Peterborough Chamber One Of Three Finalists in National Competition

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The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has announced the three finalists for the 2016 Canadian Chamber Competition, and Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is among the three along with Burnaby Board of Trade and Calgary Chamber of Commerce.

This is a great honour for the Chamber team and Peterborough to be a finalist in such a noteworthy competition.

Peterborough Chamber team

Each year, members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce gather for their Annual General Meeting, and the 2016 meeting is taking place September 16th to 19th in Regina, Saskatchewan.

As part of the AGM, the Canadian Chamber holds a competition based on a relevant theme. This year, the theme is “Membership in the Age of Google, How Our Chamber is Reinventing ourselves”. The aim of the competition is to profile chambers of commerce that are innovative in their approach, particularly as it pertains to the theme—and the Peterborough Chamber is one of the finalists.

The Peterborough Chamber submission focussed on the rebranding of the chamber under the “Strengthening Business” banner, as both a slogan and a way of doing business.

Chamber policy analyst Sandra Dueck speaking at OCC AGM 2016 in Oakville

“Our members drive us, and channeling the collective strength of the business community gives us a focused voice on a variety of issues," says Stuart Harrison, President & CEO of the Chamber. "Apart from the lobbying work we do, helping our members grow helps the local economy.”

Learn more about the recognition in this video the Chamber posted to Twitter...

We wish the Chamber all the best at the Finals in Regina.

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Peterborough Police Services Launch Postcard Campaign To Spread Fraud Prevention

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Peterborough Police Service have launched a postcard campaign called "You Are Their Next Target" aimed at getting crucial fraud prevention messaging directly into people’s homes.

“Our Service has done a lot of messaging and education around the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scam yet we are still being inundated with calls from citizens reporting this fraud,” says Detective Constable Keith Calderwood, Peterborough Police Service Fraud Unit. “The scammers involved are extremely aggressive and convincing. There are people today who are losing $4,000 or $5,000 as a result of this fraud.”

One of three postcards available

The Peterborough Police Service’s Alternative Response Unit receives between 15 and 40 calls a day from people reporting the CRA scam. The fraud involves a person receiving a message either by telephone, mail or text message from someone pretending to be from the Canada Revenue Agency requesting personal information and using scare tactics to get people to pay a fictitious debt.

From January to August 2016, approximately 32 people in our area fell victim to the CRA fraud and lost anywhere between $1,500 to $5,600. “Our main message is simple: Don’t make assumptions about who falls for frauds and scams," says Detective Constable Calderwood.

One of three postcards available

“Through this postcard campaign, the message will be delivered directly into people’s homes and into their hands," adds Detective Constable Calderwood. "We want people to know it’s okay to hang up if they receive a scam call. Don’t panic. Don’t react. Don’t send money. Don’t fall for it.”

Through generous funding provided by the Peterborough Northumberland Crime Stoppers and funding from the New Horizons for Seniors, 21,000 postcards have been printed and will be distributed throughout the area served by the Peterborough Police Service: The City of Peterborough, the Village of Lakefield and the Township of Cavan Monaghan.

One of three postcards available

Participating locations include local banks, pharmacies, grocery stores, coffee shops, senior centres, township offices and service clubs.

Mac’s Convenience Stores is supporting the campaign and select Mac’s stores throughout Peterborough will carry the postcards. Mac’s Convenience stores have made it a corporate priority to educate their employees about the fraud in order that they can in turn warn and educate their customers.

The back of the postcard

“Through this education and awareness campaign, our hope is that people will read the message and then mail the postcard to someone they think would benefit from this warning," says Peterborough Police Chief Murray Rodd. "We don’t want one more person in our area to be victimized by this scam. We want people to read it, sign it and send it.”

Peterborough Police also want to spread the message about this campaign and the postcards through the power of social media—they have created the hashtag #postcardsforprevention—so share this campaign with others on your social channels.

For more information on the CRA scam, click here.

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UPDATED: A Small Plane Crashed At The Intersection Of Lansdowne & High Street Early This Morning

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UPDATE: Police say that the small plane that crashed onto Lansdowne St. Friday morning was stolen from a rural airport in York Region. Police confirm the pilot—a man in his twenties—was the only person on board. The police do not know if the pilot had any previous flying experience, nor what caused the crash—though it was clear the pilot was trying to land the plane on the street. The deceased male has been identified—he is from the GTA—and police are notifying next of kin.

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ORIGINAL POST (August 12th)

A small plane crashed at the intersection of Lansdowne St. and High St. at 1:20 a.m. Friday morning.

Photo by Scott Arnold

EMS responded and the pilot of the Piper aircraft was found deceased upon arrival. The pilot's name has not been identified. Police say it would appear only one person is involved in the crash, and that the incident is being investigated as a crime.

Photo by Scott Arnold

Photo by Scott Arnold

The Transportation Safety Board was notified and are on scene assisting in determining the cause of the plane crash.

Plane being loaded onto trailer this morning. (Photo by Evan Holt)

Police will continue to provide updates throughout the day...

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates and follow @Ptbo_Canada on Twitter.

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The Town Of Cobourg Installed An Awesome Accessibility Mat At Their Victoria Beach

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People are raving about The Town of Cobourg's decision to install an accessibility mat at Victoria Beach.

The accessibility mat will make the beach universally accessible and has been installed from the midpoint of the Victoria Beach boardwalk at the gazebo and runs right near the water’s edge on Lake Ontario.

