 By Phil Davis
April 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
In the discussion of the Hydro-One sale the focus has been on its impact on customer cost. There is another reason why the sale is a bad choice, flexibility for adding future technology. We are currently on the cusp of a revolution in power electronics that has the potential to reduce pollution, increase jobs, increase energy diversity and reduce cost.
 The ability to use new generation like solar and wind and new transmission technology will critically depend on the flexibility of the transmission system as an active part of the total system. The transmission system of the future will be a distributed system and have imbedded energy storage, ‘smart’ energy switching and remote load sensing and similar technology to optimize the total energy system; not the ‘top down’ system we have today.
We don’t know exactly what the future transmission system will look like and that is why it needs to be under public control, so that it will adapt as new energy sources become available.
If the transmission system is privately held there will be no incentive to invest or take the risk needed to modernize the system. It is likely the new owner of a privatized transmission system would also control generating plants and would protect their generation equipment profit by not modernizing to allow new generation equipment.
 This would mean that Ontario would not only lose access to improving technology but would be locked in to higher energy prices for both ‘old’ power generation and distribution. We only need to remember the Enron debacle to see where this could go.
If electric transmission is privatized then Ontario will be stuck with a highway407 like energy infrastructure which will be optimized for the short term benefit of the few against the potential of new technology and the needs of the many. The proper approach is private generation competing to generate electricity at the lowest rate and public transmission to insure that all generation sources have access to customers.
 By Pepper Parr
April 28th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The public is slowly getting some input on what is done in the way of development at air parks. This will be good news to the people of Burlington. The city has taken the Burlington Air Park to court twice – and is in the process of seeking additional legal relief from a company that has done almost everything it can to not comply with the city’s bylaws
 The only indication that there is an Air Park on Appleby Line is this one sign – everything else is hidden behind the large berm – put in place without site plan approval Transport Canada has what is called the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council (CARAC) which recently asked for submissions on a proposed amendment to regulations and procedures related to Responsible Aerodrome Development.
A submission was made recently by Nancy Shea Nicol, City Solicitor & Director of Legal Services The Corporation of the City of Burlington and Mark Meneray, Commissioner of Legislative & Planning Services and Corporate Counsel for the Regional Municipality of Halton.
They were responding to the Notice of Proposed Amendment regarding Responsible Aerodrome Development and started by noting that comments will only be received until April 17th, 2015, which meant there has been insufficient time to prepare submissions for endorsement by our municipal councils.
It isn’t just the public that gets pushed to respond to changes that different levels of government make.
 The air park property. The diagonal runway has been upgraded since this picture was taken The Proposed Amendment provides that Transport Canada is seeking feedback from stakeholders on will require mandatory that public consultation processes be undertaken in respect of new aerodrome developments and existing certified and non-certified aerodromes when proposed development results in changes to the existing level of service or operations or usage.
Transport Canada is seeking input in setting the parameters of the following:
1. The circumstances under which the requirement to consult are applicable.
2. The mechanics of the consultation process including all steps to be taken.
3. The duration of the consultation process.
4. The defined dispute resolution process.
Before getting into the nitty gritty of their response the first thing Shea-Nicol and Meneray had to say was that the scope of the regulatory proposal itself is too narrow in terms of its applicability for the following reasons:
 Vince Rossi, president of the Burlington Executive Air Park and believed to be the sole shareholder of the private company, met with north Burlington residents. He took all the comments made “under advisement”.. Recent amendments to the Aeronautics Act gave the Governor in Council the authority to make regulations with respect to mandatory consultations that must be carried out before the development of an aerodrome is developed or before an expansion of or change to the operations of an existing aerodrome. The amendments also gave the Governor in Council the authority to make regulations prohibiting the development or expansion of aerodromes or any change to the operation of them. It is our respectful submission that while the regulatory proposal speaks to stakeholder consultation, which we support in principle, it is silent on the circumstances under which the Governor in Council may exercise the power to prohibit the development or expansion of aerodromes or any change to the operation.
We are of the opinion, that in the absence of regulations governing when prohibition of development or expansion may occur, the duty to undertake a public consultation is somewhat “orphaned” in the larger regulatory context.
 The only meeting with north Burlington residents that Vince Rossi attended took pl;ace in a barn at the end of one of the Air Park runways. Circled are Rossi and ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster Under the recent amendments to the Aeronautics Act the Minister has the authority to make orders prohibiting the development or expansion of an aerodrome or any changes to its operation where the Minister is of the opinion that the proposed development, expansion or change is likely to adversely affect aviation safety or is not in the public interest. We would expect that the results of the mandatory consultation process should inform the Minister as to when a proposed development or change to an existing aerodrome might not be in the public interest. Again, the regulatory proposal is silent on how this power is to be exercised, and under what conditions.
Further to the above noted points, it is unclear as to what exactly the regulatory framework is, and in particular how it will apply to registered and non-registered aerodromes. It is fine to provide provisions for consultation with the public, but if that consultation is not linked to any power to prohibit or invoke Ministerial orders regulating aerodrome development or operations, it may be that the public consultation is more “window dressing” than substance.
All this before they get into their response to the Notice of proposed amendments.
The intention of all this is to create a process that allows for public input and consultation. The city and the Region want to make sure that the dice are not loaded in favour of an air park operator. You can be the ranch that the Air Park will be submitting their views which will be considerably different than those of the city.
 There were plans to build a heli-port dangerously close to a public road What follows is as dry as toast – and critical to the development of rural Burlington. There was a point at which the air park wanted to build a helicopter pad that was dangerously close to a public road and almost in the front yard of a neighboring property owner. The Burlington Air Park had taken the position that they were a federally regulated operation and did not have to comply with municipal bylaws.
Justice Murphy put an end to that argument and said the Air Park was indeed required to abide by municipal bylaws and an appeal court agreed.
Nevertheless the Air Park has still not submitted the site alteration plan required – the city has once again gone to court and asking a judge to compel them to comply.
That is what makes this change in public participation process so very necessary.
1. CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE REQUIREMENT TO CONSULT
We support in principle the requirement for public consultation as is proposed as it addresses what has in the past, been a serious gap in public information and/or consultation with the local community when there is development or expansion or changes to existing aerodrome operations. This has been and continues to be a source of conflict between aerodrome operators and the communities in which they reside.
