 By Pepper Parr
December 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
In a couple of weeks the kids will be coming home for the holidays.
I know of at least one student who expects to be on the plane on the 21st arriving from the Maritimes where the virus spread has been pretty limited relative to the rest of the country.
Her brother will be coming home from an Ontario university west of Burlington.
 Given the rules these students will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Count them – December 21st + 14 days gets them to January 2nd or third.
What are the chances of that actually happening ? These are decent people in the process of becoming adults.
They come from good families with parents who are going to want them to do the right thing.
Checking in with friends, getting together for coffee because there is nowhere they are able to scoot off to for a drink is what you do when you are home from school.
This kind of getting caught up doesn’t get done on the telephone but it does get done.
Expecting the rules to be rigidly adhered to is a huge stretch; the outcome will be a rises in the number of infections both in every town in the province and in the communities to which these students return.
Something to think about.
 How much higher will that blue line go once the students return to the universities and colleges? 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.
 By Pepper Parr
December 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Transit was showing some very impressive ridership increases; city council was impressed – it looked as if a service that was costing the city a bundle was in the process of turning a corner.
 Ridership was growing – senior use grew by 40% + The new Director of Transit brought a depth of experience to the job and knew the business of moving people better than anyone the city had running that service in a decade.
Then Covid 19 became a reality and for months the transit people didn’t see a dime – transit was free so that people could get to work.
The plans to look seriously at a fleet of electric buses is underway – but the kind of money needed isn’t readily available.
The transit people and council learned during a workshop that a transit fleet could not be a combination of diesel and electric – it had to be one or the other. The cost of running the two systems side by side was prohibitive.
 From the left: Councillors Stolte, Kearns and Nisan at a traditional photo op. Then along came a grant from the federal government for six buses – all diesel – looked like a step backward.
Tuesday morning council got a look at a transit five year plan that showed promise.
A brisk, smartly delivered presentation where transit staff had most of the answers at their fingertips covered the following:
Service Strategy and delivery
Mobility Management
Customer Experience
Travel Demand Management
 Director of Transit Sue Connors run a happy shop that is creating a service the city is going to need. There are challenges:The first step was to get people back to work and using transit. Then determine what is involved with an electric fleet and at the same time consider if hydrogen is a possibility.
CUTRIC (The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium had been engaged to model the transit service to determine just what would be needed were Burlington to take the electrification plunge.
The first report from CUTRIC was a disappointment, reported Director of Transit Sue Connor. The distance between the stops was a problem.
Electric buses need to be charged and the locations of those charging stations is critical – and at a million a pop there were limits as to just how many Burlington could afford.
The current fleet consists of 63 buses scheduled to grow to 73 in the next four years.
Operating the system day in – day out is job one – figuring out where the growth is going to come from and how it was going to be paid for was job two.
 Arterial routes, particularly when arranged as a grid, are easy to remember and the roads used are better-known by the wider community, reducing barriers for new customers. The September 2019 route modifications have already moved in this direction, and the plan is to move in this direction for all future services. A grid -based system also allows for convenient transfers between routes at intersections, providing greater connectivity to more destinations than a single local route could. Where gaps are left in the network, alternative service delivery options such as on-demand transit services will be explored as a more cost-effective solution. Besides new buses – transit was going to need a second campus with a larger garage to accommodate the vehicles. They are squeezed very tight right now.
 Don’t leave home without it – and don’t lose it. The fare box – something that doesn’t get used anymore (do they even have the things on buses now?) are replaced by the Presto cards.
If Mayor Meed Ward has her way they won’t be needed either. She is of the view that transit should be free.
Connors had said to Council that she was meeting with the Finance people to go through the financial challenges later in the day. In a very telling comment Meed Ward said to Sue Connors: “Regardless of what Finance does, I’ll put it there.”
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, who has never been a true fan of transit, has seen the writing on the wall. He said he was impressed with the data but that he was reading it a little differently than the Mayor and the rest of his council colleagues. He also said that he has seen three transit business plans – the “first two didn’t hold water”. He is quite correct – the quality of the work delivered by consultants in the past was not very high.
Transit is going to need a lot of money.
 Putting WiFi on the buses will cost $90,000 a year. Driving the need for more buses is the fact that population growth is not being matched by any new roads – those days are basically over for Burlington. In order to get around people are going to have to use transit. The elected officials are going to have to deliver a service that is comfortable and reliable; making this happen will call for a major cultural shift.
