#UNIGNORABLE Issue: Unemployment

Unemployment is an #UNIGNORABLE issue in your community, and COVID-19 is making it is even harder for local businesses stay open, let alone hire.

The City of Peterborough’s unemployment numbers increased in October 2020, maintaining one of the highest rates among Canadian cities.

According to Statistics Canada data released on Friday, Peterborough’s unemployment rate for October was 11.7 per cent — up from 11.2 per cent reported in September. That places the city second behind Edmonton at 12.0 per cent.

Statistics show the top three growing occupations in Peterborough, 2016 – 2021
1. Customer and information services representatives
2. Food counter attendants and kitchen helpers
3. Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates

Through our extensive research, a living wage in Peterborough is $17.63. That’s based on a family of 2 parents & 2 children with both parents working full time.

Please click to the photo to your right to read more from the Living Wage Report and please be an advocate for employment opportunities in your community to help make this #UNIGNORABLE. This report has details on how you can become a Living Wage Employer.

We fund a number of agencies that help with unemployment in Peterborough. Click here to see the full list of partner agencies we fund. We work hard to raise funds for these agencies, so they can focus on closing the gap on the unemployment rates here in Peterborough.

Below is a powerful video that shines a light on unemployment.

Thank you to Chex News on Global Peterborough for their generous in-kind partnership with this video.


About the PERI Group

The Precarious Employment Research Initiative (PERI) is a collaborative project among many community partners interested in better understanding the employment and working conditions of workers in our community.

This project was initiated by Peterborough Public Health and expanded to include City of PeterboroughPeterborough and District Labour CouncilLiteracy Ontario Central SouthPeterborough Workers’ Action CentreTrent Community Research CentreUnited Way of PeterboroughWorkforce Development Board and Trent University psychology professor and researcher, Dr. Fergal O’Hagan with support from the Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario(PEPSO) research project. To learn more about Decent Work Peterborough, click here.

The PERI Reports

Social Posts

“With happy feet, our goal we’ll meet” - Paul Rellinger, 2026 

Learn more about how to get involved with the final push of our Community Campaign at the link in our bio!
Local love, legendary flavour! 🍕

Domino’s Pizza and United Way Peterborough & District are teaming up to deliver the most delicious way to give back this March!

Beginning today, when you make a donation to United Way Peterborough at participating Domino’s Pizza locations, you’ll receive a coupon for a FREE Cheesy Bread. Yep, you read that right you give back to your community and treat yourself to one of Domino’s fan-favourite sides. Total win-win!

Offer ends March 29th, so stop by a participating location to make a donation and get your cheesy bread, today:

📍 Domino’s - 550 Lansdowne St West
📍 Domino’s - 1774 Lansdowne St West
📍 Domino’s - 1091 Chemong Rd

Give back. Dig in. 🍕💙
And that’s a wrap on PTBO Performs VI 🎶🥹! Thank you so much to everyone who made this incredible night possible. More exciting news to come next week❤️.
We can’t wait to see you tomorrow from 7-11PM @ptboshowplace for PTBO Performs VI! Tickets are still available online and at the box office! See you there 🧡🕺
Every child deserves the chance to succeed. 🏆

Bullying affects schools, homes, workplaces, and the digital world.

United Way Centraides invests $39.1M in kids' emotional wellbeing and partners with communities to empower youth, fostering positive relationships and safe environments where every child can thrive.
Today our team at United Way Peterborough & District proudly wears pink in recognition of #PinkShirtDay 💗

Thank you to @staplescanada for donating “Be Kind Always” shirts to United Way Centraides across the country, helping remove barriers so everyone can participate in this important day.

Pink Shirt Day is about more than a colour. It’s about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, valued, and safe. It’s about standing up to bullying and standing up for one another.

We’re grateful to work alongside partners who don’t just talk about belonging — they actively invest in it.
Kindness matters. Inclusion matters. Community matters.

#BeKindAlways
🎨 Sponsor Spotlight: Artist Sponsors 🎨

A huge thank you to our Artist Sponsors.

@2ehome
@cogeco & @yourtvptbo

Their leadership and support helps ensure that our incredibly talented local musicians are fairly compensated for sharing their time, creativity, and artistry with us. 🎶

That means when you join us this Thursday, you’re not only supporting housing and homelessness initiatives in our community, you’re also supporting the artists who make this night so special. 💛

🎟️ Tickets are still available grab yours at the link in our bio and be part of a night that uplifts both community and culture.
Thank you to the mysterious donor who shipped this box of menstrual products to our office for this year's Period Promise campaign!

Every donation gets us closer to our goal of collecting 25,000 items.

Tap the link in our bio to make a monetary donation, find a list of drop off locations, or learn more about Period Promise. - And feel free to reach out if you'd like to get more involved!
🎉 It’s happening THIS THURSDAY! 🎉 PTBO Performs VI returns to @ptboshowplace from 7-11PM

As we count down to the big night, we want to give a huge thank you to our incredible Community Sponsors:
Lancer Electric
@ptbocounty
Herod Financial Services

Your support is helping us shine a spotlight on housing and homelessness initiatives in our community, and making this event possible. 💛

There’s still time to be part of this amazing night out in our community!
🎟️ Grab your tickets at the link in our bio and join us Thursday for an unforgettable evening in support of an important cause.

Let’s celebrate community, and make an impact, together.
Just a friendly reminder that PTBO Performs returns to @ptboshowplace THIS THURSDAY from 7-11PM! Everybody stay calm… 🎶

Fourteen talented local musicians taking the stage in support of our partners working to address homelessness in our region. 

🎫 Tickets are still available at the link in our bio, we’d love to see you there! Secure yours today.

#unitedwayptbo #ptboperforms
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