A first for the city: a heated bus shelter - paid for by a seniors group

eventsred 100x100By Pepper Parr

December 7th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Why the city could not say they were grateful for the initiative and the money that the Burlington Seniors’ Community Initiatives (BSCI) put up to refurbish a bus shelter and install the fittings to make it heated is hard to understand.

What we got was notice of a photo opportunity where the Ward Councillor, perhaps even the Mayor, will strut their stuff and talk about the how great the city is.

The Burlington leadership team, referred to as the BLT, will also be on hand for the photo op.

The people who raised the money were at one time the operators of many of the services that were provided at the Seniors Centre.

The Bistro, the heart of the Seniors'entre and the focal point for many of the administrative problems. The new agreement with the city didn't resolve this problem but they have agreed to give it a year to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

The Bistro, the heart of the Seniors’ Centre. 

The Bistro, which is a very profitable operation, was an idea the seniors came up with.

They were unceremoniously pushed out when the City Manager at the time sent one of his threatening letters telling them their time had come to an end.

There is a reason for the bus shelter being across the street from the entrance to the seniors’ shelter where the bus could pull up – no one has said just what that reason is.

Hopefully the recognition of Burlington Seniors’ Community Initiatives contribution towards the purchase and installation of the City of Burlington’s first heated transit shelter is full-throated and heartfelt.  Not a lot of respect of the one group for the other.

Will there come a time when the seniors get to have more direct involvement in their affairs?

Carr + MAyor at BSCI

Regional Chair Gary Carr getting a workout on a piece of equipment while Mayor Meed Ward does her Hallelujah while peddling away on equipment paid for by a senior citizen group.

BSCI put up the money for the sports equipment at Burloak Park; they recently put $5000 into the Meal Bag program at Wellington Square and paid for some much needed PPE at another church – the Baptist church got funds to do an upgrade of their kitchen.

Hopefully some of that remarkable history will get a mention at the photo op on Friday: 1:15 pm at Transit Stop 45 on Burlington Teen Tour Band Way.

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Council works its way through a very heavy work load - more on GO service improvements and changes to the arts file

background graphic redBy Pepper Parr

December 7th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

City Council meeting as a Standing Committee on Monday went through a very heavy agenda.

They had information coming at them from half a dozen directions – some critical decision will end up being made based on what they heard.

One can reasonably wonder if the diet was a little too rich.

GO site from north

Rendering of the view from Harvester looking north – GO tracks are at the top. The property is currently owned by the Attridge school bus people who have come to an arrangement with GO

There was a good presentation from Metrolinx on where the layover facility is going to be located.  On Harvester at Walkers Line.

Executive Director Sheila Jones orchestrated a review of the kind of corporate organization the city would like to end up with when they have completed the reviews and the high level thinking.

In terms of a management development session it was as good as it gets – the one fly in the ointment was that council members were asked to hold their questions to the end of the presentation – when they got to that point they were tuckered out and had very little in the way of questions.

Future functional design

An early look at the future functional design of the city organization.

The presentation deck they were given is well worth more time from the members of Council – hopefully they will be able to find the time to think through and reflect on what they learned.

The Gazette will have a fuller story on this for you later in the week – for the moment – take a look at the development of the org chart – loads on information in there and lots of questions.

In a related story we look at the decision to put the culture file back in in with Parks and Recreation; it didn’t work very well when it was within that department last time and there is not much to suggest it will work this time either.

Councillor Sharma n speaking to Angela Paparazzo

Councillor Sharma n speaking to Angela Paparizo

At the risk of using a pun, the issue is one of vastly different cultures.

There was a lot of time spent on the role of a Deputy Mayor. Mayor Meed Ward put forward a memorandum what she felt was a serious flaw in the governance of the city.

Some very good work done on that file. More on that issue soon.

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Former football great teams up with Oakville North Burlington MP Damoff to put Terry Fox on the new $5 bill

News 100 blueBy Staff

December 5th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It follows that if Burlington has a magnificent monument celebrating and recognizing the occasion when Terry Fox ran through the city that someone close to Burlington would get behind a drive to put Terry’s image on the $5 bill.

Craig Gardner Terry Fox

Craig Gardner, keeper of the Fox flame for this city

Craig Gardner, who is the keeper of the Fox flame for this city had a conversation with former Canadian Football League (CFL)  great Tony Gabriel asking what he could do to help ensure Terry Fox would be selected for the new $5 bill.

While Gardner was doing Food bank delivery a week or so ago he got a call from Tony Gabriel former CFL all-star asking what he could do to help ensure Terry Fox would be selected for the new $5 bill.

Damoff with big wide open smiles

Oakville Burlington North MP Pam Damoff

Gardner put Gabriel in touch with Oakville Burlington North MP Pam Damoff , who is also the Oakville Terry Fox run chair, and they now have an official government petition for people to sign now till early January.

Terry is one of eight short listed to be on the currency.

The federal finance minister will decide in early 2021.

Here is the link to the petition

Make it so people:

Terry Fox five dollar bill

Putting Terry Fox’s image on a $5 bill would please a lot of Canadians

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Council sticks its neck out to bring people downtown to shop. Big dollars in parking revenue will get away

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

December 4th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was an amendment to the parking bylaw submitted by a Council member to be heard during a full Council meeting.

Matters like this are usually dealt with at a Standing Committee where the heavy lifting gets done.

This one was a doozy and it had a level of urgency if one was to believe the Ward Councillor who put it forward.

The parking bylaw had already been changed at least four times this year.

Council learned that the revenue to the city from parking pre-Covid was between $90,000 and $100,000 a month.

That is not chump change

Meed Ward - tight head shot

Mayor Meed Ward saw the debate as “sausage making”‘ and ‘grass roots democracy at its best.’

Mayor Meed Ward said the decision to allow the item – it was not on the agenda – was partly because “We love grass roots democracy – adding that these things should be brought to Standing Committee first.

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte wasn’t comfortable either; she wanted to defer the matter to sometime next year. “I am bothered” she said “that this did not come to committee.”

