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February 4th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Heart to Heart: A Variety Show Celebrating Passions
Thursday, February 12th + Friday, February 13th : 7:30pm Heart to Heart is a community variety show with a twist! With a dynamic mix of 18 local performers showcasing their talents through music, dance and comedy. This production explores the passions that connect us, whether it’s the spark of romance, the joy of a beloved hobby, or the comfort of family and friends. 
February 4th, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Family Day, the occasion when the province focuses on its families.  They’ve been doing it for 20 years – the kids love them. The Performing Arts Centrre has put Splash,N Boots on the Main Stage an hour of children’s music. Monday, February 16th | 1pm Get the kids out of the house this winter! Treat the family to an afternoon of family-friendly music with Splash’N Boots! This beloved Canadian children’s music duo has been spreading joy through their infectious music for over 20 years. Ticket prices are reasonable, just $25 each BOX OFFICE:
February 3rd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington has appointed Deputy Fire Chief Drew Boys as its next Fire Chief, effective February 9, 2026, following the upcoming retirement of Fire Chief Karen Roche. Deputy Chief Boys brings more than 20 years of experience in the fire sector, including senior leadership roles with Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, Oakville Fire, and, most recently, Burlington Fire, where he currently serves as Deputy Fire Chief.  Drew Boys – new Fire Chief for Burlington In his current role, Deputy Chief Boys has worked closely on projects such as Simultaneous Notification, Next Generation 9-1-1, the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), and the modernization of Burlington’s primary and backup 9-1-1 Fire Communications Centres. All of these projects contribute to improving efficiencies and modernizing fire services. Deputy Chief Boys serves as the sponsor of the City’s Enterprise Asset Management System (EAMS), contributing to technology projects that support data-driven decision-making and service delivery. He also participates in regional, provincial, and national committees, including the Joint Emergency Services Operational Advisory Group (JESOAG), the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC), and the Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN) Innovation Alliance.
February 3rd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
In many ways, there has been too much discussion about Canada’s EV mandate, introduced during the Trudeau years as a climate change initiative. It is one of the few remaining vestiges of climate policy that we associate with former PM Justin Trudeau.  Gaz guzzlers: Advertising taught us to love them. An EV mandate has long been opposed by the big three US automakers since it would ultimately mean the end of the gas guzzler. They are opposed to essentially scrapping their outdated internal combustion infrastructure. A second reason has to do with the symbiotic relationship of these large corporations and those in the petroleum sector. The mandate included a 20% interim 2026 target for EVs. When PM Carney, realized, among other factors, that the 20% target would not be attainable this year he paused the interim requirement. That pausing raised the hopes of the conventional auto industry that the entire mandate was also on its way out the door. EV sales in North America have fallen off a cliff since Mr. Trump put a curse on them after returning to office. And the father of the modern EV, Elon Musk, almost killed the Tesla as buyers penalized him for all he did during his disastrous stint at the White House.. That is the USA, but too many of us Canadians tend to follow America’s lead – so Canadian EV sales here have also crashed. Built into the federal EV mandate is an option for a kind of EV trading scheme. The mandate allows credits to be created by those overachieving the mandated levels and allowing them to sell credits to those who don’t. This is a bizarre provision which complicates the mandate and creates potentially unintended consequences.  50,000 of these Electric Vehicles will arrive in Canada – what will the take up be? The domestic makers complain that imported Chinese EVs will be able to earn credits. And selling those credits would hypothetically put an estimated billion dollars into Mr. Xi’s Beijing bank account. That should be enough to kill the mandate, they say. As for the so-called Big Three, nobody serious about the environment should ever take their advice. GM and Ford were heavily complicit in masking and hiding how their products would hasten the advent of climate change. For over 50 years ago they have hidden this truth from the public. They can’t be trusted with our future. Those American based auto makers are on their way out anyway, being called home by Mr. Trump. The number of vehicles the big three produce in Canada and the number of people they employ to make them have dramatically tumbled over the last decade. Honda and Toyota have replaced them and they also build better cars, according to most reviews. So Canadians need to say good riddance as the last factory built US car plant in Canada eventually closes. The EV mandate, notwithstanding disappointing sales of those vehicles this past year, has probably already been a success in signalling to the industry and consumers that it is time to change up their ride. The history of subsidies for EV purchases has been moderately successful, particularly when there had been a significant price differential. What is lacking is adoption of a standardized universal auto charging system and a national highway of reliable, easy to use EV chargers from sea to sea to sea. That is currently one of the biggest drawbacks to broader EV adoption. Otherwise EVs should sell themselves. They are faster, quieter, less costly to operate and virtually maintenance free – with or without an EV mandate. There is a place for mandates and prohibitions. A federal appeal court has just ruled that plastic is a toxic substance allowing the continued banning of unnecessary plastic products like shopping bags and drink straws. Surely no reasonable person would argue that car exhaust is any less toxic.
