The County of Peterborough will soon be entering into a Twin City agreement with a community of similar characteristics in Ukraine.
During the Sept. 23 Peterborough County Council Meeting, Sam Begin, administrative services assistant, presented a report to council outlining a proposed twinning agreement with the Drohobych Urban Hromada in Ukraine.
He recommended that county council direct staff to proceed with the Declaration of Cooperation and Twinning with the Drohobych Urban Hromada and that the necessary agreement be brought forward for signing at the October 14, 2026, Regular Council meeting.
He explained that the Hromada is made up of two cities and 32 villages, located in western Ukraine approximately 75 kilometres from the Polish border. It has a combined population of approximately 123,000 residents.
Comparatively, Peterborough County is made up of eight local municipalities with a combined population of about 64,000 residents in addition to a large seasonal population.
Begin told County Council that the Drohobych Urban Hromada shares several characteristics with Peterborough County, including its role as a regional service centre, strong agricultural connections, cultural heritage assets, and interest in economic development and tourism.
The intention behind the twinning agreement is to strengthen ties and foster a lasting friendship by promoting cooperation and exchange in the following areas:
• The development of friendly and mutually beneficial relations between our communities.
• Economic development including the promotion of agri-food, tourism and manufacturing.
• Collaboration in science, healthcare, education, sport and culture.
• Cultural exchange and the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and experience in various fields
• Youth opportunities and growth.
• Mutual assistance and cooperation, when possible, required and appropriate.
This agreement would not have any financial impacts on the County and Begin’s report stated that any resource contributions would be rare. Any future financial contributions from this agreement would be subject to annual budget approvals.
According to Begin, this would be the first Twin City Agreement between an upper tier Canadian municipality and a Ukrainian municipality.
However, many lower tier municipalities do have similar agreements such as:
• Municipality of Port Hope and Nadvirna
• Municipality of Sioux Lookout and Vashkivtsi
• Municipality of North Grenville and Sokal
• Town of Smiths Falls and Zolochiv
• City of Brantford and Kamianets-Podilskyi
In his presentation, Begin presented council with a quote of support from MP Emma Harrison which stated, “ As Ukraine continues its recovery and rebuilding efforts, partnerships like this show that our support extends beyond words, I am proud to see Peterbrough County pursue a stronger relationship with the Drohobych Urban Hromada, grounded in friendship, cooperation, and shared hope for the future.”
The Executive Director of the New Canadian Centre, Jeeniraj Thevasagayam, also provided a comment to be presented to council which stated, “We believe this partnership presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen cultural understanding, build relationships, and support connections with Ukrainian residents and newcomers in our region.”
Coun. Lori Burtt said that she was in support of this agreement and was interested in the opportunities for youth that may be presented.
The recommendation was moved by Deputy Warden Senis, seconded by Burtt and was carried.
To commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Cooperation and Twinning Agreement, the County intends to host a signing ceremony with the Mayor of Drohobych Hromada on October 14, 2026 at County Council.
There is also a second Twinning initiative being brought forward at a future date between Peterborough County and Cork County in Ireland. This second Twin City opportunity came forward through the 200th Anniversary of the Peter Robinson Settlers where each county expressed their deep roots. The Herald will follow this as more information arises from Peterborough County.