Audit Kearns 5

Councillor Kearns took a pass on taking her amendment to Standing Committee – went straight to Council – and got away with it. The issue was urgent.

Councillor Kearns explained that there was a significant degree of urgency – the downtown merchants were looking for every advantage they could get and wanted to see a program that encourages people to come downtown to shop by offering them a deal they couldn’t turn down.

The urgency of course was put very well by the Mayor who said “It’s Christmas time”.

Kearns wanted council to pivot from a decision they made a few months earlier (when they agreed to end the Free P program) and respond to a changing situation at a time when speed is essential.

Nisan - just shirt

Councillor Nisan didn’t want to see a possible $300,000 hit to a reserve fund hung around his neck. Said it was a ‘lot of money.’

Councillor Nisan asked: How would this work if we were to implement it?  He clearly had not read the Kearns memo.  He later said he “would take one for the team” then later said he wasn’t “going to put that one on my shoulders” – eventually saying ” this was too much money – a possible hit of $300,000.

He was right – there is a big risk.

Council eventually decided to  change in the parking bylaw that would give everyone coming downtown an additional 90 minutes of parking once they had put as little as a quarter in the parking meter.

Once a driver figured out just how this worked they would realize that they could add another quarter and get another 90 minutes free. There was nothing to stop someone from parking all day long for a buck and a half.

Angelo B

Councillor Bentivegna – spoke for the small independent business owners who were struggling.

Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna, who has positioned himself as the spokesperson for the small business sector was direct and blunt when he said: “There are 440 businesses asking you to do this – they are asking for your help now.”

Other Council members had issues with what was beginning to look like a Council Advisory Committee – the Downtown Parking Committee (DPC) crafting a bylaw and expecting it to be rubber stamped.

The Burlington Downtown Business Association wanted the change made as well.  Odd though that Brian Dean did not personally delegate – unusual for him.  He sent a letter.

Mayor Meed Ward was making it very clear that by-law decisions were made by Council.  She was “not on for being a rubber stamp.

What members of Council needed to know was “can we do this”? When it comes to where is the money comes questions – this council continually turns to City Treasurer Joan Ford who explained that the city decided some time ago the downtown merchants would not be required to provide parking spaces for their customers.

Parking-lot-Locust-street-300x221

City manages parking – using money that comes from the downtown business people.

The city would provide parking lots and space on the streets – operate them and collect the revenues.

The merchants would pay a parking levy that would appear on their tax bill.

Any surplus between what it cost to run the parking operations would get put into the reserve funds – of which there are now three.

The Parking Reserve fund is one of the healthiest in the city with a balance of $9.56 million.

The finance people are in the process of splitting that healthy and hefty balance between three new reserve funds it was to create. One reserve fund would be for growth – money needed to build new parking lots; a second would be a reserve fund that would be used for renewal and a third available as a Parking Stabilization fund to cover those occasions when operation costs exceed the revenue in any one year.

So there was plenty of money in the various parking reserve funds and there was a very healthy cash flow – as much as $100,000 a month.

Now the merchants wanted the city to give the parking away during December – and at the same time arguing that this was not an extension of the Free P parking program that got to the point where it was so badly abused that the merchants asked that it be shut down.

COVID changed everything. The merchants and service providers were looking for every advantage they could find – the 90 minute parking bonus looked like a good fit.

The concern was – how long would this parking deal last ? If the financial hit was going to be in the $100,000 a month range – how many months was the city prepared to give up that kind of revenue?

Councillor Nisan (Ward 3) began to see close to half a million slipping away if the 90 minute bonus program ran for six months.

No one appeared to be on for that much basically free parking. Certainly not for the best Canadian city to live in.

snakes and ladders

The motions, amendments and amendments to amend began to look like a game of snakes and ladders.

At that point in the debate, the Councillors got into one of those snakes and ladder games where there were motions, motions to amend motions and motions to amend an amendment already on the table

The game has friendly amendments that sometimes work. At other times there is a motion with the mover unable to find someone to second it.

They played this game for close to an hour and finally arrived at a point where the new program would be in place until April – and it would be a pilot program with a clear end date.

Determining that end date was a struggle.  The idea was to change the bylaw and look at the data and if the data said the program was working continue with it.  If it wasn’t working – put an end to it.

The parking the city has in place is a pretty sophisticated set up. There is a small electronic puck in every parking spots that tells the traffic operations people in real time if there is a car in that spot.

Thus the city knows how many people are parked on the street or in the parking lots and what the churn is – how long do people stay in a parking space.

This kind of data keeps a wide smile on the face of Councillor Sharman. He will tell you that with the right data you can solve any problem.

The understanding was that the traffic people would run their numbers every day. And while it wasn’t specked out as to just who they would give this data to – it seemed that City Manager Tim Commisso would be the receiver of the information and telegraph it to the mayor and her colleagues.

Brian Dean 2 long

Will BDBA Executive Director Brian Dean get to see the parking data daily?

No mention as to when the public would hear about this and it wasn’t made all that clear that the BDBA would get a peek at the spreadsheets either. They are in place as a local board with a mandate to promote the area as a shopping, dining and entertainment area.  They are also  a chartered member of the Downtown Parking Committee whose members contribute $300,000 annually via their tax bill as a Defined Parking Area levy.

The issue was – can the city afford to let $90,000 to $100,000 slip out of its hands every month?

Councillor Sharman made it clear that that wasn’t going to happen; he wanted to see at least three month’s worth of data which meant the program would run to at least the end of February

There are approximately 1598 individual parking spots.  City parking operations have to adjust and pivot to reflect the new realities of commerce during the pandemic.

The recommendations were examined and discussed at length, and by vote of the majority, DPC voted:

IN FAVOUR: 3

OPPOSED: 1

ABSTAINING: 1 (Chair)

CARRIED

This was basically a 3-2 vote – not a ringing endorsement is it?

