 By Ray Rivers
November 30th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Today it’s just a small group of young folks, one only 12 years old, taking the provincial government to court under Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which promises protection for life, liberty and security of the person. Yet, according to the science, they more than the 55 year old Mr. Ford, will suffer “widespread illness and death” because of the policies of this provincial government.
 Doug Ford: cancelled virtually all of the positive environmental policies of the previous government, as if the environment is a partisan issue. Even the federal government, which had pioneered a number of progressive climate measures, including the carbon tax, is being sued (by another group of young Canadians) for not doing enough. But Mr. Ford’s government is clearly culpable – having actually cancelled virtually all of the positive environmental policies of the previous government, as if the environment is a partisan issue and he needed to show he was different. So it’s as if Mr. Ford deliberately provoked this kind of reaction, the first such legal action against a provincial government.
Ford slashed the province’s carbon emissions reduction targets. He is suing the federal government at the Supreme Court over a carbon tax, imposed only after he cancelled the province’s own cap-and-trade carbon pricing program – the most cost effective way to reduce all of the peoples’ carbon footprints.
While taking credit for the results of the provincial innovative green energy program, which reduced Ontario’s climate damaging emissions by 22%, Ford has bragged about having shut down the program. Coal which was used to produce 25% of the province’s electricity in 2003 was phased out by 2015 and largely replaced by conservation, wind and solar power.
 Some see the wind turbines as a pleasant addition to a skyline But Mr. Ford doesn’t like the sight of wind generators, so he has killed some 800 renewable energy projects undergoing completion. It is costing a quarter billion dollars to cancel these investments. This action winds down the development of renewable energy in Ontario and with it the thousands of jobs already in the wind and solar industry. Canadian Solar, for example, used to be the third largest global solar manufacturer.
Mr. Ford has also declared war on electric vehicles, and reduced the pump price of gasoline, thus encouraging greater gasoline consumption. He ended the provincial electric vehicle (EV) incentive program and killed the program of installing EV charging stations across the province.
Mr. Ford says he believes in climate change and has a plan to deal with it, but that is clearly rubbish. Just ask those young people suing him or all the people in this province who voted federally for political parties supporting the carbon tax.
And this goes beyond climate change. In 2005 Ontario issued 15 smog advisories covering 53 days, due in large part to pollution from Ontario’s coal-fired electricity. An independent study estimated the health, financial and environmental costs of that pollution at $4.4 billion a year. More recent studies have shown that exposure to nanoparticles emitted in automobile and truck exhaust fumes can also lead to a number of health effects including a rising number of cases of brain cancer.
 This is not the way to determine who governs us. Litigation is today’s new democracy. As we’ve previously discussed in this column, the inadequacies of our first-past-the-post electoral system cry out for electoral reform. In the absence of that reform we have to rely on the courts to ensure politicians listen to the people between elections. So we should expect more legal action – individuals suing government and governments in turn suing industry to recover the costs of the health care and environmental damage and costs they cause.
Current emphasis on environmental litigation has been likened to what has happened with the tobacco industry. Those damage law suits were less about the fact that cigarettes are addictive and cause cancer and heart disease, but that the companies knew all of this and misled or withheld it from the public and public health authorities.
There is substantial evidence that oil company researchers and executives understood that the ongoing expansion of petroleum consumption would lead to irreversible global warming. Not only did they fail to inform the public but deliberately misled all of us. And isn’t the imperilment of the planet’s climate a crime for which no punishment is too harsh.
 Another voice, Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission, recently concurred with other experts that its analysis demonstrates that carbon pricing is the most cost-effective way for the country to hit its 2030 Paris emission targets. Of course they argue that the price would need to rise to $210 per tonne compared to $30 today. And then former Ontario Liberal environment minister Glenn Murray, who introduced Ontario’s cap and trade carbon pricing program, now believes that it is too late, even for a carbon tax to be effective.
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Youth Legal Challenge – Ontario Coal – Wind energy –
Air Pollution – More Air Pollution – Canadian Solar –
Car Culture – Oil Legal Cases – More Oil Legal –
Carbon Tax Too Late –
 By Pepper Parr
November 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Students were arriving at the Mattamy Velodrome in Milton Friday by the busload from every public high school in the Region.
