Multiple Police Services Receive $492,000 In Ontario Government Grant To Combat and Prevent Auto Thefts

The Ontario Government has invested $492,609.94 over three years to help the Ontario Provincial Police - Central Highway Safety Division, Rama First Nations Police Services and the Peterborough Police Service to combat and prevent auto thefts, announced at the Fisher Drive carpool lot on Wednesday.

(from left to right) Chief Stuart Betts, Peterborough Police Service; Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP; OPP Inspector Chris Galeazza and OPP Staff Sargeant John Buligan at the Fisher Drive Carpool Lot. Car thefts in Ontario have increased by 31 per cent in the first six months of 2023, when compared to the same period last year according to the Ontario Government. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

“This collaborative partnership between police services will help will give officers the tools needed to fight auto theft between Peterborough and Rama First Nations,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “Car thefts within this community are happening at alarming rates and this is unacceptable. We must stay one step ahead of these thefts and this investment will assist law enforcement in getting these criminals off the street and keeping vehicles safe and secure.”

The funding is part of the provincial government’s new Preventing Auto Thefts (PAT) Grant program designed to support new and enhanced crime-fighting measures. It focuses on prevention, detection, analysis and enforcement. In total, 21 police projects across the province are receiving funding for an investment of $18 million over three years in the fight against auto theft, according to a press release.

From 2014 to 2021, there was a 72 per cent increase in auto thefts across the province and a 14 per cent increase in the last year alone, according to the Ontario government. They also claim that car thefts in Ontario have increased by 31 per cent in the first six months of 2023 compared to last year in the same timeframe.

“This investment will make a difference in combatting auto theft, and we are happy to support our law enforcement colleagues in addressing this issue,” said Chief Stuart Betts of the Peterborough Police Service. “What people don’t realize is that auto theft in itself is serious and can lead to other serious crimes in our community. We see this grant as a way to continue to ensure public safety in Peterborough and surrounding areas.”

The funding will aid the police in special training and increase public awareness.

“This will allow the policing community to work collaboratively with industry stakeholders to disrupt and suppress auto thefts,” said OPP Inspector Chris Galeazza. “The Peterborough County OPP Detachment has a close-working relationship with the Peterborough Police Service. We will work diligently to enhance our partnerships with our non-enforcement agencies and disrupt the threat posed by individuals and organized crime networks, leading to safe communities and a secure Ontario.”

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Ontario Government Invests Nearly $60,000 For Rural Economic Growth

The Ontario government, through through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Rural Economic Development Program is providing $59,768 to Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) and the City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) for rural economic growth.

The project is partly funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The funding aids the ‘Growing the Local Food Wholesale Market’ in the Kawartha region. The multi-phase, multi-year initiative aims to scale up local food production and regional wholesale marketing to create a more robust availability of locally produced foods through local wholesale channels, according to a press release.

“Investments in rural communities help diversify and grow local economies, making growth more inclusive in our region,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “Good things grow in Ontario when we nurture local entrepreneurs and give them the tools they need to collaborate and innovate.”

The project is a collaboration between PKED and CKL to expand local food production and consumption capacity by connecting, training and coaching food producers and buyers. This project builds upon previous agricultural economic development initiatives by PKED and CKL. It seeks to take the next step in expanding the local wholesale food marketplace, including tailored aggregation and distribution systems. 

The RED program provides cost-share funding for activities that create strong rural communities. This includes funding assistance to build local capacity and improve job prospects. The program aligns with the government’s priorities of removing barriers to investment, opening doors to rural economic development and creating good jobs across the province. 

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Ontario Government Introducing Legislation For Employers to Disclose Salary Range and AI Use In Hiring

The Ontario Government intends to introduce legislation that, if passed, would require employers to include expected salary ranges in job postings and disclose if artificial intelligence (AI) is used in its hiring process, announced at the YMCA on Monday morning.

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Disclosing this information allows employees to make informed decisions in their career search, according to the Ontario Government. Ontario would be the first jurisdiction in Canada to require businesses to disclose if AI is used during their hiring process.

“At a time when many companies are posting record profits, it is only fair they communicate transparently about how they pay workers,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “And as the use of artificial intelligence in Ontario skyrockets, our government will continue to take action to ensure workers aren’t excluded from the job market because of technological biases and that their privacy rights are protected.”

