 By Pepper Parr
July 10th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Affordable housing – an oxymoron perhaps.
In a market where housing prices have risen as much as 20% year over year, the cost of buying a home has skyrocketed – and that impacts directly the cost of rental accommodation.
 Some of the year over year changes were mind boggling – a market run amok. The Burlington mind set is married to the idea of owning the home you live in – rental accommodation is not for people who are true Burlingtonians – we are all property owners.
Every development that comes before city council has the words “affordable housing” tucked in the application somewhere and the response from the planners pays lip service to the idea. Members of council will insist that some affordable housing be included in a development.
Carriage Gate agreed to provide the City with a cash contribution of $300,000 prior to condominium registration that was to go towards an affordable account the city appears to have created.
Reserve Properties, the developers promoting a development on the SE corner of Brant and James, have made mention of their plans to contribute something to the need for affordable housing if their development is approved.
The developers offer up some cash in lieu of actually including affordable units in the condominium.
Where does that cash the developers give the city go?
That isn’t exactly clear. The Gazette isn’t sure if any funds have actually moved from the developer’s bank account into the coffers of the city. Funds from carriage Gate should be in the city bank account by now.
The issue is not about the need for affordable housing – the issue is who is to provide that housing.
Every member of city council knows that housing is a Regional responsibility.
 This high rise close to Lakeshore sets aside 60% of its space for rent geared to income (RGI) tenants. The building is owned and operated by a co-op that works with the Region. The Region has policies, they have a reasonably clear idea of what is needed. How close they are to that need could be a little tighter.
The Region operates a number of towers that are totally affordable.
They partner with organizations that make space in buildings they own for rent geared to income space.
They maintain the list of who is looking for affordable housing and they determine who can get into a building and when. The mix of affordable housing is pretty good.
The problem is the need for a shift from the approach that has language which makes affordable housing options sound like or look like welfare options.
Housing has to be looked at differently.
 The Region has a section on its web site where people can search and see what is available. Waiting times to get a residence is measured in years. The Region is responsible for the social housing needs of all four municipalities: Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.
 During the 2010 election Regional Chair came close to losing it when people were going on about the need for affordable housing at the municipal level – “it’s a Regional responsibility” he almost shouted out in an exasperating tone..
There are some very good people at the Regional level administering the policies and the properties.
In the event that Burlington sends the money it gets from developers to the Region (and that point isn’t clear) the Region does not appear to be committed to spending what it gets from Burlington in Burlington.
Instead of trying to outdo each other in how committed they are to affordable housing Burlington city council needs to get its act together and set out what it would like to see done and then take the Burlington plan to Regional council and fight for it at that level.
That however would require a council that is cohesive and can actually work together.
Burlington is now seeing a new crop of candidates that are younger, have good intellectual chops and want to see a change.
 ECoB – engaged Citizens of Burlington held a meeting for people interested in running for office – the came close to packing the room. The city is close to have good solid candidates in all six wards and clear choices for the next Mayor.
In the 2014 municipal election Mayor Goldring said he was quite comfortable with seeing every member of the council re-elected. And they were all re-elected. They really weren’t any tough races with the possible exception of ward 6 where Blair Lancaster faced nine candidates.
There were two problems with the comfort level the Mayor had chosen.
He wasn’t leading council and council wasn’t taking the city anywhere.
That could be about to change.
The next step is for the people who live in the city to think about what they want and then decide who can deliver what they want.
Then get out and actually vote.
We did a piece recently on a woman who taught the city something about milkweed plants and learned that she had run for public office in 2003 – the turnout in that election was 16%.
No wonder we are in a mess.
The complacent people of Burlington did this to themselves.
As for an affordable housing policy that delivers for Burlington – that has to get worked out at the Regional level and Burlington city council members have to make their case at that level.
They’ve known that for the past seven years.
Salt with Pepper is an opinion column reflecting the views, musings, observations and opinions of the Gazette publisher.
 By Andrew Drummond
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The past week has given us a clear indication of the direction the new provincial government will take. Most of their decisions have been a follow through on things that Premier Ford said during the election campaign.
The long fight against the federal government regarding cap and trade for example, was something the Ontario PCs seemed to relish having and we will spend months or years on this battle that they seemed to want. Others of their decisions, such as delaying implementation of anti-scalping measures seemed to be less predictable.
But each of the actions taken so far will have a local impact in Burlington either directly or indirectly. So below is an evaluation of some of the actions taken by the new Ontario government and how they will impact our city and community.
LOCAL REPRESENTATION
The cabinet was announced on June 29, and perhaps expectedly, neither Jane McKenna nor Effie Triantafilopoulos was chosen for cabinet. But after the parliamentary assistants were named, and Effie was given a prominent role while Jane was overlooked, it became clear that Jane is not among the most trusted in the Conservative cabinet.
 Andrew Drummond NDP candidate during the provincial election in conversation with Jane McKenna, now the MPP for Burlington,. How does this impact Burlington? There are many pieces of government funding that rely on the local MPP to wield influence. The most prominent example of which is funding for Joseph Brant. Across Jane’s first term in government Jo Brant was the lowest rated emergency room in all of Ontario. Over the last few years that has improved slightly (we are still in the bottom quartile) but the improvement came from funding that our MPP fought for. If the local MPP wields no influence, can we be sure that Jo Brant is going to get the operational funding it needs to continue its improvement? It is critical that we see action from our MPP that shows she has the influence in the government to get Burlington the support it so desperately needs.
