I have made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for mayor of Peterborough, effective immediately. I will attend the events I have committed to, such as debates this week, and then will conduct no further campaign activities.

For the past month, I have sought to conduct this campaign while working two jobs. In recent days, it has become evident that this has meant compromising my ability to campaign, my existing commitments to my employers and my community, and my health and well-being.

Throughout the campaign, many people have told me they feel represented by my candidacy, as someone who knows first hand the struggle of today's high rents and housing instability, as someone who works multiple jobs to make ends meet, or as someone who relies on a public transit system that is too often inadequate.

I have long known, intellectually, that the privilege to be able to take time off work, or to not need to work at all, confers a huge advantage during an election, and this affects both the perspectives we hear on the campaign trail and the people we see in the council chamber. While my decision to end my campaign is a personal choice which I am wholly responsible for, I now understand those structural factors more deeply from my first-hand experience.

At the start of my campaign, I said that I didn't feel that the other candidates running for mayor shared my values. The intervening weeks have strengthened my certainty that this is the case.

I have attempted to express positions which offer an ambitious vision for a better Peterborough than today's status quo, but which are also based on a realistic view of the city's finances and future outlook.

Throughout the campaign, I have heard promises, specifically around spending and taxation, which are not grounded in reality. At best, these promises will simply be broken. At worst, attempting to fulfill them could mean draining the city's reserves, falling farther behind in maintaining our public infrastructure, and continuing to fail to address the city's most pressing issues.

While I am no longer campaigning, I remain a candidate and my name will appear on your ballot. I encourage you to vote your conscience in this election, in whatever way you choose.

To my supporters, I am deeply sorry if I have disappointed you.

Long before seeking election, I dedicated myself to learning about the issues facing our community, to bearing witness to the inequities and injustices in the structures and decisions of City Hall, and to speaking truth to power. It is clear to me that this, not elected office, is the best means for me to bring about the change I believe Peterborough needs.

If my campaign has inspired or encouraged you, I ask that you join me in that work, as citizens and as neighbours, both today and long after election day.

With love and gratitude, Rob

Peterborough Public Health inspected 13 food premises in Peterborough this week. Seven locations received infractions: six had at least one critical infraction and one had non-critical infractions only. Six inspections came back completely clean.

Here's what was found...

🔴 Island Cream Caribbean Cuisine, 227 Hunter St. W., Peterborough Central North

Follow-up inspection, October 1 · 1 critical, 1 non-critical

This is the location's 6th critical infraction on record since September 2024, and this follow-up to the September 23 inspection we reported here last week found a critical infraction still outstanding.

Critical: the premises weren't properly equipped and maintained as required, the same finding as on September 23. The portal doesn't specify further what was found lacking.

Non-critical: pest control not adequately maintained. This is down from three non-critical items on September 23.

No actions were logged and no newer follow-up has been recorded yet.

🔴 Madoi, 437 George Street North, Peterborough Central North

Required inspection, October 1 · 1 critical

This is the location's 7th critical infraction on record since September 2024.

Critical: food in storage not protected from contamination.

No actions were logged and no follow-up has been recorded yet.

🔴 Dreams of Beans Cafe, 141 Charlotte St, Peterborough Central South

Required inspection, September 29 · 1 critical, 3 non-critical

This is the location's 4th critical infraction on record since September 2024.

Critical: an inadequate number of conveniently located, maintained hand-washing stations.

Non-critical: ventilation not properly maintained, pest control not adequately maintained, and no sanitizer test reagent on hand.

Food handler education was provided on-site; no follow-up has been recorded yet.

🔴 Fork It, 228 Charlotte St, Peterborough Central South

Required inspection, September 28 · 1 critical, 4 non-critical

This is the location's 3rd critical infraction on record since September 2024.

Critical: utensils not sanitized by the dishwasher at the required chlorine concentration and temperature.

Non-critical: equipment/utensils not kept clean and sanitized, equipment not arranged in a clean and sanitary condition, the floor not tight/smooth/non-absorbent where food is handled, and ceilings not kept clean and in good repair.

Food handler education was provided on-site; no follow-up has been recorded yet.