While applicability to new aerodrome development is relatively straightforward in the regulatory proposal, it is far less clear when dealing with existing aerodrome development. From the perspective of the public at large, it is very unclear as to when proposed modifications result in changes to existing levels of service or operation, or result or could reasonably result in changes to existing usage. For example, the change of the size of an aerodrome should be subject to public consultation, even if it does not change its immediate usage. The vagueness of these proposals raise questions such as:
1. Who and how is the threshold determined?
2. Is it NAV CANADA and/or Transport Canada who makes the threshold determination or the proponent?
3. Is there an opportunity to influence this determination through a preliminary consultation with stakeholders and the public on this point?
The regulatory proposal indicates that the local public, land-use authorities and nearby registered and certified aerodromes must be notified of a proposed aerodrome development where public consultation “is deemed to be a requirement”. Again, it is unclear who makes this determination – either the proponent, Transport Canada, or NAV CANADA?
2. MECHANICS OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS
We could not determine what the prescribed notification radius is and therefore are unclear as to how broadly a proponent is required to consult. We suggest the notification radius may be too restrictive in respect of non-built up areas. Furthermore, the terms “built up” and “protected area” are undefined and integral to determining the notification area. Calculating the applicable radius, assuming there is one, is even less clear in applying it to existing aerodrome development.
 It was the dumpling of land fill without the proper papers that brought the illegal activity to the attention of city hall. The environmental impacts of any development or proposed expansion of service is of particular concern to local communities.
It is curious that the public notification requires an attestation that the installation will adhere to local building and fire codes. Does Transport Canada concede that aerodromes are required to comply with local building code and fire code requirements? This language is repeated in the Community Comment Section and the concerns expressed here apply equally.
The same comment as above applies to the requirement that the proponent attest that local land-use authorities, “as applicable”, are engaged in the consultation process. This is ambiguous at best and should be clarified in order to ensure that local land use authorities are engaged in any consultation process.
The requirement that the proponent will respond to “all reasonable and relevant concerns” is ambiguous. Are we to assume that it is up to the proponent to determine which public concerns are “reasonable and relevant”? It is unrealistic to expect that the public or other government agencies will be able to assess “valid and substantiated safety” issues, “environmental considerations including the impact on environmentally sensitive or protected lands or aircraft noise within a 30 day response period as addressed below.
Equally of concern, environmental concerns that “are not scientifically sound” will not be considered reasonable or relevant. The process places the onus on the public to raise these concerns and establish their validity, rather than placing the onus on the proponent to have done this work in advance, assessed all of the impacts, and then present the proposal and scientific work to substantiate that the proposed development will not have a negative impact on the surrounding community.
The example list provided indicates that questions respecting whether locally established bylaws or other legislation, procedures or processes are applicable or should be amended in some manner will not be considered as a reasonable or relevant example of concern. This exclusion is too broad and could be used as a catch-all to deny reasonable and relevant concerns that may relate to or refer to bylaws, legislation or procedures. In addition, this seems contrary to the public consultation intent of the regulation and also seems to come to the incorrect conclusion that a bylaw, legislation or procedure or process cannot be applicable.to an aerodrome development.
Public comments including those that are determined to be unreasonable or irrelevant should be made publically available in order to ensure the transparency of the process.
Attempts to resolve concerns informally is positive, however the timelines for having these discussions is too short as discussed below. As well, it would appear that informal resolution will take place with individuals on a concern by concern basis, and not in a public or coordinated fashion. This could result in a “divide and conquer” strategy being used by the proponent to _address concerns raised by the public.
3. . DURATION OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS
The timelines for public consultation are far too condensed. The regulatory proposal indicates that the proponent must ensure the public notification provides for at least 30 days for written public comment. Proponents will apply the 30 days as the maximum time required for comment. As regulators, Transport Canada has to appreciate that neither the public nor local municipal authorities have the resources (expert staff, funding) to be able to provide written comments on detailed aeronautic proposals within a 30 day window.
 Glenn Grenier, lawyer for the Air Park, a pilot and a resident of the city got a little more than the time of day from a city council that decided they didn’t have all that much time for him. For the consultation to be meaningful, sufficient time must be provided in order for the community to get the resources in place in order to properly understand the scale of the proposed development, and its impacts on the community. These resources are professional/expert in nature and will be costly to the community. Furthermore, most municipal councils only meet once per month and lead times required to get a report onto an agenda can be upwards of 30 days. Accordingly, in order to respond, municipal councils will require at least a 120 day notification period which to provide written comments in respect of a development proposal.
The window for holding the Community Information and Comment Session requires should be longer than the prescribed 14 – 20 days from the mailing of the notice or the publication in the local community newspaper. We would recommend that this window be set at a minimum of 60 days. This could take place within the 120 day period discussed above.
The 111 days for the concluding the public consultation process is too short. After the 120 day window for public comment and 30 days for proponent’s responses, there is only a 21 day opportunity for reply. This should be extended to 30 days. These timelines suggests that the consultation process should be at least 180 days.
 Air park dumped more than 30 feet of landfill without a Site Plan. Owner of the adjacent property stands on her property line and wonders why anyone can build a “small mountain” next to her property without getting approval. She is also terrified about what the hill is doing to the value of her property and what the leaching out of the landfill is going to do to her well water. The Notice recognizes that proponents in more populated or sensitive areas should expect greater engagement in the consultation process that may extend the process beyond 111 days. An extended time frame should be recognized for more populated and sensitive areas in order to ensure the proponent engages the public appropriately in these circumstances.
4. THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS.
The formal intention by Transport Canada into a dispute between the public and the proponent is a positive process. We are concerned however that the general public will not have the resources to deal on an equal and balanced playing field with the representatives of the proponent and Transport Canada.
The Transport Canada process for dispute resolution is simply mentioned as a ‘process’ in the Notice. The details of how dispute resolution will be managed by Transport Canada could be outlined in greater detail so participating parties have a reasonable expectation of what will be required should they enter into dispute resolution.
 Second from the right is current Minister of Transport – second from the left is Vince Rossi at what is believed to have been an Air Park social event. The Minister has not met with the residents who are impacted by the air park. The resolution window of 30 – 60 days is positive, however Transport Canada should ensure these timelines can be met.
The views of the city and the region are just one part of the comment process. Let’s see how close the regulations come to giving he citizens of the city of Burlington the opportunity to have real input on what gets built in their city.