CAP AND TRADE
Of all the announcements from the incoming government, the one publicized the most was the end of the Cap and Trade system implemented by the previous government. However, in declaring the end of that program, the government gave no notice as to what they intended to do about the Cap and Trade credits already purchased by companies intending to use them on the market. This is a 2.9 billion dollar investment that Ontario businesses that the government to this point has not explained how they will make companies whole.
The details on exactly who has spent how much on credits is not publicly available, so it is difficult to pin an exact figure on how much liability there is to Burlington specifically. And we are lucky that Burlington did not join this program and open us up to risks like other municipalities did (examples: Kingston, Kitchener). But there are undoubtedly local effects. Every negative consequence for province wide industries will effect us locally too.
And of the most concern is the limited impact this will have for Burlington. As was argued during the election campaign, there is sizable evidence that the price of gas is more controlled by market forces and less by costs. With that comes a risk that any reduction in gas taxation will not have any measurable impact on price and rather only increase profits for gas companies. The premier’s quote on the issue “We just have a good heart-to-heart talk with the oil companies and understand that they’re being watched right now,” also does not spark confidence that Burlington will see any meaningful cost savings from this government policy.
ANTI-SCAPLING LEGISLATION
The Ford government has made a number of quiet changes since being sworn in that will impact quality of life in Burlington. One of those was a delay in the implementation of the Ticket Sales Act that would have limited the resale price of a ticket to 50% above the printed price on a ticket. The company Stubhub believes that the law is dangerous because it is important to ensure sales “occur on platforms that provide vital consumer protections.” Most consumers would interpret this argument as Stubhub saying: If consumers are going to be gouged we’d like our cut of the gouging fees.
For Burlington residents this means that it will continue to be impossible to find tickets to concerts and key sporting events at reasonable prices. CBC did an analysis of some upcoming concerts in Toronto and noticed some egregious examples on resale ticket sites. Bruno Mars tickets raised from $100 to over $13,000 or Elton John from $221 to $1,878. The average family in Burlington cannot compete at those prices. As long as tickets can be bought in large buckets and then resold at incredible markups, the average Burlington family will be shut out of these events. And the Ford government is apparently ok with that.
 Lieutenant Governor Dowdeswell delivering Throne Speech So in all, it is difficult to see how anything in the first week of this government has had any positive impact on the day-to-day life of people in Burlington. From questions about how effective our MPP will be at securing critical hospital operating dollars to potentially costing local businesses millions in now useless Cap and Trade credits to blocking legislation to help us afford popular events, most actions to date seem in the best interest of people outside of our community.
However, the government will give its speech from the throne this week. We all remain optimistic that the government will set an agenda that will be better than these first early actions. Time will tell if there is any chance of Burlington being a priority for the next 4 years.
 The opinions are those of Andrew Drummond, the New Democratic candidate for Burlington. He placed second, ahead of the Liberal and Green Party candidates. He is employed in the marketing and sales department of a major internet, cable TV and wireless service provider.
 By Staff
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The city usually provides maps that are crammed with information that are difficult to fully understand in a small format. A large map just can’t be displayed adequately on a computer screen.
The city however has prepared and distributed a document that sets out in considerable detail what is permitted in each of the precincts that have been created.
 Downtown precinct map We have set out the downtown precinct map in a full screen page format along with a list of what can be built in each precinct that is colour coded with the map.
By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
City council will be debating a staff recommendation for the proposed development on Brant street, opposite city that starts on the SW corner of James and will run south to Kellys Bake Shop and include the full block.
The developer is asking for 27 stories – the city planners are recommending 18.
 Approved. The development on the NW corner of Brant and James has been approved at 23 storeys – why are the planners recommending 18 storeys for the second building when the one across the street has been approved for 23 – seems like a reasonable question – and for the developer it is a difference of six floors of condominium units
The 421 – 431 Brant Street development – it hasn’t been given a name yet – has been approved and will consist of:
• Twenty-three (23) storey building, which includes a 1-storey rooftop amenity area;
• Four-storey podium;
• 760 square metres of ground floor retail / commercial space;
• 365 square metres of 2nd floor office space;
• 169 residential units (maximum);
• A parking ratio of 1.2 parking spaces per residential unit in the below-grade parking structure, in addition to 8 dedicated visitor parking spaces and 1 car share space;
• Appropriate building setbacks from Brant Street (2.95 metres), James Street (2.6 metres) and John Street (1.8 metres);
• A 128 square metre (16 metre x 16 metre) visibility triangle (publicly accessible open space) at the corner of Brant Street and James Street;
• Appropriate building stepbacks and terracing above the 4th floor and above the 18th floor
The planners point out that the site is located within the Downtown Urban Centre and within the Downtown Core designation. They add that it “is important to note that the existing OP (that is the one in place before the Grow Bold OP – which was approved and sent to the Regional government for approval at that level), included a site specific exception for a portion of the site (421 – 427 Brant Street) which recognized the site as appropriate for increased height and density.”
What that means is that part of the land assembled for the development had an exception attached to it for height above the permitted heights for neighbouring properties. The way these things work is that the highest height is frequently applied to all the properties when they are assembled.
“The exception set an increased maximum height for the site of seven storeys with taller buildings up to a maximum height of twelve storeys permitted where they provide a sense of compatibility with surrounding land uses and a sense of pedestrian scale by the use of terracing above the second floor. The exception for 421 – 427 Brant Street also set out an increased maximum floor area ratio of 4.5:1, except that higher floor area ratios were permitted subject to community benefits provisions.”
