 By Kevin Powers
March 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Hamilton Spectator chose not to publish this opinion piece.
Something as important as the mining of aggregate in rural Burlington deserves all the view points it can get.
No Need for New Quarries? Tell That to the Free Market
Across southern Ontario, the battle over new quarries rages on. Local opponents—armed with “No Quarry” signs and cries of “No Need”—paint aggregate operators as reckless profiteers tearing up the land for no reason. They argue the province has more than enough gravel, sand, and stone to go around, so why approve more pits?
Here’s the flaw in their logic: they don’t understand the basic laws of supply and demand. No operator in their right mind spends millions chasing a new license and risking rejection, unless demand is there—and it is.
 The Jefferson slamander was the major obstacle when the first application for an aggregate license was turned down. If there were an oversupply, you’d see it—prices crashing, pits shuttering, companies bailing. That’s not happening. The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association pegs annual consumption at 164 million tonnes, and the number of licenses has dropped by 28 since 2013. Operators aren’t flooding the market; they’re scrambling to keep up. The free market doesn’t lie—businesses don’t risk millions on a hunch when gravel’s piling up unsold.
Opponents might mean well, worried about dust, noise, or nature. Fair enough—nobody wants a quarry next door. But crying “no need” defies economic sense and assumes operators are either dumb or masochistic. They’re neither. They’re businesses, not charities, and they’ve got data—construction forecasts, infrastructure plans, population trends—telling them the juice is worth the squeeze. If they see demand drying up, they’re not going to risk millions of dollars trying to bring on new supply.
The irony? By stalling new quarries, critics could choke the very growth they take for granted—roads they drive, homes they live in. The Greater Golden Horseshoe is not swimming in aggregate; it’s rationing a shrinking stash.
The Aggregate Resources Act doesn’t ask for a “market need” test because it trusts the market to sort itself out. Maybe it’s time opponents did too. Operators aren’t the enemy here—they’re just reading the room. If there’s no need, they won’t dig. But the numbers say otherwise, and the free market’s already placing its bets.
 By Staff
March 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Kevin Page: head of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at the University of Ottawa. Kevin Page, former parliamentary budget officer and head of the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at the University of Ottawa, said in an interview this week that the economy will not collapse but Canada is likely to face a recession due to Trump’s tariff wars.
“The geopolitical uncertainties could have a worse impact,” he said.
“It’s not just that the stock markets get rattled. It’s also that people start to feel that it’s going to get worse. And then everybody slows down. Everybody stops spending.”
However, he said, the bigger picture of the government’s finances shows Ottawa can weather the storm ahead and is in a position to support the hardest hit sectors and workers.
“Our debt to GDP numbers are better than other countries, much, much better than the United States. So we could provide that kind of shock absorber if — depending on what happens — it can help Canadians. So in that sense, like, you know, we have some built-in resilience.”
 By Staff
March 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
What’s with the Liberal surge? Recent Grit switchers say it’s driven by Carney, Trump’s threats
Vote commitment among new Liberals far less solid than those who stuck with party through lows of 2024
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune suffered by the NDP and Conservative Party of Canada in recent months have reversed the fortunes of the Liberal Party – at least for now – leaving many to wonder how we got here.
After leading comfortably in the polls for the better part of two years, the Conservative Party of Canada now faces an upward battle to regain even ground against new Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Liberals.
What happened?
 New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute provide some answers to these questions. Asked what their main reasons have been, voters who have switched to the Liberals since the beginning of the year, more than half (56%) say they are motivated by the new leader, Carney, about the same number who also say U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats have pushed them to support the incumbents. Three-in-10 (30%) say they believe the Liberals are the best way to prevent a Conservative government and this is one of the driving factors.
Where did they come from?
Among these “switchers” the largest group say they were formerly supporting the NDP (35%) while slightly fewer have jumped from the CPC (29%). A significant portion (16%) were undecided, while importantly, 12 per cent were Bloc Québécois voters, and have improved the Liberals chances in Quebec by their decision to swap.
And why?
One of the motivating factors is the elevated concern over U.S. relations and the threat of tariffs. Among those who have switched to the Liberals and those who supported the party before this year, more than half say that this issue is a top one for them, personally.
This is approximately double the level of concern for that issue among non-Liberal supporters.
 By Staff
March 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON ON
On Saturday, March 29, three Lakeshore West evening trips will end at Aldershot GO. Customers can connect to a shuttle bus to continue to/past West Harbour GO and are encouraged to check schedules before travelling.
On Sunday, March 30, Lakeshore West rail service will not run to or past West Harbour GO:
- Customers going to West Harbour GO can connect to Route 18S GO buses at Aldershot GO station.
- There will be no GO Train service at St. Catharines GO and Niagara Falls GO that day.
- For customers heading to Niagara Falls, please connect to a regularly schedules Route 12 GO Bus to travel between Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Burlington GO stations.
