City of Peterborough Seeking Consultation For 2026 Municipal Election Voting Methods

With the next municipal election in October 2026, the City of Peterborough is asking residents what voting methods they prefer to use when casting their ballots in a municipal election.

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The survey is open until 4 p.m. on March 14. Paper copies of the survey at City Hall at 500 George St. N.

The City reminds citizens that the survey is for the 2026 Municipal Election voting methods – it is not associated with upcoming provincial and federal elections.

A summary of the information collected through the survey will be included in a report to City Council to inform its consideration of voting methods and technologies to use in the upcoming 2026 Municipal and School Board Elections on Oct. 26.

For the 2022 Municipal Election, the City of Peterborough offered in-person voting and online voting. When casting their ballots in the 2022 Municipal Election, 69.2 per cent of voters in the City of Peterborough used online voting.

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City of Peterborough Launches New Interactive StoryMap and Survey for Strategic Growth Areas

The City of Peterborough is launching a new interactive StoryMap detailing its plans for its Strategic Growth Areas, released on Wednesday.

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The StoryMap features maps and 3D concepts to help visualize key areas of future growth according to the City of Peterborough.

The City is streamlining the development approvals process in areas identified as Strategic Growth Areas in the City’s Official Plan through the Secondary Plan and Community Planning Permit By-law.

These areas include: 

• The Central Area (Downtown and East City)

• Water Street North Corridor

• Chemong Road Corridor

• Clonsilla Avenue and Charlotte Street Corridor

• Lansdowne Street Corridor

• Armour Road (North) Corridor

The City says that users can provide feedback on the draft Secondary Plan concept for land use, proposed building heights, parks and open space and priorities for development through StoryMap. Participants can also share comments on how growth and development decisions are made through an online survey and mapping poll.

Information in the StoryMap was shared during a public information session on the City’s Strategic Growth Areas held on Feb. 6, at the Healthy Planet Arena.

More information about this project, including a presentation during the February 6 meeting and the online survey, can be found at connectptbo.ca/planning-for-the-future.

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What You Need to Know To Vote In Advance Polls For Provincial Election Beginning Thursday

Advanced polls for this year’s provincial election in the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding begin this Thursday.

This is the first winter provincial election for Ontario since 1981. Since Friday, Candidate nominations have been closed. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Voters can hit advance polls starting Thursday and running until Saturday.

Advance polls run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can vote in the advance polls in one of any of the following locations:

• Peterborough Square (Unit 21), 360 George St. (Local Election Office)

• Havelock Seniors Centre, 10 George St., Havelock

• Lakefield Community Centre, 20 Concession St., Lakefield

• Peterborough Lions Community Centre, 347 Burnham St., Peterborough

• North Kawartha Comunity Centre, 340 McFadden Rd., Apsley

• Trent Lakes Municipal Office, 780 County Rd. 36, Bobcaygeon

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

Additionally, the Local Election Office runs on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Instructions when voting in the advance polls:

• When you arrive at the voting location, you will be asked to show your ID to an election official, who will check if you are on the voter list

• If you are not on the list, the election official will add you to the voters list and ask you to sign a declaration

• The election official will then issue you a ballot

• You will go behind a voting screen to mark your ballot. To vote for your chosen candidate, mark an X in the circle beside their name and return the completed ballot to the ballot box

• You will place your marked ballot into the secrecy folder and take it to an election official operating a tabulator

The following are the candidates for the ridings in the Kawarthas for the provincial election:

Peterborough-Kawartha

• MPP Dave Smith: PC Party of Ontario (incumbent)

• Adam Hopkins: Ontario Liberal Party

• Jen Deck: Ontario NDP/NPD

• Lucas Graham: Green Party of Ontario GPO

• Brian Martindale: Ontario Party

• Andrew Roudny: New Blue Party

Northumberland—Peterborough South

• David Piccini – PC Party of Ontario (incumbent)

• Dorothy Noronha – Ontario Liberal Party

• Bruce LePage – Ontario NDP/NPD

• Maxwell Groves – Green Party of Ontario

• Florian Bors – Ontario Party

• Joshua Chalhoub – New Blue Party

Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock

• Laurie Scott: PC Party of Ontario (incumbent)

