 By Pepper Parr
April 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a little complicated but for Russ Weegar it was pretty simple. We paid the taxes, we are entitled to a rebate and we would like that rebate if you don’t mind
 Russ Weegar and Pastor Rosalie Schwarm delegating before a Standing Committee. Weegar and Pastor Rosalie Schwarm were delegating on behalf of Lighthouse Church International requesting a grant.
Lighthouse is a non-profit, non-denominationalchurch with charitable status that has in the past provided funding to various Burlington community programs (West Plains Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity) as well as pastoral advocacy services to indigenous groups, locally and internationally.
They used to lease space on Fairview Street. Property taxes were included in their rent. They have been leasing their current location since October 1, 2012.
Where a charity leases space in a taxable building, the charity is eligible for a rebate equal to 40% of the taxes paid by the charity. A charity rebate application was submitted in November 2014 for the years 2012 (part year), 2013 and 2014.
And this is where the problems for the Lighthouse Church began. Only the 2014 tax year rebate was processed because they did not get their application for the rebate in on time.
Weegar pointed out that they didn’t even know they were entitled to a charitable rebate.
When the city collects taxes – they don’t get to keep all the money. City hall collects taxes for the Region and for the school boards.
Of each dollar collected in taxes 28.2% goes to the city; they send 24.6 % to the Region and 47.2% to the province on behalf of the school boards.
The city denied the applications for 2012 (part year) and 2013 because they had missed the deadlines – which Weegar continually pointed out they weren’t aware of – had the 2012 and 2013 applications been submitted before the respective deadlines, the rebates would have been shared as follows:
2012 2013 Total
City 605.70 2,476.64 3,082.34
Region 571.09 2,237.16 2,808.25
School Boards 1,095.02 4,312.98 5,408.00
Total $2,271.81 $9,026.78 $11,298.59
Filing deadlines are legislated under the Municipal Act and must be made after January 1 of the year and no later than the last day of February of the following year.
The municipality may accept applications after that deadline if, in the opinion of the municipality, extenuating circumstances justify the applicant being unable to make the application by the deadline.
“Extenuating circumstances” generally means an event that is unusual or beyond the control of the parties. In this case, Lighthouse Church explained that they did not know about the rebate until 2014. Not knowing about a rebate or deadline is not considered an extenuating circumstance.
The Municipal Act does give a municipality with the general power to make grants if Council considers to be in the interests of the municipality.
If council chooses to provide a grant to Lighthouse Church, there is the risk that other charitable and non-profit organizations, which have missed application deadlines, may seek similar funding in the future.
 Rosalie Schwarm – Pastor at the Lighthouse church City Council has made grants to other charitable organizations in the past – The Humane Society had taxes written of – the circumstances were deemed to be extenuating.
There hasn’t been a single grant application since the Humane Society was given a helping hand.
The Lighthouse Church at this point does not have a home. Their congregation of about 85 people has dwindled as a result but they continue to do what they believe they were sent here to do – help people. In the meantime they meet in people’s homes and hold their services.
In the past the church has sent people to Cuba. Yemen, Bulgaria and the Congo.
At one point they had a home in Waterdown where they rented from another church that decided they wanted to sell the property. Lighthouse could not afford to buy it at the time.
When it came to making a decision it took several votes to arrive at a decision that would get sent to the Council meeting on April 20th.
Councillor Meed Ward wanted the city to give Lighthouse a grant for the full amount they were asking for $11, 298.50 That got just three votes – they needed four
Give Lighthouse a portion of their ask including part that is educational and let them go to the Region and ask for a rebate at that level – that too lost
The final vote was to give the church the city portion – $3,082.30 – that passed.
Now that the Lighthouse church people understand the rules – expect them to mount a stronger argument at Council on the 20th.
In the meantime their Easter Sunday service will be in the home of one of the parishioners.
 By Staff
April 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
At about 8:00 pm on Friday evening, a lone female suspect entered the “Conspiracy Comics” store at 2388 Fairview Street in Burlington.
After completing a small purchase, the suspect took out a hammer and made a demand for money from the store employee before fleeing the store on foot.
The employee was not injured.
The police report does not say if the suspect was actually given any money.
Suspect is described as:
Female, white, approximately 20-30 years old, 5’5″-5’6″ with a slender build. She had a stud piercing under her lower lip (labret piercing).
Clothing: grey hooded sweater (hood worn up), light blue jeans, dark touque, black knap sack, dark coloured skater shoes low cut sneakers
Anyone with information that would assist in this investigation is asked to contact the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 x2316, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
April 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Here is the official story:
“Ontario is investing up to $371.3 million to support the construction of a new seven-storey tower at Burlington’s Joseph Brant Hospital and to significantly renovate other areas of the hospital to give patients faster access to the right care.
Through this expansion, patients in Burlington will benefit from:
Space for 172 additional beds in the new tower
Additional beds in the Intensive Care Unit
A modern emergency department and a new main entrance
Expanded diagnostic imaging services, which will provide capacity for an additional 23,745 exams per year
Nine modern operating rooms and a post-anaesthetic care unit with capacity for an additional 1,770 inpatient and day surgery cases
An expanded cancer clinic that can serve an additional 2,876 patient visits
Expanded ambulatory care programs, such as: comprehensive women’s health, children’s health, seniors health/geriatric assessment, nutrition counselling, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart function, ophthalmology, neurology, general medicine, fracture clinic, orthopaedic assessment, stroke assessment, medical day care and sexual assault clinic
An expanded and modernized laboratory to help accurately assess patients faster
A renovated Special Care Nursery for babies who need additional specialized care such as intravenous therapy or respiratory support
 City hall is apparently leaning on the hospital administration to ensure that the Tim Horton coffee shop is on the south side of the building so that the public walking along the Lakeshore and the old railway track can slip in for a double-double and a maple donut. The original plan was to have the coffee shop on the north side. Suspect that discussion isn’t over yet. Construction at Joseph Brant Hospital is now underway and is expected to be complete in the fall of 2018.”
But there is more to this story than what the provincial government’s media release said
The building is going to be much higher than expected.
