 By Staff
August 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Crime in the Region of Halton has the (lowest) crime severity index among all large municipalities in Canada for the 24th straight year, and we also have the highest rate of solving crimes!
There are a number of reason for this – the Region does not have communities that are made up for the most part of financially disadvantaged people.
And the police service has access to some of the top crime solving tools in the country.
The police officers are also well trained.
The Halton Police Board is committed to ensuring that policing actions and consequences are aligned with Community needs, values and expectations.
 These results clearly illustrate the alignment and global effectiveness and efficiency of our dedicated officers and civilian staff. These results also reflect the essential partnership between our Community and its Police Service – these results can only be possible with a supportive community engaged proactively in crime prevention and actively cooperating with police investigations and other activities.
About the Halton Police Board
The Halton Police Board is a seven-member civilian Board that provides strategic oversight to the Halton Regional Police Service. Under the Police Services Act, the Board has legislated responsibility for the Police Service’s operating and capital budgets; strategic planning; policies and priorities. The Police Board’s fundamental responsibility is to ensure that adequate and effective police services are provided to the citizens of Halton Region.
 By Pepper Parr
August 2nd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
What does this promotional bill board
 Under construction and coming soon on Guelph Line just north of the QEW Have to do with this web site announcement?
 The Berkely at John and Maria – some very small units In the world of residential housing they feed each other – they make each other possible
The apartment units now in the planning stage for the significant number of high rise towers that are going to be built in Burlington at some point – because the province said we have to grow the population.
Many of the units are small – very small – many in the 650 sq foot range.
Not much room in that amount of space for much more than a bed, a kitchen table and a stand for the big monitor that will stream movies.
The story the builders tell is that these units are just what a segment of the population is looking for – they will live alongside the GO station and will be living their social life in Toronto – and will just sleep in Burlington.
City Council wants to see more two and three bedroom units – there will be some – how many – no one is sating very much at this point.
What the public does hear from the developers is that they support the idea of affordable units – but again – nothing firm.
Carriage Gate promised a specific number of units in the Berkely development on John at Maria – that sort of didn’t happen.
Human beings need space – crowding families, even individuals into 650 sq. ft. boxes is just plain unhealthy.
Storage space is non existent. In the past developers offered a storage unit in the basement – it wasn’t much to speak of – but it was space.
The need for a place to put the ski’s or the summer play stuff became a market the storage people were quick to fill.
 This part of the structure under construction tells you it is going to be a tall building. Dymon Storage, an Ottawa based firm is building a very large storage facility on Guelph Line just north of the QEW. In their promotional materiel they tell a story that fits in perfectly with what those who buy small condo units.
 This tell you the structure is going to have hundreds of storage units. Think of Dymon Storage as an extension of your life. We do.
Here’s where we can help
Short-term storage for your renovation
Moving to a new home with less storage space
Storage for your seasonal items
Declutter your home for staging
Garment or wardrobe storage
Student move-out storage
By Pepper Parr
August 1st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 50 lbs in that sack This is a story about much more than a $10,000 cheque that the Burlington Legion (Branch 60) presented to Road to Recovery -they cal it Ruck.
It is the story about a group of people who are walking a trail from Tobermory to Queenston Heights supporting a GoFundMe Drive to support Homeless Canadian Veterans.
For the moment a photo of the group as they set out on day xx after spending the night at the Legion sleeping on foam mattresses on the floor, having a hearty breakfast and loading up the next 20 to 25 km march.
 Along with the Ruck crew are Branch 60 President Murray Sutherland (far right) and Vice Presidents Dan Lauzon (bottom left) and (John Mattocks far left). The GO Fund Me account is HERE.
 The $10,000 donation came from the Legion’s Poppy Fund.
 By Staff
July 31st, 2022
Burlington, on
Superb summer weather. Why would anyone want to be indoors?
Perhaps something that will give your brain a bit of a buzz. No – not THAT kind of a buzz.
One where conversation and thoughts and different points of view on a daunting but critical subject.
Peace.
One Burlington meets at the Performing Arts Centre from noon to 4:00 pm on Monday.
 Tomorrow, Monday, at 12:15 pm in the Studio Theatre Rev. Michael Coren, known for his controversial history as a conservative journalist and TV presenter before his change of heart and subsequent ordination in the Anglican Church.
Coren will lead a panel of thinkers on the subject of “Working for Peace”.
Panelists come from a range of experience as faith leaders and educators.
Two Prayer Rooms are available for a little private time away from the crowd.
