 By Pepper Parr
January 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Is it a good budget?
There are few taxpayers who are happy about the rate of increase over last year – and the 20 year projection calls for more of the same.
While the increase year over year is above the rate of inflation – the numbers have to be looked at carefully – they aren’t going to get much better. The biggest thing that appears to have come out of the budget exercise is a realization on the part of council members that they don’t have a tight enough grip on what they need staff to do.
Council seems to be continually blinded sided by one catastrophe after another.
 Repaired at a cost of $380,000 in 2012 – the bridge is going to have to be replaced in the near future. The Drury Lane Bridge had to be repaired at a cost of $380,000 – that was for a five year patch – the estimated cost of replacing the bridge was something in excess of $2 million – which comes due any day now.
The Nelson Pool had to be closed because of problems with the steel structure and is now not going to be re-built and repaired until sometime in 2018.
The families with children that make use of the Nelson Stadium took matters into their own hands and began working with the school board to upgrade the facilities. The Stadium is on property owned by the city and the school board – two organizations who are not known for how well they get along with each other. They don’t even have a structure that has them meeting regularly to resolve shared concerns.
When a citizen’s delegation spoke at city hall they knew more about what was happening than members of council. That was not a pretty picture.
Council members expect staff to do the ongoing analysis that tells when an asset is due for an upgrade.
How did the city not know that the Drury Lane bridge needed work and how did staff did not know that the Nelson Pool was due for a major upgrade. There is asset management software out there that works all this out – and Burlington spends a fortune on software.
Do we have the right people managing this software and the way it is utilized?
 The one thing we know about the 2014 flood is that it has cost us a small fortune – think in terms of $40 million so far. We also know that climate change is likely to cost us even more in the years ahead. Managing the financial cost of the 2014 flood and coming to terms with what has to be done in the way of storm water management had $20 million thrown at it. Council has realized that it is going to take an additional $20 million to make the changes that were recommended by the consultants the city hired.
 The scary word in this graph is “initially” It will probably take an additional tax levy to handle storm water. The Mayor commented that the city was going to have to take a serious look at a special tax levy for managing storm water. The realization that climate change is upon us and we no longer know what our weather is going to be – here we are at the end of January and you could be wearing shorts on some days.
As for city hall and the media people over there – they are doing it again. Messing with the numbers – and totally trashing there commitment to transparency and accountability.
The city’s media release said:
“The City of Burlington has approved the 2016 operating budget with a 3.14 per cent increase in the city’s portion of property taxes, which will result in an overall property tax increase of two per cent when combined with Halton Region and the boards of education, or $17.10 per $100,000 of home assessment value.
Highlights of the approved budget include:
• The base budget increase of 1.28 per cent is aligned with inflation (Toronto CPI 1.86 per cent) which is consistent with the Long Term Financial Plan objective of competitive property taxes.
• The base budget maintains the $4.8 million contribution towards the Joseph Brant Hospital reserve fund to meet the city’s $60 million commitment to the redevelopment project.
A 1.44 per cent increase dedicated to the renewal of the city’s infrastructure.
An additional $20 million in funding has been provided to accelerate roadway renewal needs over the next four years.
An additional $20 million of funding has been provided over the next 10 years for surface water drainage projects.
$613K in funding (0.43 per cent) to increase service levels in areas such as winter maintenance and stormwater management.
For those that qualify, the Senior’s Property Tax Rebate has increased from $450 to $525 in this budget.
“There are many competing demands for city tax dollars as well as an urgency to find inefficiencies and minimize tax rate increases,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “We have tried to balance all the city’s needs, prioritize them and forecast with great thought and care to deliver a responsible budget that serves everyone.”
“This budget continues to provide funding to priority areas of infrastructure renewal, the city’s contribution to the hospital redevelopment and maintaining existing services,” said Joan Ford, director of finance. “In key areas, service levels have been increased.”
That’s their story and they are probably going to stick to it.
You won’t get another viewpoint on the budget – the print newspaper distributed in this city didn’t have a reporter at the meeting. My colleague Joan Little who writes a column for the Spectator will undoubtedly make a comment.
 Is this an acceptable rate of tax increases? Does this Council think it can get re-elected in 2018 with these numbers? Take a look at that 20 year projection again. Did our city Councillors deliver a good budget?
The Mayor has asked the city manager to look for new revenue sources. Until he has a much better handle on how to manage the problems he has on his table now there isn’t much James Ridge is going to be able to do in the immediate future.\
He needs to get his strategic plan passed – it is close to a year overdue.
Can the current Council provide him with the advice and direction he needs? Two of the seven members have been on Council for more than 20 years. Will they run again in 2018? Will their constituents re-elect them?
2017 is going to be an uncomfortable year for this council.
 By Pepper Parr
January 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON.
The meeting started with a close to mammoth photo op – players from the Barracudas and the Eagles were on hand to receive certificates of appreciation for the very impressive work they did on the Giving Back project that brought in close to 300,000 lbs of food that was distributed to community organizations.
The Giving Back initiative has proven to be so successful that Brampton and Oakville are taking a look at it and there is talk about developing it as a national program
 The students who were given Certificates of Appreciation by the Mayor in turn gave the city a painting that noted the 10th year of the Giving Back program. It was perhaps fitting that the young people getting the certificates of appreciation were the opening act for a city council meeting at which a budget was approved that runs quite a bit ahead of inflation. The long term projection is for budgets that are usually above 3.5% for the next twenty years.
The city finance department set out what they expected tax increases to be through to 2035. It is those energetic hockey players who are going to have to pay taxes that increase 3.5% year over year.
In 2011 when this council put out its first budget in their first term (they were all re-elected) the budget had a 0% increase.
The budget was not unanimously approved – Councillor Dennison did not vote for it and Councillors Meed Ward and Taylor were lukewarm – they wanted a different budget but couldn’t seem to pull the strings that would give them what they wanted.
The Free Monday transit for seniors was the issue that divided this council but it was not the structural issue that made this budget different.
Both Councillors Sharman and Dennison had detailed comments which they made once the budget was approved.
In his comments Councillor Dennison said he was not supporting the 2016 City Budget for the following reasons:
“I am not happy with a Burlington Tax increase of 3.19%” he said and “I had a number of recommended reductions including saving a possible $337,000 on the Transit Community Connection. He wanted the service to be paid for by users and the benefiting businesses. He pointed out that it costs $10 million to subsidize our current level of transit.
