 By Andy Walker
August 12th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
In the world of growing economies, business is one of the best ways to catch up. But opening an online business might sound burdensome to many people. You might have an idea, but the execution seems like a far future, next to impossible. In times like this, we have eCommerce agencies as your saviour.
 An eCommerce site gives your business a world wide reach and lets everyone in your home market know who you are and what you do. What Are eCommerce Agencies?
How do you start a business? First, you start researching a specific market. Suppose you want to know about new Ontario online casinos and you research about that and gather some information. Then you get your own idea and start a business. You can also search for business strategies online. But theirs and your ideas will contradict as they only provide you with a generalized plan which might not be effective in your case.
eCommerce agencies are specialized agencies that make customized plans for clients according to their needs and business goals for them to achieve the target sales. Since they know what they are doing, you do not have to think much about it and face trials and errors.
Why Will You Choose Agencies and Not an Employee?
Hiring an employee indeed sounds easier and more economical than hiring an agency. But what are the advantages of hiring an agency? Let us get into it.
1. Expertise
Agencies are experts in their fields as they know the latest trends in the market, new technologies and creativity in their approach. They will provide you with expert guidance. An employee cannot have expertise in all the areas; they need additional training for it.
2. Saving Time and Cost-Effectiveness
Time is valuable in business as is the proper amount of investment. Agencies will provide you with a fixed budget and they have manpower so they will do the job in time. It will save your money as well as your precious time. Employees, on the other hand, can strain your budget.
 Creating a budget and staying within it is critical. 3. Building Your Site
eCommerce agencies are connected with technical platforms so they will help you build a site from scratch or can upgrade your new site according to your requirement. You won’t need another employee for that.
4. Digital Marketing Services
Agencies help with SEO, promoting your brand via social media, product presentation, content creation, jamming the site with viewers by running PPC promotions, SMS and email marketing, influencers, etc. Otherwise, you have to hire multiple employees.
5. Strategizing CRO
If you are in the business field, you should know how much CRO helps in growing the ROI of your site. CRO consultants will take time to deliver the result but agencies are faster and therefore, they will help prevent losses.
What Factors to Keep in Mind While Choosing Your Agency?
There are a few checkboxes to tick before you finalize an agency. Let’s checkout the following steps:
1. Authenticity and Review Check
There are lots of frauds going on online and you do not want to be a part of it. Hence, always check the site thoroughly to find any discrepancy that might be there. Then head over to the reviews section to see if they are positive or not. Check both the original site as well as review articles to judge the best option.
2. Budget and Negotiation
The main reason you want an agency is to optimize your budget. Some websites offer price calculations and for some, you have to mail and clarify. After clarifying the budget, you can negotiate with them.
3. Finding the Specialization You Need
Agencies have descriptions on their pages from where you can find what areas they specialize in. Some might be experts in web designs while some might work with social media marketing. You need to choose which one is the best fit for your business.
 This is the reason you are in business. Creating an eCommerce extension gives you world wide reach for your product or service. 4. After-Sales Service Check
After-sales service is essential in case some problem arises with your site later. Make sure to check the reviews if they provide it or not.
The Bottom Line
Choosing a good eCommerce agency is like opening a door to success. It will determine your future growth. The modern business market requires advanced technology and innovation. So, to keep yourself up with the competitive market, you have to find the best option to realize your dream. Nothing is too far-fetched, it only requires a genie. Let an eCommerce agency be that for you.
 By Connor Fraser
August 11th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
We have allowed powerful firms to created wasteful narratives. It’s time to push back.
How many times per week do you poo?
This past winter, I happened upon a regular schedule, nearly every day. Oh, and by “poo” I mean shampoo.
In December, my hairdresser recommended a new set of shampoo, conditioner and product specific to my hair style – instead of generic soaps found at the grocery store. I suppose it was more excitement at the prospect of taking better care and ownership of my body that caused me to embrace this daily routine. Recently, it has propelled me to think about how often I wash, and whether soaps are even necessary every time. They are not.
Proponents of the moderately famous “no poo” movement will argue that abstention from all commercial soaps is possible. There are people all over the internet who claim to have done so for 5+ years. While those claims are more than a bit ridiculous and I don’t plan to jump on their boat anytime soon, recently I have experimented with lathering up only every third day, and (maybe) rinsing for the remainder. And I haven’t noticed any difference. If anything, my hair is healthier than before.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Europeans get away with much less – they shampoo roughly half as often as North Americans. My friends and family who recently returned from vacation in France, Spain or Italy all reported a great experience. They didn’t mention anything about slippery streets or having to throw out clothes after brushing into someone’s head on the subway.
 The push to have long flowing curly hair is a feature of advertising in North America In fact, regular use of shampoo arrived only in the 20th century, when large-scale advertising campaigns “showered” people with the idea. They painted an image whereby buying and using their product was a ticket to gaining social acceptance. Those who remained on fringe were medieval.
As a student of business, I appreciate that firms exist to harness (hopefully for good) the most basic human instinct which is self-interest. Optimally, appropriate checks and balances would be in place to control the worst impulses of owners to, among endless possibilities, commit fraud or abuse their employees. But there is nothing illegal about pushing a product which people don’t really need, or at a greater frequency than is actually necessary.
I wonder whether Canadians are guilty of sleep walking into this trap. People, myself included, love stories. We crave simplification and narratives, and marketing departments at most large multinationals have evolved into history’s most successful storytellers. The problem arises, however, when the stories we are told do not end up creating value for consumers. Business, like politics and life, is a game. We must be vigilant to keep competitors honest and fight tooth and nail to avoid being coaxed out of our hard earned savings of real and social capital.
Over-usage of shampoo is but one example. What about laundry & dishwasher detergent? For the past year, I have washed my clothes with Tide. Despite always pouring the smallest suggested measure of detergent, even for heavy loads, I have never experienced dirty clothes. Moreover, my family always splits the bar of dishwasher detergent in half. Literally zero difference.
What about cellphones? Is it fate that everyone on the planet should have a portable phone, or rather did executives in Silicon Valley conspire to cook up another great narrative which we have all embraced without an afterthought? While I’m being crude, there is plenty of truth here.
 You’ve seen a lot of these. Because we live in an increasingly digital age where advanced marketing tactics have given firms the upper hand, so too must we arm consumers, and particularly young consumers, with the tools they need to defend themselves. When I was in elementary school, I recall my teacher briefly explaining to the class why it’s important to constantly question the messages behind advertisements.