Councillor Sharman got pretty close to reflecting the chance Council was taking. He was content with seeing what the data had to say at an April Standing Committee meeting.  If along the way he said it is clear the parking bonus wasn’t working “we will stop it fast”.

Treasurer Joan Ford pointed out that the budget is going to have to reflect what happens.

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Adding an economic sustainability lens to the way local business and public agencies do business

News 100 greenBy Nicole Ramberg

December 4th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Environmental, social and economic sustainability are integral components in a thriving society; it is important to recognize local examples that highlight social and economic sustainability.

Each year at Sustainable Hamilton Burlington’s Annual Evening of Recognition the Business Sustainability Awards are announced recognizing businesses that best exemplify what it means to be sustainable.

Conservation Halton sign - angle

Winner of the 2019 Social Initiative Award

Conservation Halton was the winner of the Social Initiative Award for 2019 for their impactful project carried out, which was a prime example of how social sustainability plays a role in society.

Sustainable Hamilton Burlington (SHB) is a non-profit social enterprise, whose purpose is empowering businesses to act, innovate and participate in creating a more sustainable future. Sustainable Hamilton Burlington was originally launched by Sandi Stride and a Founding Board of Directors in 2011.

Sandi Stride

Sandi Stride, founder of Sustainable Burlington Hamilton.

Prior to forming the organization, Sandi got her undergraduate degree in physical geography and went on to work in the environmental field, followed by several years in advertising, marketing and sustainability consulting. In this time, she noticed a disconnect between business operations and sustainability. “After a pretty short time, I realized if we didn’t get businesses on board, we’re not going to make progress with the environment”, said Sandi. In taking a look at Hamilton – her focus at the time – Sandi thought that by promoting sustainability within the area’s businesses, positive impacts could be made with respect to the city’s social, economic and environmental progress as well as its brand image.

After considerable planning, networking and creation of the volunteer Board of Directors, Sustainable Hamilton was incorporated in 2010, and officially launched in June of 2011. By 2015, they realized they were getting many inquiries from Burlington, so they rebranded and expanded their area. Over time, the organization (and the services it offers to members) has evolved, adding the internationally recognized B-Lab assessment, target setting on greenhouse gas emissions, a carbon accounting tool, a waste framework and other programs provides evolved into Sustainable Hamilton Burlington as we know it today.

Recently, the membership-based Sustainability Leadership Program (SLP) was launched by SHB as a way of bringing together all of the resources, frameworks and services they have developed, into a step-by-step series for businesses to progress through. The SLP guides its members into getting started in sustainability by helping them to quantify their operations into a single, comparable metric (greenhouse gas emissions), to have a broader understanding of the sustainability of their organization, and how they interact with their community. Ultimately, the SLP is designed to lead organizations to the point where thinking sustainability is part of the lens applied to everything they do empowering them to become leaders within their community and industry.

The Evening of Recognition is an event put on annually by SHB to recognize member achievements in the past calendar year. This past year, Conservation Halton received the Social Initiative Award for 2019, which recognizes a program, product, service or process that demonstrates outstanding innovation and impact on social sustainability. “Conservation Halton took the initiative to look beyond the traditional bottom line,” says Rafiq Dhanji, SHB Executive Director. “By engaging with the community, they showed us that simple actions can have a huge positive impact not only on society, but the economy and environment as well.”

Conservation Halton became a member of what is now the Sustainability Leadership Program in 2019, to support them in calculating and tracking greenhouse gas emissions, ultimately aiming to reduce such emissions to net zero. In doing so, they have been able to gain a better understanding of their corporate emissions, as well as benefit from the variety of SHB educational opportunities and events, like the Sustainable Business Conference and Expo.

The award presented to Conservation Halton by SHB was in recognition of their initiative that had a positive impact on the Burlington area, where they were able to turn an invasive insect problem into a positive outcome.

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a non-native insect from China and was accidentally introduced here as a result of improperly treated packaging material. There are no known natural predators of the insect here, which has allowed their population size to increase dramatically. Most species of North American Ash trees are vulnerable to this insect, and 90% of Ash trees in southwestern Ontario have been destroyed as a result. Adult beetles feed on the leaves, while the larvae feed on the inner bark, rendering the trees unable to function as usual.

The Emerald Ash bore has destroyed millions of trees and done serious damage to the tree canopy in Burlington. The Conservation Authority had to remove hundreds of trees from its properties.

Unfortunately, a number of ash trees on Conservation Halton properties have had to be removed as a result of EAB infestations. While dealing with the invasive species has been a challenge, they have been able to put a positive spin on the issue. A mutual contact of Notre Dame High School and Conservation Halton made the link between the woodworking class and the fact that Conservation Halton had extra lumber. The logs were delivered to the high school which allowed students to see first-hand the damage invasive species can do, as well as a chance to consider careers in urban forestry. The students were able to make live edge tables which were used in a fundraiser to support various school programs. The trees did have to be removed but the wood that was not badly damaged was put to good use and thus having a significant social impact on the Burlington community.

Sustainable Hamilton Burlington and Conservation Halton are two examples of organizations that share a common goal of working towards a more sustainable future. Through collaboration, education, and collective effort, we can all contribute to working towards that future.

Related news story:

Looking at sustainability differently

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Seventh Town Hall on Covid19 to take place December 16th - a virtual event

News 100 redBy Staff

December 4th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Another Town Hall on Covid19.

This next one will be on December 16th, between 6:00 and 7:00 pm.

There will be a sharing of  information and answering of residents’ questions about our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The format of this town hall will be different than the previous telephone-only town hall events. The December 16 town hall will be a virtual one, made available through Zoom, with attendees having the option to call in by phone or join in online.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will host this virtual town hall and will be joined by a panel of local leaders to help answer residents’ COVID-19-related questions, including:

• Tim Commisso, City Manager, City of Burlington
• Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services, City of Burlington
• MP Pam Damoff, MP for Oakville-North Burlington
• Dr. Dale Kalina, Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, Joseph Brant Hospital
• Eric Vandewall, President and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Brant Hospital
• Anita Cassidy, Executive Director, Burlington Economic Development.