“It is also important to note that the timing of the 421 Brant Street application preceded emerging policy directions for the Downtown Urban Growth Centre, which are now incorporated as a part of the Council Adopted Official Plan: Grow Bold.
 The view from Civic Square looking east at the two “landmark” towers. The one on the left (shown as a shadow) has been approved. The one on the right is before Committee of the whole today – planners want this one cut back to 18 storeys. “On Sept. 28 2017, the draft new Downtown Mobility Hub Precinct Plan was presented to Council for the first time for discussion and feedback at a Council Workshop at the Committee of the Whole. No decisions were made.
“On November 13, the 421 Brant Street applications were approved in principle.
“On November 30, 2017 a staff report on the Draft Downtown Precinct Plan and proposed Official Plan policies contemplated modifying the building height permissions at Brant Street and James to recognize that node as an area appropriate for landmark buildings and to reduce the building height permissions in the Cannery Precinct for the property located at Brant Street and Lakeshore Road in light of the 421 Brant Street application.”
What the city did was decide to live with height across from city hall and limit height along Lakeshore Road. Councillor Taylor was very specific when he said that he went along with the 23 storeys for 421 Brant on the understanding that Lakeshore heights would be limited to 17 storeys. That’s planning on the fly!
 There is a lot of detail in this map- you can identify the precincts that planners use to describe parts of the city and the kind of development permitted. The Revenue Properties application (409 Brant) now has to find a way to work through and around a thicket of precinct plans, mobility hubs, the Urban Growth Centre and transit issues.
 Those red lines are the buses that come down Brant and loop along James into the bus terminal that got an upgrade and is now called a Mobility hub anchor. Traffic nightmare! And, speaking of transit issues – there is a drawing that was part of one of the staff reports on the 409 project that showed the number of bus routes that flow into John Street, which is the street the garages for both 409 and 421 will exit onto – there is a nightmare of a continual traffic jam waiting to happen.
“No Staff/Council motion was made to increase height permissions in the Special Planning Area at Brant and James Streets as a result of the approval of the 421 Brant application on November 13th, 2017.”
What that seems to say is that the height 421 was given isn’t going to be available to 409. It is going to be interesting to see how that works out.
The Revenue Properties proposal is before Planning and Development Committee on Tuesday -July 10th in the afternoon and in the evening.
 By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words.
The following is a set of renderings on the city’s web site that few people have seen.
It is part of what is behind the outrage that many feel over the changes being made to the Downtown core – It wasn’t quite what many had in mind when they first heard the phrase Grow BOLD.
 Elizabeth looking south towards the lske  Lakeshore at Brant looking east  Brant Street looking north – with city hall on the left.  Brant street looking south from about where the shopping plaza is north of Caroline. Bold indeed.
By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Before the Legislature can sit to hear the Speech from the Throne that will be read on July 12th at 2:00 pm it first has to elect a Speaker.
 Burlington MPP Jane McKenna Word is that Burlington MPP Jane McKenna is thinking of putting her name forward to be considered for the job.
Disastrous choice if there is any truth to the comments we are hearing.
McKenna’s knowledge of parliamentary process and the history of how the Ontario Legislature actually works it very limited – embarrassingly so.
The job is critically important and calls for a level of wisdom that McKenna can only aspire to but does not have.
The Speaker of the Legislature is elected by the members of the Legislature in a secret ballot.
The Speaker has to understand the role, understand procedure and the history of the Legislative process in Ontario.
At one point Gary Carr, the Chair for the Region of Halton was the Speaker. He did an admirable job and was able to frequently put the then Premier of the province Mike Harris in his place and keep him quiet in his seat.
Jane McKenna is too much of a sycophant to do the job and knows next to nothing about the legislative process.
The Speaker maintains a residence at the Legislature, known as the Speaker’s Apartment.
Salt with Pepper are the opinions, views, musing and observations of the Gazette Publisher.
 By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The candidate we expected to run in ward 5 against incumbent Paul Sharman filed papers yesterday at city hall.
Mary Alice St. James, a retired school principal who moved into retirement while principal at Pauline Johnson elementary school.
The Gazette first crossed paths with Ms St James when a recording was being done of the students at Pauline Johnson elementary school singing O’Canada as part of a project that was going to co-ordinate then mix the recording of a national broadcast done at 79 schools.
 School principal Mary Alice St James, upper left corner, with students at her school doing a recording of O’Canada. St. James moved to Burlington in 1982 . Her parents and brother came to the city in 1979; she was completing her final year at McGill (Bachelor of Education English/Phys. Ed.)
Her Mother, Kaye, taught at W.E. Breckon, her Dad, Lou St. James was an engineer with Bailey Controls a company that evolved into ABB. He was part of the transition team that had the company moving to Burlington from Montreal.
Mary Alice and her brother co-owned a townhouse in Walker’s Heights and then a home in Headon Forest.
Mary Alice and her husband Ron have owned their Oak Crescent home in Burlington for 24 years. Their sons now in their early twenties went to Pineland and Nelson High School.
This engaged, involved family has done much over the years to support Burlington.
 Mary Alice St James Mary Alice is going to use a “Burlington at its Best!” slogan in her campaign that will be managed by her sons.
Her strategy team is “stoked and ready to make a positive difference throughout Burlington.”
The web site is under construction. In this early stage of the election campaign St. James intends to “listen and use skill sets and experiences to hear what people want and then to deliver as a city and regional Councillor.
St. James is a pro “respectful building” advocate – “just not 23 stories tall”.