That was one lesson, in 4th grade. For the most part, myself and my classmates were left to fend for ourselves. One opportunity might be to revitalize Ontario’s media literacy curriculum such that it rigorously prepares tomorrow’s generation to become more responsible and critical consumers. Additionally, consumer protection groups might accelerate verification of claims made by companies to ascertain whether they are backed by objectivity and science. Perhaps there is a rationale for increased funding towards federal watchdogs such as the Office of Consumer Affairs.
In the meantime, I encourage you to think about what products and services you consume as part of your routine, with an eye for identifying which are truly adding value, and which are freeloading. Consider sharing your findings and perspective with a comment below – I’m excited to learn what you discover!
 Connor Fraser is a long-time resident of Aldershot.
In 2020, he completed undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, with a B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science and a major in Electrical and Computer Engineering.
He has returned to U of T to enroll in the dual Master of Global Affairs and Master of Business Administration program.
By Pepper Parr
August 8th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 We had heard there would be changes in the structure of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce Volunteer committees – they were to be reduced to two from the seven that were in place.
There were those with the view that the Volunteer groups had far too much clout and that changes were necessary.
In a statement put out today Terry Caddo is confirming that changes have been made and invited people to volunteer within the new structure.
He said:
 Burlington Chamber of Commerce President Terry Caddo “Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to the Chamber and the local Burlington Community. We would like to express our gratitude and thank our volunteers from our current and historical committees, who have selflessly contributed their time to drive Chamber initiatives.
“As we implement our new strategic plan, there will be a few changes with the composition and structure of our committees moving forward.
“As we align with our strategic pillars of; Connecting Leaders, Active Advocacy and Creating Opportunities, we will be reducing the number of committees to the following:
Membership Experience and Engagement, and Policy and Advocacy. This restructuring will result in increased diversity within the two committees to allow for a greater representation of the Burlington business community.
The Burlington Chamber will be able to create impactful opportunities for our members, as we will be able to have committees that are truly reflective of our membership.
The Member Experience and Engagement committee will provide insight and support to the Burlington Chamber of Commerce on membership recruitment, engagement, and retention, and serve as the organizing centre for Chamber events. This committee will directly align with the strategic plan pillars: Connecting Leaders and Creating Opportunities.
Taskforces will be created within the committee as needed to help support with signature events such as the Business Excellence Awards, Wonder Women Conference, and the annual Golf Tournament.
The Policy and Advocacy committee will actively advocate and influence on local, regional, provincial, and federal issues and policy affecting Burlington businesses and will directly align with the Active Advocacy pillar. This committee will be the go-to source for business discussions in the community and be successful in creating a strong community of businesses and other agencies that support each other.
As we move forward, we ask that you complete the below application to participate in these new committees. We encourage current and past volunteers to re-apply. Please use the link below to complete your application.
Link: https://bit.ly/3BMHFjG.
 By Pepper Parr
August 8th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a long article. It focuses on one new arena but sets out how this council is going to spend to provide the infrastructure it thinks the city needs. See it as a cautionary tale.
Council met on Thursday to decide if they were going to go forward with the construction of a new Skyway arena in ward 5.
Referred to as the Skyway Arena – the structure in place now was taken out of commission WHEN because it no longer met the rules related to Freon.
The rink was small.
 The city did a lot of planning on this project – it was to be carbon free, solar panels on the roof, two regular size ice pads, pickle ball courts, community rooms and a walking track.
 The new Skyway arena will be to the north of the proposed 6 story Lakeside Plaza development. Not a word was said about the development plans during the decision to spend $37 million Way back when Councillor Paul Sharman was first elected he tried, in vain at the time, to get in touch with the owner of the plaza that had seen better days. It took a couple of years but eventually there was a development proposal that included eight structures.
During that time the Burloaks Park was completed – it is one of the better parks in the city that is seldom crowed that way Spencer Smith Park is.
The community amenities will include pickle ball courts, meeting rooms and a Walking Track.
This is the background behind the decision to spend twice as much as was originally planned on the Skyway arena.
The decision was to a contract for the construction of the new arena to Norlon Builders London Limited for $37,021,769.55
Staff asked that Council
Approve the revised total budget of $39,433,100 with revised financing proposed.
Authorize the additional funding of $2,000,000 from Tax Supported Debt; $403,000 from the Corporate Accessibility Implementation Project and $4,710,100 from the infrastructure renewal reserve fund.
 Significantly looking structure for an arena – walking track, community meeting rooms and pickle ball courts make it more of a community hub. Something badly needed in the community. What makes the development awkward is that it is a 1.4 km and a quarter away from the Bateman high school site that the city is in the process of buying – the public will not know much about the cost until sometime in September when the deal is expected to close.
The figure of $500 million was mentioned by Councillor Stolte, who was sanctioned by the Integrity Commissioner for revealing information that was discussed in a closed session of Council. The figure Stolte made public was, as she explained it, an approximation.
The Bateman and the Skyway arena are all about creating more in the way of space for a growth in population that will add three new communities to the city around the GO stations.
The Bateman and the Skyway development are in the south east sector
Lisa Kearns Councillor for ward 2 asked a procurement question, wanting to know how far into the process was the tender?
Staff had already decided who should be getting the job – all they needed was approval from Council to go forward.
 Jennifer Johnson on the left, listening to a resident when public feedback was being gathered about the residential plans. Jennifer Johnson, the staff member who oversaw the redevelopment of the WHICH ONE explained that three compliant bids and were ready to give the contract to Nolan for $37 million plus.
Given that Councillors are in the middle of an election Kearns wanted to be seen as being on top of everything said: “I’m looking to understand or hear what within the bid tender document and or agreed upon by those compliant bids would potentially help the city in a situation where the vendors work fell short or compliance with specs was not met. Those types of things. I want to understand what our insurance plans are, so to speak, so that we can be very much guaranteed that we have the best quality for our you know, the best quality when this work gets undertaken?
Johnson explained that “through our pre-qualification, we went through two rounds for general contractors where we asked them to qualify, electrical, mechanical and landscape because those were a very big component of the project. So they actually had to name the consultants they were using and had to close the bid with them. So through the pre-qualification process, we knew who those trades were, they were local trades, good trades. And basically, we pre-qualified five general contractors prior to even releasing the tender documents.
