By Staff

October 31^st, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

A reader asked:

Can someone please tell us when we can expect an answer to why the Spencer Smith Washrooms were closed on Thanksgiving Monday?   This is our fourth response to the question/complaint confirming the question is being asked.    This service question is not going to go away because everyone, other than giving it a complaint number is ignoring a very reasonable question with regard to the services that taxpayers have paid to be put in place and expect to be open at the Park on a very busy Thanksgiving Monday at the Park.

Response from the Office of the Mayor:

Access to the washrooms at Discovery Landing are dependent on the operating hours of the restaurant.

The washrooms are on the lower level – the restaurant is on the upper level – one has nothing to do with the other – other than that they are in the same building. City is waffling on this one.

Editor’s note: That statement is just not true.

No explanation as to why the City of Burlington provided washrooms are dependent on a private restaurant.   These washrooms serve the city ice rink and the park with its Splash Pad and have nothing to do with the restaurant.

This is a very serious service city issue that is being blamed on a private restaurant.

Why?

Doesn’t look like this issue is going to go away.

By Liam McGee

October 31st, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Since moving to Burlington ten years ago, I have been fascinated by the brand of municipal politics practiced here. I come from quite a different local experience, a more active one, and have often remarked on the relative passivity of this City’s residents. It seems to take a fair amount to get people here excited.  It happened in 2018 when the current Mayor and Council were first elected (to their current roles) and it may be happening again with the Mayor’s second budget under the aegis of her Strong Mayor powers. It would appear that many people have issues with the proposed expenditure plans for 2025. And perhaps even more find that the process of civic communication and engagement used to present and explain the planned budget was unsatisfactory and unsatisfying.

Times of popular discontent are often the very best times to introduce change -to pose the challenging questions and unusual ideas that might lead to improved approaches and better ways of doing things. So, in this spirit and before Burlington begins its 2025 budget debate next week, I ask why do each of the municipalities within the Halton Region have separate purchasing, traffic, transit, fleet management, bylaw enforcement, human resource, records management, permitting and Information technology functions – to name an obvious few? Why are there four separate and quite distinct web sites with equally varied backend customer interfaces? Why are the administrative and operational processing systems all “roll your own”? The four municipalities are fundamentally the same business with identical core administrative processes and needs. Indeed, there are also common statutory requirements to much of what they do through the prescriptions of the Ontario Municipal Act. But each municipality has established itself as a discreet entity – a fiefdom unto itself. Even the governance structures of each municipality differ to the degree permissible under provincial oversight. The result is duplication of effort, bloated bureaucracy, needless expense, reduction of bench strength (scarce skills and technical expertise) and inconsistent if not conflicting citizen experience.

I believe that political entities habitually resist aggregation in any form; they instinctively fear the loss of identity, power and control that comes with consolidated operations or being only part of a larger whole.  So, for example, when the Ford Government introduced its Regional Review in 2019, the common reaction of most well-run municipalities was to oppose regional amalgamation as a loss of “local voice” and sensitivity to unique citizen needs. Eventually the initiative died in a very opaque cloud of political confusion and counter-direction. But, was the fear of loss of local autonomy ever ground-truthed against actual experience and has the citizen experience in the Halton municipalities been rich and satisfying as a result. I would argue to the contrary.

1: This is not an economically sustainable model 2: how much does this debt cost the taxpayer ?

Now may be the time that these long-term Halton career politicians actually assumed a true leadership role and worked, as a collective, to rationalize their common services into a shared resource pool. Of course, this would be flying in the face of the current Ford government direction towards disaggregation – a return to over 400 little service centres with over 400 voices chirping in the wind (and over 400 varied client/customer experiences). In this time of mounting budget pressures and fiscal uncertainty, consolidation of essential support services provides economies of scale, operational savings, greater purchasing power and consistency of approach. It allows for the development of centres of expertise/excellence with a depth of resource strength, reduced bureaucracy and the development of critical back-up and recovery services. It provides the mechanism, the structure, for improved levels of support to the region’s citizens. Most importantly, and somewhat ironically given the popular wisdom of five years ago, it actually strengthens “local voice” – but more on this aspect later.

Liam McGee is a retired university professor – political science and sociology. Taught at two Canadian universities during his career.  Burlington resident for 10 years, lives with his wife of 45 years and two large dogs. Three grown children who now have lives of their own and bring the grandchildren with them when they visit.