AI tools and algorithms are being adopted by Ontario businesses at a rapid rate and generate high volumes of personal data about job applicants and employees, according to a press release. In response to the growing concerns about the ethical, legal and privacy implications of AI, the provincial government is proposing to require employers to inform potential employees if it is being used in the hiring process.

The Ontario Government continues to vow to help end workplace misconduct and hold abusers to account. They will also be conducting consultations and detailed analysis on ending the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in the settlement of cases of workplace sexual harassment, misconduct or violence, as stated by Piccini.

“The consultations will identify legislative options to restrict the use of NDAs while protecting the rights of victims and survivors,” he said. “It’s past time we end a practice that allows businesses to shelter the behaviour of some of the worst members of our communities.”

These changes are part of a larger package that, if passed, would expand on the ground-breaking actions introduced in the Working for Workers Acts, 2021, 2022 and 2023. They will be unveiled in the coming days to protect workers, help them earn bigger paycheques and help newcomers contribute to building Ontario according to a press release.

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Peterborough County OPP Funded Over $60,400 to Deploy Trained Mental Health Crisis Workers From Emergency Calls

Peterborough County OPP has received $60,401.08 from the Ontario government to provide specialized support to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis, announced at the Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Branch (CMHA) on Tuesday afternoon.

Andrew Reynolds of the CMHA (left) hs been dispatched with OPP officer Roy Maddan (right) to address mental health calls. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The funding goes towards the Mobile Crisis Response Team Enhancement Grant program that has police utilize trained crisis workers when responding to those in need.

“Our police are increasingly confronted with the need to assist vulnerable people in a mental health crisis,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “This funding will assist the Peterborough County OPP deliver appropriate services focused on de-escalation. Meeting the unique needs of an individual who is in crisis will help ensure a better outcome for everyone involved.”

Anyone calling 9-1-1 can request a mental health crisis worker and they will be accompanied by an OPP officer.

“Our unit will make our best efforts to make it out there in a timely manner and get you the help that you need,” said Roy Maddan, OPP officer.”

In 2023-24, the Ontario government is allocating more than $4.5 million to 39 municipal and First Nations police services, as well as Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), to help strengthen Mobile Crisis Response Teams across the province.

“We will be working with community partners to deliver a MCRT that will meet the unique needs of the communities,” said Mark Graham, CMHA CEO. “The team responds to calls from individuals experiencing a mental health crisis that will provide immediate support and follow-up.”

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Peterborough County-City Paramedics Get Funding Boost to $9.5 Million From Ontario Government Grant

The Peterborough County-City Paramedics received a boost of $914,328, totalling $9,490,038, for this year’s funding from the Ontario Government’s Land Ambulance Service Grant (LASG) announced at the Selwyn Fire Department (Hall #2) in Lakefield on Friday morning.

MPP Dave Smith (left); Sherry Senis, Peterborough County deputy warden and Randy Mellow, Peterborough County Paramedic Chief at Selwyn Fire Department (Hall #2) in Lakefield making the announcement. The province’s 2023 investment of $811 million in the Land Ambulance Services Grant represents an average funding increase of 11 per cent for municipalities over the last two years. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The investment is part of $811 million in the province to help municipalities facing increased cost pressures in their emergency departments.

“When people call 911, they need to know that paramedics will arrive quickly to meet their needs. A delay in a service call of just minutes can lead to drastically different results,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “The Peterborough County-City Paramedics work hard to deliver emergency medical care. This investment will help all of us receive better service when our loved ones pick up the phone at that critical time.”

This will support hiring additional paramedics, wage and cost of living adjustments and general ambulance services operation to meet the needs of the local community according to Randy Mellow, Peterborough County Paramedic Chief.

“That’s eight full-time paramedics and a number of part-time that support them so they can have vacations and leaves,” he explained. “It’s about a 10 per cent increase in staffing.”

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Market Hall Gets New Lighting Equipment and Projector With Ontario Grant

Since Market Hall Performing Arts Centre received a $149,100 capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) late last year, the venue was able to purchase a projector and new lighting equipment to improve visibility and accessibility for future arts presentations.

(From left to right) Joe Grant, Market Hall Board Chair; MPP Dave Smith; Chad Hogan, Market Hall general manager and Jennifer Cavanagh, Market Hall Board member. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Market Hall invited Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP — who presented the grant — back to see what improvements were made from the grant.

