Second quarter of 2021: restrictions and changes - but life went on and people continued to be people

By Ryan Dowd: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

December 28th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

2021 has been a year we are not going to forget quickly. We have learned that major changes are coming but we don’t know yet precisely what they will be. A look back at 2021 might give us a hint – it will certainly remind us of what worked and what didn’t.

Well into the year and things were not looking any better. Doug Ford’s April 1st announcement that the province would be entering yet another lockdown was no April Fool’s joke. In the throes of rising COVID-19 case counts, the promise of spring, inspired by vaccination distributions and loosening restrictions, was snatched away.

City manager Tim Commisso, heads up the Emergency Control Group that makes changes in service delivery and spending during a pandemic while at the same time keeping council fully informed.

On April 8th, the Gazette patted the City on the back for the job they’d done managing Burlington during the pandemic, writing “What is visible is how Staff have upped their game to meet demands that change by the day – at times by the hour.” Not everyone felt that way: by April 13th City Manager Tim Commisso had to ask the public to be kind and considerate to City staff doing their jobs and doing their best to serve the community.

President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital, Eric Vandewall, asked for public support in staying safe in a piece published in the Gazette on April 15th, the hospital was at 94% capacity, all non-urgent procedures had been postponed, Vandewall implored the public to follow guidelines.

For Burlington school boards it was back to online learning on April 12th. Ontario gave authority to police to ticket folks who left their home without a good reason and restricted outdoor activities, neither of these was well received: both exacerbated stress on Burlington and Region staff. Amid the backlash, the Halton Regional Police Service released a statement on April 17th explaining they would not be pulling people over at random.

On April 20th City Council had a Halton meeting, wrestling with the province’s controversial mandates and not finding much they could do. “We need your help,” said the Mayor, “to be patient; we are all tired, frustrated, and worried.” On April 22nd Municipal leaders in the Region of Halton called for sick pay for workers and a tightening definition of what is essential.

A year into the pandemic COVID-19 gloom continued to dominate the April news cycle, but by the month’s end Halton residents aged 50+ who couldn’t work from home had been approved to book their vaccination in early May.

Earlier in the month, the Gazette brought the exact lack of public engagement in budget building under scrutiny following an influx of cash poured into the city on April 9th, the federal government dropped $1.9 million while the province added its $1.6 million and the city will contribute $1.3 million for a total of $4.8 million all to be used to revitalize Civic Square including a grand entrance on the ground floor. There was very little in the way of public input.

In early April Halton Region asked residents to share feedback on how and where they wanted to see the community grow over the next thirty years. The Province’s Growth Plan required that Halton plan to accommodate 1.1 million people and 500,000 jobs by the year 2051. Halton Region currently had a population of 595,000.

Burlington was going to grow up and not out and much of the growth was going to be clustered around the GO stations. Plans for a seven tower development are going forward. .

Meanwhile on April 6th City Council outlined their growth plans that included a seven-tower development next to Burlington Go Station that would have a planned 2500 residents.  The zoning for the property did not have a height limit.  One way or another the development was poised to happen Councillor Kearns expressed excitement for it.

By month’s end, Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner became the longest-serving Chief in the country.

The beginnings of an urban farm. Land was loaned to a group that grew produce donated to the Food Bank.

Elsewhere Burlington traditions continued to take different shapes due to the pandemic, Burlington Mundialization Committee coordinated a virtual celebration of spring, including a live photo stream of the Japanese cherry blossoms in Spencer Smith Park. The virtual Sakura Festival commemorated Burlington’s 32-year twin-city friendship with Itabashi, Japan.

On May 1st, the Gazette reported a Town Hall: Lisa Kearns for Burlington:  virtual event where the Ward 2 Councillor set out to tell Burlington why she should be the Liberal candidate in the next provincial election. The Gazette suggested Kearns was in the process of scaring off anyone else who would seek the nomination and throughout the month that looked to be the case. There were even reports Kearns was grooming a colleague to succeed her Ward 2 position.

By May 23rd there were reports of another candidate, days later on May 27th that candidate was revealed as Mariam Manaa, a young woman who cut her teeth working for Burlington MP Karina Gould and Oakville/North Burlington MP Pam Damoff.

Days later Andrea Grebenc, the Chair of the Halton District School Board, announced she too would seek the provincial Liberal nomination.  For a short period of time the race looked crowded, but Kearns promptly withdraw on the 28th. Kearns and Grebenc put out a joint statement singing one another’s praises. Gazette commenters wondered where Mariam Manaa fit into all of this, and why neither Kearns nor Grebenc mentioned her, in due time it proved to be an excellent question.

Three women went after the nomination for the provincial seat. Lisa Kearns above, Mariam Manaa to the right and Andrea Grebenc below sought the Liberal nomination.

As for day-to-day City Council happenings in May, spending fell under scrutiny. Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman wanted to shake up the way the city budget was prepared with a tighter unvarnished look at just what the departments are doing.

In a May 8th meeting, Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna announced he didn’t want to be part of a tax and spend council. This followed a report on looking at different operating models for the Tyandaga Golf course, the model was tax-funded. Councillor Bentivegna argued that the spending would normally be part of the creation of a budget and setting the tax rate was instead being debated without input from the finance department. Bentivegna was the lone vote against the golf course funding, despite his colleagues’ assurances the golf course spending wouldn’t be reflected in taxes this year or the next, his point was at some point the public would be asked to pay for this.

Meanwhile, the community remained frustrated under pandemic conditions but there were some positive signs, by May 7th 42% of Halton residents had their first vaccination.  Ontario announced that outdoor recreational amenities could reopen if COVID measures are in place, beginning Saturday, May 22 at 12:01 a.m.

The story on the opening of the Farmers Market was more about social distancing than what was going to be offered for sale.

In May the Gazette photographed outdoor fun in the sun, children smiling brightly chasing an ice cream truck’s familiar jingle, families headed for the beach with towels and snacks, properly distanced lines to grab a hot dog at Easterbrooks, and couples listening to gentle breaking waves, rhythmic and soothing against the shore. The Farmers Market opened for the season on May 18th to a small but eager crowd.

Of course, there was bad news:  City Council went into a Closed Session on May 5th and cancelled their Park Ambassador program. The reports were that this was the result of a city employee harassed or injured by unhappy citizens. City staff member, Amber Rushton, alluded to civil unrest and anti-government movements while discussing the incident. It was truly a disturbing situation, and it seemed any efforts to police outdoor COVID safety protocols had been abandoned.

Chicken Little is expected to make appearances in the June provincial election

While all of Burlington continued to navigate their way through the endless pandemic MP Jane McKenna trivialized COVID-19. In a bizarre and tone-deaf comment, McKenna labelled members of the oppositions as “chicken littles” over COVID-19, accusing them of exaggerating the pandemic’s seriousness. However, it offered the Gazette the opportunity for a rare moment of levity amid pandemic news. The Gazette published McKenna’s comments alongside a rubber chicken on life support. That chicken was named “The Dirty Plucker” by Gazette readers.

“June is the Month of Play,” was the first message of the month from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward’s desk, after 14 months of on-and-off lockdown Burlingtonians could be forgiven for thinking they misread the release.  Burlington ran a Get Outside and Play Challenge all month where participants learned more about Burlington while completing activities.

On June 2nd Burlington came out of a stay-at-home order that had been in place since April. Ontario re-opened on July 11th, ahead of the re-opening the Gazette was asking the important questions, “Does this mean that one minute after midnight – between the end of Thursday and the beginning of Friday that I can be outside with my ten best friends quaffing an ale?”

School boards began discussing outdoor graduation ceremonies.  An expectation was established that students would return to classrooms in September. There were outdoor gatherings exceeding limits and parties that broke the rules that Mayor Meed Ward responded to. But the good was outweighing the bad in terms of progress in the COVID fight.

THIS is what a bottle and can drive is all about.