By Pepper Parr
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a nice bit of news:
Announced last week, Burlington Economic Development will lead the newest phase of the Digital Main Street program in Burlington with a Digital Service Squad at TechPlace.
Working directly with brick-and-mortar businesses, the squad will support businesses with website creation, social media content, and more, to develop or improve their online presence. Eligible businesses will also be able to apply for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant.
Digital Service Squad member Ana Nobrega will be available starting July 25th. Contact Ana at ana@techplace.ca for additional information.
 By Staff
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Earlier today at approximately 11:42am the Halton Regional Police Service responded to a motor vehicle collision in the intersection of Appleby Line and No 2 Sideroad in the City of Burlington.
A red Ducati motorcycle was travelling northbound on Appleby Line and collided with a black Volkswagen Jetta that was turning left from No 2 Sideroad onto Appleby Line. The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene. The Collision Reconstruction Unit has assumed carriage of the investigation.
Any witnesses to the collision who have not yet spoken to police are asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 5065.
By Staff
July 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette asked for some comment on the street party that was partially funded by the city and attended by the Mayor last weekend.
Here is the response from Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation, Community and Culture:
“Love My Neighbourhood is a program that has been running for several years. It provides a one-time per year grant of up to $500 per neighbour, resident or street section, condominium, or apartment group in Burlington.
“Not all applications require the full $500 support. These funds support the neighbourhood with nominal costs associated with insurance coverage, equipment rental fees and entertainment with the neighbours also contributing to the overall event.
“Organizers must agree to provide a free and inclusive event or activity to their community. Invitations are often sent by the organizers to their local councilor or all members of council.”
There is a list of what is what is and is not covered by funding.
The information on the city website is crystal clear on alcohol and cannabis:
 Is that wine in those glasses – maybe it’s water. Is alcohol or cannabis permitted?
“The City will not fund or permit the purchase of any alcohol beverages, tobacco or cannabis products. Alcohol or cannabis products are not permitted at Love My Neighbourhood events or on public property.”
Here is the link to the rules for those applying for a grant – they are lengthy and they are very clear.
Director Glenn said: “To date, we have approx. 70 applications for 2022.” And adds: “Hopefully this helps clarify.”
To some degree it does. We will ask now if there is a procedure in place to recover the grant and will Glenn advice members of Council individually what the rules are?
The one thing this incident has done is raise the profile of the program.
 By Pepper Parr
July 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Rick Greenspoon’s trip to city hall to file his nomination papers took a circuitous route.
 Rick Greenspoon: “It was Shawna Stolte who got me involved in the politics of the city” When he learned that ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stole had said she was thinking hard about not running again, (she quickly recanted that comment – gave some thought to running for Mayor and decided that she would run for re-election after all) Greenspoon met with Stolte and let her know that was interested in running in ward 4.
When he learned that Stolte was in the race to retain her Council Greenspoon decided he would run in ward six. His residence in one block away from the ward 6 border.
“It was Shawna Stolte who got me involved in the politics of the city” said Greenspoon.
Stolte was working with Millcroft residents who were battling an attempt by a developer to turn some of the golf links into housing – there are two groups: one, Millcroft Greenspace Alliance, is fighting the Argo plans to develop some of the land that was part of the golf course the community was built around. The other group, MAD – Millcroft Against Development will be meeting with Greenspoon later this week.
The Alliance was not happy with what the current Council member, Angelo Bentivegna, was doing for them, and by extension the Mayor who had aligned herself with Bentivegna, and were looking around for someone who might do a better job for them.
Stolte mentioned Greenspoon to them – and thus a candidate was born. The connector in this was Dainty Klein – she and Greenspoon spent two and a half hours in conversation – Rick left that meeting knowing he was going to be running in ward 6
 Rick Greenspoon: had a retail operation in what was then the Burlington Mall. So who is this guy?
Originally a Montrealer, fluently bilingual, Graduated with a degree from what was then Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University) from the Health Sciences faculty.
Rick moved to Burlington when his employer transferred him to the city. A transfer returning him to Montreal didn’t come about – which worked for Greenspoon – he came to love the city.
Back in the 80’s when he had a retail operation in what was then the Burlington Mall he and some of the other retailers in the city petitioned council for changes in the hours retailers could operate.
In those days stores were open Monday to Thursday and Saturday until 6:00 pm. Open until 9:00 pm on Friday.
Chance came his way and Greenspoon left retail and has spent the last 34 years in the automotive field where he operates an automotive brokerage business in Burlington.
He also served as a vice president with The Magic of Metals Children’s Foundation and worked with others to channel the foundations charitable donations into the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Before the group closed things – they were getting older and the charitable sector was undergoing a change they raised over $2,900,000.00. Most of the donations came from the servicing sector of the steel industry.