She was an initiator of the Shoreacres Character Study where she expressed concerns about established neighbourhoods and the challenges residents faced living normal lives during infill massing (7 days per week, 7:00am to 7:00pm)
Mary Alice is pro tree bylaws; she made sure she planted trees at every school she worked at – 30 were planted on the PJ playground.
She spoke at the Blue Water Place/Avondale OMB hearing and raised concerns with a builders’ townhouse plan; she gave a response similar to the many delegations she made before city council where her approach was to be respectful and deliver a well thought out delegation.
Mary Alice said she “feels that in a Councillor’s role she can continue and heighten what she is already doing to support the most vulnerable, including the increasing number of Seniors in Burlington. Mary Alice hopes to assist in creating Bike Lanes that work and transit that makes more sense and enables liveability in a meaningful way.
 Mary Alice St James, ward 5 candidate Mary Alice said she is “currently collecting data on varied fronts and will want to hear concerns as well as creative and intelligent ideas for solutions. Mary Alice believes Burlington’s’ citizens are intelligent people who want to be heard. She is a listener who values the “smarts” of every age group and lifestyle.
This is perhaps the first time Paul Sharman, two term Councillor for ward 5, has faced a candidate with deep roots in the community.
Mary Alice does not live in ward 5 – she leaves a couple of football field lengths on the western side of Appleby Line, the ward boundary. “The people who know me” said St James, “are the parents who had children in schools I taught at on both sides of the ward boundary.”
At one point, before becoming Mayor, Rick Goldring represented ward 5, although he didn’t live in that ward.
 By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The story about the milkweed plants in a garden was, for the most part, gathered electronically.
There wasn’t a chance to meet and do an interview with the woman who got a note from a bylaw enforcement officer saying the milkweed plants on her garden had to go. Burlington, Ontario considers milkweed, the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on, a weed that must be destroyed or removed.
In Burlington bylaws are enforced when someone complains – and someone did complain.
 Doreen Nicol – an actionist! They chose the wrong women to push around.
When she read the bylaw notice Doreen Nicoll began making phone calls and lining up support and contacting local environmentalists to see if there were any alternative solutions. “I did this’ said Nicoll, “because trimming milkweed to the required height of 8 inches or less means that the tops of the plants containing all of the leaves, which are home to valuable monarch eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis, would be removed and that would have devastating results.” Nicoll argued that the milkweed was a plant – not a weed and that it was an important part of the environment.
 A milkweed plant – home to valuable monarch eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis. She reported that a very wise environmentalist, who wished to remain anonymous, told her about the time her neighbour reported her for growing milkweed in her naturalized garden. It seems the neighbour wanted the city to force this woman to grow grass instead of flowers.
Nicoll had removed the grass “in my very tiny front yard and erected a very low wall to contain my new garden. Originally, I planted native, heritage plants, most of them edible and all of them able to survive on rain water alone.”
“Over the years there have been plenty of transitions. Some plants thrive for years only to suddenly decline or disappear and be replaced by a completely different variety. This was survival of the fittest playing out in my garden thanks to the effects of climate change.”
The end result was the city notice being withdrawn and Nicoll being told that the bylaw on weeds is being re-written to allow milkweed plants.
 Doreen Nicoll is an actionist; a word that isn’t part of the lexicon most of us use. She has been politically active in the past; she ran against Carol D’Amelio for a city council seat in 2003 – came in second and wasn’t able to give D’Amelio much of a run for her money.
D’Amelio got 55.5% of the vote; Nicoll got 25.9%; the city wide turnout was 16.55% of the eligible voters.
Born in Scotland Doreen came to Canada in 1963 was raised in Ajax, went to Ryerson to where she studied food and English. She also went to George Brown College and described herself as a Journeyman Chef.
Nicoll worked for a period of time in the hospitality business and went back to school at Western University and became a teacher. She now teaches Family Studies for the Peel Board of Education.
The family moved to Burlington in June of 1997
Somewhere along the way, after the five children were born and raised, she began to write. Her focus was gender violence. In a piece she did for the Hamilton Spectator on the relationships between men and woman she wrote: “Their actions send a clear message to their own wives, daughters, sons as well as the neighbourhood at large, that men feel they have the innate right to mistreat and intimidate women.”
 Nicoll writes from a social justice perspective. There are some things that are just plain wrong and she has the courage of her convictions to stand up and say so.
She has won several awards; a couple of “Maggies”, (Hamilton Independent Media Awards) and an Anvil – both awards that come out of the Hamilton community.
This time Nicoll was fighting for the environment – the right to grow milkweed in her garden.
We have no idea what it will be next: but of this we can be certain – there will be a next.
 By Staff
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The incident took place in Burlington at about 4:30 am on July 6th when police responded to an area of Ross Street near Olga Drive in Burlington; they had received reports of several gunshots.
The police earned there had been a dispute between a male and female who were acquaintances. The dispute ended when the male displayed a handgun and discharged two rounds towards a shed, in the opposite direction of the female. The male then struck the female in the face and fled to a dark colour SUV which was being driven by an unidentified male. That vehicle was last seen traveling north on Ross Street.
The scene was examined by police and two spent cartridge casings were located and seized for further testing.
Members of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau were able to identify the shooter and managed to locate him and two other males at a restaurant near Square One in Mississauga.
 These are not toys – there were in the hands of people who were in Burlington very early in the morning. One person is accused of firing the gun at least twice while outside a vehicle. At approximately 8:00 PM, plain clothes officers and members of the Halton Regional Police Tactical and Rescue Unit (TRU) were able to arrest the shooter and two other males as they returned to a dark coloured Dodge Durango.