 Solar panels on the roof will cover a lot of the electricity costs? “Our specifications were very tight, because we tried our best to include designs that were all locally sourced. We also went through a review process with the consultants to ensure that all the equipment that we included in the design and specifications were still able to be sourced without you know, extended lead times. Contractors, are obligated to fulfill their contract under that lump sum.
The Skyway arena is in ward 5, Sharman territory. He said: Just slightly more than half of this cost is more than the city expected, but this is not a unique situation- that’s happening to everything. The question raised from time to time is should we wait for things to get better? The Staff report concludes that it’s going to be at least five years before the current pressure on costs decreases.This is not going to get better. If we don’t do it now.
It’ll just get worse and where does that leave us? It raises all sorts of concerns about improving the infrastructure in the city and increasing the infrastructure in the city. And we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. But for now, I believe that we’re doing something that is badly needed by the city. We need the ice pads and the community rooms and the walking track.
Bateman won’t solve the ice pad problem, it won’t provide the walking track for the seniors who live in the immediate arena. And the pressure to build the pickle ball courts. So we’re going to be there. This is a wonderful addition to our recreation facilities in Burlington. Much needed, much appreciated. And we can just hope that cost isn’t going to be with us as a problem for ever.
Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte took a much different position. “I’ve certainly brought up concerns before about the commitment to projects located 1.4 kilometers away from each other. We’ve made a huge commitment to debate and project and I just feel very uncomfortable with as Councillor Sherman has brought up the increasing cost of this which I know is realistic. I know that costs are going up across the country. We’re all aware of that. But the reality is too is that by utilizing the limited funds that we have available to us and the limited room that we have in our debt capacity limit, we’re committing most of our eggs into two baskets that are in the southeast corner of Burlington and I’m just not convinced that that’s an appropriate decision for us to be making at this time.
 That walking track and a community rooms would be nice. I think that we could scale this project back to ensure that we have the ice rinks and I think that we could make sure that we have transportation options available to seniors to get them up to the proposed community rooms that we hope to have at the maintenance project. And that would leave us some funding available to ensure that we are able to take care of other infrastructure projects and that we have other opportunities to use our debt capacity limit because there certainly are a lot of a lot of other projects around the city that need attention. I wasn’t in support of this before. I’m still not. I know that it would be a great project if money were no object, but money is an object and I won’t be able to support this today.
Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan said: “This is a higher price than we anticipated. No doubt about it. We’ve made the Skyway a priority for a long time. I believe we can still pursue upper level government funding and I’m sure we will but we can’t just bring everything to a standstill.
Ward 1 Councilor Kelvin Galbraith said: “I’m in support of this. I am part of the ice user group that knows there is a big need for another ice rink. It’s the ice users have been hurt for the last couple of years now that Skyway has been taken out of the inventory and replacing it with a full size rink is very important and will be very valuable to the ice user groups.
“I think the city needs more of these type of facilities and the longer we wait, the more expensive it will get. I think the time is now and I’m prepared to support this today.
 Lisa Kearns put her financial concern, chase down the details spin on the building of a new arena. Lisa Kearns joined what was now a majority of Council and said: “I think the whole conversation we’re having here is really reflective of the petulance that I’m starting to see around some of these really, really big ticket items. We know that we’ve already committed to prioritizing Skyway community centre and it feels a lot like this is one of those projects that we’re so far into that is difficult to turn around in, in response to escalating prices. Now, in my view, there are two things to look at here. One is of course the community value which we can’t put a price tag on it’s clear we do need more ice rinks. And in fact, we need the type of ice rinks that can host and hold tournaments and things of that nature so that we can really capitalize on those additional tourism dollars especially in light of having our municipal accommodation tax now ushered in so we do need to look at this really big picture.
“It’s one thing to award a tender. It’s another thing to award a tender with really strong terms that despite escalating costs still puts the city in the driver’s seat around ensuring the diligence used around those funds. Those are many types of causes like clawback clauses, there’s the dispute resolution, there’s payment terms certainty of terms limitations of liability. I want to be really really sure that when we are embarking on projects this high visibility and this high of a price tag we have covered all our bases.
 The table below shows the change to the Total Project Cost over the last three years. The lowest compliant bid has resulted in an increased construction cost to $36.7 million, including soft costs, and project contingency, the new total project cost is estimated at $39.4 million (including the parks revitalization component). This is an increase of 22% from the Class A, most recently completed in March 2022 or $7.1 million. It’s really important that we don’t have bumps along the way from today’s meeting where we’re proving this to when we can actually open the doors and welcome our residents across the city into a facility like this. I do want to also put on record and echo the comments of Councillor salty in that I am worried about our debt limit and our debt threshold. We still have a really big ticket in very similar proximity that hasn’t even had its capital costs disclose to the public yet. And that will no doubt require some support from our tax base and of course from our infrastructure renewal reserve fund so that fun will quickly be dwindling and it’s I’m hopeful that they’ll be a lot left for some of the other areas where we are really putting a focus on growth.
I am supporting this today with caution. And you know putting everyone involved in this in this project on notice that we want it to be an absolute and true success and we want it to be handled with the greatest level of diligence as possible.
 The project was short 7 million – they dug into reserves and pushed $2 million onto the backs of the taxpayers – by taking out a 15 years debenture at 4.5%. Don’t you wish you could get that interest from your bank Councillor Sharman added later in the meeting before the vote saying he recognized that his comments about money were made the way they were said because I think that it’s just a fact of life that cost is increasing. The arena had to be closed because the Freon system became illegal. Otherwise, we would have continued to have Skyway arena open, but it was grossly inadequate. It was built in the 60s. It was no longer up to standard in terms of installation and efficiency and effectiveness and it was undersized so it needed to go. So it’s going to be built. I think that’s one point with respect to money or No, I have a fairly reasonable understanding of money and my view of the world is very oriented towards future cash flow and where it’s coming from.
 Paul Sharman: “I have no concerns about money.” “I have no concerns about money, it will be resolved and especially in Parkland dedication, even if I do think it’s a bit rich it’s going to pay for a lot of stuff. We will still be building within the urban boundary. We will have the cash to pay for the facilities we need for another 70,000 people in the course of the next 30 years. And if anybody’s thinking differently than I ask you to talk to me, because planning and cash flow forecasting is an important way of thinking and I have no concerns about the money. And that’s about it for me. I’m delighted that we’re getting on with this.