Amidst the sunnier circumstances, Burlington’s generosity was in fine form for charitable events in June. The Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation partnered with local businesses to raise funds for a hospital that the community needed to lean on more than ever before. The Neal Family bottle drive for the Food Bank and Compassion society had another strong outing. Julie Neal spoke to the Gazette about her role establishing the popular bottle drive, just three years after moving to Burlington, “Who am I? I’m just a nobody loving the community I now live in.” For the Food Bank, their gardens began to sprout, on June 1st there was lettuce, sage, and rhubarb to harvest along with the garlic greens and garlic heads that were planted last season. Aldershot’s Skyway Diner ran a food item collection for the bank all month, finding a way to help others despite being in the hard-hit hospitality industry. Burlington Green announced their city-wide Burlington clean-up was back on for its 11th year on June 17th.

On June 25th St Matthews Anglican Church won a business excellence award for their work in the not-for-profit sector for the work they do for the community, including hosting a weekly drive-through food-drive throughout the pandemic.

In June the community battle to keep the current Robert Bateman High school functioning at some level was won. At their June 2nd meeting, Halton District School Board trustees approved a plan to relocate Gary Allan Learning Centre to Robert Bateman High School.

Elsewhere the City of Burlington Council wanted more rainbow crosswalks, plus benches and banners, to show support for LGBTQIA+2S Community. The Catholic District School Board voted not to permit the flying of the rainbow flag at Catholic schools. As for the locations of Burlington’s new rainbow crosswalks:  The people voted to locate one right outside the Catholic Board offices.

Ryerson Public School was to get a new name.

Despite a more positive news month for Burlington, national and provincial news weighed heavily on all. The discoveries of mass graves at residential schools were felt throughout the country. For Burlington’s part the Halton District School Board voted to rename Ryerson Public School and the city voted to rename the adjacent park – both had originally been named after Egerton  Ryerson for his contributions to the Ontario education system.

On a Friday afternoon the Muslim community held their Call to Prayer in Spencer Smith Park. The Gazette published a handmade sign held up by a Muslim woman that spoke to the editor’s heart, it read:

“I love you. You’re probably thinking  you don’t even know me. But if people can hate for no reason I can love!”

On June 28th, the underestimated Mariam Manaa, a young Muslim woman, won the Provincial Liberal nomination.

Related news story:

The first quarter of 2021

 

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January to March of 2021 was hard - it didn't get any easier during the balance of the year

By Ryan O’Dowd: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

December 27th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The year started out with a sense of caution, within days the caution turned into a lockdown that would last for weeks.

It took some getting used to. Here is how Burlingtonians handled the first three months of 2021.
Life for so many in began in the same way in 2020, isolated and lonely. Lockdown had taken effect once more, Joseph Brant Hospital opened operation of their field unit tent early in the month and the Gazette monitored how and where the city of Burlington would eventually administer the vaccine.

Halton Regional Police Services Chief Tanner.

And so, the city of Burlington and the Region of Halton stayed inside, isolated and waited…with one notable exception: Police Chief Stephen Tanner.

On December 21st, Premier Ford announced a lock-down to take effect on Dec 26. On December 22nd, Police Chief Stephen Tanner asked the then Police Services Board Chair, Rob Burton, for permission to leave the jurisdiction to travel to Florida on a private matter. Burton gave permission. However, Burton did not advise the other members of the Police Services Board on what he had done.

On December 26th, Chief Tanner left for the United States. On December 26th, the province invoked a shutdown for 28 days.

There was considerable demand for the Chief to be fired. Oakville Mayor Rob Burton resigned as Chair of the board on January 11th but remained on the board.

Chief Tanner apologized for poor judgment in requesting the travel, and Burton lost his position as Police Services Board Chair for his poor judgment in granting it.

While some like Mayor Burton and Chief Tanner were in the news for all the wrong pandemic-related reasons, charities in Burlington were continuing to find creative ways to make the new normal work.

On January 22nd Ward 4 Councilor Shawna Stolte drove around Burlington to pick up donations left on porches and address the needs of the Food Bank. For their part, the Food Bank was servicing an all-time high of people in need and somehow holding it together.

Local food drives were working well.

Stolte’s plan was an early year example of the kind of innovative contactless donation that would run throughout 2021 organized by generous Burlington citizens.

Elsewhere, city council got off to a rocky start in 2021 or rather continued their rocky 2020 trajectory. Reports released on January 11th detailed how COVID-19 had impacted the municipal government: 196 people were laid off; 290 jobs had reduced hours; 68 people were asked to put in additional hours. Morale reached a low point.

The Operations draft budget for 2021 budget came in with a 4.99% tax raise, it was a number Mayor Meed Ward didn’t like the look of, so throughout the month, in a series of meetings, they tried to get that number down to a more palatable 3.99%.

Budget concerns were springing up as a result of pandemic losses. Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sherman made an ominous statement concerning transit losses.  “There is a serious concern about a million-dollar loss at transit that we have not been told about and there is another one coming.”

In the calendar year 2021 the city finance department  presented two budgets both of which included what they referred to as a COVID budget.

Municipal disappointments relating to development disagreements would become a growing theme through the year’s news.

Mayor Meed Ward setting up her computer for the broadcast of her remarks on the need to stay indoors and not congregate with others.

Rolling into the month of February the city remained in the grip of a low point of the COVID-19 pandemic.   A light began to reveal itself at the end of the tunnel: by the middle of the month the stay-at-home order for Halton had been lifted, although with restrictions in the red zone, which Halton was in, remained limiting. Vaccine centers were established, and Burlington looked forward to a post-pandemic oasis. Of course, the pandemic wasn’t over, and we know now the light at the end of the tunnel was but a slightly brighter ongoing tunnel.

On February 1st Burlington announced its COVID-19 Task Force and it was massive. Headed by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward the Task Force contained every name you’d guess may be on there and then some. Various leaders, decision-makers, and experts assembled to assist the hospital and health care workers with anticipated patient surges and broader community efforts with COVID-19 and pandemic recovery.

Mohawk Public school where classrooms had to be closed.

The Region of Halton saw its lockdown and Stay-at-Home orders lifted on February 16th – those eager to get out of the house found a heavy snowfall waiting for them. A day later the Gazette reported the first case of COVID-19 in a Burlington school – in Mohawk Public school where the classroom had been closed. Other schools in the Region reported cases as well. Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health, warned of variants of concern and data that could lead to another lockdown.

On February 23rd inoculation locations were announced, Burlington prepared for the vaccine to be made available but just when that day would come remained unclear. Writers and commenters at the Gazette expressed their frustration with vaccine acquisition timelines.

People were frustrated.

The skyrocketing housing market was proving not to be a short term event. The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board Market Watch, was reporting average sale price for a home in Halton was $1,206,016, an increase of 17% from the previous year.

Most disturbing was the report of an uptick in domestic violence. In early February the Halton Regional Police Service reported that if the current trend continued, officers would attend more than 4,000 intimate partner violence incidents by the end of the year.

Early in 2021, it had become clear that the problems of 2020 would not be discarded with that year’s calendar.

Still, there was the promise of change on the horizon, and acts of generosity continued to be a bright spot of Burlington’s pandemic response.

The cultural sector offered impressive contributions to Black History Month. Several of Canada’s finest instrumental jazz musicians were online on February 10th thanks to a grant from the City of Burlington’s Community Support Fund, a program created to support Burlington artists during the pandemic.

Police cruiser decorated to reflect the concerns of the LGBQ community.

The Halton Regional Police Service and its Black Internal Support Network solicited the community’s help in the design and creation of a Black Heritage Police Cruiser.

Also falling under the matter of diversity education was the Halton District School Board’s (HDSB) release of a plan that included an Indigenous Perspective and Awareness area. They appointed Stephen Paquette to a position as the Board’s Indigenous Knowledge Guide and Engagement Advisor, Paquette would participate in Ryerson school renaming later in the year. The HDSB’s plan covered 2020-2024, one-quarter of the time frame had passed making the document, and the world changed as it was written so how much their priorities will have swayed on the document on a whole remains to be seen. But proper education on Indigenous history is always welcome and a lack thereof would come to the forefront of one 2021s defining stories later in the year.