By Pepper Parr

October 31^st, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

The 600 page agenda that Council members are going to have to get through in two days has an interesting item.

For a small structure, the John Street transit station has had a huge impact on the development of high-rise towers in the downtown core.

Relocation of the Burlington Transit Terminal

Direct the Director of Burlington Transit to proceed with relocating the Burlington Transit Bus Terminal from 430 John Street to the Burlington GO Station, located at 2101 Fairview Street; and

Direct the Manager of Realty Services to proceed in accordance with the instructions sought in the confidential transit department report.

The immediate question is why?

By Pepper Parr

October 31, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

From Tom Parkin we learn that:

Ontario’s August retail sales still below June 2022 while the rest of Canada hits record.

Massive mortgage debt from Ontario housing crisis may be behind absent consumer.

While Canadian retail sales outside Ontario set a record in August, Ontario’s sales remained 4.5 per cent lower than the peak in June 2022, according to data released by Statistics Canada last Friday.

Ontario’s August retail sales were $24.729 billion, $1.165 billion below the June 2022 peak of $25.894 billion.

Excepting Ontario, Canadian retail sales continued to climb throughout 2022 and did not turn down until January 2023, seven months after Ontario’s peak.

People shopping – just not as many in Ontario as in the other provinces.

The retail turndown outside Ontario was also smaller and shorter. From a January 2023 peak of $41.870 billion, retail sales had tumbled $1.068 billion, or 2.6 per cent, when retail sales hit bottom five months later, in June 2023.

Housing, fuel, food prices pound consumers in mid-2022

Canadian consumers were being hit from all sides in mid-2022, but the impact on consumers and retail sales has been more painful and long-lasting in Ontario than in any other province.

Food inflation pushed the price of store-bought food up 9.7 per cent between April 2021 and April 2022 and hit an annualized 11.4 per cent in September 2022.

War pushed up fuel prices when, on May 30, 2022, the European Union announced a ban on Russian oil shipments, pushing the price of a barrel of oil above $120. In June 2022, Canada’s average pump price for a litre of fuel hit $2.07, up from $1.40 in December 2021.

The GTA housing crisis got suddenly worse. In March 2022, the Canadian Real Estate Association’s benchmark composite price of a house in the Greater Toronto Area peaked at $1,313,800, up 33.7 per cent from March 2021. Rental accommodation inflation peaked in August, 2022 with the price of a one bedroom GTA apartment 21.6 per cent above August 2021, according to Rentals.ca.

Interest rates ignite the GTA debt bomb built by the housing crisis

The more powerful and lasting effect on Ontario retail sales may be due to the mountain of household debt amassed due to the housing crisis.

The March 2022 housing GTA housing price peak was the same month the Bank of Canada first raised interest rates. On March 2, 2022 the Bank first hiked the policy interest rate, raising it 0.25 percentage points to 0.50 per cent.

After near-monthly increases, when rates reached 4.5 per cent in January, 2023, the benchmark price of a GTA house hit bottom, crashing to $1,064,100, according to CREA data.

During the massive GTA housing price run up, Canadians’ residential mortgage debt rose dramatically, adding over $400 billion from $1.324 trillion in Q1 2019 to $1.749 trillion in Q3 2023. In Q2 2024 Canadian mortgage debt stood at $1.853 trillion, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing data.

Not surprisingly, the centre of the housing crisis was also the centre of that debt pile. Mortgage debt against Toronto residential properties increased from $298.1 billion in Q1 2019 to $407.2 billion in Q3 2022, then plateaued, according to CMHC.

In Q1 2019, 22.5 per cent of mortgage debt was secured against Toronto property; in Q3 2022 it was 23.3 per cent. The share of mortgage debt in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal were all declining.

Ontario housing starts: Politicians who let the housing crisis run wild have put all Canada in a jackpot.

The failure of the Ontario government to spur housing starts has had national economic implications, including the decision last week to start shrinking the Canadian population, which will in turn shrink economic growth.

Politicians who let the housing crisis run wild have put all Canada in a jackpot. Housing isn’t just a right. It’s a fundamental part of economic infrastructure and there are deep consequences for failing to build it.

