Ice Storm Updates From City of Peterborough (April 4)

As storm recovery efforts continue in the City of Peterborough, all Public Works crews and 23 contractor crews are working throughout the City, addressing hazards on roads, sidewalks, trails and in parks.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Proper food waste disposal is essential to prevent contamination and maintain community cleanliness says the City.

Residential Properties 

• Residents should use their green bin to dispose of spoiled food. All packaging must be removed before placing food waste in the bin. 

• Residents may also dispose of spoiled food waste at no charge at the City Landfill/Compost Site, 1260 Bensfort Rd., until April 14. Spoiled food waste should be removed from its packaging before disposal.  

Multi-Unit Residential and Commercial Properties 

• If the building does not have a green bin program, please coordinate with the property owner or building manager to arrange proper disposal. 

The City Landfill is also accepting residential brush, wood chips and damaged tree waste related to the ice storm at no charge until April 14.  

Curbside chipping service for large tree debris that cannot be processed through the regular yard waste curbside collection will be provided when resources can be redeployed to provide that service. Resources are dedicated to storm response efforts, addressing hazardous and critical conditions. The City will provide an update when the curbside chipping service for large tree debris will begin.

When placing tree debris at the boulevard for yard waste collection, the City asks to be mindful of sightlines for pedestrian safety and vehicular traffic. Avoid placing debris close enough to the curb that it may wash into the street during a rainstorm.

As a result of the ice storm, the City is temporarily waiving the permit requirement to remove trees on private property that have been destroyed, destabilized or structurally compromised as a direct result of the ice storm, with the following condition:

• Residents must send email notification to treebylaw@peterborough.ca, providing photos, property address, tree species information including diameter, and provide the physiological and structural condition of the tree preferably prior to removing the tree or as soon as possible after removing a tree.

City-owned trees of any size, including street trees and trees in parks and natural areas, are owned and maintained by the City and are not eligible for removal or maintenance by residents. To report an issue with a City-owned tree, please call 705-742-7777 and dial 8, or 705-745-1386 after hours and weekends.

Team Rubicon Canada is deploying volunteers to Peterborough to assist residents with downed trees and storm debris on their properties. To contact Team Rubicon for assistance, please email request_assistance@teamrubicon.ca clearly indicating the location—whether the address is in the City of Peterborough or Peterborough County—or call 647-473-8655.

With high water levels in all regional waterways and rain in the forecast, the City’s Wastewater Treatment Facility is processing extremely high volumes of water. To help reduce the demands on the sewage treatment system and assist with capacity at the facility, residents are strongly urged to conserve water over the next several days.

The municipal drinking water system has maintained operations throughout the state of emergency with no disruption to service.

Warming centres continue to be available in the City of Peterborough for residents of the City and County experiencing extended power outages as Hydro One crews continue to work to restore power to affected areas.

The City’s warming centres are open at the following locations:

• Healthy Planet Arena, banquet hall, 911 Monaghan Rd.: closed at 9 a.m. on Friday

• For Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the 24-hour warming centre is relocated to the McDonnel Street Community Centre at 577 McDonnel St. starting 9 a.m. on Friday, April 4. Food support will be provided at this location on Friday. This location is anticipated to be open until at least 9 a.m. on Monday

• Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W.: open 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily through to at least noon on Monday

• Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.: open 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and through to at least 9 a.m. on Monday

The City is monitoring conditions and will assess needs to determine warming centre location services after Monday, April 7.

Showers are available at all Miskin Law Community Complex and the Sport and Wellness Centre during warming centre hours of operation. Community partners, including the Salvation Army, will provide food at the McDonnel Street Community Centre on Friday.

With widespread power outages continuing, please check on neighbours and loved ones.

Peterborough Transit has resumed regular service, with some detours where hazards such as downed trees affect routes. Anyone requiring Transit to visit one of the City’s warming centres will ride for free: notify the driver of the destination when boarding.

City Hall, the Social Services office at 178 Charlotte St., the Peterborough Public Library and the Peterborough Museum and Archives are open regular hours. The Provincial Offences Office at 99 Simcoe St. reopened on Friday.

Recreation facilities have returned to regular, full operations, including arenas, the pool and community centres.

The Art Gallery of Peterborough is closed for unscheduled maintenance until Sunday.

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City Urges Residents to Reduce Water Intake

Residents are asked to reduce their water use due to the high volume of rainwater runoff entering the City of Peterborough Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

Due to recent weather conditions stemming from last weekend’s ice storm, the wastewater treatment system is experiencing increased wet weather water volume. This increase in water flow is due to recent heavy rain and ongoing ice melt in the region, with more rain forecasted for this weekend.  