On February 20th Regional Council announced they would make an application to the Federal Court of Canada to review the CN rail hub.

Following several closed meetings, City Council was working to bring a budget to the table with a more palatable tax increase than the 4.99% debated in January. Things were trending closer to Mayor Meed Ward’s vision; the city ended up with a  4.14% increase, which was the largest of her term to date.

Burlington city council had voted for a new Official Plan which almost immediately faced a list of appeals that climbed to 48 – this would be an ongoing story for the balance of the year.

Rolling into March there was news that those over the age of 80 could book their vaccination appointments on the 3rd of the month. At last.

By March 6th, 15,000 people aged 80+ had scheduled vaccination appointments. By the month’s end appointments were available to those aged 65+. More businesses got the go-ahead to open. The winter of our discontent seemed to be ending, not quite made glorious, as the old quote goes, but made something closer to manageable.

Burlington Centre opened for business.

Malls opened on March 8th to the highest provincial case count since early February;  over 1600 new infections, tempering the good news. On the final day of the month, Premier Doug Ford warned people not to make plans for Easter. The pandemic remained far from over.

Staff at city hall were surveyed on their well being and the results outlined an overwhelmed group. “Workload and expectations” were the top concern, accompanied by “unclear priorities,” and a “lack of breaks, inability led to disconnect, and work-life balance.”

Work-life balance concerns went all the way to the top of city hall with Mayor Meed Ward herself, who the Gazette reported on March 10th had ruffled some feathers by instructing her staff not to email her outside of 9 am to 5 pm.

Despite being overwhelmed, surveys from the staff gave the City a ringing endorsement at the March 3rd meeting, 75% of them believe somewhat or strongly the City had responded well to the changes impacting staff caused by COVID-19.

On March 9th city council hosted a Zoom meeting on the housing strategy they wanted to put in place as part of the Burlington Lands Partnership (BLP). The BLP’s founding, which unfolded late 2020 and throughout the first quarter of 2021, was due to widespread support for the city to take a greater strategic role in targeting municipal land development in Burlington.

The BLP positioned themselves to fill the void of a single entity with a mandate to realize the potential of emerging land development deals. The BLP suggested mutually beneficial partnerships with not-for-profits, developing communities, Halton Region, and the Provincial and Federal Governments. The BLP Steering Committee, poised to do much of the grunt work, was being established, seats on that committee were highly sought after by members of Council. As constructed, the final decision on any development will be made by city council.

There was concern over whether every idea would reach city council, or if such opportunity would only be afforded to ideas the Steering Committee felt had merit.

Young people were also plagued with lagging well being during the pandemic and the HDSB hosted two mental health and well-being information sessions for parents and guardians. There were components of pandemic-related stress among students, but this is an important conversation at any time.

In late March the HDSB aimed to set an example for the community by engaging in environmental learning activities on Earth Hour, March 26th.

Burlington was on its way to becoming experts at socially distanced events and March was rife with them. The Sound of Music, a staple of Burlington tradition, put on a different kind of show. On March 27th, Monster Truck played a Sound of Music Return to Live Series event from the Burlington Performing Arts Center, a ticketed live stream event.

The Burlington Arts and Culture Fund supported Aeris Körper’s PROSPECTS, a virtual contemporary dance routine followed by a discussion affording an innovative night to enjoy arts from home. And the Brant Museum announced the Around the Town Easter Egg Hunt that would take kids around significant Burlington heritage sites and allow them to enjoy time outside.

The Jefferson Salamander, which should be the city’s official mascot, made the news again as it headed for its traditional breeding ground.

The Parks and Recreation department opened registration for several programs. As a Gazette contributor at the time wryly observed, “Someone believes there is going to be a spring, followed by a summer during which the city Parks and Recreation department will offer the best program it can.”

And the City reminded everyone to be cautious of salamander mating season; they would be crossing Kings Rd. in heat. It was beginning to look like a normal Burlington spring.

The second quarter of the year will be published on Tuesday.

If readers want to dig in a little deeper on any one story – use the archives.  Enter the subject matter and you should get the full story.

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Casino Bonuses in Canada Are Attracting More and More Online Gamblers

By Karina Rysberg Bay

December 22, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

 

This is what an online casino gambling bonus looks like

The casino bonuses world is, without a doubt, a vast one. You can run into new and lucrative bonuses daily, making the online casino gambling world quite competitive. Online casinos have to constantly come up with new ideas and bonuses to stay in the game.

For example, the casino bonuses in Canada can offer you some great deals that will be pretty compelling and hard to say “no” to. This significant choice of casino bonuses is one of the leading reasons why more and more Canadians are opting for online casinos rather than going to physical ones.

Of course, it’s not all just about the bonuses. Online casino gambling can offer you easy accessibility, excellent comfort as you can play from your couch or on the go, and a chance to play for free. Newbies should always choose free slots at first before they set on to play for real cash.

Now, let’s take a close look at why casino bonuses are so appealing and how to choose the best ones.

How to choose the best casino bonus?

Some casino bonuses are staggering, but experienced players still don’t consider them the best bonuses available. Why is this so? The reason is quite simple; that online casino lacks some other qualities, such as safety measures, SSL protection, or end-to-end encryption for your transactions.

Determine the reputation of your online casino.

There’s another reason for the most lucrative bonuses not being the best ones. Usually, you can take a tremendous welcome bonus but only use it on some games, not your favorite ones. Therefore, some of the best ways to tell good bonuses from bad ones are to determine the reputation of your online casino.

An online casino is reputable if it has an issued license. You can check whether your casino has a license or not on their website. Another way to check whether the casino is reputable is by looking for the safety measures they use.

If there’s ID verification, end-to-end encryption, SSL protection, and two-step verification available, you can rest assured that the online casino is worthy of your time. In line with this, the bonuses will also be trustworthy.

Final thoughts

We hope we have helped you understand why more and more Canadians are opting for online casinos and why casino bonuses are extremely popular among them. Also, we hope that you can now tell a good online casino from a bad one. Have fun in your next gambling experience, and good luck!

 

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Holiday schedule - city hall

By Staff

December 21st, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Those who are actually working within City Hall will limp out of the building on the 24th and return on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. – hoping that things will be much different and much better.

Given the Covid infection numbers we are seeing (more than 3000 plus on Friday) the year we are going into could turn out to be very hard for a lot of people.

Here is what’s open and closed at the City of Burlington

Over the upcoming holiday season, City of Burlington administrative services will be closed between Friday, Dec. 24, 2021 and Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, re-opening on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022.

For more information about which City services and facilities are available over the holidays, please see the summary below or visit burlington.ca.

*Important information regarding COVID-19: The information provided below is accurate as of Dec. 15, 2021. In the event of any changes made by the Province of Ontario to current COVID-19 public health measures, please visit burlington.ca/coronavirus for potential impacts to City services and programs.

Residents can stay informed about City news at www.burlington.ca/coronavirus and our social media channels: @cityburlington on Twitter, @cityburlington on Instagram and facebook.com/cityburlington

City Service Holiday Closure Information
Animal Services

 

While the Animal Shelter at 2424 Industrial St. remains closed to the public due to COVID-19, all animal services continue to be offered.

To report an animal control-related emergency, call 905-335-3030 or visit www.burlington.ca/animal.

Burlington Transit Burlington Transit will have the following schedules:

  • Friday, Dec. 24 – weekday schedule until approximately 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 25 – modified holiday schedule
  • Sunday, Dec. 26 – holiday (Sunday) schedule
  • Monday, Dec. 27 to Friday, Dec. 31 – regular schedules
  • Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 – modified holiday schedule.

Visit burlingtontransit.ca for full schedule information.

