025 interim tax bill. Applicants who previously received more than a $400 credit will receive their pre-existing credit amount. 

Applicants can apply under one of the following qualifications:

1. Low Income Senior aged 65 years or older.

2. Low Income Senior aged 55-64 years of age.

3. Low Income Disabled Person receiving benefits under the ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program).

Applications are available on the City’s website at peterborough.ca/TaxAssistance or the City Hall Tax Office, 500 George St. N. Residents that received tax credits in 2024 will automatically receive a 2025 Property Tax Assistance application in the mail.

The deadline for submitting this application is Feb. 7.

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City of Peterborough Opens Comments For Tourism Municipal Services Corporate Proposal

The City of Peterborough is inviting residents to submit comments on its proposal to incorporate a Municipal Services Corporation as an eligible tourism entity.

Photo by Keegan Beekers.

It administers, pursuant to applicable law, the 50 per cent net transient accommodation tax, also known as municipal accommodation tax or MAT, which must be used exclusively to promote tourism according to the City.

To submit a comment on the proposal to incorporate the Peterborough Tourism Municipal Services Corporate can go online.

The commenting period will close on Oct. 30. The comments will be reviewed and summarized in a report to the City Council. 

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CUPE Not "Horsing Around" To Ontario Government's Privatized Healthcare Plan

Serving as a metaphor in response to the Ontario Premier’s plan to bring privatized healthcare to the province, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have brought a 15-foot trojan horse to a rally at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) on Thursday morning.

The 15-foot trojan horse is making 61 stops along the province. It made a visit at the Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay after it made a stop at the PRHC. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The horse is synonymous with Greek mythology. During the Trojan War, the Greeks used a wooden horse disguised as a gift to gain access to the city of Troy and secure a victory. Soldiers were hiding inside the wooden horse as an ambush.

In May of last year, Doug Ford, Ontario Premier, had Bill 60 (Your Health Act) pass legislation to allow private clinics to conduct more OHIP-covered surgeries.

CUPE believes this bill is a trojan horse and disrupts and negatively affects the public healthcare system rather than both being able to co-exist.

“It's actually the opposite,” said Sharon Richer, CUPE secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions. “What it is going to do, (is) create longer wait times, create staffing issues and more hallway medicine that we're already today.”

According to CUPE, $968 million was spent on for-profit staffing agencies last year. The report continues to state that there was an increase of 212 per cent for private, for-profit clinics from 2023-24. This drains resources from the public system, contributing to staffing shortages and long wait times, says Richer.

“If you don't have the money, you're not going to be moved up into the line and the waitlists are going to grow longer here and that private clinics are only going to take healthy patients,” she said. “What's going to be left for the hospitals are people with medical issues on top already with the surgery that they're having so it's going to create longer wait times.”

While CUPE says it has not affected the PRHC for now, they have already seen its effects elsewhere in Ontario.

“In Don Mills, people are going to have their cataracts done at a private clinic and they're charging OHIP, $1,269 where if they have it done in a public hospital, it costs OHIP $508,” explained Richer. “This is almost two-and-a-half times more. This is our public taxes paying for these private clinics to make a profit and this is why we're sounding an alarm.”

CUPE’s solution to the problem is funding public health care. According to their report, Ontario has the fewest beds per 1,000 people across the country and the lowest staffing levels. They want increased healthcare funding in the public sector and to stop privatization.

CUPE hopes the trojan horse sends a message to Doug Ford and the Conservative government about reconsidering privatized healthcare.

“We're going across the province, we have 61 stops in various communities and we're talking to people,” concluded Richer. “There will be an election coming up in the spring and people need to make sure healthcare is the number one topic in this election and they need to force Doug Ford to repeal the Bill. If we get a new government, the government needs to repeal the privatization for the clinics, Bill 60.”

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Peterborough County Announces Appointments to its Leadership Team

Peterborough County has added Rhonda Keenan as the new General Manager of Economic Development and Sarah Budd as the new Manager of Community Development.

peterborough county logo

The County announced the appointments in a media release Friday morning stating Keenan and Budd will join Tracie Bertrand, General Manager of Tourism and Communications, to “form a trifecta of excellence” driving the county’s future economic growth, community development and tourism.

