 By Staff
April 1, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
If the laws of supply and demand have any impact on the drug trade – expect to pay a little more to your preferred dealer – things have tightened up on the supply side.
On March 30th 2016, members of the Halton Regional Police, Oakville Street Crime Unit and Integrated Drug Gun and Gang Unit concluded an ongoing drug investigation
with the arrests of two Burlington residents. Investigators also executed search warrants at two addresses in North Burlington which resulted in the seizure of a
large quantity of drugs, and approximately $8000.00 in cash. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is as follows (photo attached)
Marihuana – $11,640.00,
Cocaine – $6,500.00,
Hash – $23,000.00,
Hash Oil – $180.00
 Police took possession of a decent amount o cash and a load of drugs. The following individuals were charged with various drug related offences and held
for bail hearings, they will appear in Milton Court on March 31st.
Douglas BROWNE, 43 years of Burlington.
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cannabis Resin)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking x 2 (Cocaine)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking x 2 (Hash)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking x 2 (Marihuana over 30 gms)
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (Proceeds)
Francisco ROSA, 45 years of Burlington.
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marihuana under 30 gms)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (Cocaine)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking ( Hash)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (Marihuana over 30 gms)
Police remind members of the public to report any illegal drug activity and utilize Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at
www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes)
 By Pepper Parr
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
They decided to call it a party rather than a meeting and made a good effort to give the Parks and Recreation Event Strategy workshop a different tone and feel.
 It worked – sort of. There was half an hour at the front end of the meeting (oops, party) for socializing that included an open cash bar (two bottles of beer and one soft drink were sold) and then into the Workshop.
The purpose was to get ideas and feed back on what the city’s event Strategy should be – what worked and what doesn’t work asked the facilitator and what would you like to see, what would your vision be even if the idea was not feasible or practical. This was an occasion for some blue sky thinking – they didn’t quite rise up to the challenge.
 Manager of Community Development Services, Denise Beard A year and a half or so ago Manager of Community Development Services, Denise Beard got to listen to James Dier at a conference – she was mesmerized. Within months Beard got Diers to an event in Burlington where he blew the socks off a lot of people and showed an approach to building community that had a lot of people excited and wanting more.
Those who worked closely with communities understood immediately what Diers was saying – it took others a little longer to “get it”.
When Diers made a presentation to a Committee of the Whole at Geraldo’s it was priceless to see the expressions on the faces of the buttoned down consultants. Diers is a very “in your face” advocate for what he calls “Neighbourhood Power”. He changed the way Seattle involved its neighbourhoods in figuring out what was needed at the street level.
Much of what we now see coming out of the Parks and Recreation department now is the result of the Dier’s approach.
 Staff tried to create a sense of a play party with gimmicks that could be used illustrate some of the creative ideas. He isn’t for everyone. He is loud, forthright and gets excited. He once threw a live chicken into the office of the Mayor of Seattle to make a point. Watching the look on Councillor Craven’s face as Diers got himself wound up while explaining a point set out the stark contract between the two men – and contrasted the difference between the way the ward 1 Councillor works with his constituents and how others involve their citizens.
It’s pretty clear that the Parks and Recreation people are going to follow as much of the Diers philosophy as they can. The Gazette will report in more detail the approaches Diers created and what Burlington can expect to see in the months ahead.
The Tuesday evening “party” was the first time Parks and Recreation staff had an opportunity to field test some of their ideas.
A Workbook was given to all the participants who gathered in groups of six to eight around tables that had all kinds of play toys – plasticine, coloured paper and markers and large sheets of butcher paper to draw plans on.
The questions put to the groups were focused on the current experience people had had on an event that took place:
 What did they think about the current experience ? What is your experience with events held on City property now?
What do you love?
Why?
What’s working well?
What bugs/concerns you? Why?
What keeps you from attending? What draws you to these events?
Each group of people beavered away at the questions and then reported back.
 This is what the facilitator gathered from the participants – the future of festivals and events as they saw them. Next up was Future Experiences:
Given the trends and increasing demand for festivals and events in Burlington, the Workbook outlined, what would you like the experience of attending Future events to feel like? Look like? Who would be attending?
• What should we continue to do?
• What should we stop doing?
• What should we start doing?
Again the different groups worked through their ideas and reported back and the results were put up on a huge banner.
The last session was Advice to the city:
The workbook set out criteria the City could use to help them select appropriate festivals and events to host on City property.
Those taking part, there were about 75 people taking part – they were asked to:
1. Take a look at the criteria and choose the ones that you feel the City should use. Why should they choose these ones?
2. Have a discussion at your table.
3. As a table, look at the criteria again and together choose the top five criteria
 This is what the facilitator heard the 75 + participant say – it wasn’t as imaginative as some had expected. What advice do you have on criteria for the downtown festivals/events? What advice do you have on criteria for the neighborhood festivals/events? What did you clearly agree on at your table?
What did you have difficulty agreeing on?
The criteria put before the participants for selecting events:
Type of Sports Events
One time event attracting out of town athletes
On-going community/local activity (e.g. house league)
Fee to Attend Event
Paid Admission
Supporting our Community
Healthy and greener City by ensuring healthy food and activity options, environmentally friendly practices, encourages modal split
Focus on local talent, food, businesses and organizations
Diverse types of events
Celebrates diversity in our community
Family friendly for all ages
Who and what type of events should we give preference to when we’re deciding on applications for festivals and events on City property? Choose your preference to the following:
Type of Host
For Profit
Non-profit
Charity
Preference for Hosts of Events
from Burlington
from outside Burlington
Purpose of events
Community Development – build sense of community
Economic Development – bring dollars into community.
The community level work being done was part of a larger exercise. The people at city hall had begun to rethink the city and it brand. The two biggest festival events the city holds – Sound of Music and Rib Fest have both taken place in the city for more than 20 years.
Are they getting stale?
Did they really portray what Burlington is in the minds of its citizens?
Have times changed and is it perhaps time to look at what the city permits on the waterfront space?
 The sand castle competition is no longer a summer event in Burlington. While there hasn’t been a big announcement – the sandcastle competition held in the Beachway part of the waterfront will not take place in 2016.
The debate over what should be done with the 25+ homes in the Beachway clouded the discussion over the several different parks that are going to be created on that stretch of land from the Joseph Brant Museum and the canal.
 Discussion at all of the tables was wide open and wide ranging – there were some that felt there should be stronger security and that the festivals intruded on life for those who lived downtown. Unfortunately the public is not all that involved in the design of that park – planners at the Regional level are putting together the ideas. It will be a couple of decades before anything significant appears.
The intellectual guru behind the thinking taking place within the Parks and recreation department – and make no mistake about this – the city has swallowed the Kool Aid – they are all in at this point on the Diers philosophy.
The challenge now is to get the citizens to the point where they begin to understand that Neighbourhood Power is the direction staff is going – the biggest part of their job is to get citizens to buy in and begin thinking aloud what they want their city to look like; what kind of events do they want to see in the public places?