Background links: Auto Complaints – GM/Ford complicity – Big Three on Their Way Out – Plastic Toxicity –
February 3rd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
With all that nice white fluffy snow – how do you keep the kids off the slopes? McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) reports some very serious accidents. Doesn’t have to be that way.  Fun – but not recommended. “In January, we had multiple incidents of children sledding into trees resulting in significant trauma,” says Dr. April Kam, division head of pediatric emergency medicine at MCH. “The hospital’s trauma team treats these incidents in the same manner as children involved in motor vehicle collisions.” Dr. Kam led a study that found head injuries are the most common sledding injury seen in the MCH emergency department. Head injuries are especially concerning because in rare cases, they can cause lasting brain damage or cognitive difficulties. “Children and teens routinely wear helmets when skiing and snowboarding, where they can control their speed, yet not when sledding where they often have no control over how fast they go,” says Kam, who is calling for a cultural shift, where helmets are also the norm on toboggan hills.  This way, you get to go home with your parents and not in an ambulance. As well as confirming that head injuries were the most commonly-treated injury, Kam’s study found that younger kids were more likely to hurt their heads while older children more often had abdominal injuries. Most injuries happened when children fell or crashed into objects, typically involving the head, broken bones, or scrapes and bruises. Kam’s study also found that most injured children were between six and 10 years old, with an average age of about nine, and just over half were boys. Kam launched the study during the COVID-19 pandemic, after noticing more children arriving at the MCH ED with sledding injuries during lockdowns, when other winter activities like skating, hockey, ringette and skiing were cancelled to prevent the illness from spreading. She wanted to investigate whether her observations were supported by data.
February 3rd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
This year’s theme, 30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries, commemorates three decades of Black History Month in Canada by recognizing the lasting contributions of Black Canadians. This theme acknowledges the legacy and ongoing impact of those who help shape Canada’s social, cultural and political landscape, while also celebrating the emerging leaders and changemakers shaping the future of this country. Throughout the month of February, students across the HDSB will explore and celebrate Black Excellence through a variety of engaging activities, including:
 Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “Black History Month provides an opportunity for HDSB students, staff and families to truly honour the lives, stories and lasting contributions of Black Canadians who have shaped the richness of our country,” says Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “It is a time to reflect on the past and recognize and celebrate the incredible contributions of Black people today, and to ensure these voices and experiences are meaningfully reflected in learning throughout the year. As we honour history and celebrate the present, we lead with kindness and care, creating school communities rooted in humanity, joy and connection, and continue to strive to provide learning environments where all students can be successful and feel a sense of belonging.”