Crews will be signal testing on Sunday with test trains expected to travel along the Lakeshore West Line through Hamilton from 1:00pm to 9:30pm affecting level crossings at Sherman, Wentworth, Victoria and Wellington. While no loud train horn or whistle noise is anticipated, pedestrian and vehicular traffic may be impacted. Residents and motorists should be aware of increased train activity and are urged to use caution when driving or walking over tracks.
Riders can transfer for free with One Fare between GO Transit and most local agencies, including the TTC. Customers are encouraged to use gotransit.com to plan their trips. You can also check the GO Transit Service Updates page for real-time details.
Regular service will resume on Monday, March 31.
 By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 BRAG – Burlington Resident’s Action Group – exists to promote transparency, efficiency, accountability, fiscal responsibility, and a workable governance structure.
Stephen White published the following on the BRAG website (GoBrag.ca)
“I recently had an opportunity to review the letter that my BRAG colleague, Blair Smith, sent to the City of Burlington’s Commissioner of Community Services Division, Jacqueline Johnson, regarding a proposed City Directory. Blair’s letter contained a unique and interesting idea on how the city could improve service delivery by posting a detailed listing of city employees and their contact information alongside a summary of what projects or undertakings for which they were responsible.
This original idea, patterned on similar directories that exist within the province of Ontario and the City of Toronto, would dramatically improve access to civic officials while reducing the delay in securing information. No sooner than Blair sent his communication, then back came a cursory reply in two days essentially telling him the city already had such a service in place.
 Stephen White Well, actually, it didn’t. Truth is, it has a directory which is hard to access, and which contains limited information. What Blair envisaged, and what the city has, are light years apart.
What is also light years apart is the city’s understanding of the term “citizen engagement”. The way I understand it, ordinary citizens should be able to propose ideas to civic officials with the expectation that they would be carefully reviewed, researched and evaluated according to their feasibility and merits. However, what typically drives the city’s response is how quickly it can get an answer back saying “thanks but no thanks”, minus the full and thorough consideration.
“Father Knows Best”
Every time a city official provides feedback to a citizen on an idea or proposal it reminds me of that old television show “Father Knows Best”. For those too young to remember, this show ran in the 1950’s and profiled a typical middle class American family living in a town called Springfield. The show starred Robert Young in the role of Jim Anderson, the husband and father, Jane Wyatt as his wife Margaret, and their three children (i.e. Betty, Bud and Kathy) played by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin respectively. The show ran from 1954 to 1960.
This hugely popular television series was purportedly the embodiment of the quintessential American family, complete with all its ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and everything in between. Each week, viewers tuned in and were treated to the challenges and adventures that the Andersons underwent. However, the guiding premise throughout the show was that no matter the challenge, problem or uncertainty, Jim (i.e. Robert Young) had it all under control. Under his tutelage and wisdom, the family steered confidently through each problem or near-disaster without missing a beat. Anytime one of the kids veered off the straight and narrow, Jim was there to lead them in the right course.
 Shows like “Father Knows Best” gave comfort to people who feared uncertainty, and provided a reassurance that everything would be just fine. For instance, if Bud ever challenged his father about why his allowance wasn’t more, or balked at taking out the garbage, or expressed dismay at not being able to borrow the family car, Jim Anderson was there to offer a controlled and disciplined rebuke to gently put him in his place. Jim Anderson was the archetype of the loving father. Robert Young played his role well. Not surprisingly perhaps he later got tapped to play Marcus Welby, M.D., in the television show with the same name, another wise guiding and controlling authority figure.
The 1950’s was the height of the Cold War. It was the era of mass conformity, unquestioned allegiance to country, and the McCarthy witch-hunts, and there was a pervasive fear that subversives, criminals, or Communists, were around every corner. One had to be vigilant and constantly on guard.
Shows like “Father Knows Best” gave comfort to people who feared uncertainty, and provided a reassurance that everything would be just fine. All one had to do was trust in Jim Anderson (aka Robert Young), and all would be well.
The City as the Embodiment of all Knowledge, Wisdom and Virtue
The City of Burlington is a lot like Jim Anderson. Every time a recalcitrant citizen asks a probing question, or makes a suggestion, or challenges the status quo, the firm, guiding hand of the grey eminence emerges to quietly, but resolutely, put that person in their place. Authority shouldn’t be questioned. The role of the average citizen is to pay taxes and quietly obey. Don’t make noise. Don’t make waves. Be polite and respectful, and defer to authority at all times. Don’t go to budget consultation meetings and ask challenging questions like why Service Burlington doesn’t work very well, or why the City needs a budget increase three times the inflation rate, or why citizens are paying for a litany of silly, wasteful projects from Love Your Neighbour through to unnecessary cultural programs.
Those of us who participated in last year’s budget consultation exercise routinely saw this on display. No matter what the question, the comment or the proposal, the city always had an answer for everyone which usually ranged from “That won’t work” to “It’s too expensive” to “We’ll think about it”. How many of Eric Stern’s 35 proposals that were submitted on behalf of BRAG resulted in an intensive analysis or investigation? Answer: none.