It will be well built – Ellis-Don, the company heading up the construction project has consistently done very good work. Erik Vandewall, president of the hospital is as good as they get at getting hospitals built.
He will make sure things are on time and on budget.
The budget is going to be a problem.
The $371 million dollar project will get funds from three sources: the provincial government, which is using an innovative approach to getting its share of the cost.
The city of Burlington has had to burden its tax payers with a $60 million special tax levy that threatens to become permanent – but that’s another story.
The Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation has undertaken to raise an additional $60 million.
They recently announced that they had reached the 60% level – which is very good news.
BUT – there is $10 million of that publicly raised money that might be in doubt.
Last weekend the Globe & Mail published a report on a significant shortfall in the fund raising for the Royal Ontario Museum. Burlington’s Michael Lee Chin made a generous donation – it was a pledge actually that he has not been able to honour yet.
His gift to the Joseph Brant Hospital, announced in February by the hospital foundation said:
“Together, as a community, we raised an incredible $2 million from September – December 2014, in response to the Michael Lee-Chin & Family Community Matching Challenge. As a result the Lee-Chin Family added a matching million dollars.
In September of 2014 the Foundation announced: The Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation has announced that Michael Lee-Chin and his family have made a $10 million dollar donation at its 14th annual Crystal Ball Gala.
The donation is the largest ever made in the City of Burlington and the largest made to the Joseph Brant Hospital. This gift brings the total raised for Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation’s Our New Era campaign to $37M – more than 60% of campaign goal.
In light of the Globe & Mail story – we don’t know what Lee Chin has done or has not done in terms of meeting his pledge.
Meanwhile construction plans for a rebuild of Lakeshore Road are released.
 The road will have three lanes plus a bike path on the south side and will be between a metre and 3/4 of a metre higher than it is now. It will extend in phase one to just about the water treatment plant. The road is going to be raised between a metre and three quarters of a metre higher when the work is completed in 2018. There will be no work done on the road rebuild while hospital construction is taking place.
The Lakeshore Road re-build will not be complete. Scott Hamilton, Manager of Design Construction for the city said the final design of the Lakeshore extension cannot be completed until we know what is going to happen to the houses in the Beachway.
The new road will be three lanes wide with a bike path as well. Some of the houses are quite close to the existing road.
While the Region has said the situation with the property on the Beachway will be bought on a willing seller/willing buyer basis – the truth is that there is only one buyer and the sellers are being squeezed out.
The real estate agents for the Region are meeting with home owner on a one-to-one basis to – as they say – point out the options the home owners have.
The city will be holding a public meeting on Tuesday to display their thinking of a park design – with and without the homes that are in place now.
It could be a very noisy building.
In the meantime Eric J. Vandewall President & CEO of the hospital has to determine just where the money to pay the bills is going to come from.
The city has been quietly collecting tax money to pay for its $60 million share. City Director of Finance Joan Ford advises that there is a tight agreement between the hospital and the city as to when city funds get handed over.
One can assume that a similar agreement exists between the hospital and the hospital foundation.
Vandewall must wonder – is the $10 million plus that Lee Chin pledged going to be available?
By Pepper Parr
April 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was the third in a series of transit meetings – this time it was the riders who were going to do the talking – and talk they did. They packed the Centennial room at the library and told each other what worked and what didn’t work for them.
 Six breakout groups took part in animated discussions on what works and what doesn’t work. What was not surprising was the number of positive things the public had to say about the men and women who drive the buses – and the number of drivers who give students a break when the coins in their pockets don’t equal; the demand of the fare box.
However – it wasn’t all good news.
 Joey Edwardth, on the left isn’t sure the Mayor has it figured out. A newly converted transit advocate Mayor Goldring may have an issue he can run with. Routes don’t work the way they need to work and the service is spotty much of the time.
When Bfast (Burlington friends for accessible transit) put out a challenge to the members of city council to use the bus one day a week for a month – Mayor Goldring took up the challenge and made a media event out of it. He has continued to use the bus since that kick off date for him
Councillor Marianne Meed Ward used the bus to get to a Regional Council meeting – she won’t be doing that again – close to three hours and $12+ in costs for what she says can be done in a fifteen minute car ride.
So far none of the other Councillors have taken the challenge – don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen.
James Smith, a consistent transit advocate said he wasn’t able to take transit to get to the meeting: “the bus schedule wouldn’t allow me to do the errands I needed to do and get to the meeting on time”.
 The public meeting for transit users broke out into different groups – these are the seniors talking about what the transit system does for them. Smith was originally concerned that the politicians would take over the meeting – that didn’t prove to be the case.
Councillors Sharman, Craven, Meed Ward and the Mayor were on hand. The Mayor has clearly gotten the message – he has a new understanding of just what the transit problems are.
Meed Ward isn’t that much of a transit user – but then she lives and works in the downtown core and can walk to almost everything she is involved in.
Councillor Sharman didn’t look like he was enjoying himself and Councillor Craven just worked the crowd.
There was no one from Burlington Transit at the event. “They were invited”: said James Smith.
 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward explains a point to one of the breakout groups. The much touted Presto pass can’t apparently be easily loaded – students found this a problem. The city had to spend a considerable amount of money to get the Presto pass service operational – it wasn’t an option and it wasn’t cheap.
The Burlington Transit system has 51 buses covering 31 routes. Coming up with a schedule that meets the needs of the ridership has been a challenge and synchronizing the bus schedule with the GO schedule has been close to impossible. GO trains come and go more frequently than the buses.
 A transit rider making a point. One of the Bfast organizers pointed out that there is apparently no one at the transit office with a long, deep background in transit – and it shows.
Signage was also described as a problem; especially when moving from the bus service to the GO service.
The biggest problem transit has is a lack of resources. The provincial gas tax rebate is devoted to transit in most municipalities – no so in Burlington. This city has a very significant infrastructure deficit and council has decided to repair the roads rather than improve the bus service.
And some of the roads are in close to desperate need of repair. The city’s namesake street – Burlington – is a mess. There are more people living on that street who drive cars and can complain than there are bus riders. And this city council knows how to listen to as few as a dozen complaints to make a change in a policy. They are certainly responsive – they need to work on being more responsible.