He also wanted to eliminate additional expense and staff for promotion of Canada 150 and save a potential $100,000.
Dennison wanted to reduce the amount that was being put into the Strategic Land Acquisition fund from $750,000 to $550,000 and save $200,000
Dennison wanted the provision for insurance claims reduced by $150,000. He pointed out that $500,000 from retained savings had already been put into the account and that was enough.
Dennison identified a total of $1,337,000 that could have been saved. His fellow Councillors didn’t agree with him. These changes would have brought our city of Burlington Tax increase down by 1% to 2.19%.
 The city collects taxes for the Board of education and the Regional government. City council is fully responsible for setting the city tax rate; it has no impact or input on the school board taxes. Burlington has significant input on the Regional tax rate but Burlington doesn’t have all that much clout at the Regional level.  Dennison said he continues to have concerns with service-based budgeting. “There are benefits to the approach but it does not replace the need to know how individual operations are performing.
Burlington moved to a service based approach to budgeting which groups different operations making it very difficult to drill down to a line by line look at costs. He pointed to the problem comparing single-pad arenas to multi-pad arenas with respect to cost of operation and concerns with the Paletta Mansion and the Ella Foote Hall in Kilbride.
Dennison doesn’t feel that serviced based budgeting lets Councillors see all the costs and wants both service-based and individual results in 2017 so he can properly review the budget.
 Councillor Jack Dennison has the best grip on where the budget dollars go – he does tend to drill down a little too deeply at times but he consistently wants to see the city spending less money. Dennison points out that “If we over-budgeted in 2015 that means that we over-taxed our assessed properties and the gross tax should be reduced by something closer to that amount and not just be put into reserves.
Just before the vote was taken, Councillor Sharman – ward 5 – said he wanted to on the record with respect to a few items:
“I fully respect and admire the work of community members who promote what they believe is a good idea. I deeply appreciate the time and effort and sometimes emotional strain undertaken by community members in delegating to Council. However, I often believe that delegations represent less than all of the opinions held by all members of the community.
“I have been and continue to be fully supportive of providing, timely, effective and affordable transportation to our community and especially those who have real needs. Perhaps as much as 37% of seniors need or desire to have use convenient transit at an affordable price, according to more thorough analysis of the Oakville free Monday Seniors Bus pilot program. That represents about 11,500 Burlington Senior residents. 63% of Oakville Seniors did not need or want free transit.
 Intense to the point of making delegations uncomfortable ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman does know how to drill down into the data and look for results. “I wonder why we should provide only one day a week free to those who need services when there is a high probability that they need it all the time. Research suggests that it should be all the time.
“I wonder about why we would not include other groups such as students. I don’t know how many people that would help, but I would like to know.
“We know that 9.5% or about 18,000 Burlington Community members live on less than the low income cut off threshold. Other people who have insufficient income to live on could push this figure up to 36,000 people who need or desire help.
“Without setting aside the legitimate desire and needs of seniors I wish to point out that we have in total perhaps in the order of 50,000 people who might legitimately be helped by Council. Split Pass provides us the way but it needs to be changed.
“Meanwhile, Burlington Transit has struggled to redesign itself to provide a viable business model that will meet the needs of all Burlington community members.
“I am not opposed to change for Transit. However, I am opposed to knee jerk inadequately thought out change. We have a chance to accomplish a properly thought out and real change when we discuss the transit service business case which we are committed to do as a result of my staff direction for Council to have a workshop to review each and every city business case.”
Other members of council had comments but they were not as extensive as those made by Councillors Sharman and Dennison.
Ciné-Starz Upper Canada Place,
Burlington, ON L7R 4B6
Week of Friday, January 29, 2016 through Thursday, February 04, 2016
The Forest (14A)
Fri – Sun: 9:40 PM
Mon – Thu: 3:15, 9:40
Concussion (14A)
Fri – Sun: 1:00, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Joy (PG)
Fri – Sun: 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:20
Mon – Thu: 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:20, 9:40
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (G)
Fri – Sun: 1:00, 3:15
Mon – Thu: 12:50, 5:45
Sisters (14A)
Fri – Sun: 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Mon – Thu: 3:00, 5:00, 7:30, 9:40
The Good Dinosaur (G)
Fri – Sun: 12:50, 2:50, 5:10
Mon – Thu: 5:10 PM
Spotlight (—)
Fri – Sun: 1:00, 2:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 12:40, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
The Peanuts Movie (G)
Fri – Sun: 1:10, 3:20
Spectre ()
Fri – Sun: 7:00, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 12:45, 7:00
The Martian (PG)
Fri – Sun: 4:45, 7:10, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 12:45, 3:20, 7:10, 9:35
 By Pepper Parr
January 26th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was his first serious delegation, one at which he had a concern he wanted to put before city council.
Vince Fiorito, a candidate in the last federal election and a committed environmentalist who spends some of his weekends clearing out rubbish from the city’s creeks, had announced to friends that he was planning on running for city council in his home ward in 2018.
His intention was to spend the next couple of years attending meetings and networking like crazy.
 Vince Fiorito was named the Watershed Steward for Sheldon creek. He now wants to become the member of city council for the ward he lives in – Sheldon Creek runs right through the middle of it. Fiorito is the Steward of Sheldon Creek, a title given him by the Conservation Authority, something he takes very seriously.
His delegation to city council was to focus on what he felt was very poor citizen engagement and he launched into his presentation. Less than 18% of the people in this city know about the ways they can be engaged in the civic process he said.
The city treasurer said she was going to inform citizens about the budget but would not be engaging them, advised Fiorito.
He explained that while he as new to the ways of city hall he expected more public participation.
It was at that point that Mayor Goldring interrupted Fiorito and explained that while he could talk about civic engagement he had to confine his remarks to how civic engagement related to the budget that council was considering.
We recall the Mayor interrupting delegations in the past but never on such a fine point,
Fiorito thought he was going to be able to talk about his concerns over the poor level of citizen engagement – the Mayor advised him that he could talk about his citizen engagement but only as it pertained to the budget – which was limiting what Fiorito had planned – but he recovered and went on to make his point – which was that the public really wasn’t in the room when the budget was being discussed
Fiorito was taken aback at first. His first comment was “Gee whiz” as he fumbled a bit to figure out how he was going to get back on track.
He did pretty well – pointing out to council that Seattle had held 38 neighbourhood meetings and involved 30,000 citizens.