And Back Again
 Blair Smith with colleague Lynne Crosby standing outside Queen’s Park in Toronto. This brings us full circle to Blair Smith’s City Directory proposal and his original ask. If I really believed the city took his suggestion seriously, here’s what I would have naturally expected:
A telephone call to Blair to gather more details, or an e-mail invitation to schedule a meeting or Zoom call.
Contact with the Ontario government or the City of Toronto to see how, in fact, their directories work, what information is contained in it, how it is set up, and how it is managed.
A feasibility study to evaluate the relative benefits and costs of doing this.
An evaluation by a sub-committee of whether or how this could be done.
A response back to Blair within a four-to-six-week timeframe.
However, truth be told, the city really isn’t interested in this form of engagement. In fact, they aren’t really interested in listening to citizens, or entertaining new ideas, or critically examining and implementing new business processes. The city is interested in what many of us might cynically describe as a “tick the box” exercise. The aim isn’t to critically consider Blair’s response, or any other citizen’s input for that matter. The aim is to get a response back in 72 hours, and close the file. Case closed. Performance metric successfully achieved. Tick the box. Done.
Just Eat the Food, and to Hell with the Feedback
 Hundreds lined up for the food. Other than talking about the numbers City Hall never did publish an analysis of what they learned and how that impacted the decisions made. Every year the city hosts an event called “Food for Feedback” at Central Park. Ostensibly, this event provides residents with an opportunity to partake in a meal in exchange for providing feedback to the mayor, city councillors, and various civic officials in attendance, on a range of community activities and topics. According to the website “Feedback collected at the event will help the City continue to improve services and initiatives.”
 Community Services Division, Jacqueline Johnson I doubt that most of the suggestions that are generated through this forum would equate in the level of thought or detail that Blair provided in his proposal. If Blair’s proposal barely elicits a cursory response what would make any citizen believe the city takes seriously suggestions that are proffered with lesser substance?
“After all: The City, like Father, knows best!”
Some questions for the BRAG people;
Have they asked to meet with Commissioner xxx
Have they asked to meet with Hassaan Basit, CAO for the City?
Could BRAG not begin to create a Directory and make it available to the public. The org chart is public information. Use that as a base document and add names, email addresses and telephone numbers. See it as public service at its best.
 By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2027
BURLINGTON, ON
In politics optics is everything.
A sound bite can kill a campaign.
Earlier this week, the Conservatives held two events; one in Hamilton and a second one in Stoney Creek. Both were reported to have drawn crowds of more than 4000 people.
Yesterday, the Liberals held an event in Windsor beneath a bridge that crosses the Detroit River.
The two Conservative events were massive when compared to what the Liberals put on in Windsor.
 Conservatives gather in Stoney Creek  Audience size for the Hamilton event was reported to be 4500  Liberals gather in Kitchener. Prime Minister Carney had to put his campaign on hold for a day to return to Ottawa, meet with his Cabinet to respond to the Trump latest tariff announcement. The Liberals did up their game in Kitchener last night.
 By Tom Parkin
March 27th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
NDP would eliminate tax on incomes under $19,500, reduce tax by $505 for others with incomes under $177,882 and give nothing to incomes over $235,632.
Contrasting with Liberal leader Mark Carney’s “middle class” tax cut and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s “tax cut for workers,” NDP leader Jagmeet Singh today released a tax plan that doesn’t give more money to Galen Weston than a worker earning $60,000.
Singh’s tax plan didn’t come with a cynical, mischaracterizing name, but it would eliminate federal income tax on incomes under $19,500 and cut tax by $505 for everybody with an income tax between $19,500 and $177,882.
Above $177,882, the $505 benefit would phase-out and be totally eliminated for those with a taxable income of $235,632 or more.
The tax plans of both Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre would pay a benefit to the highest income earners in Canada, giving more money to Galen Weston than a Loblaws cashier.
 Singh’s plan works by increasing the Basic Personal Amount, the amount of income exempt from tax.
For Canadians earning under $177,882, the Basic Personal Amount would be hiked to $19,500. For those with an income over $235,632, it would be lowered to zero. And for those in-between the Basic Personal Amount would be $13,500.
Currently, the Basic Personal Amount is $15,705 for an income up to $173,205 falling to $14,156 for an income over $246,752.
Singh’s tax plan would also go ahead with the capital gains tax change scheduled by the Trudeau government which both Carney and Poilievre oppose.
Capital gains are the money made from buying then selling a capital asset, such as company stock and are treated differently than employment income.
Before 2000, 75 per cent of most capital gains earnings were subject to taxation and 25 per cent were tax-free . The Chretien and Martin government increased the tax-exempt share of capital gains to 50 per cent.
Capital gains from selling a primary residence is 100 per cent free from tax in Canada.