The Downtown Terminal at 430 John St., and Specialized Dispatch (Handi-Van) will be closed on Dec. 25, 2021 and Jan. 1, 2022. The Downtown Terminal will be open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 28.

Schedules and specialized booking are available at burlingtontransit.ca. For real-time schedule information visit Google/Apple Maps or triplinx.ca.

City Hall The Service Burlington counter at City Hall (426 Brant St.), will close at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, and reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 at 8:30 a.m.

Many service payments are available online at burlington.ca/onlineservices.

Halton Court Services – Provincial Offences Office Court administration counter services at 4085 Palladium Way will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24, re-opening Wednesday, Dec. 29 and then closed on Monday, Jan. 3, re-opening Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022.

With the exception of the December holiday closures, telephone payments are available at 905-637-1274, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. All in-person services are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Many services are also available by email at burlingtoncourt@burlington.ca or online at Halton Court Services.

 Parking Free parking is available downtown, on the street, in municipal lots and in the parking garage on weekends and holidays, including Dec. 25, 26 and Jan. 1, 2022.

NOTE: The Waterfront parking lots (east and west) do not provide free parking on statutory holidays.

Recreation Programs and Facilities Winter Fest Camp for children aged four to 12 years old will run during the holiday season. This program is open to everyone and includes active time, games and crafts. Learn more and register at burlington.ca/schoolbreaks.

Tim Hortons free winter break swimming and skating – swims start on Dec. 19, and skates start Dec. 20. Pre-registration is required. For more information on dates and times and to register online, visit burlington.ca/dropinandplay.

Drop-in programs – pre-registration is required for drop-in swims, skates and more during the break, visit burlington.ca/dropinandplay.

Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond – open daily, ice conditions permitting, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (closing at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 and closed on Dec. 25). Visit burlington.ca/pond.

Holiday facility rentals are available for play and recreation for gyms, ice rinks and community rooms. Now accepting bookings for 60 or 90-minute rental slots until Jan. 2, 2022. Special holiday rates are in effect. For information and to book online visit burlington.ca/rentals.

Roads, Parks and Forestry Administrative office closed Friday, Dec. 24 to Monday, Jan. 3, re-opening Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022.

Essential, winter control and reduced parks maintenance services will be provided. For more information and updates on snow removal, please visit burlington.ca/snow.

As we prepare to leave 2021 we look back to see what we lost – what we do now and what will carry us through – each other.

My life-long friend Patti Stren, author of several children’s books, is handing out hugs.  Something you might want to consider.

 

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How did Council get to squabbling over when Rainbow Crosswalks should be installed?

By Pepper Parr

December 20th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

How many ways are there to pay for the Rainbow Crosswalks City Council wants to install?

An initiative that was a really good idea; something that was important to do got politicized during the budget exercises which is unfortunate.
The LGBTQ2S+ community is a distinct part of the diverse community that Burlington has become. The recognition those brightly painted crosswalks provide is important. They are statements that needed to be made.

The crosswalks are not cheap – they come in at $10,000 plus each and funds have to be set aside to keep them sharp looking.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has politicized the Rainbow Crosswalk initiative and made it her own. Is it going to backfire on her?

A number of Councillors felt that having three in place at this point and making room in future budgets was a fiscally prudent thing to do.

Mayor Meed Ward felt that all six were needed now and she wondered aloud if some of the public art money could be made available to pay for the final three.

And so the squabbling began with the City Manager dragged into the issue.

When three Council members disagreed with the Mayor on the timing of the installation she took it upon herself to make a public statement that made it sound as if the three, Councillors Sharman, Stolte and Kearns, were somehow anti LGBTQ2S+; nothing could be further than the truth.

Did Public Art funds pay for the Black Lives Matter art work done on the sidewalk outside City Hall ? Has the fund become the Mayor’s piggy bank?

During the summer when people were outdoors a large graphic was painted on the sidewalk outside city hall. Public Art funds were found to pay for what was a strong Black Lives Matter statement.

Politicians have their favourite projects; they currently have a budget to pay for projects within their wards.  The Mayor has a very healthy budget that she reports on publicly.

In the ten years the Gazette has been covering city Council we have never before seen so much nasty squabbling.  There are numerous examples of this poor behaviour – what is most disturbing is that this situation impacts on a community that has had attention it did not need.  Real people with real issues are being hurt – all the satisfy a small political objective.

The Mayor was very much a part of that initiative.

The LGBTQ2S+ acronym stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and Two-Spirit.

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Burlington Food Bank will be open during the afternoon of Christmas Eve

By Pepper Parr

December 20th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The rate at which the Omnicron variant of the Covid19 virus is tearing through the province (3784 new infections yesterday) has put pressure on everything and everyone.

Food donations arrive daily but the demand is bigger than the supply. Cash on hand makes it possible to purchase needed food items.

The Burlington Food Bank soldiers on with their service that provides fresh food to families that need help on the three week rotation they use.

With the holidays upon us the Food Bank has had to do what can only be called an extreme pivot.

Robin Bailey, Executive Director of the Food Bank said earlier today that they are able to meet the growing demand with enough in the way of food donations coming in and enough money in the bank to be able to purchase what isn’t donated.

“We have found that we need to purchase more these days and inflated prices aren’t helping. We are fortunate in that we have a number of corporate supporters that work with us on an almost daily basis.”

Robin Bailey, Executive Director of the Burlington Food Bank is before the cameras almost daily – thanking people for the food and cash donations

Longer term, adds Bailey “it is difficult to project where we will be this time next year. We thought we were on our way out of the pandemic and edging towards a more normal environment.

The numbers on the need side are getting a little worse but the support from the community is holding up and the really wonderful part of all this is that the volunteer staff are continuing to show up every day.

“We are going to be closed for the week between the holidays (December 27th to December 31st) but we will be open the afternoon of Christmas Eve to ensure that everyone who needs food is taken care of.

When we decided that we had to be open I hoped that some of the staff would be able to stay the extra few hours” said Bailey who added that the “volunteers were asking me this morning if the Christmas Eve hours were still on.”

Indeed it is still on. The Burlington Food Bank will be open until 2:00 pm the afternoon of Christmas Eve.

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Outdoors is the safest place you can be - and the kids will love it.

By Staff

December 20th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Snow on the ground – get ready for winter fun.

And watch the people at Parks, Recreation and Culture pivot once again to keep people active and staying healthy at the same time.

There are many opportunities for everyone to be active outside.

The information provided below is accurate as of Dec. 20, 2021. In the event of any changes made by the Province of Ontario to current COVID-19 public health measures, please visit burlington.ca/coronavirus for potential impacts to City services and programs.
Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond

Scheduled to open on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

The Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond at the waterfront in downtown Burlington is scheduled to open Tuesday, Dec. 21. The rink will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day. Registration is not required.

Residents are encouraged to call the ice conditions hotline, 905-335-7738, ext. 8587 before leaving their house, to make sure the Pond is open.

The skate lending program is back this season at the Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond and is available Friday, 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and during the school breaks, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For more about the Pond’s features and rules, visit burlington.ca/pond.

Outdoor artificial rink
The artificial skating rink is open at the old tennis courts in Sherwood Forest Park, 5270 Fairview St. This rink is best suited for parents with young children and anyone learning to skate.

Neighbourhood Rinks
There are 15 Neighbourhood Rink locations available in City parks this year. The rinks will be open to the public and free to use once the weather is cold enough for the ice. City staff will install boards for the natural ice rinks that will be maintained by neighbourhood volunteer groups. Everyone is asked to respect the open/closed signs and stay off the ice when the rink is closed.

For more information on the Neighbourhood Rink program and locations, visit burlington.ca/neighbourhoodrink.

That was fun!

Tobogganing
The city has designated six areas in the city that are safe for tobogganing. They include:

• Brant Hills Park, southwest of the tennis courts, 2300 Duncaster Dr.
• Central Park on the hill northwest of the community garden, 2299 New St.
• LaSalle Park, east of the parking lot, 50 North Shore Blvd.
• Lowville Park on the hill at the southwest end of park, 6207 Lowville Park Rd.
• Nelson Park on the east side of park, north of the Centennial bike path, 4183 New St.
• Tyandaga Park at hole number four on the west slope, 1265 Tyandaga Park Dr.