Mayor Meed Ward decided it was her turn to take a kick at the can. “I am really looking forward to the ground-breaking in October. We know that we need more community facilities for our growing population period full stop – we are at capacity, we are bursting at the seams. This will be a facility that is used and loved by people from across Burlington the ice pads the community meeting space the parkour out front and also it will be really the future of how we build community facilities in Burlington. It will have solar panels on the roof. It will be a low carbon building, that is the future and we are not done yet. Our community amenities our parks or community centers have not kept up with the growth that we have seen in population in Burlington – this is one more opportunity to not only refresh what was there before, but expand it. The Walking Track is was really important.
It’s not so much about what we spend, it’s what we spend on and this there’s no question in my mind that this has been a priority. And so we just need to get on with it. We need to because the price isn’t gonna get any cheaper. And the cost escalation that we have seen is due to factors that are outside of the city’s control for sure and there’s no time like the present to get going.
This will put us at 11% debt ratio, our city imposed ratio is 12 and a half so we’re still well below that. The province imposes a debt ratio of 25%. Tax supported debt is only one of many sources of funding. We have reserved funds – revenue from users that will come back to us. I know the pickle ball courts will be very well used and played.
We have just increased and really level set the development charges that we will be charging for new growth and our Parkland dedication fees we were way behind, leaving money substantial amounts of money on the table.
I’m enthusiastic about finally getting on with this centre and we will mean we need more we’re not done we are not done yet with parks and community centres. Because we still have a lot more growth coming and we still have some catching up to do. And we have the money. We have the money to do it.
We do need a recorded vote on this. So I will turn it over to our clerk to take the recorded vote.
Councillor Bentivegna had some interesting questions and concerns about what was going to happen to the taxpayer. His views will be covered in a seperate article later in the week.
Councillor stuck to her guns; the only Council member to talk about fiscal prudence.
City Manager Tim Commisso sat in on the meeting – didn’t say a word
By Pepper Parr
August 5th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
On the matter of it getting harder to get public information from city hall – try this one.
A citizen who is active in civic matters; has delegated at city hall, appeared at Ontario Municipal Hearings and knows his way around public issues.
 He wanted to check on something related to a former development application; there was some information related to wind studies and traffic projections that he wanted to review again. That information was online at the old city web site. Is there a reason why the same information wasn’t on the new web site? And if there is a reason, when is the public going to get wind of it?
The city communications people have explained that: “we are still in the process of updating these development webpages and configuring our website. Some site configurations, like the development projects pages, can’t be fully completed in a staging\testing environment so they need to be done on the live site. We are in the process of migrating supporting documents for applications, this is a extensive process as there are almost 60 application pages with at times over 20 large documents for each application.
“If you require specific documents please reach out if you do not yet see on the site.”
What we are getting from the communications people is reasonable – it would have been more professional of them to have alerted both the media and the public on what to expect as the changeover to a new web site design takes place.
What we are getting from the communications people however is not what the public is getting when they call their friends in the planning department.
In the back and forth communications set out below we are not identifying the city planner or the Gazette reader.
We don’t believe the planner is telling people on his own that the public should use FOI’s to get information. Our belief is that the planners have been told to explain this to the public
Our reader put in a call to a planner that he thought he had a decent working relationship with – and finished the call wondering what was going on.
In a nut shell he was told that if he wanted information on a development he could file a Freedom of Information request.
 His comments about the state of engagement with city hall were blunt and direct – “It’s a sham.”
From the planner who was explaining how to use the FOI process.
https://www.burlington.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/freedom-of-information.aspx
The Gazette reader learned from the old city web site that: Most requests for information can be resolved without the formal use of the Act. We release certain types of records in response to an informal request as part of our routine disclosure. Fees for requests for information under routine disclosure are based on our Rates and Fees Bylaw (By-law 061-2021).
The Gazette reader wonders if the by-law and ” Fees for request for information under routine disclosure has been changed and adds that “If you follow the suggested process to find readily available planning docs you get the following:
“Information and material that is required to be provided to the City under the Ontario Planning Act is available to the public.
“You can request records with the Committee of Adjustment by phone at 905-335-7777, ext. 7629. You can direct all other planning record requests to 905-335-7777, ext. 7642 or planning@burlington.ca.
“Applicable fees will apply.
The Gazette reader: “I think this may give you everything you may need without me sharing my source. The question that comes to mind immediately is: Who is telling planners to stop being helpful and direct them somewhere else?
“Does this mean that public data is going to require an FOI request – for which I will pay a fee?’
 It had a very very short term impact: City Hall didn’t like it and wanted changed made. Council voted unanimously to Receive and File the report Burlington has been down this path before. In 2010 former Mayor Walter Mulkewich and the late John Boich wrote a report that was called Shape Burlington.
Current Councillor Paul Sharman was on the committee that wrote the report.
A link to the report is set out below.
The issues in 2010 were about city hall not providing the information the public wanted. Nothing changes – there is a mindset within the municipal sector that has them believing that they do not have to respond to what the public wants. And with Council members that do not make it clear to the city manager that staff are in place to serve the public nothing is ever going to change.
Link to the Shape Burlington Report – 2010
By Staff
August 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Covid19, then Monkey Pox, then close to unbearable weather and now bats have been found in Oakville with rabies.
 Just seeing one of these would case death by fright Halton Region Public Health confirmed that a bat tested positive for rabies. The bat was found in the West Oakville neighbourhood, south of Speers Road and east of Fourth Line. This is the first confirmed case of animal rabies in Halton Region this year.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes severe damage to the brain and spinal cord and, if untreated before symptoms appear, can lead to death.
The virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal such as a raccoon, skunk, bat, dog, fox, or other wild animal, usually through a bite or scratch. Rabies illness in humans can be prevented by the use of a rabies vaccine, which is extremely effective, but only if it is administered before symptoms occur.
Although rabies in bats is rare, bites from rabid bats have caused almost all human cases of rabies in Canada over the past several years. Bats have small, needle-like teeth, and their bites easily go undetected. If you have been bitten, scratched or exposed to bat saliva, wash any wounds thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
It is not always possible to identify if a bat has rabies, however rabid bats may move slowly, lose the ability to fly, remain active during daylight hours or be unresponsive to loud noises. If you find a bat in your home, do not attempt to move it and contact your local Animal Control Services.