The Trudeau change would have kept 50 per cent of capital gains under $250,000 a year tax free, but increased the inclusion to 66 per cent on amounts over $250,000 a year.
If the whole topic of capital gains taxation sounds mysterious, it’s because only about four per cent of Canadians make any money from capital gains in a year. And those making more than $250,000 a year from capital gains, and benefit from the inclusion rate cancellation, are just 0.16 per cent of Canada’s 30 million tax filers, according to a recent tax analysis published in Policy Options.
The average annual income of that 0.16 per cent of Canadian tax files with capital gains over $250,000 was almost $1,183,157 in 2019, according to the analysis.
 By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Two days in a row with crowds said to be over 4,000 people.
 Emily Brown, Conservative candidate for Burlington 4500 in Hamilton and 4000 in Stoney Creek.
Pay attention – those crowds are real. People are telling us that ”many of them were probably bussed in” – is that supposed to make a difference?
Poilievre is said to have spoken for more than an hour in Stoney Creek. Burlington Conservative candidate Emily Brown was in the crowd; and just loving the size of the audience.
Carney was in Windsor on Wednesday – no word yet on what he was drawing in the way of an audience.
 The Hamilton crowd – reported to be 4500 people. Photo – Burlington Today  Leader of the Conservative Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, speaks to a Stoney Creek crowd. Photo – Burlington Today .
By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Those who like the look of the polling numbers might want to have a look at the picture of the 4500 people who gathered in Hamilton to listen to Pierre Poilievre last night.
This is a horse race if there ever was one.
 By Ray Rivers
March 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The premier of Alberta, washing her dirty political laundry before US right wing podcaster Breitbart, was bad enough. But what she really meant by her comments may have been worse. Was she telling the US president that his tariff threats might prevent her guy in Canada’s federal election from becoming the governor of Trump’s planned 51st state?
 Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith “Offensive and wrong” was how Danielle Smith, in full Trumpian fashion, responded to allegations of foreign interference. And indeed, this would only be something like foreign interference if her plea to Mr. Trump is answered. So we’ll see how the American president responds come April 2nd, when the 25% blanket tariff is supposed to kick in.
And we’ll see whether the unofficial leader of the Alberta separatist movement has the political capital to sway that big fellow in the White House. After all, she has spent enough time in DC talking to the movers and shakers in his administration – and taking all those selfies with Donald and Kevin O’Leary. By the way, O’Leary, the nasty Dragons Den investor, comes off sounding like the 51st state was really his idea before Trump made it his own.
Of course even if Trump decides to delay the tariffs, as Smith has asked, this would not mark the first time foreigners have tried to meddle in our politics. Big powers with a significant emigre base seem to find Canada a suitable target. China has its hands dirty from the mild – paying cash for access – to more serious – sponsoring their preferred candidates for office. They typically picked on the Liberals, likely thinking Trudeau would be an easy mark.
 Conservative MP Michael Chong But Conservative MP Michael Chong also felt the ire of the Chinese government when he voted to condemn Beijing’s genocide of the Uyghur minority. He was barred entry to China and became the object of threats and an intimidation campaign against his family back home. Pursuant to a 2023 CSIS report, a parliamentary committee concluded that the Chinese government interfered in the 2019 and 2021 elections.
There is also a civil war being played out in Canada between the Sikh and mainstream Indian communities here. And one of the battles is taking place within the ranks of the Conservative Party of Canada. Patrick Brown, former Ontario PC leader and mayor of Brampton used to be adored by Indian PM Modi. But his support among local the Sikh population has made him anathema to the Indian leader.
So when he ran for leader of the federal Conservatives, Indian agents operating in this country apparently did their best to sabotage his campaign and throw money and support into the waiting hands of Pierre Poilievre’s supporters. CSIS couldn’t find a smoking gun though, and Poilievre has taken the ‘see no evil, hear no evil’ defence. So he and his entourage may not have been aware, as incredible as that sounds.
 Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre And who knows whether this Indian affair had something to do with Mr. Poilievre’s refusal to get a top secret clearance. Its unfathomable how someone who is planning to run the country won’t be able to receive national security briefings. For example, how would he know if someone in Alberta had contacted a foreign enemy to get them to influence the outcome of a Canadian election?
 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
Background links:
Danielle Smith – O’Leary – Chinese Interference – More Chinese Interference – Indian Interference – Patrick Brown –
By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
From a loyal Gazette reader:
“This note just arrived in my mailbox.
 Huge monitor displaying the hydro system. Burlington Hydro also managed the Milton Hydro system.  Control desks “Apparently power will be out in Burlington next Monday morning. It up to users to deal with potential problems, like running their computers, websites, medical devices whatever.
“No mention of what locations, just a website to check updates (if your router will work with no power)
“I have been here for 15 years and have never heard of such a thing. If my “understanding is appreciated”, it certainly will not be given.
“Outrageous!”