How to Participate
Residents who would like to participate in the town hall can do so in the following ways:

1. Join virtually: Residents are invited to join just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16 to take part in the town hall via Zoom at http://bit.ly/townhalldecember16. If you have not downloaded Zoom before, you will be prompted to do so and create a personal account. Please be advised that more than one attempt may be required due to the high volume of traffic. A maximum of 1000 participants will be able to join in this virtual town hall. If we exceed 1000 guests, you will still be able to watch the recorded event online once it is posted at burlington.ca/townhall.

2. Join by phone: Residents are invited to join by phone by calling 647-374-4685 and entering webinar ID 880 1886 1286.
Once the town hall begins, a moderator will provide participants with instructions for how to submit their questions to the leadership panel. As with previous public town halls, the focus of this event will be on the situation surrounding COVID-19. Participants are requested to ask any questions related to COVID-19, the city’s response, impacts to residents, businesses, services and programs, hospital and health-related questions, and the broader impact of the pandemic on our community.

A recording and related transcript of the town hall will be posted online after Dec. 16 at burlington.ca/townhall.
commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at Burlington.ca/Enews and download the free City of Burlington app.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is “I look forward to the final public town hall of 2020 and engaging this time with residents both over the phone and virtually via Zoom. As always, our goal is to help answer questions related to COVID-19 so we can keep our community healthy, safe and supported through this challenging pandemic.”

Quick Facts
• Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the City of Burlington has hosted six telephone town hall events, on March 26, April 14, June 4, July 16, Sept. 23 and Nov. 18 to provide updates about what the City is doing to protect the health and safety of our community and to address concerns from the public related to COVID-19.

• Audio recordings and full transcripts from the previous town hall events are available online at burlington.ca/townhall. Answers to many of the questions asked by the public during these town hall events are also available at the same location on the City’s website.

COVID-19 Links and Resources
• For information about COVID-19 in Halton Region, including the latest public health guidance and the status of COVID-19 cases, please visit halton.ca/coronavirus
• Community questions and requests regarding City of Burlington services can be directed to Service Burlington by phone at 905-335-7777, by email at city@burlington.ca or online

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Leaves are now weather dependent - snow impedes their collection

News 100 greenBy Staff

December 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Leaves and parking – the two bug bears that bedevil Burlington.

Shawna Stolte hand to mouth

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte

City Councillors are scrambling a bit to explain to their constituents when (perhaps if might be explained as well) just when the leaves will be gone.

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte explains:
“Due to snow fall over the past few days, the leaf collection pickup in Zone 3 is on hold

“In recent weeks, the loose leaf collection pick up service provided to Burlington residents was completed in Zones 1, 2 and in parts of Zone 3. Because of the snow over the last few days, the program has temporarily been suspended.

Below is a map identifying streets in south Ward 4, included in Zone 3, and the status of the leaf collection program in the area

Ward 4 leaves Shawna Dec 3Streets in blue: have been completed
Streets in yellow: have been completed on one side of the street
Streets in red: have not been completed

If crews haven’t been on your street yet, please leave your leaves by the curb. Resuming service is based on weather as the service is weather dependent.

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Public School Board to do a census of the student population

News 100 blueBy Staff

December 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton District School Board (HDSB) will host a virtual Student Census Information Session on Tuesday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at www.hdsb.ca.

The Information Session provides an opportunity for HDSB families to learn about the Student Census, which will be conducted starting in January 2021.

The Student Census will confidentially gather data about students’ identities such as their first language, ethnic and racial background, religion, gender identity and for older students, sexual orientation. Students will also share their perceptions of school climate, sense of belonging and experiences with bullying.

Families have the opportunity to submit questions before and during the information session through this form: https://bit.ly/StudentCensus_Questions

Following the event, a full recording of the information session will be available with closed captioning and translated versions of the presentation. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will also be made available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish and Urdu. These resources will be posted on the HDSB Student Census webpage.

portrait of Rob Eatough

Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education.

“The HDSB is committed to providing a supportive, inclusive and respectful learning environment for students,” says Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education. “In order to do this, we must truly understand the needs of all students and families.”

All school boards in Ontario are required by the Anti-Racism Act, 2017 and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan to gather and report identity-based data by 2023. The data from the Student Census will help the HDSB and its schools to:

• fully understand the needs of all students and families to support student success and well-being

• identify and eliminate discriminatory practices, systemic barriers and bias in order to ensure equitable opportunities and outcomes

• allocate resources to support students and programs where the need is greatest.

 

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Bao casino platform accepts deposits using cryptocurrency

sportsgreen 100x100By Ella Wilson

December 3, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Canadian gaming is developing and new online clubs keep opening every season. Recently, residents of this country prefer to spend more time at casino online, despite the fact that there are quite a lot of land-based clubs in Canada.

Bao Casino Canada – check them out HERE

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The uniqueness of the Bao casino platform is that here you can also make a deposit using cryptocurrency with the following methods: BTC, BCH, LTC, ETH and DOG. These deposits are processed through the crypto exchange’s website.

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Burlington Lions make major donation to the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Fundraiser

News 100 redBy Staff

December 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

For many years, Burlington Lions Club members have had the great honour of ringing the bells as a group for the Christmas Kettle campaign on a Saturday in December at the two largest malls in Burlington, and were looking forward to doing the same again this year.

Bowker - Lions - Food bank - cheque

Lions Perry Bowker and Blair Greer look on as Lions President Ken O’Breza presents cheque to Laura Oros, Kettle Campaign Director

Elevated COVID restrictions meant it would not be possible to conduct the fundraiser this year.  The Lions Club  members immediately resolved to help in a small way to offset the loss of donations that they otherwise might have helped raise.

It is with great pleasure that the Lions Club made an emergency donation of $1,500.

 

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That 90 minute parking bonus could end up costing a big bundle - will it be abused like the Free P?

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

More about parking in the city.

The city had a Free P parking program that worked quite well for a number of years – but then it began to be abused so the merchants who paid for that program asked the city to cancel it – which the city did.