This has been a five year grind and it isn’t over yet – but the trend line has changed and the arrogance with which legal counsel approached the city is now a thing of the past.
 By Pepper Parr
April 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It looked official enough – but there was something phony about it so I zipped a short note to my account manager and asked him – what’s up?
 The impression you get is that your bank is taking care of you – except that the message didn’t come from your bank Just as I suspected – it was phony.
I’m glad that the guys who keep my millions under lock and key were able to confirm my suspicion.
If you got this – delete.
 By Staff
April 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Joe Gaetan has taken the position that “Regardless of your party politics, selling off Ontario Hydro One Inc., is not a good thing.”
He maintains that the selling of publicly owned assets is a trend that started a while ago and in some cases makes perfect sense. However in this case there are a number of reasons as to why the current proposal should come off the table.
 The revenue produced for the province by Ontario Hydro is outstanding. The provincial government wants to sell the asset and forgo the revenue for a fantastic cash grab. ‘First and foremost the government of the day neither asked for, nor were given a mandate to sell Hydro One. In exchange for a one time inflow of cash from the sale, we the taxpayers will forego the differential future income of Hydro One in perpetuity. If Hydro One is good enough to sell, it’s good enough to keep a controlling ownership of at least 51%.
“If the government keeps a 40% minority share in Hydro One, as currently planned, they will be mostly insulated from complaints about performance shortcomings and rising fees. Once sold it will be almost impossible to buy it back.
“The current model of electing governments has resulted in many people giving up and not voting on Election Day. There are many reasons for that, one of which is many people don’t believe their vote counts. Direct democracy is where enough of us take a stand and tell the government that even though they won the last election they do not have a mandate to do as they wish.
 Joe Gaetan believes hydro is too good an asset to sell – wants the government to at least maintain control.web “In New Zealand 895,322 taxpayers voted against a similar sale of assets, in spite of the vote the government went ahead anyway and sold the assets, but they at least had the foresight to retain a 51% ownership of the assets it had on the auction block.
At 8:20 on April 24, 2015 Gaetan launched this petition asking for a moratorium and a referendum on the sale of Hydro One Inc. as it has been proposed. The petition can be found at: https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/hydro-one-sale.html.
If you feel strongly about this, please click the link to add your signature to the petition and then feel pass it along.
 By Pepper Parr
April 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Culture in Burlington took another step forward last week when a Culture Days information session took place at the Art Gallery of Burlington.
 Local artists were able to set up a booth in Civic Square at the 2014 Culture Days – most reported they did very well at raising their profiles.
It was a small crowd but several of the people who play major roles in how culture is marketed and delivered in this city were in the room
There is a non-profit organization that maintains a web site with everything anyone would want to know about cultural events in the province. Culture Days raises the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities.
To make it really work the Culture Days organization say again and again – ya gotta register – and the earlier the better.
Register an event is what makes an event work. It is not the simplest thing to do. McLeod wasn’t able top get the computer she was using to project the process onto a screen but the Gazette went on line and gave it a whirl – and it does work.
There are four basic criteria to Culture Days activities:
1. Your activity is free to the public
All activities registered as part of Culture Days are free; that is, they cannot be ticketed or occur in a space that charges admission. If you have already planned a mix of free and ticketed programs, register your free activities with Culture Days, and simply let the public know that you have other activities available as well. Fundraisers or sales can happen in proximity to your free event as long as it does not overshadow or restrict/prevent access to free activities. Note: asking for voluntary donations or placing a donation box near the entrance is not the same as requiring donations.
 Teresa Seaton, a stained glass artist has been a prime mover behind the annual Art in Action tour – and is now part of the newly formed Arts and Culture Collective. 2. The activity takes place during the Culture Days weekend: September 25, 26 and/or 27, 2015 Activities registered as part of Culture Days take place during this year’s Culture Days weekend, but you do not need to have three days of activities or activities that last all day. Even a single one-hour participatory event scheduled during the Culture Days weekend qualifies. If your organization already offers arts learning or outreach activities, simply schedule one of your regular events during Culture Days.
3. The activity is participatory
All Culture Days activities are participatory in nature. This means that your activity involves some kind of hands-on aspect or offer the public “backstage”/behind-the-scenes access to see how you do what you do. Invite the public to go beyond a typical audience experience and instead play a part in the creative process. For instance, if you are in a choir, rather than stage a performance, you might offer a workshop on how to sing or harmonize; if you own or operate a dance studio, you might offer a dance class; if you are involved in a community radio station, you could offer a guided tour of your studio. Engagement and participation is key, regardless of the activity. Don’t forget that fun counts too! People love to do what they normally don’t have a chance to experience. Refer to the activity types in the upcoming section for more participation ideas.
4. The activity is registered at culturedays.ca
When you register your activity online, you officially become part of Culture Days and benefit from the national promotional campaign that directs the public to the website to discover activities in their community. Registering online also gives you the chance to be included in the national Public Relations and Marketing campaign. You can also sign up to get regular e-newsletters with valuable advice and news about Culture Days.
Activity Types and Categories
There are five basic participatory activity types that can be registered as part of Culture Days, encompassing a wide range of artistic and cultural categories/disciplines.
1. hands-on activity: create, help make or try doing something yourself
2. behind-the-scenes: see inside artistic spaces and get a peek at creativity in action (indoors/outdoors)
3. excursion: tour of more than one location (eg. art gallery crawl)
4. discussion: artist talks, panels, round-tables and other cultural conversations where you can learn and discuss
5. collective creation: contribute to a collaborative act or work or art
The criteria and the regulations have that distinct stamp of a bureaucrat on them – but the process does work.
 The city’s cultural manager guided Burlington’s participation in the 2014 Culture Days – Angela Papariza talks to Trevor Copp who took a plea to city council for a better cultural environment in the city. On the last Friday of September (September 25, 26 and 27, 2015) many municipalities in Ontario celebrate Culture with a three day event. Burlington has done this for a number of years and will be doing so again this September.
Promotion is critical according the Catherine McLeod who runs the Ontario arm of Culture Days
Why Register an Activity? From highlighting your community, raising your profile and meeting new audiences, to networking and connecting with like-minded citizens, the reasons are multiple!