• Alison Bennie: Ontario Liberal Party

• Barbara Doyle: Ontario NDP/NPD

• Tom Regina: Green Party of Ontario

• Brian Kerr: Ontario Party

• Jacquie Barker: New Blue Party

• Bill Denby: Freedom Party of Ontario

• Gene Balfour: Independent

• Zachary Tisdale: Libertarian

Hastings—Lennox and Addington

• Ric Bresee: PC Party of Ontario (incumbent)

• Lynn Rigby: Ontario Liberal Party

• Jessica Zielke: Ontario NDP/NPD

• Mike Holbrook: Green Party of Ontario

• Derek Sloan: Ontario Party

• Glenn Tyrrell: New Blue Party

You can vote by mail by applying to Elections Ontario by Friday.

Requests for a braille voter information card must be received by Wednesday by contacting Elections Ontario at info@elections.on.caOpens or calling 1-888-668-8683.

Voting on election day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Feb. 27.

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City of Peterborough Launches Commemorative Tributes Policy

The City of Peterborough seeks public feedback for a new Commemorative Tributes Policy.

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Input is being collected from Feb. 3 to March 3.

This policy defines options for purchasing and maintaining memorials that recognize individuals, groups, or special occasions. This could be done by purchasing a bench with a plaque or a tree without a plaque.

A limited number of benches and trees will be available yearly for commemorative tributes. The location of each memorial would be selected by the City and placed in parks, trails, open spaces or near the waterfront.

Applicants would pay for the memorial and receive a tax receipt. The cost would cover the purchase and installation of the memorial.

Residents can comment through the feedback form or ask questions through Connect Peterborough, the City's online community engagement platform, at connectptbo.ca/commemorative-tributes.

The Draft Commemorative Tributes Policy is expected to be considered by City Council this spring.

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City of Peterborough to Host Live Virtual Public Information Centre For Sanitary Master Plan

The City of Peterborough is hosting a live virtual Public Information Centre to present the preliminary evaluation results of the Sanitary Master Plan, which is currently in development on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

This Public Information Centre focuses on alternative strategies for servicing development and growth. These strategies consider environmental and socio-cultural impacts, technical feasibility, regulatory compliance and cost.

Residents wishing to view the live broadcast are asked to complete the online registration form.

Registration is available on the project page at connectptbo.ca/sanitary-master-plan.

During the presentation, questions and comments can be submitted through a virtual chat feature.

The presentation will also be posted on the project’s webpage at connectptbo.ca/sanitary-master-plan following the broadcast. Residents can submit questions and comments through the webpage’s questions section following the broadcast.

The Sanitary Master Plan will focus on how to best provide wastewater services as the City grows. The intent is to improve service delivery, demonstrate value for costs, and increase accountability. It’s being developed in coordination with an update to the City’s Asset Management Plan focused on how to best maintain existing infrastructure. 

This project's first public consultation phase began in early last year with a survey and a public information centre. The final Sanitary Master Plan will be presented to City Council in March.

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City of Peterborough Seeking Residents to Join Advisory Committees

The City of Peterborough is hosting a drop-in information session to encourage residents to be involved in local government by joining a board or committee.

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The session runs from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at City Hall on Feb. 10 for anyone wishing to join an advisory committee.

The session takes place in the Doris Room. An option to attend virtually is available by emailing clerks@peterborough.ca or calling 705-742-7777 x1820.

Seats are available on a variety of City committees. These are volunteer positions. Terms run until November 2026.

Available seats include:

• Accessibility Advisory Committee

• Arenas Parks and Recreation advisory Committee

• Arts and Culture Advisory Committee

• Citizens’ War Memorial

• Museum and Archives Advisory Committee

• Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee

• Peterborough Public Library

• Planning Advisory Committee

• Property Standards Committee

• Transit Liaison Committee (One committee member must be a user of the accessible transit service)

Residents interested in serving on a City board or committee can obtain an application form from the Clerk’s Office at City Hall. Application forms can be completed online from the City’s website.

Completed applications must be returned by Feb. 14. An interview may be required for some positions.

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City of Peterborough Recognizes Dec. 10 As Human Rights Day

The City of Peterborough has recognized Tuesday as Human Rights Day after the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Dec. 10, 1948.

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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that each person is entitled to fundamental rights, including the right to equality, the right to life, liberty and security, the right to freedom of religion and freedom of speech.

