Trent University Geography

This summary is a synthesis of our project and the main outcomes we have discovered through our research. The attitudes and decisions of Downtown Peterborough Business Owners in relation to disability accessibility and inclusion were explored. We conducted our study on the stores that were accessible from the sidewalk on George and Charlotte Street. Our research design consisted of a literature review of accessibility legislation and scholarly sources to help inform and analyze our research. We conducted a stakeholder consultation with the Council for Peoples with Disabilities to hear their perspectives and experiences with Downtown Peterborough businesses. Thirty-six surveys from a variety of Downtown Peterborough businesses were collected and interviews with four business owners were conducted. Through our research design we were able to determine many findings about accessibility in Downtown Peterborough.

In partnership with the New Canadians Centre, located in Peterborough, the goal of this research is to find ways to assist immigrants with entrepreneurship which will in turn lead to growth of the economy of the City of Peterborough as a whole. As Canadians, we live in a highly multicultural society in which immigration is the norm. Many of the immigrants that immigrate to Canada choose Peterborough to call their new home. The New Canadians Centre works closely with immigrants in Peterborough to help their transition to the city go as smoothly as possible, while also drawing attention to programs and opportunities in Peterborough that will help with economic, health, along with social needs. Immigrants have established businesses in many cities within Canada, thereby contributing to Canada's economy, society and culture. The City of Peterborough currently has the highest percentage of immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada; it is therefore especially important to focus on implementing programs in order to better assist new and potential immigrant entrepreneurs in Peterborough to help them to realize their full potential in the community. This research will focus specifically on immigrant entrepreneurship in the City of Peterborough, while drawing from identified best practices of programs and supports available for immigrant entrepreneurs in other communities.

The goal of this report is to research post-secondary campuses and cities that have implemented a $15 minimum wage, as well as campaigns and concrete strategies for doing so. Guided by this research, it will propose the best approach to implementing a $15 minimum wage at Trent University and in Peterborough. The methodological approach used to address the research questions raised in this particular study will be to acquire and analyze data through the completion of a comprehensive literary review of previously available and related knowledge, as obtained from primarily academic, government and university website documents. Successful movements toward a $15 minimum wage as experienced in the City and County of San Francisco, the City and State of New York, and the province of Alberta are analyzed. Successful movements toward a $15 minimum wage the in post-secondary institutions of the University of Washington, the University of California, and York University are also analyzed. From this research, the most important aspects of a successful $15 minimum wage movement are identified, and a general model to approaching a $15 minimum wage has been created. It is recommended that moving forward in campaigning for and/or implementing a $15 minimum wage in Trent and Peterborough, that this general model be considered as a guide. It is also recommended that further research be completed on the effects of a $15 minimum wage on the Trent University and Peterborough Economy, prior to implementation

This community-based research project evaluates the Trent Vegetable Gardens (TVG) and the effectiveness of their community outreach and educational programming. The current project is Part 2 of a three-part project, of which Part 1 was completed in 2016. The purpose of this project is to conduct an impact assessment of current educational programming at the TVG, which will identify strengths and weaknesses of the garden and ways to improve its experiential learning and outreach strategies. The methodology used for this research project consists of email surveys, which were distributed to past and present garden participants. Four groups of TVG participants including, community gardeners, regular/drop-in volunteers, workshop participants, and service placement students were surveyed and sent group-specific surveys. The purpose of the survey was to indicate by what degree TVG participants are satisfied with their experience and what they are looking to gain out of garden programming and participation. Overall, we found that participants were pleased with their involvement with the TVG and were enthusiastic about sharing their suggestions, which demonstrates the positive community dynamic within the TVG and the success of current programming. After evaluating participant feedback from workshops and other experiential learning opportunities at the TVG, we offer recommendations on how the Trent Vegetable Gardens (TVG) can improve educational programming within the context of their mandate. Our recommendations include new events and programming at the gardens, better advertising, and new partnerships. Part 3 of this three-part research project can apply our findings and conduct further research on key concepts.

The purpose of this project is to look at the area surrounding Sadleir House in Peterborough Ontario and determine what the level of interest in a food service is. The area surrounding Sadleir House does not offer adequate food service options, and this research aims to see if adding a food service option in Sadleir House would add or alter the level of usage of the building. This research draws on different methodologies such as, conducting a literature review, looking into the area of Peterborough and the issue of food security, as well as what different food service provider type options are available. Another methodology used is surveys, which were analyzed to see if students at Trent University are interested in a food service and what type. This research also consisted of interviews of food service providers, drawing on the challenges and benefits of specific types of food services. It is determined that there is a strong level of interest in a food service. This research determines that a café style food service is a best fit for Sadleir House.