There is an announcement coming in May apparently on more changes to the schedule and in the not too distant future Burlington Transit will begin installing some technology that will provide them with real time information on how many people get on a bus and where they get off. It will cost millions – transit believes that with this data they can develop a schedule that will meet the needs of the bus riders.
 Everyone got an opportunity to tell their transit story – they weren’t all bad. Doug Brown, a retired engineer has most of the information the city needs in filing cabinets in his basement. A tireless transit advocate, Brown surprisingly is not used or appreciated by many members of council or the people who run the transit system.
Brown does have a style that is unique to him – but he knows what he is talking about. He is a resource that should be tapped into.
 Doug Brown, chair of Bfast, wants to see a bus schedule with routes that work for people and not the current bus route set up in place. It doesn’t work claims Brown. The city no longer has a Transit Advisory committee. The one they did have consisted of had some people who should not have been at the table; they were uninformed, rude and interested only in advancing their personal agendas. There were a few that served well – just not enough of them.
Bfast is an organization the city might think of outsourcing the advisory role to – they have a wealth of talented, informed and committed people that can help make a difference.
 Councillor Craven on the right explains a point to a transit users meeting participant while James Smith on the right looks on. There should be a group of people who use the bus daily serving as a sounding board for the people who run the transit service.
Transit apparently doesn’t have a Twitter account – it does have a web site that more than does the job; it’s better than the city’s web site.
Burlington is reported to spend 50% less than comparable municipalities – and it shows.
 Bfast will produce a report once they’ve gone through the comments that came from the several breakout groups that were created. Expected to be completed by the end of April, it will be a solid, fact based report.
Getting the response it needs from city council is not a given – however, the Mayor now has a better understanding of the needs and the problem.
Can he swing the minds of his colleagues? Don’t expect to see Councillors Sharman, Lancaster Taylor or Dennison becoming transit advocates – their focus is on repairing the roads.
The public is going to have to howl louder to get what the city needs. The squeaky wheel does get the grease.
 By Staff
March 31, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Police investigators have now obtained surveillance images of the a lone male suspect armed with a black handgun who entered the East Way Bake Shop located at 4047 New Street in Burlington.
 Robbery suspect looks directly into the camera – someone knows him. The suspect demanded money while pointing the handgun at an employee who then turned over an undisclosed amount of money.
The male suspect fled the store and was last seen running westbound along the plaza.
The suspect is described as a white male in his 30’s, 5’9″ to 5’10” tall, wearing blue jeans, blue plaid shirt, red toque and black sunglasses.
 Robbery suspect wanders around the bakery shop. Anyone with information that will assist investigators identify him are asked to call Det. Phil Vandenbeukel – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Robbery Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2343 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
March 31, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
City council last night had to go into a closed session before they could actually get their Standing Committee going.
They had been advised that the ADI Development group had taken the application to build a 28 storey building at the intersection of Lakeshore Road and Martha that had been hotly contested to the Ontario Municipal Board because the city had failed to do anything with their application.
Councilor Paul Sharman, chair of the committee, told the audience that a summary of a planning report would be read but the city would not be voting on the matter.
Many thought the situation was unbelievable – “was this deliberate” one woman asked as she was leaving the Council chamber.
By Pepper Parr
March 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a meeting that had the city planners meeting with some of the people in Aldershot to talk about possible changes that might take place along Plains Road between Cooke and Filmandale.
The city is in the process of doing the required five year review of its Official Plan. In Burlington the process is to go out into the community put some ideas up on a screen explain how the Official Plan is reviewed and then listen to questions and ideas from the community.
City planner Bruce Krushelnicki started the meeting by explaining there would be no decisions; no announcements and no surprises. We are here to listen to you.
 This is the part of Plains Road the community gathered to talk about – but it is just a small piece of a much larger puzzle. Citizens will have to figure out where their personal interests fit into the puzzle. The purpose was to talk about land use changes – to talk about how land use changes should be made or whether there should be any changes in the Official Plan and the zoning.
“People want to get the best possible value for their property when they sell and at the same time protect the character of their community” said Councillor Craven who took an active part in the meeting.
Guidelines for development along Plains Road were set out in 2006 which led to policy changes in the Official Plan. The official plan gets reviewed every five years and looks forward for 20 years.
The province set out an intensification strategy in 2008 and Burlington learned it was going to have to accommodate HOW MANY NEW PEOPLE
Burlington set out what they called intensification corridors to accommodate this growth – both residential and commercial– places where new growth or re-development would take place. Plains Road is on that map.
 There will be intensification and here is where is is going to be However, Plains Road isn’t a single stretch of land – it has been broken into segment for planning purposes. There are surprising differences between the segments.
The south side of the Cooke/Filmandale segment prohibits townhouses. Several in the audience wanted to know why.
The biggest issue for most was that there are no places to shop – there is just one bank.
The reason for the lack of retail choices is that the population isn’t large enough for retailers to come in.
Greg Woodruff, a candidate in the last municipal election said the small retail spaces that do exist are too small – “they don’t have delivery docks; they don’t have any venting if someone wanted to open up a small restaurant and there is no parking”.
The spaces are more suited to professional services and as one person said: People walking to see their tax accountant doesn’t create much in the way of foot traffic – which is what the people in Aldershot appear to want.
There are seniors who want the community to stay just as it has been for the many years they have lived in the community. The problem is that the younger families that will move into the community eventually, would not accept the small bungalows with small bathrooms. Families want more space.
Redevelopment is a good sign explained planner Krushelniki – the motels are for the most well past their best before date – Plains Road is no longer the road you take to get somewhere; it is the road that leads to a rich diversity of homes.
The homes south of Plains are protected – however when the New Horizon’s had a development proposal for the Plains Road and Falcon area one would have believed the end of the world was upon us – property owners were bellowing that once those four stories went up it wouldn’t be long before that kind of development crept south. That is not going to happen.
The Solid Gold entertainment operation made its way into the conversation – and the planner agreed that there will come a time in the not too distant future when that land will be put to a different use.
The development that is being thought through around the Aldershot GO station – they are calling these mobility hubs even through there is no such thing in the Planning Act or the city’s Official Plan. But they are very real in the minds of the planners and in the minds of those who are responsible for the economic development of the city.
