By Staff

May 2nd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON’

The City of Burlington is introducing a new civic recognition initiative to celebrate the individuals and groups who volunteer to make Burlington better.

Civic recognition will be awarded twice each year, in the spring and fall. The application period for spring civic recognition nominations is open now until May 30 at burlington.ca/civicrecognition.

How to submit a nomination

Nominating an individual or group is easy.

• 

  This is going to be a low budget item with zip imagination put into it. why bother?

  Visit burlington.ca/civicrecognition

• Review the civic recognition criteria. Nominated individuals or groups will have demonstrated a high level of achievement in one of the following areas:
  • Contributed significantly to the quality of life in the community through volunteer efforts
  • Identified and addressed a priority need in the community and put a solution into action
  • Achieved provincial, national, or international recognition and, in doing so, have brought honour to the City of Burlington

• Review the civic recognition eligibility. To be eligible, nominees must:
  • Be a resident of Burlington or own a Burlington business
  • Not currently hold political office
  • Have contributed on a volunteer basis
  • Primarily serve the residents of Burlington
  • Not be a City employee or elected official nominated for their work as a City employee or elected official. City projects are also not eligible for an award.

• Complete the online nomination form by May 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Multiple nominations from the same person are accepted. Please fill out one nomination form per nominee.

Civic Recognition awards

All nominations will be evaluated by an independent selection committee made up of volunteer members from the City’s Advisory Committees. There is no limit to the number of individuals or groups who can receive recognition.

A celebration to recognize successful recipients will be held in person at an evening Council meeting on June 24, 2024.

• 

  Will recipients of the award get an attractive piece of art or a paper certificate? And, is it time for a new artist to do these items.

  Through the years, the City has had a variety of programs designed to celebrate and recognize community champions including Burlington’s Best, which ran from 2012 to 2019.

• In 2021 City Council directed staff to report back with options for resident recognition programs or events.
• In 2022, input from the public was gathered through a survey on getinvolvedburlington.ca asking for input on the best way to recognize volunteers for their contributions to the community.
• Feedback shared through the survey informed a report that went to Council on Nov. 1, 2023. This report included a recommendation for the current civic recognition initiative which was approved by Council.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward: “The City of Burlington has amazing residents who do incredible work in serving and supporting our community. Civic Recognition gives Council the chance to acknowledge these selfless individuals and how they have changed our city for the better. On behalf of Council, we look forward to shining a spotlight on these remarkable individuals who make a positive difference in our community.”

Samantha Yew, City Clerk reports that “Through the public engagement we did with the community, we learned many of these amazing volunteers prefer not to be recognized with a big event. They told us the work they do is the true reward. To honour this spirit, we are excited to introduce a new approach to civic recognition where we can express our thanks in a more relaxed and informal setting.”

By Staff

May 2nd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

As temperatures start to climb this time of year, the Ontario government is encouraging people across the province to take precautions to prevent tick bites and reduce the risk of contracting Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, when enjoying the outdoors.

They are small – but still dangerous.

Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases can cause potentially serious infections if you’re bitten by an infected blacklegged tick, commonly called a deer tick. If you have any symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and an expanding circular rash that resembles a bulls-eye, consult a health care provider as soon as possible.

“As we start enjoying the warmer weather again, it is important that we all take steps to protect ourselves and loved ones from tick bites and tick-borne diseases,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Blacklegged ticks are continuing to spread to new areas of the province, but by being proactive, we can combat the risk they pose and safely enjoy the beauty of Ontario over the coming months.”

If you are living, working, visiting, or enjoying outdoor activities in a wooded area, or an area with tall grass and bushes (including city gardens and parks) you are at greater risk of being bitten by a tick. You can protect yourself from tick bites by:

• Wearing light-coloured clothing, so it’s easier to spot ticks.
• Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants tucked into your socks, closed-toed shoes, or any special clothing designed to repel ticks.
• Applying insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin on your exposed skin and your clothes.
• Checking yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks after being outdoors. Any ticks found should be removed promptly.
• Putting your clothes on high heat in a dryer for at least 10 minutes before washing them, after spending time outdoors.

A larger look at a tick.

Ticks are very small and hard to see. When found, it should be removed immediately using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible without crushing it. Once you have removed a tick, wash your skin with soap and water and then disinfect your skin and your hands with rubbing alcohol or an iodine swab. Before disposing of the tick, call or check the website of your local public health unit to get advice on how to identify the tick. You can also submit a photo of the tick to etick.ca for identification.

“As areas where ticks can be found continue to grow, so to do the risks of tick bites and tick-borne diseases,” said Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health. “By being vigilant, wearing appropriate clothing and doing routine tick checks, we can avoid tick bites and ensure our trips outside are safe and healthy, in the months ahead.”

