Trinity United Church Boosts Four Peterborough Programs With Outreach Fund

The Congregation of the recently disbanded Trinity United Church Peterborough has announced the establishment of The Trinity United Church Peterborough Outreach Fund. This fund will continue Trinity’s support to charities doing incredibly important work in the community.

Members at Trinity United Church. Photo courtesy of Trinity United Church social media.

This Fund will provide financial support to Trinity’s Outreach Mission for the next ten years.

Trinity has announced that the following organizations have been selected to receive support from this newly created fund:
• YES Shelter for Youth and Families
• Nourish – a program of the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton
• Friends of Honduran Children, and
• School for Young Moms – a program of the Peterborough Child and Family Centres

With the initial investment in the Fund of $250,000, over the next ten years YES and Nourish will receive at least $12,000 each per year. Friends of Honduran Children and School for Young Moms will receive at least $3,000 each per year.

Trinity United Church was established in 1872. In 2021 the Congregation made the decision to disband as of June 2022. Measures were taken over the past year to ensure that the faith-based mission of the Congregation continues into the future.

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Selwyn Township Receives $750,000 To Renovate Upper Level Of Former Lakefield post Office

The Township of Selwyn has been approved for up to $750,000 through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF), to retrofit the former Lakefield post office to create an accessible and comfortable upper-level community space.

The clock tower of the former Lakefield Post Office building, which currently houses the Peterborough + Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce satellite office. Photo courtesy of The Township of Selwyn.

The CCRF is delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and provides funding for projects that aim to revitalize downtown cores and main streets, reinvent outdoor spaces, create green infrastructure and increase the accessibility of community spaces.

Selwyn applied for this funding to retrofit the former Lakefield post office, which currently houses the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism and Police Services, to create an accessible and comfortable upper-level community space.

According to the Township, this space has been under-utilized and is in need of accessibility upgrades and repairs, due in part to its age. This project includes the installation of an elevator/lift, construction of an accessible washroom and kitchenette, office/work stations, and board/meeting room, making this the perfect location for a community space that can be used by everyone.

“We are very excited to announce this project to the community of Selwyn Township. Not only will we be creating a space that is accessible to everyone, while preserving the heritage features of this historic landmark; but we are also creating a space that will benefit so many in our community,” said Andy Mitchell, Mayor of Selwyn Township. “From those who are taking their first steps in the world of entrepreneurship or those who are just looking for a quiet space to work. A space that will encourage learning, growth, and collaboration.”

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Otonabee Conservation Receives Over $1 Million In Funding To Improve Four Local Outdoor Areas

Otonabee Conservation has received over $1 million from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) towards four projects throughout the Otonabee River watershed.

Funds from the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) and the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) will reinvent and revitalize Jackson Creek Trail, Harold Town Conservation Area (CA), Warsaw Caves CA, and Selwyn Beach CA.

“Otonabee Conservation is honoured to receive this significant investment from the Government of Canada to enhance four of our most popular outdoor recreation properties across the Region,” said Ryan Huntley, Chair of the Otonabee Conservation Board of Directors, “These improvements will provide a more enjoyable and inclusive outdoor experience for residents and visitors to our watershed that would not be possible without this funding from FedDev Ontario; we are grateful for this commitment to Conservation Areas and trails in our watershed.”

Otonabee Conservation was awarded $368,000 from the TRF to revitalize the Harold Town CA by increasing accessibility and inclusivity of trails and adding facilities such as picnic shelters and an accessible, inclusive washroom.

Through the CCRF, $524,000 was awarded to Otonabee Conservation for the revitalization of the Jackson Creek Trail. This includes bridge repairs and railing replacement, improved grading, and the addition of accessibility features.

An additional $189,000 from the CCRF will enable Otonabee Conservation to construct accessible and inclusive washroom facilities at the Warsaw Caves Conservation Area and at Selwyn Beach Conservation Area in Lakefield.

