 By Pepper Parr
April 23rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The big dollar grants from various levels of government can overwhelm a bit – just how any zeros are there in a billion?
It is the smaller grants, those under the $100,000 level that are understood and appreciated.
This afternoon, Karina Gould announced three grants to Burlington organizations that we all know about.
There was $71,000 distributed with $25,000 going to Community Living; $24,900 going to the Legion and $21,667 going to Community Development Halton.
 This is how media events now take place. I need a haircut so badly that I chose not to be seen. All the grants had a Covid19 connection.
Community Living cares for 400 people and is the oldest community organization in the city.
Their grant got applied to technology which allows them to take basically all of their programs virtual. This includes the music classes, the art classes and the friendship circles.
The cheer leading team and the news team wouldn’t be able to do anything were it not for the ability to Zoom .
The residential program is able to continue but under very strict limitations. Those in the residential program have at times gone for a significant number of days without seeing family.
 A Friday evening Fish Fry at the Legion; they managed to coax MP Karina Gould into the kitchen The Legion once got MP Karina Gould into their kitchen during one of the Friday Fish Fry Nights – that will be back on once the level of social mobility improves. The Legion needed to upgrade the HVAC system – the grant will help them get that job done.
Community Development Halton, (CDH) a non profit organization that does social planning research and operates Volunteer Halton as well as running an Age Friendly program.
CDH partnered with Food for Life preparing meals for 800 people who are isolated during the pandemic.
They found when talking to people while the meals were being delivered that many were finding the social isolation very difficult.
CDH has this practice of talking through problems and issues; they began to brain storm over what could be done to alleviate the sense of being alone and isolated.
Lap blanket were knitted and distributed; young people were encouraged to write cards to people they had never met – the cards were included with the meals when they were delivered.
Heather Thompson told the people taking part in the media event virtually of an occasion when one woman opened her lunch and found the card – burst into tears. An act of kindness she didn’t expect struck a chord.
The funds that were distributed came from the federal New Horizons for Seniors program.
Those dollars made a huge difference to three organizations in this city who take care of people with real needs.
 By Harry Green
April21st, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Since its advent, online poker has, in many ways, represented a closed ecosystem – a self-sustaining microcosm of the wider world of gaming – which continues to thrive and succeed within a significant, global player base despite the slightly more capricious tides of the gaming industry as-a-whole.
What it offers is something that was capable of withstanding years of development and innovation across the entire industry. When gaming moved away from browser-based titles, and toward expensive and powerful console shaped by the AAA developers of the world, the realm of online poker persisted – buoyed up by its own prestige within a growing market.
But that was then, and now represents an entirely new phase for the gaming industry. Since early 2020, the promise of a new generation of gaming – one that would be ushered in by the near-simultaneous launch of new, power-hungry consoles from Sony and Microsoft – has begun its long and highly anticipated journey into realization.
And, to be sure, the future does look bright for gaming – and for the 2.69 billion active gamers in the world. With cloud gaming promising unbridled freedom of choice to gamers, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X enabling better speeds and graphics than gamers could have imagined in their wildest daydreams, and other factors such as 5G ensuring that the framework is there for this new order to fall into place.
With this in mind, can the usual status quo continue on? Or will this genre begin to suffer beneath the weight of the entire industry?
 Australian gamers have descended on California for BlizzCon, a video gaming competition. Read more below.
Events Continue to Grow in Significance
In the real world, poker has long since represented a significant sport, drawing in spectators and professionals from far and wide. As the internet found its foothold in everyday usage, poker’s global influence naturally trickled across the boundary that lies between IRL and online gaming, thus giving rise to a wide variety of online and hybrid tournaments.
Most notably, the World Series of Poker – an event which finds its origins in the 1970s – has made waves via its online circuit in recent years. Just last year, leading online destination and official partner of the WSOP GGPoker broke a Guinness World Record for the prize pool generated within its tournament, which totaled more than $27,500,000.
Continued Growth Enabled Continued Improvement
It stands to reason that the larger a site is, the more scope it has for organizing a near-continuous stream of promotions and tournaments throughout any given day. This is why so many players are drawn to the industry’s largest providers – a continuously expanding pool of players naturally entails that the provider is able to expand their offerings, and hone the daily, monthly and annual events on offer.