While no one in Aldershot wants to see 30 story high rise buildings along Plains Road there was more than a muttering of approval for that kind of structure in the land adjacent to the 403 and on the west side of Waterdown Road.
 The black dotted box is what the residents of Aldershot were to be talking about at a recent community meeting. The elephant in the room was that large pink area – that is where very significant development will take place; perhaps as many as 2000 new residents and loads of traffic coming south on Waterdown. And a look at the map shown below one can easily see what the potential is for the part of Plains Road that is under study – it butts up against Waterdown Road and is a very short distance from the 403 and the Aldershot GO station.
Mention was made of a 775 townhouse development on lands between the GO station and Waterdown south of the 403; that may be the rumoured ADI Development Group’s plan for the property is is reported to have purchased from Paletta International.
There won’t be anything much above four floors along the part of Plains Road that is being studied. The planning department is aware of some land assembly that is taking place
Aldershot is a world of its own. It is a quiet community that doesn’t feel it has the amenities it needs – there is no beer store, no liquor store and they would like much more in the way of supermarkets
The planners and the ward Councillor explained that the world has changed and small supermarkets aren’t the way the food delivery system works anymore.
When there was an A&P supermarket in Aldershot it was closed because the market wasn’t big enough for them. “They weren’t pushed out” explained city planner Bruce Krushelnicki – “they came to the planning department and said they were going to close down and wanted to know what could be done with the property the store was on?”
Business makes decisions based on their own self-interests – people in Aldershot like the small town feel of their community – but without growth and a decent sized market – they don’t stay.
You will get a supermarket explained Councillor Craven when there is enough population to support a store with xxx square feet.
He might have added that there will be a beer store and a liquor store when there are enough people in the community to justify such operations.
 Council Craven wasn’t quite ready for the energy that emanated from Sandra Pupatllo when she was in town looking for possible candidates to run with her as Liberals when she was going after the leadership of the province. That drive fizzled but we don’t think Councillor Craven has ever been the same. Councillor Craven pointed out that Aldershot has had the slowest growth in the city – a mere 3-4 % each year.
Plains Road was once the road to Niagara Falls before it was a rural road with large productive farms on both sides.
Today it’s almost a road with a split personality. It is a backbone through the community that is trying to be a road that has a number of destinations.
The residents want the commercial concentration to be made up of places they can walk to with sidewalks that can accommodate patios.
The reality is that both Waterdown and King Road have been widened or are in the process of being widened – wider roads = more traffic that will end up on Plains Road – so much for becoming a quiet, pleasant neighbourhood, community road.
 The white oval is the part of Plains Road that the community was talking to the planners about – what did they want and what didn’t they want in that stretch of Plains Road. What wasn’t talked about was the development that is going to take place at the Waterdown – 403 intersection and the GO station. Big stuff. And of course – no mention of the Eagle |Heights development. There are developers with big plans for Aldershot and while it would be untrue to say the ward Councillor is in bed with them – he is certainly on the best of speaking terms
Rick Craven wants development in Aldershot – he realizes that in the not too distant future those quiet, peaceable people who have been his political base will be moving on – perhaps into one of the several retirement homes that have popped up in Aldershot.
 Rick Craven is a big booster for Aldershot – he fights for his constituents every chance he gets – there are some he doesn’t get along with and he’s not known for his warm fuzzy personality but he is effective. He is fully aware of the very significant development potential and he works hard to make it happen – he just doesn’t tell his constituents about the very real changes that are going to take place. What Craven does not appear to be doing is letting his constituents know that change – big changes are coming to town. And their lives will be different. Those people vote and right now he needs those votes.
 By Staff
Marcvh 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The city proudly announces that Dr. Ashley Worobec will be the Burlington community torchbearer for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President’s Choice® and OLG.
 Dr. AshleyWorobec a Burlington chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic, is an avid Crossfit practitioner at Crossfit Altitude in Burlington. The torch relay will visit Burlington on Friday, June 19, 2015 and will feature Dr. Worobec as the community torchbearer.
In December, residents were asked to help choose a local resident to carry the Pan Am flame on behalf of the city and voted on a short list of names selected by the committee.
The Burlington Pan Am Community Engagement Committee accepted applications and nominations until Dec. 14. To be considered, applicants or nominators submitted a photo and a letter of interest explaining the connection to Burlington and what being Burlington’s community torchbearer would mean to him or her. The finalist who received the most votes was Dr. Worobec.
Nominated by Marnie Post, Dr. Worobec is a Chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic, an avid Crossfit practitioner at Crossfit Altitude in Burlington, and an avid runner, participating in numerous runs in and around the city. A mother of two young children, she is actively engaged in numerous community activities and blogs about her community, her practice, parenting and staying fit and healthy.
“Ashley Worobec will proudly carry the Pan Am flame as Burlington’s community torchbearer,” said Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring. “Burlington is excited to be a part of this historic journey, and we look forward to showcasing our community to the world.”
During the 41-day torch relay, each of the 3,000 torchbearers will complete, on average, a 200-metre relay segment. The torch will be carried by more than 60 modes of transportation and exceed 5,000 kilometres on the road and 15,000 kilometres by air.
“The torch is a unique symbol of the Pan Am Games and carries a powerful energy that will unite Canadians,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015. “The torchbearers will proudly carry the flame through more than 130 communities, igniting the Pan Am spirit as they go.”
Featured on the torch are the United We Play! pictograms — colourful depictions of people in motion —symbolizing the assembly of athletes through the celebration of sport and culture. The aluminum torch stands 65 centimetres high and weighs 1.2 kilograms (or roughly the same weight as a baseball bat). With a burn time of 10 to 12 minutes, the flame can withstand winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour and is visible in all kinds of weather conditions.
By Staff
March 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 City Hall will be closed on both Good Friday and Easter Monday, March 30, 2015
Good Friday – April 3 2015
Easter Monday – April 6, 2015
Halton Court Services in Burlington are also closed.
By Staff
March 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Culture has taken on a deeper commitment from city council, due in large part from a delegation made by Trevor Copp, who asked city council why he had to travel to Toronto to ply his trade.