“These faces will be familiar to those in our business community and bring continuity and years of local knowledge and expertise to their roles, said warden Bonnie Clark. “Together, this team will work collaboratively with our townships, First Nations, and the City to ensure that our County businesses are supported - whether through retention, expansion, or bringing new enterprises to our area.”

Keenan, Budd and Bertrand will be based in the new Lakefield economic and tourism office.

“As the CAO for Peterborough County, I couldn’t be more excited about the exceptional team of professionals we’ve engaged to support economic development and tourism in the County, townships, and First Nations,” said CAO Sheridan Graham. “I am thrilled for our businesses, residents, and visitors as we move The Kawarthas forward.”

Keenan is the outgoing President and CEO of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) which is disbanding later this year as the city and county bring economic development and tourism in house.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Peterborough County team. The County has an excellent corporate culture, is poised for growth, and offers the ideal mix of opportunity and lifestyle – the perfect combination for any economic developer,” stated Keenan. “I am excited to get to work with this amazing team and continue to help support sustainable economic growth across Peterborough County.”

"On behalf of the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) Board of Directors and our staff and stakeholders, I am very pleased that Rhonda will continue to serve the region and help drive economic development forward in this new role," stated Burton Lee, PKED board chair.

The board of the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce announced the resignation of Budd as president and CEO on Thursday.

"Although I love my position as President and CEO of the Peterborough & Kawartha Chamber of Commerce, I could not pass up the opportunity to join Peterborough County's new economic development division and to learn and work with the highly respected and successful Rhonda Keenan," Budd said.

"I am truly thrilled to be part of such a dedicated and forward-thinking team and excited to work with Rhonda and Sarah,” added Bertrand. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration to drive positive change and growth in the region.”

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City of Peterborough Launches Interactive Official Plan Map

Residents and stakeholders now have access to an interactive web mapping application to access and visualize the new Official Plan.

file photo

According to the City of Peterborough, the innovative tool was designed to enhance public engagement, transparency, and understanding of the strategic vision for growth and development.

The Official Plan Map Viewer, developed by the city’s Geomatics/Mapping Division, takes information about growth areas, infrastructure and natural heritage systems from the recently adopted Official Plan document and applies them to geographic information about the city.

The user can then filter information based on schedules, providing information about land use, road and trail networks and natural heritage systems, the city states.

Users can also search by address to see which schedules of the document apply to a given location.

The map is available on the city’s website.

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City of Peterborough Puts Out Call for Community Advisory Group Members

The City of Peterborough is asking residents to consider joining the community advisory group that will help inform the creation of a Secondary Land Use Plan and Community Planning Permit System for the City’s Strategic Growth Areas.

downtown photo

The plan and permit system will help promote intensified development, speed up development approvals and implement the new Official Plan, the City of Peterborough stated in a media release.

The Strategic Growth Areas are designated in the new Official Plan and include the downtown core as well as major corridors such as Lansdowne Street, Chemong Road, Clonsilla Avenue, Water Street and Armour Road.

There are openings for two residents on the advisory group.

It will also include representatives from local community organizations involved in a range of issues including housing, transportation, arts, cultural heritage, Indigenous rights and heritage, and environmental sustainability.

Interested persons can apply at Connect Ptbo by Oct. 4.

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City of Peterborough Appoints New Municipal Operations Commissioner

The City of Peterborough has appointed Ilmar Simanovskis as the new Commissioner of Municipal Operations effective Oct. 15., announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough.

City Council approved the appointment of Simanovskis, based on the recommendation of Chief Administrative Officer Jasbir Raina, during its meeting on Monday.

Simanovskis has over 30 years of experience in construction, design, engineering, and public administration, gained from both public and private sector roles according to a press release. It continues to state that he has focused on working closely with diverse teams, stakeholders and community members to deliver successful programs and services that meet the needs of the communities he has served.

“As a member of the City’s Senior Leadership Team, I look forward to being part of the City’s culture of innovation in the delivery of municipal services that align with Peterborough’s vision for environmental sustainability, social well-being, and efficient operations,” said Simanovskis. “I am excited to join the City of Peterborough and to work alongside such a dedicated team. My focus will be on leading and supporting the strategic service delivery needs of the community that not only address current challenges but also prepare us for the future. Together, we will continue to improve the quality of municipal services, ensuring that our city remains a great place to live, work and grow.”