They were there to look at some of the educational opportunities available to them once they have completed high school.
 1500 students from public high schools throughout the Region took part in an opportunity to see what their educational futures might look like. A total of 1500 students were expected to go through two hour sessions looking at the offerings at community colleges and opportunities in both the public and the private sectors.
The exhibits filled the oval of the velodrome, which from time to time, had cyclists speeding around on the track.
The Halton Pathways: A Future that Fits program is designed to give students as many opportunities as possible to decide what they want to do in the way of work once they have completed their education.
 Burlington’s Nelson High School pitching their SHSM program. Several of the Community Colleges were on hand with representatives who could talk about various programs, at least one university was represented. The Regional Police had equipment on the site.
Part of the Pathways program is the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM).
SHSM programs allow students to specialize their education around their chosen field of interest. Each SHSM program includes a bundle of 8-10 Grade 11 and 12 courses related to that area of interest.
Grade 11 and 12 students choose a major sector area such as:
 Superintendent Julie Hunt Gibbons. Business, construction, arts and culture, energy, environment, information and communications technology, justice, community safety and emergency services, health and wellness, horticulture and landscaping, social justice, sports, transportation, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism.
The opportunity to specialize will result in notations on their report cards that often leads to a job as soon as they graduate because they have marketable skills.
Julie Hunt Gibbons, Superintendent of Education responsible for Secondary curriculum and school program, Student success and pathways destinations, Elementary schools: Brookdale, Eastview, Gladys Speers, Oakwood, Pine Grove, WH Morden and TA Blakelock High School.
 By Pepper Parr
November 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It is amazing what can be done by a Mayor when they decide something has to be done.
The Meridian Brick operation on King Road has been a threat to the Tyandaga Community. They organized as TEC and raised tens of thousands to hire people who they believed could help them stop the quarrying that was going to take place for years close to their small back yards.
The previous council looked at the issue, said the quarry had a license to do what they wanted to do, shrugged their shoulders and let it go.
The Tyandaga residents were not prepared to give up.
They had worked with then Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who was elected Mayor in October of 2018.
On Tuesday of next week she will formally introduce several Staff Directions.
 The quarries as seen from the back yards of the West Haven residences. Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility to investigate the Air Quality Bylaw for Oakville and report back to council with a recommendation for a similar bylaw for Burlington by Q2 2020; and
Direct the Executive Director of Legal Services and Corporation Counsel to retain an environmental lawyer to advise on the municipal role in the Aldershot Quarry, the potential air quality bylaw and any other matters arising; and
Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility to review and report back on the peer reviews of the studies done by Meridian/Aldershot Quarry and requirements for ongoing monitoring and potential impacts on human health. As part of the review, report back on the cost and process to conduct an independent peer review of studies conducted to date; and
Direct the Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry to review the forestry plan for phased removal and replacement of trees at the Aldershot Quarry, and report back with an assessment to council in Q2 2020; and
Direct the Mayor to:
• write to the three local MPPs for Burlington, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry to request a meeting to discuss the conditions of the site plan and their oversight and due diligence in ongoing monitoring and studies conducted on the air quality impacts of the quarry activities to ensure the quarry is operating within provincial regulations.
• establish a Community Council Liaison Committee with representation from Meridian/Aldershot Quarry, local citizens, provincial ministries, city staff and council, and other stakeholders (as identified below), to provide regular communication among stakeholders, renew monitoring studies, and discuss quarry activities and any emerging/new issues.
 Bricks ready to be delivered. What a difference a Mayor makes.
The background on all this:
Meridian/Aldershot Quarry operates in the city of Burlington off King Road, north of North Service Road. The quarry is governed by both a provincially approved license and a site plan. The license was issued in 1972.
In 2010, a revised site plan was approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The site plan spells out certain provincial conditions that must be met to continue operations.
Meridian Brick purchased the Aldershot Quarry in 1990. In 1998, the Tyandaga West subdivision, including what is now Westhaven Drive, was approved by the then-Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). The OMB-endorsed Minutes of Settlement included conditions for the plan of subdivision regarding ongoing monitoring of dust and noise, which were met prior to the issuance of building permits.
