Joelle Kovach
@joellekovach.bsky.social
City hall reporter for The Peterborough Examiner (in Peterborough, Ontario).
Peterborough people: Lately there's been an aroma of ketchup outside in the downtown and East City areas, no? Usually it's a Quaker smell, like maybe oatmeal or maple - but since Sunday I swear it smells like the flavouring on ketchup chips. Please somebody tell me I'm not imagining it.
December 2, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Peterborough people: Lately there's been an aroma of ketchup outside in the downtown and East City areas, no? Usually it's a Quaker smell, like maybe oatmeal or maple - but since Sunday I swear it smells like the flavouring on ketchup chips. Please somebody tell me I'm not imagining it.
Meeting adjourned at 10:58 p.m., six hours after it started. I'm amazed we are done before 11 p.m. Thanks for joining me - goodnight!
December 2, 2025 at 3:58 AM
Meeting adjourned at 10:58 p.m., six hours after it started. I'm amazed we are done before 11 p.m. Thanks for joining me - goodnight!
Now: @alexbierk.bsky.social notice of motion on 'calling the question' in debate.
December 2, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Now: @alexbierk.bsky.social notice of motion on 'calling the question' in debate.
Ah now Beamer revises his completion time goal for 11:20 p.m.
December 2, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Ah now Beamer revises his completion time goal for 11:20 p.m.
Randall responds to some of the earlier concerns from the neighbour: groundwater monitoring is a condition of draft plan approval. Anyone who wants to sign up to have their water monitored, he says, they can.
December 2, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Randall responds to some of the earlier concerns from the neighbour: groundwater monitoring is a condition of draft plan approval. Anyone who wants to sign up to have their water monitored, he says, they can.
Chris Roberts to give a delegation on this right now - he lives on Simons Ave. He says that he and 58 neighbours feel their street wasn't designed to take heavy equipment from construction, plus the traffic that will come due to the apartments.
December 2, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Chris Roberts to give a delegation on this right now - he lives on Simons Ave. He says that he and 58 neighbours feel their street wasn't designed to take heavy equipment from construction, plus the traffic that will come due to the apartments.
Now: a proposal to build 6 apartment buildings on a 15-acre undeveloped property on Towerhill Rd.
December 2, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Now: a proposal to build 6 apartment buildings on a 15-acre undeveloped property on Towerhill Rd.
Caldwell now says the plan is for the units to be affordable - as long as they get grant money.
December 2, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Caldwell now says the plan is for the units to be affordable - as long as they get grant money.
Now: City planner Ian Walker is talking about the proposal for a co-housing apartment building on Maryland Avenue. 1.3 acres, vacant land, formerly part of a convent.
December 2, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Now: City planner Ian Walker is talking about the proposal for a co-housing apartment building on Maryland Avenue. 1.3 acres, vacant land, formerly part of a convent.
Slater says the additional info he gave the city is reassurance that the affordable housing will be preserved, under his conversion plans.
December 2, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Slater says the additional info he gave the city is reassurance that the affordable housing will be preserved, under his conversion plans.
Slater says his first conversion from apartments to condos happened in Peterborough in 2009 on Ford St.
December 2, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Slater says his first conversion from apartments to condos happened in Peterborough in 2009 on Ford St.
Todd Slater, of Burlington, here to speak - he's the founder of Simple Investor and SIREG Management Inc.
December 2, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Todd Slater, of Burlington, here to speak - he's the founder of Simple Investor and SIREG Management Inc.
Drebit says she wouldn't buy her unit for $409K (the asking price, according to the staff report) - she wouldn't even buy it for $300K (city staff's affordability threshold).
December 2, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Drebit says she wouldn't buy her unit for $409K (the asking price, according to the staff report) - she wouldn't even buy it for $300K (city staff's affordability threshold).
Sam Debrit, another tenant of 700 Parkhill Rd. W., is next to speak. She says she doesn't think many tenants would have the means to buy their units.
December 2, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Sam Debrit, another tenant of 700 Parkhill Rd. W., is next to speak. She says she doesn't think many tenants would have the means to buy their units.
The offer to tenants to buy their townhomes for $4109K is "abhorrent," says Curtis - he feels this is amazingly expensive for units that are not maintained properly.
December 2, 2025 at 1:05 AM
The offer to tenants to buy their townhomes for $4109K is "abhorrent," says Curtis - he feels this is amazingly expensive for units that are not maintained properly.
City staff met with the owner to talk to them about the staff recommendation; the owner gave more info, and that hasn't been analyzed yet, says Walker. The owner is asking for a deferral, and staff says it could accept a deferral (so they can have a look at the additional info provided).
December 2, 2025 at 12:57 AM
City staff met with the owner to talk to them about the staff recommendation; the owner gave more info, and that hasn't been analyzed yet, says Walker. The owner is asking for a deferral, and staff says it could accept a deferral (so they can have a look at the additional info provided).
Now: the general committee meeting is on, nearly 3 hours after it was scheduled to start (because the delegations and debates were so long).
December 2, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Now: the general committee meeting is on, nearly 3 hours after it was scheduled to start (because the delegations and debates were so long).
We're on a short break now. Back in a sec.
December 2, 2025 at 12:21 AM
We're on a short break now. Back in a sec.
Wow. You almost never see a motion voted down unanimously.
December 2, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Wow. You almost never see a motion voted down unanimously.
"I disliked the settlement then - I dislike it more today. I think it was the wrong move," says Coun. Baldwin.
December 2, 2025 at 12:20 AM
"I disliked the settlement then - I dislike it more today. I think it was the wrong move," says Coun. Baldwin.
"It's the least we can do, is give the $150,000," says Vassiliadis.
December 2, 2025 at 12:02 AM
"It's the least we can do, is give the $150,000," says Vassiliadis.
Riel says he once had a bar downtown called the Rec Room, and later a gift shop downtown called The Green Door.
December 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Riel says he once had a bar downtown called the Rec Room, and later a gift shop downtown called The Green Door.
@alexbierk.bsky.social is speaking now on the DBIA. HE says he doesn't support the bylaw, and "I take some concern" with how this was communicated to the public and to the DBIA.
December 1, 2025 at 11:36 PM
@alexbierk.bsky.social is speaking now on the DBIA. HE says he doesn't support the bylaw, and "I take some concern" with how this was communicated to the public and to the DBIA.
A plan to direct staff to deliver Indigenous Cultural Competency training for all members of council and city staff, in collaboration with local First Nations, by the end of 2026...
December 1, 2025 at 11:28 PM
A plan to direct staff to deliver Indigenous Cultural Competency training for all members of council and city staff, in collaboration with local First Nations, by the end of 2026...
Shannon Gray, owner of Sugar Me Right!, to speak now. She says she's had a shop there since 2017. She's at Sherbrooke and George.
December 1, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Shannon Gray, owner of Sugar Me Right!, to speak now. She says she's had a shop there since 2017. She's at Sherbrooke and George.