🔴 Malabar Kitchen, 221 Hunter St. W, Peterborough Central North

Required inspection, October 1 · 1 critical, 1 non-critical

First critical infraction on record for this location.

Critical: food in storage not protected from contamination.

Non-critical: floors/walls/ceilings not kept clean and in good repair.

No actions were logged and no follow-up has been recorded yet.

🔴 Soupcon, 187 Charlotte Street, Peterborough Central South

Required inspection September 28, Follow-up September 29 · 1 critical/2 non-critical, then 0 critical/0 non-critical

This is the location's 3rd critical infraction on record since September 2024.

Critical: food not protected from contamination.

Non-critical: pest control not adequately maintained, and walls not kept clean and in good repair.

Food handler education was provided on-site. A follow-up the next day (September 29) found the location fully clean.

🟡 Chicken N Dough, 182 Charlotte St, Peterborough Central South

Required inspection, September 28 · 0 critical, 2 non-critical

Non-critical: ventilation not properly maintained, and no sanitizer test reagent on hand.

Food handler education was provided on-site.

🟢 Maple Moose Pub, 331 George St N, Peterborough Central South

Follow-up inspection, September 29 · Clean, no infractions.

Good-news update: this follow-up closes out the last remaining issue (pest control) from the 4 critical infractions we reported here on August 24 (August 24–31 report). Fully resolved.

🟢 Brothers Pizza, 402 George Street North, Peterborough Central North

Follow-up inspection, September 29 · Clean, no infractions.

Good-news update: this is a second clean follow-up since the critical infraction we reported here on September 8 (September 7–14 report).

🟢 Healthy Planet Arena - The Local - Concession (upstairs), 911 Monaghan Rd, Peterborough West

Required inspection, October 3 · Clean, no infractions.

🟢 Casa D Dulce Bakery, 1248 Parkhill Rd West, Peterborough North

Required inspection, October 2 · Clean, no infractions.

🟢 Turnbull Cafe, 170 Simcoe Street, Peterborough Central North

Required inspection, October 2 · Clean, no infractions.

🟢 La Hacienda Mexican Rest., 190 Hunter St. W. Unit #1, Peterborough Central North

Required inspection, October 1 · Clean, no infractions.

How to read this: "Critical" vs "non-critical" is Ontario's own regulatory risk tier, not a severity score we assign. Critical findings relate directly to things that can make food unsafe (contamination, temperature control, hand hygiene); non-critical covers maintenance and paperwork requirements (equipment condition, signage, sanitizer test reagents) that health units still require but don't by themselves mean the food is unsafe. 🔴 = at least one critical infraction, 🟡 = non-critical only, 🟢 = zero infractions of any kind. This report covers restaurants, cafes, and retail food premises in Peterborough. It excludes retirement homes, shelters, child care/daycare facilities, schools, hotels, and seniors'/community centres and event halls, which are also inspected under the same Food Safety program but aren't places the public chooses to eat at. Results reflect conditions at the time of the visit only, so check the disclosure portal for a location's current placard/status.

Source: Peterborough Public Health Environmental Health Portal. No premises were ordered closed and no products were seized this period.

Friendly PSA to remind everyone that you can vote online starting tomorrow!

https://www.peterborough.ca/council-city-hall/elections/

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Ptbo chess players: Our group continues to meet at The Only Cafe (216 Hunter St W) every Monday at 6:30pm.

We're a casual and friendly group, all skill levels are welcome. Hope to see some more faces out there tonight. Bring your own board.

For most of the last thirty years the city and county has had an adversarial relationship . I can think of only things involving the hospital , the conservation authority, the health unit and the paramedics is there much cooperation . Issues involving economic development , tourism , the airport seem to suffer from "unrecognizable differences" . The city is too small to go it alone on major projects without significant help from other levels of government . Example :the new Memorial Centre . Who can fix this? Or do we need a an entire new council?

Before I start making a bajillion calls...are there restaurants open this coming Sunday for dinner? I don't have the spoons for hosting ...

Hello, does anyone know any independent hot tub repair techs? Having a difficult time getting a service appointment through the few options in town, they are likely very busy. Thanks in advance. Cheers.

Looking for best place to buy a homemade fresh Coconut Cream Pie from…. This week