In this way, the ecosystem of online poker is essentially self-sustaining. The industry’s biggest providers make use of the growing availability of competitors to ensure a steady stream of cash games and tournaments, and, in turn, they attract yet more players onto their site. This has been one of the key driving forces within this industry for many years, and will continue to push it forward indefinitely.
Software Development Stands at the Forefront of the Gaming World
In the very early days, online poker rested on software that would, by today’s standards, be considered pretty simple and in many ways primitive. Now, however, providers need to be prepared to keep up with their players – and players are growing increasingly discerning when it comes to strong game design and development.
Between their browser-based titles, downloadable software and their mobile platforms, the best providers are well aware of the necessity that exists to remain at the cutting-edge of development, and will continue to prioritize this going forward.
 Players are primed and ready for a new ‘high standard’, and an increasingly discerning global player base, as they emerge in the coming months and years. While it remains a universal truth that the gaming world is accelerating far beyond the parameters that have, for many years, defined it, the fact remains that the world of poker – both online and off – is primed and ready for a new ‘high standard’, and an increasingly discerning global player base, as they emerge in the coming months and years. We can anticipate plenty more development in this arena, and for the world’s biggest operators to continue to push the bounds further still, and ensure that players never grow restless within this historic and massively influential genre.
 By Staff
April 20th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It might become the next big thing your city Council takes on.
The concept has merit and there is certainly a need.
It is going to take a number of bright people to think their way through this challenge.
 Coming up with a way to create housing that people can afford to buy or rent – the name given to this is “attainable” housing.
The City needs a Working Group to support the Housing Strategy. They are looking for a diverse group of volunteers from government, not for profit, co-op, businesses and residents.
If you are interested in applying, fill out the form below. More details about the role of the Working Group will be available in the draft Engagement Plan that will be presented to CPRM Committee in April and that will be posted on the project page on getinvolvedburlington.ca/housingstrategy.
Space on the working group is limited to 20 people. There will be multiple opportunities to engage throughout the Housing Strategy Project. Stay tuned for additional opportunities to get involved in the Housing Strategy in the upcoming draft engagement plan.
Applications will be open until 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2021. CLICK HERE to get the application form
 By Staff
April 19th, 2021
BURLINGTON,, ON
Local new is our focus but from time to time we drift and include background on a bigger picture.
As the next new normal expected after the pandemic takes shape, this week’s MIT Sloan CIO Symposium examined how the workplace might change yet again in the coming months.
MIT is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the Sloan School of Management is part of MIt.
While many organizations continue to maintain remote operations, a foreseeable end to the COVID-19 pandemic means there is a very real prospect for bringing at least part of the workforce back to the office. A discussion on the future of work, moderated by Allan Tate, executive chair of the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium, drew upon earlier event sessions as well as findings presented by Irving Wladawsky-Berger, research affiliate at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and a fellow of MIT’s Initiative on the digital economy and of MIT Connection Science.
Wladawsky-Berger said MIT’s future of work task force found that the momentum of innovation nurtured these changes alongside the circumstances that accelerated remote work. “Technology is simultaneously replacing existing work and creating new work,” he said. “That has always happened through the history of technology.”
 Remember when – this was it? When brand-new technology appears, Wladawsky-Berger said there can be widespread excitement, but it can still take time before the deeper effects are felt. This was seen with the advent of the internet in the mid-1990s and rise of smartphones in later years. “It really takes a while for the technologies to deploy at scale, and it’s only when they deploy at scale that it starts having a really impact on jobs and the workplace,” he said. “That takes time, often decades.”
That impact can have significant repercussions on the human element. “One of the biggest problems of the last four decades, while technologies raised productivity, the productivity has not translated into increasing income for many workers,” Wladawsky-Berger said. Automation has left many workers behind, he said, and globalization made it easy to transplant jobs to countries that were less expensive.
“People with less of a college education are the ones who paid the biggest price for the changes that have happened, and that has led to the rise in inequality,” Wladawsky-Berger said. That compares with people who possess at least a college education who tend to continue to do well with job prospects that continue to grow, he said, along with salaries. Wladawsky-Berger said this trend has led to many middle-class individuals and families taking the brunt of the widening disparity.
 The acceptance of new technology has followed new ideas – but not always that closely. As evolving technology affects the workplace, he said there is also a need for new thinking from policymakers. “For the last 40 years, our labor market institutions and government policies did not adjust to the realities of the digital economy,” Wladawsky-Berger said. “The view has been that the market will take care of all problems and government should do as little as possible — that doesn’t always work.”