The west and centre cells of the Quarry are almost depleted, so Aldershot/Meridian Brick is now moving into the east cell, closer to the homes on Westhaven Drive.
Residents on Westhaven Drive, along with the broader Tyandaga community and beyond, formed the Tyandaga Environmental Coalition (TEC) and have raised concerns about the impact on human health from dust from the quarry. Additional concerns have been raised regarding loss of tree canopy and noise. Residents have asked whether the decades-old license would be granted today, or the subdivision approved today in such close proximity, given up-to-date information about the environment and potential impact of quarries in close proximity to residential neighbourhoods.
TEC is advocating for three actions related to the quarry:
1. Endorse TEC’s proposed Minister’s Zoning Order and Request for Review to allow for the permanent protection of the site, or at the very least the required three-year salamander survey work;
2. Seek, along with the Halton Medical Officer of Health, independent peer reviews of all Meridian’s technical studies, and
3. Commission a Stakeholder Design Charette exercise to explore sustainable rehabilitation and development solutions across the entire Aldershot quarry operation.
Requesting an MZO of the province would depend on the findings of the review of studies and ongoing monitoring requirements and oversight of the site. TEC has advised they have information about salamanders in the vicinity; we have requested they forward that information.
The city has recently taken the position with the proposed expansion of the Nelson Quarry that any post-use design discussion will not commence till the site is decommissioned; the same approach will be taken with the Tyandaga quarry.
There is merit in reviewing the studies that have been conducted, and the ongoing requirements for monitoring and provincial oversight.
In June of this year, myself and Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith met with TEC members Fran Fendelet, Heather Lareau, Maria Rozakis Adcock and their consultant Dr. Franco DiGiovanni.
Mr. DiGiovanni is an expert in air quality, is often called on to testify at hearings (most recently on the proposed Milton CN logistics hub), and currently works for Hemmera, a leading environmental consultancy.
A number of issues were identified and shared by Dr. DiGiovanni regarding the quality of the studies conducted by Meridian Brick/Aldershot Quarry, and the nature of the peer review work that was completed, specifically:
– not conducted by a licensed engineer practitioner
– some contaminants were not examined
– unclear how Meridian is held accountable for ongoing monitoring
The issues raised by TEC, Dr. DiGiovanni, and citizens regarding the nature and quality of the studies done to date warrant the city taking a deeper look at the quarry activities, the ongoing monitoring, and the oversight provided by the province.
Former Mayor Rick Goldring and Councillor Rick Craven must be shaking their heads: they did nothing.
 By Pepper Parr
November 29th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Looks like things will get a little boisterous during the early part of December,
There are three Standing Committee meetings the week of December 2nd at which some contentious issues are going to be heard.
 Alison Enns, lead planner on the Taking a Closer Look Walking Tour  City Planner explaining some of the locations during a Walking Tour. The Taking a Closer Look at Downtown report that will be presented has a number of people disappointed with what the Planning team is bringing forward – they intend to delegate.
The Gazette is aware of two people – with several others wanting a little more time to think about what they want to say, registered to delegate. The report that is going to council is lengthy and at times confusing.
Alison Enns and another planner led a small group on a Walking Tour to gather thoughts and opinions from people and to answer questions. The two were quite keen and listened intently – there were a few points where they didn’t have much in the way of background on other developments in the area – the Bridgewater being a development where they didn’t want to say a word. What the public saw were two planners trying very hard to understand what people had to say.
 The council meeting was originally intended as a Committee of the Whole, a process that does not permit delegations. The complaints about that decision were close to visceral. For reasons that still aren’t understood the Clerk’s Office vacillated between ‘it would be a COW and then it would be a Standing Committee’. Some thought that concern was over people wanting to delegate which would take up much of the time. It certainly will – delegations are for as much as ten minutes and then as much as an additional ten minutes when the seven members of council ask follow up questions of the delegator.
This is the elected listening to the electors, folks; the reason we all stood out in the cold on Remembrance Day.