Parking meter wrapped

Ah – those were the days.

The Free P program always started on the first of December.

This year there is going to be what Mayor Meed Ward called Free P Lite.

When you pay for your parking starting December 1st – you will automatically get an additional 90 minutes added to the time you bought – and you can buy as little as 25 cents worth of parking.

This will apply to  parking in a municipal lot or street parking spot in downtown Burlington.

Described as a pilot program – it allowed for the changing of a temporary amendment to the  Parking By-law.  The program will run until April 20, 2021.

The initiative is supported by the Burlington Downtown Business Association to encourage residents to visit retailers in Downtown Burlington, to support small businesses during these unprecedented times.

How to get the bonus 90 minutes of parking:

1. Park in an on-street spot or in any municipal parking lot

2. Pay for parking at machine or using HonkMobile app. The minimum payment is $0.25.

3. An additional 90 bonus minutes will be added to the time you pay for

4. If your time expires, including the additional 90 bonus minutes and you wish to stay longer to shop or eat, you can extend your time by paying for more parking using HonkMobile app, credit, or inserting more money into the machine, up to three hours on street and all day in lots.

Parking - HonkMobile sign

This is an app that is worth looking into. If you use it to its full extent you could park downtown all day for 25 cents

Pay Parking Options
1. Honk Mobile
Residents and visitors can use the Honk Mobile app to search, pay for, and top-up parking payments directly from their smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Honk Mobile app can be downloaded from the App Store or the Google Play store using any internet connected device. Users are required to sign up for an account and pay a transaction fee of $0.35 for each payment.

Users can request a notification from the app for when their time is about to expire.

2. Updated Parking Machines – Pay-By-Plate
The pay-by-plate machines offer users a variety of advantages, including the ability to:

Pay by coin ($2, $1, $0.25), credit or online;

Park at various locations throughout the downtown when there is remaining paid time on a ticket;

Add time to parking purchases remotely using the HonkMobile app ($0.35 transaction fee applies);

Choose the option of a printed receipt. Every payment is linked with a license plate number – dashboard tickets are not required;

Renew monthly parking permits in-person or by phone at 905-335-7600.

Parking in downtown Burlington is free weekdays after 6 p.m., weekends and holidays with the exception of the Waterfront parking lots at Spencer Smith Park.

For more information about parking downtown, visit burlington.ca/parking.

Parking MMW + Brian Dean with head of meter

Then ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward and BDBA Executive Director Brian Dean doing something ceremonial with an old style parking meter

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in a prepared statement that: “Businesses have asked for some relief beginning with the December holiday shopping season, especially since the removal of December Free P, 90 minutes free will assist. By extending the program until April, we’ll be able to get appropriate data and public input to evaluate the success of the program and make any changes at that time.”

Brian Dean, Executive Director, Burlington Downtown Business Association: “The Burlington Downtown Business Association and its small business community membership welcome this pilot program featuring the waiving of fees downtown for 90 minutes. We support opportunities designed to give our downtown merchants and restaurateurs a competitive edge during these uncertain economic times. Our fervent belief is that this fundamental change to parking operations until April 2021 will re-inspire consumer confidence in our small businesses.

We encourage our patrons to use this opportunity to make multiple purchases throughout the Downtown with the knowledge that we’ve added ninety minutes of bonus time to your small purchase of parking. Our doors are open, there has never been a better time to shop local and our Downtown entrepreneurs want to remain your first choice for unique goods and services into the New Year.”

That’s part 1 of the story.

Part 2 is very interesting – this program could cost the city a bundle. We will get that up tomorrow.

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Most Profitable Industries in 2020

opinionred 100x100By Mildred Austria

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

What industries are some of the most profitable in 2020, and how are they achieving this? We took a closer look at three here!

The world of business is filled with so many interesting sectors nowadays, but there are still some that stand heads and shoulders above the rest. Let’s take a look at some of the most profitable industries operating this year.

PAID Money jar succesful bus 2020

Any of the three successful business choices we outline will put cash in that jar on the right.

 

Gaming
Without a doubt, gaming is proving to be one of the biggest industries of the moment. Brands like Mr Green as a prime example are leading the expansion of safe betting and casino options across the USA and Canada. What’s more, there has been a massive boom in e-sports growth.

It is slowly moving from being a niche hobby into a more mainstream business. With that will come bigger sponsorships and more opportunities for people in the industry. The marketplace has so far exceeded $1 billion and this is just set to get bigger. Top matches are also pulling in figures akin to major sports events like a FIFA World Cup Final.

Play Station 5 Sony

Play Station 5

Even in the wider industry there are massive strides forward being made. Sony is lining up to release the PlayStation 5. Though we currently have little idea about when this release will be, it will hopefully be as innovative a release as its previous incarnations. Gaming as a whole is on the rise. Though many dismiss it as “just playing games”, this then leads to them missing out on some of the incredible opportunities available in this exciting development in the gaming universe.

Software Development
As we move towards a world that becomes more and more reliant on technology, we are going to need more software developers to help us achieve our goals. There have been many moves to introduce coding and other digital-based skills to young children in the classroom, so they can begin to pick up things that might help them when they are ready to enter the workplace later in life.

software coder

Software coding skills are going to be in very high demand in the decade ahead.

Not only have there been calls for software that covers a variety of new tasks within a workplace or home, but there have also been calls to make many more multi-purpose software hubs. Business owners don’t want to transfer data between multiple programs to get the results they need. They want to be able to plug everything into the one portal, so that they can get back results that have already been parsed and analysed into a format they understand. Software developers are keen to meet these demands, and it makes for an incredibly profitable industry.

Property
With property prices holding or moving up, there is no better time to be involved in the real-estate business. In the Burlington area alone, sale prices are up 17% compared to the beginning of 2019. There are lots of opportunities at both ends of the market here. Developers who want to focus on the high-end, luxury market will find plenty of things to play with. There are always new property trends and new tech that you can introduce to the right property.