This was the kind of thing he wanted to see happen in Burlington.
He also pointed out that there were no evening sessions in the committee meetings that went through the budget in detail.
The Clerk informed Fiorito that there was a planned evening session but no one asked to be a delegate.
 Most of the council members hold meetings in their wards to get local input. A couple of Ward 4 residents discuss a previous budget. Councillor Dennison told Fiorito that he held a budget meeting for ward 4 residents and it attracted more people than the city meeting held at Tansley Woods. Dennison serves water and popcorn – that must be the attraction.
Councillor Meed Ward explained to Fiorito that many people send email to council members directly and questions are answered.
She and the Mayor asked for a link to the Seattle procedures.
There was to be a second delegation from Robert Lovell who had planned on talking about the need for the Free Monday transit for seniors – but he decided not to speak.
Was Lovell spooked by the way Fiorito was cut off by the Mayor?
Was it necessary for the Mayor to interrupt Fiorito? We have heard others go much further off track than Fiorito did without being interrupted.
What was most disappointing was while Fiorito had strayed – this was his first delegation and the Mayor could have cut him some slack. Mayor Goldring did approach Fiorito after the meeting and apologized for having to interrupt and did invite him to meet with the Mayor and discuss his concerns.
What was disappointing as well was that the Mayor could have said that Burlington had some distance to go to pull in stronger citizen participation.
Those that might have watched the live broadcast will probably have concluded that delegating and getting shot down was not something they needed to experience.
 Vince Fiorito, delegating for the first time at a city council meeting brought back visions of the days when Councillor Meed Ward used to delegate and press council on better transparency and more accountability. Fiorito is cut from a different cloth. We saw traces of the original Marianne Meed Ward who delegated several dozen times pressing council to be more transparent and accountable before she was elected to office. And she began her climb to those august chambers several years before the 2010 election.
Fiorito seems to have decided to use the same approach. He will be worth watching. And don’t expect him to get tripped up again by the Mayor.
By Staff
January 25th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The residential tax rate for 2016 is going to be $17.10 per $100,000 of home assessment value.
City council approved the 2016 budget this evening which came in at an increase of 3.19% more than 2015.
Additional details will be published early Tuesday.
 By Staff
January 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Court Services is committed to providing our customers with the best service possible. Please take a few minutes to complete our customer service survey.
 Your comments will help us to see how we’re doing overall and where we can make improvements.
The response to this service will depend on whether one is a plaintiff or a defendant.
They are asking what you think – if you want to respond CLICK here.
 By Staff
January 25th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is taking action to combat contraband tobacco and keep our communities safe by creating a new Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Team within the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Located within the OPP’s Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau, the new team will be dedicated to investigating the smuggling and trafficking of contraband tobacco and will work closely with local, provincial, national and international enforcement agencies to combat and eliminate sophisticated contraband tobacco networks across Ontario.
 There are very few young men in high school who cannot tell you where to buy illegal cigarettes. The team will also work with the Ministry of Finance’s tobacco tax enforcement staff by sharing information and collaborating on contraband tobacco enforcement investigations. The Ministry of Finance will continue to provide tobacco enforcement through audits, inspections, and investigations.
Tobacco consumers should be aware that:
All legal cigarettes sold in cartons or packages have a legal yellow ‘ON Duty Paid Canada’ Ontario tobacco stamp, with only certain limited exceptions.
It is illegal to buy, possess or distribute untaxed cigarettes without proper authorization.
Punishment includes civil penalties, fines, and in some cases, jail time, depending on the quantity of contraband tobacco and conviction history.
Addressing contraband tobacco continues to be a priority for Ontario. Low-cost, contraband tobacco undermines provincial health objectives under the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy, results in less tobacco tax revenues for critical public services our communities and families rely on, and compromises public safety through links with organized crime.
 Gary Grant is the national spokesperson for the National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco. He is also a decorated retired police officer with the Toronto Police Service and current director and founder of Toronto Crime Stoppers. Since 2008 more than 252 million contraband cigarettes, 4.1 million untaxed cigars, and 169 million grams of untaxed fine-cut or other tobacco products have been seized by the Ministry of Finance.
The RCMP estimates that 175 criminal organizations are involved in contraband tobacco in Canada, and it is believed that many use it to finance more serious illegal activity, like drug and weapon trafficking.
Being caught in possession of a single pack of 20 contraband cigarettes will cost the purchaser $108.The fine for 50 cartons or baggies is $4,693 and possession of any more could send you to jail.
Anyone can anonymously report cigarettes being sold illegally, to Ontario Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or online at TipSoft.
The provincial government seems to be more interested in stopping the sale of cigarettes on which they cannot collect taxes.
 If doctors said they were OK – then they had to be – right? Those same doctors then earned fees for trying to cure the lung cancer. After years of allowing the sale of a product that has had a devastating impact on the health of people who decided to smoke the province increased the taxes which created an opportunity for the criminal community to move in and sell cheap cigarettes.
 This dashing young man went on to become the President of the United state – don’t recall him every saying his promoting tobacco was something he regretted. The advertising and marketing community earned very fat fees for coming up with advertisements that convinced us smoking was cool, hip and the thing to do – and we still have tens of thousands of people who are still smoking. Those same advertising people have not managed to come up with advertisements that change the behaviour.
There are a whole bunch of conflicting purposes and agendas here – and I think the young people see it for what it is – hypocritical.
Related article:
Top cop rolls into town in a limo to tell media about the ills of illegal tobacco.
 By Pepper Parr
January 25th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It is recognized as one of the most important dance productions ever mounted by Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the highly-acclaimed Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation.
It will be on the stage of the Performing Arts Centre for one show on February 4, 2016. Book tickets here.
 Royal Winnipeg Ballet dancers Sophie Lee and Liang Xing perform a Pas de Deux in Going Home Star “This is an amazing opportunity for our patrons to see this production,” said Suzanne Haines, Executive Director of The Burlington Performing Arts Centre, “we look forward to welcoming the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to Burlington.”
Described as “searing and sensitive,” this ” emotional classical ballet” was first envisioned by the late Cree elder-activist Mary Richard and RWB’s Artistic Director Andre Lewis. “We aim to boldly continue our mission to teach, create and perform outstanding dance with intent to entertain, inspire and move audiences and present works that resonate beyond the walls of the ballet,” adds Lewis.
Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation was created with the guidance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and members of the Aboriginal community. Through stunning storytelling and captivating dance, this deeply moving ballet explores the powerful stories, both told and untold, of survivors of the Indian residential school system. The ballet explores the world of Annie, a young, urban First Nations woman adrift in a contemporary life of youthful excess. Annie feels strangely disconnected within her superficial loop. But when she meets Gordon, a long-haired trickster disguised as a homeless man, she’s propelled into a world she’s always sensed but never seen.
 Royal Winnipeg Ballet dancers Sophie Lee in Going Home Star Together, Annie and Gordon travel the streets of this world as well as the roads of their ancestors, learning that without truth, there is no reconciliation.
Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation is a representation of the many stories, both told and untold, by Indian Residential School Survivors and their families. The creative team that brought this story to life includes renowned choreographer Mark Godden, Canadian novelist and TRC Honorary Witness Joseph Boyden, Cree actress, former Member of Parliament, and TRC Honorary Witness Tina Keeper, Canadian multimedia artist KC Adams, accomplished costume designer Paul Daigle, and Juno Award-winning composer Christos Hatzis with Polaris Prize-winning Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq and Steve Wood and the Northern Cree Singers.
“Going Home Star – Truth and Reconciliation may be the most important work mounted by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in its illustrious 75-year history,” boasts Robert Enright, of CBC News.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was established in 2008 to tell Canadians about the history of Indian Residential Schools and the impacts it has had on Aboriginal children who were sent to the school by the Canadian government and to guide a process of reconciliation between and within Aboriginal families, communities, churches, governments and Canadians.
The TRC has a five-year mandate under the direction of the Chair, The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair and Commissioners Chief Wilton Littlechild and Dr Marie Wilson.
The creation of the Residential Schools is one of the blackest marks on Canadian history. It is something for which we are all responsible -and it is up to all of us to repair as best we can the damage we did and make way for the aboriginal First Nation’s people to become what they have always been meant to be.
 It happened – we did this to these people – a process of Truth and Reconciliation can heal some of the wounds and repair some of the damage. Going Home Star was commissioned by Artistic Director André Lewis; the production explores the world of Annie, a young, urban First Nations woman adrift in a contemporary life of youthful excess. But when she meets Gordon, a longhaired trickster disguised as a homeless man, she’s propelled into a world she’s always sensed but never seen. Not only do they travel the streets of this place but also the roads of their ancestors, learning to accept the other’s burdens as the two walk through the past and toward the future.
Together, both Annie and Gordon learn that without truth, there is no reconciliation. Based on a story by award winning Canadian author, Joseph Boyden. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is one of the world’s premier dance companies, founded in 1939.
Prior to all Dance Series performances join us in the lobby for pre-show chats by
Gary Smith, Hamilton Spectator – Ballet Review – Dance International.
Post-show talk backs will also take place, with various Artistic Directors and/or Company Members.
Ticket prices:
Regular Price: $59 + $2.50 Fee and HST (You Pay $69.50)
Senior Price: $47.20 + $2.50 Fee and HST (You Pay $56.17)
Youth/Child Price: $25 + $2.50 Fee and HST (You Pay $31.08)
Series Price: $53.10 + $2.50 Fee and HST (You Pay $62.83)
 By Staff
January 25, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s Will Finch, the record-setting, fourth-year quarterback of the University of Western Ontario Mustangs is calling it a career.
 Will Finch – A Nelson High graduate who went on to Western where he broke most of the existing records. Finch was one of the Canada’s most highly sought after recruits when he graduated from Nelson High School in 2012. He led the Lords to an undefeated 12-0 season, and the Golden Horseshoe Bowl title in 2011.
One of London’s best known athletes, one whose concussions have sidelined him before, is retiring to avoid risking further injury. Each of his last three seasons has been interrupted by injury. He missed the end of the 2014 and 2015 Ontario University Association seasons because of concussions.
 A remarkable football player who had a remarkable career. The awareness of the impact of brain injuries on athletes at all levels has grown dramatically in recent years, underscored by the 2015 Hollywood movie “Concussion.” The film is about Dr. Bennet Omalu, a pathologist, who uncovered the truth about brain injuries among players in the National Football League.
In Canada, Leo Ezerins, Executive Director of the Canadian Football League Alumni Association, and Toronto Rehab and Toronto Western Hospital have been at the forefront of research into brain injuries for the past seven years.
Caused by blows to the head or violent hits to the upper body, common in contact sports, the effects of concussions are usually temporary, but can range from headaches and problems concentrating, to memory and balance problems.
In London, medical professionals have been on the cutting edge of concussion research and treatment. The Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, founded in 1974, has had more than 2,000 visits by hockey, soccer, basketball and football players with sports concussions.
Dr. Henry Svec, a psychologist who operates the Dr. Svec Institute and Rehabilitation Clinics in several cities in Southwestern Ontario, and a former Mustang football player who deals with traumatic brain injuries, called Finch’s decision, speaking as a fan and alumni, a “courageous one.”
But Svec said too often not enough is done to diagnose the severity of a concussion and not enough recovery time is allocated for the brain to heal and rehabilitate after an injury.
 Will Finch – he had a great arm and an even better eye – always knew where the ball had to go. In his four years at Western, Finch played 30 regular-season games — completing 533 of 790 passes for 8,243 yards, 57 touchdowns and 24 interceptions. He also had more than 1,200 yards rushing. In six playoff games, he had 1,372 yards passing.
His best season was 2013-14 when he played in all eight regular-season games and three playoff games. In the regular season, he completed 191 of 274 passes for 3,047 yards and 21 touchdowns, with six interceptions.
 Will Finch In the playoffs he completed 48 of 78 passes for 576 yards and three touchdowns. He set an Ontario University Athletics record with 3,047 passing yards, and a 69.7 completion percentage. He was the 2013 OUA most valuable player and Hec Crighton Trophy nominee.
 Minor transit delays Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 during Robbie Burns Road Race
Minor delays can be expected this Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016 on routes 2, 3, 21 and 25 from approximately 9 to 11 a.m. in downtown Burlington during the Robbie Burns Road Race.
 By Staff
January 21st, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Two new exhibits that are certainly worth the time are on the Art Gallery of Burlington calendar.
Paul Mathieu has tuned into the reputation the gallery has for a magnificent ceramics collection. His work is exceptional.