Greenspoon spent over 20 years in minor hockey with both the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario as a referee, a supervisor and instructor.
 The campaign literature – side 1 Played hockey with the Old Timers, realized his physical limitations and now referees some of their games.
He has been an active participant in the Sound of Music.
The first thing Greenspoon made clear to me during a lengthy interview is that he was seldom the #1 person in the many organizations he has been involved in. “I am very comfortable and prefer to work in the background to bring about changes.”
He and his wife Louise raised two daughters who got into soccer and when they completed their educations they moved into the medical services sector; they are not campaigning – yet.
One of his daughters posted on her Facebook page: Mt Dad does more that talk the talk – he walks the walk.
Greenspoon has learned that there is a lot more to municipal politics than he at first realized. There are many issues he has yet to decide just where he stands – he has a lot of reading to do in the next few weeks. It will be interesting to hear how he worked his way through some of the 1000 page plus consultant reports.
Greenspoon is not yet doing the door to door thing and his web site is a work in progress. He does have a single piece of literature that he hands out.
 Rick Greenspoon: approach to a problem is to find a way towards a solution. He is bothered by the sense of apathy he is experiencing and has yet to find a campaign manager.
Is he up to speed on the major issues? Not quite – he has yet to look at a budget document – that will be a bit of a shock once he starts going through the pages.
Parkland dedication issues – not read that document yet either.
But there is a deliberateness to Rick Greenspoon. He listens, gives you a pretty straight from the shoulder answer – if he doesn’t know he will tell you he doesn’t know.
His approach to a problem is to find a way towards a solution. The answer is not always obvious but Greenspoon believes there is always a way.
“When people say you can’t do that” Greenspoon first asks – “Why?”
On the affordable housing issue Greenspoon can only say “we have to do something.”
 By Pepper Parr
July 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
What would we do without attentive, sharp eyed readers who know the smell of dead fish when it gets near their nose ?
Here is what came in today:
Are you aware of this? This is from the Mayor’s Facebook page.
What a great way to campaign on the taxpayers dime and look like a hero at the same time.
Why are the taxpayers of Burlington funding private street/block/condo parties? So I can plan a party at my condo building and the city will help pay for it?
Our taxes are already high enough. Is she going to attend every one of these parties along with the sitting councillor for the area?
The timing of this seems very questionable. I discussed this with several people – they were all dumbfounded.
Would love for you to investigate and report on. I keep thinking that I must be missing something.
 Why Mayor Med Ward thought this was acceptable – taking part in an election event that was paid for with tax payer dollars ?  It wasn’t just the Mayor that was sucking on the public “teat”; ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna was in their as well. What the reader is referring to is a city program that was put in place to give neighbourhoods and opportunity to get to know one another better and to improve parks, playground, spruce up the ravines.
The deal was, the last time we looked at it was the people applying had to come up with half of the amount they wanted to spend. That half could be “in kind”. The purpose of the grant, in the past at least, had to be spelled out and reviewed by Parks and Recreation.
Sparks will fly on this one.
It was a good program. I doubt very much that this version of the program as it played out was approved.
I expect bot the Director of Parks and Recreation, the people who run the program and the City Manager will be making phone calls on Monday.
The stunning part is that the Mayor was quite alright with seeing tax payers dollars used to pay for a campaign event.
You wonder sometimes just how far a politician will put their nose into the public trough?
The purpose of the Love My Neighbourhood program is set out pretty clearly on the city web site:
Director of Parks and Recreation Chris Glenn has this to say about the program: “Now more than ever, we need to build our sense of community and connections with our neighbours. This program is designed to help remove some barriers and build stronger connections among neighbours and communities by putting people together and having fun.”
 By Justina Gursky
July 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Knowing that the people you are using for online casino sport gambling are properly licensed is critical. While there are many different casino apps available on the market, finding a reputable one offering a Caesars promo code can be quite challenging.
With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which app is the best and most trustworthy.
That’s why we’re here to help you out.
Tips for choosing a reputable casino app in Canada
If you’re looking for a reputable casino app in Canada, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
First of all, it’s important to make sure that the app has a license issued by a reputable gambling authority to ensure that the app is safe and secure to use.
Secondly, you should also check the reviews and ratings of the app before downloading it. This will give you an idea of what other users have thought about the app and whether or not it’s worth your time and money.
Finally, make sure to test out the app yourself before committing to it. This way, you can be sure that it meets your needs and expectations.