To view designated tobogganing sites and tips for safe tobogganing, please visit burlington.ca/tobogganing.

Tim Hortons Free Swimming and Skating
Thanks to Tim Hortons, Burlington residents can enjoy another year of free swimming and skating this holiday season. View schedule and sign up, visit burlington.ca/dropinandplay.

Play Equipment Lending Library
If you need some play equipment or want to try something new without having to buy it, try the City’s Play Equipment Lending Library, including new glow-in-the-dark equipment which can be useful as the days get shorter. Pickup at Central Arena, 512 Drury Lane. To borrow, visit burlington.ca/playlending.

Imagine the golf course covered in snow – what a great place to hike.

Disc Golf and Hiking at Tyandaga Golf Course
Tyandaga Golf Course (1265 Tyandaga Park Dr.) is open for disc golf and hiking during the winter season and open from dawn until dusk.

Players need to bring their own discs.

Discs can also be borrowed through the Play Equipment Lending Library.

 

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Different gifts - laced with quality and a uniqueness you don't find very often

By Pepper Parr

December 20th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

A very modern look for a fine piece of leather-craft. Available only at the art gallery in Burlington.

You are at the point where the bulk of your Seasonal shopping is done.

But – there is one person you don’t think you have just the right gift for.

And – you’ve never been to the AGB Shop.

The arts may not be quite your thing but they offer numerous choices that are unique and tend to delight the person getting the gift.

There is a purse that caught our eye when we were taking the pictures a month or so ago.

Hours for the Art Shop are:

Tuesday to Friday: Noon to 5:00 pm

Saturday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Masks are required.  While the Art Shop has quite a bit of room should there be too many people and social distancing is not possible, management will look for ways to schedule people.

Wine poured from a glass slipper into beautifully decorated wine glasses. You won’t find this kind of stem ware anywhere else in the city.

Skilfully crafted, one of a kind – at the Art Gallery Shop

See anything you like? Art Gallery members can rent pieces they like and if they really like what has been hanging on their walls they can buy the piece. A number of Burlington corporations rent art work for their offices. You might want to think about buying a membership for someone and then introducing then to the rentals. Theo Roma is the person to talk to at the Gallery about this idea

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The new Covid 19 rules impact Burlington - starting on Sunday

By Staff

December 18th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Province has announced that Ontario, including Halton Region and the City of Burlington, will be applying additional public health and workplace safety measures, including capacity and social gathering limits, beginning Sunday, Dec. 19 at 12:01 a.m.

These measures will help curb transmission and continue to safeguard Ontario’s hospital and ICU capacity as the province continues to rapidly accelerate its booster dose rollout.

Changes to recreation facilities capacities
While City of Burlington recreational programs, services and rentals will continue as planned, recreation facilities capacity will be reduced to 50 per cent for rentals, events and programs.

50% less starting Sunday

Rental and program participants must come to the facility dressed and ready for their activity and leave the facility promptly following the activity. As a result of the capacity restriction, change room and dressing room space is also limited to 50 per cent and may not be available.

All requirements for proof of vaccination, screening, masking and physical distancing remain in place.

Rental organizations who wish to cancel their rental bookings at this time can do so without penalty by emailing rentals@burlington.ca.

Registered participants of recreation programs affected by reduced capacity limits will be contacted directly by City staff. Individuals who wish to withdraw from a course or program will receive a full refund. They can contact customer service at liveandplay@burlington.ca or 905-335-7738 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends. For more information and holiday hours, please visit burlington.ca/servicehours.

 

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A day to just give because you can - it works - quite well actually

By Staff

December 17th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Giving Tuesday for 2021 went well – better than the year before.

The idea of creating a day in the year when the focus was on giving came out of the 42nd Street YMCA in New York City in 2012 and just grew.

Kristen Curry, Chair, Halton Gives explains how the idea works in Canada, in each of the provinces and then how in Ontario, where there are 42 local groups, work with not for profit organizations, to help them reach out to local groups and guide them as they do their own very local fund raising

This year Halton residents, businesses, community groups, charities and non-profit organizations came together to celebrate GivingTuesday on November 30th, and demonstrate their generosity on this global day of giving!

Over 70 Halton organizations partnered with Halton Gives and took part in GivingTuesday this year.

Here are some of the local highlights:

200 families from Immigrant Services and Childcare Programs will receive $100 gift cards to use for a holiday meal and/or warm clothing for winter

7 cribs were filled with items for families in need (diapers, formula, cereal, etc.)

Funds were raised for Child and Family Services to alleviate the cost of programming for families of children with developmental disabilities

The Oakville Rangers – took some time off the ice to raise funds to purchase gift cards for people in need.

$1,500 was raised in grocery gift cards plus 2 boxes full of food items, with the help of a local youth hockey team Oakville Rangers

Donors were thanked on social media with a reach of 1,000

Funds were raised to purchase 100 Reindeer Chocolate Packages to be delivered to clients

$4,700 was raised to support students experiencing food insecurity

4 guide dogs were fully funded and named through a contest (Alfonso, Jaz, Magic and Neka)

Over $7,500 was raised to provide in-need clients and families with a hand up over the holiday season

Food4Kids volunteer Gayle Cruikshank with Linsday Batstone from Two Sevens Capital.

Curry explained the impact the pandemic has increased the need for human connections, acts of kindness and positivism. The demand for support programs and services across in Halton

. It also has Thank you to everyone who participated in GivingTuesday this year. Whether you donated your time, money, talent, or voice for a cause – your actions made a difference!” said Kristen Curry, Chair of Halton Gives.

Halton Gives is a civic movement participating in the global GivingTuesday initiative. Our goal is to engage the Halton community in supporting (and celebrating!) the work of the amazing charities and non-profits that support the Halton region.

GivingTuesday is a movement to celebrate giving of all kinds, celebrated on the Tuesday after Black Friday and Cyber Monday; in 2021 the date was November 30th.

The movement was launched in Canada in 2013 by GIV3 and CanadaHelps.org The idea was originally founded in the US in 2012 by 92nd Street Y in partnership with the UN Foundation.

Giving Tuesday will be on November 29th in 2022

 

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Clarksdale students decorate lobby of hospital

By Staff

December 17th, 2021

BURLINGTON, O N

 

Students at Burlington’s Clarksdale Public School  wrote and decorated Christmas cards that are currently on display in the lobby of Joseph Brant Hospital as a way to brighten the days of patients, staff and visitors.

 

The walls of the hospital lobby are a lot brighter looking these days.

Teacher Kelly Kozsurek says she learned of this activity from a former HDSB teacher and thought it would be a great way for students to provide patients, staff and visitors with colourful holiday cheer. The school was provided with cards by Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation​’s ‘Join the Joy’ committee and students decorated one side of the card and wrote a kind message on the other side.

“We chose to do this activity to provide students with the opportunity to do something for others,” Kozsurek says. “Not only will they brighten someone’s day, but they will feel empathy for others and pride in themselves for making a positive impact.”

Principal Shelly Andrews says this activity has taught students a wonderful holiday message that there are many ways they can help make the world a better place.

“I’m so proud of the contributions they have made to help give back and in their efforts to let people know they are cared for. Students of all ages were so excited to participate in this tradition. I love that they have learned we can change the world one smile at a time.”

Anissa Hilborn, President of the JBH Foundation.

“One of the objectives of the Foundation is to connect the community with the hospital, and our Join the Joy campaign and the holiday greetings are a great way for our staff, physicians, patients and their families to feel the support of the community at the holidays,” said Anissa Hilborn, President of the JBH Foundation. “It truly brightens the hospital at this time of year and we’re so grateful to Clarksdale Public School and all the schools across Burlington who sent in messages of joy this time of year.”