 There are a lot of passengers who will use the bus at no cost. Burlington Transit is going through a lengthy and detailed Business Plan that sets out much of what they are going to have to deal with going forward.
 The reality transit has to deal with was set out in the Business Plan:In September 2019, Burlington Transit introduced a new service model, based on a grid-based system and increased service frequency. The early results of this service enhancement showed that ridership had increased over 14 percent from September 2019 to February 2020, compared to the same time a year prior. When the pandemic shut down businesses and lock down began in March 2020, ridership dropped by 75 percent. The pandemic has identified the need to review the numbers and adjust the forecast.
Strong leadership at transit, a staff that is motivated and capable of finding creative and innovative solutions should get Burlington to the point where there is a system that people will want t use.
Can Mayor Meed Ward make it a totally free system? And is it something she really wants to spend a lot of her political capital on is a question only she can answer.
 By Staff
December 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington Community Planning Department is in receipt of the information package, dated, October 27, 2020 as circulated electronically by the proponent’s consultant planner.
The ARA package included an Agency Utility Letter, including copies of all technical reports/studies and plans related to the Application, a copy of the Notice of Application for a License (Form 1), and Notice of Public Information Session (Form 2).
The Community Planning Department is actively engaged in the review of applicable land use development applications, including amendments to the Niagara Escarpment Plan, Region of Halton Official Plan and City of Burlington Official Plan as well as the application for Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) License, as it relates to the proposed extension of the Burlington Nelson Quarry.
A coordinated review through a Joint Agency Review Team (JART)(established in 2020) involves cross-consultation with agency partners (including, NEC, MNRF, Halton Region and Conservation Halton) and the applications remain in the early stages of review. It should also be noted that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) cannot issue an Aggregate License without approval from the Niagara Escarpment Commission.
For these reasons, it is the opinion of the City of Burlington Community Planning Department that to review and comment on the specifics of the ARA License Application is premature given the anticipated duration of the review process and the relative early stage of analysis at this time. We therefore object to any form of ARA approval prior to a further evaluation and decision regarding land use impact, compatibility and appropriateness of the proposed development in the context of provincial and municipal (Region and City) policy.
In its initial review of the applications, City of Burlington staff and peer review consultants have also identified several areas concerning the proposal where either there has not been sufficient information or data provided; where analyses are not sufficiently coordinated with other key areas of review; or, where methodological bases of the information presented in the submitted plans, studies/reports remains undetermined or is inconsistent.
Five general theme areas of concern related to this information have been identified, as follows:
Effects on Surface Water Quantity and Quality
Improved coordination and cross-referencing between the applicant’s various disciplines is needed to perform a holistic review and analysis of issues related to groundwater, hydrology (quality and quantity) and impacts on surface water. This includes, but is not limited to, assessment and reporting on any/all water quality issues;
Confirmation of the suitability of the analytical tools selected by the applicant to simulate the existing and proposed drainage conditions and the accuracy of modeling techniques, assumptions and interpretation of results. This may include additional QA/QC of the monitoring data collected from gauging stations and clarity on the selection of locations for the gauging stations, as the data collected at these stations is applicable to the overall study;
Further assessment by the applicant of potential impacts to the municipal infrastructure and mitigate measures (roadside ditches along Colling Road) and predicted impacts to the surface water features resulting from the proposed quarry extension is needed;
A number of hydrologic features will essentially be lost, including an existing pond within the west expansion, as a result of the proposal and additional assessment is required by the applicant to demonstrate that the lost functions are appropriately replicated in the post-development conditions; Further review is needed by the applicant of the potential impacts to the Willoughby Creek flow regime and the effects on Medad Valley, as well as new surface water.
The conveyance features proposed within the subject lands and their impact on municipal infrastructure as a result of the expansion of quarry operations.
A mutually agreed upon Adaptive Management Plan is needed that addresses the technical comments of the Joint Agency Review Team (JART)(including a schedule for updating the plan), as are details also needed about the long-term rehabilitation plan and potential financial liabilities related to ongoing and future operations.
Natural Heritage Effects
There have been several natural heritage features with potential for impacts noted in the proponent’s submission that have been identified for further scoping within the study area.
