MPP Dave Smith Named Ontario PC Party Candidate In Next Provincial Election For Peterborough-Kawartha

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith is going for a third consecutive term as he has been acclaimed as the Ontario PC party’s candidate in the next provincial general election, announced on Thursday.

Photo by Luke Best.

Smith earned his second term in a back-to-back after being re-elected in 2022 with 20,188 votes which is 38.5 percent of the ballots. Gary Stewart was the last Conservative MPP for the Peterborough-Kawartha riding to get elected for consecutive terms from 1995-2003.

Smith was declared the winner 38 minutes after the polls had closed. Premier Doug Ford was re-elected to a second term 11 minutes after polls closed. They earned a majority government seven minutes later.

“I want to thank the great people of Peterborough Kawartha for putting their trust in me to once again carry the banner for Premier Ford and the Progressive Conservatives in the next provincial election,” said Smith. “We have accomplished so much over the last seven years but my work is not yet finished. I want to thank my family for their unwavering support and all of my friends who have rallied around me to help make life better for everyone in our region.”

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Mayoral Candidate Interview: Victor Kreuz

David Tuan Bui speaks with mayoral candidate Victor Kreuz for the upcoming municipal election. Bui and Kreuz discuss Kreuz's background, identifying the problems that needed to be addressed in the city and the environment being a foundation for developing Peterborough.

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Mayoral Candidate Interview: Coun. Henry Clarke

Felicia Massey speaks with mayoral candidate Coun. Henry Clarke for the upcoming municipal election this Monday. Massey and Clarke discuss the struggles citizens have in Peterborough, the environment, homelessness and the housing crisis.

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Mayoral Candidate Interview: Jeff Leal

Felicia Massey speaks with mayoral candidate and former MPP Jeff Leal for the upcoming municipal election this Monday. Massey and Leal discuss what Leal has been doing since four years after his MPP term ended, his return to politics and what he plans to tackle if elected.

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Mayoral Candidate Interview: Coun. Stephen Wright

David Tuan Bui speaks with mayoral candidate Coun. Stephen Wright for the upcoming municipal election occurring on Monday. Bui and Wright discuss the third economic wave, the drug addiction and homelessness issue and address community facilities.

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Peterborough Municipal Election Signs Approved For Recycling

Municipal election signs have been deemed safe to recycle announced by the City of Peterborough on Tuesday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The signs are made of white corrugated plastic sheeting — commonly called Coroplast — and have been added to the list of recyclable materials. City of Peterborough’s recycling services provider, Emterra, found a company that will accept the material for reuse according to a press release.

Coroplast election signs can be dropped off at the Material Recycling Facility at 390 Pido Rd. in one of the designated bins that are marked for election signs. Only the Coroplast part of the sign is accepted as any metal or wood post with it must be removed. The signs will not be accepted through curbside collection for recycling.

Candidates typically collect their election signs following elections.

Most election signs are made from Coroplast. The interior is a white corrugated plastic material which can be seen on the edges of the sign. Signs that have black interiors or edges are not made of Coroplast and are not recyclable.

Signs are to be recycled by no later than Nov. 30.

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City Of Peterborough Addresses Voter Notification Cards Printing Errors

UPDATED: 3:27 p.m. Sept 30, 2022

Voter Notification Cards have random numbers printed under voting dates on the back and the City of Peterborough has assured that dates for online voting, advance polls and Election Day are correctly printed.

File Photo.

On the Voter Notification Cards that have random numbers instead of dates next to the locations for in-person voting, the first three dates with “A” beside them are for advance voting days – the first in the list is for Oct. 8, the second is for Oct. 15 and the third date should read Oct.22. The final locations on the list – those without an A beside them – are locations for Election Day on Oct. 24.

All other information on the Voter Notification Cards is correct.

The City has apologized for any confusion this may cause.

Key election dates

• Online voting – opens Oct. 1 and continues until 8 p.m. on Oct. 24

  • Advance voting – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 - 21 at the following locations:

    • Ward 1 – Otonabee: Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd.

    • Ward 2 – Monaghan: Westdale United Church, 1509 Sherbrooke St.

    • Ward 3 – Town: Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N.

    • Ward 4 – Ashburnham: Lions Community Centre, 347 Burnham St.

    • Ward 5 – Northcrest: Northview Community Church, 1000 Fairbairn St.

    • Advance accessible voting – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Oct. 17 - 22 at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

    • Election Day – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 24, polls open at designated locations throughout the City

Please note that for advance voting dates and Election Day, voters need to go to one of the polling locations in their designated ward/electoral district. Their designated polling locations are listed on their Voter Notification Card.