Red flags to watch out for when choosing a casino app in Canada
There are a few red flags to watch out for when choosing a casino app in Canada, so let’s explore them to keep you on the safe side.
1. The app is not available in your country – While many apps are available internationally, some are only available in specific countries. Download only the ones that are.
2. Bad reviews – If there are a lot of negative reviews, it might be best to steer clear.
3. There’s no trial period – Most casino apps offer a free trial period, so you can test out the games and features before deciding if it’s right for you and you should download only the ones that have them.
What are the consequences of choosing an unreliable casino app?
And now, let’s explore the consequences of unreliable apps.
 The banker you use for your financial transactions is important to you – it is your money and you want to know it is safe and that the banker is reliable. The first is that you may end up losing money if the app is not secure. If it is not secure, it could be accessed by someone who should not have access to it, which could lead to identity theft or fraud.
Another consequence of choosing an unreliable casino app is that you may not be able to withdraw your winnings. The app may not be linked to a reliable banking system and your winnings could disappear into thin air, and you would have no way of getting them back.
Finally, choosing an unreliable casino app could also lead to problems with customer support. If the app is not well-made, it may be difficult to get in touch with customer support in case you run into any problems, which could leave you feeling frustrated and helpless if you need assistance.
By Pepper Parr
July 22, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Lisa Kearns Councillor for ward 2 holds regular ward level meetings.
It is something she has always done and does better than anyone else.
I wasn’t able to attend the meeting she held earlier this week but her very able assistant was kind enough to send mt the presentation Lisa was working from – Lisa does intense presentations.
As I was flipping through the pages, which weren’t number, one page slipped out of my hand – picked it up and saw numbers that stunned me.
The graphic Kearns presented to her ward was related to a report that came to Council July 5th – my transcribing service didn’t get everything and I was planning on getting back to it.
It was a Receive and File report that stunned all the Councillors.
The graphic, set out below, showed where the high rise towers would be in the Burlington MTSA, an area that surrounds the Burlington GO station area where a significant amount of height was expected.
 Look very carefully at all those 45 numbers. Are these going to be residential towers or office towers? If residential – is this what Burlington is going to become? Look carefully, there are six towers either side of the GO tracks – all are showing 45 storeys.
Where did that come from?
When 30 storeys was mentioned back in 2028, for that Burlington GO station area a lot of eyebrows were raised. Was that necessary – the city has to undergo intensification but 30 was seen as a bit much.
In an interview Kearns said she, along with the rest of Council were “blind sided” which is hard to accept – Councillors get these reports 10 days before they are presented publicly.
“What changed” asked Kearns?
 Index for the 2028 graphic In 2018 the public saw the graphic above, which is significantly different than the graphic council debated last week.
While the report was just a Receive and File Kearns did move a motion that required the:
Direct the Director of Community Planning to re-examine the Burlington GO Central Precinct with respect to requirements related to achieving maximum height permissions on a given site, alongside the provision of community amenities, affordable housing and community facilities commensurate with those maximum height permissions and the supporting policies and policy directions.
Kearns was not able to say when the report would come back to Council; not likely before the election in October.
Kearns was adamant that whatever gets built it “cannot change the quality of life for the people who live in the city.”
This is an issue that needs more attention.
Kearns drew attention to the staff members:
Alison Enns, Manager of Policy and Community,
Jenna Puletto, Coordinator of Community Initiatives
Samantha Romlewski, Senior Planner, Community Initiatives
Karyn Poad,Senior Planner
Rebecca Lau, Planner – Community Initiatives
leaving the clear impression with me that she wanted this group to be reined in and telling council much more than they are hearing at this point.
Kearns who advised the public that she had contracted Covid19 and while the symptoms are gone it “takes longer than you expect to recover completely.
“The virus wrecks havoc on your body, I’m still dealing with small issues.”
 By Staff
July 23, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Student Theatre Performing Arts Camp Presents: JEKYLL AND HYDE
Music by Frank Wildhorn, Book by Leslie Bricusse
 A gripping tale of a brilliant mind gone awry, featuring a thrilling score of pop-rock hits, Jekyll & Hyde is a 1990 musical loosely based on the well-known classic Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
The epic struggle between good and evil comes to life on stage in this musical phenomenon. An evocative tale of what appears to be two men – one, a doctor and the other, a madman – with a score that has mesmerized audiences the world over.
This is the occasion to see upfront and personal what the city has in the way of young people who may at some point in their lives become world class performers.
Every actor or actress started somewhere in a small town on a high school stage or on the main stage of the local theatre. What Burlington has produces can be seen on the 23rd – two performances.