In this new role, Simanovskis will be responsible for the Municipal Operations Department, which encompasses Public Works, Environmental Services, Transit, and the Peterborough Airport according to the City. These departments play vital roles in the city's day-to-day operations.

Simanovskis joins the City from Civica Infrastructure, a private-sector engineering and infrastructure asset management firm, where he served as vice president of the project Portfolio. He also has extensive experience in municipal government, including working as the Commissioner of Community Services in Richmond Hill, the Director of Engineering Services in Oshawa and the Director of Infrastructure and Environmental Services in Aurora.

"On behalf of the City of Peterborough, I am excited to welcome Mr. Simanovskis as our new Commissioner of Municipal Operations,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “His leadership and experience will be key in driving forward our goals for efficient and effective municipal operations. We look forward to the positive impact Ilmar will have on our community, ensuring that we continue to provide high-quality services to our residents.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Ilmar to our senior leadership team as the Commissioner of Municipal Operations. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to public service that aligns perfectly with Council’s vision for the City of Peterborough,” said Chief Administrative Officer Jasbir Raina. “Our Municipal Operations team delivers many of the core services that residents interact with every day. They are front-line leaders and brand ambassadors for our community. We are confident that Ilmar's expertise will be invaluable in enhancing the quality and efficiency of our municipal operations, ultimately benefitting all our residents.”

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City's Social Services Division Given Rainbow Registered Accreditation

The City of Peterborough’s Social Services Division has been officially Rainbow Registered.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This accreditation, administered by Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, reflects a commitment to creating a safer, more welcoming, and inclusive space for the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

The Rainbow Registered accreditation process evaluates applicants on four categories of criteria:

• policies and practices are non-discriminatory and respectful of sexual orientation and gender identity.

• provides diversity and inclusion training for staff and contributes to public education on diversity and inclusion.

• demonstrates leadership and commitment to LGBT+ inclusion beyond its day-to-day operations.

• has established an organizational culture that is LGBT+ inclusive and affirmative.

“Inclusion is a core value of our Social Services team,” said Councillor Alex Bierk and Councillor Keith Riel in a joint statement. “The Rainbow Registered designation reflects that our Social Services programs are respectful and welcoming for both staff and visitors; it also signals our ongoing commitment to policies and practices that support employee equity, providing 2SLGBTQI+ training opportunities for staff, and enhancing cultural competency in all operations.”

The Peterborough Museum and Archives also announced its Rainbow Registered accreditation earlier in June.

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City of Peterborough Hosting Public Information Centre For Sanitary Master Plan

Residents are invited to participate to the City of Peterborough’s live virtual public information centre on May 29 at 6:30 p.m. about the City’s Sanitary Master Plan.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The Plan looks at the best use for existing sanitary infrastructure that aligns with the City’s Official Plan Update according to a press release.

“Our wastewater system is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure that the City currently provides, even though it can be ‘out of sight, out of mind,’” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “The Sanitary Master Plan is being developed to guide our strategic investment in the City’s sanitary system for the health and well-being of our residents, and your input is an important part of the process.”

The live virtual public information centre (PIC) presentation is part of the Class Environmental Assessment study. It will present information about the City’s existing wastewater system, future growth needs, the project schedule, and what steps are being taken to support the decision-making process. Participants can submit questions during the presentation through the virtual chat feature. To receive information on how to attend the virtual meeting, please register using the link on the project page.

Project information for the Sanitary Master Plan is available on the City’s community consultation website. Residents are invited to submit comments on the study and subscribe for future study updates. A recording of the PIC presentation will be posted on the project website following the live session.  

The City’s Sanitary Master Plan objectives are: 

• Assess the existing sanitary system and identify requirements to service existing and future development areas; 

• Identify existing system vulnerabilities and risks, and develop a mitigation approach; 

• Evaluate the impact of future population growth to existing and new system vulnerabilities; 

• Develop an environmentally sustainable strategy for managed growth with a focus on intensification in built-up areas and climate change resiliency; 

• Provide capital planning recommendations to form the basis for future Development Charges

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