Council Highlights

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

April 2026

as

Parkinson’s Awareness Month

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas Parkinson’s disease, for which there is no known cure, is a progressive, degenerative neurological disorder which can cause tremors or trembling of the arms and legs, muscular rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with speaking and swallowing; and

Whereas the Parkinson Society of Canada provides information, consultation, support services and educational seminars for people living with Parkinson’s disease and their families to promote better understanding of this disorder; and

Whereas it is desirable to increase the level of understanding of Parkinson’s disease and the needs of persons living with this disease.

Therefore, be it resolved that I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke, do hereby proclaim April, 2026, as “Parkinson’s Awareness Month” in the City of Pembroke.

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 7th day of April 2026

Ron Gervais

Mayor, City of Pembroke

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

April 2026

as

Cancer Awareness Month

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas people in our community are touched by cancer every day; and

Whereas nearly 1 in 2 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime; and

Whereas:  over 100 Canadian Cancer Society volunteers in the City of Pembroke along with thousands of volunteers across Ontario are showing their support for people living with cancer throughout the month of April; and

Whereas for more than 50 years, people in our community have helped the Canadian Cancer Society during the Daffodil Month campaign raise funds for cancer patients and their families through life-saving cancer research, support services, and other important work that means fewer people will be affected by the disease; and

Whereas the daffodil is the symbol of strength and courage, a symbol of life for the Canadian Cancer Society and in April hundreds of volunteers will be knocking on doors and selling daffodil pins in our community to raise funds and inviting others to join in the fight by wearing a daffodil pin.

Therefore I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke, do hereby proclaim the month of April, to be Cancer Awareness Month, and urge all citizens of Pembroke to join the fight and give generously to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 7th day of April, 2026

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

April 2026

as

  Earth Month

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas each of us locally and globally, is affected by ever worsening environmental degradation, global health issues, climate change, food and water insecurities and which are becoming more critical each year; and

Whereas our actions while meeting the needs of the present, must not compromise the needs of future generations and must encourage collective responsibility for our natural environment; and

Whereas the City of Pembroke is committed to informed decision-making within all departments to adopt best practices toward a greener and more sustainable future that balances our natural and built environments; and

Whereas Earth Day and its extension Earth Month, is an annual global event promoting a renewed focus on the constant need for environmental awareness, strong sustainability actions, and the implementation of sound stewardship efforts; and

Whereas Earth Month, offers time for all citizens, businesses, institutions, and organizations to further their environmental awareness and to increase their environmental actions, sustainability programs and initiatives.

Therefore, be it resolved that I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke, proclaim April, 2026 as Earth Month throughout Pembroke and encourage all citizens, businesses, institutions and organizations to participate in action-oriented activities to protect and enhance the environment and our local ecology and to celebrate the Earth!

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 17th day of March 2026

Ron Gervais

Mayor, City of Pembroke

City of Pembroke

Public Notice

Please be advised that a Special Council Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers to discuss the Official Plan Preliminary Report.

V .Charbonneau

Clerk

City of Pembroke

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

March, 2026

as

Amyloidosis Awareness Month

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas March is Amyloidosis Awareness Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness, funding research, and supporting those living with amyloidosis and their loved ones; and

Whereas Amyloidosis is a group of diseases that occurs when an abnormal protein, known as amyloid, builds up in the tissues and organs of the body.  Left untreated, the disease can result in organ failure and can be fatal; and

Whereas Amyloidosis can mimic the signs and symptoms of more common medical conditions and the disease can be challenging to diagnose; and

Whereas Amyloidosis often affects people who are older or middle aged; however, younger people have been diagnosed with this disease; and

Whereas some of the signs and symptoms of amyloidosis can include shortness of breath, weight loss, fatigue, swelling in the ankles and legs, numbness in the hands and feet, foamy urine, carpal tunnel syndrome, bruising around the eyes, and an enlarged tongue; and

Whereas early diagnosis can lead to better outcomes for both patients and their families; and

Whereas raising awareness about all the amyloidosis diseases, including hereditary and non-hereditary forms of the disease, can contribute to the building of healthier communities across Canada.

Therefore, be it resolved that I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke, do hereby proclaim March 2026, as “Amyloidosis Awareness Month” in the City of Pembroke.

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 3rd day of March 2026

Ron Gervais

Mayor, City of Pembroke

City of Pembroke Council and staff have taken several recent opportunities to advocate for our community’s needs with the Province of Ontario.

In December, the City took part in the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus Day of Advocacy at Queen’s Park. This group represents the separated (single-tier) municipalities of Eastern Ontario. Early this month, the City had a submission in the Provincial pre-budget consultations with the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, which was held in Pembroke. And, last week, the City attended the Rural Ontario Municipal Association Conference.

These opportunities allow for one-on-one discussions with Provincial ministers, parliamentary assistants, and key staff, which can lead to stronger cases being made right to the decision makers. Often, these efforts are made in collaboration with regional partners such as the County of Renfrew and neighbouring municipalities. 