Dates & Times
Thu Jul 28, 2022 at 11am
Thu Jul 28, 2022 at 2:30pm
Venue: Main Theatre
 The Main Stage – Burlington Performing Arts Centre Ticket Prices
Regular: $26 (All-in)
Youth (18 and under): $20 (All-in)
Group of 10 or More (Visit or call the Box Office at 905.681.6000)
Group: $18 (All-in)
Early Bird Pricing (until Jul 19, 2022):
Regular: $23 (All-in)
Youth (18 and under): $18 (All-in)
 By Staff
July 22nd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Published with permission from Plan B.
It’s the Wizard of the OLT (Ontario Land Tribunal) that we’re off to see though, and not of OZ.
 It’s the Wizard of the OLT (Ontario Land Tribunal) that we’re off to see though, and not of OZ. Citizens’ PLAN B just recently received notice from the OLT that a Case Management Conference is scheduled for all-day August 26th to review Vrancor’s Appeal of the City’s PL-24-22 decision to Refuse their Application to redevelop the Waterfront Hotel property. The link to the OLT’s webpage is: https://jus-olt-prod.powerappsportals.com/en/e-status/details/?id=f473e8b7-f8dd-ec11-bb3c-000d3af399eb
This meeting effectively provides the OLT with each side’s arguments, so that a determination can be made to resolve the dispute, send it to mediation between the parties or schedule a final hearing. Citizens’ PLAN B plans to participate in this Appeal, but the proceedings are open to you, the public, to audit.
The City and its’ lawyers are confident that they have a compelling case and a winning strategy,
We were all thrown a curveball when Donna Hinde of The Planning Partnership, who facilitated and unreservedly published the Waterfront Hotel Planning Study report on March 26rth, 2022, claimed 9 days later on April 4th (1 day prior to the report being reviewed by the City for approval) that City planners had unduly influenced her to limit height to 22 storeys. She went on to state that The Planning Partnership could not professionally support the report and would not defend it at the OLT. Mark Simeoni, Director, Community Planning refuted her claim & asked for evidence to support it, but to date has received none.
Very peculiar, don’t you think?
We have been quiet of late with our updates to you, but very active in trying to convince anyone who would listen to us at City Hall to compel The Planning Partnership to re-issue the report with whatever measures they require for it to be fully independent. Progress on this front has, unfortunately, been limited to date.
We believe that there may well be a time soon for you, our followers and supporters, to join in and have your voices heard on the Waterfront Hotel redevelopment Appeal at the OLT, and at all levels of government. Please share this article with friends of Burlington, and stay tuned!
By Staff
July 21st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Metrolinx is listening to comments about crowding on TFC match days – on platforms, trains and even at the BMO Field gates.
The Lakeshore West schedule will be modified before the TFC game on Saturday, July 23.
 Soccer fans are much more passionate than hockey fans – even basket ball fans. As for baseball fans – do they every get excited. Fans and other travellers on the Lakeshore East and West Lines will see some changes, designed to give everyone more time to board their trains and reduce crowing at the stadium gates for those taking the last trains before kick-off.
These scheduling changes will be in place around the TFC game on Saturday, July 23.
Lakeshore West:
All westbound trips from Union Station from 5:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. will depart five minutes earlier than regularly scheduled.
The 4:13 p.m., 5:13 p.m. and 6:13 p.m. eastbound trips from West Harbour GO will depart ten minutes later, at 4:23 p.m., 5:23 p.m. and 6:23 p.m. and arrive at Exhibition GO and Union Station 15 minutes later than regularly scheduled.
The 4:55 p.m., 5:55 p.m., and 6:55 p.m. trips from Aldershot GO will depart ten minutes later, at 5:05 p.m., 6:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. and arrive at Exhibition GO and Union Station 15 minutes later than regularly scheduled.
During these adjustments, eastbound trains will also make longer than normal scheduled stops at the most popular stations on the Lakeshore West Line to provide customers extra time to board their trains.
The last two trips before TFC’s kickoff will arrive at 6:36 p.m. and 7:06 p.m.
In a small break from routine, most pre-game westbound trains will arrive on the south platform at Exhibition Station. Post-game trains will depart from both platforms as usual, so make sure to check departure boards before you head to the platform.
Fans heading through the tunnel to Liberty Village after the game will no longer have to turn left and up the stairs that lead to the platform. The tunnel has been extended, so people heading to Liberty Village can go straight and up the newly opened stairs, making it easy to get to Atlantic Avenue.