There has been some change on this front, he said, but MIT’s report argues that with better policies in place, more people could explore career opportunities as new technology transforms the nature of work.
Governments around the world are starting to adopt this way of thinking, Wladawsky-Berger said. “Innovation is what got the US to its preeminent position, especially post-World War II,” he said. That included investments in infrastructure, interstate highways, and the work of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In spite of gains made on those fronts, Wladawsky-Berger said such efforts scaled back over time. “A lot of investments in R&D and innovation have been going way down in the intervening decades,” he said. “We must do more to cultivate new jobs and new worker skills.”
It’s difficult to stop supply chain attacks if partner accounts are compromised. What can you do when these attacks are indistinguishable from insider threats?
 Are Zoom Rooms going to become a permanent part of the office? While there have been conversations about the hybrid workplace representing the future, there are also new considerations that can come into play. “We have a very clear model for remote work and a clear model for office work, but a hybrid creates a problem,” Tate said. For example, if part of the team on a video call is together in a conference room, he said they might have side discussions after the call that the others are not privy to. Tate suggested guidelines need to be introduced to address these changes to the workplace.
The future of work might be hybrid, but it can have a profound effect on recent hires who have not formed bonds with co-workers in-person. “It is a huge difference applying remote work to somebody that just joined the office than to people who have been working with each other the last 20 years,” Wladawsky-Berger said. Colleagues who were familiar with each other prior to the pandemic can already have memories of interacting with their co-workers, he said, which can be a different experience than with a recent hire. “We have to learn over the next five to 10 years what works and doesn’t work,” Wladawsky-Berger said.
 By Pepper Parr
April 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
One of a series of articles on the Science Table data that led to the decisions the Premier made to limit mobility.
Three hours before Premier Doug Ford stood before the podium Friday afternoon for a virtual media event, the Science Table held its media event during which they set out the evidence they had given the government a day before.
That evidence is what the government used to justify the decision they made to order people to stay in their homes.
The evidence was compelling and there was a lot of it. The Gazette will report on that evidence in a series of shorter articles.
 Dr. Adelstein Brown Dr. Adelstein Brown, who headed up a team of 120 volunteer scientists who gathered the evidence and did the analysis said, had some cogent comments for people who took the position that they could “work around this and do it their way” .
Many seem to think that is “not such a big deal”; they are more “angered by the rules than they are of getting Covid”.
Ignoring the rules is what got us to this point and why we now have to clamp down very hard.
Dr. Brown said there was “some” hope that we might still have a summer but there are huge obstacles to overcome before that can happen.
The focus for the medical community is getting people vaccinated, increasing capacity at the hospitals, dealing with the staff shortages and praying that doctors do not have to begin triaging patients.
For Dr. Brown and Dr. Williams the immediate concern was limiting mobility, forcing people to stay in their homes.
The data makes the point.
 Mobility has to be driven down to below that threshold dotted line. The scientists know where it is happening and why – the challenge now is to stop it.
 A breakdown of why people are traveling is revealing: workplace travel leads. People are being infected by a very contagious variant of Covid
Dr. Brown made it very clear – there is no silver bullet. The hope for a summer is with strong adherence – without that adherence to the Stay at Home rule – summer is gone.
 By Tammy Fox
April 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
I find it beyond belief that we have been existing in this Twilight Zone of a pandemic for over an entire year now. COVID has, and continues to have, absolutely devastating effects on everyone – personally, professionally, economically, socially – you name it.
 Tammy Fox, Executive Director, Burlington Performing Arts Centre We invested a great deal of time, effort and funds in developing a sold COVID-safety plan for BPAC last summer so that by early fall we would be in a position to welcome back reduced-capacity audiences in the safest way possible. We increased our air filtration, purchased plexiglass screens and every type of PPE available.
We invested in a socially-distanced ticketing system and seating plans, as well as patron self-screening software. We thoroughly sanitize the venue at least three times daily. When we were finally permitted live audiences of up to 50 people for October and November we scrambled to put together an exciting ‘mini-season’ of incredible artists, like Tom Cochrane, Chantal Kreviazuk, The Spoons and more.
We sold out every performance and I watched as my technical staff’s eyes welled up with tears on our ‘opening night’, overcome with emotion at having the opportunity to finally return after 6 months of suspended operation to what it is that we all do best. To the industry that we love. And then just like that we were slammed back into the ‘red zone’ and the stage lights went dim once again.