“It is great to see the results of the work that Market Hall has been able to do thanks to this grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation,” said Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “These funds have allowed Market Hall Performance Art Centre to advance their facility and continue to serve the community by providing a space for everyone to enjoy.”

The grant allowed Market Hall to purchase and install a state-of-the-art projector for film and theatre performances. The theatre was also able to cover the cost for buying and installing new, state-of-the-art lighting elements. These upgrades will help extend the life of the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and provide the community with a terrific space for arts performances according to Chad Hogan, Market Hall general manager.

“We want to say thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their generous support of the arts and culture in Peterborough,” he said. “Filmmakers and community groups alike will be able to screen their films with the highest quality available. And the lighting will improve the visual aesthetic for performances. So, overall, it’s a tremendous visual upgrade for the space.”

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Peterborough Requires More Hospital Beds and Staff To Meet Healthcare Demand Over Four Years Says CUPE

The Canadian Union of Public Employees’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions has released a report addressing healthcare needs in Peterborough over the next four years in a presentation at the Peterborough Public Library on Wednesday morning.

Doug Allan, CUPE research officer (left) and Michael Hurley, OCHU/Cupe president (right) providing a presentation of their presentation; ‘The Hospital Crisis: No Capacity, No Plan, No End.’ CUPE represents 40,000 hospital workers across the province. Photo by David Tuan bui.

Their presentation, ‘The Hospital Crisis: No Capacity, No Plan, No End’ highlights the crisis in the Ontario hospital sector (including Peterborough) over the next four years. CUPE claims it will only worsen unless the provincial government makes significant investments to improve staffing levels and capacity as a result of their research according to Michael Hurley, OCHU/Cupe president.

“The hospital has identified the province with a critical lack of staffing,” he said. “It's a significant number of positions that need to be filled in the Peterborough Regional Health Centre.”

CUPE estimates that staffing levels and bed capacity must improve by 22 per cent, averaging at least over five per cent a year. This results in Peterborough needing 493 additional staff and 107 more beds.

They continue to criticize Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s current trajectory and plans, claiming those needs will grow by less than three per cent over the same duration.

“We are in a deep crisis with no signs of improvement as we continue to fail patients and workers alike,” said Hurley. “You've got services being reduced because of staff shortages, you've got patients being treated on stretchers because of lack of capacity, you've got people waiting for services for long periods or being turned away from services, you’ve got people being discharged prematurely. It’s unacceptable.”

CUPE continued to want the provincial government to repeal Bill 124 to properly pay healthcare workers their fair share and remove the cap on their wage increases.

“With inflation, because it drives up revenue at a comparable rate — that's inflation — the government has benefitted from very significant revenue increases and of course they've underspent their budgets on healthcare,” explained Doug Allan, CUPE research officer. “Hospital funding right now is about $25 billion across the province so five per cent of that per year would be $1.25 billion.”

Citing Stats Canada’s data, OCHU/CUPE says hospital staffing levels have only increased by 0.4 per cent annually since 2020 but patient needs necessitate a corresponding increase of 5.2 per cent annually.

CUPE continues to claim that healthcare staff have been burdened with heavy workloads, which combined with wage suppression, led to high turnover rates. The cite that vacancy rates in the first quarter of 2023 increasing by about 300 per cent since 2015. 

“The ongoing retention and recruitment challenges will only worsen if the government fails to address working conditions and compensation,” said Hurley. “Staff-to-patient ratios are extremely poor and getting worse. There are so many patients as demand for hospital care continues to grow, and the workloads continue to intensify. The conditions are so unsatisfactory that staff feel like they are failing patients and they just can't do it anymore.”

The report continues to mention that Ontario has 38 per cent less inpatient staffing in hospitals compared to the Canadian average. It says there would be 33,778 more full-time staff including inpatient workers and support staff if the province maintained pace with the others.

More full-time work, improvement in real wages and banning the use of agency staff were CUPe’s recommendations to help remedy the situation.

Since 2022, there have been more than 145 emergency room closures due to staffing shortages in 2023 according to CUPE.