 Some of the most exciting quilting ever done was on display at the Art Gallery of Burlington last year. It will be interesting to see how the Art Gallery chooses to participate in 2105 Highlight the Cultural Vibrancy of Your Community
Every corner of this country is full of creativity, arts and culture. By participating in Culture Days, you help your fellow citizens become aware of the many unique opportunities available to them and encourage participation in arts and cultural activities in your own backyard. You draw attention to the different cultures and heritages that contribute to the development and vitality of your community.
You cast a spotlight on the cultural organizations and individual artists in their midst.
From children’s choirs, “stitch and bitch” groups and performing arts organizations to art colleges, museums and design firms, there are myriad perspectives, experiences, disciplines and techniques to share and discover. Working together, Culture Days participants showcase the vibrancy of local arts and culture, and encourage everyone to discover something new, something different, and to re-connect with their own creativity and community.
Arts and culture initiatives and industries not only make a vital contribution to our dynamic economy but, crucially to the social development of our neighbhourhoods, regions and country, promoting life-long learning, creative thinking, resiliency, appreciation of diversity, compassion and so much more.
 Spread the word. Arts and culture are important.
Make Worthwhile Connections, Meet New Supporters & Audiences
A significant amount of Culture Days activity organizers share space with other organizers during the weekend, often collaborating with someone or organizations with which they had not previously worked. Whether it is to create a hub of diverse activities in one area to attract visitors, or as an excuse to finally contact someone you’ve been meaning to connect with, Culture Days is the perfect opportunity to meet other creative people in your area, share resources, form new alliances that will last year-round, and meet new potential supporters and audience members.
Collaborations can also inspire unique cross-pollination among creative practices, connecting across sectors, cultures and generations.
Moreover, your participation in Culture Days can be the catalyst to create a legacy of strong connections between citizens, artists, cultural workers and their communities.
 During the creation of the Spiral Stella the public provided artifacts that were bronzed and made a part of the sculpture that stands outside the Performing Arts Centre. Here children watch in amazement at how the moulds are made. Develop Your Skills
Culture Days offers a fantastic opportunity to sharpen your promotional and organizational skills.
By taking advantage of the free tips and tools offered on the website, you can make the most of your Culture Days experience and apply everything that you have learned or improved upon year-round.
Whether it is leveraging social media for the first time as a promotional tool, organizing as a community, or connecting with people as passionate as you are, the vast and varied network of collaborators that makes up the Culture Days initiative is the perfect support system.
Learning works best when you have people to share it with, so don’t hesitate to get out there and put it all into practice, and be sure to not be humble about your successes!
Raise Your Profile
Culture Days offers helpful tips and tools to conduct your own promotion and media relations. It is a great opportunity to be featured in your local paper, association newsletters, or arts blogs, to name a few. Don’t hesitate to tell everyone about your unique activity.
In addition to being included in the national marketing and communications campaign, you might also take part in local or regional marketing initiatives. By pointing the general public to culturedays.ca where your activity is registered, people in your community and beyond your usual circles will learn about you and your activity.
Benefit from your participation by collecting contact information, business cards and comments from your visitors. This is a chance to build your email list and collect glowing testimonials for your next brochure or website update. Just by sharing your passion and talents, you can recruit new members, clients or audience members on the spot.
 Making culture the focus of conversation is what the Culture Days committee feels will raise the profile of the arts in a community. Unite To Make Arts and Culture The Topic of Conversation
Culture Days is the largest-ever collective public participation campaign undertaken by the arts and cultural community in this country. Last year, artists, cultural organizations, diverse groups and local organizers in nearly 800 communities registered some 7,500 events. The marketing and media campaign generated impressions in the hundreds of millions.
In the three years since its inception, one in three Canadians reported being aware of Culture Days – that’s more than 11 million people!
By participating, you promote and reveal the creativity of our citizens, creators, organizations, and communities through a vast Canada-wide marketing and public awareness campaign. Whether you create a new program or already have a relevant interactive activity planned, everything included in the Culture Days weekend pushes arts and culture into the limelight.
It all happens September 25, 26 and 27, 2015 – what artists do between now and then will determine just how successful the day is. Wish for sunshine!
By Staff
April 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Getting people to tell you what they think before decisions are made seems to be harder than listening to people who are unhappy with decisions that have been made.
City Council is about to begin the process of setting out the Strategic Plan they will use as a guide for the decisions they make for the next three years.
 Ideas and concepts were written up on sheets of paper and put up wherever there was space. It all got debated and boiled down to the Strategic Plan the city is now working with – that plan is to be reviewed and revised now. The Strategic Plan created in 2011 was an excellent document. It did have some limitations but given that prior to 2011 the city tended to publish a booklet with a lot of nice picture and precious little in the way of content. 2011 was great.
The Plan adopted by Council was a long time in coming – staff and council took eleven half days to discuss and debate what the priorities should be – what they wanted to focus on and achieve in the term they were getting into.
They settled on three Strategic Directions:
Vibrant Neighbourhoods
Prosperity
Excellence in Government
 The body language tells it all – there was some,e vigorous debate during the creation of the best Strategic Plan the city has had in some time. Here Frank McKeown, current Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff at the time and Paul Sharman city Councillor and a member of the Board of the BEDC Whenever a staff report was prepared for Council the writers of the report were expected to show how the recommendation was related to those three directions
As part of public engagement, which hasn’t been all that good so far, the city is asking the public to download a copy of a Workbook that has been put together for any individual who wants to express an opinion. The Workbook is an opportunity to provide input into planning Burlington’s future.
The deadline for submissions has been extended until end of day May 4, 2015.
In its media release the city said: “To help set priorities, each Burlington City Council creates a strategic plan to match with the four-year term of council. The 2015-18 City of Burlington strategic plan will result in changes to the 2011-14 strategic plan, based on community feedback and changing needs.”
 The Strategic Plan was facilitated by Georgina Black; they couldn’t have done the job they did without her. Prior to extending the deadline for comment the city had received less than 50 responses.
The workbook is available online or in hard copy and can be mailed on request. Strategic plan facilitators are on standby to help groups complete the workbook. Please contact strategicplan@burlington.ca, call 905-335-7600, ext 7378, or visit www.burlington.ca/strategicplan for details.
 By Pepper Parr
April 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
UPDATE:
Got the following note from Transport Canada:
“Just wanted to note that this article is inaccurate. The lift bridge is a Public Works asset, not Transport Canada. It is not being divested and is not part of the Port Asset Transfer Program.”