The Performing Arts Centre had opened and was going through a difficult phase but the public had become used to the place and had begun to understand that the city was going to have to continue to subsidize it forever.
In 2009 the federal government created and funded Culture Days which was to become a national network of cultural connections to provide Canadians with opportunities to participate in, and appreciate, all forms of art and culture.
 Different artists were able to take a tent during Culture Days last September and paint or sculpt of make pottery in Civic Square Through a three-day national celebration each September, hundreds of thousands of artists and cultural organizations in cities and towns come together and invite Canadians to discover their cultural spirit and passion.
This national initiative aims to raise the awareness, provide accessibility and encourage the participation and engagement of residents in the arts and cultural life of Burlington.
Burlington’s 2014 Culture Days was a resounding success due in large part to their being staff dedicated to managing the event.
The push from the cultural community and the creation of the No Vacancy event put new energy into culture at the street level.
The holding of the first No Vacancy event in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel was what appears to be the beginning of the community creating its own events. No Vacancy is a private initiative that gets peanuts from the city.
The sixth annual Culture Days weekend will take place from Sept. 25 to 27, 2015.
A workshop will be held on Friday, April 24 at the Burlington Art Gallery for Culture Days event organizers to learn about resources available from the city and Culture Days Ontario. Space is limited and registration is required. RSVP to Adam Belovari, culture coordinator at adam.belovari@burlington.ca or 905-335-7600, ext. 7335.
Local creative organizations, venues, professionals and businesses are again invited to host events during the Culture Days to promote free, hands-on and interactive activities. The public is invited to participate in behind-the-scenes activities to see how artists; creators; historians; architects; curators; designers; and other creative people work and contribute to culture in Burlington.
 Trevor Copp talks with Angela Pap during the unveiling of the Spiral Stella at the Performing Arts Centre earlier in the week. Paparizo is now the manager of Arts and Cultural for the city. Paparizo, manager of arts and culture,
Angela Paparizo, manager of arts and culture expects to repeat the 2014 success in 2015, offering three days featuring different types of events, working closely with Doors Open, the Art Gallery of Burlington, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington Libraries, Burlington Museums, Tourism Burlington and Burlington artists to make this happen.
This national initiative aims to raise the awareness, provide accessibility and encourage the participation and engagement of residents in the arts and cultural life of Burlington. For more information, or to participate in Culture Days, visit www.burlington.ca/culturedays or contact Angela Paparizo, manager of arts and culture, at angela.paparizo@burlington.ca or 905-335-7600, ext. 7352.
The Sound of Music kicks off the festival season for the city. Rib Fest follows, then the third year of the No Vacancy offering which will take place on Old Lakeshore Road this year and then the three Cultural days in late September.
The city came very close to having an ArtFest on Old Lakeshore Road as well but the “adamant refusal’ by three business owners on the Old Lakeshore Road put the boots to that opportunity. Council wanted the event – the event planner wanted to hold it in Spencer smith Park but they couldn’t get together on a date.
 It would have been a major arts event – drawing several thousand people to the city and to a part of town that has significant potential as a location. No one is saying who the tree commercial establishments that said no way to the idea – they felt their business would suffer. The effort to bring a large art sales event to the city by an experienced and proven promoter started back in October of 2014 – everyone was involved in the effort but three business people apparently would not budge so the planned 100 tents spread out along Old Lakeshore Road housing the wares of different arts won’t happen this year.
Emma’s Back Porch was so keen on the idea that they agreed to turn over their parking lot for the event. They had gone so far as to plan an Artists Feast for the occasion.
Expect this event to come back for another try.
 By Ray Rivers
March 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Urban sprawl – it even sounds like a dirty word. Sprawl has gobbled up more potential farm and natural lands than any other form of development.
 Gas and land were cheap and it was the way people wanted top live. It will take several decades to unwind all this urban sprawl – perhaps Burlington could become a leader in the change. Because of the distances involved in servicing subdivisions and the inherent low population densities, sprawl is also the most costly form of development. And sprawl is dependent on the automobile as the primary (or sole) means of transportation, resulting in gridlock and the consequent lengthy commute times.
These downsides were recognized soon after this ‘California’ lifestyle became the dominant form of development in the fifties and sixties. But once adopted, going back was a tough call. There is so much more profit for developers in buying up cheap farm land and converting it to houses, than in expanding housing in existing built-up areas.
Back in the day, before immigration swelled our urban envelope, most of us hardly thought twice about the suite of problems associated with these ‘burbs’ popping out all around us. But Ontario’s Premier Bill Davis did. He, no doubt, had observed what had been happening to the US rust-belt cities, as suburban development swallowed up prime farm land and hollowed out the inner city core in the process, until nobody wanted to live downtown anymore.
So as early as the 70’s the Davis government sought to keep Ontario’s canvas painted more green than black. Putting an end to paving paradise and putting up more parking lots, as the folk singer Joni Mitchell had warned, was a timely ambition. So he undertook to create Ontario’s first greenbelt, setting out the Niagara Escarpment Commission to ensure protection from development.
 Bill Davis made decisions while he was Premier that made possible the protection of the environment that is being done now. And Davis didn’t stop there, he established the most advanced municipal planning system in North America. To help implement the system, he created new higher-tier regional governments to implement broad scale regional plans, which would permit stable and progressive development over a generation, while protecting farm and natural lands.
But it didn’t really work. The development industry is a powerful lobby and whether through their persistence at council meetings, campaign contributions for municipal candidates or sound arguments, they have been able to sway many development decisions in their favour – decisions that always involve more sprawl development.
And regional plans themselves became a catalyst for accelerated development. Once a land parcel was designated, developers pushed for early approvals in order to get their money out of the projects. And if that didn’t work there was always an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
The OMB is a quasi-judicial institution which is an anomaly in Canada. Composed of political appointees, this unaccountable body acts as both judge and jury, and frequently overrides the authority of our elected representatives, making a mockery of municipal democracy. The Canadian Senate comes to mind, except that the OMB has real power.