The point is – there will be delegations which we thought was the reason this council wanted to serve the public – so they could listen to them.
There is some concern as well over the report the Mayor will be making on her trip to Japan – the amount spent is thought to be over what was budgeted. We cover that in a different story.
 By Staff
November 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Police rely heavily on finger prints and DNA as evidence in identifying a suspect and attaching them to a crime.
Footprints are not something police usually rely upon.
That changed for the Halton Regional Police Service officers who very much wanted to capture two people who had left distinguishing foot prints at crime scenes
Police arrested two people after a series of residential break and enters dating back to January, 2019 in Burlington. The unique shoe impressions that were identified at the scene of multiple entries and some solid detective work led to the arrest of:
Joseph Allen (49) of Hamilton has been charged with break and enter (x14).
Carol Brown (69) of Hamilton has been charged with break and enter (x14).
The suspects of these break and enters came to be referred to as the ‘Under Armour Bandit’ because of the foot wear.
Both accused were arrested on Saturday, November 23; after investigators executed two search warrants at residences in Hamilton police were able to recover property that is believed to have been stolen from the break and enters.
“If you are a victim of a residential break-in that took place in Burlington between the dates of October 2018 and November 2019 please click the link to review the photos on our Flickr account.
   “If you are the rightful owner and can identify any of the property please contact us.”
The investigation is ongoing at this time and additional charges are expected to be laid. Anyone who may have additional information concerning this investigation is asked to contact Detective Constable Matt Spina of the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2338 or the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau general line at 905-825-4747 ext. 2316.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Please be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Pepper Parr
November 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
“Just in case you haven’t seen it yet” wrote a Gazette reader, “that Japan trip cost us $31,161 for the six people who took it – quite a bit over the initial estimates, even by airfare and accommodations alone.
“I understand the significance of the anniversary, but this is a ridiculous cost that I as a Burlington resident am forced to pay. They went over there for five days with few working hours – an entire day at least was spent on things like a ‘soba noodle making experience’.
What value is that to the public back home? It sounds more like personal vacation time for the Mayor, Councillor Nisan, the City Manager and the Mundialization Committee members.
“I urge you to take a deeper dive into this – the report is available online, its item 4.6
 The Mayor and the City Manager went local while they were in Japan. The trip may well have been worth the photographs of the Mayor and the City Manager strutting through the streets of a Japanese community.
Here is what the Mayor will report on.
 By Staff
November 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 Transformed at a cost of close to $10 million – the museum is now open to the public. The Museum does have the name of the first citizen on the outside – but high school level entertainment is the feature currently.
The Joseph Brant Museum made the display of a collection of pin ball machines as the opening event for the expensively transformed museum.
There are two events that focus on the collection of pinball machines at the Museum.
 Balls & Beer Pinball Night takes place on Friday, December 13th, from 7 pm to 10 pm
Patrons can enjoy local craft beer and test their pinball skills at the Part of the Machine: Rock & Pinball exhibition on for a special night out at Joseph Brant Museum.
This event is licensed, you must be 19 years + to attend. Your ticket includes unlimited pinball play, 2 beer tickets, appetizers, a souvenir beer glass and there will be door prizes! $40/person. Tickets for the event.
 On December 21st, the Museum is hosting an IFPA sanctioned pinball tournament. You are expected to be a pinball wizard – the event is a friendly competition – all skill levels are welcome!
Prizes will be given to the top 3 scorers. Sign up before December 14. Snacks provided. $25/person.
Guest host, Jeff Teolis from Pinball Profile will lead a fun night out at Joseph Brant Museum on – 5 to 9 pm. ALL skill levels are welcome. Players will be randomly assigned opponents and a pinball machine to play a match. This event is sanctioned by the IFPA (International Flipper Pinball Association).
Top scores will be posted on their website. Registration limited to 40 people, sign up before December 14.
By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The map below shows the boundaries of all the proposed precincts.
The focus of this article is the Mid Brant Precinct that includes the No Frills Plaza
 Map showing all the precinct boundaries The Mid Brant Precinct is located north of Caroline Street and south of the schools and contains the NoFrills plaza. It was created out of the Brant Main Street Precinct and Downtown Core Precinct of the Adopted OP.