 The China Syndrome – work by Paul Mathieu Paul Mathieu – The China Syndrome will be at the AGB from February 12, 2016 – April 10, 2016 in the Lee-Chin Family Gallery
A public reception takes place Thursday February 11, 6pm-8pm; the Artist Walk & Talk will be at 6:30 pm. Paul Mathieu will be in attendance
Internationally renowned ceramist and author Paul Mathieu has spent the last decade periodically returning to Jingdezhen, China to oversee the production of his ceramic works.
This exhibition traces his explorations ranging from the relationship between two and three dimensional form, to the portrayal of gender roles and gay identity. The artist’s role from conception to production is examined from both the artist’s and craft person’s perspective.
Dust, a ceramic installation by Grace Eun Mi Lee opened on the 16th of January and will run until April 17, 2016 at the Perry Gallery
The public reception is on Thursday February 11, 6pm-8pm
 Dust – suspended from the ceiling to create cloud-like mists. On display at the Perry Gallery Grace Eun Mi Lee is known for her ceramic installations. Numerous small pieces, often referencing the hidden world of microbes, are suspended from the ceiling to create cloud-like mists. On closer examination, these mists reveal the hidden world that surrounds us in our everyday lives. We are made to question the visible world and compare it to the unseen reality that goes on around us on a daily bases.
The Art Gallery of Burlington is located at 1333 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON L7S 1A9
Gallery Hours:
Monday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 12 noon – 5:00 pm
Parking is available at the rear of the gallery.
 By Pepper Parr
January 21st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
What started out as a 3.85% increase in the tax rate for 2016 got whittled down to 3.15% at the end of a five hour budget meeting held at city hall on Wednesday.
The Performing Arts Centre got what they wanted, the seniors didn’t succeed in convincing the Councillors that free transit Monday’s was a good idea.
For the first time the public got some sense as to where the city manager ants to take the city of the future.
The disposition of the 2015 surplus was hotly debated – but for the most part those dollars are getting tucked into different reserve funds.
The way city hall is staffed is going to get a hard look and the city manager is going to issue mandate letters to his Directors.
The number of bylaw officers is going to change.
Plans for a program to collect data on the state of commerce in the down ton core got the chop- The Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) was told they could pay for that task themselves.
And Councillor Jack Dennison actually went along with spending some money.
Councillor Sharman continued to hammer away for more data.
The Gazette will report in detail on each of these.
Council met as a Standing Committee – the decisions they made get approved at Council on Monday where they can be changed.
By Pepper Parr
January 20th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a different day for Rick Burgess who stood before the Community and Corporate Affairs Standing Committee explaining why funds were needed for two new positions at the Performing Arts Centre.
He got a decent hearing; the Mayor is onside – Burgess was heavily involved in the Mayor’s re-election campaign.
 Rick Burgess, the Mayor’s man. Paul Sharman, who sits on the Performance Centre Board didn’t seem opposed to the addition of the two people but didn’t seem all that keen on adding the cost to the Centre’s base budget.
There was a bit of banter back and forth about a how a Centre board meeting went – Sharman seemed to think the Centre should improve their revenue and pay for the new jobs out of those funds.
Burgess didn’t want to take that kind of risk – he wanted the dollars put into the base budget now and keep them there.
 From the right: Performing Arts Centre Executive Director Suzanne Haines, retiring Executive Director Brian McCurdy who did a great job; Brenda Heatherington who opened the Centre and was the first Executive Director and Ilene Elkaim chair of the board. Suzanne Haines, coming along nicely as the Executive Director, appears to have broadened her role and is more involved in fund raising – even though there is a close to full time fund raiser on staff.
The public has yet to hear anything about what the fall program is going to look like – there hasn’t even been a hint.
Two years ago Burgess was getting a solid dressing down from this same committee when he pleaded for funds to cover the cost over runs and deficits that kept mounting. Council gave him the funds he needed then but it wasn’t a day that Burgess wants to remember.
He got the funding he needed then but the Performing Arts centre lost its Executive Director
Two Executive Director’s later and Burgess is back asking for additional funding – he wants the cost of a technician and the cost of a person to handle community engagement added to the Centre’s base budget.
Getting that additional funding isn’t going to be a slam dunk – there is far from a consensus among Council members that the Centre has earned the right to ask for additional support.
Last year was a good year – but it was not something Haines did – the good year – and it was a good year was made to happen by former Executive Director Brian McCurdy who resigned for personal reasons.
Haines is out in the community doing the networking and learning how culture works in this city and where the clout exists. She has a language of her own and talks of “animating” the place and making it more active.
There have been some small interesting changes. Haines needs time to get her footing and show what she is capable of doing. She has a supportive board and has come off a season that worked very well.
In her delegation to council Haines pointed out that curated performances grew from 30 to more than 100 and that there were 600 uses of the Centre.
 The Pat Methany performance was sold out – it was the day Suzanne Haines started her job as the new Executive Director. She said 100,000 people have bought tickets and added that in August the Centre will celebrate its 5th Anniversary.
There is a Culture Infrastructure Fund, either set up or being set up, that will have $100,000 put into it. The Gazette needs to dig into just what that fund is to be used for and which part of the cultural community will have access to it.
 Royal Wood signing CD’s after the very first commercial event at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. The Centre people along with its supporters seem to be saying that the first four years were a time when they learned what needed to be done – and that is part of the past.
McCurdy has shown that with strong management the Centre can get by on the close to half a million it needs in the way of ongoing support.
The Centre is always going to need financial support from the tax payers.
Whether they are going to get the support they need is something council will debate today and on Thursday.
By Pepper Parr
January 20, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
Every chance Doug Brown gets to talk about transit – he shows up. Brown is part of Bfast (Burlington’s Friends and Supporters of Transit) an organization that advocates for improved transit.
 Brown is one of those people who tirelessly make delegation after delegation – he speaks with authority because he does his homework and has a good grip on transit facts and figures.
More often than not, Brown will complete his delegation and Council doesn’t ask a single question. Brown turns away from the podium quietly and returns to his seat.
He must have been pleased to listen to the delegation that Robert Lovell and James Young made supporting the proposal in the budget review document that transit be free to senior citizens on Monday’s.
Brown however was surprised and disappointed to see that the budget for transit in 2016 was the same as it was in 2015 – which from Brown’s vantage point meant they were getting less because there was no allowance for inflation.
 Doug Brown and Susan Lewis look over a 1982 copy of the city’s bus schedule. It is worse than that according to Brown. The province gives municipalities a portion of the gas tax they collect. The funds the municipalities get is based on a formula that includes population and ridership.