The facilitator, who brought a different visual approach to the documenting of the data and the comments made, asked the audience to do some ”blue sky” thinking – to talk about their vision which may not be feasible, probably no very practical either – she just wanted them think bigger than they normally do
 Chris Glenn,Director of Parks and Recreation. There wasn’t all that much in the way of responses. One table thought more use should be made of the water – and hold water based events.
 They decided to go for the big photo op – just the one city Councillor attended – the Mayor popped in to make the opening remarks. Another comment was to have more focus on the city’s history and tell more about the veterans.
The biggest concern was traffic – getting out of an event when everyone was heading for the same exists at the same time. There were suggestions about using shuttle buses and holding alternative events that would be part of the larger festivals.
No mention was made of the hydro towers and the thought that is being given to burying them.
There was a member of Rotary in attendance and the Sound of Music had several of their big guns at several tables. They, along with Brian Dean, General manager of the Burlington Downtown Business Association chose to be in a listening mode for the most part.
The task now for the parks and recreation people is to pull together all the data and comments they have collected from the various stakeholders and community groups and prepare a recommendations report for city council.
Festivals and events are one part of the mix that get reflected in the Strategic Plan – document the city will make official later this month.
Then what?
 By Ray Rivers
April 1st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The question no one seems to be asking is whether Burlington really needs another waterfront pier. Sources distant from both the PM’s people and those of the Premier have indicated some kind of an announcement is forthcoming in the near future.
 Upon completion of pier number two will reach well into the lake The potential cost of this project could total close to four billion big ones and would be funded through a new infrastructure fund. “What better way to use our federal and provincial deficit money than to create new jobs, right here in Burlington,” one source was overheard mumbling.
The mayor has been very closed-lipped about this initiative. That may be because a former Burlington mayor had been thought to be working hard between the sheets to create this baby. And some baby it will be. A mega-motel, to be named after former city and regional counsellor Robert Bates, will anchor the attractions on this artificial piece of land reaching out into the middle of Lake Ontario.
 The ferris wheel on pier number 2 will be visible from Toronto. The project will also feature the largest ferris wheel in North America named in honour of the former Toronto mayor, whose brother Doug, had been promoting a similar icon to dot the Toronto skyline. Doug Ford, who always wanted to be known for, and as, a big wheel himself, couldn’t be reached for comment.
However, somebody on somebody’s staff noted that the Fords had always supported using somebody else’s money to move people around, so long as it didn’t get in the way of Toronto’s grid lock. In fact the former Toronto Councillor had hoped that the ferris-wheel could be directly connected to Toronto’s expanding subway system.
Stretching out two and a half kilometres into Lake Ontario the centrepiece of the structure will be a huge ferry docking station with access to planned ferry ports as distant as Oakville and Hamilton and the existing Burlington pier. There will be a 30-hectare amusement park on the water, which will include the ferris wheel and thirty-seven Tim Horton outlets. In addition plans may include a waterfront zoo featuring elephants, lions, penguins and other native Canadian wildlife.
Already, ribbon cutting is being projected to coincide with the 2018 Sound of Music festival which would see a switch in content to such classical pieces as Handel’s Water Music, rather than the heavy rock known to incite wave action. However, given the size of this project, the grand opening may have to be postponed once or twice – or several times.
 Land fill at the Burlington air park being trucked to the pier number two construction site. Land-fill for this massive project is expected to come from the levelling of Halton Conservation Area’s Rattle Snake Point. Rock climbing activity has severely eroded the rock face and Milton has been reported petitioning the provincial government and Green Belt commission to make way for even more residential housing in Canada’s fastest growing city. And besides the rattle snakes are all gone, the last one seen on March 17th.
Lawyers from around the problem are looking for a way to legally move the land fill on the air park property to the lakefront.
Not everyone will be pleased with this new development and you can be sure that the Burlington Gazette will be sued and have to shut down at least five or six times in the course of this project.
But the proponents are keen to see the pier built and even keener to give its ferris wheel a spin. They have been heard to say that they personally anticipate this to be a very rewarding venture.
Rumours abound about the siting of multi-unit condos as well, adding as many as fifty thousand new residents to the man-made peninsula.
And as is always the case with innovative ventures, even at this early stage, there are the critics.
 Steel for pier number two was imported from Mexico – the city took this retaliatory action when Hamilton refused to sell the Lasalle Park water lots at a reasonable price. Some folks can’t help but compare this initiative to what they saw as wasteful spending by the federal Conservatives in the wake of the 2009/10 recession and in preparation for the G20 summit. They cite the expensive network of sidewalks Tony Clement built in his rural northern riding which no one actually uses. And then there is the massive effort that went into constructing Canada’s sixth great lake – right there on the shores of Lake Ontario.
In the words of Burlington Gazette publisher, Pepper Parr, who is believed to be a strong proponent himself, despite his denials, “they pissed away all that money back then and got re-elected, so why not this, now? Besides how better to employ all our adopted Syrian refugees looking for work, and where better to offer them a place to live?”
 Rumours abound that the Gazette has been approached about locating its new international headquarters adjacent to the Bate’s motel complex. When asked to confirm that story, Parr responded that he couldn’t confirm or deny his involvement. “It would be like stabbing the mayor in the back,” he was heard to mutter before turning his head away to suppress a giggle.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Something special happens to Rivers on the first day of April each year.
Our apologies for his excesses.
Tweet @rayzrivers
Existing Pier
 By Pepper Parr
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
How do you build community? Doesn’t it just happen naturally? Apparently not – the city has adopted a policy that is intended to help people organize events that will pull people together for a common cause.
A house fire will always get everyone out on the street to watch the fire fighters – figuring out how to come up with something less extreme has resulted in what Burlington is calling a Community Investment Policy that provides funding for the holding of events.
In language that only a bureaucrat could write – here is that policy.
Purpose
Establish the principles and practices around how the City of Burlington will invest in our community.
Statement
The City of Burlington, (“City,”) believes that residents want to contribute to the quality of life in Burlington.
Residents have great ideas about how to create both vibrant neighbourhoods and/or communities and may require support from the City for implementation of initiatives.
The City provides support for these initiatives with one-time funding for events, programs or projects that build community capacity:
• To a registered not-for-profit corporation or a group of neighbours
• For areas within the geographic boundaries of the City of Burlington
• For projects, events and activities that occurs on City of Burlington property
• Program and services that benefit the residents of the City of Burlington and
• Organizations that do not receive any other financial support from the City of Burlington
 Scope:
This policy applies to not-for-profit groups or a group of neighbours that use City owned and managed property for the benefit of residents of the City and happens within the geographic boundaries of the City.
This policy does not include boards and agencies of the City, school board property, Halton Conversation lands or lands of the Region of Halton or organizations that currently receive funding from the City of Burlington.