February 3rd, 2025 BURLINGTON, ON Foreign currency exchange rates are complex. A deep understanding is vital for any organization buying or selling products and services. Values and profits can vanish in a second because of a change in an exchange rate. Canadian dollar down against Krona, Peso, Euro and Pound Change in exchange rate value, Jan 1, 2025 to Jan 30, 2026
The constant chaos of Donald Trump has pushed the United States dollar down against all major currencies including six per cent against the Canadian dollar since January 1, 2025, according to Bank of Canada data. From C$1.44 on January 1, 2025, the U.S. dollar dropped from C$1.38 to C$1.36 — 2.52 cents — against the Canadian loonie since just January 21, 2026 when Trump gave his bizarre, meandering and overtime speech in Davos amid threats to invade Greenland and counter-threats from European Union countries, the UK and Canada to aid the defence of the Denmark territory. Mexican peso, Swedish krona strong against loonie Currency used by Sweden But the Canadian loonie is only looking strong compared to the falling US dollar. The Swedish krona is up over 18 per cent against the Canadian dollar and the Mexican peso is up over 12 per cent. The euro and pound are also more expensive for Canadians than a year ago. Despite the krona’s strong appreciation, which pushes up the cost of imported goods, Sweden has very low inflation, just 0.3 per cent in December. The Nordic nation has keep it’s bank interest rate at 1.75 per cent, helping GDP growth, which was tepid in 2025 but expected to hit 2.6 per cent in 2026. Sweden joined the European Union in 1995 but did not adopt the Euro and the European Central Bank.  The rate at which the Canadian dollar trades against the American dollar will impact the price of just about everything we buy. Canada’s bank rate remains at 2.25 per cent with inflation at 2.4 per cent in December and a 2026 economic growth forecast of 1.3 per cent. Mexico’s 1.2 per cent growth outlook for 2026 is similar to Canada. But inflation is running hotter. At 3.69 per cent in December, inflation is above its target of 3.00 per cent and Mexico’s central bank is still holding interest rates at 7.00 per cent. That high interest rate is attractive for investors outside Mexico, boosting foreign exchange into the peso.
Global mistrust driving US dollar downward spiral Sentiment about global politics has increasingly moved toward pessimism. In times of uncertainty the U.S. dollar has often been a “safe haven” for investment, pushing up the dollar. But in this situation, it is the United States — its president, specifically — that is the cause of uncertainty. There has been a growing lack of currency trust as Trump threatens war against a fellow NATO county, throws out tariff threats on a nearly daily basis and moves to load cronies onto the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets U.S. interest rates. The result is a U.S. dollar down more than 10 per cent against the Euro, which makes stock returns from even the most profitable United States companies less appetizing to Europeans managing capital pools. For an investor operating in euros, a 10 per cent stock return in 2025 was reduced to zero by dollar depreciation. That, in turn, drives a spiral of further dollar depreciation as foreign exchange into dollars to make investments drops, amplifying the mistrust of the U.S. dollar under Trump. The European Union’s annual GDP of about $20 trillion represents a significant global base of wealth and European mistrust for the Trump currency can inflict damage. The EU’s GDP combined with that of the UK, at almost $5 trillion, and Canada, at $2 trillion, nearly matches the US economy at $28 trillion.
February 2nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Frailty has been described as one of the most problematic expressions of population ageing. However, frailty screening isn’t done as part of standard medical care. A new made-in-Hamilton app is helping health-care providers identify the risk of frailty and age-related loss of muscle mass and strength in less than 15 minutes. The Fit-Frailty App – developed at the Geras Centre for Aging Research, a Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) research centre funded by HHS and affiliated with McMaster University – is the only comprehensive frailty assessment app of its kind. The Geras team worked with the HHS Centre for Data Science and Digital Health (CREATE) team who works with hospital clinicians to develop new ideas and create digital solutions that fundamentally reimagine how health care is delivered.  Dr. Courtney Kennedy, a Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster researcher and an occupational therapist. “The Fit-Frailty app is a more holistic measure as it looks at several different aspects that contribute to a patient’s frailty level including physical, cognitive and mental health,” says Dr. Courtney Kennedy, a Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster researcher and an occupational therapist who led the development of the Fit-Frailty app. “Understanding not only how frail someone is but also identifying areas where intervention is needed can help doctors and other clinicians better assess a patient’s level of frailty and develop individualized care plans.” Currently, the app has been piloted in clinical practice at Hamilton Health Sciences and with the McMaster Division of Rheumatology led by Dr. Arthur Lau and Dr. Jonathan (Rick) Adachi. It is also being used in three large CIHR-funded clinical trials led by GERAS and the McMaster Division of Rheumatology. There have been approximately 500 research participants thus far and the team plans to provide further launch and knowledge translation in the future. The study testing the Fit-Frailty App has recently been published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) at https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/12/e098892.full. “We were able to demonstrate that slow-paced rehabilitation at Hamilton Health Sciences is an effective program for reducing frailty and improving function,” says Kennedy. “One of the most novel elements of this App is that we were able to show that it could be used to measure intervention change for pre- and post-rehabilitation.”