And so there you have it – but not to worry, Premier Ford is going to send you a cheque for $200; supposedly in January and that will boost retail sales.  Ford is hoping it will boost his chances of being returned to office when he calls an election

Tom Parkin is a political commentator with a social democratic perspective who has worked in politics in Ontario and Saskatchewan and in the Canadian labour movement.

By Staff

October 30th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Burlington City Council handed out Civic Recognition honours to eight recipients at a special meeting of Council on Tuesday, Oct. 29. The residents were recognized for their outstanding volunteer efforts in the community.

Civic recognition is presented twice a year, in the spring and fall. Applications for civic recognition nominations are open year-round at burlington.ca/civicrecognition.

Fall 2024 Civic Recognition recipients

Congratulations to the following recipients:

Andrea Binnington – As the Student Nutrition Program Leader at Clarksdale Public School for over five years, Andrea ensures every student starts their day with a nourishing breakfast. Beyond providing a meal, Andrea has built a community that promotes wellness, learning and kindness. She demonstrates every contribution, no matter how small, has value. Her efforts have made a lasting impact on the school community and Burlington.

Burlington Able Sail – Each summer, Burlington Able Sail provides sailing opportunities and instruction for individuals with a physical or cognitive disability. With a dedicated team and specialized boats, Able Sail has been enhancing the quality of life for Burlington residents for over 20 years by making sailing accessible to all. The program is a place where participants experience the freedom of being out on the water and build valuable friendships.Burlington Food Bank

Community Gardens – For the past four years, Community Garden Coordinator, Samantha Le Grand and a network of approximately 75 volunteers have dedicated their time to growing fresh produce that is shared through the Burlington Food Bank. In teaching the community about gardening and eco-friendly food practices, the gardens are also helping others to build important food literacy skills that support food security and mental and physical health.

Victoria Guzik – Since 2019, Victoria has supported new mothers in Burlington to help them with the challenges of isolation and uncertainty that can be felt in the early stages of motherhood. Victoria organizes inclusive and supportive networks that provide a safe space for new moms to share experiences, seek advice, and form lasting friendships. Her efforts help new mothers in the community connect, empower one another, and celebrate their journeys.

Meals of Hope – Led by Pat Gilmore and Nancy McKenzie, the Meals of Hope program at Port Nelson United Church prepares, cooks and distributes hot meals and sandwiches for between 300 and 500 people every week. The program began in COVID to assist those in need. Since 2020, Meals of Hope and its team of 50 volunteers have continued to cook meals to meet the needs of the community.

Iman Nemar, right, and Olivia Netto

The Pink Project – Started by university students Iman Nemar and Olivia Netto, the Pink Project provides free feminine hygiene products in public washrooms throughout Halton Region. The Pink Project believes period products should be available to all those who need them, and conversation surrounding menstruation should never be an embarrassment nor something we hide. Their work is helping to shed light on issues that are often overlooked when it comes to periods and menstrual health, not just in Burlington but around the world.

The Price Family – For the last four years, Al, Tina and Ty Price have worked to champion local music and build a sense of community in their Appollo Road neighbourhood with the Live at the Apollo driveway concert series. What started during COVID as a way to support local musicians and the community during lockdown has continued to grow. Each summer, the Price family organizes the Live at the Apollo concert every second Friday. All proceeds from the event go to the musicians who volunteer their talents and time.

Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore (Ribfest) – For over 25 years, the annual Ribfest event at Spencer Smith Park has helped to raise more than five million dollars to support local Burlington charities. Hundreds of volunteers from Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore dedicate their time every Labour Day weekend to coordinate the event. It is one of Canada’s largest ribfest events.

In May 2024, the City of Burlington announced a new civic recognition initiative to celebrate the individuals and groups who volunteer to make Burlington better. Nominated individuals or groups 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

By Staff

October 29th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Open letter to:

Hon. Prabmeet Sarkaria

Minister of Transportation Ontario

We are writing to you with deep concern about Bill 212, Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024. This bill would negatively affect the future of mobility in the Province of Ontario. Slowing or reversing the installation of bike lanes will have an adverse impact on children’s health and the environment. We are Ontario’s Green Communities, a group of community-based non-profits that work with schools and provide environmental programming in communities in 52 municipalities and three first nations across Ontario.