These include provincially significant wetlands (outside of the 120 metre buffer for adjacent lands); significant wildlife habitat; significant woodlands; fish habitat (zone of influence to be confirmed); and landscape connectivity. Additional need for the evaluation of Species at Risk was also identified. The further consideration and analyses of these matters may involve the coordination and review of other technical studies and reports in the context of natural heritage, including potential and/or indirect impacts that may result from the proposed development (i.e. connections and linkages between natural heritage features, surface water features and groundwater).
Additional information is required to ensure the protection and reduced impacts of the proposed development on significant natural heritage resource areas, features and functions; particularly as it relates to mitigation and monitoring.
The assessment of long-term, cumulative impacts of future uses and long-term rehabilitation (after-use) plans may require additional clarification and data support.
Agricultural Effects and Existing Farming Practices
The Agricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) submitted by the applicant concludes that the permanent loss of the subject agricultural lands is inconsequential, yet the analysis is not systematic and does not examine impacts relative to pressures on the agricultural system at a broader scale (i.e. climate change, demand for settlement area boundary expansions, aggregate extraction, cemetery lands etc.), nor does it address the cumulative effect of the incremental loss of a finite resource over time;
The agricultural lands within the southern study area have been characterized in the AIA as fragmented, implying lower value/viability. However, the overlapping natural features, limited rural residential uses, and passive recreational uses within the area are generally considered compatible and complementary uses in relation to agriculture. Further, in terms of land use designation, the area is contiguously mapped as prime agricultural lands. Therefore, a comprehensive AIA is required for these lands.
The AIA notes that the average parcel sizes are indicative of smaller, ‘hobby-sized’ farms, implying lower value/viability. The PPS, 2020 does not make a distinction for ‘hobby’ farms and section 2.3.3.2 notes that “In prime agricultural areas, all types, sizes and intensities of agricultural uses and normal farm practices shall be promoted and protected in accordance with provincial standards”.
The extent of soil disturbance within the western study area is presumed as beyond rehabilitation, according to the study. Insufficient information has been provided to validate this claim. The AIA speaks to the consideration of “another property located farther away” but does not provide any detail with respect to the evaluation of this alternative site in relation to the proposal.
The AIA notes that an expansion to an existing site is less detrimental to agriculture than a new site, based on the use of existing haul routes. Yet it does not assess the impacts associated with an intensification of the existing aggregate use, i.e. increased quarry traffic on existing haul routes, as well as the extension of the life of the quarry and the long-term disturbance to agricultural operations within the area.
The AIA notes that an open-water feature can provide benefits to the agricultural area by providing flood attenuation and fresh water for irrigation purposes, yet does not present supporting evidence identifying a need/demand for flood attenuation or irrigation within the subject lands.
Human Health (Air Quality)
A technical peer review of the applicant’s Air Quality Study, as included with the application submission is ongoing, with particular focus on matters related to methodology, findings and conclusions associated with any potential air quality impacts of the proposed quarry extension.
Operational/Coordination
The City of Burlington expresses concern with the planned future for existing industrial land uses (i.e. processing facility) on the quarry lands and the prospect of the continuation of those activities in the context of an expanded quarry operation. There has not been consistent or adequate detail pertaining to the use of the existing quarry lands for an industrial use in the event that aggregate resource extraction ceases (or is substantially reduced) on that portion of the quarry operation and its resultant conformity with applicable legislation and policy related to the Niagara Escarpment Area. It should be noted that concerns have been raised by stakeholders with respect to the timelines of the receipt, review and comment on the ARA License Application and the change in format.
A Public Information Session (PIS) required as a component of the review process.
While the City recognizes and appreciates the rigour of provincial regulation pertaining to public consultation and the restrictions on public gatherings implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19 (as documented in the August 2020 Aggregate Resources Program Bulletin: Resuming Aggregate Application Timelines and Public Consultation under the Aggregate Resources Act (Post COVID-19)), issues of public access to this process persist.
While the City Community Planning Department understands that the prescribed format for information sessions is not established through regulation and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) has provided guidance on alternate virtual public information sessions to facilitate verbal exchange between parties, the City Community Planning Department reasserts that maximum public disclosure and access is paramount.
At present, the format of the consultation described in the Notice of Public Information Session appears focused on a format that may solicit direct communication between the proponent and an interested individual rather than among and between the larger stakeholder community and the proponent.
A virtual public information session in a format that is widely available for a public exchange between all parties (simultaneously), and which is initiated and coordinated by the proponent, is technically possible, and should be a minimum requirement. The City of Burlington Community Planning Department appreciates the opportunity to provide comments in response to the circulation of the ARA License Application, and requests notification of any future meetings or updates on the review of this file.