February 2nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON The content below comes from the people who provide us with the security we use to protect the Gazette content. The service has been exceptional so far WhatsApp is going through a rough patch. Some users would argue it has been ever since Meta acquired the once widely trusted messaging platform. User sentiment has shifted from “trusted default messenger” to a grudgingly necessary Meta product.
Back to current affairs, which will only reinforce that sentiment. Google’s Project Zero has just disclosed a WhatsApp vulnerability where a malicious media file, sent into a newly created group chat, can be automatically downloaded and used as an attack vector. The bug affects WhatsApp on Android and involves zero‑click media downloads in group chats. You can be attacked simply by being added to a group and having a malicious file sent to you. According to Project Zero, the attack is most likely to be used in targeted campaigns, since the attacker needs to know or guess at least one contact. While focused, it is relatively easy to repeat once an attacker has a likely target list. And to put a cherry on top for WhatsApp’s competitors, a potentially even more serious concern for the popular messaging platform, an international group of plaintiffs sued Meta Platforms, alleging the WhatsApp owner can store, analyze, and access virtually all of users’ private communications, despite WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption claims. How to secure WhatsAppReportedly, Meta pushed a server change on November 11, 2025, but Google says that only partially resolved the issue. So, Meta is working on a comprehensive fix. Google’s advice is to disable Automatic Download or enable WhatsApp’s Advanced Privacy Mode so that media is not automatically downloaded to your phone. And you’ll need to keep WhatsApp updated to get the latest patches, which is true for any app and for Android itself. Turn off auto-download of mediaGoal: ensure that no photos, videos, audio, or documents are pulled to the device without an explicit decision.
Doing this directly implements Project Zero’s guidance to “disable Automatic Download” so that malicious media can’t silently land on your storage as soon as you are dropped into a hostile group. Stop WhatsApp from saving media to your Android galleryEven if WhatsApp still downloads some content, you can stop it from leaking into shared storage where other apps and system components see it.
WhatsApp is a sandbox, and should contain the threat. Which means, keeping media inside WhatsApp makes it harder for a malicious file to be processed by other, possibly more vulnerable components. Lock down who can add you to groupsThe attack chain requires the attacker to add you and one of your contacts to a new group. Reducing who can do that lowers risk.
Set up two-step verification on your WhatsApp accountRead this guide for Android and iOS to learn how to do that. We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS, and Malwarebytes for Android today.
February 2nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
The Go service web site is advising the public that traffic is not moving through Union Station due to some equipment failures. This means that GO trains are not going into or out of Union Station until the problem is solved.  Union Station tracks have undergone significant upgrades during the past five years plus. The cold weather appears to be the problem. Update 2 – Union Station – Disabled train
There is a disabled train near Union Station. Repair personnel are working on the issue, but there may be delays of up to two hours. There may be trip cancellations and modifications until the issue is fixed. To allow time for the repair personnel to work on the issue, trains will not be able to move through the area until the issue is resolved. Trains will travel as far as possible and hold at stations. If you are traveling into Union Station, please take TTC as an alternate travel option. More details when they are available.
February 2nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan, the man who resides in Ward 2, has put forward a Motion asking that the City stop using x.com as a platform with which to communicate with its citizens.  Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan Nisan is asking that the: Director of Corporate Communications and Engagement to report back to the April 13, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting on the consequences and mitigation Reason: We don’t need X to engage our constituents. Engagement has been low for a long time. Recent city posts regularly receive a single “like”. Outcome Sought: Implications: Strategic Alignment  Councillor Nisan: “We don’t need X to engage our constituents.” Some comment and perspective on this Motion, particularly the Nisan observation that “We don’t need X to engage our constituents. Engagement has been low for a long time. Engagement with the city has been low because City Council, and to some degree the City Communications people, see communication as a one-way street – THEM to Us – not that much US to THEM This is one to keep an eye on.