According to the Government of Canada, only 37.6% of children aged 5-17 are getting the minimum 60 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity recommended by Health Canada. Across Ontario, fewer kids are using active modes of transportation (e.g., walking, cycling, rollerblading, scootering and rolling for wheelchairs or other mobility devices) for their school journey: 22% of kids walk to school and 4% cycle, whereas 74% travel by motorized transport. Bicycle lanes are important for kids who currently ride their bicycles, but also for reversing these trends.

Driving kids to school has led to several serious impacts:

1)    More inactivity. Kids miss the opportunity for much-needed physical activity, fresh air, and quality interaction with parents, caregivers, and friends.

2)    Less focus. Students are less focused in class, contributing to poorer academic outcomes.

3)    Worse congestion. An estimated 25-40% of vehicle congestion during morning rush hour is related to school drop-off.

4)    Riskier roads. 78% of Ontario parents reported witnessing unsafe driving behaviours in school zones.

Moreover, evidence shows that creating more car-centric lanes and roads ultimately leads to even more congestion. Reducing congestion and creating safer, healthier roads requires creating additional bike lanes and encouraging people who are able to switch from driving to cycling. Clearly, we need more safe routes to school – not fewer – to get children and families walking and cycling to school safely.

High quality networks of protected bike lanes on main streets are critical to providing safe routes to school and supporting higher rates of physical activity. By design, Ontario communities do not generally have side streets that run parallel to main streets for long distances. In suburban communities, they are designed to discourage traffic, and in urban communities like Toronto and Ottawa, they are often fragmented, with designated one-way sections that prevent traffic. While neighbourhood streets are important for bike lanes, main streets are the major connectors providing direct routes for students to get to school.

Climate Crisis

Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions are rising: in 2022, they rose to 2017 levels after a pandemic-induced reduction. Road transportation is the largest source of pollution in the province, responsible for more than a quarter of all of Ontario’s emissions. While we acknowledge that the intensity of Ontario’s emissions reduced as Ontario’s population and economy grew, we are concerned that emissions from road transportation continue to rise and that we are not on track to meet our 2030 climate goals.

Protecting the health and safety of our communities, while also reducing congestion and fossil fuel pollution, requires that we do as much as we can to encourage cycling. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is unequivocal: “Targets to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 in line with the 1.5-degree limit for global warming cannot be achieved without a systematic increase of cycling.”

According to research, a standard vehicle releases around five metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. Choosing a bike instead of a car just once a day cuts an average person’s transportation-related carbon emissions by 67%.

Ontario contains the most densely populated areas in the country and is home to 40% of Canada’s population. We urgently need the government of Ontario to demonstrate leadership that provides its residents with more – not fewer – opportunities for achieving a sustainable, safe, and prosperous future.

Building for the Future

We worry that the legislation will jeopardize most future developments of safe, protected bike lanes in Ontario, reducing transportation options for children and families and contributing to higher rates of collisions, physical inactivity, and pollution.

We strongly encourage you, Minister Sarkaria, to reverse course on this legislation and instead encourage municipalities to continue building networks of high-quality protected bike lanes on major streets. Our collective future depends on it.

Signatories: EcoSource, EcoSuperior, Sustainable Kingston, Green Venture, Windfall Centre, Reep Green Solutions, Environment Network, EnviroCentre, GreenUP,Halton Environmental Network, London Environmental Network, Oakville Green

By Pepper Parr

October 29, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Conservatives are going to have to get better at keeping their plans to themselves.

The booked space (actually they asked that a hold be put on the space) at the Burlington Convention Centre and the Holiday Inn for November 16^th.

So when Robert Whitaker, the Chair, Burlington Conservative Association and Chair, Candidate Nomination Committee advises us that what we published was “misinformation” he might want to qualify that.

Even his Association members are complaining about not being able to get through to him

Whittaker now has an opportunity to hold a debate between the three people seeking the nomination.  He even has potential locations

When there is a messy situation you do something to clean up the mess.

Rule number 1, Mr. Whittaker, is when there is a problem – get ahead of the story by being open and transparent.

By Staff

October 28^th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Gone are the days when the streets were safe on Halloween.

There are now sick people who put razor blades in apples that are handed out.

Parents have to be more vigilant.

Crime Stoppers makes several important points.

Do your children a favour and explain what we now have to watch out for.