Definitions
Corporation Refers to the Corporation of the City of Burlington.
Community Capacity Building A process that strengthens the relevance, responsiveness, effectiveness and resilience of organizations. For example, an event, a training session, a promotion campaign.
Community A group of people bound by common beliefs, values or interests, ethnicity or place of origin, geography or other self- identified commonality.
Events A one-off single activity, occurrence or celebration typically taking place over a concentrated period of time, such as a few hours.
Not-for-Profit Is a corporation that has articles of incorporation establishing the organization as a not-for-profit corporation
One-time funding Lump sum funding or funding that is phased out over a period no longer than three years.
The community can only apply every five years for Community Investment Funding.
Programs Refers to regularly scheduled activities (minimum once per week and 4 repetitions) of a recreational, sport, leadership development, art and cultural nature as defined by the departments Leisure Services Policy (e.g. structured programs, community leagues, camps).
Principles
The following principles are taken into consideration when investing in the community:
1. Community members want to contribute to their quality of life.
2. Community members have great ideas on how to enhance their quality of life in the public realm.
3. Community groups can be informal or organized (e.g. a group of neighbours on a street or a legally incorporated not-for-profit organization).
4. Community groups sometimes need financial assistance to launch a program, project or event and the City agrees to support with one-time funding, provided that the group is not receiving any other financial assistance from the City.
5. A community group can only receive funds once every five years.
6. The funding program (approvals, amounts) will be at the discretion of the Manager of Community Development Services as identified in the policy.
 EXCLUSIONS
• Properties governed under another body, agency or business (e.g. school board, board or agency)
• Private Property
• Individuals
• On-going financial support such as operating grants
• Organizations whose purpose is related to political or religious activity
• For-profit organizations
• Foundations
• Schools, hospitals and public agencies
• An activity or project that conflicts with existing City policy
Annual fundraising events/projects
• Organizations or groups of individuals organizing an event, program, project or activity that is in furtherance of a position either for or against an issue over which the City is a regulator or may have a legal interest
• An event, program, project or activity that conflicts with City policies, Council decisions or directions
Policy Guidelines
There are two streams for funding
Community Capacity Building Projects*
Application Period Accepted at any time Accepted once a year
Review Team Community Development Section with subject matter experts as required Cross department team to review feasibility of the proposal. May evolve to include community members as neighbourhood committees are developed
Review Period Once per month Three months
Criteria for Review
• Completeness of the application including organization/event budget
• Meets the eligibility criteria requirements
• Demonstrates need
• Linkage with the City’s strategic plan • Completeness of the application
• Meets the eligibility criteria requirements
• Linkage with the City’s strategic plan
• Will provide a public benefit
• Demonstrated community interest
• Feasibility
• Demonstrates on-going maintenance and upkeep
• Ability of the community match the financial contribution from the City
• Realistic budget
Implementation Project must be completed within one year. Project must be completed within one year of the contract
In the setting of the 2016 budget city council did approve funding for the project. There have been about 15 – maybe 20 projects.
Next week we will write about several of those projects and get some sense of what works and what doesn’t work from a citizen’s point of view. The funding allocation for neighbourhood projects is set at $300 which some people feel isn’t quite enough.
Denise Beard, Manager, Community Development Services, has a target of having 150 projects on the go in the city during 2017 – the year that Canada celebrates its sesquicentennial – this country came into being 150 years ago.
It is a brave target – let’s see how it works!
 By Bob Wood
March 31, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
This article isn’t for everyone – it gives you a look at the way city council and its citizens used to go at each other. When writer Bob Wood completes the telling of this tale we will pass it along to you.
Citizens, developers and many municipalities have called for it to be dismantled. The Ontario government has given a big “No” to that notion.
Ted McMeekin, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, told CBC last week that “we need a body like the OMB because sometimes people break the rules.”
So, McMeekin’s Ministry is going to review the OMB with an eye to reform it by foiling those rule breakers. McMeekin is looking for ideas.
He’ll get no help from me. I ought to have an opinion but my views are a bit muddled. That’s likely because I’ve become far too familiar with a long ago OMB hearing. That hearing dealt with an attempt by a developer to put a McDonald’s restaurant in Parkwood Plaza at the corner of Kenwood and Lakeshore in south east Burlington. There were three OMB hearings for that event.
 Would the community fight the location of a fast food outlet today? The residents spent more than $350,000 in legal fees and those were 1980 dollars At the end of the third hearing a resident’s group was successful in blocking this inappropriate use of a small plaza. Their success came thirty-six years ago this Friday (April 1, 1980).
Burlingtonians are patiently awaiting a decision on the Councillor Dennison appeal of a Burlington Committee of Adjustment decision to not allow a property severance he was seeking. The hearing took place more than nine months ago.
There is a second OMB appeal that has many in Burlington interested – that being the appeal the ADI Development Group took to what they called a refusal on the part of the city to make a decision on their development application to put up a 26 storey tower on the corner of Martha and Lakeshore Road.
After giving the city a bit of a bum’s rush on their original application – Adi then asks the OMB officer hearing their appeal to postpone the actual hearing while they talk to the city about how an additional piece of property they recently purchased is going to fit into their development.
This stuff does get complex.
The seven year battle details some of the barriers residents faced in trying to cover the costs of an OMB appeal.
Some of the Cast of Characters
Jim Ryan – east end resident and frequent spokesperson for residents. Later elected as City Alderman for Ward 8.
The Committee Against The Establishment of a Restaurant in Parkwood Plaza (CAERPP) – residents’ group.
Herman Turkstra – well known lawyer and former Member of the City of Hamilton Board of Control.
Doug Brown – Solicitor for the City of Burlington.
Joan Allingham – Chair of Council’s Development. Perhaps better known now as Joan Little, columnist for the Hamilton Spectator.
Dalewest Construction – Owner of Parkwood Plaza.
For many years the City of Burlington’s Community Services Committee had convened a January meeting to consider funding requests. Typically, the requests came from recreational, sports or cultural groups.
Three sessions of the committee would be held in 1979 to look at 35 requests totalling $386,164.
The January’s meeting of that committee was to consider a request from a resident’s group. The Committee Against The Establishment of a Restaurant in Parkwood Plaza (CAERPP): they wanted help to foot a portion of their legal bills.
After an in camera meeting the Committee determined in a 3-2 vote that CAERPP should receive $7,500 for their legal costs.
This was a first – a request from a citizen’s group fighting a development proposal.
Mayor Roly Bird, who had been recently elected, defended the decision to fund the citizen’s group saying: “We have been given to understand that the city’s case will be greatly enhanced by their continued participation.”
Bird proposed a $7,500 grant as a compromise after an earlier motion for more money by Alderman Linda Pugsley had failed, receiving support of only one other member of the committee, Walter Mulkewich of Ward One.
Mayor Bird was known as a man of strong opinions. So there must have been many surprised citizens when six days later he had a different one.