The Gazette will seek some clarification and report back/
Governments have a nasty little habit of releasing news late on a Friday afternoon. It is seldom good news – that stuff gets sent out when newsroom are wide awake and operational.
What was the bad news? The Hamilton-Burlington Lift Bridge is up for sale – Hamilton and Burlington have first dibs on the property but if they don’t buy it – then someone else can buy the structure.
 In a 5:31pm Friday news release, the Harper government announced a new program called the “Ports Asset Transfer Program” which will sell Transport Canada-owned port facilities to the private sector if provinces or municipalities don’t agree to take responsibility for facilities the federal government no longer wishes to maintain.
For this part of the world that means what is officially called the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge is going to get sold. Lisa Raitt’s, Minister of Transport, news release backgrounder states municipalities will have a 60-day period this summer to decide to purchase the Lift Bridge from the federal government.
If Hamilton and Burlington decide to not purchase the bridge (or the province for them), Transport Canada will offer the bridge for sale to the Hamilton Port Authority and the private sector.
Earlier in the month the Burlington and Hamilton Council’s joint Greater Bay Area Committee met. One of the agenda items was the Lift Bridge negotiations.
Hamilton City Manager Chris Murray said communication was ongoing with the Federal government, and that both City Managers were awaiting additional financial information from the federal government before providing recommendations to the respective City Councils.
Murray made no statement about potential privatization or a forthcoming ultimatum. He did state that he expected to have more information from the Federal government shortly and that a report would be forthcoming to Council.
Burlington’s city manager, James Ridge hasn’t said a word publicly.
Mike Wallace, Burlington’s member of Parliament has yet to make a comment.
Expect this issue to quickly be added to the both Burlington and Hamilton City Council meetings. Burlington has the delightful pleasure of working with the federal Transportation department on both an air park and now a canal bridge.
Is anyone thinking about a toll bridge? Governments are looking for new sources of revenue.
Were indebted to Joey Coleman and The Public Record for background on this article.
By Pepper Parr
April 25, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
Tom Muir is an active community participant – he is also a bit of a burr under the saddle of the Councillor for his ward Rick Craven.
Muir is not the kind of guy that backs down easily – and he is the kind of guy who does his homework
When he delegates before city Council – which he does frequently – his questions are pointed and often sharp.
 Plains Road, east of Waterdown – residents believe the properties are being assembled with plans are for a 6 storey structure. He recently wrote a staff member in the planning department about a development that no one was actually sure was going to take place – the only information the public had was a sign on the property saying units were for sale.
Muir asked the planning department for some details on any plans the city might have received about a potential redevelopment on 40-58 Plains Road East.
The staff member said:
I have attended several meetings with the owners of 40, 46 & 50 Plains Road East. Formal preconsultation meetings were held in December 2012 and July 2014 to discuss a 6 storey apartment building on these three sites. An Official Plan amendment (OPA) and rezoning would be required to allow any redevelopment of these properties for an apartment building. I have not attended any discussions or held any preconsultation meetings involving 58 Plains Road East.
The City of Burlington has not received an application for OPA or rezoning of these properties. We have not approved any apartment building on these properties. However the City cannot legally prevent property owners from advertising their intentions or from collecting names of potential purchasers for residential units which are not approved or built.
 Waterdown Road is in the process of being widened, the local convenience store was expropriated and there are plans for some very significant developments – the residents would like to be informed. Muir now knew more than most people in his community. What galled Muir the most was that there had been a community meeting to talk about the thinking being done for the stretch of Plains Road between Cook and Filmandale and there was no mention of the meeting about any development proposals or pre-consultation meetings.
Muir commented in his response to the planner saying:
“It is not right, and highly regrettable, that this information was not disclosed to the public as part of the official process and meeting. That it was largely by accident that I discovered this failure to disclose key information relevant to the purposes of the meeting just makes the situation more intolerable.
The disclosure of such information should be city policy, period. I just don’t understand what the thinking or objective is in non-disclosure. What kind of organization lets this happen?
Awareness of this information would clearly affect the knowledge and thinking of the public regarding the issues and questions being posed to them by the city at the meetings, and in the process. Therefore, the issues, comments, and concerns they provide in response are similarly affected.
Therefore, the turnout numbers of the public are influenced downward, and the comments you have received, and may receive further, are not fully informed, and are therefore biased, because this information is missing.
I think you need to do the meeting again, with the public fully informed as to what has been, and is, going on in regard to the missing information, and how that might relate to the OP and by-law issues that are under review.
“This is not the first time in my experience in Ward 1” said Muir “that the city has failed to disclose this kind of particularly relevant and material information to the public in formal meetings. The resulting bias in response received from the public is always the same.”
“And it always leads people to lose trust in the process, and in the integrity of the city’s ethic and code of conduct. This is so simple to avoid – always do the right, honest thing.”
 A vacant lot across the road from properties that are beleived to be part of an assembly sits next to Solid Gold, an “adult entertainment” business. Many would like to see that establishment turned into something more acceptable to the community. The lead speaker at the meeting on March 24th was the city planner. He had to know about the possible development. He didn’t say a word.
The ward Councillor, Rick Craven also spoke to the crowd of about 80 people – he didn’t say a word either – you can bet the mortgage that Councillor Craven knew about the project and assume that he had had a number of conversations with the developer.
Let us add one more piece of information. The Gazette received the following from a reader whose credibility is as strong as it gets. That person wrote: Regarding Greg Woodruff’s article, I think the Plains Road project has been in the works for a while. Through one of our daughter’s friends, we learned that properties on Fairwood Place E. – up to Birchwood – were being assembled about a year ago. If true, the development proposal will extend well beyond the Plains Road corridor – right into the neighbourhood.
Expect to hear more from the people of Aldershot about this one.
 By Staff
April 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The planned closure of Waterdown Road, between Plains Road and Masonry Court, is on track – the road will close to through traffic on Monday, May 4, 2015. The closure is expected to last until October 2015.
Detour
A detour will be provided along Cooke Boulevard and Masonry Court.
Local Access
Local access for residents and businesses within the road closure limits will be maintained. At times, access may only be provided from one direction.
Fire Station #3
City of Burlington Fire Station #3 will maintain access through a driveway onto Emery Avenue.
Burlington Transit
Bus stops for Burlington Transit will be routed along the road detour.