Each location will also include new signage and virtual/digital technology integration to enhance visitors’ experience and understanding of the habitat and wildlife along the trail, and to recognize First Nations heritage.

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City Council Approves Over $20,000 Of Grants To Seven Peterborough Organizations

Peterborough City Council approved allocating $20,458 to various local charitable and not-for-profit organizations as recommended by the Community Investment Grant Advisory Committee, on Monday.

Capable Con is one of seven organizations receiving funding. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This year the city received twelve applications for their Investment Grant funding and all twelve applications received funding. Due to the low number of applications received and the Committee’s evaluation of those applications, a surplus of funds remained.

The Committee discussed how best to approach this unique occurrence and recommended a motion to Council addressing the surplus.

That the remaining surplus Community Grant funds will be split between seven different organizations.

• $5,000, Community Care Peterborough, Meals on Wheels program

• $1,958, Peterborough Historical Society-Hutchison House Museum, repairs to stairs and install a bike rack

• $3,500, Council for Person's with Disabilities, support for Capable Con 2022

• $3,000, Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, upgrade ticketing platform

• $3,000, Peterborough Folk Festival, assistance to cover costs of paying performers

• $2,000, Peterborough Drug Strategy, hire an external consultant to support strategic planning and post COVID-19 engagement

• $2,000, Peterborough Bicycle Advisory Committee, support the development of education, communication, and engagement activities

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Funding From Ontario Government Will Allow For 43 Additional Beds At PRHC

Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough-Kawartha announced that Peterborough Regional Health Centre will receive funding that will allow for 43 additional hospital beds.

File Photo.

PRHC will receive an additional $6,500,000 million, which represents an increase of 2.6 percent to funding in the last fiscal year as well as an additional $11,669,000 to support 43 hospital beds.

“This funding is another landmark investment in our hospital to end hallway health care and deliver better services for our region,” Smith said. “These funding marks a significant investment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Today, we have secured funding to support 88 health care beds at Peterborough Regional Health Centre and community partners.”

These new beds are part of a capital plan expansion with more than 50 major projects that will add 3,000 new beds over 10 years and support the continuation of over 3,100 acute and post-acute beds in hospitals and alternate health care facilities, and hundreds of new adult, paediatric and neonatal critical care beds in Ontario.

“As a regional hospital, PRHC is already bursting at the seams, with patient volumes at or above 100 per cent of our capacity at any given time, and we know that significant growth and expansion will be needed in the years and decades ahead,” said Dr. Lynn Mikula, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, PRHC. “As the population in Peterborough and the surrounding region continues to grow and age, our programs and services at PRHC must also grow to meet the needs of the communities we serve, and today’s investment is an excellent step in that direction.”

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Ontario Government Invests $2.9 Million Over Three Years For Peterborough Police Service

Peterborough Police Service is receiving $2,947,380 over three years from the Ontario Government to provide for new resources to strengthen services to Peterborough and Lakefield announced Monday.

Inspector John Lyons (left) with MPP Dave Smith (right) following the $2.9 million investment into Peterborough Police Service. The maximum funding for any initiative under the Provincial Priorities Funding Stream is $1.5 million over three years. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

This funding is part of Ontario’s $267 million investment in the Community Safety and Policing (CSP) Grant Program for initiatives that help combat crime locally.

The Peterborough Police Service is one of 90 police service boards receiving funding through the CSP Grant Program for 147 public safety initiatives focusing on local and provincial priorities such as gun and gang violence, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, mental health and addictions and hate-motivated crime. Several projects are in collaboration with community partners.

“The single highest priority of government is to keep communities safe. The Peterborough Police Service has received record investments over the last few years to fight crime and support victims,” said MPP Dave Smith. “This funding will bring significant support to victims of crime; helping them heal and bring criminals to justice.”