The City of Burlington reserves the right to raise further issues as the review of these applications progresses.
 By Staff
December 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Nelson Aggregate application for licenses to expand their quarry operation in rural Burlington is getting a lot of attention.
The city of Burlington earlier today recommended the sending of a letter of objection to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry registering their objections at this time while the Region is sponsoring a Virtual meeting Thursday evening that CORE makes sound like an occasion to beat up on the quarry operators.
The meeting is to give people an opportunity to put their questions and concerns directly to Nelson and do so publicly.
The official Public Information Session with Nelson Aggregates (ZOOM Meeting) is happening this Thursday December 10th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
CORE in their announcement said: While this is short notice , we are grateful for the efforts of Halton Region Council (with support from their staff) who voted unanimously to contact Nelson Aggregate to schedule and support the delivery of a virtual public information session.
 Turnout for a CORE meeting on the west end site Without their work, the public consultation required by the Aggregate Resources Act would have been limited to one-on-one telephone conversations with a Nelson aggregate representative.
Here’s the link: https://www.halton.ca/The-Region/Events/2020/Virtual-Public-Consultation-Expansion-of-Burling
Again from CORE: “This meeting is your chance to voice your opposition to Nelson Aggregate’s plans to blast two more gravel-pits out of Burlington’s escarpment DIRECTLY to representatives of Nelson Aggregate. It is SO important that there are a high number of participants at the meeting. We wouldn’t want the folks at Nelson to make the case that the community is losing interest in the ‘No Quarry’ fight. So, this coming Thursday (at supper time) plate your dinner and bring it with you to wherever you’re zooming in from…BUT please, don’t miss this meeting.
Questions will be entered in the ‘chat room’ throughout the meeting and presented to Nelson’s reps by the moderator, so if you’re shy about speaking in the public, no worries: you won’t have to do so in this zoom-meeting format.
Related news story:
City sends Ministry a letter
 By Staff
December 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police have arrested and laid charges against one male and one female in relation to a series of purse thefts in the City of Burlington and Town of Oakville.
Between August and October of 2020, these thieves targeted older adult females shopping in grocery stores and retail spaces. These thieves waited for the victims to lose sight of their purses then proceeded to steal them before fleeing the scene.
In two of the incidents, thieves attempted to use the stolen credit cards for cash withdrawals at local banks. The estimated loss is projected to be over $10,000 including purses, cash, cell phones, key fobs and personal items.
Investigation by the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau led to the charges against the following individuals;
Zaneta STOJKOVA (39 year old female from Brampton)
- Theft Under $5,000 (7 counts)
- Fraud Under $5,000 (2 counts)
- Use of Disguise with Intent
- Breach of Probation
Rene STOJKA (39 year old male from Brampton)
- Theft Under $5,000 (4 counts)
- Fraud Under $5,000
- Fail to Comply with Release Order
 Evidence recovered by Regional Police. On December 4th 2020, Investigators from Burlington and Oakville executed a search warrant at a residence in the City of Brampton. As a result; the following items were seized
- 12 Purses
- Various Items of Clothing used to Disguise
- Various perfumes
- 2 Cellular Telephones
- $700.00 in Canadian, American and European Currency
Both STOJKOVA and STOJKA were held for a bail hearing.
The public is reminded to reduce their risk when shopping and only bring your driver’s licence, health card and a few financial cards. Protect your personal identification number at all times and use TAP whenever possible. Don’t let your belongings out of sight and become distracted while shopping.
Any fraudulent activity on your financial cards should be reported immediately to your bank and to police.
 Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Derek Gray of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Older Adult Abuse Investigator at 905-825-4747 ext. 2344.
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.
 By 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’ 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?
 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.
By 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.
 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.
 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 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.
By 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, 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.
 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:
 Putting Terry Fox’s image on a $5 bill would please a lot of Canadians
 By 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
 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.”
 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.
 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.
 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.
 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.
 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.
 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.
By 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.
 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, 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
By 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
By Staff
December 3rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Leaves and parking – the two bug bears that bedevil Burlington.
 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
 Streets 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.
By 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.
 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.
 By 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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By 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.
 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.
 By 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.
 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.
 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.
 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.
 By 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.
 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 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 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.
By 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.
 Impacts 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
By 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.
 Just 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.
By 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,
 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:
 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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