 By Staff
April 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On April 23rd 2015, members of the Halton Regional Police – 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau arrested two Hamilton residents in connection with two recent Pharmacy Robberies in Burlington.
 Part of the evidence seized by police in Burlington pharmacy arrests. Police executed a search warrant at a residence on Horning Drive in Hamilton where a significant quantity of stolen narcotics, a stun gun, stun flashlight, flick knife and a quantity of cocaine and marihuana were seized.
Arrested and held for bail are:
Geoffrey Peter MACPHERSON (29 yrs) of Horning Drive in Hamilton
• Robbery X2
• Wear Disguise X2
• Possession of prohibited weapon X3
• Possession of prohibited weapons while prohibited X 8
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana)
• Possession of controlled substance (hydromorphone) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (temazopam) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (lorazepam) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (oxycodone) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (hydromorph contin) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (fentanyl) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (morphine sulphate) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (Tylenol 3) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of property obtained by crime X 2
• Breach Probation X3
Sarah Elizabeth MACDONALD (26 yrs) of Horning Drive in Hamilton
• Robbery X2
• Possession of prohibited weapon X3
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana)
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana)
• Possession of controlled substance (hydromorphone) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (temazopam) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (lorazepam) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (oxycodone) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (hydromorph contin) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (fentanyl) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (morphine sulphate) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of controlled substance (Tylenol 3) for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of property obtained by crime X 2
The pharmacies held up were St George Pharmacy located at 5295 Lakeshore Road in Burlington. The pharmacist at that location fled from the drugstore when the robber pulled up his shirt to reveal his waistband.
The I.D.A. pharmacy located at 1893 Appleby Line in Burlington was the second drugstore robbed. In that instance the suspect demanded narcotics and money while brandishing the knife at the pharmacist. The suspect was given an unknown quantity of narcotics and money.
Anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or has information that would assist investigators who have not yet spoke to police are asked to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2343 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the Internet at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes.)
 By Staff
April 23, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington’s annual art auction is going to be quite a bit more than a one night stand this year.
The auction is the premier fundraising event that draws hundreds of art enthusiasts and collectors who take home outstanding pieces of original art in support of AGB’s exhibitions and enriching the education programs.
 On this the first anniversary of the Art Gallery of Burlington under its new brand, they have grown the event into an Art Auction AND Sale to celebrate the tremendously talented local, regional and national artists and their work.
This year’s art experience starts Sunday May 31 through auction night June 6, 2015:
• Week-long Art Activities – Public Opening Preview, Art talks, Art Workshops, Art Collecting Seminars and daily auction previews.
• 200 for $200 Art Sale – May 31 – June 6, 2015. Featuring original, small artworks in various mediums available for purchase all week, maximum size in this category is 12″ x 12″.
• Live & Silent Auction – June 6, 2015
ABOUT AUCTION NIGHT – La Belle Époque: 1889- 1914
When you arrive at AGB June 6th, you will be transported to Paris at a time when artists from all over the world were drawn there to study and create; challenging traditional methods and presenting their work on the world’s stage. The Art Gallery of Burlington will be transformed into a Parisian marketplace as guests are immersed in the sights and sounds of late 19th century Paris for a celebration of artists and their work.
At 6:30pm the night begins with a catered cocktail reception while you preview the fabulous artwork on offer. The live auction starts at 8pm and the silent auction closes at 10pm as guests are treated to a Jazz Trio with musicians from Symphony on the Bay and enjoy Parisian style desserts and digestives.
Art Auction Preview: Opens Sunday, May 31, 2-5pm. Previews for the live and silent auction and the Art SALE are open all week during AGB hours of operation.
TICKETS: Art Auction tickets on sale now: Online, in person or by phone.
$60 for AGB members, $80 for non-members.
 By Staff
April 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
For the second consecutive year Burlington’s Supreme Chearleading won the senior level division of the Ontario Cheerleading Federation’s National Championships last weekend,
The Burlington participants along with participants from Oakville and Hamilton were crowned Grand Champions for their respective levels.
 Burlington’s Supreme Cheerleaders win 1st place and are named National Champions The event took place in Brampton and featured hundreds of performances by teams representing clubs from across the country. The Supreme athletes represented our city well and produced fun and entertaining performances, which left their coaches, parents and spectators feeling proud! All athletes represented Supreme Cheerleading and the City of Burlington with great pride, energy and sportsmanship throughout the entire event.
The final results of all the Supreme teams:
Tiny Twinkles (Ages 4-5): Tiny Prep level 1 division – NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
Mini Starburst (Ages 6-8): Mini Level 1 division – 7th place
Mini Shooting Stars (Ages 6-8): Mini Level 2 division – NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
Youth Stardust (Ages 9-11): Youth Level 2 division – 4th place
Junior Starlights (Ages 9-11): Junior Level 1 division – 2nd place
Junior Starstruck (Ages 10-14): Junior Level 3 division – 3rd place
Senior Stardom (Ages 11-18): Senior Level 4.2 division – NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AND LEVEL 4 GRAND CHAMPIONS!
 Supreme’s doing a Stardust Pyramid Supreme Cheerleading will be hosting their annual Showcase at Notre Dame Secondary School on May 9th, 2015. The event will feature performances by all competitive teams, pre-competitive teams and even a special parent performance.
Athletes ages 4-18 who wish to join the program for the 2015-2016 season can attend Team Placements which take place at the Supreme Cheerleading Gym – Burlington’s only dedicated All-Star Cheerleading facility (at 4-845 Harrington Court) on May 19th-23rd 2015. More details can be found online at www.supremeallstars.com or by emailing coaches@supremeallstars.com.
 By Pepper Parr
April 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington has struggled mightily to get a private tree bylaw in place – it wouldn’t fly with this council.
 The best argument there is for a private tree bylaw The city is now going to try the educating them route – and with that objective in mind they are going to hold an Arbor Day on Saturday, May 2, at Central Arena, 519 Drury Lane, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Almost a Trees 101 event, the city’s first Arborfest event will provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about the benefits trees bring to our community.
“Recent community surveys and public engagements have revealed a desire among residents to increase their education and awareness about trees and the value they bring to our community,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure. “We are excited to invite residents to this free, fun, family event held just in time to celebrate Arbor Day.”
Arborfest 2015 will feature:
• Exhibits from local community groups, gardeners and landscape vendors who play a key role in promoting the health and benefits of Burlington’s urban forest
• Tree planting in Central Park
• Fun activities for children.