There are a number of ways you can protect your family and pets from rabies:
• Wash bite or scratch wounds from any animal with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
• Report all animal bites or scratches to Halton Region Public Health by calling 311.
• Warn your children to stay away from any wild, stray or aggressive animals.
• Do not touch, feed or move wildlife, including young, sick or injured animals.
• Avoid animals that are behaving strangely.
• Do not keep wild animals as pets.
• Do not touch dead or sick animals.
• If you find a stray animal, report it to your local Animal Control Services.
• Make sure your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date.
• Keep your pet on a leash when off your property.
• Have your pet seen by a veterinarian if it has come in contact with a bat or other wild animal.
• Animal-proof your home by filling any holes that could allow animals to enter.
By Pepper Parr
August 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
It is now official.
 Milton Mayor Gord Krantz sitting in his office – which is just off the entrance to the Town Hall – little in the way of security. Krantz doesn’t think he needs any security. Milton Mayor Gord Krantz is going to have to run a campaign but it won’t be against a member of his Council.
Saba Ishaq has announced she will be running for the office of Mayor.
As the incumbent Krantz has a very strong head start.
When you attach the word “incumbent” to Krantz you are talking about decades.
We weren’t able to learn very much about Saba Ishaq during our short call earlier today.
A sleepy voice answered the phone and said that yes she was running for Mayor – could we call back tomorrow or in the evening.
And that was it.
Other than a reference to a place of employment:
“Saba Ishaq. Director. 9 years of consulting experience, working with both senior executives to define strategic direction and team leaders to implement …”
there isn’t much more at this point.
We were not able to obtain a recent photograph of Saba Ishaq
For Ms Ishaq to have even a chance she is going to have to run a whirl wind of a campaign and hope that a fairy with a magic wand is on her campaign team
Gord will still be out there doing what he does quite well – telling the people of Milton what he has done for them.
 By Staff
August 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Tummies don’t don’t know how to take vacations. Shelves are close to bare the the Food Bank.
 By Staff
August 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
We reported yesterday that the Region of Halton had the lowest ranking on the Crime Severity index in all of Canada and that Halton has held that position for the past 24 years.
A lot of the reasons behind that statement is the geography and the social makeup of the city.
A lot of poor people in Hamilton – a lot of crime as well
Peel Region to the east of Halton has a very mixed diversity which often has high rates of crime. Not always.
Population mix, income and education levels are critical measures. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact Canada’s economy, health care system and society in general throughout 2021, changing how people interact, socialize, learn, work and consume. Overall, while police-reported crime in Canada, as measured by the Crime Severity Index (CSI), was virtually unchanged in the second year of the pandemic, there were notable shifts in the nature of reported crimes.
 For the first time since 2006, the year-over-year changes in the Violent and Non-Violent CSIs moved in opposite directions. These shifts provide important insight into the way in which crime in Canada changed following the onset of the pandemic.
The Violent CSI rose 5% in 2021, reaching a level higher than that before the beginning of the pandemic. The increase in violent crime compared with 2020 was attributable in part to higher rates of level 1 sexual assault, harassing and threatening behaviours, and homicide, among others.
Additionally, the number of hate-motivated crimes reported by police increased by 27% to 3,360 incidents. Higher numbers of hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race or ethnicity accounted for the majority of the increase.
In contrast, the Non-Violent CSI—which includes, for example, property offences and drug offences—continued to decline (-3%), after a 9% drop in 2020. These two consecutive decreases follow five years of increases. Much of the decline in 2021 was because of lower rates of breaking and entering (-10%) and theft of $5,000 or under (-4%).
The overall CSI changed from 73.9 in 2020 to 73.7 in 2021. This follows a 7% drop in the CSI in 2020, the first decrease after five years of successive increases. The CSI measures the volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada and has a base index value of 100 for 2006. The police-reported crime rate, which measures only the volume of crime, was 5,375 incidents per 100,000 population in 2021, up 1% from 2020.
Police-reported metrics include only those incidents that come to the attention of police, either through reporting by the public or proactive policing. As a complementary measure, results from the 2019 General Social Survey (GSS) on Canadians’ Safety (Victimization) showed that just under one-third (29%) of violent and non-violent incidents were reported to police. Similarly, just over one-fifth (22%) of incidents perceived to be motivated by hate were reported to police.
 Across the provinces and territories, there were contrasting annual changes in the CSI. From 2020 to 2021 in Canada, six provinces and Nunavut reported increases in their CSI, while the other provinces and territories reported decreases. Among census metropolitan areas (CMAs), or large cities, 22 of 35 reported increases, while the remainder reported decreases or no change in their CSI.
Among the provinces, Quebec (+5%) and Ontario (+1%) reported increases in their CSI in 2021 and therefore had the largest upward impact on the change in the national CSI. The rise in Canada’s two largest provinces was because of relatively large increases in level 1 sexual assault, as well as growth in general fraud in Quebec and an increase in homicide in Ontario.
In contrast, the CSI in the provinces of Alberta (-7%) and British Columbia (-5%) had the largest relative downward impact on the national CSI. The violations driving these decreases were breaking and entering; theft of $5,000 or under; and, to a lesser extent, general fraud. As was the case at the national level, both provinces also reported relatively large increases in level 1 sexual assault.
Sharp rise in the rate of police-reported level 1 sexual assault
The rise in Canada’s Violent CSI in 2021 was primarily driven by an 18% increase in the rate of level 1 sexual assault. This rise accounted for over one-third of the increase in the Violent CSI. In contrast, the rates of police-reported level 2 and 3 sexual assault decreased 5% and 13%, respectively. In total, level 1 sexual assault accounted for 98% of police-reported sexual assaults in 2021.
 Sexual assault is classified in the Criminal Code in three separate categories, depending on the nature and severity of the incident: level 1 involves assault of a sexual nature that violates the sexual integrity of the victim; level 2, sexual assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm, involves sexual assault with a weapon, with threats to use a weapon or causing bodily harm; and level 3, aggravated sexual assault, involves sexual assault that wounds, maims, disfigures or endangers the life of the victim.