Burlington has a population that grew a bit – but transit ridership was less in 2015 than it was in 2014 which meant we got less in the way of that gas tax funding.
 Doug Brown, chair of Bfast, wants to see more funding for transit and the development of a long term transit plan. Brown has been toiling away as an advocate for better transit but quietly says: “We have a long way to go” and point to Waterloo which has a council that understands the need for good, reliable, affordable transit.
Waterloo has a population of 97,475 – Burlington has a population that is at the 173,000 level. They can develop a progressive transit system – why can’t we?
Brown points to the city’s Official Plan and the Strategic Plan that calls for a modal split that has 11% of the transportation choices being transit. We are currently at 2%.
Free student passes are also something Brown would like to see.
If the amount of gas tax Burlington gets from the province is based on ridership – would it not make sense to boost ridership?
By Pepper Parr
January 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was delegation time, the occasion when different community groups get their ten minutes to wrangle with council to advance their different causes.
This time it was transit for seniors, transit and the lack of a master plan and two positions the Performing Arts wanted to fill and have added to their ongoing budget.
The Performing arts matter will get covered in a separate story.
Two very effective speakers wanted to see the idea of free Monday transit for seniors make it into the 2016 budget.
Which seniors need the free transit was the question that occupied the minds of many of the council members.
 Imagine a bus service that is free to senior’s on Monday’s – it just might happen. Every senior responded both Robert Lovell representing the Burlington Seniors’ Advisory committee and James Young, a word 1 resident who spoke to the plans for transit fares for seniors.
In Burlington delegations are usually a one way street – the delegations speaks but for the most part doesn’t often engage the members of council.
There are many occasions when a delegation doesn’t get asked questions.
When Councillor Craven is chairing the meeting – delegations are kept to very few words. Not that way when Councillor Lancaster is the chair.
Robert Lovell was asked questions and council got much more in the way of an answer than they expected when Lovell pushed right back. Lovell wanted to see Burlington adopt the free Monday transit for seniors that Oakville uses and he kept chiding Burlington’s council members for not doing what Oakville has been doing since 2012.
The two delegations were both seniors – they were there to see that the senior’s in the city got what they felt was needed. Lovell talked of people who were not able to get out of their homes because they couldn’t afford the cost of transit.
“These people get isolated and there mental health deteriorates”, he said.
Mayor Goldring and Councillor Dennison wanted to know what percentage of the senior population lived on the $12,000 a year Lovell had referred to; he wasn’t able to say but he had a petition with more than 500 signatures.
The short delegation session Tuesday afternoon was all that was needed to handle the delegations that were made. It isn’t clear if no one asked to delegate in the evening or if the city decided it was not going to hold an evening session. So much for an engaged city.
Councillor Lancaster said in her opening remarks there was lot of consultation. There was just the one public meeting held at Tansley Woods last week.
In contrast the Strategic Plan has been put before five different public meetings as well as a very detailed on line questionnaire.
For some reason people in Burlington just accept how much their council decides to tax them.
 Parents at a hockey game while three people next door were listening to a budget presentation. It’s just who we are. In 2015 there was a public meeting that focused on the budget held at Mainway Recreation Centre; it was a winter night – less than three people showed up – next door at one of the skating rinks less than 20 yards away there were several hundred parents watching a hockey game.
Did they know there was a public meeting to review and comment on the budget? The city does advertise the events – and the Gazette certainly spread the word.
 In 2014 – an election year people showed up for the budget review. In 2015 it snowed and there were just three people in the room plus two people who had run in the last election and were keeping tabs on the council they were not part of – this time. There have been other public budget meetings that were very well attended – however the more active citizens complained that the budget decisions had already been made – all the city was doing was explaining what they had decided to do.
There are those who think the public should be at the table helping to decide what and where their tax dollars are to be spent. And that was certainly what Robert Lovell and James Young were suggesting council do – take a much different look at transit. Make it free for seniors every day of the week suggested Young. “That’s what they do in Europe” he said. “You are looking at transit as a cost when you should be looking at transit as a service that is paid for with money the taxpayers give you”, he added.
Several members of council wanted to know how many really poor seniors there were in the city that needed financial support to be able to use the transit system. The figure was said to be 6%.
Mayor Goldring pointed out that 17% of the population is made up of seniors – he seemed to be worried that they all might want to get on a bus on the Monday’s when service would be free – which is exactly the point Lovell and Young were making.
There comes a time pointed our Lovell when you lose your license – what do you do then? The frequency of the bus service really limits how much you are going to be able to get around. If the service were free and frequent you would have people out of their homes spending money, going places and being active in the community, said Lovell
The Mayor, who said he was a senior, one of the younger set – but he does hold a membership at the Seniors’ Centre, told the delegation that he was once carded and asked to prove he was a senior.
The Mayor’s concern was with how many seniors the city will have in 25 years and how a city would manage to deliver the services they will need. The challenge is to develop plans today that will provide the services needed.
One thing became very clear Tuesday afternoon at city hall – if Robert Lovell is representative of the baby boomers who are entering retirement city councils of the future had better be ready for some very local people who expect much more in the way of services And they are not going to be quiet or docile.
Joan Gallagher Bell spoke of a new vision for an age friendly city – for her the minimum was the free transit on Monday.
And that was what Councillor Meed Ward had put forward an adjustment to the budget to make the free service available this year.
Cost – no one was sure but $40,000 seemed to be the number. James Young pointed out that it wasn’t a real expense – it was just revenue the city wasn’t going to get.
 Councillor Meed Ward just might deliver a real benefit to the senior citizens with this budget. There is a side bar to this event. More than a year ago – on a December 18th of 2014 when city council was deciding who was going to sit on which committee, Meed Ward represented the city on the hospital board and she very much wanted to retain that committee responsibility.
Her colleagues didn’t see it that way and gave that task to Councillor Sharman and gave the job of representing council on the Seniors Advisory Committee to Meed Ward.
Meed Ward has delivered big time for the seniors – she will be rewarded when she decides to run for a different role on city council in 2018.
TO:  Burlington Community and Corporate Standing Committee
FROM: Tom Muir
Subject: City Budget 2016
Tom Muir wasn’t able to get to the Standing committee and his schedule didn’t allow him to get to the one public meeting held to “inform” the public abouit the contents of the Operating budget. So he took to the media that is open to every opinion out there and sent the following to the Clerk of the Standing committee to have his comments put on the record. Council tends not to listen to Tom Muir.