At the several public meetings to explain the why of a private tree bylaw we heard some pretty stupid arguments as well as some of the most reasoned, reasonable thinking put forward in this city. But there is still a significant – “my home is my castle and I will do whatever I want on my property” viewpoint floating around out there.
BurlingtonGreen fought mightily to persuade Council to put a private tree bylaw in place. It failed but the environmentalists just don’t give up
Who voted for the private tree bylaw and who didn’t?
Why a private tree bylaw
By Staff
April 22, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
In the not too distant future Burlington will begin creating the Strategic Plan it wants to follow for the next four years.
The city’s Economic development Corporation will be working on the economic part of that plan and is now reaching out to gather information from stakeholders and anyone else with views on the prosperity of the city.
 While the moment is about the photo opportunity – the news is that there are shovels in the ground, commercial space is being built and jobs are being created. The developing an Economic Vision for the City of Burlington has to be based on a fact-based, practical plan that can address pressures and economic trends across the region and province.
As part of this process, we are asking for your input and participation in the following survey. The survey will assist in identifying Burlington’s key strengths and challenges, and will help make sure your perspective is represented as part of the new economic vision. The survey should take 15 minutes to complete.
Here’s the link: Click here
By Greg Woodruff
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On March 24th city staff held a meeting to discuss possible zoning changes to a large section of Plains Road. The area discussed was on the South side of Plains Road positioned East of Waterdown Road. Later residents discovered a developer is already advertising to sell 75 condo units at 40-58 Plains Road East in violation of current zoning character provisions.
Though it was casually mentioned the city had been “approached” by a developer; no indication was given that a specific plan was in motion.
 The public meeting was an information gathering occasion for the city planner who said he was there to listen to the community and what they wanted. He did make mention of an project that was not formal yet – the residents think the project is well along the development path. The graphic above shows the portion of Plains Rod that was under review and its proximity to the Aldershot GO station and the suggestion that the pink area could be developed as a “mobility hub” This leaves the distinct impression that this meeting was in bad faith. It seems like the purpose of the meeting was only to say the public was “consulted” on an issue staff already had a plan to change. I realize that staff may not have been in a position to mention this specific development. At minimum the staff could have indicated that if the zoning was changed they would expect to see condo buildings in the “range of 70 plus units”. Why they did not could be anything from simple lack of communication to an outright attempt to misslead the public.
I think traditionally the public has considered staff as neutral parties implementing zoning regulations and changes in a balanced way. To some it seems like staff have now been co-opted into provincial employees with “intensification” as the decisive factor in decision making. If staff failed to mention this development or the like because someone judged that residents would have a negative reaction; then they are no longer operating in a neutral way. This is unfair not only to residents and developers, but also to the staff themselves.
Some basic questions now need answering:
1) What exactly is the current function and purpose of staff in regard to planning and development?
2) Was the city made aware of this 75 unit proposal from the developer?
3) Was there any conversation among or direction to staff about hiding the nature of probable developments if the zoning was changed?
4) Did any staff indicate that they would work for the developer to get the zoning changed?
Recommendations:
1) All communication between staff and this developer on this matter needs to be made public.
2) Staff are “trading” zoning violations for attributes to buildings. “Horse trading” zoning violations needs to be made into a transparent public process.
In this area we have less trees, less businesses and more congestion.
I reject outright the suggestion that the liveability of our community needs to be sacrificed for the provincial “intensification” mandate. Intensification is designed to spur positive changes in our community; not serve as a rationalization for negative ones.
Greg Woodruff runs the Citizens for Responsible Development. He was a candidate for the office of Chair of the Region of Halton. There is more about that organization here.
The Gazette reported on that March meeting.
By Staff
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Last day to sign up.
Last year more than 12,000 people took part in the annual BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association Clean Up Green Up Day
The events starts at 9 am to noon on Saturday, April 25th, 2015. School and Business Clean-Ups are taking place during Earth Week (this week) from April 20th to 24th.
 As the city’s largest volunteer participation action event, Community Clean Up Green Up Day is an important (and fun) opportunity for citizens, community groups, schools, and businesses to come together, make a difference for our environment and take pride in our city by cleaning it up.
Once you’ve done your share – head back to city hall for a bite to eat and join in the celebration – the place is usually packed.
Registration closes on Friday, April 24th.
Register here;
By Staff
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Due to construction, all lanes of the Toronto-bound QEW (Northbound) will be closed from Beach Boulevard to Burlington Skyway April 24 to 27 at select times:
Friday April 24, 2015 at 10 p.m. – Saturday April 25, 2015 at 6 a.m.
Saturday April 25, 2015 at 11 p.m. – Sunday April 26, 2015 at 8 a.m.
Sunday April 26, 2015 at 10 p.m. – Monday April 27, 2015 at 4 a.m.
Detour Routes:
During the closure, traffic will be routed off of the Toronto-bound QEW at Eastport Drive and detoured along Eastport Drive to rejoin the QEW.
Traffic detour signage will be in place and OPP traffic assistance present at traffic light intersections at Lakeshore Boulevard and Eastport Drive.
By Pepper Parr
April 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Those condominiums that First Capital Corporation wanted to build on the edge of the Appleby Village Mall will not be going up any time soon.
 The view of the proposed development from Pinedale. Was it sewer problems that held this development back? Councillor Paul Sharman advised Council last night that the Regional government will not have the services in place for the time frame the developer seems to have wanted.
Sharman faced two close to hostile audiences when the proposal was first put forward by First Capital – close to 300 people crowded into a public meeting to voice their opinion – “not here thank you” was the sentiment expressed by most.
 The two towers would have been in the upper right. It was their height that had the residents up in arms. There was a second meeting that didn’t go much better.
Sharman appeared to take some satisfaction in in delivering the news.
Expect this project to come back to the table at some point in the future; a combination of the developer wanting to wring as much profit out of their property as possible and the city’s need to intensify will see this one again.
The city will also like the look of the development charges and the tax revenue.
By Pepper Parr
April 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Air Park issue is back on the table – on the hot plate actually with the heat being turned up.