Bird told Council that “a number of advisers” he had in the in the city told him they did not support paying the residents’ lawyer.
“I don’t feel the city’s case and the residents’ case will be that much jeopardized by the non-participation of their legal person.”
A strange statement indeed. Bird continued: “We have to ask is this the City’s fight.”
With that Council rejected the position of its Administration Committee.
Ward 8 City Alderman Bill O’Connell called Council’s position “pitiful.”
Other Council members claimed that if the City joined with CAERPP they could expose the city to legal action.
“The City could have been liable for many thousands of dollars for last revenues by Dalewest and McDonald’s,” Jim Grieve claimed.
Others, like Joan Allingham and Rob Forbes disagreed that such an opinion had been offered.
On becoming aware of the City’s rejection of financial support for his group, Jim Ryan had sharp words.
“The mayor indicated that the city is well qualified to handle the situation. Maybe we’ll just let them handle it.”
 City Council chamber decor hasn’t changed all that much. The picture of the Queen has been replaced by the city crest. And there are a lot more council members at that table Ryan went on: “I wish I had as much confidence in them. They blew it last time and they’ll blow it again. They don’t have the specialized expertise McDonald’s and Dalewest have.”
What now? Alderman O’Connell thought that the residents would end their fight.
The residents convened the night after Council’s decision. “It was a hell of a blow,” Ryan told the Spectator.
The committee had already accumulated $13,000 in legal bills and the meter was still running. What fundraising opportunities were still open to them? More garage sales, dances?
“That’s a hell of a lot of dancing and garage sales,” said Ryan to the idea of raising $8,000 more.
The group decided that a lottery could bring in money and be an indication of broader community support. CAERPP members began to sell tickets for a Valentine’s Day draw. First prize would be $500.
The Committee knows they need lawyer Herman Turkstra, who they had engaged a year earlier.
While the City’s position was similar to the residents, the city’s lawyer can’t really represent the residents’ interests.
“We need our own solicitor. To be successful, the city needs our lawyer,” Ryan asserted. It wasn’t just Ryan who felt this way.
Alderman O’Connell talked to city solicitor Doug Brown and came away feeling the City has little hope. “If the residents pull out we might as well forget it.”
As lottery tickets were being sold speculation continued as to what the City should do. The Burlington Post editorialized that if sufficient funds were not raised in the lottery the city had to make a choice. Would they mount an effective opposition to McDonald’s/Dalewest and could it present the necessary arguments “without leaving itself open to future confrontation?”
he Post seemed to think that this was about property values. In their view, the city would put itself in a bad spot if it argued that putting a McDonald’s in the plaza would lower property values. The Post misunderstood the issue as did many citizens then and now. While residents are concerned about such things as property values, the OMB and municipal planning in general are not.
But the residents had no intention of giving up. Perhaps other Burlington observers thought as much. “There was no intimation we’d drop out, even if we had to go without our solicitor,” said Ryan.
Advertisements for the continuation of the hearing ran in the Post on the same day that another story broke. Now the province was going to review the legality of CAERPP’s lottery. Lawyers for Dalewest Construction had written the Ontario Lottery Corporation (OLC) claiming that the lottery had contravened Ontario’s regulations.
Don Speight, assistant to the director of the OLC, said that a lottery must be for charitable purposes. It must go for relief of the poor, the advancement of education or religion or “any purpose that is of benefit to the community.”
While the OLC’s investigation was going on, lottery organizers were told not to spend any of the lottery’s proceeds. CAERPP had put down $14 for the licence in November although there were some questions about it at the time.
 Doug Brown was the city solicitor during the seven year citizen’s battle to prevent a McDonalds from being located in the east end plaza. “When they first came to me I was not prepared to issue a licence,” claimed City Clerk Don Briault. But City Solicitor Doug Brown said it was legal.
Three thousand, two hundred and thirty-two (3,232) one dollar tickets had been sold to people who, Ryan said, bought the tickets to help with the legal bills. From Ryan’s perspective the draw was legal because the city had licensed it, Dalewest’s complaint could result in the money being handed over to a charity. People would be angry.
“They did not donate to a charity or a religious organization, they donated to cover our legal expenses,” said Ryan.
With the OLC studying the matter one might have expected silence from government officials. Not so. A spokesman for the Ministry of Consumer and Corporate Relations told the Burlington Post that the lottery was probably illegal.
“Let’s face it. I’ve never heard of a lottery licence being issued to a group espousing a political viewpoint,” said Ed Ciemigap whose department was apparently exploring legal precedents.
Turkstra was incredulous that none of the parties involved in the determination of the lottery issue had contacted the residents.
“The Ministry seem to have the idea the (citizens) group is engaged in a political process. What they are doing is supporting the position of the City.”
Soon (March 21st) the Attorney General’s office told the Post that the chances of CAERPP being charged were fairly remote.
“Presumably Turkstra and his clients have nothing to worry about,” Julian Polika ventured.
And that is as far as Bob Wood, who grew up not far from the Parkwood Plaza. He hopes to have the whole story complete later in the spring.
Editor’s note: Bob Wood is working on the completion of this story. Things don’t change all that much in local politics – do they? Developers still do whatever they think they can do to get their projects completed.
And where is city council when it comes to supporting the citizens; there are a few in North Burlington that would like to see the city being proactive on their side over the dumping of land fill on the air park property.
 By Staff
March 30, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
CogecoTV has announced they will be broadcasting the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) South-West Conference Final live in its entirety from Georgetown and Burlington
The Georgetown Raiders and Burlington Cougars will be facing off against each other in the South-West Conference Final for the Buckland Cup. The Raiders knocked off the North York Rangers in the semi-finals. The Burlington Cougars who finished last year 2nd last in the league won in a deciding game 7 last night against the Oakville Blades.
 Long-time CogecoTV sports producer Brad Scott stated “We are very excited to bring our viewers and fans of the OJHL this Conference Championship. We cover our Halton teams on a regular basis with our game coverage on the OJHL Tonight as well as our weekly program OJHL Rinkside. This Conference Championship will be action packed and the Halton rival will add fuel to our broadcasts.”
 The Conference Championship will be available to Cogeco customers on channel 14/700HD in Milton/Georgetown and channel 23/700HD in Burlington/Oakville. It will also be available to cable customers across Ontario on the Super Sports Pak (channels will vary). Schedule for this series to be confirmed – check tvcogeco.com for schedule updates.
 By Staff
March 30, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Drinking Water Systems Flow Summary Report for 2015 that Regional Council was given earlier this month said that all 11 of Halton’s water systems achieved scores of 100 per cent on inspections conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change in 2015.
 The water from your tap is just as safe as bottled water. “Regular monitoring of our drinking water protects public health and ensures public
confidence in our water supply,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “Keeping our
drinking water safe is a shared responsibility and our ReThink Water program
encourages residents to enjoy our high-quality water and be aware of how to protect
our source water resources.”