Weather conservation helps alleviate the pressure on the sewage pumping stations and treatment plant according to the City.

Residents can help conserve water by:

• Turning off taps: Don’t leave water running while brushing teeth or washing dishes.

• Shorten showers: Aim for shortened showers instead of baths, and shower in the evening if possible.

• Delay unnecessary laundry: Wait to run washing machines until there is a full load and wash clothes later in the evening.

• Fix leaks: Even small drips can waste significant amounts of water.

• Reuse water wherever possible.

The drinking water system remains unaffected by the ice storm that hit the region last weekend. The quality of the City’s drinking water continues to be safe and maintained without disruption.

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City Conducting Wellness Checks For Vulnerable Residents

The City of Peterborough Social Services division and Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association (OSARVA) members are checking in on the City’s most vulnerable residents after last weekend’s ice storm that hit the area.

Photo by Aaron Elliott.

The City is actively tracking the power outage status of community housing providers. Prioritizing seniors, residents with disabilities and vulnerable residents, OSARVA members conduct door-to-door wellness checks and deliver food hampers.

“In times like these, the strength of our community shines through. Volunteers from the Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association, City staff, and organizations like Kawartha Food Share have stepped up to ensure that our most vulnerable residents are safe, fed, and supported,” said Mayor Jeff Leal. “Thank you to everyone who has given their time and energy to help those in need. Let’s all take a moment to check in on our neighbors, lend a hand where we can, and continue to care for one another as we recover from this storm.”

Food hampers are coordinated through Kawartha Food Share and Feed Ontario. Around 500 hamper boxes will be distributed within the next few days according to the City.

OSARVA members have also been providing support on warming buses and at the City’s warming centres, volunteering throughout the day and night alongside City social services staff.

Social Services staff have been operating out of the Healthy Planet Arena, providing referrals to residents looking for warmth, food and a space to charge their devices. The team has also been helping young children stay occupied and entertained while they are at warming centres. 

With power outages continuing, the City encourages residents to check in on neighbours and loved ones.

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Ice Storm Updates From City of Peterborough (April 2)

Warming centres remain open for residents of the City and County experiencing extended power outages caused by the recent severe ice storm as Hydro One crews continue to work to restore power to affected areas.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The City’s three warming centres are open at the following locations through Friday:

• Healthy Planet Arena, banquet hall, 911 Monaghan Rd.: during the day and overnight, will be open until at least 9 a.m. on Friday – The City will provide an update on a location for an overnight warming centre for Friday night, if required.

• Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W.: open 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily through Friday

• Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.: open 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily through Friday

Showers are available at all three locations until 11 p.m. Food is being provided by community partners, including the Salvation Army, at the Healthy Planet Arena.

With widespread power outages continuing, the City urges those to check on neighbours and loved ones.

Peterborough Transit resumed services on most routes on Tuesday morning. The Link transit service to Curve Lake First Nation and Selwyn Township is operational. A warming bus will be stationed at 486 Donegal St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until power is restored.

The Social Services office at 178 Charlotte St., the Peterborough Public Library and the Peterborough Museum and Archives are open for its regular hours.

Recreation facilities, including arenas, the pool, and community centres, are returning to normal and full operations.

The Art Gallery of Peterborough at 250 Crescent St. and the Provincial Offences Office at 99 Simcoe St. are closed.

Curbside garbage, green bin, and yard waste collection will proceed regularly this week.

Public Works crews continue to respond to downed trees on streets and sidewalks, addressing hazardous situations.

All City parks are officially closed due to the risk of falling trees and tree limbs caused by ice accumulation.

Riverview Park and Zoo remains closed due to extensive tree damage. Damage is being assessed, and recovery efforts are being planned to determine when the zoo can safely reopen for visitors. The care of the animals is being maintained and the animals are safe.

As the City prepares for freezing rain and rainfall, with alerts issued by Environment Canada, residents are strongly urged to conserve water use to reduce the volume of water processed by the sewage pumping stations.

Regular yard waste curbside collection service begins this week.

Residential yard waste and tree debris can be dropped off at the City-County Landfill, 1260 Bensfort Rd., free of charge, until April 14.

Curbside chipping service for large tree debris that cannot be processed through the regular yard waste curbside collection will be provided when resources can be redeployed to provide that service. Resources are dedicated to storm response efforts, addressing hazardous and critical conditions. An update will be provided when the curbside chipping service for large tree debris will begin.