Councillors;
Since residents did not enjoy city public engagement on the budget, but have just been informed of spending and taxing plans, I have had to spend significant time finding a focus of my concerns.
It’s far to much to cover all the details, however, the big picture over the 20 year forecast is of particular note and concern to me.
1. The compounded average tax rate increases will double the tax take before the forecast period of 20 years is elapsed. Use the rule of 72 to figure that out. The average tax rate increase over the entire period is 3.62% and this leads to the doubling over 20 years.
Using the example bungalow residence in the budget document, the city tax take will go from $1415 to $2854.
If the other tiers of the total tax burden go up as well, the total tax bill could go from $3410 to $6878.
I have to ask you to ask what residents and businessmen think about that exponential curve trend upwards of this tax burden?
Can business double the price for goods and services over the same time period?
I hope your net income is increasing by more than 4% a year for the next 20. Mine is not.
Is this really raising taxes in an affordable manner?
This is really inflationary, in fact, and is shifting income from residents and business to the city for them to spend.
It seems like Council isn’t really thinking about this cumulative trend, in and of itself, and the consequences, at all.
No comment or request in the budget papers that I saw.
And residents were not asked what they thought, they were not “engaged”, just “informed” – this is what we are doing and here’s the tax take.
I would like to see Council pay a lot of attention to this trend. We need Council to tell the Managers to find the cuts needed to shave this to the inflation rate. And don’t tell me there’s no fat to be found.
Tell them a doubling of city taxes over the next 20 years is not to be tolerated.
2. Regarding the 2015 surplus reported, this $4.75 million is 3.23% of the net tax levy of almost $147 million. Taking $3 million of this and subtracting it from the tax levy, would bring the increase down to about the 2% inflation the city claims.
From the of view of the residents and business people, adding all of this to reserves is akin to adding more fat to the city finances. We don’t need fat there, as the reserves look fat as they are.
I see no explanation of some disaster lurking.
The 20 year trend of exponential tax increases that double the tax take, also has fat, for sure, somewhere, but while there are certainly some Councilor requests for amendments and some cost cutting, overall Council doesn’t appear to have asked Management to go find sufficient cuts needed to stay within inflation.
Here’s another pot of money, paid last year by residents, but not spent, that I am sure residents would agree could help reduce this years increase to something more like the “affordable” the city says is the number 1 goal – inflation.
Let’s see some talk and action about this, please.
I’m retired, and I have to live within my income, which certainly doesn’t increase by this much. I’m told business taxes are already high, so we are all in the same boat.
Management makes do with what Council tells them. It’s their job to find cuts. Tell them to.
 Aldershot resident Tom Muir is usually direct, at times abrasive and always looking for clear answers. When I worked in government, that’s how things were done, just find the cuts, and there were and are no sacred cows.
Certainly, not everything in the budget is needed in the time stated. What’s done is a function of input and time. The first can be reduced some and the time to completion can be extended. Put off spending now to save some. Elementary things we are supposed to teach children about money management.
If the city wants affordable tax rates for residents and business then get going on dealing with the exponential trend that will never deliver such a thing – only a crunch.
By Pepper Parr
JANUARY 19th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The report to council set out how the treasurer thought the surplus from the 2015 budget should be used. A cool $4,750,000 that was not spent in 2015 will not get returned to the taxpayers – it will get tucked into various reserve funds and saved for those rainy days.
 The surplus came from money budgeted but not spent on city services and significant improvements on revenue the city was able to pull in. We overspent on corporate expenditures. The numbers are in millions. Where were the savings experienced?
The city treasurer reports that expenses were closely monitored in 2015 to find ways to reduce operating costs; she reports the 2015 retained savings as follows:
• Human Resource Savings
City human resource costs (excluding winter control) are projected to have a favourable variance of $1,555,230. (The treasurer uses the term favourable and unfavourable balances which most of us know as a surplus and deficit.)
The city experienced a large number of vacancies throughout the year, some of them for senior positions. The favourable variance is primarily attributed to the period of time from when the position became vacant to being filled after the competition was complete.
• Earnings on Investments
Investment income is projected to exceed expectations by $1,327,017. This positive variance is attributed to $2,287,375 of realized capital gains, of which $960,358 will be used to meet the budget of $5.1 million. The proposed budget for Earnings on Investments for 2016 has been increased by $100,000 to $5.2 million.
• Supplementary Taxes
Supplementary tax revenues exceeded budget by $1,885,369. This is due to one property with three high rise buildings assessed as multi-residential for 3 years of taxes (2013-2015) totaling just over $2.0M in city revenues in 2015.
 The city saved on the cost of fuel – but the projected bus ticket sales target was not reached. Transit is going to be an ongoing cost that the city does not seem to be really prepared for – where is the problem? • Transit Fare Revenues
Transit fare revenue is projected to have an unfavourable variance of $719,870 as a result of the 2015 budget not being in line with actual receipts. The proposed 2016 budget has been decreased by approximately $592K to $5.1 million to better reflect the actual trend.
• Diesel Fuel Costs
Diesel fuel costs are projected to have a favourable variance of $643,572. The majority of the variance is found in Transit.This variance is mainly attributed to lower than anticipated fuel prices.The proposed budget has been decreased by approximately $110K for 2016 to $2.9 million.
The remaining difference in the retained savings is comprised of favourable and unfavourable variances spread across numerous programs within the city. The 2015 Operating Budget Performance Report will provide more details on these program variances.
Consistent with past practice and recognizing the one-time nature of the retained savings, this report recommends a transfer to provide flexibility for addressing future one-time expenditures.
The retained savings is not to be used to directly reduce the proposed 2016 tax increase. As this is a one-time funding source, it is important that there is no reliance on retained savings built into the budget process on an ongoing basis.
2015 Recommended Retained Savings Disposition
• $738,361 Provision to Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund
It is recommended that $738,361 be set aside to finance one-time expenditures included in the 2016 Proposed Operating Budget. This allows unique one-time needs to be addressed without affecting the tax rate and without being built into future budget years. These one-time expenditures will be addressed through the review of the 2016 Proposed Operating Budget.