People that don’t have PRESTO cards and want to avoid line-ups at station ticket vending machines can buy GO e-tickets in advance online or take advantage of one of the GO Transit Weekend Pass options. E-tickets should be activated five minutes before boarding.
 By Pepper Parr
July 21st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
A heat warning has been issued by Halton Region beginning July 22, 2022.
When a heat warning is issued by Halton Region, residents can stay cool at all open Burlington Public Library branches.
Heat warnings are issued by Halton Region when temperatures are expected to be at least 31°C and overnight temperatures are above 20°C for at least three days or humidex is at least 40 for at least two days.
 There are spaces that can be set up for sports that would involve seniors. There are those that would play the game and those that would watch. We are seeing these media notices on a regular basis.
They look like they are going to be part of the new normal.
Where and who is doing the longer term thinking about how the city is going to meet the needs of the seniors?
This current weather is not going to stop – and this city has seniors who are not able to live decent lives – better to say existences.
Everyone is re-thinking their business model.
The city is no different.
Last year during the heat waves the Aldershot Seniors Group pressed the city to provide cool places where people could meet. There was some space made available at Central but for just a few hours.
A flood of emails to city councillors brought about the decision to open up the libraries as cooling centers. That was a good start – but a start is not enough.
There is space that can be used.
The city will say that there is no staff – and there is no staff – but if the city is ready to hire ten additional bylaw enforcement officers – then it had better get ready to hire just as many staff to provide what are really essential’s of life to people who deserve at least that much.
 What can the Parks and Recreation people come up with in the way of program ideas?
The public meeting room at the Mainway centre is large enough to set up at least two – maybe three pickle ball courts.
There are a number of groups that would help with putting on some program for younger kids – and for parents.
It is going to take some ingenuity, some creativity and a willingness to look for ways to make it possible for people to have ways to cope with this heat.
This is something we will come back to in the weeks and months ahead.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
July 21st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
No one knew anything about Eden Wood.
There was nothing on social media; some thought she was a stand in candidate in place to pull votes away from Shawna Stolte the incumbent candidate for the ward 4 seat.
 Eden Wood, candidate for the ward 4 council seat Turns out Eden Wood is very real, a mother of a daughter and a son who play soccer.
Mom has that clean cut Ivy League look to her. She is involved in police volunteer groups: doing victim support and public safety committee work.
She Has worked in the private sector with Fisher & Ludlow, a Nucor company that makes industrial grating. She has taken community college level courses at Sheridan focused on accounting and business administration.
Wood was the President of the Burlington Crime Prevention Committee that “tackled issues on vandalism and crime prevention by recognizing the importance of homeowners landscape and design. We also worked with the Victim Assistance Volunteer Program, assisted by the Burlington O.P.P.
She has been the Apprentice Supervisor with the Hamilton S.P.C.A., building the empathy of youth. She has volunteered with Burlington Rotary at Canada’s Largest Ribfest. She worked for Average Joe Sports as a volleyball convener, as well as played volleyball through B.A.S.L and A.C.R.A.
She also played Softball and Ultimate Frisbee. Her children are members of the Burlington Soccer Club, and use many of the wonderful amenities Burlington has to offer.
While President of the Burlington Crime Prevention Committee she became a member of the Citizen Police Academy through Halton Regional Police Service, where good governance and transparency are front and centre.
She received the award for Active Citizenship from Mohawk College, where she attended the Police Foundations program.
Her web site is up and running.
Don’t know much about her views on the significant issues city council faces nor what her core values are – she does place a lot of emphasis on family and neighbourhood.
By Staff
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
With inflation at an 8.1 % increase over last month and a high that has not been seen since 1983, we thought you would be interested in what is happening to the price of housing.
 The housing market was blazing for a period of time. Is there a correction taking place? ReMax Canada released its 2022 Housing Affordability Report – a nationwide analysis of local market activity and housing affordability trends for the first half of 2022 – including Ontario, Western Canada and Atlantic Canada.
The report revealed that 68 per cent of Canadians are willing to make at least one sacrifice to buy a home they can afford, with the most common concession being relocation (64 per cent)– a trend that continues to reign as a primary influence in local housing markets across the country, say RE/MAX brokers.
Some of the smaller regions outside of Toronto/GTA have experienced some of the highest year-over-year price increases in the first half of 2022, due to rising demand and limited supply –
Windsor, ON (+24.42%),
Barrie, ON (+24.40%),
Sudbury, ON (+23.85% ),
London, ON (+23.26%),
Hamilton, ON (+22.35%),
Thunder Bay, ON (+17.58%),
Kingston, ON (+20.83%),
Ottawa, ON (+11.46%).