Now we are once again in lockdown. We are struggling to understand why we are not permitted to support our community and the Canadian arts ecology when we all need it most, by at the very least offering livestream performances. A typical livestream production might involve 5 – 10 people, between staff and artists, carefully and safely socially distanced in our incredibly spacious venue – but no, the province has deemed that too risky.
Film shoots involving 100 cast and crew are ok. For a long while, allowing hundreds to cram into malls and big box stores was ok. But no livestreaming allowed! Once simply can’t help but feel that the notion of the arts being somehow superfluous, non-essential to the health and spirit of a community is now up in lights on the marquee for all to see. It’s a very scary time for our industry, which has been deemed ‘the hardest hit’. Our industry will be the very last permitted to return to full operations. Ours will take the longest to fully recover.
With that said, there is an incredible amount of heart and effort going into advocacy efforts for the live entertainment sector. Federal agencies are doing what they can to keep us sustainable until life can return to ‘normal’. I do believe that people are eager to return. I feel that people are now truly becoming aware of the cavernous gap left in our lives and in our communities when the performing arts go dark. You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone – but absence will make the heart grow fonder!
 There will come a day when there will once again be a full house At present, I think that the best that we can hope for is offer a series of performances outdoors on our Plaza this summer. I hope to see us being permitted to operate at a percentage of capacity by the fall. At some point someone has to do the math and see that 250 patrons spread out across a 718-seat venue is safer than 50 people crammed into a Walmart check-out line.
 An outdoor performance on the plaza where the best seats were on a marble bench. In the meantime, we are constantly trying to find ways to support our staff, our patrons and our local artists and arts organizations and to keep our volunteers informed and engaged. We have been working with the HDSB by offering students a virtual education series, and we are developing an artist residency program that will see us offering our space and services to local artists. And mostly, we are working towards remaining optimistic and keeping the faith that we will hear that applause again one day soon. It will happen.
Because the show must go on!
Tammy Fox is the Executive Director of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre
 By Staff
April 15th,2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Spring – even though it may not feel like it today it is the time of year that we turn our attention to the gardens.
With the stay at home order we are not able to get into our own plots at Maple Gardens however the community gardens don’t usually open up until May anyway.
Right now though there is a way you can help us out. We have seedlings that are in need of foster care and are looking for volunteers to care for them. Please contact Sam (our Food Bank Garden coordinator) at garden@burlingtonfoodbank.ca if you would be able to help her out with this and/or over the spring and summer.
We can see one of our plots already growing a nice crop of garlic, thanks to Lisa who had planned it all out last season for us.
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or make arrangements to pick it up through our curb-side pickup option. If you are a resident in Burlington, we are all here to help. Don’t struggle – give us a call.
Grow to Give –
Grow a Row –
Buy a vegetable basket for Spring –
About the Burlington Food Bank –
Donate –
 By Pepper Parr
April 13th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It is disturbing when the City Manager feels he has to send out a message to the public asking people to be kind and considerate when dealing with people – adding a focus on the city staff he manages.
“We’re all in this pandemic together – Please be kind.
 A very poor quality screen shot of City Manager Tim Commisso taking part in a virtual Council meeting. He must be working out of a very uncomfortable location. “We get it. We’re in another Provincial State of Emergency that includes a Stay-at-Home Order, with additional restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19. People are tired of having to stay home, wear masks, wash their hands a lot and anxious about vaccines.
“This is why it is more important than ever to be patient and be kind to your neighbours, fellow residents and workers that serve you in our community.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, the health and well-being of our community and staff has been and continues to be the City of Burlington’s top priority.
“The City continues to coordinate efforts to protect the public and staff from the spread of COVID-19, while maintaining essential City services.
“We ask that you be considerate and kind to City staff doing their jobs. Frontline City personnel have been working tirelessly to serve the public, despite the risk, throughout this pandemic and City staff continue to work remotely whenever possible to ensure seamless delivery of programs and services.
“Under the City’s Zero Tolerance Policy and as part of the City’s social media commenting guidelines, unacceptable, abusive behavior will not be tolerated. Words hurt: Using abusive language can have a direct and harmful impact on the people who are doing their best to help you.
“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.
“We are all in this together. We’re here to help you so let us do our jobs by being respectful and following the rules and bylaws that are in place to protect us all.”