A search of the vehicle and arrested males resulted in the seizure of two loaded semi-automatic handguns and approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of about $1000.
One handgun was located in a centre console while the other was located in the waistband of one of the arrested men.
The origins of the handguns are still under investigation.
Tharshan BALASINGAM (28-yrs) of Brampton was held for bail charged with:
• Pointing a firearm
• Discharge restricted firearm at a place in a reckless manner
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Assault
• Utter threats
• Possession of firearm and ammunition contrary to prohibition order
• Occupant of a motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking
Janson JEYAKANTHAN (25-yrs) of Brampton was held for bail charged with:
• Unauthorised possession of a firearm
• Carry concealed weapon
Johan Matthijs VAN DER LEE (26-yrs) of Calgary Alberta was released on a Promise to Appear in Milton court on August 1st 2018 charged with:
• Occupant of a motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jared McLeod of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2385.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca .
By Staff
July 6t h, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Now the public gets to hear what they wanted to hear during the provincial election campaign.
 Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell delivering a Throne Speech in the Legislative Chamber. Her Honour the Honourable Elizabeth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will deliver the Speech from the Throne on Thursday, July 12, 2018. This will open the first Session of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario.
The public will be able to watch the proceedings on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s television channel and website. The event will also be live-streamed on the Premier’s official YouTube channel and on the Premier’s website.
The Speech from the Throne will be read in the Queen’s Park, Legislative Chamber at 2:00 pm.
We will learn then what Premier Doug Ford plans for the province.
By Staff
July 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Oakville and the Regional Municipality of Halton are seeking experienced professionals for appointment to the 2018-2022 Joint Compliance Audit Committee.
The Town of Milton is not part of this initiative
This Committee is required by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, to consider applications requesting financial audits of candidate campaigns and third-party advertisers in the 2018 Municipal Election. It will be composed of between three and seven members with a background in accounting, auditing, law, election administration and/or public administration. Applicants should possess some or all of the following:
 • understanding of the Municipal Elections Act’s municipal election campaign financing provisions;
• experience in administrative law;
• proven analytical and decision-making skills;
• experience working on a committee, task force or in a similar setting;
• demonstrated oral and written communication skills; and
• any other criteria as may be prescribed under the Act.
Applicants cannot be:
• members of Council or employees of any of the City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Oakville or Regional Municipality of Halton;
• candidates or registered third parties in the 2018 Municipal Election, their family members, or any person connected to a candidate through an employment, contractual, business or partnership relationship;
• anyone who has participated as a candidate for an office or registered third party in the City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Oakville or Regional Municipality of Halton in the past two regular municipal elections, or who have conducted audits or provided financial or legal advice in respect of such campaigns; and
• anyone who intends to assist any candidate or registered third party, as a volunteer or for compensation, in the 2018 Municipal Election.
In order to be considered for appointment to this Committee, the application form must be received by the Regional Clerk before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Submission instructions are included on the application form.
More information about the Committee is available in the Terms of Reference. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those under consideration will be contacted.
If you require documents in an alternate format, email accesshalton@halton.ca or dial 311
By Staff
July 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Shortly before 4:30 AM, police responded to the area of Ross Street near Olga Drive in Burlington after receiving reports of several gunshots.
Police have located several casings and are continuing to investigate. No one was injured and circumstances of this shooting are still being sorted out.
Police believe this to have been a targeted act and there is no further risk to the public.
Investigators are seeking witnesses and asking area residents with surveillance cameras to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jared McLeod of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2385.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca .
 By Pepper Parr
July 6th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a short, to the point message.
“We won! City will no longer be removing milkweed from private residences!”
 The bylaw officer should have realized what he was up against when he saw the sign. This was a big deal for Doreen Nicoll. The Burlington resident was paid a visit by a bylaw enforcement officer telling her that the milkweed in her front yard garden had to be removed.
The bylaw officer clearly didn’t see the sign in the garden – Nicoll was not someone to trifle with.
We asked for some pictures of her garden – she explained that some wild roses that blew in from another yard years ago that had taken over the garden. The kids moved home. “I had marking, exams, report cards, and then the heat wave hit. So, not every part is beautiful right now. Have a big yellow bag of mulch waiting in the driveway for cooler weather.”
 A very pleasant garden. It is a very attractive garden that will have milkweed as part of the flowerbed. And Burlington now has a bylaw enforcement officer who knows much more about milkweed now than he did a week ago.
This whole mess was the result of a phone call someone made to the bylaw enforcement office complaining about the milkweed.
Nicoll explains that “milkweed started to grow, probably a throwback to when this land I live on was farmed. I’ve also purchased milkweed and over the past decade or so and all of it has done quite well. This is a particularly good year.”
Ward 2 Councillor and candidate for Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “You did it everyone! Based on your advocacy, research, information, city staff listened and will be bringing a bylaw forward in September to remove milkweed from “weed” list to allow it to be grown.
“Well done to all!! In the meantime, the bylaw on milkweed will not be enforced. Tweet from city of Burlington: “City staff have drafted a new lot maintenance bylaw affecting tall grass and weeds. The draft bylaw goes to Council in September and will align with the provincial Weed Control Act. Until then, the city will not enforce the removal of milkweed.”
In electronic communication with Nicoll we learned more about how she approaches life. “you should know I’m also active in ending gendered violence, an ally for Indigenous Nations and Peoples, as well as working to end hunger and poverty. All of these issues are intertwined.