Overall, there were 34,242 police-reported sexual assaults (levels 1, 2 and 3) in 2021, representing 90 incidents per 100,000 population. This marks the highest rate since 1996. Before a decrease in 2020—the first year of the pandemic—the rate of sexual assault had risen steadily for five years. All provinces reported an increase in 2021, whereas all territories reported a decline. Similarly, of the 35 CMAs, 29 reported increases.
Despite considerable public discussion of issues around sexual violence in recent years, the number of sexual assaults reported by police is likely a significant underestimate of the true extent of sexual assault in Canada, since these types of offences often go unreported to police. For instance, the most recently available self-reported data from the 2019 GSS on Victimization show that 6% of sexual assault incidents experienced by Canadians aged 15 and older in the previous 12 months were brought to the attention of police.
Pandemic-related lockdown conditions, particularly in the first year of the pandemic, could have exacerbated the underreporting of sexual assaults. Inversely, the later easing of restrictions might have led to an increase in reporting to police, either by victims or by third-party individuals or services.
Through constant and continued public warnings and the offering of places people who are threatened can call and turn to for help – Halton has been able to keep a bit of a lid on some of the more violent incidents and keep the public aware that there are options that wil get them out of dangerous situations.
By Eszter Ivan
August 4th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Looking for the next money-making side hustle you can utilize while in Canada? Look no further, in today’s article are going over the top 5 Canadian side hustles you should consider today!
 The ultimate side hustles in Canada that can amount to up to $22 an hour. Food Delivery
Food delivery has become one of the ultimate side hustles in Canada that can amount to up to $22 an hour. That’s pretty good considering in the best Canadian cities you can even complete deliveries with just a bicycle.
Although quite the physical task to do on a bike it’s the best way to maximize profits. Motorbikes are the second best alternative but will require fuel costs and a licence apart from an actual motorcycle. Besides that, the next alternative would be to do it by car but this has its own problems like getting stuck in traffic and parking issues.
Overall food delivery services are quite easy to get started, sign up with companies such as Uber eats and boom you’re pretty much ready to go after acceptance. Plus you get to work your own hours with such companies and basically, you’re your own boss.
Professional Gambler
Although this sounds like more of a gamble than a hustle, gambling can actually be a fun way to make a quick buck. Today finding an online casino in Canada is quite simple, making a profit is the hard part.
Many have heard the phrase the house always wins, but what if you’re not playing against the house? Games like poker do not involve the house in any of the gaming done except for the dealer and cards provided.
Poker is a game played against other players on the table, finding a live online casino table can also mean having a real-life dealer handle the cards instead of RNG.
Arts
A lot of “intellectual” politicians will argue that art produces no monetary value, while at the same time purchasing pieces of art for almost stupid prices in packed rooms at Art Galleries.
 Poppies stained glass piece highlights the red leaves on the tree outside the studio. Art has always been thrown down the well when it comes to money talks and has always been tough to monetize. Since art is based on taste, what looks great to me and inspires millions of others can look horrid and dissatisfying to look at.
Thankfully today artists no longer require the use of Art galleries to get famous, although art galleries will still hold massive importance in the art communities today many artists can create digital art and sell it for a profit online.
Photography
Not much to be said in this chapter, just like physical art, photography has long been thrown under the bus. Thankfully today in the digital era where content and marketing are essential the need for photographs has risen drastically.
Thankfully today many companies also pay a pretty penny for photos that can be used on wallpapers and other home decors.
 Leaf raking and yard clean up is a repeat business that is assured by great customer service Landscaping
Landscaping in Canada is a huge untapped market. Although typically done by the younger generation with little investment this side hustle can turn into a full-on business. The job will usually entail mowing grass lawns and cleaning up the trees and bushes found outside the home. In Canada, landscaping service needs spike up during winter times due to snow and the need for snow to be ploughed!
By Staff
August 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Community Development Haltom is a non-profit organization that focuses on community wide issues within the Region of HAlton.
They provide data that aids decision makers at the Regional and municipal level.
The number of people living in a household, i.e., household size, can have various social and economic implications. For example, smaller households will increase the demand for more housing, most likely in the form of apartments or condominiums, and more household items like furniture and appliances. Financially, smaller households can have fewer wage earners and possibly lower household incomes. The opposite is true for larger households. In addition, members in larger households can enjoy some household economies of scale in the consumption of goods and services.
For decades, households were getting smaller due to lower fertility rates, higher separation and divorce rates, and more people remaining single.
However, there are signs that the decline is slowing or even levelling off.
 The growth has taken place in Milton – they had greenfield land left. Now that the housing growth will be in high rise – there may be changes in where the growth happens. Burlington is going to create three new communities in the next two decades around the GO stations. In Halton municipalities, with growth and demographic changes, household size trends might vary from the provincial or national patterns. The average household size for Halton Hill and Oakville has been at 2.9 for the last two decades. Burlington’s household size dropped in 2006 and levelled off at 2.5. Milton’s household size rose from 2.9 in 2006 to 3.3 in 2021.
The share of households by size varies among the local municipalities. In 2021, Burlington had the highest proportion of 1- person and 2-person households and the lowest proportion in the other categories.
Milton had the highest proportion of 4- and 5+ person households accounting for over 45% of all households within the municipality.
 Large families were in houses – as high rise apartments appear – where will the large families live? The following chart shows the percentage of the population in various sizes of household. In all municipalities, less than 10% of the population live in
 This data is what is going to have to be fully understood – what is it telling us? 1- person households. Over one quarter (27%) of Burlington’s residents live in 2-person households. In Milton, only 4% of Milton’s population live alone. About one-third (33%) live in 4 person households compared to 16% in Burlington. Milton also has the highest share of the population living in 5+ households.
 This data cannot remain the same – there aren’t going to be any new single family dwellings in Oakville and Burlington. About 80% of Halton’s households lived in houses as compared to Ontario’s 68% and Canada’s 64% respectively. These percentages change with the size of households reflecting the affordability and availability of housing. For example, among the 1-person households, over 60% lived in houses in Milton and Halton Hills, 50% in Oakville and only 40% in Burlington (60% in apartments).
Community Development Halton/Source: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Table 98-10-0040-01
 By Staff
August 3rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Crime in the Region of Halton has the (lowest) crime severity index among all large municipalities in Canada for the 24th straight year, and we also have the highest rate of solving crimes!
There are a number of reason for this – the Region does not have communities that are made up for the most part of financially disadvantaged people.