“We are all in this together” – apparently some don’t appear able to get that message.
 By Pepper Parr
April 12th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather was wonderful. Lots of people out and about.
I was driving south on John Street turning right onto Lakeshore where there were a good sized gathering of people sitting about. Traffic was a little clogged on Lakeshore – I was heading west to see what things looked like in the Beachway.
I was stunned by the number of people I saw sitting around – unmasked, side by side enjoying the sunshine.
Earlier in the day I was given the number of new infections reported by the province,
4456 new Covid19 cases.
The projection had been that we would reach 6000 new infections daily by the end of the month if we didn’t shut everything down.
Non-essential, elective surgery has stopped – the beds are needed for those who are very very sick due to Covid. My partner had her vaccination earlier in the week – she experiences pain and tightness in her arm. You worry – are you Ok, because I don’t think we know what Ok is anymore.
We are in trouble.
Most of the people I saw were young – high school maybe. They live in Burlington – and we are safe in Burlington. It is those other people who live elsewhere and in circumstances that aren’t as good as they are in Burlington that have to worry.
True enough – but this virus travels and it seems to be able to find groups of five to ten people and settle in.
NHL hockey games are cancelled because a team member has a temperature. One would think that those million dollar men on skates would be watched very closely and kept away from other people.
None of us are safe. That isn’t meant to be alarmist – it is the reality we have to live with.
That “abundance of caution” phrase is used by the politicians when they shut things down – it doesn’t appear to be something that most of us put in our pockets when we leave the house.
We are no longer able to gather as a “public” to express our concerns, offer our opinions or just enjoy the company of close friends. We learn of friends who have relatives facing critical health issues and we can’t drop by and visit with a casserole and some freshly baked bread in hand.
They miss out on needed support and we miss out by not being able to give that support. We are caring people put in a position where the opportunities to care get limited.
What is it we aren’t hearing?
And why?
 By Staff
April 10th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Mayor Meed Ward – welcomes the best to the city The Mayor sent out a note from her Linked In account today, touting how great it is to work for the city of Burlington and pointing to the need for a Manager of Building Inspections and Deputy Chief Building Official. Job pays between $112,000 and $140,000.
If you follow the links that are part of the message the Mayor sent out we learn that:
“As you look through our current job openings, remember: the grass is greener at the City of Burlington. With approximately 890 full-time and 600 part-time employees, we focus on teamwork, collaboration and investing in our co-workers. It’s no wonder our employee turnover rate is less than 7 per cent (that’s good). The City of Burlington is an award winning city, filled with award winning staff. In fact, we put the “greater” in the GTA.
 Laura Boyd, Director of Human Resources “We surveyed our staff and the top reasons why they chose to work/stay with the City of Burlington are the location/commute, the people, benefits and pension. Burlington is located between three major highways, has three GO train stations, public transit, bike paths and change and shower facilities at all main working locations.
“As public servants, our job is to provide excellent public service and good value for taxes. Our staff know this and are proud of the work they do, because as Canada’s best mid-sized city, we’re second to none. Our staff are dedicated, caring, professional and award winning.
“We have excellent benefits and pension as well as flexible work arrangements such as work from home, job sharing/rotations and a compressed work week. If you want to join a forward-thinking organization, apply today. Come for the job, stay for the career. We’ve got it all.”
Having the Mayor out there touting the city is a good thing. And there area lot of exceptional people working at city hall.
A report from the Human Resources department in the not too distant past paints a bit of a different picture.
Links to related news content.
Is Burlington going to have to pay more to attract good people?
Boyd report: trouble in paradise
By Pepper Parr
April 9th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Revised
Lots of cash poured into the city today.
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.
We don’t recall any mention of the $1.3 million the city is putting into this being mentioned during the last budget.
 Civic Square as it looks today – by the time the redesign is done in 2025 the high rise across the street will have a major impact on the look and feel of the space. The funds are going to be spent on revitalizing the Civic Square.
A Zoom call was used to make the announcement with talking heads from the federal, provincial and municipal levels chimed in.
The technology didn’t work all that well but the message was clear – Burlington is going to have a much different looking Civic Square starting in 2025.
The plan is to engage with the public in 2023, do the design work in 2024 and put shovels in the ground in 2025
What was a little confusing is that during the Zoom call both MP Karina Gould and Mayor Meed Ward made mention of trees being planted and a new fountain – the existing fountain is to be replaced.
