City Services during COVID-19

Arenas

City community arenas are open for permitted rentals and programming. Visit the Arenas web page for full details.

If you have any questions about community arenas and public health guidelines, please contact Arenas Customer Services at 705-742-7777 ext. 2400.

As of December 2022, Council meetings are being held in-person at Council Chambers, City Hall. Meetings of Council are live streamed and the video file is archived to enable people to watch the proceedings post-meeting.

Requests to speak can be made by submitting the Delegation Request Form. The day of the meeting we will contact you to confirm your registration and provide your speaking order. If you have any questions, please contact the Clerk's Office at 705-742-7777 ext. 1820.

The City, Peterborough Public Health, the existing shelter operators – Brock Mission, YES Shelter for Youth and Families – as well as Fourcast, which delivers homelessness services, are working together to continue to provide services for people who are experiencing homelessness while working to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

Shelter services

Social assistance payments continue to be issued according to regular schedules to ensure people can pay rent and accommodation costs as well as buy necessities.

Public access to the Social Services office at 178 Charlotte St. is open weekdays from 830 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and there are no capacity limits at this time.

Appointments with Social Services staff can be completed in person and individuals are encouraged to book meetings in advance to guarantee quick service. Social Services can be reached at 705-748-8830 or directly by email.

The Peterborough Employment Resource Centre is permanently closed. Case workers can work with individuals needing access to local employment resources.

Emergency shelter services will continue to operate as normal, with COVID-19 safety measures in place. Individuals can call 705-926-0096 for emergency shelter services on evenings and weekends.

The Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre is open. Hours of operation:

• Monday through Friday: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For questions related to Recreation Division and Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, staff can be reached by calling 705-742-7777 ext. 2201 or by email at sportandwellnesscentre@peterborough.ca.

Transit continues to operate, providing Peterborough with safe transportation. Full details, including schedules and maps, are available on the Routes and Schedules page. 

Masks or face coverings are strongly recommended on buses, at the transit terminal, and other transit locations where physical distancing is not possible.

Riding Peterborough Transit

We understand that we’ve implemented many changes over the last year and a half to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees, customers, and the public. We appreciate your patience, especially with our front line staff, who continue to put your safety first.

Peterborough Transit buses will operate at regular capacity and we will monitor the service and use available additional resources to reduce overcrowding, where feasible. 

Customer guidance

• Do not travel on Transit (regular, Specialized Van Service) if you have symptoms associated with COVID-19.
• Prior to boarding, please review and follow the passive screening protocol posted at the front door of the bus.
• If you were planning to travel on the Specialized Van Service, please call and cancel your trip if you begin to experience symptoms associated with COVID-19 or are a close contact.
• Front door boarding protocols remain in effect, with all customers exiting at the rear doors of the bus, excepting for mobility customers who require the ramp located at the front door.
• We encourage the use of the contactless HotSpot fare payment option when possible.
• Please remain behind the yellow line while the bus is in service, being aware of other customers who are boarding or exiting the bus to give as much room as possible.

Protecting each other

Face coverings which cover the mouth, nose and chin, are recommended for Peterborough Transit customers.

For its specialized transit van service, Peterborough Transit will continue to require the wearing of masks, following the best practices being put in place by other transit agencies and recommended by Peterborough Public Health.

Customers are encouraged to:

• Perform hand hygiene (either washing hands with lukewarm water and soap for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer), whenever possible.
• Respect respiratory etiquette all times by covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue or crook of the elbow. Please dispose of the tissue in a disposal receptacle and perform hand hygiene.
  • Not touch their mouth, nose or eyes with their hands.
  • Dispose of used face coverings in a disposal receptacle and perform hand hygiene.

Peterborough Transit operational protocols – supporting a safe journey

• We have signage on board our buses and at our facilities to provide guidance to our customers. Please continue to respect posted signage to keep everyone safe.
• Our drivers can provide you with a face shield when boarding the bus – upon request.
• We have installed plexiglass and floor decals to encourage physical distancing at our Simcoe Street Bus Terminal Customer Service Kiosk. Hand sanitizer is available for customer use, and only two customers are permitted in the line up at a time.
• We have installed plexiglass barriers to encourage physical distancing on all our buses to protect the health and well-being of our bus drivers.
• To ensure the well-being and safety of our customers and drivers, we encourage customers who require securement of their mobility device and are unable to do so independently to contact our Specialized Van Services to book a trip.
• Customers using Specialized Van Services must book trips via phone and complete a pre-screen questionnaire with our Customer Service team. Please call 705-740-6797 to book your trip. Prior to boarding, if you develop symptoms, please contact our Customer Service team to cancel your trip.
• We continue to practice enhanced cleaning protocols on our buses and in our facilities including wiping down all high touch surfaces such as stanchions, doors, and the driver’s area. 

If you have any questions or concerns about our policies, procedures, routes or services, please reach out to our Customer Service team at 705-745-0525 or by email at transitoperations@peterborough.ca or use our Customer Comment Form. If you have a great experience with one of our bus drivers or a member of the transit team, please use our Appreciation Form to let us know.