If you have any health concerns after a tick bite, consult a health care provider as soon as possible. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics, and pharmacists have been able to prescribe medication to treat tick bites to prevent Lyme disease since January 1, 2023.

By Staff

May  2nd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

The pickleball community is asking their enthusiasts to get ready to “slice through the latest scoop in the world of pickleball in Burlington!”

Two organizations have partnered with Passion for Parkinson’s Foundation to promote pickleball as a fun and effective form of exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease.

The two are: learn2pickle.com and burlingtonpickleball.com

Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. It is a great way to get exercise, improve hand-eye coordination, and socialize with others. Studies have shown that pickleball can be beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease, helping to improve balance, coordination, and overall well-being.

Through this partnership, we will be offering a variety of initiatives, including:

·        FREE Pickleball classes for people with Parkinson’s disease

·        Educational workshops on the benefits of pickleball for Parkinson’s

·        Fundraising events to support Passion for Parkinson’s Foundation

We believe that together, we can make a difference in the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease.

CLASSES ARE HELD AT
TANSLEY WOODS COMMUNITY CENTRE
STARTING MAY 4TH
(2:00-4:00)

For more information please make sure to visit http://www.passionforparkinsons.org/ and see what you can do, how you can get involved OR to sign up for FREE pickleball class by clicking the button below!

“We’re incredibly excited about this partnership and the positive impact it will have on our community in Burlington. Join us in playing pickleball for a purpose and help us support the Passion for Parkinson’s Foundation. ”

This part of the report comes from the people who organize the events:

City notice at Ireland Park

Ireland Park fiasco. Last year the city finally agreed to implement a ‘pilot program’ for pickleball, where the courts had a schedule.

This year, the city had decided to discontinue the pilot program. Why? It was working. It was working extremely well. We all know that anything new; as this pilot program would never be a smooth sailing and there would be wrinkles.

To everyone’s knowledge there were 2 instances where residents were not happy about this change and have filed a complaint with the City. We would hate to think that based on those two complaints it was enough for the City to discontinue the program instead of making it permanent.

The FIRST complaint came from a resident because when they showed up to play tennis, they were told to wait until pickleball hours were done and then were showed the ‘NOTICE’ board.

The SECOND complaint came from a small group of residents/pickleball players because when they showed up, during that morning there was a friendly tournament that took place between the lovely City to our east (Oakville). However, and without any hesitation those residents/players were given a preferred court of their choosing so they can play their games. Not to mention, they were happily offered to use the net that was already set up. We guess that was enough for them to file a complaint with the City.

In the last 3 weeks, we’ve sent out a short questionnaire that was further passed on to pickleball players and the ask was to further pass it on to anyone they knew that plays tennis.

The questionnaire had TWO (2) questions:
1.) Did the ‘pilot program’ – having dedicated pickleball hours at Ireland Park worked?
2.) Would you want this permanently implemented or removed.
– additional comment

We’ve received over 1,100 emails and the results were as follows:
1.) 93% – YES
2.) 96% – YES (permanent)

Most comments were; Leave it as permanent as now most players are aware of the court schedule.

Latest response from the City didn’t necessarily answer as to why the pilot program was discontinued, but had mention that there are 6 dedicated pickleball courts that are being added – 2 at Leighland Park (currently open for play) and 4 more at Palmer Park (completion of the courts is sometime in June/July).

Great and we are super thankful. However, since last fall when the courts closed for the season, I can only speculate that pickleball has grown 10+ -fold and there are ‘THAT’ many more pickleball players. If you know of any tennis players, please ask them as well and see what they say.

You can always chime in and remind them that Brant Hills courts, Millcroft courts and Sycamore Park courts are dedicated to tennis only courts AND there is an additional tennis court at Leighland Park as well. How all this makes sense, we’ll never know.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this and if you’re up for it, please feel free to send the City an email and maybe they will tell you a true reason for discontinuing the pilot program. Here are their contacts:

Denise Beard –  Denise.Beard@burlington.ca
Rebecca Holmes – Rebecca.Holmes@burlington.ca

By Pepper Parr

May 1, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Pam Damoff, MP for Oakville North Burlington announced today that”

Even great chapters come to an end, and it is time for this chapter of my career to end.

Pam Damoff at her best. She wanted to serve and now finds that the environment in the House is such that she can’t.

I will not be seeking re-election in the next election. While I know that I still have something to offer Canada, Ontario and my community, the hyper-partisan nature of politics today is not the environment that I see myself serving in. I continue to believe in public service and the power of each of us to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

I don’t know yet what the next chapter will be for me, but I do know that it will be in a role that will make a difference in the lives of others, as I have always striven to do. Sadly, I feel politics is no longer the best venue for me to do that in.

