Peterborough, Ontario

The Electric City.

A small city in central Ontario, Canada, about 125 km northeast of Toronto, on the Otonabee River. Home to the world's tallest hydraulic lift lock, Trent University, Fleming College, and one of the country's most engaged independent business scenes.

Quick facts

Province

Ontario, Canada

Region

Central Ontario

Distance from Toronto

~125 km northeast

Postal code prefix

K9

Nickname

The Electric City

Founded

1825

Major river

Otonabee River

Waterway

Trent–Severn Waterway

Why “Electric City”?

In 1884 Peterborough became one of the first municipalities in Canada to install electric street lights, powered by a hydroelectric generator on the Otonabee River. The “Electric City” nickname stuck — and a century later you'll see it on everything from breweries to roasters to the local hockey team.

Landmarks worth a visit

• Peterborough Lift Lock

  Hydraulic lift lock on the Trent–Severn — at 19.8 m, the tallest of its kind in the world when it opened in 1904.

• Trent–Severn Waterway

  386 km navigable canal route running through the city, connecting Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay.

• Canadian Canoe Museum

  The largest collection of canoes, kayaks, and paddled watercraft in the world.

• Hutchison House Museum

  1837 stone cottage in the downtown core, preserved as a working-class heritage site.

• Otonabee River

  The river that gave the city its name (Odoonabii-ziibi — "the river that beats like a heart").

About ptbo.ca

ptbo.ca is a free, local-first directory for every business in Peterborough. Every business gets its own page at ptbo.ca/<your-name> — hours, photos, links, map, and a QR code, with no setup fee and no ads.