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Junior Achievement Receives $172,500 As Skills Development Fund From the Provincial Government

The Ontario government has invested $172,500.00 in Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario (JA NEO) to help students engage with information and pilot programs to cultivate interest and education in skilled trades at the Peterborough Truss & Floor on Thursday morning.

Youth under the JA Neo program developed their own business ‘Fresh Picked Feats’ that sells locally-grown vegetables and had their products showcased during the press conference. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The money helps JA NEO educate and help students understand the importance of skilled trades. Kids will work with community and business leaders to help youth understand and activate their potential for the jobs of tomorrow by extending their programs and focus on skilled trades for full-time students.

“There was always going to be a demand for somebody in skilled trades. It doesn't matter what the economy is doing, we need plumbers, we need electricians, we need carpenters because these are all things we use on a daily basis” explained Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP. “It not only provides a job but a career path for your entire life.”

“Explore other opportunities that are out there. Not all trades jobs are dirty,” said John McNutt, JA Neo president and CEO. “It's a different world out there and just ask them to take a look.”

The youth also will be involved in JA NEO’s World of Choices Program to be exposed to potential career paths, understanding day-to-day tasks in a variety of careers while learning about and challenging the myths surrounding them.

They can also learn how to organize and operate a business related to a very important sector of our economy.

“Having programs like this available to our youth will set them on a path to be able to prosper in the future,” said Smith. “Ontario’s skilled trades are vital to the growth of the economy and our government’s ‘Plan to Build’, offering careers that lead to secure jobs and a good quality life.”

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Federal and Provincial Government Fund $2.5 Million To Provide More Affordable Housing In Peterborough-Kawartha

The Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario have funded $2,457,000 to help create 63 more affordable community housing units for the Hunt Terrance on 555 Bonacord St., announced on Monday morning.

Jeff Leal, Peterborough mayor (left), Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP (middle) and Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County warden at the Hunt Terrace on 555 Bonacord St. Amenities in the building include dining room with meal options, laundry facilities and a common room. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

“What it does is it reduces the actual operating costs for the building because we're cutting that mortgage down by $2.5 million,” explained Dave Smith, Peterborough-Kawartha MP. “That mortgage payment on that amount is not going to be factored into what they have to have in order to operate it so it gives them the flexibility then to lower the cost on 63 of the units in total.”

The funding is part of a project investment of over $46 million through the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative (COCHI) to create 267 affordable housing units across the province according to a press release.

Hunt Terrace is a six-storey building that has 85 units in total including both one- and two-bedroom units. There are specific units for those who require health and/or housing support which is provided on-site through community partners.

“555 Bonaccord is a unique building for PHC (Peterborough Housing Corporation), offering both market and affordable units in a multigenerational setting,” said Hope Lee, PHC CEO. “The ground floor commercial space offers several amenities such as on-site offices for support partners, common spaces for tenants, meeting facilities for the public and dining options for both tenants and the public. The COCHI funding is a much-appreciated contribution towards our capital costs.”

"Our community is working together to build affordable housing, to build homes,” said Jeff Leal, Peterborough mayor. The dedicated team at the City’s social housing agency, Peterborough Housing Corporation, led a true community effort to build the $31.1-million, 85-unit second phase at Hunt Terraces that includes 65 community housing units and 20 market rent units.”

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Ontario Government Offering Free Access to Provincial Parks For Healthy Parks Healthy People Day On Friday

For Healthy Parks Healthy People Day on Friday, the Ontario Government is allowing free access to use provincial parks announced on Tuesday.

File photo.

Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, David Piccini made the announcement on behalf of the provincial government.

“Ontario Parks is once again offering free day-use access to provincial parks to celebrate Healthy Parks Healthy People Day, said Piccini. “This annual celebration is part of a global movement to promote the incredible health benefits of getting outside in nature. Studies show spending time in nature can improve our mental, physical, and social well-being, including lower blood pressure, increased self-esteem and reduced anxiety.”

Ontario Parks is offering the following ways to engage with nature including the following upcoming events:

• The 30x30 Challenge to encourage people to spend 30 minutes in nature for 30 days during the month of August

• Take a Hike Day on Aug. 9, a brand-new event this year offering guided hikes at provincial parks around the province.

“As the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, I encourage all Ontarians to take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, immerse themselves in the splendour of nature and experience first-hand the restorative power of our provincial parks,” said Piccini.

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