By Staff
March 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Are they affordable? The City of Burlington is proposing a housing-focused Community Improvement Plan (CIP) that will apply to Burlington’s Urban Area, the community improvement project area. The purpose of the CIP is to incentivize the creation of new affordable rental housing options, supporting the City’s Housing Strategy, including Action 8 to “Provide incentives through a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the delivery of housing options to meet the needs of residents.”
The draft proposed CIP includes a variety of proposed financial incentives, such as grant programs and forgivable loans to encourage the development of affordable rental housing, such as additional residential units (ARUs) and units in multiplexes and low/mid/high-rise apartment buildings.
 The proposed CIP has been informed to date by the CIP Study Project and various inputs including Council direction, financial feasibility analysis and public and housing industry feedback. A Statutory Public Meeting will be held, and a recommendation report will be presented for the CIP on April 8, 2025. Feedback from this meeting will also be considered in the preparation of this CIP.
You are invited to:
 By Staff
March 25th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Bringing our community closer to its heritage and exposing audiences to various perspectives is inspiring work.
The Museums of Burlington occasionally has job openings, internships and volunteer opportunities open to the public. Any available positions are posted here.
 Brant Museum – overlooks Lake Ontario Educator
Reports to: Supervisor of Public Programs
Status: Part-time (up to 28 hours per week), Contract (1 year) with the possibility of renewal
Wage: $20.41/hour
Location: Joseph Brant Museum and Ireland House Museum
POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to the Supervisor of Public Programs, the Educator is responsible for researching, planning, and delivering on-site and outreach education programs including, school and youth programs, day camps and other children’s programs, lecture presentations and adult programs, and community outreach. This role plays an important role in supporting the development of meaningful, and inclusive programs that serve community members of all ages.
Please apply to Kate Almeida at kate.almeida@burlington.ca. This posting is open until the position is filled.
Summer Programs Lead
 Ireland House, a part of the Museums Burlington operation, is the only example of a farming property that is publicly viewable in the city south of Dundas Street. It is an excellent example of its period. Reports to: Supervisor of Public Programs
Duration: June 9, 2025 – August 29, 2025
Schedule: Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Wage: $17.20/hour
Location: Ireland House Museum
POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to the Supervisor of Public Programs, the Summer Programs Lead is responsible for the direct supervision and delivery of programming for the Museums of Burlington’s summer day camps. Instructors will work with different age groups (5 – 8 years old) to deliver, fun, creative, engaging, and educational experiences.
Please email your application to kate.almedia@burlington.ca by Friday, April 11, 2025.
By Tom Parkin
March 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
In a time of inflation, a company that can pass price hikes on to customers will do fine. And one that hits customer resistance might perish.
But those that can pass on costs and add just a bit of garnishment while people are looking the other way can really flourish.
And it seems there was quite a bit of garnish being added after 2021 as COVID-caused shipping bottlenecks and factory closures created shortages while a new Russian embargo set oil prices soaring, Statistics Canada data shows.
In 2021, mark-ups on company operating costs surged to new heights as Canadians learned to live more poorly and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre deflected Canadians’ anger about it all onto the carbon tax.
Mark-up is defined as profit divided by operating costs. A company with a $10 million profit on a $100 million operation has a mark-up of 10 per cent, which was about the rate for corporate Canada as a whole from about 2006 to 2017, according to the analysis from DT Cochrane, chief economist at the Canadian Labour Congress.
But Cochrane’s analysis, in his chart above, shows mark-ups surged to a new level, about 15 per cent, in 2021, where they have remained since.
Corporate Canada’s operating costs did rise with the inflation wave caused by factors outside Canada, as shown in Cochrane’s chart below, which compares actual corporate expenses with their historic trendline. Corporate costs started to move ahead faster than historic rates around 2021.
But mark-ups didn’t stay stable, keeping companies on pace with inflation. They rose, accelerating inflation.
Perhaps external factors pushed that company with a 10 per cent mark-up on a $100 million operation to costs of $110 million. But what the data shows is such company didn’t increase profit to $11 million, maintaining that 10 per cent mark-up and keeping profit on pace with inflation.
No, on the new $110 million cost base, amid the deflection of blame onto the carbon tax, that company was able to hike prices enough to push the mark-up to 15 per cent, or $16.5 million profit.
A company that can push a $10 million profit to a $16.5 million profit amid 10 per cent inflation is doing very okay. A lot better than Canadians were doing.
Cochrane’s analysis shows corporate Canada internally turbo-charged the inflation shock imported from outside Canada. And he calculates that shift from 2019 mark-up rates added $741 billion more to prices paid by customers since 2021.
Heck of a garnish!
Only a dishonest politician could tell people the reason the average Canadian price at the pump roared ahead from 78 cents in April 2020 to $2.07 in June 2022 was an additional few cents in tax.