Accessibility mat in Cobourg

As the Town of Cobourg says on their Facebook page, "The mat provides a stable ground so that the beach and water’s edge can be accessible for people using wheelchairs, strollers and walkers."

The accessible beach mat will support the existing accessible Landeeze wheelchair that the Town of Cobourg acquired from the Rick Hanson Foundation.

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A Total Fire Ban Has Been Implemented In The Township Of Selwyn

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Due to the increasingly dry conditions during this heat spell—we have had virtually zilch precipitation this summer—the Township of Selwyn has issued a total fire ban effective immediately.

They tweeted about the fire ban this afternoon...

All open air burning (including campfires) is now prohibited and all fire permits that have been issued are now void until the fire ban is lifted. Residents will be notified when the fire ban has been lifted.

Water restrictions also remain in place and you can learn more about those regulations here.

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A Massive Fire Has Broken Out At The Clearing House Outlet In Lindsay

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The Clearing House Outlet in Lindsay—which has a sister store in Peterborough on Clonsilla Road—is fully engulfed in flames [UPDATE: as is McLean Auction]. The fire broke out Friday afternoon.

Picture via Angie Figsby on Facebook

Highway 7 to Little Britain as well as other roads in the area are blocked off as firefighters battle the blaze—the fire has also hit neighbouring McLean Auction—so avoid the area.

Picture via Collin Skinner on Facebook

It is a heartbreaking day for the owners, staff and customers of these stores. One woman posted this message to Facebook...

Picture via Jeff Link on Facebook

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates and follow @Ptbo_Canada on Twitter.

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Mike Skinner Named President & CEO Of Innovation Cluster

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The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster—which drives technology-based, innovation-driven, and entrepreneurship-led economic growth and high-tech job creation—has announced that the President & CEO position will be filled by its current Interim President & CEO, Michael Skinner.

Mike Skinner with his wife Catia and child

“We are pleased to have Michael assume the role of CEO for our organization," says Innovation Cluster Board Chair John Desbiens. "His past experience building successful companies will be an asset as the Innovation Cluster continues with its exciting growth and development."

Skinner’s experience building numerous companies both internationally and in Peterborough makes him an excellent addition to the Innovation Cluster.

In 2001, Skinner founded Opritel Corporation, a learning software development company that he expanded worldwide. In 2008, Profit Magazine recognized Opritel as one of Canada’s fastest growing companies. In 2011, Operitel was acquired by OpenText Corporation. His background building a successful company will serve as a diving board for other entrepreneurs building innovative companies.

“I am honored to serve as the Innovation Cluster’s CEO and look forward to continuing to help grow our innovative clients and ensuring that they become successful employers here in Peterborough,” says Skinner, who tirelessly gives back to Peterborough in countless ways.

The hire of Skinner follows a new strategic plan in which the Innovation Cluster identified four key focus sectors: CleanTech, AgTech, Healthcare and Digital.

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OPP Remind Pokémon Go Players That It Is Not OK To Trespass In Facebook Post Gone Viral

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OPP Remind Pokémon Go Players That It Is Not OK To Trespass In Facebook Post Gone Viral

Have fun but be safe and don't trespass

Read More
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UPDATE: The Centennial Fountain Is On!

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UPDATE: June 24th -> The fountain is repaired and on! We officially declare that summer has started!!

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ORIGINAL POST

The Centennial Fountain, installed in 1967 on Little Lake, is an important landmark in Peterborough. It's always a sure sign of Spring when it's turned on for the season.

It is scheduled to run from the middle of May to the middle of October annually, but the City of Peterborough says that when staff began preparing the fountain for service this year, it was discovered that the ground fault device that powers the fountain had been triggered and was inoperative.  

Further investigation revealed that the 1,000 foot long cable that provides power to the fountain has been compromised and it is not safe to operate.

A meeting has been held with potential contractors to supply and install the necessary cable and specifications are being finalized. All efforts are being made to get the fountain back in working order as soon as possible, the City says.

[Related: Amazing Historical Footage Of Centennial Fountain]

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Why You Might See Fog Coming Out Of Sewers In Peterborough

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If you see fog coming out of city sewers, well it's not filming for a horror movie or anything.

Rather, the City of Peterborough is working with Cole Engineering Group Ltd. to identify sources of rain water entering the sanitary sewers and develop a plan to reduce these flows.

Photo Courtesy City of Peterborough

Photo Courtesy City of Peterborough

The sanitary sewer system takes wastewater from houses, businesses, and industries to the treatment plant for treatment before being discharged into the river. Inflow and infiltration occurs when rain and ground water enters the sanitary sewers through cracks or holes in the pipe network or other connections such as catch basins or roof downspouts

This increased volume reduces the capacity of the sanitary sewer pipe network and the treatment plant. This also increases the risk of overloading the pipe network and potential basement flooding.

How The Sewer Testing Works...

-> To identify sources of inflow and infiltration, Cole Engineering is conducting a sewer fog testing program from the beginning of May until the end of August 2016.

-> The fog test consists of blowing a harmless coloured vapour into City sewer manholes and pipes and observing where the fog exits from the system.

-> The fog is expected to exit primarily out of manholes on the street and the sewer plumbing stack at the top of your house. It is also possible for fog to exit stormwater catch basins and downspouts on your house.

-> The fog used in the test has no odour, isn’t harmful to your health, and will disappear after a few minutes.

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