In Kitchener/Waterloo, ON, the increase was more modest at +4.29% year-over-year from $759,115 in 2021 to $791,674 in 2022.
 By Staff
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
City of Burlington’s website and some web applications temporarily unavailable for scheduled maintenance July 21 from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
During the temporary shutdown, the following websites and applications will not be available:
- burlington.ca
- burlingtontransit.ca
- burlington.ca/calendar
- haltoncourtservices.ca
- Online forms for:
- Service Requests
- Parking ticket payment
- Parking permit renewal
- Parking exemption request
- New dog licenses
- Renew dog licenses
- Tax assessment lookup
- Business license renewal
- Senior property tax rebates application
- Property information requests
- Marriage licenses
- My festival and events applications
The following City of Burlington web applications will not be impacted:
The shutdown of a system as large as that of a municipality is always tricky business. Particularly at a time when the Information Technology people are working on the introduction of a new look and a new layout of much of the city web site.
That’s what Rogers was doing when its business fell apart a week or so ago.
Wish our people well.
 By Staff
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Arkells – that band from that city on the other side of the lake has gone and gotten themselves into the Canadian Walk of Fame.
Not enough that they have scooped up five Junos and now this.
This time they are being recognized and given the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour in recognition of their positive impact on others and contributions to the community.
 In no specific order: Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis, Nick Dika, Tim Oxford and Anthony Carone Not too shabby for the likes of Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis, Nick Dika, Tim Oxford and Anthony Carone who have had a banner year since last August’s three once-in-a-return-from-a-pandemic history making nights that reopened the live music business at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage.
Between the release of their latest chart-topping album, Blink Once and their forthcoming album, Blink Twice, Arkells headlined the 108th Grey Cup Halftime Show in December 2021, performed at the 2022 JUNO Awards (while winning Group of the Year for the 5th time), and made their mark in Hamilton with the return of their hometown summer festival event “The Rally,” of one of the biggest headline shows in the country.
 Boys in a box car – The 2022 edition of “The Rally” concert at Tim Hortons Field broke attendance records at the stadium, with $1 from every ticket sold benefiting Indwell, a local organization that builds and maintains affordable and geared-to-income housing in Hamilton.
“The Rally” has become a highly anticipated and celebrated community event, known to be more than just a concert. This year’s event included a special addition – the opening of the city’s brand new “The Rally Court” – a dazzling refurbished basketball court in Hamilton’s Ward 3 neighbourhood. Replete with brand new vibrant surfacing, glass backboards, bleachers and updated lighting, the court was spearheaded by the band, The City of Hamilton, and funded by Arkells’ friends in the basketball community: The Nick Nurse Foundation, The Foxcroft Family, Superfan Nav Bhatia, and Canada Basketball.
Throughout the pandemic, many became familiar with Arkells’ “Flatten The Curve” music class, a headline grabbing, free daily music lesson that acted as a reliable outlet for fans all over the world, and helped raise $50,000 for the Food Band of Canada. The FTC Music Class simultaneously bolstered support, both financial and in kind for music programs in Southern Ontario. Their covid relief efforts raised over $15,000 to contribute to virtual programming updates for Hamilton’s YMCA, and their song “All Roads,” served as the soundtrack to #TogetherAgain, a national vaccine awareness PSA to combat vaccine hesitancy during the height of the pandemic.
Randy Lennox speaking for the Canada’s Walk of Fame board of directors said the “Arkells have become one of Canada’s most successful and beloved rock groups.
“When I think of Arkells, I think of unity, community, heart and sheer talent,” said Gary Slaight, President and CEO, The Slaight Family Foundation. ”
They lead with compassion and integrity and epitomize the values that my late father Allan had in mind for this special honour. They are an inspiration and deserving of this recognition.”
Hailed by The Globe and Mail as “the right kind of band for this decade,” Arkells are widely considered one of the most passionate, exuberant and in-demand live bands on the scene today. As radio mainstays, sports-sync shoe-ins and curious students of culture, Arkells have remained ever present – building awareness and personal community experiences around their live shows and new music at every turn. Arkells continue to release and tease new music in support of their chart-topping BLINK ONCE & hotly anticipated BLINK TWICE companion albums, while touring internationally.
Links:
@arkellsmusic
@CWOFame
web site: http://www.arkellsmusic.com/
By Pepper Parr
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
When Anita Cassidy, Executive Director, is presenting to Council, she finds herself speaking very quickly on issues that are important.
The agenda for any one day is often full and she seems to feel that she isn’t going to be given the time she needs.