How do those decisions get made without public engagement?
 A former Director of Planning once described the building as “iconic”; dated would be a better description Civic Square was in need of an upgrade. It was not really accessible and the look is dated.
When the talks about how the inside of the ground floor of city hall might get changed mention was made of a much more grand entrance to city hall.
One gets the suspicion that a lot of decisions have already been made.
Let’s wait and see what happens.
Related news stories:
The ground floor of city hall plans.
2019 plans for Civic Square – what happened to them?
The 2018 plans for Civic Square
By Pepper Parr
April 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 City manager Tim Commisso in his Pandemic bunker It was exactly one year ago today that City Manager Tom Commisso and his staff began the practice of giving city Councillors a verbal update on how the city was coping with Covid19 pandemic.
It has been quite a roller coaster ride for all of them.
Director of Parks and Recreation Chris Glenn has learned to do a pivot within a pivot as he and his staff struggle to deal with how they are going to make the parks and recreation facilities available to the public when the rules get changed.
 Chris Glenn Director of Parks and Recreation for the city. Doing pivots within pivots. Glenn started the week being in a modified lock down mode – worked within those rules only to find that the province is now in a Stay at Home mode with being told to stay in their homes – but to also get out and get some exercise and maintain a semblance of mental health.
The only place you can walk and enjoy yourself is the public parks with Spender Smith being a magnet for most people.
So the crowds arrive – expected to wear masks and maintain the six foot distance rule and don’t be part of a group of more than five people
Glenn’s park experience as a young man was as a lifeguard at swimming pools. Not something that would prepare him for the current assignment.
What we are seeing is a staff that is much more in control of what they have to do and thinking several months ahead and trying to anticipate what they might have to do.
Councillors are in closer touch with the constituents and working hard to get the answers to questions.
 Plains Road; an old suburban highway transitions into a vibrant urban main street with flower beds in place Last year the city put plants in less than half of the 130 plant beds in the city.
This year they will have plants in every bed – assuming they can call back the part time staff that were doing this work. Many of them have moved on to other job opportunities.
What is visible is how Staff have upped their game to meet demands that change by the day – at times by the hour.
Staff are coming back with solutions to problems they didn’t even know existed.
Much more to tell about just how they are doing this.
By Jocelyn Bell
April 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
What industries were 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.
 Profits come from growth and growth is the result of wise investing and patience. Image Source: Pixabay  The gaming industry that attracts a younger crowd has events that involves thousands of people from around the world. 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 esports 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.
 Gaming at casinos is also growing – especially for the on-line locations that put a gambler right at the table. 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.
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.
 Development in the software field has sky-rocketed with public companies registering big price increases. The opportunities with private companies ready to go public are immense. 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.
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 analyzed into a format they understand. Software developers are keen to meet these demands, and it makes for an incredibly profitable industry.
Property
 Homes in many markets are selling well above the asking price. Major gains are being made. With property prices moving up at an incredible rate, 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.
 By Pepper Parr
April 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette saw the mention of some possible changes to public access to the piers at the Burlington canal.
 There is a Hamilton and a Burlington pier – and people should be permitted to use those piers There wasn’t much in the way of immediate response from the Member of Parliament Cabinet Minister Karina Gould. Today she released the following statement:
“Over the last few months I’ve heard from constituents regarding their concerns about the closure of the Burlington Canal Piers.
I have been in close contact with all relevant parties about how we can work together to have the Piers stay open, while also keeping residents safe.
I’m pleased that the cities of Hamilton and Burlington, as well as Transport Canada, have indicated a willingness to work on a solution to ensure that the Piers can remain open for public use while ensuring safety for all users.
There are ongoing conversations but we are all committed to working together to keep the piers accessible and safe.
I’d like to once again thank all of the constituents who have contacted my office to express their support. Your voices have been heard, and I will continue to advocate for our community.
As always, I still encourage everyone to stay safe on our waterfront and piers.”
That’s fine as far as it goes.
 Showing the way: Burlington MP Karina Gould has an opportunity to fully engage the public on the matter of access to the pier. During an interview with Minister Gould a number of months ago I recall the Minister saying that as a Cabinet Minister it enabled her to call meetings.
The Gazette would urge the Minister to call a public meeting, perhaps out on the pier where the public can ask questions and the bureaucrats can respond.
All the fresh breezes coming in off the lake would help with the six foot spaces.