In the end Ontario, with its fancy planning system ended up with about as much urban sprawl as did the bordering US jurisdictions with their more basic laissez-faire systems of municipal planning. It turns out politics, not planning, was at the heart of the issue.
 The Greenbelt – in place as a boundary to protect natural space My Conservative friends would prefer to remember Dalton McGuinty for the unfortunate billion dollar gas plant fiasco of a few years ago. But history will record the creation of Ontario’s current Greenbelt as one of his greatest achievements. Following the visionary lead of Mr. Davis, three decades before him, this is the single most important instrument the province now has to hold back the forces of urban sprawl.
Of course, even this initiative could not quash those development plans already underway, such as the ones which have transformed Milton into the textbook case of what not to do. The recent orgy of development there has transformed the once quaint town such that it is now unrecognizable. And as anyone driving on the 401 will attest, this development has also made the roadways largely impassable.
Last week I attended a meeting in Milton, sponsored by the Friends of the Greenbelt. The topic was preserving prime agricultural land and the meeting was well attended by urban planners, farmers and other business people, keen on making their thoughts known.. Listed below are links to other sessions in which the public can have their say on the Greenbelt and its future in Ontario.
Whether you are a farmer concerned about city-folk moving next door and then complaining about your hog operation; a nature-lover craving more opportunity for environmental diversity; or a developer wanting to build more houses on a farm you have just purchased, this is your chance to have your say.
Of course I drove to the meeting, but I did take the backroads to avoid sitting on that parking lot we call the 401. And there you have it – this time using the automobile to fight against urban sprawl.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
Background links:
Premier Davis
State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
Provincial Policy Statement
Greenbelt
The Greenbelt Review
Greenbelt Events
 By Staff
March 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The sisters are excited about the upcoming Sp’egg’tacular Easter Event being held at Ireland House to support The Museums of Burlington.
Rocca Sisters & Associates sponsor the event as a thank you to our incredible clients and community for all the support you have shown us throughout the year.
WHEN: Sunday, March 29, 2015
TIME: 11am to 4pm
WHERE: Ireland House at Oakridge Farm – 2168 Guelph Line, Burlington
Enjoy a day full of Easter fun that will include an exciting Easter egg hunt with free goody bags for children of all ages from 11am – 2pm!
 Sp’egg’tacular Easter Event is a Rocca Sisters Real Estate sponsored event with the Museums of Burlington taking place at |Ireland House. Additional activities to enjoy include Princesses Elsa and Anna from Frozen greeting children until 1pm, visits with the Easter Bunny, Easter crafts, carnival style games, face painting, vendors and helium balloons plus a take-away from the Horticultural Society. There is also a fantastic silent auction for adults, a prize bazaar and free raffle for children, live entertainment and more!
Visit the Ireland House Homestead and imagine life as it was over 175 years ago. There will be baking demonstrations and sampling, natural egg dying, costumed historic interpreters, traditional artisan demonstrators, and tours of the house.
 By Staff
March 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Brick Books, a London Ontario shop is celebrating 40 years of publication with an innovative ‘Celebration of Canadian Poetry’ for the entire year. Burlington artist Margaret Lindsay Holton has been profiled in ‘Week 13’ of the year long program. Dr. Carol Soucek King of California wrote the profile.
Canadian arts talent tends to get overlooked – our sports talent seldom fails to get star treatment – artists,playwrites, poets and actors seem to get forgotten. Dr.King, refers to Holton’s book “Bush Cord” as a “really a wonderful collection for ‘wordsmiths’
The book, which went into a second edition is described by King as “the most recent collection of poetry from Canadian artist, Margaret Lindsay Holton, clearly demonstrates Holton’s talents as a wordsmith, an art photographer and a true-blue Canadian spirit.
 Margaret Lindsay Holton – was the picture taken with a pin-hole camera? “In it, her deeply thoughtful and richly poetic evocations are accompanied by a striking selection of her own pinhole photographs. (Holton has, amongst other activities, exhibited her pinhole and photo-collage photography for over two decades.) The entire book unfolds cover to cover with the spacious airiness of the vast Canadian landscape. It is, thus, my honour to salute this relatively ‘unknown’ Canadian poet during this 40th anniversary year of Brick Books’ publications of new and established voices in Canadian poetry.
“Holton became my long-distance associate and friend two decades ago, when we started communicating between her studio in Southern Ontario and my residence in California. At that time, other outstanding international artists, knowing that I was compiling and writing Furniture: Architects’ and Designers’ Originals said I must see the work of a Toronto-based Canadian furniture designer, Margaret Lindsay Holton. I did not know her work then, but I soon discovered it. I was in absolute awe. A number of her finely crafted pieces – all visual poetry in wood so lustrous and charmingly turned that each one begs to be caressed — became an important focal point within the chapter on international bed design in my final book project.
“From the very beginning of our email exchanges, I soon realized that Holton was as equally creative with words. Then in 2002 her first book of poetry, ‘On Top of Mount Nemo’ was published by Acorn Press Canada of Ontario. A decade later, I read her last poetry collection, Bush Chord. Both are deeply moving, filled with rapture as well as precautionary tales. Both are so ‘her’.
To Holton, the soul of language, as much as photography, is light:
“In my pinhole photography,” explains Holton “light enters a tiny pinhole to create an atmospheric illuminated image on photographic paper. In poetry, a single word bounced between two can pinprick an ‘aha’ moment. Language, well used, is a form of light.”
Poetry and pinhole photography are, for Holton, highly engaging art forms that, she says, “allow me to interact, almost dance, beneath the full and brilliant bounty of sunlight and ‘word-light’. Both disciplines can enlighten, enhance and enlarge our everyday perceptions. We all can see anew.”