February 2nd, 2026 BURLINGTON, ON
A bit of an update on what is going to replace the former Sound of Music Festival next June. Council will hear a report from MRG Live on what is being phrased as the Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival It will be a two-day outdoor music festival at Spencer Smith Park on June 20 & 21 2026 – that will celebrate Canadian music, local arts & culture, and help solidify Burlington’s waterfront as a premier tourism and cultural destination. The event is envisioned as a vibrant, multi-stage festival that brings together nationally recognized Canadian artists, emerging performers, local and Indigenous talent, and family-friendly programming, while generating meaningful cultural and economic benefits for Burlington’s downtown and waterfront. At the heart of the festival, the Main Stage at Spencer Smith Park will showcase a diverse lineup of Canadian musicians across genres such as indie, pop, rock, folk, and country, with each evening culminating in a notable Canadian headliner. Professional production, accessible viewing areas, LED screens, and a premium VIP viewing area will ensure a high-quality and inclusive concert experience. Complementing the main stage programming, the Community Stage, will focus on family-friendly and youth-oriented programming, including music, dance, and storytelling, fostering arts engagement and inspiring the next generation of performers.  Will Civic Square be used during the June Music Festival? All we know at this point is that Brant Street will be temporarily pedestrianized, The Brant Street Stage, part of the street festival, will offer a more intimate community-focused setting featuring Burlington-based artists, emerging performers, Indigenous musicians, and small ensembles, encouraging close interaction and celebrating local creativity. Beyond music, the festival planning includes a significant activation of Burlington’s downtown core, creating a downtown marketplace that will be part of the street festival portion of Lakeshore M&A Festival. Temporary pedestrianization of Brant Street, with potential extensions to Elgin and Pine Streets, will create a lively, walkable corridor for approximately 150 artisan and business vendors, strengthening local entrepreneurship and increasing economic activity. Additional on-site experiences will include a curated food truck zone offering diverse cuisine options and family-friendly beverage gardens operating under AGCO permitting, thoughtfully designed to blend with the park’s natural environment while ensuring safe, accessible, and welcoming social spaces. To further enhance the visitor experience, a ticketed VIP option is planned, featuring premium site lines, exclusive beverage offerings, lounge seating, merchandise, and optional artist meet-and-greet experiences. The planning process also includes exploring the potential continuation of midway rides and games. Plans for the Kids Zone include face painting, balloon twisting, bounce houses, interactive activities based around art and music. Overall, the festival planning is centered on celebrating Canadian talent, strengthening community connections, supporting local businesses, and positioning Burlington’s waterfront and downtown as a dynamic and inclusive cultural destination. What the public hasn’t been given much information on is how much is the city is committed to in terms of dollars, and are there services being provided that the new festival will not have to be paid for? No mention of where the Community Stage is going to be located. Nothing specific on where the Brant Stage will be located  Will the Performing Arts stages be used during the festival in June? No mention of whether the Performing Arts Centre stages will be part of the event. The event doesn’t have a name that is unique to the city: Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival isn’t going to cut it. All the conversations at this point are between city staff and MRG Live. The absolutely astounding part of this agenda item is that it is placed as a Consent item and will not be discussed unless someone asks to speak to this matter. Expect Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns to look for more in the way of public participation on how this event is grown.
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By Gazette Staff
By Gazette Staff
By Gazette Staff
By Ray Rivers
Ray Rivers, a Gazette Contributing Editor, writes regularly applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
By Gazette Staff
By Tom Parkin
By Gazette Staff
By Gazette Staff
Privacy-aware users still see WhatsApp as one of the more secure mass-market messaging platforms if you lock down its settings. Even then, many remain uneasy about Meta’s broader ecosystem, and wish all their contacts would