Themes of the recent advocacy include:

• Predictable and sustainable funding sources for municipalities, especially regarding asset management and aging infrastructure.
• Rising and unpredictable policing costs due to the OPP billing model, court security, prisoner transfer, and growing demands related to mental health, addictions, and homelessness.
• Extraordinary costs of fire apparatus and equipment/rising acquisition costs.
• MPAC assessment.
• Increased per-capita funding for domestic students attending college or university.
• Announced timelines for the stages of four-laning Highway 417/Highway 17 to Pembroke.
• Stagnant subdivision and how to spur development in rural Ontario.
• Fiscal pressures on municipalities due to a broken funding relationship and provincial underfunding of social and housing services.
• Sportsplex funding.

“The Province is a key partner, and it is very important for us to be in front of these key people to provide the reality and pressures of small municipalities such as Pembroke so that voice is brought to the table when the government is making decisions,” says Mayor Ron Gervais. “We will continue to advocate for Pembroke and our region and maintain our great relationship with MPP Denault to help ensure our growth and viability into the future.”

By virtue of the power vested in me

I Do Hereby Declare

February 1-7, 2026

as "White Cane Week"

in the City of Pembroke.

Whereas the first full week of February is celebrated as White Cane Week in Canada to promote the initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind; and

Whereas the Pembroke White Cane Club, in association with the Canadian Council of the Blind aims to provide education and to raise awareness about vision loss and remind all Canadians that the traditional white cane is a symbol of independence – not dependence, and a lack of sight is not a lack of vision; and
Whereas White Cane Week has evolved to reflect the changing situations of the blind community and it has begun to emphasize the equal capabilities and talents of people who are blind and partially sighted and their significant contributions to the community and the work place; and

Whereas with the province’s aging population, all Ontarians need to be better informed about the effects of vision loss and work towards creating more supportive, inclusive communities.

Therefore, be it resolved that I, Ron Gervais, Mayor of the City of Pembroke do hereby proclaim the week of February 1-7, 2026 as White Cane Week in the City of Pembroke.

Dated in the Mayor’s Office this 20th day of January, 2026

Ron Gervais

Mayor, City of Pembroke

TAKE NOTICE THAT the audited financial statements of the Corporation of the City of Pembroke for the year ending December 31, 2024 were adopted at the regular meeting of Council held on December 16, 2025. 

Pursuant to subsection 295 (1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, the 2024 Audited Financial Statements are available on the City’s website at https://www.pembroke.ca/city-government/budget-and-financial-statements/ or a hard copy can be obtained at City Hall upon request at no cost.

Notice is hereby given that the City of Pembroke is hosting a public budget meeting Tuesday, January 13 from 6-8 p.m. This meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall located at 1 Pembroke St. E. and is open to the public.

City of Pembroke residents looking to provide comments or ask questions regarding the City’s 2026 operating and capital budgets can do so by:

• Submitting questions or comments online
• The online form will remain open until 8 a.m. on Friday, January 9
• Questions and comments received will be reviewed and addressed during the public meeting. 
• Speaking in person at the public meeting
• Residents wanting to be included on the speakers’ list should contact the Clerk by email at pembroke@pembroke.ca prior to 12 p.m. Friday, January 9

Your feedback will help Council and staff understand satisfaction with City services and budget priorities. Community feedback is one factor, along with legislative requirements, policies, objectives, resource availability, and financial constraints.

This 2026 public budget meeting will be available on the City’s YouTube channel.

When it comes to challenging issues affecting our city, collaboration is key. This is exactly what is happening in Pembroke when it comes to mental health, addictions, and homelessness challenges, which are being seen across Ontario.

Pembroke is not unique in experiencing these challenges, especially as a hub of services and amenities. I understand some residents have concerns about things they are seeing around town or when these challenges affect people they love.

However, we are seeing progress on supporting people and tackling these issues due to collaborative initiatives from a wide range of Renfrew County services.

Our CAO recently brought a report to Council highlighting various stakeholders including the Mesa HART Hub, Renfrew County and District Drug Strategy, OPP community services and operations, Mental Health Court, and City by-law enforcement.

Since launching in the last year, the Mesa outreach team has connected with 160 people with complex mental health and/or substance use disorders who were not previously connected to any services.

The Drug Strategy’s data shows that suspected drug toxicity deaths have decreased from a historical high of 41 in 2023 to 29 in 2024 and 7 at the midway point of 2025. While any death related to a substance use medical emergency is one too many, there is cautious optimism that these new initiatives are having an impact.

From a policing standpoint, we are seeing support through the Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team, where these officers are partnered with a clinician to intervene when people are in crisis, as well as provide resources to others to prevent them from getting to a place of crisis.

Recently, the Community Street Crime Unit also completed a drug trafficking project where 31 people were charged with trafficking controlled substances within the City of Pembroke. Firearms and drugs were removed from our community because of the actions of our police.

Thanks to efforts such as these, as well as all the ongoing work of the OPP, Pembroke’s by-law enforcement officers, Mesa, paramedics, and other service groups, these issues are being addressed.

There is still a lot of work to be done. But I believe these collaborative efforts are working and will be the way forward to make things better for all in our community.

As always, my door is open should ratepayers wish to meet with me to discuss municipal matters that affect them.

Mayor Ron Gervais