The Peterborough Police Service will use funds to:

• Our Special Victims Unit (which will focus on investigating crimes related to human trafficking, child exploitation/sexual abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence as well as sexual violence and harassment)

• Addition of a Major Crime Investigator to assist with the above noted investigations and proactive projects

• Provide for a Situation Table Coordinator to assist the Community Development and Engagement Coordinator

• Assist with the services’ Data Analysts

• Advanced training courses for officers

“The funding allows the Service to work on more proactive projects, provides advanced training courses, allows officers in the major crime unit to work on investigating overdose deaths which may lead to more positive outcomes for our community and more connections to our Victims Services Unit for victims of crime,” said Inspector John Lyons. “The funding also aligns with the goal of the Community Safety Well Being Plan and helps the Situation Table in our community.”

The CSP Grant Program helps police services address priority issues identified in their communities such as expanding mental health supports, preventing crime in schools and combatting cyber-crime. It also addresses provincewide priorities such as:

• Gun and gang violence

• Sexual violence and harassment

• Human trafficking

• Mental health and addictions

• Hate-motivated crime.

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Over $3.4 Million Invested Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Expansion of Eating Disorder Support and Services

Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is receiving $3,409,974 from the Ontario Government as part of its $572.3 million investment to reimburse hospitals across the province for their lost revenue during the pandemic announced Friday.

Ontario has a total of 2,436 adult and pediatric ICU beds. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The announcement was made in a Zoom meeting with MPP Dave Smith and Brenda Weir, PRHC Executive Vice President.

A one-time payment of $1,000,000 is included to immediately address the increased demand for services to support specialized care for children and youth diagnosed with eating disorders according to Smith.

“The pandemic worsened the challenges we face in health care and mental health supports after years of neglect and underfunding,” MPP Dave Smith said. “A $4,409,974 investment builds on our work to address hallway medicine, expand mental health services and ensure people in our community get the care they need,”

The program will focus on those up to the age of 24.

“The social isolation with the pandemic definitely has impacted how people have coped. Social isolation for any child or teen is significant as part of their development,” said Brenda Weir, PRHC Executive Vice President.

This funding is part of the province’s overall investment of over $1.2 billion to help hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals have felt financial challenges not only through direct costs, but also through the loss of other forms of revenue such as co-payments for private rooms and the reduction of retail services, all of which contribute to patient care and support clinical services according to the press release.

“While the pandemic funding will help to offset the significant financial burden we have seen at the hospital as a result of COVID-19, the additional investment into PRHC’s Eating Disorders program will help us to address a dramatic increase in the need for this important service for youth in our community and region,” said Weir.

The investment in eating disorder supports and services is part of the 2021 Fall Economic Statement which allocates $8.1 million this year to immediately address the increased demand for services to support specialized care for children and youth diagnosed with eating disorders.

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Ontario Government Investing $3.3 Million In Fleming College And $2.5 Million In Trent University

The Ontario government is investing $5.8M in funding in 2021-22 at Fleming College and Trent University to help provide a modern and safe learning environment for students, faculty and staff, both virtually and on campus.

Dave Smith makes announcement at Fleming College on Wednesday. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

The funding is part of the government’s $583 million investment over three years to help institutions modernize classrooms by upgrading technology, carrying out critical repairs, improving their environmental sustainability and supporting virtual learning projects that increase access to postsecondary education for students.

“Despite a global pandemic, there are 500,000 more net new jobs today than in 2018. Our efforts to eliminate job-killing red tape, reduce fees and costs on businesses and people, and invest in education, training, and skills development are working; laying the foundation for long-term economic growth in our region and across Ontario,” MPP Dave Smith said. “Today, we take one more step in that direction with a $5.8 million investment to deliver better, more accessible education for students – training them for the jobs of the future.”

The $3.3M investment at Fleming College will help to modernize learning spaces, equipment, and infrastructure in the School of Trades and Technology, School of Environmental and Natural Resources Sciences, and the School of Health and Wellness.