As a result of the ice storm, the City is temporarily waiving the permit requirement to remove trees on private property that have been destroyed, destabilized or structurally compromised as a direct result of the ice storm, with the following condition:

• Residents must send email notification to treebylaw@peterborough.ca, providing photos, property address, tree species information including diameter, and provide the physiological and structural condition of the tree preferably prior to removing the tree or as soon as possible after removing a tree.

City-owned trees of any size, including street trees and trees in parks and natural areas, are owned and maintained by the City and are not eligible for removal or maintenance by residents. To report an issue with a City-owned tree, please call 705-742-7777 and dial 8, or 705-745-1386 after hours and weekends. Residents are urged not to touch or attempt to move tree limbs that are on or near Hydro lines. These hazards should be reported to Hydro One by calling the reporting line at 1-800-434-1235.

Peterborough Fire Services reminds residents using backup generators and equipment like a gas-powered cooking stove or charcoal grill to follow safe practices to avoid risks from carbon monoxide.

Peterborough Public Health provides information on food safety and storage, including safety guidance related to extended power outages following the ice storm. Please follow this guidance and monitor food spoilage.

Residents are asked to properly prepare food waste for green bin collection. All packaging must be removed from food waste before placing it in green bins to ensure efficient processing. The City is actively working to ensure seamless waste collection on streets affected by downed power lines.

Additionally, residents bringing food waste to the landfill must remove any packaging beforehand. Food waste brought to the landfill with packaging cannot be processed as compost and will be directed to landfill disposal instead.

The Beach Boys concert at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Friday and the Peterborough Home, Garden and Cottage Show at Healthy Planet Arena on Saturday and Sunday are expected to proceed as scheduled.

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Ice Storm Updates From City of Peterborough (April 1)

Warming centres remain open for residents of the City and County experiencing extended power outages caused by the weekend’s severe ice storm as Hydro One crews continue to work to restore power to affected areas.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The City’s three warming centres are open at the following locations:

• Healthy Planet Arena, banquet hall, 911 Monaghan Rd.: during the day and overnight, will be open until at least noon on April 2.

• Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W.: open until 11 p.m. on April 1

• Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.: open until 11 p.m. on April 1

Food is being provided by community partners, including the Salvation Army, at the Healthy Planet Arena.

With widespread power outages continuing, the City urges those to check on neighbours and loved ones.

Peterborough Public Health provides information on food safety and storage, including safety guidance related to extended power outages following the ice storm. Please follow this guidance and monitor food spoilage.

Peterborough Transit resumed services on most routes on Tuesday morning. The Social Services office at 178 Charlotte St. also reopened on Tuesday after power was restored to the building.

Peterborough Public Library and Peterborough Museum and Archives reopened on Tuesday.

Recreation facilities, including arenas, the pool, and community centres, remain closed until at least noon on Wednesday. Depending on conditions and power, they are expected to reopen at noon on Wednesday.

The Provincial Offences Office at 99 Simcoe St. remains closed.

Riverview Park and Zoo remains closed due to extensive tree damage. Damage is being assessed and recovery efforts are being planned to determine when the zoo can safely reopen for visitors. The care of the animals is being maintained and the animals are safe.

Public Works crews continue to respond to downed trees on streets and sidewalks, addressing hazardous situations. There were additional reports of downed trees on Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Peterborough Fire Services reminds residents using backup generators and equipment like a gas-powered cooking stove or charcoal grill to follow safe practices to avoid risks from carbon monoxide.

Curbside garbage, green bin, and yard waste collection will proceed regularly this week.

All City parks are officially closed due to the risk of falling trees and tree limbs caused by ice accumulation.

Regular yard waste curbside collection service begins this week.

Residential yard waste and tree debris can be dropped off at the City-County Landfill, 1260 Bensfort Rd., free of charge, until April 14.

Curbside chipping service for large tree debris that cannot be processed through the regular yard waste curbside collection will be provided when resources can be redeployed to provide that service. Resources are dedicated to storm response efforts, addressing hazardous and critical conditions. An update will be provided when the curbside chipping service for large tree debris will begin.

As a result of the ice storm, the City is temporarily waiving the permit requirement to remove trees that have been destroyed, destabilized or structurally compromised as a direct result of the ice storm, with the following condition:

• Residents must send email notification to treebylaw@peterbough.ca, providing photos, property address, tree species information including diameter, and provide the physiological and structural condition of the tree preferably prior to removing the tree or as soon as possible after removing a tree.