From the opening poem through to the last of Holton’s Bush Chord, the reader finds such re-envisioning of our daily life and experiences:
Bush Chord
pine poplar willow and punk wood
spit and spark
while bone hard elm birch apple and oak
hum harmonious
fine hard woods – good wood to burn
these wonder instruments pressure whistle
chattering, cheering, cackling
crackling within a hesitant cyclone of light
flickering flames
of sublime delight, warming slow, they give us life
parse this minor miracle of mega bio-physics
of holy fire drawn down
from primal sun
through leaves to rugged root shoots far flung
look here now
to this instant, brilliant burn
an intense unrehearsed liquid fire –
a sound symphony of sun struck lyres
complete and sacred
a rare but common gift
the honey musk smell of jumbled bush wood
burns deep into primal memory
(remember those crisp sun-filled fall days
of cutting, gathering, splitting, stacking,
carrying, piling, drying, and cursing
those back breaking loads?)
to get to this
this calm clear moment
listen
listen
to these bush chords
please
Holton has been a fixture in Burlington, a troublesome one in the minds of some. She seldom backs down from a point of view she has formed. In the past Holton has written for the Gazette -we hope she will return at some point.
One of her columns had her going up against an gas station owner who had filled the tank of her pick-up truck when all she had asked for was $20 worth of gas. You know who won that difference of opinion. Holton was quite comfortable with the suggestion the gas station owner made about him having someone suck the extra gas out of the tank.
If you make the mistake of telling Holton how much you liked the new City View Park – do step back – Holton has words for you about the “plastic grass” that has been installed.
Dr. King adds that she had “written some decades ago about the expertly crafted warmth, charm and wit that she brought into her award-winning furniture designs. These qualities are so deeply inherent in her Self that it should be expected that they would be cornerstones for everything else she does, especially those items produced by her writing hand.
 Margaret Lindsay Holton with one of her pin-hole cameras Other titles, and items, that she has created over a forty year period include: ten books, (with her second novel, The Gilded Beaver by Anonymous, winning the Hamilton Arts Council Best Fiction Award of 1999); a newly released musical CD, “Summer Haze”; her exquisitely drawn “Lindsay” ™ typeface circa 1980; an experimental 54-minute documentary “In the Eye of the Hunter” that she co-produced, co-directed and wrote in 1984-86; the fine furniture that she designed under her MLH Productions banner (now in many notable collections worldwide, including The Royal Ontario Museum) and, last but not least, her signature and eclectic ‘naive-surreal-folk-abstract’ oil paintings.
Holton may be obscure and a relative ‘unknown’ to some in the hip urban art matrix, but her literary and artistic output, to date, is very impressive when seen from this great distance.
It seems to me that her inherent qualities of warmth, charm and wit first manifested in the works she produced when she began her artistic career apprenticing with her father, the late cabinetmaker, Luther Janna Holton of Holton Fine Furniture, Hamilton, Ontario in 1984.
Under his tutelage, she discovered and developed her own unique sense of “form,” and “harmony.” These design disciplines are rooted in time-honoured traditions, yet expressed, in Holton’s unique way, very contemporarily, with a very personal flair. These qualities have served as repeated metaphors in her assorted artworks that she then designed and made through her own studio, MLH Productions.
 In recent years Margaret Lindsay Holton has turned to painting – she holds an annual sales exhibit of her work Today, Holton no longer designs or produces award-winning Canadian fine furniture. “In truth, the market was just too small for the calibre of work I was producing.” More’s the pity. Instead, she has shifted her focus to a more public display of her pinhole photographs, her written works and her signature paintings. Holton has exhibited widely in Canada and beyond, and she has won various jury awards and honors in those disciplines as well.
 A Margaret Lindsay Holton piece that was shown at a recent exhibit. In sum, Holton has a distinct philosophical perspective that, in essence, could only radiate from her location on the planet. Her perspective stems from a deeply felt devotion to the magnificence of Nature “in her own backyard” and to the effervescent wonders of Life in Nature’s sphere. She is often mythical in her outlook, as much as she is literal in her production. How quirky of her to call herself a ‘canajun’ in ‘Canadada’! She is acutely aware of her distinctness that both separates her and joins her deeply to the land of her birth.
There are a lot of miles left on the moccasins Holton wears – might be time for a retrospective on everything Holton has done. If we Canadians don’t celebrate our own – no one else will.
More information about Margaret Lindsay Holton.
Carol Soucek King, MFA, PhD, is author of twelve books on design. Her thirteenth book is Under the Bridges at Arroyo Del Rey: The Salon on the Spiritually Creative Life Its focus is the positive and uplifting thoughts that can provide substance to one’s own home, material and spiritual, and that are the purpose of the Salon she founded over nineteen years ago. Her website.
By Staff
March 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This isn’t a Burlington story – but it is both funny and a glimpse into how the police catch the dumber criminals.
On March 21, 2015, the owner of a 5 x 8 homemade utility trailer noticed it was missing from its parking spot on his property.
A short time later, the utility trailer, stolen from a residence in Halton Hills resurfaced on the Kijiji internet classifieds site listed for sale by someone claiming to be the owner.
The real owner confirmed the trailer listed for sale was in fact his. On March 25, 2015, Police locate the seller who was arrested and charged.
The trailer was recovered and returned to its rightful owner.
Accused:
Steve Medeiros, 20 years of age, from Milton has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime.
Medeiros needs to brush up his social media creds.
By Staff
March 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON,
The Discovery Ford and Lincoln dealership is being recognized as a 2014 President’s Award Diamond Club winner by Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited.
The President’s Award, Ford of Canada’s highest dealership honour, is presented annually to those dealerships who demonstrate outstanding achievement in sales and customer satisfaction.
“Earning The President’s Award Diamond Club distinction signifies our entire staff’s dedication to delivering superior customer satisfaction day in and day out,” says Discovery Ford principal, Allan Pearson. “I couldn’t be more proud to receive this recognition, especially since it comes from the people we value most – our customers. They’re the reason we are able to accept this award.”
Ford of Canada introduced The President’s Award in 2000. Dealers become eligible through excellence in dealership operations and exceptional customer feedback through survey responses related to their sales and service satisfaction and overall dealership experience.
Discovery Ford has received the President’s Award from Ford of Canada for fourteen straight years and has earned Diamond Club recognition, reserved for dealers whose customer service experience is at the top of all President’s Award winners, for five consecutive years.
 That’s a Discovery Ford with Chilly Half Marathon organizer Kelly Arnott behind the wheel. Part of the Discovery satisfaction program is the way they have given back to the community. They provide a vehicle for one of the larger public events in the city – Chilly half marathon.
