At a General Committee meeting on May 25th, Peterborough City Council was met with heated debate as they considered a motion to fund an emergency winter shelter in the coming year.
Mayor Jeff Leal moved to defer the approval of the winter plan until the next session of council in August, a move which city staff said would likely delay enacting any approved plan until late January 2027.
Council was divided over the motion for deferral, with some believing a winter shelter plan is needed before the 2026 municipal election, and others reluctant to commit over financial and neighbourhood concerns
Listen to hear clips of debate and interviews with councilors Joy Lachica, Keith Riel, and Mayor Leal.
