Fighting back makes a difference – saying no to cuts in Peterborough

City funded services in the community are facing cuts, supported by right-wing city councillors – for the second year in a row. Services in the Peterborough Public Library are being ‘re-organized’, leading to layoffs and a cut in services, particularly children’s services. Despite a large and growing homeless population, the city is also proposing to cut funding to an overnight warming centre, and drop-in services.

 

Cuts may seem like the status quo nowadays – but this community has a tradition of fighting back. In 2020, the City proposed cuts in before and after school programs, and the closure of two long established municipally run daycare centres. CUPE Local 126, whose members would have been directly affected by the cuts, organized a campaign that reached out to parents, and the community at large. It involved mass lobbying and hundreds rallying in front of city hall and mass attendance in council chambers. The campaign won – the cuts were reversed.

 

In November 2024, city council proposed a 25% reduction in community grants aimed directly at the arts and social services. Over 250 people rallied in front of City Hall, and many went inside to give right-wing councillors a rough ride. They won the battle, and the planned cuts were overturned.

 

Buyoed by these victories, a campaign has been organized this spring around these recently proposed cuts, led by CUPE Local 1833 representing library workers, and the Peterborough & District Labour Council (PDLC). In mid may of this year, over 200 hundred gathered at the library (in this city of 81,000). The President of the PDLC, Marcia Steeves (OPSEU), made a deputation opposing the cuts to council, again with many supporters in attendance.

 

The cuts were ‘paused’ as a result. Yet another rally took place, organized by PDLC and CUPE 1833, in front of the locale where community was allowed to give input on the city budget. Many went in, and council members got another earful. The fight is not over yet, until the cuts are removed, and the jobs and services are restored.

 

Similarly, this last Monday, June 30, over 100 people joined a ‘Rally for Dignity’ to oppose the latest cuts in homeless services. The struggle against the cuts, to take on the Tories and the right continues. Recent history in Peterborough shows that fighting back does make a difference – and gives us a chance to win.