And the police service has access to some of the top crime solving tools in the country.
The police officers are also well trained.
The Halton Police Board is committed to ensuring that policing actions and consequences are aligned with Community needs, values and expectations.
These results clearly illustrate the alignment and global effectiveness and efficiency of our dedicated officers and civilian staff. These results also reflect the essential partnership between our Community and its Police Service – these results can only be possible with a supportive community engaged proactively in crime prevention and actively cooperating with police investigations and other activities.
About the Halton Police Board
The Halton Police Board is a seven-member civilian Board that provides strategic oversight to the Halton Regional Police Service. Under the Police Services Act, the Board has legislated responsibility for the Police Service’s operating and capital budgets; strategic planning; policies and priorities. The Police Board’s fundamental responsibility is to ensure that adequate and effective police services are provided to the citizens of Halton Region.
By Pepper Parr
August 2nd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
What does this promotional bill board
 Under construction and coming soon on Guelph Line just north of the QEW Have to do with this web site announcement?
 The Berkely at John and Maria – some very small units In the world of residential housing they feed each other – they make each other possible
The apartment units now in the planning stage for the significant number of high rise towers that are going to be built in Burlington at some point – because the province said we have to grow the population.
Many of the units are small – very small – many in the 650 sq foot range.
Not much room in that amount of space for much more than a bed, a kitchen table and a stand for the big monitor that will stream movies.
The story the builders tell is that these units are just what a segment of the population is looking for – they will live alongside the GO station and will be living their social life in Toronto – and will just sleep in Burlington.
City Council wants to see more two and three bedroom units – there will be some – how many – no one is sating very much at this point.
What the public does hear from the developers is that they support the idea of affordable units – but again – nothing firm.
Carriage Gate promised a specific number of units in the Berkely development on John at Maria – that sort of didn’t happen.
Human beings need space – crowding families, even individuals into 650 sq. ft. boxes is just plain unhealthy.
Storage space is non existent. In the past developers offered a storage unit in the basement – it wasn’t much to speak of – but it was space.
The need for a place to put the ski’s or the summer play stuff became a market the storage people were quick to fill.
 This part of the structure under construction tells you it is going to be a tall building. Dymon Storage, an Ottawa based firm is building a very large storage facility on Guelph Line just north of the QEW. In their promotional materiel they tell a story that fits in perfectly with what those who buy small condo units.
 This tell you the structure is going to have hundreds of storage units. Think of Dymon Storage as an extension of your life. We do.
Here’s where we can help
Short-term storage for your renovation
Moving to a new home with less storage space
Storage for your seasonal items
Declutter your home for staging
Garment or wardrobe storage
Student move-out storage
By Pepper Parr
August 1st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 50 lbs in that sack This is a story about much more than a $10,000 cheque that the Burlington Legion (Branch 60) presented to Road to Recovery -they cal it Ruck.
It is the story about a group of people who are walking a trail from Tobermory to Queenston Heights supporting a GoFundMe Drive to support Homeless Canadian Veterans.
For the moment a photo of the group as they set out on day xx after spending the night at the Legion sleeping on foam mattresses on the floor, having a hearty breakfast and loading up the next 20 to 25 km march.
 Along with the Ruck crew are Branch 60 President Murray Sutherland (far right) and Vice Presidents Dan Lauzon (bottom left) and (John Mattocks far left). The GO Fund Me account is HERE.
 The $10,000 donation came from the Legion’s Poppy Fund.
 By Staff
July 31st, 2022
Burlington, on
Superb summer weather. Why would anyone want to be indoors?
Perhaps something that will give your brain a bit of a buzz. No – not THAT kind of a buzz.
One where conversation and thoughts and different points of view on a daunting but critical subject.
Peace.
One Burlington meets at the Performing Arts Centre from noon to 4:00 pm on Monday.
 Tomorrow, Monday, at 12:15 pm in the Studio Theatre Rev. Michael Coren, known for his controversial history as a conservative journalist and TV presenter before his change of heart and subsequent ordination in the Anglican Church.
Coren will lead a panel of thinkers on the subject of “Working for Peace”.
Panelists come from a range of experience as faith leaders and educators.
Two Prayer Rooms are available for a little private time away from the crowd.
By Pepper Parr
July 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a nice bit of news:
Announced last week, Burlington Economic Development will lead the newest phase of the Digital Main Street program in Burlington with a Digital Service Squad at TechPlace.
Working directly with brick-and-mortar businesses, the squad will support businesses with website creation, social media content, and more, to develop or improve their online presence. Eligible businesses will also be able to apply for a $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant.
Digital Service Squad member Ana Nobrega will be available starting July 25th. Contact Ana at ana@techplace.ca for additional information.
 By Staff
July 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Earlier today at approximately 11:42am the Halton Regional Police Service responded to a motor vehicle collision in the intersection of Appleby Line and No 2 Sideroad in the City of Burlington.
A red Ducati motorcycle was travelling northbound on Appleby Line and collided with a black Volkswagen Jetta that was turning left from No 2 Sideroad onto Appleby Line. The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene. The Collision Reconstruction Unit has assumed carriage of the investigation.
Any witnesses to the collision who have not yet spoken to police are asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 5065.
By Staff
July 27th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette asked for some comment on the street party that was partially funded by the city and attended by the Mayor last weekend.
Here is the response from Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation, Community and Culture:
“Love My Neighbourhood is a program that has been running for several years. It provides a one-time per year grant of up to $500 per neighbour, resident or street section, condominium, or apartment group in Burlington.
“Not all applications require the full $500 support. These funds support the neighbourhood with nominal costs associated with insurance coverage, equipment rental fees and entertainment with the neighbours also contributing to the overall event.
“Organizers must agree to provide a free and inclusive event or activity to their community. Invitations are often sent by the organizers to their local councilor or all members of council.”
There is a list of what is what is and is not covered by funding.
The information on the city website is crystal clear on alcohol and cannabis:
 Is that wine in those glasses – maybe it’s water. Is alcohol or cannabis permitted?
“The City will not fund or permit the purchase of any alcohol beverages, tobacco or cannabis products. Alcohol or cannabis products are not permitted at Love My Neighbourhood events or on public property.”
Here is the link to the rules for those applying for a grant – they are lengthy and they are very clear.
