Over the past two weeks, the journalistic stance of media here in Canada, and I suspect other countries, has been changing in a manner worth appreciating. In a period as short as 10 days the shift has been significant and important. During the first of what has become daily addresses by our Prime Minister, the […]
On Monday night a city staff report and recommendation to embrace social procurement was passed by Peterborough City Council. Last summer, Councillor Kemi Akapo sparked movement in this direction with a motion requesting city staff explore social purchasing and make a recommendation. City council’s assent Monday night put the cap on the collected efforts of […]
What if we became more deliberate and focused in our spending of money so that we not only acquire the goods and services we need, but also create a clear benefit or multiple benefits for our community? Good Nature Groundskeeping (GNG) has been providing high quality professional landscape maintenance services across Ottawa since 2008. They […]
Editor’s Note: Cormac Russell was in Peterborough in the spring of 2018 on the invitation of Community Living Trent Highlands. While Cormac is ‘from away’ the message he and his co-authors share in this letter are resonant with our intentions at Electric City Magazine. We welcome this correspondence from fellow advocates for local civil society, […]
In early September, I had the pleasure of taking part in These are Horizon Days’ pop-up piece The Clarity of Brightness. Arranged to the poetry of P.J. Thomas and directed by Wes Ryan, the production featured a cast of performers who live with disabilities, seeking to bring a voice to those who are underrepresented and […]
Over the past few months we’ve been sharpening our focus on two themes. Civics is the first. This theme draws attention to how people are creating the city they would like to live in. These stories shed light on the agency we have as community members, small groups, associations, networks, and as civil society organizations. […]
From providing affordable housing and fresh food locally to embracing a commitment to sustainability on a global scale, Peterborough’s stout social conscience is evident through a number of recent activities. During the past two months, I’ve had the pleasure of delving into stories that explore community, culture and sustainability for Electric City Magazine. It has […]
When you try to picture a community, what do you see? You probably picture people, having conversations, working together, creating things. You may picture community events that bring those people together: street festivals, hockey games, concerts, art shows. You may picture the groups that make those events happen: neighbourhood groups, community organizations, non-profits, governments. You […]