At the other end of the scale, you could choose to work in the affordable housing markets. There is and always will be a need for affordable property. This sector will help to create homes and houses for those who need them the most. Choosing to get involved with this area of the real estate sector is incredibly charitable, and it could result in some brilliant business dealings for anyone brave enough to try.

These are just three of the many industries proving to be profitable in 2020. No matter where you look, there is a way to make money in a sector. It will take a lot of hard work, and a great business idea, but it is more than possible.

Start thinking about a business you could launch in one of the above sectors now.

Ms Austria is a financial observer who has established a reputation for being able to spot growth trends in the Western world.

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Outline of the 2021 municipal budget released today

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

December 2nd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The finance department is ready to take their numbers to city council and begin the process of setting the budget for 2021.

The budget consists of both an operating budget for the delivery of services to the community and a capital budget to invest in the construction and renewal of city assets and infrastructure.

An overview of the capital budget will be presented to Burlington City Council at a Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee meeting on Thursday, Dec 10 at 9:30 a.m. A livestream of the virtual meeting is available on the City’s website, along with a copy of the report being presented.

Proposed 2021 capital budget
The proposed 2021 capital budget is approximately $72.1 million, with a ten-year program of $786.4 million. From the 10-year capital program:

• 70% is focused on infrastructure renewal projects, e.g. repair, refurbishment or replacement of an existing asset to extend its useful life, in accordance with the city’s asset management plan

• 16% is for growth projects, e.g. capital to service growth in the city

• 14% is for new or enhanced projects, e.g. increases to current service levels that are not the result of growth.

A copy of the proposed 2021 capital budget will be available at burlington.ca/budget.

Budget 2020 Table of datesImpacts of COVID-19 pandemic on 2021 budget process
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is placing considerable pressure on the city’s financial position with a forecast of over $18 million in revenue losses by the end of 2020. While a large portion of these losses are being mitigated with an on-going expenditure restraint program and support from senior levels of government, the City is projecting an unfavourable variance at year end of over $2.7 million. It is anticipated these challenges will continue to impact city finances until such time as a vaccine is developed and provincial restrictions are fully lifted.

To partially mitigate the 2021 impact of COVID-19 on the city’s operating budget, the planned increase to the city’s dedicated infrastructure renewal levy in 2021 (1.25%) has been temporarily redirected to the operating budget for one year. This will provide $2.18 million of one-time funding to offset the anticipated one-time COVID-19 impacts in 2021, reducing the amount of 2021 capital funding.

City seeking community input
Through the budget process, choices are made to ensure the appropriate balance between affordability, service levels and financial sustainability is maintained. In a challenging budget year where the city has fewer options for how to spend its money, community feedback about which services are a priority for residents is more important than ever.

To gather feedback from residents, the City will be hosting an online survey at getinvolvedburlington.ca, open from Dec. 2 to Jan. 8, 2021.

Residents can also share their ideas and thoughts at a virtual budget town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Hosted by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, the live event will provide residents with an opportunity to learn more and ask questions about the proposed 2021 budget. More details about the town hall, including a link to join the meeting will be available on getinvolvedburlington.ca in the coming days.

As residents continue to rediscover many of their favourite spaces and activities in the city, City services may look different as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The City’s commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at Burlington.ca/Enews and download the free City of Burlington

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Netflix sends a notice to it's Canadian subscribers

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

OPINION

I got the notice and if you are a Netflix subscriber, I assume you got one as well.

netflix logoJust what did it mean? They were telling us that they have created a new corporate structure to deal with their Canadian clients. Would that be a defensive move to protect them from the Canadian tax system.

That’s my take – what do you think?

Here is what the Netflix notice said:

We wanted to let you know about some updates to Netflix. These won’t affect your experience—continue watching your shows and movies as usual.

On January 1, 2021, your Netflix contracting company will change to Netflix, Inc.‎. This update will be made automatically, with no interruption to your current membership.

We periodically update our legal terms. Please take a moment to read the current Terms of Use and Privacy Statement.

The notice raised my eyebrows but perhaps that is just  my core suspicion showing.

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

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Ward 2 Councillor gets the status of leaf collection out to her constituents

News 100 blueBy Staff

December 1, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns lost no time getting out the gate and letting her constituents know what the status of the leaf collection program is.

Tough to take up those leaves with snow on the ground as well

Here is what Kearns told the people in her ward,

Lisa Kearns

Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns was the first, and so far only Councilor to get a note out to her constituents on the status of leaf collection.

Many residents have connected with my office today in a state of concern as the snow has fallen on the remaining piles of leaves across our Ward 2 Neighbourhoods.

Due to the accumulation of snow, Leaf Collection is on hold until conditions permit continuation of the program.

What does this mean for residents? Do nothing with your leaves.

At this point, the city’s Roads, Parks & Forestry team intends to continue with the program as soon as weather conditions permit.

Please do not be concerned that the snow plows are going to displace leaves back onto your sidewalk or property.

Our Roads Staff will not be conducting a full road plow as we did not reach our trigger point accumulation. The primary roads are in good shape and we will be using both city forces and contracted services on our secondary and local priority salt routes to plow after lunch. Once this is complete additional work will be taken throughout the night to deal with any winter road conditions.

Keeping you safe and informed is a key priority right now.

I recognize that the last two years have been challenging for this city run program, we will keep working harder to and continue to do our best in meeting your expectations.

Stay tuned and watch for additional information coming from City Communications as well.

Following is a map outlining Leaf Collection in Ward 2:

Leaf collection via Kearns

Red – Roads/ streets which still require Leaf Pickup Blue – Leaf Pick-up complete

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact my office at Lisa.Kearns@Burlington.ca.

Keep well, stay calm, show kindness.

 

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Meal Kits: HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh

 

News 100 redBy Steve Marks

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Canadian Meal Kit Standoff: HelloFresh Vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh

It’s been a good few years since meal kits first hit the Canadian market. In the beginning, when companies like HelloFresh arrived fresh off success in Germany, they made a concerted effort to become household names. Chances are you have seen popular YouTubers reviewing various meal kits, doing their best to sell you on the concept.