• $750,000 Provision to Capital Purposes Reserve Fund
In order to meet future funding challenges and for the city to support its vision for implementing priority capital projects, staff recommend that $750,000 be allocated to the Capital Purposes reserve fund. This will provide funding for unforeseen requirements for approved projects, funding related to potential future federal/provincial programs and the accelerated road renewal program approved by Council. The 2015 balance for the Capital Purposes Reserve Fund is $9.5 million.
• $750,000 Provision to Strategic Land Acquisition Reserve Fund
The $750,000 provision will assist in replenishing the reserve fund for future strategic land needs. The 2015 uncommitted balance in the Strategic Land Acquisition Reserve Fund is $908K.
• $750,000 Provision to Information Technology Renewal Reserve Fund This provision will provide funding for life-cycle renewal of Information Technology infrastructure.
• $500,000 Provision to Insurance Reserve
In order to maintain a sufficient balance to cover both premium and deductible expenses, it is recommended that funding be allocated to this reserve. The 2015 balance is $663K.
• $500,000 Provision to Benefits Reserve Fund
It is recommended that $500,000 be transferred to the Benefits Reserve Fund to help replenish the balance which is currently $1.2 million.
• $500,000 Provision to Policy Initiatives Reserve Fund
In order to support resource requirements to finalize the Official Plan and other related studies.The balance is currently $100K.
• $250,000 Provision to Severe Weather Reserve Fund
This will help stabilize future budgets when major storms dramatically impact the operating budget.
The balance in the Severe Weather Reserve Fund is currently $2.8 million. It is recommended that the City target a one-year budget for the Winter Maintenance (which is approx. $4.6 million). .
• $11,639 Provision to Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund
The remaining amount of $11,639 to the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve Fund.
Prior to the calculation of the preliminary 2015 year-end retained savings, staff estimated any minor accounts payable, year-end accruals, and any year-end transfers for net zero activities that needed to be made as part of the year- end close process. The following are the estimated year end transfers for net zero activities.
  
DAAP Reserve Funds
In 2005, the Engineering Fee Stabilization Reserve Fund, the Building Permit Stabilization Reserve Fund and the Planning Fee Stabilization Reserve Fund were created to ease budget pressures should development revenues slow down due to economic and/or market conditions.
The table below shows the projected year-end transfers included in the the calculation of the 2015 preliminary year-end retained savings.
• Engineering Fee Stabilization Reserve Fund
The decrease in Subdivision Administration Fees has resulted in a draw of
$91,829 from the reserve fund. Residential development in Burlington has changed from large-scale Greenfield subdivision applications, to small-scale, infill and intensification sites requiring OPA, zoning, site plan and condominium approvals. The proposed 2016 Budget for Subdivision Administration revenues has been flatlined to $100,000 and will be gradually reduced to zero over time using the $275,000 in the Reserve Fund.
• Building Permit Stabilization Reserve Fund
The Building Permit revenues for 2015 are $3,479,851. These revenues are offset by expenditures (both direct and indirect as per the Bill 124 model), with the resulting draw from the reserve fund of $244,544.
The proposed 2016 Budget for building permit revenues have been increased by
$98,770 to be in line with the 3 year average 2012-2014.
• Planning Fee Stabilization Reserve Fund
Planning Fee revenues have a favourable variance of $566,144 mainly due to increases in official plan and rezoning revenues. A provision of $566,144 has been made to the Planning Fee Stabilization Reserve Fund.
The proposed 2016 Budget for planning revenues has been increased by $45,000 to $1,695,000 to be in line with the 3 year average 2012-2014.
Budgeting is part science and part dealing with the unknown. Set out below is what the city experienced between 2011 and 2015.
 Top portion of the report shows where the surpluses came from – bottom shows what city council decided to do with the surplus.
 By Pepper Parr
January 19TH, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There isn’t going to be a Lowville Winter Fair this year.
City hall has moved the funds that were used in the past today for the event and put them into the Love My Hood project which is a program that allows any neighbourhood to approach the Parks and recreation department with an idea and ideally get the support they need.
 If there is going to be any marshmallows and hot chocolate it will be at a local rink event. Not in Lowville.  You can still toboggan at Lowville – but there will not be an organized Winter Fair this year. Parks and Recreations has come to realize that most communities know what they want and don’t have to be spoon fed.
Love My Hood is a pilot project to build a healthier Burlington by engaging and empowering residents to come together and provide events celebrating their Burlington neighbourhoods.
 Love My Hood helps residents bring events to all neighbourhoods throughout the city by supporting and encouraging Burlington residents to hold their own neighbourhood gatherings, activities or projects where neighbours can get to know each other. Love My Hood provides resources, support, guidance and eliminates some common barriers in event hosting.
There were 13 love My Hood events in 2015 – Parks and Recreation wasn’t prepared to say how many they hoped for in 2016 but they are aiming for 150 of them in 2017 – why 150? 2017 is Canada’s 150th anniversary of Canada.
Want to know more about creating an event for your neighbourhood? Contact Burlington Festivals and Events Office. LoveMyHood@burlington.ca
As for winter activities – the city now has 18 local skating rinks and they felt that Love My Hood programs could be developed around the rinks.
Lowville doesn’t have a local rink – thus – no Lowville Winter Fair. There was some talk about the Lowville community putting on an event – if they do it will be more local and not something that hundrds of people trooped up to Lowville to take part in.
Is this an opportunity lost? It will be interesting to hear what ward 3 Councillor John Taylor has to say on this.
Stay tuned for some comment from him.
In the meantime – if you want to do something for your community – fill in an application form at:
There is all kinds of information on this new approach the city has taken to empowering neighbourhoods and letting each community design programs it wants. Log into for more details.
By Staff
January 19th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
On Sunday January 17th 2016 at about 7:20 AM, a patrol officer observed a male pull on door handles to several motor vehicles in the area of Elizabeth Street and James Street in Burlington.
 Upon seeing police, the male took off running and was captured after a foot chase where he became assaultive towards the officer and managed to break free. A second foot chase ensued after which the male was successfully arrested.
The male was found to be in possession of a large quantity of assorted coins and a small amount of marihuana.
Arrested and held for bail is:
Willis Lucas Andrew ENRIGHT (18-yrs) of Hamilton
Charged with:
• Theft under $5000 (three counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana) under 30 grams
• Fail to comply with recognizance
• Assault with intent to resist arrest
• Escape lawful custody
Snow Update: January 19, 2016 9:00 a.m.
Primary, secondary and local road plowing has been completed.
Plowing of sidewalks is ongoing.
Road and weather conditions are being monitored.
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