At the Tuesday afternoon Trent Lakes council meeting, a notice of motion was presented by Coun. John Braybrook that would see portions of the Provincial Government’s Land Transfer Tax collected on property transactions and a percentage of the GST collected on property sales from the Federal Government be redistributed to municipalities.
The motion stated municipalities face growing infrastructure needs, including roads, bridges, water systems, and other critical services, which are essential to community well-being and economic development. In addition there are also increasing costs of policing in rural areas which are having an immediate and direct impact on the property taxes of the respective rural municipalities. Trent Lakes is calling on the federal and provincial governments to redistribute funds collected from municipalities in an effort to reduce the strain on local tax payers and support municipal infrastructure.
Braybook’s motion stated that the current sources of municipal revenue, including property taxes and user fees, are insufficient to meet these increasing demands for infrastructure investment.
Trent Lakes is taking a deeper look into creating a food cupboard in partnership with the Buckhorn Lions Club.
At the Tuesday afternoon council meeting, Janet Clarkson, President of the Buckhorn Lions Club gave a delegation requesting council’s support in principle for the creation of a food cupboard at the north side of the equipment room at the sports pad at the Buckhorn Community Centre (BCC). Clarkson explained that this food cupboard would be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
She went on to say that to do this, they would need some slight renovations including the installation of a self-closing door that locks automatically. However, she has already secured commitments from Tecasy Ranch and Buckhorn Sand and Gravel to provide assistance with the renovation costs and materials.
Clarkson went on to say that she has been in talks with many community members and organizations who are excited about this opportunity. However, nothing has been set in stone yet as they await to hear council’s feedback and if they support the initiative.
For many residents in rural Peterborough County, accessing essential government services can be a challenge. MP Michelle Ferreri is hoping to combat those challenges next month by hosting a Service Canada pop-up in Warsaw.
Ferreri stated, “Instead of having to go into Peterborough for Service Canada services, we’re going to be setting up shop in Douro Dummer at the Warsaw town hall.”
Whether it is finding time or a way into Peterborough, it can be difficult for rural residents to access and utilize the services offered through Service Canada, which has only one location within the City of Peterborough.
On March 5, 2025, Ferreri, her staff, and Service Canada employees will be at the Douro Dummer municipal office, located at 894 South Street, Warsaw, to help residents of Peterborough County access important services such as:
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
• Employment Insurance (EI)
• Old Age Security (OAS)
• Canadian Dental Care Plan
• Passport Services
• Social Insurance Numbers (SIN)
This short documentary is a portrait of a tiny town, Lakefield, Ontario, and its independent weekly, the Herald. Across North America, newspapers are dying, but in Lakefield, Terry McQuitty, the town paper’s publisher, carries on a rich, 150-year-old tradition. Set to the pace of small-town life, Unheralded is a testament to the vital role newspapers can still play, and the close bond between reporter and reader.