This summary report on Halton’s municipal drinking water systems is prepared and
provided to Council annually to address regulatory requirements as set out by the
Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002. Halton operates 11 drinking water systems governed by
four municipal drinking water licenses, all of which achieved scores of 100 per cent on inspections conducted by the Ministry in 2015. Inspectors did not note any
regulatory compliance issues related to water quality over the past year.
Halton’s highly-qualified and licensed employees perform regular testing to make sure the Region’s water supply consistently meets or exceeds provincial
water-quality standards. From time to time, we are aware that residents are approached by sales people claiming that Halton’s water in unsafe to drink and that
they should purchase water filtration equipment.
However, residents should be confident that their drinking water is of the highest quality and no additional
filtration systems are needed in their homes.
 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The difference this year is that the transit people will be at the Burlington for Accessible, Sustainable Transit (BFAST) second annual Transit Users’ Forum, which gets underway this Saturday, April 2, from 9:30AM to 12:00 noon at the Central Library.
Last year they were missing in action.
 Seniors discussing what the transit system does for them – has anything changed since this event last year? Eight community organizations have combined efforts to sponsor the Forum that has announced it will be issuing a report card on Burlington Transit’s performance based on areas identified as priorities by last year’s gathering. Nearly 100 people attended in 2015.
Mayor Rick Goldring and Councilor’s Marianne Meed Ward and Paul Sharman have accepted invitations to attend this year’s event. Burlington Transit will also have a representative.
A free continental breakfast will be provided between 9:30 and 10:00 AM.
“The objective of this forum is to provide an opportunity for Burlington Transit users to describe their riding experience and to provide their views on how the system should be improved,” says Doug Brown, chair of Burlington for Accessible, Sustainable Transit. .”It will be an opportunity for transit users and transit advocates to meet and discuss potential strategies for improving transit and special transit.”
 Mayor Goldring, checking the bus schedule on his Smart phone while Joey Edwardh looks on – not certain the Mayor knows what he is doing. Due to construction on New Street, Burlington Transit is providing special shuttle buses between the Central Library and the Downtown Bus Terminal both before and after the meeting. Consult bfastransit.ca or the Burlington Transit website at burlington.ca/en/services-for-you/Burlington-Transit.asp for more details.
The co-sponsoring organizations are as follows:
Burlington for Accessible Sustainable Transit (BFAST)
Burlington Age-Friendly Seniors Council (BAFSC)
Burlington Green
Canadian Federation of University Women – Burlington
Community Development Halton
Halton Environmental Network (HEN)
Poverty Free Halton
Voices for Change – Burlington (VFCH)
Why is transit always seen as something for poor people? Those with income limitations don’t own a vehicle and they depend on public transit – but ta the same event last year there were a number of people with good jobs in Toronto who depended on transit to get them to the GO station and they talked candidly and appreciatively about the quality of the transit service and how it had been able to make those small changes at work for them.
 A “selfie” the Mayor published on an occasion when he created a photo op by taking the bus to work. Where was his communications adviser when this was released? Modern buses with schedules that meet the needs of as many people as possible and don’t undergo changes all the time will draw a clientele that becomes loyal. We could stop framing transit as something people with limited means need – and position it as something that meets the transportation needs of a bigger cohort.
And if the politicians can stop using the occasions when they do take a bus as more than a photo op and become regular users – we will have come some distance. You weren’t holding your breath were you?
 By Staff
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
We goofed.
A number of people wrote to tell us that both Test Kitchen locations have been closed for a number of months: Clearly we don’t get out as much as we’d like. We apologize for the incorrect information – which doesn’t take away from the fact that it was the place to be. Something was seriously wrong with the business model – but the mood and the food were both great. Let’s give them credit for giving it at go.
 Were things on Brant Street ever really vibrant? One reader commented: “That you used Test Kitchen as an example of success for the downtown is telling: Test Kitchen is out of business for both its Burlington locations. There does not seem to be a comprehensive plan to qualify, attract, and retain businesses that build an “environment” that makes downtown Burlington distinctive. At times, it seems that the city and major event planners are actively hostile towards the downtown business community.
A recent example was the Chilly Half Marathon where a McDonald’s truck was sampling free coffee in the downtown core. I am sure that Coffee Culture, The Village Perk (now out of business) Lakeshore Coffee House, and Tamp Coffee were happy that a corporate behemoth was given the exposure.
Maybe it is foreshadowing who is taking over the Second Cup location? Perhaps Burlington can take a lesson from the BIA of Corning, NY. Not a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds within the boundary of the core.
While the rest of the town is struggling the downtown is truly “vibrant.” An inverse of what is seems to be happening here.
And just what is happening here? We will see what we can learn.
 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of people write to tell us that both Test Kitchen locations have been closed for a number of months: Clearly we don’t get out as much as we’d like. We apologize for the incorrect information – which doesn’t take away from the fact that it was the place to be. Something was seriously wrong with the business model – but the mood and the food were both great. Let’s give them credit for giving it at go,
The Finance Department advised the Community and Corporate Services Committee of the 2016 Proposed Budget and Tax Levy for the Burlington Downtown Business Improvement Area
The levy for 2016 will amount to $728,000.
Are the retail people within the BDBA boundaries getting value for the money?
 Brian Dean, top toff at the Downtown Business Association was out drumming up business for those of his members that took part in the Red Bag Sale. The BDBA is mandated to improve the downtown core and make it a place where retail and service operations can prosper; to market the downtown core as a place that people will want to go to for hospitality, entertainment and shopping.
How well did it do that job in 2015? Not all that well.
Those who concern themselves with the downtown part of the city give the word vibrant one heck of a workout.
And there are occasions when the downtown core is vibrant – but the event that brings about the vibrancy, the buzz, and the excitement has precious little to do with BDBA events.
 Good crowds – but they aren’t shoppers. How often is Brant Street shut down for events that harm the retailers? Sound of Music, RibFest, the really neat old car rally that took place, the Amazing Bed Race – those were events put on by other organizations and they all had people strolling along Brant street – did the event pull any business into the retail outlets? Don’t think they did.
There was an interesting promotional event put on by the Yellow Pages people – it looked like they got more benefit out of the event than the merchants who took part.
The most significant failure on the part of the BDBA is the way they dress up (or rather fail to dress up) the store fronts during the Christmas season.
 East side of Brant Street 10 days before Christmas 2013. It has been desperately dismal the past two years. A number of the major retailers on Brant Street don’t spend a dime on making their stores look festive.
Oakville does superb job and Milton is pretty good.
There are some retailers who are not on Brant Street who do a very nice job of decorating their windows; some of the retailers on the side street also make a real effort – but there isn’t a collective push – an occasion when the lights come on and the place looks inviting.
To add to the sorry situation – city hall doesn’t look as good as it could.