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Charitable Donations Trends in Halton, Ontario, and Canada, 2015-2019

By Staff

December 15th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

Community Lens is prepared by Community Development Halton to disseminate and interpret important community data as it becomes available.

Traditionally, across Canada, the month of December is the busiest fundraising period for nonprofits and charities, kicking off with the post-Thanksgiving fundraising drive on Giving Tuesday (the first Tuesday after American Thanksgiving, which was the 30th of November this year). A study by Imagine Canada, for example, found that “[m]any charities typically receive about 40 per cent of their donations in the last six-to-eight weeks of the year.”

In 2017, the nonprofit and charity sector contributed 8.5% to Canada’s GDP, if we were to include “volunteer activities – which are important for the non-profit sector but not included in standard macroeconomic measures – [they] would have added a further $41.8 billion to the economy in 2013… representing 22.3% of non-profit GDP that year.” 2 (These data may be underestimates of the real scale of the nonprofit sector in Canada, for a useful brief overview of this argument, one should read ‘The non-profit sector’s ongoing data deficit’ in The Philanthropist Journal. ) It is fair to say that the month of December not only has a significant impact on the nonprofit and charity sector planning activities for the year ahead, but a wider impact on the health of Canada’s economy.

To mark Giving Tuesday and the month of fundraising that follows, this Community Lens will analyze Halton residents’ behaviour around charitable donations and compare it with wider Ontario and Canadian trends.

A 2018 Community Lens issue observed that “the amount of charitable donations and the number of donors” were falling across the country.
Looking at the latest available data for 2019, and comparing it with the years between 2015, this downward trend continued. In Ontario in 2015, according to tax filer data, there were 2,171,620 charitable donors and 9,859,860 tax filers in the province. As the data in this graph demonstrates, the number of charitable donors continued to fall in Ontario, except for one year during this period in which the number of charitable donors slightly increased from 2,122,600 in 2017 to 2,125,020 in 2018.

The total number of charitable donors fell from 2,171,620 donors in 2015 to 2,048,780 in 2019, which is a decrease of 122,840 individuals. What is more concerning is that the number of individual donors fell during a time when there were increases in the number of tax filers: there were 476,800 more tax filers in 2019 (10,336,660) compared to 2015 (9,859,860). These trends that we are seeing in Ontario are being replicated at a national level.

Presenting these data in another way, this next graph shows that, from 2015 until 2018, Halton was outperforming the province for the percentage of tax filers who are charitable donors. In 2019, there was a fall of 4% in Halton to leave the Region and province on the same proportion of charitable donors to tax filers – at 20%. (For the purposes of clarity and readability the Canadian trendline for this period has been omitted from this graph; for interested readers, its behaviour is closer to Ontario rather than Halton trends: 2015: 21%; 2016:20%; 2017: 20%; 2018: 19%; 2019: 19%.)

Although the percentage of charitable donors in Halton fell by 4% from 2018 to 2019, the average charitable donation in the Region rose from 2015 – 2019. In 2015, the average charitable donation was $1,466 and in 2019 it was $1,822 – an increase of $355, or 24%. Despite the other worrying trends that are being witnessed elsewhere in the data, such as average age increasing and the percentage of charitable donors to tax filers falling, the average Halton charitable donation for this period is beating the rate of inflation by a significant amount: from 2015 to 2019 the average annual inflation rate was 1.80%.

Looking at the 2019 data, the average Halton tax filer gives more in donations than the national average across all age categories, except in the 65+ cohort. In the 0-24 years category,

Halton individuals in 2019 gave an average of $545, compared to a national figure of $390. In the 35-44 years age category, residents in Halton gave $1,404 in 2019, just over the comparative national figure of $1,390.00. In 2019, the only age cohort where Halton residents gave below the national average was in the 65+ years: the national average for this age category was $2,840, while Halton residents gave on average just under this, at $2,785, in 2019.

The average age of charitable donors continues to rise in Ontario and Halton. However, the average age of charitable donors’ increase is more acute in Ontario. In 2015 the average age was 55, while four years later, in 2019, the average age increased by 4 years, to 59, for the province. In the same period in Halton, the average age only increased by 1 year, from 55.5 to 56.5. The national average age of a
charitable donor was 54 in 2015 and remained consistently at 55 from 2016-2019.

This Community Lens revealed informative findings about charitable donation trends in Halton, Ontario, and Canada.

Overall, Halton continues to perform better than provincial and national trends in several areas. In 2019, for example, Halton, across all age groups apart from the 65+ age cohort, gave more in charitable donations than the national average. This Lens also showed that the average charitable donation increased by 24% in Halton between 2015-2019, far outstripping the compounded inflation of 7.2% for that period.

However, across the same period, the percentage of charitable donors to tax filers in Halton fell from 26% in 2015 to 20% in 2019. In other words, as charitable donations increased in Halton, they were coming from a shrinking pool of individuals.

Furthermore, this Lens showed there is an upward trend in the average age of charitable donors, with Ontario’s 4-year average age increase the most acute. A lower average charitable donor age, made up of cohorts with higher earning capacity and purchasing power, should contribute to a better funded and more sustainable nonprofit and charitable sector in the long run.

The nonprofit sector has, for some time, been aware of these concerning national and provincial trends analyzed in this piece, but there are grounds for optimism. In a 2018 report, the increase in online donations among the young and “more educated Canadians and those with higher incomes” over the last 15 years has been a boon for the sector.

Over the coming years, the nonprofit and charity sector will have to rely more heavily on leveraging new technologies for fundraising and finding other creative solutions to address some of the worrying trends cited in this report. Sector-led responses alone may not be enough. A public policy intervention may be necessary, such as: developing more creative and generous tax breaks for donors, alongside a public awareness campaign to promote it.

For the academically minded a version of this report with all the source notes in place is available on the CDH web site.  www.cdhalton.ca

Community Lens is prepared by Community Development Halton to disseminate and interpret important community data as it becomes available. For more information please contact us at data@cdhalton.ca or 905-632-1975

Community Development Halton would like to acknowledge the ongoing financial support of the Regional Municipality of Halton.

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Gift selections at the Art Gallery Shop are distinctive, unique and crafted locally.

By Pepper Parr

December 16th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Theo, Manager of Sales at the Art Shop can answer any question you have and tell you everything you want to know about an item you might be interested in. Upcycled Wool Mittens, Handmade in Burlington by Jeanell Marchetti

Ten days away – and you still have some shopping to do – and you are still looking for ideas?

The Art Gallery of Burlington has an impressive range of gifts in their shop – which is never crowded.

The hours are good.

What might you find ?

The Gazette sent a photographer out – have a look – see anything you like ?

The depth of the colours actually causes you to pause.

Try it out.

Theo Roma, Manager of AGB Shop, Art Sales and Rentals knows all there is to know about the inventory and the artists.

All AGB Visitors including members of the public, members of the AGB and/or Guilds who enter the AGB premises (except those who enter only to visit the AGB Gift Shop), must provide proof of full vaccination each time they enter the AGB building or attend an AGB event.

Reasonable proof of vaccination status includes showing provincial proof of vaccination, including the provincial vaccine passport, together with government issued photo-identification.

This policy is in effect as of November 4, 2021 and shall remain in effect until such time as it is discontinued by the AGB in writing.

The jewellery collection is superb. If you are looking for something distinctive, unique and made locally – spend some time in that section.

AGB Shop Hours

Tuesday – Friday 12 PM – 5 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 5 PM
Sunday & Monday CLOSED

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Seniors Home Safety Tax Credit Being Extended

By Staff

December 13th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Ontario government is helping seniors stay in their homes longer by extending the Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit by one year, to 2022.

The Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit is a refundable credit worth 25 per cent of up to $10,000 per household in eligible expenses, to a maximum credit of $2,500.

It can be shared by people who live together, including spouses and common law partners.