By Milos Remmington
March 26th, 2925
BURLINGTON, ON
SEO is dynamic and fast-paced. As we approach the year 2025, tools and strategies for increasing online visibility are growing increasingly sophisticated. To remain ahead of the trend, the most potent SEO tools must be put into use: those that provide actionable insights, facilitate workflow, and adapt to the current algorithm updates. This article looks at 10 best SEO tools that will shape the course of digital marketing in 2025 and will help you improve your online growth and sustain it.
- AI-Powered Content Optimization Platforms:
 AI content optimization will be making a huge impact and changing the way you do your work going forward. In 2025, AI content optimization will be making a huge impact. The tools do not simply provide approaches to analyzing keywords but also provide the next best thing that is beneficial for the reader-writers in real-time in respect of content structure, style, and relevance. Assessing user intent, they will provide insights into what type of content resonates with the target audiences, making it perfect for both search engines and engaging reading experience with the viewers.
- Advanced Rank Tracking and SERP Analysis Suites:
The traditional rank tracking will not suffice. Modern suites will present granular insight on SERP features, competitor analysis, and local search performance. They will track keyword rankings, yes, but also featured snippet rankings, knowledge panel rankings, and voice search results, providing you an overview of your entire online visibility.
- Voice Search Optimization Tools:
With smart speakers and voice assistants on the rise, staying ahead on voice search optimization has never been more important. Next-generation voice optimization tools for analyzing conversational search queries, identifying long-tail keywords, and optimizing content for voice search will become critical to gaining a competitive edge.
- Core Web Vitals and Page Experience Analyzers:
Page experience will still matter a lot for ranking in 2025. You will need tools that analyze Core Web Vitals, mobile-friendliness, and page-loading speed in detail to work on website performance and improve user experience.
- Schema Markup Generators and Validators:
 Markup – time consuming but necessary. Schema markup will continue with its great potential in helping search engines decipher the context of your content. Tools that allow schema markup to be created and validated simply will help immensely in boosting your site in the numerous layers of visibility, including rich results and knowledge panels.
- Local SEO Management Platforms:
Local SEO will remain a cornerstone for digital marketing, especially for businesses with physical locations. Platforms that manage local listings, reviews, and citations will be indispensable in optimizing local search visibility. For instance, if you want to reap the benefits of SEO in Toronto, a local optimization-centered tool would be a must.
- E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) Analysis Tools:
Google will put even greater importance on E-A-T in 2025. Software that scrutinizes your site’s E-A-T signals-author bios, citations, and user reviews-will be essential to growing trust and credibility in the eyes of both the search engine and the user.
- Image and Video SEO Optimization Tools:
Visual content remains vital to SEO. Tools that optimize images and videos for search engines-including file compression, alt text generation, and video schema markup-will be very important for maximum visibility in visual search results.
- Log File Analyzer:
Log file analysis can offer useful insight into how search engine crawlers find their way through your website. Tools to ease log file analysis will allow you to detect crawl errors, optimize crawl budget, and enhance site indexing.
- Competitor Analysis and Backlink Monitoring Suites:
 Monitoring those back links Checking out your competitors’ strategies still forms an important part of SEO. Tools offering profound competitive analysis, including backlink profiles, keyword methods, and content performance, will benefit in keeping ahead of the competitors.
In the SEO world come 2025, intelligent automation and analysis of deep data with user experience in focus will dominate the landscape. Incorporating these 10 must-have tools will keep your website visible, pertinent, and competitive in the ever-changing digital marketplace.
 By Staff
March 25, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Drumroll, please… Library announces the results of their annual bookmark contest.
After tallying up nearly 2,000 votes cast online, the 2025 winners are:
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- Jenna L. (5 and under) – inspired by Party Book
- Alex C. (6-8 years old) – inspired by Sento the Koi by Robert Wilmes
- Daniel G. (9-12 years old) – inspired by El Misterio De Los Mayas by R.A. Montgomery
- Juhi S. (13-17 years old) – inspired by Tales of India by Svabhu Kohli and Viplov Singh
- Vibha V. (18+) – inspired by White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The 400+ entries we received were as creative and diverse as the books on our shelves! It was incredibly challenging to narrow the entries down for each age category for voting, but we hope you agree that the winning designs showcase the imagination and talent of our Burlington community.
 Congratulations to the five winners, and a big thank you to everyone who submitted a design and voted. These awesome bookmarks are now available to pick up at your local branch. Tuck them into your next great read!