Where one does see that sense that Christmas has come is when the light go on in Spencer Smith Park – there are almost too many displays.
Talk with the members of the BDBA and you will hear less than complimentary comments from the association leadership. The negative remarks come from the members of the association that make that extra effort.
Retail is a tough business – for those that set up their shops along Brant Street – it is not easy and they need all the help they can get.
 A restaurant that set up a “popup” patio that increased his capacity and brought something interesting and different to Brant Street. will there be another one this summer? Shopping is an experience, dining out can is an experience. And there are places in Burlington that are delightful experiences. Get into the Test Kitchen on Brant and be prepared for an experience. The prices are close to unbelievably decent and the place is usually packed.
The pure retail operations have to rely on the quality and price point of their inventory but most important – the level of service.
There is a dry cleaner in the small mall on Brant Street that bends over backwards for her clients. The family are immigrants and they work hard. One could bet dollars to donuts that they have never heard of the BDBA and that the organization does very little if anything for them.
The budget that was put forward and approved in principle by council had some stress lines that didn’t get much in the way of attention.
The BDBA had to draw down $10,000 from their reserve in 2015 and will draw down an additional $10,000 in 2016. At some point that well goes dry.
 The association boundaries were expanded in 2015 bringing in a large automotive dealer that knows something about marketing – they might have some impact on a lackluster BDBA marketing program. The boundaries for the BDBA were extended in 2015 – that doesn’t seem to have had any impact – perhaps it needs some time to work itself into the way things get done.
And that may be the problem with the BDBA – the way thigs get done.
Council didn’t ask a single question of the BDBA delegation that was on hand to speak to their 2016 budget. It seems that having to dip into a reserve two years in a row is just the way things are done.
Mix that in with the overuse of the word “vibrant” and you just might have a train wreck in the making.
 Well over one third of the budget is for staff and administration – that $155,000 isn’t explained. Is this a healthy budget going forward. The levy of $728,000, is an increase of $14,610 or 2.0% over 2015. Overall, expenses have increased by $24,610 or 3.3%. Key expenditure increases for the BDBA’s 2016 work plan include enhanced investment in marketing, reinvestment in business recruitment services and sponsorship for the Burlington Comedy Festival. Additional revenues of $10,000 from the BIA Reserve Fund to balance the budget.
 By Pepper Parr
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The city is bedeviled with what to do about parking – there are those who feel a parking spot is supposed to open up for them in exactly the place they want to put their vehicle. Many seem blind to the impact their vehicles have on the environment and even though they have more disposable income than they could possibly spend they howl over the cost of parking.
 There are times when you can’t get a parking spot at the Mapleview Mall where there are acres of parking space. Is there a solution? We need one. The city has two malls –one with fields of parking that are covered in asphalt that creates significant storm water management problems. The city owns more than half a dozen parking lots plus a multi-storey tower downtown that is rarely full. Developers are putting up structures for people who may well not require the amount of space the city rules require them to build – but the rules are the rules.
 Could we begin freeing up some space and creating spots for just these little guys? Many of the cars on the road these days are not as big – two could fit in the parking spots now underground but the rules don’t permit much flexibility.
The city has thousands of homes with garages – but residents complain about parking space because their garage is used as storage or a workshop.
The city does have some issues with parking – the biggest of which is public attitude.
The department of transportation is holding an Open House to gather public opinion as they work towards a major review of what the parking standards should be for the city.
Vito Tolone, the recently appointed Director of Transportation, has been around parking most of his municipal career – he knows what he is talking about. He does get a little excited at times during presentations but if you listen to him and pay attention to what he has to say – you will find he is usually right.
This project he is overseeing with the aid of the IBI Group who are serving as consultants to the city is to develop parking standards that:
• Are clear, defendable, and based on sound technical analysis;
• Recognize differences in existing land use and support the envisioned urban structure;
• Encourage transportation alternatives to the personal automobile, where available;
• Support efficient forms of development in terms of costs and land requirements; and
• Balance the needs and concerns of a diverse set of stakeholders including City staff, (who happen to get free parking for their cars), developers, businesses, ratepayer groups, TDM organizations, and the general public.
 This is the crew that is going to have to look at the staff report and then stand up and do the best thing for the people that put them in office – that will call for them to work ad a team – not something that is seen very often. Lessons learned in previous studies point to the following key success factors: There has to be support at a very high level – city Councillors have to be behind any changes.
There has to be a willingness to accept at least a degree of change, which amount to some political courage and real leadership. Burlington has always been a little short on political courage.
There has to be a balance of technical analysis, best practices and policy guidance. That policy guidance comes from staff based on the data they collect and the advice they get from the consultants the hire.
Potential Challenges include: Collecting data for wide range of uses; obtaining data from private residential properties; developer input (the developers have to be responsible and pay at least some attention to the greater good and not just their bottom line.
There may be a disconnect between the ideal future standards and current behavior (truer words have not been written. Finally, phasing in parking standards is difficult.
Key Issues for Study
• Parking issues differ across user groups and land uses
• Balancing the needs and concerns of a diverse group of stakeholders is a concern
• The city anticipates parking pressure from downtown redevelopment.
• The unclear future of emerging trends in transportation technology and their impacts on parking requirements is not something easily known.
The consultation process is:
• To gain an understanding of the issues that residents, business owners, developers, etc. face in regard to parking and parking standards;
• To gain an understanding of the potential effectiveness of changes to parking standards in making more efficient use of parking, supporting transit-oriented development, and other policy objectives; and
• To gain buy-in from the business and development community, ratepayers, and other interest groups on proposed parking standards.
With the Strategic Plan about to get a blessing from city council staff will begin to fit the role transportation is going to play in the way Burlington will get grown during the next 25 years.
Work on the Official Plan can go forward with more precision now that the Strategic Plan is in place. The Transportation Master Plan will get re-shaped and not exist as a plan that does not fit in tightly with everything else. This is going to be a new experience for the bureaucrats – city manager James Ridge has made it clear that his approach to managing the growth of the city is to always be looking at the complete picture.
 It’s an empty field right now – in a very short period of time it will be a very busy construction site with stacked townhouses and apartment/condo towers – with not that much in the way of public space. All being done legally. The city has come to the conclusion that it will have a number of mobility hubs and appear to be being forced by a developer in the west end to go with the Aldershot GO station as the first hub – even though for the sake of the city – Aldershot may not make the most sense.
 The Station West development yards from the Aldershot GO station is being actively marketed by the Adi Development group. The problem is a developer is racing ahead with plans that the city has to climb on board with or get left behind. Quite how Burlington got itself in this bind is going to take some analysis – and if there are planning tools that can give the city more leverage – someone better find then and learn how to use them quickly.
Wednesday night the public gets a chance to make its views known. We need to do this right the first time – once decisions are made – there is no going back. We haven’t done all that well with transportation issues in the past.