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Peterborough Transit Providing Special Shuttle Bus Service To City's Warming Centres

A free shuttle bus is available for residents who need transportation to any of the City of Peterborough’s three warming centres, announced on Monday afternoon.

File Photo.

The shuttle will run every 30 minutes starting at 2 p.m. The last trip departs City Hall at 10:50 p.m.

The route runs in the following loop:

• Murray and George streets, outside City Hall, 500 George St. N.

• The Simcoe Street Bus Terminal

• The Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr.

• Healthy Planet Arena, 911 Monaghan Rd.

• Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W.

This shuttle bus is free of charge and available to all residents.

Regular transit service is suspended until further notice.

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Ice Storm Updates From City of Peterborough (March 31)

With ongoing power outages due to the severe ice storm over the weekend, the City will keep warming centres open on Monday for anyone needing a heated location.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The City says Hydro One continues to address downed power lines in the region and City Public Works crews are responding to downed trees and tree limbs on public property.

An emergency declaration remains in place for the City of Peterborough as the immediate response and recovery efforts are expected to extend over several days.

Residents are asked to avoid unnecessary travel.

Warming centres are open at the following locations:

• Healthy Planet Arena, banquet hall, 911 Monaghan Rd., open until at least noon on Tuesday

• Miskin Law Community Complex, 271 Lansdowne St. W., until 11 p.m. on Monday

• Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, 775 Brealey Dr., until 11 p.m. on Monday

Except for the warming centre spaces listed above, City recreation facilities—including arenas, fitness centres and the pool—are closed for regular operations until at least noon on Tuesday. The City will reassess conditions on Tuesday.

Peterborough Transit is stationing buses as temporary warming locations in areas with an identified need, including at:

• 611 Rogers St.

• 486 Donegal St.

• 526 McDonnel St.

• Hedonics Road, in the cul-de-sac

Garbage and Green Bin collection are expected to proceed according to the normal schedule. Yard waste collection begins this week.

For residents who are taking yard waste to the landfill, tipping fees for residential yard waste will be waived until April 14 to assist with recovery efforts following the ice storm.

The Service Peterborough and City Clerk’s Office customer service desks at City Hall, 500 George St. N., are open for in-person services.

Social Services offers in-person services, including social assistance cheque pickups, in Service Peterborough at City Hall, 500 George St. N., on Monday. The Social Services office at 178 Charlotte St. is closed for in-person services; Social Services staff are available by phone and email.

Peterborough Public Library will be open until 8 p.m. on Monday, depending on the facility's power being maintained.

Peterborough Transit has suspended service until further notice due to downed power lines and trees on streets. It is monitoring conditions and will resume service when conditions allow.

Peterborough Museum and Archives, Riverview Park and Zoo and Art Gallery of Peterborough are closed until noon on Tuesday. The City will reassess conditions on Tuesday.

City Council’s General Committee meeting, which was scheduled for Monday evening, has been canceled and rescheduled for the afternoon of April 7.

With sewage pumping stations sporadically operating on backup generators, residents are asked to reduce water consumption to lower the water flow through the wastewater treatment system.

Peterborough Fire Services reminds residents who are using backup generators and equipment like a gas-powered cooking stove or charcoal grill to follow safe practices to avoid risks from carbon monoxide.

With the continued risk of falling tree limbs and trees until recovery efforts can address trees in parks, all City parks are officially closed until further notice.

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City to Resume Yard Waste and Large Item Collection Services

Curbside leaf and yard waste collection resumes Tuesday and continues weekly through the last week of November.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough,

The City encourages residents to use paper yard waste bags or rigid, open-top reusable containers with handles. There is no limit to the number of bags or containers that can be placed at the curbside. Plastic bags will not be collected.

Yard waste will be collected weekly on the same day as green bins.

Set-Out Requirements:

• Reusable containers must display two clearly identifiable yellow labels indicating “Yard Waste.” These labels are available free of charge at City Hall (500 George St. N.), Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Brush may be bundled with light rope or twine. Bundles should not exceed 1 meter (3 feet) in length or 30 centimeters (12 inches) in diameter.

• Each paper bag, container, or bundled item must weigh less than 13 kg (30 lbs.).

The City of Peterborough offers a paid large item collection service for items that exceed the regular garbage allowance, such as furniture and appliances.

Large items weigh more than 13.6 kg (30 lbs) and measure longer than 1 meter (3 feet).