Director Glenn said: “To date, we have approx. 70 applications for 2022.” And adds: “Hopefully this helps clarify.”
To some degree it does. We will ask now if there is a procedure in place to recover the grant and will Glenn advice members of Council individually what the rules are?
The one thing this incident has done is raise the profile of the program.
 By Pepper Parr
July 25th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Rick Greenspoon’s trip to city hall to file his nomination papers took a circuitous route.
 Rick Greenspoon: “It was Shawna Stolte who got me involved in the politics of the city” When he learned that ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stole had said she was thinking hard about not running again, (she quickly recanted that comment – gave some thought to running for Mayor and decided that she would run for re-election after all) Greenspoon met with Stolte and let her know that was interested in running in ward 4.
When he learned that Stolte was in the race to retain her Council Greenspoon decided he would run in ward six. His residence in one block away from the ward 6 border.
“It was Shawna Stolte who got me involved in the politics of the city” said Greenspoon.
Stolte was working with Millcroft residents who were battling an attempt by a developer to turn some of the golf links into housing – there are two groups: one, Millcroft Greenspace Alliance, is fighting the Argo plans to develop some of the land that was part of the golf course the community was built around. The other group, MAD – Millcroft Against Development will be meeting with Greenspoon later this week.
The Alliance was not happy with what the current Council member, Angelo Bentivegna, was doing for them, and by extension the Mayor who had aligned herself with Bentivegna, and were looking around for someone who might do a better job for them.
Stolte mentioned Greenspoon to them – and thus a candidate was born. The connector in this was Dainty Klein – she and Greenspoon spent two and a half hours in conversation – Rick left that meeting knowing he was going to be running in ward 6
 Rick Greenspoon: had a retail operation in what was then the Burlington Mall. So who is this guy?
Originally a Montrealer, fluently bilingual, Graduated with a degree from what was then Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University) from the Health Sciences faculty.
Rick moved to Burlington when his employer transferred him to the city. A transfer returning him to Montreal didn’t come about – which worked for Greenspoon – he came to love the city.
Back in the 80’s when he had a retail operation in what was then the Burlington Mall he and some of the other retailers in the city petitioned council for changes in the hours retailers could operate.
In those days stores were open Monday to Thursday and Saturday until 6:00 pm. Open until 9:00 pm on Friday.
Chance came his way and Greenspoon left retail and has spent the last 34 years in the automotive field where he operates an automotive brokerage business in Burlington.
He also served as a vice president with The Magic of Metals Children’s Foundation and worked with others to channel the foundations charitable donations into the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada. Before the group closed things – they were getting older and the charitable sector was undergoing a change they raised over $2,900,000.00. Most of the donations came from the servicing sector of the steel industry.
Greenspoon spent over 20 years in minor hockey with both the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario as a referee, a supervisor and instructor.
 The campaign literature – side 1 Played hockey with the Old Timers, realized his physical limitations and now referees some of their games.
He has been an active participant in the Sound of Music.
The first thing Greenspoon made clear to me during a lengthy interview is that he was seldom the #1 person in the many organizations he has been involved in. “I am very comfortable and prefer to work in the background to bring about changes.”
He and his wife Louise raised two daughters who got into soccer and when they completed their educations they moved into the medical services sector; they are not campaigning – yet.
One of his daughters posted on her Facebook page: Mt Dad does more that talk the talk – he walks the walk.
Greenspoon has learned that there is a lot more to municipal politics than he at first realized. There are many issues he has yet to decide just where he stands – he has a lot of reading to do in the next few weeks. It will be interesting to hear how he worked his way through some of the 1000 page plus consultant reports.
Greenspoon is not yet doing the door to door thing and his web site is a work in progress. He does have a single piece of literature that he hands out.
 Rick Greenspoon: approach to a problem is to find a way towards a solution. He is bothered by the sense of apathy he is experiencing and has yet to find a campaign manager.
Is he up to speed on the major issues? Not quite – he has yet to look at a budget document – that will be a bit of a shock once he starts going through the pages.
Parkland dedication issues – not read that document yet either.
But there is a deliberateness to Rick Greenspoon. He listens, gives you a pretty straight from the shoulder answer – if he doesn’t know he will tell you he doesn’t know.
His approach to a problem is to find a way towards a solution. The answer is not always obvious but Greenspoon believes there is always a way.
“When people say you can’t do that” Greenspoon first asks – “Why?”
On the affordable housing issue Greenspoon can only say “we have to do something.”
 By Pepper Parr
July 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
What would we do without attentive, sharp eyed readers who know the smell of dead fish when it gets near their nose ?
Here is what came in today:
Are you aware of this? This is from the Mayor’s Facebook page.
What a great way to campaign on the taxpayers dime and look like a hero at the same time.
Why are the taxpayers of Burlington funding private street/block/condo parties? So I can plan a party at my condo building and the city will help pay for it?
Our taxes are already high enough. Is she going to attend every one of these parties along with the sitting councillor for the area?
The timing of this seems very questionable. I discussed this with several people – they were all dumbfounded.
Would love for you to investigate and report on. I keep thinking that I must be missing something.
 Why Mayor Med Ward thought this was acceptable – taking part in an election event that was paid for with tax payer dollars ?  It wasn’t just the Mayor that was sucking on the public “teat”; ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna was in their as well. What the reader is referring to is a city program that was put in place to give neighbourhoods and opportunity to get to know one another better and to improve parks, playground, spruce up the ravines.
The deal was, the last time we looked at it was the people applying had to come up with half of the amount they wanted to spend. That half could be “in kind”. The purpose of the grant, in the past at least, had to be spelled out and reviewed by Parks and Recreation.
Sparks will fly on this one.
It was a good program. I doubt very much that this version of the program as it played out was approved.
I expect bot the Director of Parks and Recreation, the people who run the program and the City Manager will be making phone calls on Monday.
The stunning part is that the Mayor was quite alright with seeing tax payers dollars used to pay for a campaign event.
You wonder sometimes just how far a politician will put their nose into the public trough?
The purpose of the Love My Neighbourhood program is set out pretty clearly on the city web site:
Director of Parks and Recreation Chris Glenn has this to say about the program: “Now more than ever, we need to build our sense of community and connections with our neighbours. This program is designed to help remove some barriers and build stronger connections among neighbours and communities by putting people together and having fun.”
|
|