| Summer Day Camp Schedule |
Ireland House Museum (ages 5-8) |
Joseph Brant Museum (ages 5-8) |
| Week 1 | July 2 – 4 |
Camp Wild Child |
Lions & Tigers & Bears – Oh My! |
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Bring out your inner wild child this week as we explore popular titles with the word ‘wild’ in them (e.g. Where the Wild Things Are, Wild Kratts). Discover what it was like to live in the old west, make your own story book monster, and become a zoologist that travels the world. |
Journey to Oz this week, as we arrive in a tornado, travel the yellow brick road, meet new friends along the way, and arrive in the Emerald City. |
| Week 2 | July 7 – 11 |
Summer Olympics (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
Game Changers |
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Become an Olympian this week as we celebrate our own 2025 Summer Olympics! Participate in our own opening and closing ceremonies, show off your talents individually and as a team, and of course, enjoy a water day, which is a winner all around. |
Love games? Then join us at Joseph Brant Museum this week to play ancient games, board games, card games, live action games, and video games! We’ll explore how games have changed over time, and how they’re taking us into the future. Campers will get to explore the “Game Changers” exhibition, featuring classic video games like Super Mario Bros., Pac-Man, and more. |
| Week 3 | July 14 – 18 |
Games to Movies (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
World of Disney (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
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So many of our favorite games have become movies! Explore your favorite games turned movies this week as we deep dive into the world of animated kids games (e.g. LEGO, Minecraft, Pokémon). |
Explore the World of Disney with us this week at Joseph Brant Museum! We’ll experience some of Disney’s classic theme parks through crafts, games, recipes, and our imaginations! We’ll travel through the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Typhoon Lagoon. |
| Week 4 | July 21 – 25 |
Rainforest Explorers (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
Animal Planet (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
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Have you ever wanted to become an explorer? This week is all about being a Jungle & Rainforest adventurer! Discover what lies within rainforests around the world and how we can keep them alive and thriving. |
Let’s learn all about animals! We’ll discover fun facts about our favourite furry friends, and creatures we can only imagine! We’ll explore jungles, deserts, caves, oceans, and forests. |
| Week 5 | July 28 – August 1 |
Jurassic Park (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
Goin’ Green |
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This week we are travelling back in time to the land of the dinosaurs! Learn all about dinosaurs and their environment or amaze your friends by showing off your dinosaur knowledge as an expert Paleontologist |
We’re goin’ green at Joseph Brant Museum! We’ll make crafts, play games, and experiment as we learn about the plants, animals, soil, water, and air in our environment. |
| Week 6 | August 11 – 15 |
Merry Happy Holiday (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
Classic Reads |
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Calling all party animals! This week we are celebrating some of the biggest and most popular holidays of the year… all in one week (e.g. Easter, Canada Day, Halloween, Christmas, New Years Eve). |
Calling all bookworms! We’re reading our way through the week, with classic stories like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “The Balloon Tree,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, and “Nancy Drew.” |
| Week 7 | August 18 – 22 |
Medieval Times (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
Astronauts Away! |
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This week we are going back in time to the middle ages! Become a gentle Knight or Princess who guards the castle from enemy Dragons and Trolls or celebrate with us by joining our Renaissance Fair, where history, folklore and fantasy come to life. |
We’re racing to space this week at Joseph Brant Museum. Join us as we soar around the solar system, learn about the planets, stars and constellations, and extraterrestrial life. |
| Week 8 | August 25 – 29 |
Under the Sea (FULL, WAITLIST AVAILABLE) |
Pirates, Mermaids, & Sea Monsters |
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This week we are deep diving under the sea to discover all kinds of creatures – both mystical and real! Or maybe a relaxing day at the beach is more your speed! Join us to discover all the life that lives by and under the ocean. |
Sail the seven seas with us this week at Joseph Brant Museum! Learn all about a pirate’s life, navigate stormy waters, fend off sea creatures, meet beautiful mermaids, and of course, go treasure hunting. |
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY FOR CAMPS AND CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
Full refunds will be issued for cancellation requests received more than 14 days from the start of the program. Cancellation requests received within 13 – 6 days of the start of the program will be subject to a 25% cancellation fee. Cancellation requests received within 5 days of the start of the program will not be eligible for a refund. Refunds will be issued by cheque and/or as a credit card refund. If the Museums of Burlington cancel a program(s), a full refund will be issued in the same manner as payment was received; Interac is considered cash. If refund is by cheque, it will be processed within 7 days, once the payment cheque has cleared.
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO CHILDREN’S CAMPS AND PROGRAMS
The Museums of Burlington assumes no responsibility for loss of or damage to personal belongings. In case of theft, no claim shall be made against the Museums of Burlington.
All of the camper’s limitations, existing conditions (physical and emotional/psychological) and special requirements must be fully disclosed in the Camp Registration Form. The Museums of Burlington reserves the right to refuse any registration for any reason. The decision in such matters will be final.
Daily Checklist for Campers
- Reusable water bottle
- 2 snacks, and 1 lunch (peanut-free)
- Hat, sunscreen, bug spray (optional)
- Closed-toe running shoes (please no sandals/flip-flops)
PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF
Camp runs from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm each day. On each arrival, a parent/guardian must sign their participant in. Upon dismissal, an authorized parent/guardian per their registration form must sign their participant out. The Museums of Burlington reserves the right to ask for identification to confirm the authorized parent/guardian. If a participant has not been picked up within 15 minutes following dismissal, parents/guardians may be subject to a late fee. If a parent/guardian cannot be reached, a phone call will be made to any emergency contacts provided. In extreme circumstances the Museums of Burlington reserves the right to contact police or Child Protection Services.