The extension will assist seniors, or those living with senior relatives, to renovate their homes to make them safer and more accessible.

Small upgrades make life a lot safer

“We are empowering Ontario’s seniors with the choice to live in their homes and remain in their community as long as they choose,” said Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “Providing a tax credit for renovations will give seniors and their families real help to stay in their homes longer.”

Examples of eligible renovations include:
• Installing grab bars and related reinforcements in bathrooms
• Wheelchair ramps, stair lifts and elevators
• Light fixtures in the home and exterior entrances
• Non-slip flooring
• Automatic garage door openers
• Certain renovations to allow first-floor occupancy or a secondary suite for a senior

Extending the Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit is part of the 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario. The plan lays out how the government will build the foundation for Ontario’s recovery and prosperity by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure, attracting increased investment, and restoring leadership in auto manufacturing and other industries. The plan also protects Ontario’s progress against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keep the receipts.

Quick Facts
• The Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit is available to Ontario seniors or those who live with senior relatives regardless of their incomes and whether they owe any tax.
• Individuals can claim the credit for renovation expenses to their principal residence, either owned or rented, or to a residence that they reasonably expect to become their principal residence within the 24 months following the end of the year.
• To claim the tax credit, claimants should keep receipts from suppliers and contractors.

 

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Holiday Market Closed early on Saturday due to high winds

By Pepper Parr

December 12th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Mother Nature howled – people were sent home

It was unfortunate.

Mother Nature turned on the people who worked hard to make the Holiday Market in Downtown Burlington a success.

It was windy most of the day but when the wind topped a light standard and crashed into a couple of cars it was time to send everyone home.

Light standards topped damaging cars – Holiday Market was shut down

Next door at Village Square traffic was decent – Lola’s was doing a booming hot chocolate business; protected by the buildings the decorations stayed up.

 

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Call Centres and the law in Canada

By Connie Price

December 12th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Have you found yourself calling an organization to resolve a problem and finding that the person you are speaking has a poor command of the English language and you have difficulty understanding what they are saying, The problem is often exacerbated by a poor connection.

Turns out there is an option available that will get you someone who you can understand.

Connie Price, active in a number of community initiatives came across a solution.

Any time you call an 800 number (for a credit card, banking, charter communications, health and other insurance, computer help desk, etc. ) and you find that you’re talking to a foreign customer service representative (with an accent, difficult to understand perhaps in India, Philippines, you can do the following.

Offshore Call Centre

After you connect and you realize that the Customer Service Representative is not working in Canada (you can always ask where they’re located) if you are not sure about the accent).

Say, “I’d like to speak to a Customer Service Representative in Canada.”

The rep might suggest talking to his/her manager, But, again, politely say, “Thank you, but I’d like to speak to a Customer Service Representative in Canada ..”

You will be connected to a representative in Canada – That’s the rule and the LAW.

It takes less than a minute to have your call re-directed to Canada .

Tonight when I got redirected to a Canadian Rep, I asked again to make sure – and yes, she was from Calgary.

Imagine what would happen if every Canadian Citizen insisted on talking to only Canadian phone reps, from this day on.

Imagine how that would ultimately impact the number of Canadian jobs that would need to be created ASAP.

If I tell 10 people to consider this and you tell 10 people to consider doing this – see what I mean…it becomes an exercise in viral marketing 101.

Remember – the goal here is to restore jobs back here at home – not to be abrupt or rude to a foreign phone representative. You will get correct answers, good advice, and solutions to your problem – in real English.

If you agree, please tell 10 people you know, and ask them to tell 10 people they know.

Price adds that she had also learned that Canada Post Customer service is headed to India before the New Year.

This can get a little sticky – people who don’t have a command of the English language will never improve if they are not given an opportunity to use the language.

Racist attitudes slide in here and the complaint is frequently based on race and not the quality of the service.

Some people are hard to understand.  Many can be understood – a little patience might be needed.

The issue could be resolved if those Canadian companies who use offshore Call Centres were required to provide a minimum number of hours training people who don’t handle English all that well.

Let’s not let those racist inclinations to come to the surface.

Connie Price

Connie Price is active with the Burlington Senior Community and her local church.

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Palettas puts their muscle behind bid to bring Commonwealth Games to the city.

By Pepper Parr

December 12th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The three of them were before a city Standing Committee to talk about a bid that was being made for the 100th version of the Commonwealth Games scheduled for 2030.

They didn’t come asking for money – they came asking the city to be part of the vision.
The site for the Games was going to be property owned by Penta Properties, the land holding part of Paletta International.

In the past, Angelo Paletta, the more ebullient of the four Paletta boys, spoke for the family company. Paul was made president of Penta; he sets the course and executes on the business plans.

Paletta chose to read from his notes.

“I’m Paul Paletta, the new president CEO of Penta properties. As some of you may be aware beyond simply taking over the operations of the family business with my brother Michael, we decided to alter the company’s vision and approach.

The Paletta clan: Late Patriarch Pat with his four sons.

Inspired by the example of our late father Pat, who loved this community, we resolved to better align our business activity with the needs of the City of Burlington, most especially as it relates to the importance of sustainability and wellness as our region emerges from the awful impacts of the pandemic.

One of the ways we’re working to demonstrate the seriousness of our resolve is in supporting the unique Commonwealth Games effort.

As you are hearing from Lou and Antonio the Games bid represents an internationally significant way of championing community, building sustainability and wellness in the area of urban planning and community programming. And owing to the Commonwealth Games process of advancing bids with business and the private sector and the need to have municipalities partner with the bidder to deliver venues with minimal government financial support, I’ve asked Lou to work with you to ensure that Burlington becomes a focus of the games efforts in building prosperous, sustainable and healthy communities.

The wording HWY 401 should read 403

And I’m proposing that this be done in part on our lands on and King Road. We have hired Dialogue, who are the game’s urban design firm to better support the development of our King Road lands as part of the game’s effort.

I’m excited to work with you in the coming months to explore other opportunities to partner with you around enhancing the quality of life of Burlington to more thoughtful development, the preservation of ecologically sensitive areas and in delivering affordable housing.

And that’s something that delighted me earlier this week when I met with some of your senior city staff and talked about options for homes involving  a leading not for profit agency in delivering innovation solutions related to housing affordability.

They are just one the many new organizations and thought leaders  we will bring to Burlington in the coming months and years. I’m willing and able and available to meet with any of the Counsellors or members of the city staff about the future of our great city.

Related news story:

City Council gets detail on a bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to the city in 2030
.

 

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Municipal Alcohol Policy - Did you know we have one?

By Staff

December 12th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

To be Approved by Council on: December 14, 2021

The purpose of the Municipal Alcohol Policy (MAP) is to define the conditions for the service and consumption of alcohol for Special Occasion Permit (S.O.P) Events which occur on City of Burlington property. The policy outlines the additional requirements beyond those set by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) through the issuance of a S.O.P.

Policy Statement:
The Municipal Alcohol Policy is designed to support responsible alcohol service and consumption in an effort to reduce corporate exposure to risk.

The City of Burlington is under no obligation to approve a request to use city property even if the AGCO issues a S.O.P and may impose additional restrictions deemed appropriate for the responsible alcohol service and consumption on City property.

Background:
In 2017, Halton Region and the Halton Regional Police Service introduced a Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. The Plan sets out how community partners work together to improve the health, safety and well-being of Halton residents. Harmful alcohol use has been identified as a key issue and priority. The Alcohol Action Table was struck in 2018 to develop an evidence-based and comprehensive plan to mitigate alcohol harm.

As a municipality within Halton Region, the City of Burlington is aligning its MAP with the goals and objectives of Halton Region’s Alcohol Action Table to model responsible consumption of alcohol on municipal property.

Scope:
The scope of this policy applies to all City owned and operated Facilities.

This policy does not apply to facilties operated by local boards of Council nor to any school board properties that the City allocates space for under the Reciprocal Agreement.