 By Staff
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
They never give up – they keep looking for new angles and each time they catch a few people – even one is often enough to have made it worth their while.
The latest Identity theft scam we’ve seen is related to American Express.
Look at what was received below. Can you spot the bit of information that tells you this is an attempt to steal your identification?
 Look carefully at the email address of the sender – see the error? they use americaexpress.com – the correct address would be American Express. If information about any of the financial institutions you deal with gets to you financially – check it and then double check it.
Electronically is the only way the thieves can get to you.
By Staff
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
An ecofriendly non-profit will be meeting at East Plains United Church in Burlington (375 Plains Rd East) starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 to talk about Detoxifying Your Life.
 Earth-Savvy Living: will start with the screening of the short film “Story of Cosmetics” (8 minutes).
Mariah Griffin-Angus of Environmental Defence will lead a discussion on some of the toxic chemicals that we are exposed to in our daily lives and how they can influence our personal and environmental health.
Participants will then learn some easy ways to reduce exposure to these chemicals by making their own personal care and cleaning products through a demonstration led by the Program Coordinator of Halton Green Screens, Heather Govender.
The event will focus on greenwashing, marketing, and easy changes individuals can make to decrease exposure to toxic chemicals.
Each participant will go home with some products that they will make themselves. Participants are asked to come with two small jars and one spray bottle or squeeze bottle.
The event is free and refreshments will be provided.
The evening was made possible through the efforts of East Plains United Church, Hamilton-Burlington KAIROS, Greening Sacred Spaces, IDEA Burlington, and Halton Green Screens.
By Staff
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Armed Assailant Robs Burlington Bakery
On Monday March 23rd 2015 at approximately 5:35 PM, a lone male suspect armed with a black handgun, entered the East Way Bake Shop located at 4047 New Street in Burlington.
The suspect demanded money while pointing the handgun at an employee who then turned over an undisclosed amount of money.
The male suspect fled the store and was last seen running westbound along the plaza.
The suspect is described as a white male in his 30’s, 5’9″ to 5’10” tall, wearing blue jeans, blue plaid shirt, red toque and black sunglasses.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact Det. Phil Vandenbeukel – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Robbery Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2343 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 The red hair and a comb don’t appear to have met very often – but he made his parents proud when he accepted his certificate for taking part in the Gift of Giving Back to the community program that has collected more than 1 million pounds in the past nine years. In the world of politics it is all about being seen in the right situation at the right time – and if you can control that situation, so much the better.
Kissing babies has always worked – handling out awards to bright faced boys and girls who are playing sports is a very close second.
Last night Mayor Goldring got a chance to hand our certificates to hockey players who took part in the Gift of Giving program that pulled in a record 281,878 pounds of food that is given to local organizations – Salvation Army, Carpenter Hospice, Halton woman are among the recipients.
 While one boy accepts his certificate, a boy in the first row reads what he was given by the Mayor. The November 2013 total 273,571 lbs of food.
Included in the groups that pulled in all this food were:
Eagle Rep hockey team
Barracuda,
Burlington Firefighters
Cougars
Ravens
And Nelson High school students
    In the past nine years the Gift of Giving Back to the Community program has topped one million pounds of food.
Some of the boys and girls who were to get certificates were not able to attend. When the first name got called out with no one responding – there was a short awkward silence; when additional names were read out and no one came forward both the boys and the girls chanted in unison “not here” – they came close to taking the show away from the Mayor.
Mayor Goldring proudly handed out certificates to the boys and girls who trooped into the Council chamber to accept their certificates.
Goldring pointed out that there are 14,000 people (10% of the population) who live below the poverty line.
 By Staff
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
People new to Canada hear the phrase all the time or see the words printed in advertisements – Canadian experience necessary.
When that happens we lose the opportunity to have access to people with skills and talents this country needs.
For a third straight year, Conservation Halton is offering, a training, engagement, and networking opportunity for foreign trained environmental professionals in Halton Region, starting in April.
 The Region has a geography that is hard to match anywhere else in Ontario. A great place for environmentalists trained in other countries to get experience. The New Canadians Conservation Course is a six-week certificate workshop series being offered by Conservation Halton for New Canadian immigrants. It is designed to help participants gain valuable, introductory knowledge and enhance their employment, volunteer, and engagement opportunities in the Canadian environmental management sector. Expert speakers will deliver a weekly workshop on topics such as:
• Planning and Environmental Management
• Local Ecology and Biodiversity
• Forestry Management
• Natural Hazards Management and Source Water Protection
• Recreation Management and Risk Assessment
• Governance, Communication and Social Media
• Environmental Education and Outreach
“This is more than just a formal course, it offers a forum to exchange ideas and compare notes on ‘what worked back home’ and what commonality we have between conservation issues and practices here and around the globe. Judging from past experience, there will be no shortage of ideas, networking opportunities, or people with PhDs, who now call Halton home, and are looking to contribute to conservation in Ontario” said Hassaan Basit, Director of Strategic Planning and Communication for Conservation Halton.
 The Region is probably one of the best places in the province for environmentalists to get experience on a wife variety of forests. “The course also has a second, equally important objective”, continued Basit, “it promotes Conservation Halton’s environmental and recreation programs and services to new and ethnically diverse residents within the watershed.”
Former course participant Junyan Zhang commented, “The Course offered me a broad overview of the various departments at Conservation Halton and what kind of work they do. It introduced me to great people as well as to a variety of conservation topics, regulations, legislation, and Acts I had no clue that existed. It helped me essentially for better career planning and advancement. Thank you!”
 The Halton Conservation Authority has legislated responsibility for large parts of the Region as well as stewardship of outstanding views. Spaces in the New Canadians Conservation Course are limited and interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter by Tuesday, April 7, 2015 by e-mail to the course coordinator at course@hrca.on.ca, or by mail: New Canadians Coordinator, c/o Conservation Halton, 2596 Britannia Road West, Burlington, ON L7P 0G3.
The course is free except for a registration fee of $15 for candidates who are admitted to the course. Successful participants will receive a certificate of completion at a formal graduation ceremony during the Conservation Halton Awards of Excellence on June 23. Click for more details:
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