If you are new to the idea, meal kits are an alternative to both cooking dinner from scratch and getting takeout. Instead, the provider sends you a box of prepared ingredients, including a simple recipe for you to follow. You get to cook healthy and fresh meals without spending ages chopping vegetables.

These companies have evolved over the years to suit a wide range of diets as well as price ranges. Since COVID-19 hit, they have been a great option for people who got tired of the few options available from restaurants and fast food chains.

But which Canadian meal kit is the best? Three of the most popular are HelloFresh, Chefs Plate, and MissFresh.

Let’s compare the features of HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh.

HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh

These three companies all offer specific features. As they each have subscription boxes, in which you can get three or four meals a week, it is possible to compare them fairly directly.

Let’s start with HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate. As a disclaimer, it is important to note that HelloFresh acquired Chefs Plate in 2018. While the two divisions still offer very different products, you will be dealing with the same company. Therefore, if you have an issue with one division’s customer service or company ethics, you will likely have the same issues with the other.

HelloFresh is the most comprehensive, wide-ranging meal kit solution. With HelloFresh, you can choose from 22 meals every week. These meals are somewhat more time-consuming than Chefs Plate meals, taking about thirty minutes each to prepare and cook. While this is still minimal compared to cooking from scratch, it might not suit those with a busier schedule.

HelloFresh offers excellent quality and range but it comes at a price. A weekly meal kit, that serves two people, will cost you close to $80. That amounts to $11.49 per serving.

chefs plate logo

Chefs Plate has become the budget option – same corporate commitment, same dedication

Chefs Plate has become the budget option within the parent company. While still offering quality in terms of healthy eating and delicious food, their range is smaller and individual meals are simpler. This will suit some in terms of time – their recipes take approximately fifteen minutes to cook, which nearly everyone can manage.

They have fifteen meals to choose from each week. A weekly box of three meals for two people will cost you just $30. That is only $5 per serving.

Let’s talk about MissFresh. MissFresh meal kits are on the more expensive side, which makes HelloFresh vs MissFresh the most appropriate comparison.

Montreal-based MissFresh is owned by the Metro grocery chain, and sources food from the same farms and vendors. If you love the grocery chain, you might appreciate the fact that MissFresh offers the option to add breakfast foods and snacks, although these are basic, packaged products rather than kits of their own.

MissFresh is only available if you live in Quebec or Ontario. While they have a decent range, especially for picky eaters and people with specific dietary needs, they still do not quite match the range and quality of HelloFresh.

Their meals are similarly priced, with each serving coming to between $8.75 and $11.17.

Therefore, as MissFresh still has some catching up to do on the big names, the competition comes down to Chefs Plate vs HelloFresh.

Chefs Plate vs HelloFresh: Suit Your Own Lifestyle

When choosing between Chefs Plate and HelloFresh, you are not deciding on quality. Both offer great tasting, healthy meals. Rather, you are choosing which one best suits your own lifestyle.

Hello fresh pic

HelloFresh provides more options every week and their food is more complex.

If you have the budget and time available, go with HelloFresh. They provide more options every week and their food is more complex.

However, if you are trying to save money or barely have a minute in the day, Chefs Plate offers the ideal alternative. Considering you are not going to be eating their meals every day of the week, and can always take a week off, there is no risk of getting tired of their range.

Both companies constantly update their range, providing new meals to match customers’ tastes. They are both convenient, with deliveries available throughout Canada. Because their boxes are well insulated, you do not even have to be home when they are delivered.

Give HelloFresh or Chefs Plate a try. Even if you tend to do your own cooking multiple days a week, you might find that meal kits offer meals not in your repertoire, and that the time it saves you is well worth it.

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Those opposing the expansion of the Quarry in rural Burlington face a December 14th deadline

News 100 greenBy Staff

December 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A  major influencing point for CORE, (Conserving our Rural Ecosystems) the organization that is opposing the application by Nelson Aggregates  seeking  additional licenses for the quarry they operate in rural Burlington – letters opposing the application are due December 14th.

So far CORE reports they have seen “54 excellent opposition letters. Heartened as we are by this response, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s needed if we are to have any chance at all of influencing the MNRF to render a decision AGAINST Nelson/LaFarge Aggregate’s two-pit plan for our precious Escarpment.

CORE is looking for letters “in the hundreds; which is why we’re asking all 452 of our subscribers to write, today, tomorrow…but certainly by that hard deadline of December 14th.

Core cartoon - MAyorCORE adds that: “An opposition letter to the MNRF is one of THE most important windows for public access into this entire messy bureaucratic process. Each of the approving agencies/governments involved in this clunky approval process renders their decision without consulting the others. That is why we, as members of the public who do NOT have decision making powers, MUST voice our opposition to each agency at the time when that particular agency is willing to hear from us. If you’ve already written a letter (to the City of Burlington, for example) you may use that same letter for the MNRF.

Quarry map

The shaded areas are where Nelson Aggregates want to expand.

Gord Pinard, spokesperson for CORE explains that submission of comments to MNRF/Nelson is a critical part of the application review process.  It is an important opportunity for community members to register their concerns/objections, each of which must be responded to by Nelson.  Expecting that this application will ultimately end in an LPAT hearing, those who what to have a voice at the LPAT hearing must have submitted their objections during this response period.

“We’ve made it easy for you to craft your letter and send it. And if you have any trouble at all, please reach out to us for additional support. Click the link to access our step-by-step guide, including a copy-paste letter template.
https://www.coreburlington.com/what-you-can-do-now

The letter MUST be sent to:
tecia@white-water.ca
ARAApprovals@ontario.ca

And it MUST include your full mailing address, including postal code.  Without your full mailing address your letter will not be accepted.

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Region signs off on Burlington's Official Plan.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

December 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It has been a long time coming but yesterday the city received notice from the Region that the Official Plan is another step closer to being what an election was fought over in 2018.