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City of Peterborough Release Rules Regarding Election Sign Placement

With the municipal election underway, rules for election signs and their placement have been released by the City of Peterborough on Tuesday.

File photo.

The city’s sign by-law states that they cannot be placed on any property owned by the City of Peterborough before Labour Day for a municipal election and they need to be removed no later than three days after voting day.

Since Sept. 5, election signs are allowed on certain City-owned properties, specifically on boulevards next to roads as long as rules on size and placement are followed.

Election signs are not allowed to be placed in public parks or outside of City facilities.

Election signs are allowed on City property next to roads if the following rules are respected to protect sightlines for safety. Signs cannot be placed within the travelled portion of a road or a sidewalk. Signs that are taller than 0.9 metres cannot be placed:

• within a “sight triangle” at the intersection of two roads that extends six metres from the intersection in each direction, which is illustrated in Figure 1 below; or

• within three metres of the road as illustrated in Figure 2 below.

Election signs are also prohibited on properties when used as voting locations. This includes advance voting locations and on Election Day.

The City encourages candidates and supporters to put their election signs on private property.

Election signs that violate the by-law or election procedures will be removed by the City.

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What You Need To Know About Voting In the Municipal Election On Oct. 24

With the nomination period closed last Friday, several offices including mayor, councillors and school board trustee positions are part of this year’s municipal election that starts on Oct. 24.

Photo by Luke Best.

The 2022 municipal election includes the office of Mayor of the City of Peterborough, two Councillors for each of the City's five wards, School Board Trustees for the English Public and English Separate school boards.

Residents can vote for one candidate in the office of Mayor, up to two Councillors for their respective wards and a Trustee for both of the school boards.

Visit the interactive online ward map to determine which one you reside in.

Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone eligible can do online advanced polls starting on Oct. 1. Advance accessible voting is available on Oct. 17 - 21 from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m at City Hall.

Advanced voting opportunities are available on Oct.8, 15 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the following offices:

• Ward 1: Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd.

• Ward 2: Westdale United Church, 1509 Sherbrooke St.

• Ward 3: Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N.

• Ward 4: Lions Club, 347 Burnham St.

• Ward 5: Northview Community Church, 1000 Fairbairn St.

The following are voting locations for each ward respectively:

Ward 1

• Peterborough Sports & Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.

• Roger Neilson Public School, 550 Erskine Ave.

• Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd. (accessible voting equipment)

Ward 2

• Mapleridge Recreation Centre, 1085 Brealey Dr.

• Westdale United Church, 1509 Sherbrooke St. (accessible voting equipment)

• St. Teresa's Catholic School, 1525 Fairmount Blvd.

Ward 3

• Knights of Columbus, 317 Hunter St. W

• Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N (accessible voting equipment)

• Children’s Montessori School, 186 Romaine St.

Ward 4

• Lions Club, 347 Burnham St.

• Otonabee Valley Public School, 580 River Rd. S

• Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, 1009 Armour Rd.

Ward 5

• Riverview Park & Zoo, 1300 Water St.

• Edmison Heights Public School, 1111 Royal Dr.

• Activity Haven, 180 Barnardo Ave.

• Northview Community Church, 1000 Fairbairn St.

The following is a list of certified candidates and their respective offices:

Mayor

• Stephen Wright

• Henry Clarke

• Jeff Leal

• Victor Kruez

• Brian Lumsden

Councillor - Ward 1 - Otonabee

• Kevin Duguay

• Lesley Parnell

• Nathan Russell-Meharry

• Eleanor Underwood

• Chanté White

Councillor - Ward 2 - Monaghan

• Matt Crowley

• Charmaine Magumbe

• Lyle Saunders

• Don Vassiliadis

• Jeff Westlake

• Tom Wigglesworth

Councillor - Ward 3 - Town

• Alex Bierk

• Brian Christoph

• Vickie Karikas

• Joy Lachica

• Dean Pappas

Councillor - Ward 4 - Ashburnham

• Garv Baldwin

• Andrew MacGregor

• Keith Riel

Councillor - Ward 5 - Northcrest

• Aldo Andreoli

• Andrew Beamer

• Karen Grant

• Dave Haacke

• Carlotta James

• Shauna Kingston

Trustee - Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

• Wayne Bonner

• Rose Kitney

• Steve Russell

Trustee - Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board

• Mike Ayotte

• Daniel Demers

• Loretta Durst

• Anthony Petrasek

Residents can visit voterlookup.ca to determine if they are on the voters’ list.

Identification (ID) is required when you vote that has your name and address. Two pieces of ID may be necessary in some cases as the City of Peterborough urges some people to be prepared.