City Public Works crews will begin collecting large items at 7 a.m. on the Monday of the designated collection week. Please note that collections may extend over several days depending on the volume of items. Residents are asked not to remove items from the curbside if they have not been collected on the initial day.

Residents must book large item collection in advance. Collection must be booked by the Tuesday preceding the collection date.

Bookings open on Tuesday.

For pricing and to book a pickup, visit peterborough.ca/pickup or call 705-742-7777 (dial 0 for Service Peterborough).

Date Collections and Booking Deadlines:

• April 28, 2025 (Deadline: April 22)

• May 26, 2025 (Deadline: May 20)

• June 23, 2025 (Deadline: June 17)

• July 28, 2025 (Deadline: July 22)

• Aug. 25, 2025 (Deadline: Aug. 19)

• Sept. 29, 2025 (Deadline: Sept. 23)

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City of Peterborough Closes Temporary Emergency Shelter

The City of Peterborough closed its temporary emergency shelter that had 30 beds and was operated by Brock Mission on Friday morning.

There are 127 beds in the City’s emergency shelter network plus the Trinity Community Centre overnight program, which includes Brock Mission, Cameron House, YES emergency shelter for youth and families, and Trinity. Photo by David Tuan bui.

The shelter had opened on Monday and operated from 9:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. daily during that period. Meant as a temporary, short-term use, it, offered 30 beds nightly

Two people used the temporary shelter on Tuesday night and five people on Wednesday night as reported by the City.

The emergency shelter was opened to provide additional beds in the City’s shelter network.

Those experiencing homelessness who contacted emergency shelters or Social Services to access shelter beds were referred to the temporary shelter starting Monday if beds were unavailable in the regular shelter network.

The City recognized an identified need for shelter beds at this time.

The City arranged to temporarily provide the additional 30 shelter beds at the Morrow Building over five days within the approved homelessness services budget. Providing the temporary shelter bed increase was dependent on the ability to provide the necessary shelter staffing to operate the service over the defined period.

City Council did not support a motion to open a new temporary homeless shelter last month. The motion considered by Council on Feb. 3 would have directed the opening of new temporary shelter spaces for the winter months, which would have been for approximately seven weeks, by increasing the homelessness services budget by $150,000.

They continue to add that opening a temporary shelter for an approximately seven-week period was potentially not possible, as arranging for specialized shelter staffing and other logistics for the service for that amount of time may not have been possible. Council did not support that direction.

They explain that exceeding the Council-approved budget, going beyond staff’s delegated authority for procuring services, or substantially changing service levels would require Council approval. A temporary increase to the shelter network over a five-day period that can be accommodated within the Council-approved homelessness services budget does not exceed that threshold.

A report on the Emergency Winter Response Plan, which was approved by Council in 2023, is anticipated to be presented to Council in the summer.

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Water Services Transitioning to the City of Peterborough Starting April 1

City water services, currently provided by the Peterborough Utilities Commission on behalf of the City, will transition to a directly operated service by the City of Peterborough beginning April 1.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The City says there will be no immediate changes for customers.

Customer billing will remain the same at this time, with no changes required by customers for April 1. Customers will continue to receive water services bills from Peterborough Utilities for a period after April 1.

Notice will be provided to customers before any future change to billing. 

Customer service contact information will also remain the same after April 1.

The same Water Services team of employees that currently delivers high-quality water services and responsive customer service today as part of Peterborough Utilities will continue to deliver the service as they integrate into the City of Peterborough organization.

Water Services customer service can be reached at 705-748-6900, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

City Council decided to streamline the governance structure related to the delivery of water services by transferring responsibility for that service delivery from Peterborough Utilities Commission, a local board of the City, to a directly operated model.

Council gave direction in June 2024 to proceed with the transfer to the City of water assets and operations, information technology assets and operations of the Riverview Park and Zoo.

Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo will continue to be a publicly owned and operated facility, with Riverview Park and Zoo employees providing the same excellent care for animals and welcoming experience that has made the Park and Zoo an attraction for residents and visitors. 

A review of water and wastewater services, including both the sanitary and stormwater networks, in 2021-22, recommended the services be directly operated by the City to create operational efficiencies and align with City Council’s existing responsibility and accountability for water services.

In December 2023, City Council approved a motion to support in principle the transfer of the water operations to the City, with added stipulations that staff report back to Council in 2024 with further details on the transfer and that no current International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers employees be displaced as a result of the transition. 

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