Unfortunate because the picture she paints isn’t always rosy.
 Anita Cassidy, Executive Director, Economic Development Corporation She said earlier this month that “…we had a significant shift in our economic environment. In that time that we had it on pause, we had to reflect the realities of COVID-19 and look at the potential impacts. We also had the shift of the UGC to Burlington GO MTSA.”
The Economic Development Corporation, in its report to Council set out the background that they expdct the city’s economy to build upon.
They maintain the MTSAs provide the potential to create complete communities, expand the tax base, and provide a destination for employment growth for future generations. The MTSA developments will increase transit usage and help to make Burlington a destination while lowering carbon emissions. Burlington Economic Development has been working with the City of Burlington to develop an employment vision for the MTSAs and an implementation plan that positions us to expand our tax base through employment attraction and branding opportunities, as well as ensuring we continue to retain key industrial employers and other employment uses associated with the MTSAs.
This economic vision for the three MTSAs has been undertaken through the GO Investment Corridor Project.
“So what did that mean for unemployment attraction and retention perspective? Cassidy added: “We also wanted to make sure that we addressed any market and policy changes; as I mentioned, there were a number of policy changes in the background, ROPA 48 and 49 is coming down, we had the provincially significant employment zones for the province: a lot of policy changes to take into effect here.
“One of the key pieces of research we did was on taking into account the impacts of COVID on the office and retail environment, and what could that look like? The industrial environment for COVID, as I mentioned to counsel before, largely hasn’t shifted, as that is an in person activity. We’ve seen our industrial getting stronger through COVID. So we focused in on office and the retail.
“We had stakeholder workshops to validate those findings and hear from our developers and our businesses and our real estate, commercial brokers, what has changed over the last two years.
“Our assumptions were right here what we need to integrate in here.
“We had a subcommittee of our board reinstated with external experts to provide their expertise and then we integrated those back into the six guiding principles and the overall vision that we developed.
“There was nothing surprising from the SWOT analysis perspective. It’s everything that we’re seeing in the market already.
“We’re seeing that not unexpected displacement of existing businesses. And what we want to see is that the right kinds of businesses are retained There were examples of business displacement that have happened already over the last couple of years. We had one shop go to Mexico. They were a great employer – 150 high tech industrial jobs that ended moving operations to Mexico; part of that was they couldn’t secure a long term lease, and we don’t have sufficient employment lands to replace employers like that.
“We’ve gone from 27 hectares of shovel ready land back in 2015 to down to 14 now; that’s less than half. So this is a really a key focus area. We need to make sure that we can integrate these existing businesses as well as attracting new businesses to the MTSA developments – that is really going to be critical to achieving both job growth and that great split of tax base where we have commercial and industrial taxes to help keep our residential costs low as well.
“Our Go investment corridor vision has six guiding principles.
 “To effectively develop each MTSA into a complete community that has a mix of residential employment, institutional and recreational uses a clear mission statement and understood and agreed upon objectives are in place.
 “When we started this project, back in 2017, we took a pretty narrow economic development lens. And as we sat down with stakeholders, and we did workshops with people, we realized that the future of work at these GO stations is going to be very different from the type of employment development we’ve had in the past.
“Workers of the future do not want to work at isolated employer locations where they have to get in their car to do everything and they don’t have those communities around them. That’s what’s going to be the attractors to those MTSA locations – it’s going to be like a mini downtime environment where they’re going to be able to have all of those facilities in one spot while also being able to get on the go train and access those communities and to attend meetings in downtown as well.
“Our second guiding principle is to focus on planning for future services and infrastructure and secure sustainable development which means looking at integrating the right kind of infrastructure but also understanding in advance what the infrastructure needs are and planning not just for yourselves as a city, but with our regional partners as well.
“We’ve already heard the region is a huge part of this from a policy approval perspective, but also from an infrastructure and servicing perspective. If we don’t have the right infrastructure planned and in place then we can’t support the levels of development that we’re going to see.”
 There is a significant amount of work to be done to ensure that all the players understand and buy into what is proposed. Work done in 2017 – 2019  Work done during 2021 and 2022 – it is an ongoing process. The planners are now creating Area Specific Plans for each of the MTSA – which set out a clear path as to where the development can take place.
The Vision has been clear since the current Council took office. The moving of the Urban Growth Centre north of the downtown area has made it possible for the city to undergo the growth the province has imposed. That growth will create the tax base need to cover the cost of making the city a place where seniors and those raising a family can live in comfort.
The challenge at this point is to get through the Ontario Land Tribunals and have an Official Plan that makes the vision possible
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