The $2.5M investment at Trent University will help to renovate and upgrade IT/AV infrastructure to enable virtual/real-time delivery to support micro-credential programming as well as to enhance the ability create AV content in particular for nursing and STEM. It will also support a variety of projects including roof and skylight replacement and repair and mechanical and electrical improvements.

“Ontario’s postsecondary institutions offer world class education, which is critical to the future of the province, and our economy,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “Our government’s investments to build Ontario will help colleges and universities renew and modernize their facilities and buy vital training equipment so they can continue to deliver high-quality education to students – anytime and anywhere.”

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Ontario Government Invests $2.7 Million In New Jobs Program For Peterborough

The Ontario Government is investing $2,714,847 for Pathways to Prosperity to provide workers with training for in-demand and well-paying jobs announced at the Venture North Building on Tuesday.

Rhonda Keenan, PKED President & CEO (pictured) speaking alongside MPP Dave Smith who was there on behalf of Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The project is administered by Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED).

PKED is focusing on workforce development over a 12-month period. The project’s goal is to have those employed or unemployed into sustainable well-paying jobs according to PKED. The program has three pillars:

• Pre-Employment Support: readiness, participant supports, referral to training, long-term retention support, including any mental health support.

• Job Seeker Training: 15 cohorts of job seekers will receive comprehensive training designed for four sectors: line cook, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction

• Business Recruitment: recruit 50 local businesses or more to participate and offer job placements for the job seekers at the end of their training.

“We laser-focused on job creation in our region; creating opportunities for workers and families to enter the middle class through well-paying local jobs,” MPP Dave Smith said. “This jobs program will see hundreds of people receive the training and skills development needed to upgrade their careers and earn more money for their families.”

“Creating a collaborative partnership that not only supports the job seeker, but the businesses in this community that are facing a critical skills shortage, was the focus of this program,” said Rhonda Keenan, PKED President & CEO. “Businesses will have greater support to successfully hire people with the skill sets that are most in demand in the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, and the City of Kawartha Lakes region.”

This initiative is supported by the government’s Skills Development Fund. They have provided over $200 million in funding for innovative projects that address challenges to hiring, training, or retraining workers during the pandemic according to the Ontario Government.

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YES Shelter Receives $50,000 From Rotary Clubs Towards Two Housing Units

The Youth Emergency Shelter (YES) can help their two new housing units after receiving $50,000 from Peterborough Rotary Club and Kawartha Rotary in a cheque presentation outside the shelter on Wednesday afternoon.

(from left to right) Atul Swarup, Peterborough Rotary volunteer; Marie Press, Peterborough rotary director of service; Aimee Le Lagadéc, YES executive director; Melissa Free, YES transitional housing manager; Brian O’Toole, Kawartha Rotary Club director and Carl Brown, Kawartha Rotary Club director of service. YES has been providing emergency shelter and transitional supports to youth and families in Peterborough City and County since 2000. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The two new housing units are part of YES’ RISE Youth Housing Program. The money will build the units, as well as renovate an existing 12-plex building to allow for the additional capacity. This funding is a part of Rotary’s Centennial Celebrations, helping the community in their 100th year.

The funding is part of a $100,000 pledge with Peterborough Rotary Club committing $75,000 and $25,000 from Kawartha Rotary.

“Many of our members feel very strongly about housing in Peterborough,” said Wayne Harding, Rotary Club of Peterborough president.

“This is a natural fit.” Carl Brown, Kawartha Rotary Club President stated “We are proud of our community involvement with this project and pleased to work with the Peterborough Club to make this important project happen”

“Right now, the homelessness rate in Peterborough is far too high and housing has not become more available or affordable through the pandemic,” said Aimee Le Lagadéc, YES executive director. “We also know that transitional housing is typically required for young people and families exiting homelessness.”

The project will begin this spring and will be completed by the summer of 2023.

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