The ‘where’ isn’t all that important – what is really vital is that there be a public meeting.
By Denise Dalsgaard
April 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
This content is sponsored.
Being a VIP – that sounds nice to most – It makes you think of shining cars, red carpets and exclusivity. While there are no cars or red carpets in the online casino, being a VIP does offer a range of exclusive advantages for you as a person who enjoys attending the online black-jack table, playing the slot machines or any other games offered on your favorite online casino. Check Casinoclaw.com to figure out the ins and outs of VIP status in online casinos.
 Photo credit: Heather Gill Loyalty
Often you can be offered VIP status if you are a loyal customer. If you frequently use the same website, they know that you are trustworthy and that you are a good customer.
 Rewards for VIP members can be significant Some online casinos wish to offer good customersVIP-advantages, because they trust you, and they wish to keep you around.
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Go other places
Most casinos have both tournaments, games and bonuses that are reserved for the VIP players. With a VIP access you will be able to play whole new games. This will expand your possibilities to play and have fun online. Sometimes the casinos also offer VIP players rewards as extra spins, cashbacks or extra tokens – what is not to like?
Build you status
29 casinos are a part of Casino Rewards Loyalty Program. This means that the credibility and status you build in one casino is transferable to the others. They work with six levels of VIP-status. As you gamble, have fun and play you will climb the ranks. In the beginning the advantages are small, but as you get more and more status, you will have a chance to win gift cards and hotel stays.
 Ask around at the casino you patronize about becoming a VIP member. How do you become a VIP?
It changes from site to site how you become a VIP member. Some casinos will have you sign on specifically and activate a vip-account, in some casinos you are automatically registered in a reward program and some casinos have invite only systems. If you are interested in all the advantages that comes with being a VIP-member, you will have to investigate how to be a VIP at your favorite online casino.
By Pepper Parr
April 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Later today Premier Doug Ford will set out the details on a four week Stay at Home order.
We’ve been down this road before, which doesn’t make it easier.
The specifics of the order are not yet known – the Premier is expected to make an announcement during the day.
Reports are that the Stay at Home order will be effective at midnight.
Feeding people who are not able to get out is going to be just a little more difficult for the Food Bank.
 Former Mayor Goldring and his wife look on as the Burlington Teen Tour Band entertains hundreds at the Performing Arts Centre. Unfortunately, due to the lock-down measures last Saturday the Teen Tour Band Boosters Spring Food Drive was postponed – groups outdoors need to be 5 or less so it made it impossible to proceed.
If you had picked up some food donations and weren’t able to drop off, please consider dropping them off in any grocery store’s food bank bin – or drop off at a local fire hall. You can even mark teen tour band on the bag and we can keep track of donations in lieu of the Teen Tour Band.
The Burlington Teen Tour Band is the oldest continually operating municipally-sponsored youth band in Canada and participates in many international parades, bursting with national pride. They have been Canada’s musical ambassadors since 1947.
Helping those who need help.
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or make arrangements to pick it up through our curb-side pickup option. If you are a resident in Burlington, we are all here to help. Don’t struggle – give us a call.
 By Matthew Gomes
April 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
How to win more with online gambling
 You can play responsibly from the comfort of your couch. While the thrill of playing your favourite games at a physical casino is real, sometimes, you might have to twist up your gaming a little bit and try out an online casino instead. Online casinos come packed with tons of benefits, the first on the list being the fact that you get to have quite a blast, right from the comfort of your house. In addition to this, online casinos boast tons of lucrative promos and bonuses, allowing you to take full advantage of some hot deals!
If you are eager to win big at an online casino, here are some CasinoTop10 Tips that you can consider:
Welcome Offer Package
Most online casinos will try their best to appeal to new customers by way of giving them sign up bonus offers. As you shop around for your favourite online casino, be sure to check out what offer they have in store for you.
Wagering Requirements
While a particular online casino’s welcome bonus offer might be seemingly lucrative, it is no use if the wagering requirements are too high to meet. Look for a platform that has relatively fair and easy to meet playthrough terms.
Consider your choice of games
Understandably, you might feel the need to try out as many games as possible, hoping to increase your chances of winning. However fun it might be, this is not the best approach. It is advisable to choose a few of your favourites and stick to them. This gives you the opportunity to focus on those games, and with time, you will learn some tricks on how to win big on them.