 Doreen Nicoll – Burlington actionist. “I also like to be called an actionist — a term I am borrowing from Mike Nagy chair of the Wellington Water Watchers.
As Mike told me in an interview, “All it takes to be defined as an acitvist is to write a letter or contact your MP or simply ask for better health care. But, over the decades the term has too often become associated with negative connotations.” The difference is I learn about the issue, take action, follow-up, and rarely if ever give up.”
Our kind of woman.
The original news story.
By Hillary Walker
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Online poker has gained incredible popularity, with thousands of players from all over the world competing with each other in so-called poker rooms. Many of them are in search of a quality gambling portal known for its brand promotions, credibility, secure financial flow, quality gameplay, and modern online poker software. Therefore, if you are dreaming of opening an online poker platform, gaming software is the first thing you should consider.
It is poker software what sets such a great gaming atmosphere in an online gambling platform, making each participant feel like he is at a real table. In order to establish that inspiring atmosphere, it is necessary to select a company for poker platforms software development in a responsible manner.
At this point, you may have a lot of questions: where to start, which programs for poker exist and how to find a professional company, etc.
What Stands Behind Poker Software Development?
If you still desire to have an online poker room, then your the next step will be creating software for a gaming portal. There are many options to choose from: Delphi, Java, C ++, React – all may qualitatively serve the purpose. At the later stage, you will need to certify a gambling activity of your organization not to be fined or criminally liable. However, if you are hiring a professional company to develop a gaming software, you will get a consultation from an expert in the industry.
 How Much Will You Pay for Online Poker Software?
The question of financial investments is among the most popular ones; it should be understood that a good poker room requires serious investments. Fixed amount will be necessary for the purchase of a good software.
On top of that, you will need to get a license and invest into the technical side of the issue. If there is even the slightest chance that the work of the website infringes quality standards at one time, no one will certify such a project. It is necessary to think in advance how you will develop your business and maintain its activities.
Tournaments to Be Supported in a Poker Room
Apart from regular online poker games, it is also important to support tournaments in an online poker room.
Qualitative software must contain a package the following types of tournaments:
● Regular championships held at a certain time;
● Sit’n’Go (time-out tournaments that are held once the gaming table is full);
● Heads-up (duel where only two players participate);
● Freerolls (tournaments with free participation).
If you strive to have a platform for playing poker, there is always a chance to purchase the entire software package and save yourself from troubles. Hiring a professional company, you can get high-quality and advanced solutions for building a strong and highly competitive business.
An RNG certified platform will help you develop your business in the shortest term and take an honorable place in the market.
By Staff
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The $11.4 million expansion of the Joseph Brant Museum will add 14,000 square feet that includes four exhibit halls, two multi-purpose rooms, a lobby, shop, resource centre and storage for over 25,000 artifacts and historical treasures. The plan is to have “blockbuster” exhibitions from around the globe.
We have been waiting for news on what the first travelling exhibit at the transformed Joseph Brant Museum would be about.
 First exhibit at the transformed Joseph Brant Museum is going to focus on pin ball machines. Something relevant to the community for certain – right?
Something that had at least a bit of an historical tinge to it.
Something unique perhaps?
The new is that the first travelling exhibit will involve pinball machines and rock ‘n’ roll!!
Yeah! Many people were afraid of something like this.
 It was Dan Laurie’s idea and his willingness to put up $37,000+ of his own money that started the a process that ended with a piece of public art being unveiled outside the Performing Arts Centre. On the positive side – the Gazette has learned that Dan Lawrie intends to commission a statue of Joseph Brant. Nothing more in the way of details – it’s a great idea.
 Spiral Stella. Lawrie was one of the moving forces behind the installation of the Spiral Stella outside the Performing Arts Centre.
The Museum plans to host travelling exhibits from across North America.
Construction is on schedule and the museum will re-open next summer.
By Staff
July 5th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The PGA (Professional Golf Association) is the organizer of the main professional golf tours played primarily by men in the United States and North America
The PGA Tour is being hosted by the Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville- July 20-30, 2018
First Services Hospitality Inc. is handling the staffing and they need people for the following positions:
 Runners/Cart Driver
Bartenders/Cocktails Servers
Buffet/Bussers
Concession Workers
Kitchen (Cooks, Prep, dishwashers)
Staffing details:
Runners/Cart Driver must be able to lift 50lbs and have a clean valid driver’s licence.
Bartenders/Cocktails Servers/ must have Smart Serve certification and enjoy working with the public
Buffet/Bussers- Food safe is an asset
Concession Workers- Food safe is an asset and Smart Serve for some stands required where alcohol is served.
Kitchen (Cooks, Prep, dishwashers) food safe required.
Dishwashers must be able to work in a fast paced environment. Must be able to work as part of a team.
Administrative Supervisor- must have knowledge of the Oakville area, telephone skills, and background in food and beverage, able to work independently or as part of a team. More details at time of interview.
STEP #1.
Send your resume ahead of time to fshstaffing@gmail.com In the subject line put the “position” you are applying for plus- “RBC PGA – The Centre”. (Wage rate is based upon experience and position)
STEP #2.
Show up to meet us for a face-to-face interview on Thursday July 19th between 12 and 3pm at The Centre’s Oakville Employment Services 465 Morden Road, Oakville. Suite 109
These are full time/part time temporary positions.
Rates paid are determined by the work being done and your experience.
These are great summer jobs.