You may provide an original, or certified/notarized copy, of any of the following documents:

• Ontario driver’s licence

• Ontario Health Card (photo card)

• Ontario Photo Card

• Ontario motor vehicle permit (vehicle portion)

• cancelled personalized cheque

• mortgage statement, lease or rental agreement relating to property in Ontario

• insurance policy or insurance statement

• loan agreement or other financial agreement with a financial institution

• document issued or certified by a court in Ontario

• any other document from the government of Canada, Ontario or a municipality in Ontario or from an agency or such a government

• any document from a Band Council in Ontario established under the Indian Act (Canada)

• income tax assessment notice

• child tax benefit statement

• statement of employment insurance benefits paid T4E

• statement of old age security T4A (OAS)

• statement of Canada Pension Plan benefits T4A (P)

• Canada Pension Plan statement of contributions

• statement of direct deposit for Ontario Works

• statement of direct deposit for Ontario Disability Support Program

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board statement of benefits T5007

• property tax assessment

• credit card statement, bank account statement, or RRSP, RRIF, RHOSP or T5 statement

• CNIB Card or a card from another registered charitable organization that provides services to persons with disabilities

• hospital card or record

• document showing campus residence, issued by the office or officials responsible for student residence at a post-secondary institution

• document showing residence at a long-term care home under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, issued by the Administrator for the home

• utility bill for hydro, water, gas, telephone or cable TV or a bill from a public utilities commission

• cheque stub, T4 statement or pay receipt issued by an employer

• transcript or report card from a post-secondary school

In the case of homelessness or anyone with no permanent/fixed address, you can still vote. Your ward is determined by where you slept the most during the five weeks leading up to the election.

You can vote even if you are unable to provide ID by going to a voting location in your designated ward on any advance vote or election day. Seek out any election staff to aid you in voting upon arrival.

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MPP Dave Smith Elected For Second Term In Provincial Election

It’s four more years for Conservative candidate and MPP Dave Smith as he won the 2022 Peterborough-Kawartha Riding for the provincial election held on Thursday night.

Dave Smith earns back-to-back terms for the Conservative Party. Gary Stewart was the last Conservative MPP for the Peterborough-Kawartha riding to get elected for consecutive terms from 1995-2003. Photo by Luke Best.

Smith won the riding with 20,188 votes, getting a 38.5 per cent share of the ballots. This win marks the start of his second term as MPP.

"Anytime you're an elected official, the whole goal is to help the people that have put you there," said Smith. "For this many people to step forward once again and say, 'we like what you've done, we believe in you, please represent us again,' it's a very humbling experience."

Smith held his election party at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club that had a small and quiet crowd in the final hour before ballots closed at 9 p.m. EST.

The crowd picked up to roughly 80 people once ballots were being counted. It only took 38 minutes since the polls closed before Smith was declared the winner. There were chants of ‘four more years’ and a loud cheer once the result was in.

"When we went out there with Covid, I tried listening to what the challenges were," said Smith. "People recognized that I was there in their corner in a tough time and I was trying to do things that were going to make life better for them."

Smith’s victory was a stepping stone for the Conservative Party as Premier Doug Ford was re-elected to a second term 11 minutes after polls closed. They earned a majority government seven minutes later.

"I think people were happy with what we did over the last four years," said Smith. "They recognized that Premier Ford has a heart of gold and his whole intent is for the people of Ontario.”

Smith says ‘the work is not done yet’ as he has several issues he wants to tackle after being re-elected. He says he has a start on addressing the healthcare challenges in the province by rebuilding the economy and getting people jobs first.

"When the economy is moving well, we have more money as government to do all of the extra things we need to support people," he said.

Smith notes that more work needs to be done in healthcare, long-term care, education skills trades, natural resources, forestry and Indigenous affairs.

All photos by Luke Best.

The following were the results of the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding:

• Dave Smith (Conservative) - 20,188 votes (38.5 per cent)

• Greg Dempsey (Liberal) - 16,021 votes (30.6 per cent)

• Jen Deck (New Democratic) - 11,210 votes (21.4 per cent)

• Tom Morazzo (Ontario Party) - 1,973 votes (3.8 per cent)

• Robert Gibson (Green) - 1,914 votes (3.7 per cent)

• Rebecca Quinnell (New Blue) - 1,078 votes (2.1 per cent)

Dempsey made a brief visit congratulating Smith’s win while Deck and Gibson spent a longer amount of time with the Conservative candidate after his win.

Ontario Liberal Steven Del Duca lost his hometown riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge and stepped down as leader. He lost to Michael Tibollo who defeated him back in 2018.

NDP’s Andrea Horwath resigned as leader however the party remains as the official opposition. She won her riding of Hamilton Centre in a landslide by nearly 12,000 votes (57.3 per cent share).

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