Peterborough Currents

Peterborough Currents

We are Peterborough Currents — an independent journalism outlet serving the citizens of Peterborough, Ontario, with in-depth and community-centred news. We're paywall-free through the support of our audience. Want to chip in? Head to www.peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us. Thanks for listening!

  1. A Guide to Peterborough's 2025 Budget

    2024-12-03

    A Guide to Peterborough's 2025 Budget

    Welcome to Peterborough Currents' podcast coverage of the city's 2025 budget process!  In this episode, Brett Throop and Will Pearson discuss what's behind next year's proposed tax increase and how the city might solve its budget troubles without resorting to tax hikes. We also discuss a couple of key topics we've reported on, including the city's capital shortfall and discretionary benefits for social assistance recipients. TIMESTAMPS (0:00) Community rallies against cuts to arts and community grants(6:38) Why are citizens facing a big tax hike for the second year in  a row?(17:26) Councillors met for two days to bring the tax hike down. It went up instead.(29:24) Why Mayor Jeff Leal sees high taxes as an economic development issue(37:34)  Property taxes are over a century old. Is there a better way to fund cities?(42:10) The city's capital budget and  growing infrastructure backlog(56:55) Transit riders face higher fares for the same service next year(1:03:47) Should the city fund health benefits for people on social assistance?(1:14:56) Millions more for homelessness next year; is it sustainable?(1:23:52) A "beautiful vision" of what budget season could beSPECIAL THANKS Thanks to Will Ward for the wonderful piano improvisations. Thanks to Eddy Sweeney from Trent Radio for audio of the Community Not Cuts rally. SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM Our in-depth and community-centred journalism takes a lot of resources to produce. We can't do it without you. If you want to see Peterborough Currents grow (and make more podcasts!) please sign up as a financial supporter:  https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

    1h 27m
  2. 2024-03-26

    Lessons Learned from City's Latest Homelessness Initiatives

    In 2023, the City of Peterborough implemented two new initiatives to respond to homelessness in the city and to offer low-barrier services for people whose needs were not being met by the existing shelter system at the time. Those two initiatives were the modular housing community on Wolfe Street, where 50 sleeping cabins replaced a tent encampment, and the Trinity Community Centre, which was funded to provide overnight shelter for six months of the year and a daytime drop-in program year-round. In February 2024, four people who were instrumental in designing and delivering these two initiatives participated in a panel discussion to share what the process was like, what they learned, and what challenges remain. The panelists were: Alex Bierk, Christian Harvey, Auden Palmer, and Jessica Penner. The panel was part of the Community Symposium on Housing and Homelessness, which was hosted at Trent University by the Research for Social Change Lab, the Peterborough Drug Strategy, and United Way Peterborough and District.  Peterborough Currents is sharing highlights from this panel discussion in this podcast episode. UPDATE: This discussion was recorded on February 23, 2024. At the time, the Trinity Centre's overnight shelter was set to close for the season on March 31, and mention of this closure is made a couple of times in this podcast. On March 25, 2024, One City Peterborough confirmed to Currents that the shelter will remain open until at least the end of April with support from United Way Peterborough and District. CREDITS: This episode was produced by Will Pearson. Audio recording by Ayesha Lye. Intro music by Jordan Cook. SUPPORT INDEPENDENT LOCAL JOURNALISM: At Peterborough Currents, our mission is to serve the citizens of Peterborough with in-depth and community centred news. If you value our work, please support us financially: https://peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us/

    41 min
5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

We are Peterborough Currents — an independent journalism outlet serving the citizens of Peterborough, Ontario, with in-depth and community-centred news. We're paywall-free through the support of our audience. Want to chip in? Head to www.peterboroughcurrents.ca/support-us. Thanks for listening!