By Doreen Nicoll
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
In 2004 I had the grass in my very tiny front yard removed and a very low wall erected to contain my new garden. Originally, I planted native, heritage plants, most of them edible and all of them able to survive on rain water alone.
Over the years there have been plenty of transitions. Some plants thrive for years only to suddenly decline or disappear and be replaced by a completely different variety. This was survival of the fittest playing out in my garden thanks to the effects of climate change.
During that time, milkweed started to grow, probably a throwback to when this land I live on was farmed. I’ve also purchased milkweed and over the past decade or so and all of it has done quite well. This is a particularly good year.
 Milkweed – din dins for the Monarch butterfly and a native plant in Burlington resident Doreen Nicoll’s garden.
But, this is also the year that I discovered that Burlington, Ontario considers milkweed, the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on, a weed that must be destroyed or removed.
On Friday, June 29, 2018, I returned from work to find a Notice of Violation on my front door. The notice stated that I was in contravention of By-law #12-2011 Part 3 3.1(b), which states, “Every owner of property shall ensure that grass and ground cover is trimmed or cut to a height of 20 centimeters (8 inches) or less and shall ensure weeds are removed or destroyed between May 1 and October 15 each calendar year.”
The Notice of Violation stated the require action was, “Remove or destroy milkweeds from front yard abutting the sidewalk and adjacent property” within seven days. So, by Thursday, July 5.
Again, let me be clear that my milkweeds are growing on my property and not on city land and definitely are not invading a neighbouring property.
 A Monarch butterfly – is that a milkweed plant in the background? So, I began contacting local environmentalists to see if there were any alternative solutions. I did this because trimming milkweed to the required height of 8 inches or less means that the tops of the plants containing all of the leaves, which are home to valuable monarch eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis, would be removed and that would have devastating results.
A very wise environmentalist, who wished to remain anonymous, told me about the time her neighbour reported her for growing milkweed in her naturalized garden. It seems the neighbour wanted the city to force this woman to grow grass instead of flowers.
Well, when she showed the by-law officer her receipt from a local nursery for the purchase of the offending plants she was told that everything was okay because clearly a nursery would not sell weeds to the public. The Notice of Violation was withdrawn.
So, in this time of the Suzuki foundation selling milkweed, documentaries like Metamorphosis showcasing school children planting milkweed to encourage the proliferation of monarch butterflies, and people being encouraged to cut back or stop all together watering lawns and gardens, I am perplexed why the City of Burlington is insisting I destroy this native plant that’s imperative to the lifecycle of monarch butterflies.
Here’s a thought, as we’re entering a municipal election this fall: why not make milkweed an election issue?
Monarchs deserve our protection, as does the water that’s wasted every summer on keeping grass green and non-native species blooming all summer long.
I would argue you don’t even have to live in Burlington or Halton to voice your opinion, because monarchs and water affect everyone across the province and country.
I encourage you to make your voice heard. Tell the City of Burlington, Ontario that you value native plants like milkweed, which nurture valuable monarch butterflies and survive on local rain water.
Here’s a list of email addresses so you can share your thoughts on this matter:
Mayor Rick Goldring mayor@burlington.ca
Councillor Marianne Mead Ward (who is running for Mayor) marianne.meedward@burlington.ca
Councillor Rick Craven rick.craven@burlington.ca
Councillor John Taylor john.taylor@burlington.ca
Councillor Jack Dennison Jack.Dennison@burlington.ca
Councillor Paul Sharma paul.sharman@burlington.ca
Councillor Blair Lancaster blair.lancaster@burlington.ca
After all, isn’t a weed simply a flower growing in what suburban society mistakenly believes is ‘the wrong place?’ Tell that to the monarchs.
What Ms Nicoll may not realize is that in Burlington by laws are enforced on a responsive basis. By law enforcement officer do not go looking for bylaw violations – they get complaint calls and they go out and investigate.
Someone fingered Ms Nicoll.
 Doreen Nicoll, a Burlington resident, is a feminist and a member of several community organizations working diligently to end poverty, hunger and gendered violence. She writes regularly for Raise the Hammer, a Hamilton community based on-line publication where this article first appeared.
 By Ray Rivers
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Shouldn’t a conservative by definition be one who practices conservation? Despite any word association, today’s popular conservatism is more akin to reactionary-ism – the impossible dream of winding the clock back to those good old days. But none of us is going to be able to recreate the glaciers and ice packs lost to global warming, nor roll back the oceans to levels where they were when the post war generation was coming of age.
 Bill Davis: saved farm land with Ontario’s first experiment in green belting, and was a major force behind stopping acid rain. Bill Davis was a conservative but he was determined to restore the Great Lakes, to save farm land with Ontario’s first experiment in green belting, and to stop acid rain. And Brian Mulroney won accolades from environmental organizations for promoting sustainable development and raising concerns about climate change. These were the last real progressive conservatives.
When the US government set out to eliminate lead in gasoline back in the seventies they adopted cap and trade. Cap and trade was invented by a U of Toronto economist in the sixties. The technique is considered business friendly and the single most efficient (least costly) way to achieve an environmental regulation.
The phaseout of lead exceeded everyone’s expectations, taking the lead out ahead of schedule and at far less cost than anticipated. The same kind of results were achieved when cap and trade was applied to the US acid rain program in the 90’s, reducing sulphur emissions from power plants faster and at less cost than imagined. These programs had been developed by Republican administrations in the USA. Generally, conservatives favour market instruments over intrusive regulatory ‘command and control’ approaches when it comes to the environment.