Definitions:
For the purpose of this policy, unless otherwise stated, the following definitions shall apply:

Term Definition
Alcohol A product of fermentation or distillation of grains, fruits or other agricultural products, and includes synthetic ethyl alcohol.

Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) The provincial regulatory agency responsible for administering the Liquor Licence Act and specific sections of the Liquor Control Act (LCA), which together, with the regulations made under them establish the licensing and regulatory regime relating to the sale and service of alcohol in Ontario.

City Staff Those employed by the City of Burlington who are identified by the City as the contact for either MAP purposes or the facility or premises in question as the context requires.

Term Definition
Corporation The Corporation of the City of Burlington.
Designate An employee, agent, servant, representative, partner or other individual designated by the S.O.P Applicant to manage the Event or to ensure compliance with the Event Organizer’s responsibilities under the MAP.

Event Any public or private occurrence requiring a Special Occasion Permit and occurs on City property.
Contract Holder Any person or organization applying to hold an Event at a facility and includes the person or organization on whose behalf such persons apply or seek permission to hold the Event.

Facility/Facilities A City of Burlington building, park, roadway or other municipal location that is owned and operated by the corporation.

Facility Rental Contract A city issued document, signed by the applicant under which the S.O.P Holder is permitted to host an Event on City property, subject to such terms and conditions as may be required by this MAP and the Standard Operating Procedure.

Licensed Area The area identified in the City of Burlington contract where alcohol will be allowed to be in possession by the contract holder, as per the conditions of the permit(s) and S.O.P.

Liquor License Act (LLA) Outlines the laws regarding the sale and service of alcohol in Ontario.

Term Definition
Municipal Significant Event An Event which is designated by the City of Burlington as an event of municipal significance.
Special Occasion Permit (S.O.P) A permit issued by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario or Registrar of Alcohol and Gaming. The S.O.P authorizes the holder to sell or serve alcohol on a prescribed special occasion.

S.O.P Holder The person whose name is identified on a Special Occasion Permit and may also be the holder of the Catering Endorsement. Where this term is used it also includes his/her Designate.

Standard Operating Procedures A document outlining the requirements to host a licensed event on City property.

Principles:
The following principles are taken into consideration to determine when and where to allow for alcohol consumption on City of Burlington property:

1. Alcohol is consumed at many occasions and is socially acceptable and sometimes expected as a service option.
2. There is a way to ensure responsible consumption of alcohol, limiting the health and safety impacts to the community.

Two drinks at a time.

Conditions:
1. Alcohol Service
In addition to the conditions outlined by the AGCO under the LLA the following provisions for the serving of alcohol must be adhered to:

a) A maximum of two (2) drinks may be served to an individual at any one time.
b) Alcohol shall not be left available for self-serve.

c) Adopt volumetric pricing across all beverage types and strengths (higher alcohol content products priced higher; lower alcohol content beverages priced lower; alcohol-free beverages considerably lower).

d) Food and non alcoholic beverages must be available at all times.

e) Event will sell and serve alcohol only between noon and 11 p.m. for outdoor events, and noon to 1 a.m. for indoor events.

f) The service area(s) from where alcohol is being served and consumed is secured on all sides by a single fence or wall a minimum of three feet tall and included on the site-plan. Any exceptions such as the use of natural barriers will require approval from the City’s Special Events Team.

g) There will be no “Last Call” promotion.

h) No drinks will be served to the public in glass containers.

2. Advertising and Signage
In addition to any signage requirements by the AGCO under the LLA the following must be adhered to:

a) No advertisements promoting liquor prices may be placed outside the Licensed Area.

b) Signage as required by the Corporation and outlined in Standard Operating Procedures will be displayed in the Licensed Area.

c) Event names which convey the message that drinking is the principal activity or the purpose of the Event are not permitted.

3. Insurance & Indemnification
In addition to compliance with all federal, provincial and municipal laws, Events must comply with all requirements as outlined in the Operating Procedures by the Corporation. A minimum of $5 million insurance in addition to security is required when alcohol is at an event.

An Event Contract may be revoked at the sole discretion of the City if the S.O.P Holder does not comply with all terms and conditions of the Event Contract and MAP. The City will not be subject to any claim for damages that the Permit Holder may advance as a result of the cancellation. City staff may randomly monitor Events.

References:

• Liquor License Act (LLA)
• Municipal Alcohol Standard Operating Procedures
• Zero Tolerance Policy

Roles:
City Council shall:
• Approve the MAP.
City Staff from Recreation, Community and Culture representing Festivals and Events, Sport and Customer Service shall:

• Review applicants documents and make recommendations to the City Clerk that the event be deemed as a Municipal Significant Event.

City Staff from Recreation, Community and Culture and Roads Parks and Forestry operation staff shall:
• Ensure on site compliance with MAP during an S.O.P event and intervene when there is non-compliance.

Kevin Arjoon: City Clerk has delegated authority to declare events.

City Clerk shall:
• Have delegated authority to declare events of Municipal Significance.

Director of Recreation, Community and Culture (or designate) shall:
• Have final decision over any matters in question related to the MAP.

Accountable:
City Staff representing areas for Organized Sport, Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events and Recreation Services are accountable for the adherence and direct administration of the MAP.

The Manager of Community Development Services is accountable for the annual review and execution of the MAP process.

 

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Some downtown stops you don't want to miss - best to be appreciated before that man in the Red Suit arrives

By Staff

December 11th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The wonder of it all.

Adults looking forward to meeting with family and friends

The really young ones still not certain that he is real but hoping that if he is they will have all the things they wanted under the tree.

Getting downtown there are a number of things you don’t want to miss taking part in.

Start with the Festival of Trees, taking place at the Performing Arts Centre until December 18

Take a stroll through a Festival of Trees at The Burlington Performing Arts Centre! There is an indoor forest of beautifully decorated artificial Christmas trees, generously donated by Canadian Tire – Burlington Stores and sponsored by local businesses that are lighting up BPAC’s Lobby! Bid on your favorite tree during the silent auction! All proceeds support the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. More details here.

Minutes away there is the Festival of Lights that will be in place until January 8
Where? Spencer Smith Park & City Hall

The retail merchants do all the work and pay for the bulk of the costs for the annual Festival of Lights – but it no longer delivers the economic benefits the merchants need.

The Festival of Lights illuminates Burlington’s waterfront through December to early January each year. Come share your holiday spirits with family and friends while strolling through the 60+ magical lighting displays. Thousands of local residents and visitors from across the region, and beyond, have made it a seasonal tradition to wander through the park with family and friends to view the themed displays. Tens of thousands more take in the attraction while driving along Lakeshore Road at the City’s waterfront throughout the holiday season. Visit daily from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. with extended hours on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Orthodox Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. View website here.

Bright Nights Have Returned to Downtown Burlington through tp the end of January.
The streets and businesses of Burlington’s downtown core are getting whole lot brighter. Starting December 1st and running through January 2021, downtown Burlington will be illuminated by impressive new light installations designed to create a magical experience within the downtown business area. It’s the perfect time to celebrate and enjoy the season safely with those we hold dear.

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Something fishy about a numbers report from Parks and Recreation

By Pepper Parr

December 10th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Was it Santa who was counting the number of people he waved to?

During a Standing Committee Chris Glenn, Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture commented on the Santa Trail that took place last Saturday and Sunday.

The Gazette assigned reporters to the event and we published an article on what took place on both the Saturday and the Sunday.

In his report to the Standing Committee Glennn reported that 15,000 people watched the event.

The spectators at any one point on the Santa trail were never any bigger than this – do the math to figure out how the Parks and Rec people got 15,000

That number didn’t square with what we photographed so I got back to the reporters. One said that if Glenn was counting the houses that the Fire truck with Santa drove by – then he might be right.

“But there was nothing near 15,000 people on the streets of the city.”

One reporter said that the picture he submitted was as large as any of the crowds got.

Something wasn’t right – we reached out to Glenn asking where he got his numbers – didn’t hear back from him.

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