Mayor Jeff Leal’s Statement on Human Rights Day:

“Today, on International Human Rights Day, we join people across the globe in reflecting on the fundamental rights and freedoms that every individual is entitled to, regardless of race, gender, religion, or background. This day serves as a reminder of our shared responsibility to uphold these principles in our homes, workplaces, and communities.

Human rights are the foundation of a fair, just, and compassionate society. They empower individuals, protect the vulnerable, and foster inclusion and equality. In the City of Peterborough, we recognize that our community's strength lies in its diversity. By respecting and championing human rights, we create an environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and capable of contributing to our collective well-being.”

Resources 

Kawartha World Issues Centre, a non-profit organization connecting global issues to local initiatives.  

Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, a non-profit organization which promotes positive race relations in the City. 

The Government of Canada, Human Rights Day. 

The Province of Ontario, The Ontario Human Rights Commission. 

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Mayor Jeff Leal's Housing Task Force Releases Report

Mayor Jeff Leal has released the report from his Task Force for Housing Creation, announced near the Rotary Trail on Tuesday morning. 

Mayor Leal served as Chair of the Task Force, with Councillor Kevin Duguay as Vice Chair and Councillors Dave Haacke and Keith Riel providing input. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The report contains 15 recommendations intended to speed up housing construction in the City and help address the housing crisis. 

Mayor Leal appointed the Task Force members in January. He asked them to report back with recommendations to help facilitate the construction of more housing in Peterborough which is needed to meet the City’s Housing Target of 4,700 units by 2031. 

The recommendations cover three primary areas: speeding development, cutting building costs and fostering partnerships. 

Key proposals include: 

• Speeding up Development: Guaranteeing a one-year approval timeline for non-profit and multi-unit housing projects, establishing a dedicated team to fast-track priority developments, and simplifying requirements for housing approvals. 

• Cutting Building Costs: Adjusting municipal standards to reduce the cost of development, including re-evaluating requirements such as sidewalk placement and tree compensation fees. 

• Enhancing Partnerships and Advocacy: Encouraging partnerships with Indigenous, non-profit, and private sectors and advocating for federal and provincial support, particularly for affordable and Indigenous housing initiatives. 

Mayor Leal will present the Task Force's recommendations to the City Council at the General Committee meeting on Dec. 2.

The Task Force members are:

• Paul Bennett - Principal, Ashburnham Realty

• Chelsea Combot - Director of Policy, Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services

• Brian Fenton - Principal, Peterborough Homes

• Hans Jain – Principal, Atria Development

• Hope Lee - former CEO of Peterborough Housing Corporation

• Rebecca Schillemat – Executive Officer, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association

• Brad Smith – President and CEO, AON Inc.

• Susan Zambonin – CEO, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region

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City Opens Applications For Low Income Property Tax Assistance

Applications are available for the City of Peterborough Low Income Senior and Low Income Property Tax Assistance Program.

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Qualifying applicants will receive a $400 tax credit on their tax accounts which will be applied to the February 2025 interim tax bill. Applicants who previously received more than a $400 credit will receive their pre-existing credit amount. 

Applicants can apply under one of the following qualifications:

1. Low Income Senior aged 65 years or older.

2. Low Income Senior aged 55-64 years of age.

3. Low Income Disabled Person receiving benefits under the ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program).

Applications are available on the City’s website at peterborough.ca/TaxAssistance or the City Hall Tax Office, 500 George St. N. Residents that received tax credits in 2024 will automatically receive a 2025 Property Tax Assistance application in the mail.

The deadline for submitting this application is Feb. 7.

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City of Peterborough Opens Comments For Tourism Municipal Services Corporate Proposal

The City of Peterborough is inviting residents to submit comments on its proposal to incorporate a Municipal Services Corporation as an eligible tourism entity.

Photo by Keegan Beekers.

It administers, pursuant to applicable law, the 50 per cent net transient accommodation tax, also known as municipal accommodation tax or MAT, which must be used exclusively to promote tourism according to the City.

To submit a comment on the proposal to incorporate the Peterborough Tourism Municipal Services Corporate can go online.

The commenting period will close on Oct. 30. The comments will be reviewed and summarized in a report to the City Council. 

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