The Museums of Burlington reserves the right to modify pick up times to keep our participants and staff safe during severe inclement weather or other emergency situations.
CAMPER CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY
Please review with your participant the expectations outlined below.
Participants should:
- Show respect and consideration for staff and peers.
- Be cooperative and willing to participate in program activities.
- Respect rules outlined by staff for the program, facility and equipment.
Consequences for misbehaviour may include:
- Address issue and inform parents to discuss strategies for behaviour improvements, parent meeting.
- Participant receives one day suspension.
- Participant is withdrawn with requirements for return to next program.
You acknowledge and agree that should the Participant exhibit violent behaviour towards another participant, staff and/or volunteer that the Museums of Burlington may undertake a further assessment to determine the Participant’s ongoing suitability for the program. Should the Museums of Burlington in its sole discretion determine that the Participant’s participation in the program constitutes a substantial health and safety risk to other participants, staff and/or volunteer, the Museums of Burlington reserves the right to remove the Participant from the program and/or to deny admittance to the participant to the program in the future.
MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION
Authorization is required if your child carries an adrenaline shot (ie. Epi-pen) or inhaler. By noting my child’s medical history on the registration form, you authorize persons designated by the Museums of Burlington to administer, if needed and in the case of an emergency, the described adrenaline medication or inhaler to my child.
By noting the above information on the online registration form, I hereby authorize the designated staff of the Museums of Burlington to administer any first aid deemed necessary. If the designated staff member deems it necessary, I also authorize the transport of my child by ambulance or otherwise to a hospital or other medical facility. Moreover, if we cannot be reached, I authorize the physician chosen by the camp’s designated staff to administer any medical treatment required to my child in his/her state, including surgery, injections, anesthesia and hospitalization.
The parent/guardian and the participant agree to reimburse the Museums of Burlington for any unforeseen expenses that may occur on the participants behalf (i.e. emergency expenses, services, etc.)
I hereby shall release and discharge, the Museums of Burlington, the Museums of Burlington Board, the City of Burlington, its officers, agents, and employees from any and all claims or liability for personal injury the participant may suffer while participating.
By Staff
March 25, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Trade war with the U.S. has caused not only federal political upheaval, but provincial turmoil as well. That is perhaps most evident in the Angus Reid Institute’s quarterly premier approval ratings, which show a significant turn of fortune for many of the country’s first ministers.
New data illustrates some of the country’s premiers have received a “Trump bump” in approval. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, sitting in the low 30s for nearly two years, is now approved of by half (48%) in his province after a star-turn during trade negotiations with the U.S. that has some dubbing him “Captain Canada”.
In this sea change of opinion, perhaps what is most notable are the premiers whose approval rating is statistically unchanged from December. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who has also taken a lead role in U.S.-Canada relations during this trade war, sees approval (46%) that is unchanged from two years ago. In Quebec, approval of Premier François Legault is statistically unchanged from three months ago at 38 per cent. In both cases, domestic scandal – another one in health care for Smith, and one over the cost overruns of the online platform for the province’s auto insurance corporation for Legault – may be weighing down any positive lift from their responses to Trump.
Now take a look at previous Angus Reid ratings:
By Pepper Parr
March 25th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
How did this happen?
Milton Town Council took possession of Canada’s first mid-life diesel-to-electric bus conversion. They received a project update and took the freshly wrapped electric bus for its first ride, as the bus prepares for road testing and high-voltage training.
The Town of Milton is working with Milton-based MTB Transit Solutions on this innovative conversion project.
Where is Burlington in the creation of its transit system from diesel to electric? Has Burlington decided to spend its transit budget on free bus service rather than moving the fleet to electric?
 Milton has taken the lead in adding an electric bus to its transit fleet. As Milton Transit explores electrifying its bus fleet, this pilot will provide useful details on charging, maintenance, performance, and cost related to the conversion process. Milton is the first municipality in Canada to pilot mid-life, diesel-to-battery-electric conversion technology on a transit bus.
Once in service, the 12-metre electric bus will eliminate tailpipe emissions and offer passengers reduced noise and vibration to make their experience more comfortable.
The bus will begin road testing in April to fine-tune features and procedures such as regenerative braking, battery performance, hill holds, passenger loading, route patterns, and acceleration. This will help Milton Transit understand and optimize the schedule when the bus enters regular service.
The Town and MTB will prepare the bus to enter service in summer 2025.
By Staff
March 24, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
If this poll holds – the election will be over when the ballots are cast in Ontario.
 Five weeks from today – the real poll results will be know.
This is a big one, a very important one.
Think about the issues and decide what is best for the country and what is best for you.
Don’t let social media sway your decision – there are a lot of people who are working very hard to sway your thinking.
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