 He just didn’t like taxes of any kind and suggested using regulations – command and control The Harris conservative government had implemented a cap and trade program for smog pollutants from the electricity sector back in the early 2000’s, though it suffered from a number of design issues, and became redundant once the province phased out coal as an energy source. Cap and trade works best when there are a large number of entities involved in trading, which is why Quebec and California had been chosen to partner in Ontario’s program.
Economists are used to saying: bygones are bygones, and so cap and trade is now history in Ontario. Nevertheless killing the program, and doing so mid-year, is problematic. For one thing the province will surely be obligated to return the almost $3 billion Ontario businesses paid for their carbon allowances this year. And, since this was a multi-year program, we might be on the hook to return the previous year’s money as well.
 Few fully understand how cap and trade programs work. The idea was created bu a Canadian economist at the University of Toronto. They are effective ad have been around for a long time. It is unclear whether the abrupt and unilateral cancellation of our emissions trading arrangements with trade partners in Quebec and California will result in breach of faith and possible law suits. Clearly any trades of Ontario allowances or credits to businesses in those jurisdictions are now worthless, so we’ll see.
And Ontario will end up with a new carbon tax imposed by the federal government, which will be far more expensive than the previous estimated 4.3 cents per litre cost of cap and trade. The good news for Ontario residents is that while we’ll have to pay a carbon tax, all that money will be returned to us in some form. The bad news for Ontario’s new premier is that his government is not likely to have any access or control over it.
 Don’t expect the federal government to be stupid enough to give the proceeds from a carbon tax to a premier who is unwilling to do anything to help the country meet its global climate commitments. The BC government returns most of its provincial carbon tax back to its residents through lower income taxes, making it a sort of revenue neutral tax. Although the feds have not disclosed how they will return Ontario’s carbon taxes, nobody expects them to be stupid enough to give it to a premier who is unwilling to do anything to help the country meet its global climate commitments, and somebody who is actually suing the feds about the tax.
And the only savings we might see from cancelling the cap and trade program would be Mr. Ford’s promised 4.3 cents at the pump. I wouldn’t count on it though because the oil companies have not yet confirmed they will reduce gas prices. Call that ten cent gas reduction the first casualty of Ford’s ‘chicken-in-every-pot’ election promise. Everyone knows you should not promise something you don’t control.
And he’ll have to break another election promise, about not firing anyone. Otherwise he’ll be paying salaries for those bureaucrats who used to manage cap and trade and those who administered the Green ON and other conservation programs funded by the revenues from cap and trade, to sit on their butts. No wonder nobody believes all the promises politicians make in an election campaign.
I saw former premier Mike Harris being interviewed during the recent PC leadership convention. He just didn’t like taxes of any kind and suggested using regulations – command and control – rather than a carbon tax. Well that made my soon-to-be buck-a-bottle beer start to curdle – just to hear Mr. Anti-Red-Tape proposing more… red tape.
But I’m not betting on Mr. Ford bringing in any regulations to curtail GHG emissions, let alone anything as bold as banning coal or as imaginative as cap and trade. You see, that would be progressive, and Mr.Ford is more the reactionary type of conservative. So don’t be surprised when he starts shutting down the EV charging stations, cancelling solar and wind electricity generating projects, and maybe even bringing back coal-fired electric power back to Ontario.
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, 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. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Ford Cancels Cap and Trade – Ontario Trading Partnerships – US Acid Rain Program
 By Staff
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
You didn’t think there wasn’t a price for all the free car gawking on Brant Street on Saturday did you?
There will be Downtown Car Show Road Closures
On Saturday, July 7, the fourth annual Burlington Downtown Car Show will take place on Brant Street, between Caroline Street and Lakeshore Road.
In order to meet the needs of the event, the following road closures will be in effect on July 7 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closures:
• Brant Street, between Caroline Street and Lakeshore Road
• Ontario Street and Elgin Street, between Locust Street and Brant Street
• James Street, between John Street and Brant Street
By Staff
July 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 TEC has done everything a community group can do to get support for their project. So far no one has come to their aid. The Tyendaga Environmental Coalition finally has a friend.
Vince Fiorito is prepared to do battle for the TEC people and their fight to have the value of their property maintained and not significantly downgraded when the bulldozers start mining for shale in the eastern most quarry of the site off King Road in Aldershot.
Meridian Brick has had a license since the early 70’s and have been taking shale out and manufacturing brick.
 Forterra Brick was the predecessor of re-named Meridian Brick. The graphic, courtesy of the Toronto Star shows where the residents live and where Meridian wants to mine for shale. The move into the eastern quarry has brought a problem that was always lurking in the background to the front page. TEC hasn’t been able to get any traction with either the Mayor, the ward Councillor or the MPP.
They all said that Meridian has a license and there was nothing they could do.
Fiorito sees this differently and said that one of his reasons for running in ward 1, which isn’t where he lives, is because there is a significant environmental issue in that ward. And if Fiorito is anything – he is a protector of the environment.
 Fiorito has been working at cleaning up ravines in the western part of Burlington – he now wants to work on a solution for everyone in the Tyendaga community where a brick manufacturing operation wants to cut down thousands of trees and begin mining for shale yards from their homes. “I think there is a win – win possible here and I will be committing myself to working for the interests of the residents who have major economic interest as does the brick manufacturer.”
“No one has managed to bring these two groups together and work on their joints interest” – every one has sided with the brick maker and forgotten the taxpayers” said Fiorito. “That isn’t fair” he added.
The TEC people want to interview Fiorito before they put their support behind him.
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