By Staff
March 27, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
If you were on or wanted to get onto the 407 Hamilton bound from Burlington Sunday afternoon police attempting to arrest the driver of a stolen vehicle would have delayed your trip for a short bit.
Just after 2:00pm, members of the Halton Regional Police were conducting an investigation into a possible stolen car when the suspect vehicle entered onto the 407 highway from Burlington.
A uniformed Officer attempted to stop the vehicle and as a result there was a collision between the police cruiser and the suspect’s car. The collision caused both vehicles to lose control and crash. The lone occupant of the stolen vehicle was arrested after a brief foot chase.
Members of the Ontario Provincial Police closed this portion of the 407 highway for a brief period as the collision was investigated.
The involved Officer sustained minor injury as a result of the collision and was transported to an area hospital. The suspect was also seen at hospital and was released a short time later.
James Arthur WARNER – 39 years, of no fixed address, has been charged with the following offences;
• Flight causing Bodily Harm
• Dangerous Drive causing Bodily Harm
• Possession of Stolen Property (Motor Vehicle -over $5000)
• Possession of Stolen Property (licence plates – under $5000)
• Obstruct Police
• Identity Fraud
• Identity Theft
• Breach Probation (3 Counts)
• Suspend Drive (Highway Traffic Act)
Mr. WARNER has been held in Police custody pending a bail hearing.
 By Staff
March 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
April is going to be a really busy month – we can all come out of the winter cocoons and begin to enjoy the city.
 Spring Clean Up – Green Up is Saturday April 23rd this year Late in the month of April Burlington Green will be doing its annual Clean Up Green Up campaign.
The Comedy Night is back at the Burlington Legion on April 2nd. This amazing night of comedy for a great cause – Burlington Army Cadets The Facebook page says Air Cadets – media release says Army – tickets are just $15; doors open at 7:00pm with the show beginning at 8:00pm. Two amazing professional headliners who have toured all over Canada will be at the Legion.
 White peonies by Michelle Maurik was shown at the Louvre in Paris. Very early in April Michele Van Maurik will be showing her art work at the Seaton Gallery on Spring Garden Road from April Ist – May 29th 2016. The artist reception will be held Sunday April 3rd, 1 – 4 pm
Maurik is a much underappreciated and under recognized artists in the community. She is best known for her bold floral oil paintings, the dramatic use of light and her mastery of colour.
Her work has been displayed at the Louvre in Paris – not something anyone else in the region can lay claim to. This is a show you don’t want to miss.
The Teresa Seaton Studio & Gallery is located at Spring Gardens Road, just across from the Royal Botanical Gardens.
By Staff
March 27, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The people who watch weather stuff have issued an alert that comes to us from Conservation Halton via Environment Canada forecasting rain beginning this evening and ending by tomorrow afternoon with expected amounts ranging from 25 mm to 50 mm.
This precipitation, in conjunction with saturated ground conditions will result in higher than normal water levels and flows in local streams. No flooding is anticipated at this time.
 Water levels in watershed creeks will rise significantly during the weekend. Caution around the edges of creeks – especially with children. Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to stay away from watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream flow and weather conditions and will issue further messages as necessary.
This Watershed Conditions Statement will be in effect through Tuesday March 29, 2016.
A Watershed Conditions Statement is issued when high flows, unsafe banks, melting ice or other factors that could be dangerous for recreational users such as anglers, canoeist, hikers, children and pets.
Flooding is not expected.
 By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
As Standing Committee meetings go it was a pretty full agenda. The afternoon session was full and some significant recommendations were made. One was so important to this council that they held a Special meeting of council to pass a recommendation they had made minutes before – that had to do with the designation of a piece of property in the city core in ward 2.
The Gazette reports on that event elsewhere.
 The webcast station is tucked away in a corner at the back of the council chamber. It needs an equipment upgrade and better oversight as well. The evening session had three items that were important:
1 – Memorandum from Mayor Goldring requesting pilot for private tree by-law in Roseland. (DI-01-16)
2 – Report providing enhanced cycling infrastructure options for New Street. (TS-06-16)
3 – Statutory public meeting and report providing information regarding a rezoning application for 2384 Queensway Drive (Habitat for Humanity Halton). (
The meeting did take place and there was some media in attendance. The Gazette chose not to attend this meeting – choosing instead to hear a presentation on what is being done with the Randle Reef – a pile of toxic sludge in Hamilton harbour that is being covered over using $2.3 million of your tax dollars.
We decided we could pick up the webcast and report on the evening meeting of the Development and Infrastructure Standing Committee.
Well – we are not able to report on that meeting – the web cast does not include either sound or the closed captioning. As of Thursday afternoon – no one seems to know quite why.
 Councillor Craven chaired the Development and Infrastructure meeting and was not aware it wasn’t being fully broadcast. No one told him. As a former broadcaster that must rankle him. The Chair of the Standing Committee didn’t appear to know that his meeting was not being effectively broadcast. There is no reason why he should. The Information technology staff didn’t seem to know that the broadcast wasn’t complete either.
The Gazette was able to get through to Councillor Meed Ward who made inquiries – the city manager doesn’t appear to have been in the loop.
This is sort of like a radio station going off the air and no on at the station being aware that no one could listen to what was being said.
The city did add a note to the web site saying:
D&I – Mar 22, 2016 – 6:30 pm
Due to technical difficulties, the evening session of the Development and Infrastructure Committee meeting on March 22, 2016 does not contain audio or closed…
We don’t know of there was a malfunction of the equipment or if it was the web caster who didn’t push a button or if the committee clerk failed to push a button.
The record of the meeting is lost – forever apparently – so the public has no way of knowing what the Mayor had to say about his motion to create a private tree bylaw nor do we know what the discussion was about adding bike lanes to the construction work currently being done on New Street.
The Committee Clerks does take minutes –we are about to see just how completely inadequate those minutes are. We will publish them just as soon as they are available.
The questions one asks is: What’s going on at city hall? We do not believe the failure to capture the sound and the closed captioning was deliberate but we do wonder aloud why someone did not check to ensure that the sound was being captured and broadcast. Is this something the webcaster should have done ? Is it something the Committee Clerk should have done? Should the Committee Chair, Rick Craven have checked, or more importantly, should the webcaster or the Committee Clerk alerted the chair to a problem – and once it was evident there was a problem should the city manager James Ridge not have made a statement and apologized for the screw up?
This mistake points to a bigger problem – the equipment the city uses is ancient and the quality of the broadcast is terrible. The mages are fuzzy and it is difficult to understand just who is speaking at times.
We have a city administration that goes on and on about how well they engage the people picking up the tab – but they rob you of the opportunity to go back and see just what the rascals are doing.
By Staff
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The provincial government has made it very easy to learn who got paid more than $100,000 during 2015. What was a little tough, especially for those who are far below that $100,000 figure, is the title of the Minister who released the data – Deb Matthews is President of the Treasury Board, and Minister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
 If you’re happy and you know it – clap your hands. Getting more people onto that $100,000 list would help – the 15 cent an hour increase in the minimum wage that was announced isn’t going to do all that much is it?
