Peterborough’s New Economic Strategy Should Build on What We Already Know
On July 20, I attended the City of Peterborough’s public consultation on its new five-year economic development strategic plan.
The consultation raised important questions about attracting investment, retaining existing businesses, strengthening local employment, and making Peterborough a community where people want to establish their careers and put down roots.
One concern I raised was whether the current process is doing enough to build upon the plans, reports, consultations, and economic development work Peterborough has already completed.
A new strategy should not begin as though our city has no history. Residents, businesses, community organizations, and previous economic development agencies have provided substantial feedback over the years. Existing documents may not contain every answer, but they can show us what has already been studied, what recommendations were made, what succeeded, and what was never implemented.
Reviewing that history would help the City avoid repeatedly asking residents the same questions without demonstrating what came from their previous answers. It would also make it easier to identify which challenges are genuinely new and which have remained unresolved through multiple planning cycles.
Public consultation is valuable, particularly when it is connected to transparent decisions and measurable action. The final strategy should identify clear priorities, establish who is responsible for implementing them, and provide residents with a way to track progress over the plan’s five-year lifespan.
Peterborough has real economic strengths, but we also face persistent challenges involving housing, affordability, workforce retention, business development, and municipal processes. Our next strategy should acknowledge both.
The strongest path forward will combine new ideas with the institutional knowledge Peterborough has already accumulated.
Coverage note: Chris Potter attended the consultation and was quoted in “City of Peterborough looks beyond ‘chasing smokestacks’ in new economic development strategy” by Bethan Bates, published by kawarthaNOW on July 21, 2026.