In a very brief media release handed out during a city council meeting Monday evening the city said: The issue at the Air Park is of continuing concern to the residents of Burlington and there is a high degree of interest in this matter. For the purposes of informing the public the City Solicitor recommends that limited solicitor-client privilege be waives with respect to the following matters after final Council approval of this report as follows”:
Council waive solicitor client privilege with respect the advice/opinions contained in L-9-15 and its attachments strictly with respect to conveying to the public that:
 Barbara Sheldon look at 32 feet of landfill less than 50 feet from her kitchen window. All dumped without any permits because an airport is federally regulated. The city is now back in Court asking a Judge to compel the Air Park to file a site Alteration site |Plan does that mean some of the fill might get removed? Burlington city council takes the position that it has full legal Authority to enforce the provisions of its Site Alteration By-law as against Burlington Air Park Inc. and the Burlington Air Park Inc., has been given 30 days from March 20, 2015 to comply with the by-law.
This news is released April 20th – suggesting that lawyer Ian Blue will be at the County Courthouse tomorrow morning with a brief asking the Judge to order the Air Park to submit a Site Alteration plan.
The city media release goes on to say: “That in all other respects, solicitor-client privilege is maintained over all other legal advice/opinions contained in L-9-15 and its appendices.”
In other words – they aren’t going to tell us anything else.
So much for the city’s intention to communicate with the public.
City Manager James Ridge, who smiles frequently and suggests he wants to be nice added a few words to the release when asked just what it meant.
“We are asking a court to compel the Air Park to comply with the site by-law
They could have said that in one sentence and do away with all the baffle gab.
This certainly ups the ante – the Air Park has found reason after reason; excuse after excuse to not file the proper documents – they’ve been doing this for years.
The city and the Air Park sued each other over whether or not the city had the right to require a Site Alteration Plan. They lost the case. Justice Murphy said they were requires to submit a plan.
The Air Park appealed that decision – they lost the appeal.
They hired a consulting form with a good reputation for quality work – and that firm did meet with staff in the planning department – but a complete |Site Alteration plan never quite made it to the planners.
 Getting a single picture with most of the players in it is unusual. On the far left is outside counsel Ian Blue who won two court cases for the city and has been brought in to stick handle the most recent legal issue. To the rear of Blue is Blake Hurley who is with the city legal department. Scott |Stewart chats with rural Burlington residents Robert Goulet, Ken Woodruff and Montre Dennis. Vanessa Warren looks over their shoulders. Warren, Dennis and Pepper Parr, publisher of the Burlington Gazette have been sued by the Air Park. That case has yet to get to court. A month or so ago the city brought Ian Blue the lawyer who handled the two court cases, back in and sought his advice. That advice is now evident.
The city wants to hope that they appear once again in front of Justice Murphy.
In a media release put out several hours after city council adjourned a time line reflecting just how long this has been going on.
Timeline
• July 4, 2013 – The City of Burlington moved forward with a legal strategy to address concerns regarding noise and fill activities related to construction at the Burlington Airpark on Bell School Line.
• July 18, 2013 – The Burlington Airpark serves the City of Burlington with an application to take the city to court and seeks a court order to declare the city’s site alteration by-law does not apply to the airport’s operations and construction of aerodrome facilities.
• July 29, 2013 – The City of Burlington and the Burlington Airpark reach a settlement to stop fill operations at the airpark until a decision is made by the courts about whether the city has jurisdiction to regulate fill operations through its site alteration by-law.
• Nov. 13, 2013 – A Milton Superior Court rules the City of Burlington’s site alteration by-law applies to the Burlington Airpark.
• June 11, 2014 – The Court of Appeal for Ontario upholds the decision of the Milton Superior Court that the City of Burlington’s site alteration by-law applies to the Burlington Airpark.
Added to the time line was the following:
“The City of Burlington site alteration by-law 64-2014 regulates the placing, dumping, cutting and removal of fill or the alteration of grades or drainage on a piece of land. Individuals undertaking this type of work are first required to submit an application to the city for a site alteration permit.
“The Burlington Airpark Inc. has not submitted an application for a site alteration permit for the areas of the Airpark property where substantial quantities of fill were deposited between 2009 to 2014.”
“The Burlington Airpark continues to be of great interest to the residents of Burlington,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “The requirements set out in Burlington’s site alteration by-law are necessary to help regulate impacts to the environment and drainage patterns.”
 Dump trucks taking tonnes of landfill onto the Air Park property to level out part of the 200 acre site. They did so without any permits. The requirement for a site plan isn’t the only issue. The drilling of test holes to determine what if any toxicity exists at or near the water table as a result of the fill that has been dumped on the 200 acre plus site has yet to be resolved and something more than statement released from the provincial ministry that is involved in this mess on how it is going to inform the public.
The federal government is responsible for the regulations that determine what level of adherence the airport has to respect in terms of municipal bylaws.
The noose is getting tighter.
By Staff
April 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Dozens of groups spent last week thanking their volunteers – the city would not be the place it is without those volunteers.
 Red Cross volunteers being taken through the routines they were to follow during their door-to-door work during the flood last August. Sometimes the large organizations that have been around for more than a century get forgotten – the Canadian Red Cross is one of them
During the flooding last August it was the Red Cross that did much of the door to door work and learning where the flood damage was worst and passing that information along to the people that were doing the fixing up.
Throughout the year, volunteers from across the country, generously donate their time to improving the lives of the most vulnerable individuals and communities. “Not only this week, but each and every day, the Canadian Red Cross is sincerely thankful for the vast network of volunteers who are an integral part of this Society,” says Azima Vadsaria, Disaster Management Advisor for Halton, Hamilton and Niagara. “They are the reason we are able to make such a significant impact on those in need.”
The Red Cross has more than 20,000 volunteers nationally playing a critical role in contributing to all programs and services offered by the Red Cross.
 Peter Hodgson, a retired police Staff Sergeant pointing out where the damage was in a specific part of the city during the flood last August. More than 244 of those volunteers from across Halton and the province came together in Burlington to help those who had suffered devastating damage to their homes from the August 4th flood. In addition, volunteers delivered thousands of Meals on Wheels in Burlington, provided thousands of rides to medical appointments across the Region, and helped families that were forced from their homes by fires and other personal disasters and worked tirelessly in the Branch offices, ensuring that all programmes worked seamlessly.
 Helping out during the flood involved anyone with willing hands. “The passion and commitment that our volunteers carry out in their work is truly remarkable. It’s an honour to have such devoted individuals representing the work of the Red Cross from coast to coast across Canada,” added Vadsaria.
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