 There are any number of on-line gaming locations – find the one that you are comfortable with and have fun. Practice on Demo mode
Most people live delving right into wagering, without necessarily taking their time to learn the details of how their online casino of choice operates. Seeing as most casinos allow game-play in demo mode, be sure to try it out before you can bet using your hard-earned real cash.
Game selection
Look for an online casino whose game selection is wide in the array. You don’t want to join a casino with limited games available. This gives you an opportunity to try out several games before you can settle for your favourite ones to focus on.
Choose a reputable site
Picking the right casino leaves you rest assured that there won’t be challenges with payouts and that your personal information is safe and secure.
Try out jackpot games
Most online casinos will have a range of Jackpot games available. Be sure to try them out seeing as great treasure awaits, especially on progressive Jackpots.
Ensure that you read all terms and conditions
While most people tend to ignore the details here, it is quite crucial to familiarize yourself with the various terms of your online casino of choice. This way, you get to learn how the site operates, including bet options, minimum deposits, as well as the rules of engagement on different games.
 Stick to your betting Budget
Agreeably, one might be tempted to bet more with each loss made. However, it is advisable to have a plan for your betting finances to avoid making even bigger losses.
Have a well-balanced betting strategy
Ensure that you use an appropriate betting strategy to ensure that you work with calculated risks. An example would be striking a balance between low and high-risk bets.
 By Staff
April 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
They have been doing it for 25 years – providing lush hanging baskets of flowers.
The event is part of a fund raiser where everyone wins. St. Matthews Church in Aldershot takes great pleasure in making these plants available.
A bright spot in a not so bright situation.
They go quite quickly. Get your order
 By Lana Petrovski
April 5th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Playing cards has been part of human civilization for at least a millennium, long before the dawn of technology. Even though many people associate cards with online casino games such as poker and blackjack, there are several themed card games that go beyond the standard 52-card deck.
 It is now all at your finger tips- you can play anywhere – safely. The good news is that you can also enjoy your favourite games on your new iPhone. Here are our Top five card themed games that you can download from the App Store today.
Hearthstone
Hearthstone is a card collection game from the studio that brought us World of Warcraft, and it sees players build decks with powerful cards to summon heroes and minions to gain control of a complex battlefield. Hearthstone merges skill and strategy with the joy of completing a set of characters as the battle unfolds.
 Kittens – a different approach to a game. Exploding Kittens
Probably one of the most successful Kickstarter stories to date, Exploding Kittens transitioned from a fun board game to an even more enjoyable online game. Essentially, this is a game of hot potato that combines equal measures of cute felines and total destruction. Exploding Kittens is a great multiplayer game that makes for a fun and enjoyable night with your mates.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is a free-to-play digital collectable card game based on the infamous novel and video franchise. This turn-based game has simple rules for challenging gameplay to collect ‘power’ and win. The cards and game board burst with colour and animations, transporting players deep into this fantasy world as they work to defeat their enemies.
UNO!
Uno has been a family favourite card game for over three decades, and it is still loved by many! The mobile game version, UNO!, keeps the same rules and gameplay in Classic Mode, but also adds a 2v2 Mode where players can team up and strategize together.
 Includes fan favourite characters from the Seven Kingdoms that battle for control of the Iron Throne. Reigns: Game of Thrones
Reigns is a card simulator game set in a fictional medieval world where players need to rule over their kingdom by accepting or rejecting advice from their counsellors. Reigns: Game of Thrones keeps the basic rules of the Reigns franchise, but includes fan favourite characters from the Seven Kingdoms that battle for control of the Iron Throne.
By Staff
March 4th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Farmer Kearns Farmer Kearns – oops that was meant to read Lisa Kearns, ward 2 Councillor, was out on a pasture making an announcement.
There is going to be an “urban farm” on Brant Street at Ghent in the North West corner.
 A Molinaro development that is years away. The empty field will be turned into an urban farm. Kearns advises that the property is the subject of a development application submitted by the Molinaro Group.
Kearns explains that the development is years away and in the meantime a group asked for and has been given permission to set up an urban farm.
That got through city hall in record speed.
Not much more in the way of details – other than to say there are bales of how now set up on the property.
 Phase 1 of an Urban Farm – on Brant Street. Grow for Change a group that advocates for the farming community. They can be reached by email at grow4changes@gmail.com
They are reported to be looking for volunteers once everything is set up.
So if you own a pitchfork and farming trousers – stand by – someone is going to want you.
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