The searchable list of those hard working folks on what has come to be known as the “sunshine list” is a click away: CLICK HERE
When you search to learn what our council members are paid realize that they get a cheque from both the city and the Region.
 By Staff
March 24, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
For every new development project undertaken in Burlington, the city is responsible for determining how many parking spaces should be provided. The amount of car parking is calculated using a number of factors such as the type of development (retail, medical office, restaurant, shopping centre) and the number of vehicles attracted to the development. The size and design of parking spaces are also determined by the parking standards.
 The city has a number of parking lots that it would dearly like to develop – the developers would dearly like to not have to provide as much parking. we have a problem. The city has decided it is time to review the parking standards it has.
The current parking standards are more than thirty years old. The recommendations that come out of the review will be used as the basis for updating parking regulations and design standards for development in Burlington as part of the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw Review.
The review will help ensure the right number of parking spaces is required for the suggested land use. The review will also consider the design of the parking spaces taking into consideration new technologies like electric vehicles and car lifts.
Over the course of the review, the city will be collecting feedback about parking standards from key stakeholders, including citizen advisory committees, the development community and the public.
 Where are we going to park the cars while we wait for a transit system that lessens the need for cars? The public is invited to drop in at a public open house on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, between 6:30-8 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Burlington to provide feedback on the city-wide Parking Standards Review.
The city has been dickering with a parking meter company for more than a year for the installation of meters that were said to have all the whistles and bells that would bring the parking meters Burlington currently uses on the streets into the modern age.
Something is caught in the cogs that go round at round at city hall – no sign of anything new yet.
The city web site has posted an on line Parking Standards Review survey. CLICK HERE to complete the survey,
 By Ray Rivers
March 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
If you want to make money, you have to spend money. And that pretty well sums up the 2016 federal budget – it’s about re-investing in Canada and Canadians. Hardly revolutionary, this economic plan is corrective and moderate in its measures – a first step in the right direction.
 While outdated the graphic does show the impact research and development spending has on an economy. There is investment in transportation infrastructure, something which will improve our productivity, particularly in built-up areas like the GTA. There is some modest spending to improve access to education, particularly for the underprivileged. And there is a huge push to restore levels of R&D, innovation and science, which had been allowed to lapse over the last decade.
Changes to the income tax code, already in the works, modestly favour the middle class over the wealthy. This is more than an attempt to arrest and correct the growing spread between the rich and the poor; this is sound economic policy. It’s called the marginal propensity to consume – redistributing income from the wealthy increases domestic spending, driving consumption and investment, and consequently economic growth.
There is no question of the social dimension of this budget, which invests heavily in people, particularly the disadvantaged. Veterans complaints about neglect are addressed. More child care money will be going to the lower income parents who really need it. Canada’s first nations are given the opportunity to catch up to the rest of us. And age of seniority has been rolled back to 65, at the same time as greater assistance is provided to those seniors in need.
 Perhaps the bigger questions is – will the country be affected by the pipeline? There is investment in the environment as well. So we’ll see our national environment assessment process restored. Ironically that might expedite the construction of the Energy-East pipeline, as that is a precondition for Quebec’s consent. And the Prime Minister has solidified his commitment to put climate change money on the table to help motivate Canada’s Premiers to action.
The price tag for this budget comes in at just below the thirty billion deficit that everyone was expecting. The largely muted response to the size of the deficit is the result of a government which has shown its ability to manage expectations, and, of course, the promises made during the last election. Only the interim leader of yesterday’s government couldn’t resist the temptation to dump on the budget.
30 Billion dollars is a lot of money, but even after another four years of deficit, Canada will still have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, and half the level of the US or the UK. Moreover, if the annual deficit projections in the budget bear out, relative debt levels will shadow the debt performance of the preceding government, making Ms. Ambrose’s complaint at best a case of the pot calling the kettle…
And not everyone will benefit from this package. New toys for the military are on the back burner, reflecting a lower immediate priority. There could have been more income re-distribution, even greater support for our cultural industries and a faster path for infrastructure development. But you can’t do everything. We also know that more money will still be needed for a new national health care charter and enhancements to the Canada Pension Plan, initiatives on a different timetable.
 There are thousands of small solar panel installations like this across the province – they work very well and in many cases provide revenue for the owners. The budget represents a necessary investment to return Canada to a more balanced, engaging and innovative economy. The fossil fuel era has itself becoming fossilized. Coal has left the station and oil is following suit, being replaced everywhere by renewable energy. Those were yesterday’s ideas promoted by yesterday’s short-sighted leaders.
Canada’s future lies in its potential as a balanced diverse economy. Its strength lies more with our human than with our natural resources. This budget helps us move in that direction by promoting education, science, industry and clean energy. If you get stuck in the past you’ll miss the future.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
2016 Budget in Full
Highlights
Deficit
More Deficit
Criticism
More Criticism
Analysis
An Easy Sell –
 By Staff
March 24, 2016
BURLINGTON,ON
Due to an event at The First Ontario Centre, Bay Street will be closed from King Street to York Boulevard from approx. 8:30 – 11:30 p.m.
 The Route 1 will need to detour as follows:
• Regular routing to King and Bay streets
• Continue along King Street and turn right on Hess Street
• Left at Cannon Street
• Resume regular routing…
During this time, bus stops at Bay and Vine Streets as well as Cannon and Queen Streets cannot be serviced. Please proceed to the stop at Cannon and Queen Street.
By Staff
March 24, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
As the Easter long weekend arrives so does the Spring Provincial Seatbelt Campaign. The Halton Regional Police Service reminds motorists that wearing a seatbelt while in a motor vehicle is the law and officers intend to actively enforce that law.
The campaign will run from Friday, March 25th, 2016 – Monday, March 28th, 2016.
 Deputy Chief Nishan DURAIAPPAH on the right. Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Nishan DURAIAPPAH is pretty blunt and direct when he says: “A properly used seatbelt is the most important piece of restraint system your car has. It’s also one of the few things you have full control over. Regardless of whether you’re on a short trip and you know the roads, you need to wear a seatbelt. The decision not to could be the last decision you make. When a driver not wearing a seatbelt is involved in a collision, the ability to control your vehicle is lost – and the likelihood of serious injury or fatality increases dramatically. Each year we stop and charge hundreds of drivers for not wearing their seatbelts and will continue to do so. Our officers will be diligently enforcing the seatbelt legislation throughout this traffic safety campaign.”
Drivers should you choose not to buckle up you could face a fine of $240 and 2 demerit points which will remain on your driving record for two years from the date of the offence.
Drivers are reminded that they are responsible to ensure all occupants under the age of sixteen and occupying a seating position are wearing the complete seat belt assembly, including a properly approved child seat or booster seat.
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