A different way of growing a city.

Council will now take an historic step and pass the Official Plan.

Appeals are part of the process but this time it is the Region that has to accept the appeal and cover the costs of defending it.

When and How to File an Appeal

Notice of Deciision Nov 30

Region signs off on Burlington new Official Plan. Now Council has to pass it and then wait for the appeals.

Any appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal must be filed with Halton Region no later than 20 days from the date of this notice, shown above as the “Last Date of Appeal”.

The notice of appeal should be sent to the attention of the Regional Clerk at the address shown below and it must:

1) set out the reasons for the appeal,
2) set out the specific part or parts of the proposed Official Plan Amendment to which the appeal applies, and
3) be accompanied by the fee required by the Tribunal and as directed by the Tribunal.

The reasons for the appeal must include an explanation of how the proposed official plan amendment:

• is inconsistent with provincial policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act;
• fails to conform with or conflicts with a provincial plan; or,
• fails to conform with the Regional Official Plan.

Council in memory

This is the council that, elected in 2018 took on the task of creating a new Official Plan and getting through two years of hard work and determined effort.

Address for Filing a Notice of Appeal
By Mail:
Office of the Regional Clerk
Regional Municipality of Halton
1151 Bronte Road
Oakville ON L6M 3L1

Submit Notice of Appeal to the attention of:
Graham Milne, Regional Clerk

By E-mail:
RegionalClerk@halton.ca

Who Can File an Appeal
Only individuals, corporations or public bodies may appeal a decision of the approval authority to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. A notice of appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group. However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf.

No person or public body shall be added as a party to the hearing of the appeal unless, before the official plan amendment was adopted, the person or public body made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the council or, in the opinion of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

When the Decision is Final

The decision of the Regional Municipality of Halton is final if a notice of appeal is not received on or before the Last Date of Appeal.

Getting Additional Information
Additional information about the amendment and the decision is available for public inspection during regular office hours at the Office of the Regional Clerk at the address noted below.

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High end automotive dealers were bested by a handful of thieves

Crime 100By Staff

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was slick – and it worked for a period of time.

The high end automotive dealers come away from this looking dreadfully stupid.

Solid police work has brought the most recent wave of car thefts – but there will be others. And of course drugs were part of the picture.

It began back in September when police services in the GTA began investigating an increase in test drive thefts occurring at local dealerships.

The suspects in these thefts used fraudulent identities and in many cases took advantage of current COVID-19 precautions to secure unescorted test drives and steal vehicles. In some cases, when the test drive was escorted by a sales representative, a staged collision was orchestrated in order to complete the theft. During this time primarily Mercedes products were targeted.

Members of the Halton Regional Police (HRPS) Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau in collaboration with the Peel Regional Police and Hamilton Police Service began to investigate these incidents. The investigation was further supported by the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC).

Nov 30 Drug and Cash Seizure + high end cars

Stealing high end cars was a side line to the drug dealing.

On November 28, 2020, members of Peel Regional Police arrested two suspects in possession of a recently stolen vehicle. Subsequent search warrants were executed by members of the HRPS Oakville Criminal Investigation Bureau at two Brampton residences and on one vehicle.

Investigators seized a second vehicle (stolen from an Oakville dealership), approximately 450 grams of fentanyl, 45 grams of crack cocaine, a quantity of suspected Xanax tablets and approximately $10,000.

Azad Sandhu (18) of Brampton has been charged with:
• Theft of motor vehicle (3 counts)
• Possession of a counterfeit mark (false identity documents)

Steven Singh (20) of Mississauga has been charged with:
• Theft of motor vehicle (8 counts)
• Utter forged documents (8 counts)
• Possession of counterfeit mark (false identity documents)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking (3 counts- Fentanyl, Xanax, Cocaine)

Both Sandhu and Singh were held in custody pending a bail hearing.

The theft of motor vehicle and related charges are in connection with incidents that occurred in Halton, Peel, Hamilton, and South Simcoe.

Prior to these arrests, HRPS investigators also executed a warrant at a residence in Toronto. This took place in October, 2020.

Multiple items were seized at that time including:
• A Mercedes vehicle stolen from Hamilton
• Stolen Ontario dealer plates
• Fraudulent Ontario and Quebec Driver’s Licences
• Approximately $3000

As a result of that earlier investigation, Yassine Jenkal (23) of Toronto was arrested and charged with the following:
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (over $5000)
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (under $5000) (2 Counts)
• Tampering with Vehicle Identification Number
• Possession of a Counterfeit Mark (4 counts)

Anyone with information in regards to these investigations is asked to contact Detective Omar Nadim of the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau 905-825-4747 ext. 2306.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.

 

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Have we reached the 'enough is enough' on the cannabis stores in the city?

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

There are seven LCBO stores in Burlington.

An application for the 17th cannabis retail location has been received; 10 of the applications are operational, five are under review, two, plus the most recent, are out for community comment.

Municipalities were given the option to permit the setting up of retail cannabis stores or to take a pass and not permit cannabis retail locations.

Burlington chose to permit them: it was a 5-2 vote permitting, with Councillors Stolte and Bentivegna against.

The Mayor was a very strong supporter, at times sounding like an advocate.

The other four were inclined to go along.

The Town of  Oakville decided not to permit  cannabis stores.

Many take the view that the commercial locations will fail if there isn’t a customer base creating a demand.

There is certainly a demand for the product – but it isn’t from the people of Burlington.  The folks from Oakville drive over to patronize the Burlington locations.

I am not opposed to the sale of the product – it’s legal – let people buy it.  My concern is why does Burlington have to become the destination for people in communities that don’t have cannabis shops where they live?

We keep hearing the argument that there are those who need the product for medicinal purposes.

Is this what the people of Burlington believe reflects the values of their community?

Is there a point the city might not want to go beyond?

And can city council do anything to perhaps cap the number of locations?

We think it is a question that can and should be asked of City Council.

Are we at that enough is enough point?

Related news story:

Application for 17th cannabis store received by the provincial government.

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

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