The current tone of politics, the drive for social media clips and likes, and the lack of respectful dialogue have drastically changed how we interact in parliament and in public. The tone and tenor of public discourse has deteriorated significantly, and I fear the loss of trust in public institutions we are seeing that is driven by misinformation and lies being spread by politicians and on social media.

Being a Member of Parliament these days is a different job – not one Pam Damoff was cut out for.

Unfortunately, the toxic drive for social media likes and clips among elected officials has hindered constructive conversations, exacerbated differences between us, and diminished our capacity to show empathy towards each other. The threats and misogyny I have experienced as a Member of Parliament are such that I often fear going out in public, and that is not a sustainable or healthy way to live.

Quite simply, politics is no longer for me and so it is time for me to turn the page on this chapter. Until the next election occurs, I will continue to represent Oakville North–Burlington and my office will continue to assist those in our community.

By Staff

May 1st, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Ontario Exploring Options to Reduce Electricity Rates for Public EV Chargers.  New electricity rate would help get chargers built in more communities across the province

Ontario’s Minister of Energy, Todd Smith, has asked the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) to explore options for an Electric Vehicle Charger Discount Electricity Rate as the province continues to support the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). A new rate would reduce the cost of electricity for public EV chargers in areas where demand for the service is only beginning to emerge, making charging infrastructure more economical in more communities and giving Ontario drivers the confidence they need to transition to electric vehicles.

“With more than 150,000 electric vehicles already on the roads in Ontario, we’re continuing to look at new ways to increase the number of public chargers – including reducing electricity rates for chargers in areas where electric vehicle usage is just beginning to emerge,” said Minister Smith. “This is another step we are taking to give drivers in every part of our province, including rural Ontario, the confidence to transition to electric vehicles, and take advantage of our growing, world-class clean grid.”

The new normal for parking lots. Another place to spend

Under existing rules, public EV charging stations in areas with low EV adoption rates can be expensive to operate as they experience sharp peaks in demand when an EV is charged, but they still incur costs when they are not used for most of the day. Electric vehicle charging stations predicted to have low utilization are either not built or operate at a loss, giving rise to charging accessibility concerns.

A new electricity rate would support electric vehicle adoption across the province by reducing the electricity costs for charging infrastructure where demand is only beginning to emerge, making them more economical. Starting this month, the Ontario Energy Board will conduct public consultations on a new Electric Vehicle Charger Discount Rate with the intent of making the new rate available to public EV charging providers by January 1, 2026.

“We’re making it easier to own an EV by filling gaps in public charging infrastructure,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Today’s announcement highlights important work to support EV uptake outside of large urban centres and transition Ontario to a sustainable, low-carbon transportation system.”

This initiative is part of the government’s larger plan to support the adoption of electric vehicles and make EV charging infrastructure more accessible, which includes:

• • • The EV ChargeON program – a $91 million investment to support the installation of public EV chargers outside of Ontario’s large urban centres, including at community hubs, Ontario’s highway rest areas, carpool parking lots and Ontario Parks.
    • The new Ultra-Low Overnight price plan, which allows customers who use more electricity at night, including those charging their EV, to save up to $90 per year by shifting demand to the ultra-low overnight rate period when province wide electricity demand is lower.
    • Making it more convenient for electric vehicle owners to travel the province with EV fast chargers now installed at all 20 renovated EnRoute stations along the province’s busiest highways, the 400 and 401.

“With $43 billion in new electric vehicle and EV battery manufacturing investments in Ontario’s auto sector over the last several years, our government is working to improve access to public charging infrastructure to support drivers who are making the transition to electric vehicles,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Making electricity rates more affordable, especially in areas with emerging EV demand will be integral as we continue to build a fully integrated end-to-end EV supply chain across our province.”

Fast EV charging stations at EnRoute stops on 400 level highways.

The initiative also builds on the government’s Driving Prosperity: The Future of Ontario’s Automotive Sector plan to create a domestic EV battery ecosystem in the province and position Ontario as a North American automotive innovation hub by working to support the continued transition to electric, low carbon, connected and autonomous vehicles.

“This rate aims to fairly allocate costs and better support the efficient integration of EVs in Ontario,” said Susanna Zagar, CEO of the OEB. “This is another way the OEB is enabling and advancing Ontario’s clean energy advantage. We look forward to hearing from electricity distributors, EV charging service providers and other stakeholders to inform this work as we strive to solve energy challenges effectively and meet the demands of the energy transition.”

Quick Facts

• The new retail transmission service rate, if approved, would be available to public EV charging stations with low utilization, between 50kW and 4,999 kW.
• If approved by the Ontario Energy Board, local distribution companies would begin offering the rate to public EV charging providers beginning January 1, 2026.
• As of March 2024, there are more than 150,000 EVs registered in Ontario, including both battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). By 2030, there are expected to be more than one million EVs on the road in Ontario.