Consider This Northumberland

In 2018, a group of young people played Dungeons & Dragons in a space behind a downtown ice cream shop. It was an informal, safe place for some LGBTQ2 youth to hang out. The pandemic hit, and the group was unable to gather. But the idea of a gathering place for young people in Brighton has fermented for the past year. A group of dedicated volunteers and the support of Brighton council, an organiza...

Pride Month is in full swing. Following a major event in downtown Cobourg with a parade, music, booths, and a sidewalk sale, Northumberland County is bursting at the seams with local Pride events. On today’s show, two organizations are featured. First, you will hear from the Port Hope Rainbow Network. You will learn about the work this group does in the community during Pride Month. But it aspires...

It's a startling fact. Nearly one in 10 people living in Northumberland County struggle to survive on a low income. According to officials, this isn't just a statistic; it's a pressing issue that demands our attention. These individuals, including seniors, those on employment insurance, disability payments, and others, face daily hardships. The situation is so severe that the number of people rely...

People move to Cobourg and Port Hope because they feel like they're in the past when they drive around. The old town halls, grand mansions, and Victorian houses along the tree-lined streets are an attraction to many. However, many of these old buildings are being left empty, some to the point of irreparable neglect. The urgency to save our heritage is real and immediate. In this interview, you wil...

The recent loss of the Foodland grocery store in Colborne was a blow to the community. The parent company, Sobey's, sent a letter to the municipality telling them it was not interested in building a new store. A major fire destroyed the building last May. As expected, there was regret and disappointment at first. Then, the question became, what's next? In this interview, Cramahe Township Mayor Man...

Local music historian Andy Sparling released an audio documentary about the Streamliners. They were a swing band taken from the ranks of aircraft maintenance trainees to become a touring band that traveled throughout the European front from 1944 to 1945. The band would be known as one of the best bands of the time. It is a privilege to share this documentary with you on today’s show. Its historica...

About one in three women and one in 10 men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. That is according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Locally, no specific statistics are given to residents of Northumberland. Often, sexual assaults are combined with other violent crimes, making the picture less clear. May is Sexual Assault Prevention Month. Today’s first interview is with Nancy Joh...

A Canadian report released in March says 90 percent of women in trades will be harassed at least once in their careers. Women in skilled trades often don’t have proper equipment that fits or is comfortable. Washrooms on a construction site are frequently disgusting. Labour Minister David Piccini recently introduced legislation addressing these and many other concerns. Piccini, also the local MPP f...

It was not your usual official kickoff ceremony. The mayor, councillors, business leaders, residents, and others gathered on Walton Street earlier this week. Behind them, construction equipment and workers in hard hats were tearing up the road behind them. It is part of a major upgrade of water and sewer that is more than 100 years old. There is never a good time to undertake such a massive projec...

A lot has changed at Horizons of Friendship in the past year. The non-government organization that serves Mexico and Central America experienced a major transition as a new executive director took over. Certainly, familiar programs supporting migrant workers are ongoing. So is the health promotion project in Guatemala. But as the world's eyes focus on Ukraine and the Middle East, Central America f...

Cobourg council recently received a report from the Police Service Board outlining the current conditions of the station on King Street. Complete with numerous images of the deficiencies, it calls into question the viability of the historic Armoury Building as a suitable space. In this interview, Cobourg Police Services chair Ron Kerr and Chief Paul VandeGraaf discuss the submission. While there a...

You will want to listen to today’s show if you care about your municipal taxes. The cost of policing is one of the largest expenses for municipalities in Northumberland County. It is one of the main drivers, but not the only one, behind a review underway at the county council. Meanwhile, the Cobourg council is facing a tough decision regarding a police station. Port Hope budgets are under strain,...

In the next two years, potentially 25,000 people living in Northumberland County could be without a doctor or some other form of primary care. That is a warning my guest delivered during this interview. Andrea Groff, Executive lead for the Ontario Health Team - Northumberland (OHT-N), says one-quarter of Ontarians will not have access to primary care by 2026. She is basing this on predictions from...

In 1996, 26 workers in the Westray mine in Plymouth, Nova Scotia, lost their lives. In 2004, after a lengthy battle, unions successfully lobbied the federal government to make corporations criminally liable for workplace deaths and injuries. This victory will be commemorated at the Day of Mourning event at Lucas Point Park in Cobourg this Sunday. While people still die on the job and more people a...

The Canadian Federation of University Women in Belleville is hosting a community event with Sally Armstrong on Saturday, April 27. She is an internationally renowned Canadian journalist, author, documentary filmmaker, and human rights activist. She is often called the war correspondent for the world’s women. Armstrong has reported for CBC, CTV, Globe and Mail, and the New York Times from Bosnia, S...

Peterborough Public Health and the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit voted to merge voluntarily recently. The Ontario government's funding offer spurred them on, so the official request went in at the beginning of April. The pandemic response brought the role of public health units into sharp focus. So has the opioid crisis in both communities. Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Offic...

Plans for 310 Division Street continue to move forward. Senior staff at Northumberland County and Cobourg are hammering away at a deal to operate an emergency shelter. Meanwhile, the town's bylaws are now in place to regulate operations at local shelters, including Transition House and Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre. County Warden Brian Ostrander and Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland ap...

In 2018, the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum in Port Hope closed its doors. It was a fixture in the town for 34 years. Its collection was one of the most extensive in the country, with a long list of items that captured glimpses of the history of firefighting. Besides several trucks, the museum features a range of items and documents that continue to grow. Sadly, the collection has been in storage f...

A new Community Services and Police Act came into effect on April 1. The irony of the date did not get past Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf. It was not an April Fool’s joke. The new legislation significantly overhauls how police are regulated. The last time this occurred was in 1990. The new legislation brings policing rules and regulations into modern times. It will mean greater accountabili...

At a council meeting on February 28, Cobourg politicians approved a bylaw to regulate emergency shelters regarding operations, safety, and security. The most notable impacts will be on Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and Transition House. The bylaw is meant to address concerns from the public, town staff, and politicians over the new shelter planned for 310 Division Street, a former...

Earlier this month, tensions between Cobourg and Northumberland County were on display. Cobourg passed new bylaws impacting emergency shelters within the town. This would include Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and Transition House. The bylaw is aimed at quelling concerns raised by many about the relocation of Transition House to 310 Division Street. Since the county is responsible f...

On March 12, former Northumberland-Peterborough South Liberal MP Kim Rudd died. She was 66. She represented the riding for four years, from 2015 to 2019. In addition to being a politician, she was an entrepreneur and an active volunteer in the community. She was a Rotarian, served on countless committees, and was involved in everything from sports to national and provincial associations. On today’...

A total solar eclipse will pass over Northumberland County on April 8. Residents will experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch this unique phenomenon. The last one occurred nearly 400 years ago, and it will be another 400 years before it happens again. In this interview, Rick Stankiewicz, publicity director for the Peterborough Astronomical Association, will explain a total solar eclip...

At the east end of Cobourg sits the Lucas Point Industrial Park. Across from the Cobourg Community Centre sits the Northam Industrial Park. Daniel Van Kampen and his team are responsible for looking after those industries and attracting new ones. He is the manager of economic development for the town of Cobourg. He also shares responsibility for bringing new retailers and services to the downtown...

Hamilton Township recently won a lottery of sorts. It was chosen to work on an internationally significant pilot project with one of the top institutes managing water supply in Ontario. The treatment plant for Creighton Heights uses an innovative biological system from the United States to remove ammonia from its water supply. The Walkerton Clean Water Centre is partnering with the township. If su...