Vision The Mid Brant Precinct will serve as a mixed-use neighbourhood containing a significant amount of retail space including servicing a food store function. The precinct will function as a major retail centre that serves the day-to-day and weekly shopping needs of Downtown residents.
 Map of the Mid Brant precinct. To support a walkable community the entire area must provide an accessible and attractive pedestrian environment with wide sidewalks, and greenway connections to adjacent residential neighbourhoods. Future development will also result in the filling of surface parking lots and the intensification of under-utilized buildings.
Brant Street will be enhanced as a Pedestrian Priority Street with wide sidewalks, bringing buildings close to the street and small urban squares adjacent to Brant Street. An increased buffer will be provided along Rambo creek with a walking trail along the west side of the Creek. A new public urban park will also be created.
Brant Street frontage will have a low-rise character.
The east side will allow for 3 storeys within the first 20 m. Beyond 20m, tall buildings are permitted.
Concept 1:
A proposed extension of John Street to Victoria is incorporated beside Rambo Creek, which provides increased separation to low-rise neighbourhoods.
A step down in height along the west side of the John Street extension will provide a transition from the existing neighborhood.
Brant Street frontage will have a low to mid-rise built form.
Adjacent to Brant Street, low to mid-rise built form will be permitted in the first block depth. In the second block depth, mid-rise buildings are permitted.
A proposed extension of John Street to Victoria is incorporated in the centre of this precinct.
A step down in height along the west side of Rambo Creek will provide a transition to the exiting neighborhood.
Additional green space and a trail will be required on the west side of the creek.
 Concept 2.
This concept introduces a low-rise character to the Precinct which was not provided for in the Adopted Official Plan.
Includes a road extension of John Street to Victoria Avenue and requires transitional step-downs to the neighbouring precinct to the east which was not required previously.
Maintains low-rise character on Brant Street.
Tall buildings are permitted.
Additional green space and a trail will be required on the west side of the creek.
The concept introduces mid-rise buildings to the Precinct.
Includes a road extension of John Street to Victoria Avenue and requires transitional step-downs to neighbouring precinct to the east which was not required previously.
Allows mid-rise character on Brant Street.
As only mid-rise buildings are permitted, the block may not have a variety of built form.
Mid Brant is an area where re-development will likely occur.
 The Image above shows how 3 storeys are permitted within 20m of Brant and beyond that 17 storeys. The view is at Brant and Caroline looking north. The 3D Model Image above demonstrates the Mid Brant precinct where re-development will likely occur. The Image above shows how 3 storeys are permitted within 20m of Brant and beyond that 17 storeys. The view is at Brant and Caroline looking north.  The 3D Model Image above demonstrates the Mid Brant is an area where re-development will likely occur. The Image above shows how mid-rise is permitted along Brant. The view is at Brant and Caroline looking north. The 3D Model Image above demonstrates the Mid Brant precinct where re-development will likely occur. The Image above shows how 3 storeys are permitted within 20m of Brant and beyond that 17 storeys. The view is at Brant and Caroline looking north.
During a walking tour of this precinct Planning staff elaborated on what some of their thinking was. There would be a pathway along the east edge of Rambo Creek with benches in place.
The supermarket would remain but parking would be underground and some park area in the center.
Where would Joe Dogs go?
Related articles:
The outline
The bigger picture.
By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The city’s Planning department is ready to take its first cut on what the downtown should look like. Council will review, discuss, debate and listen to delegations.
This article covers the available information on the Brant Main Street precinct.
While the overall vision for the Downtown remains the same, the Planning staff came up with two proposed concepts that are distinct and provide different ways in which to achieve the overall vision.
The two concepts are based on the revised Precincts. The development of the concepts is not starting from scratch. It was also necessary to take the following factors into account when developing the land use concepts: existing context; other related City policy; Provincial and Regional policy; and the directions given by Council for the re- examination including specifying 2031 as the planning horizon.
There are 11 precincts – two are administrative in nature – the others cover all of the downtown core.
Within each Precinct, there is an existing context of built and approved residential towers, office buildings and heritage buildings that is not anticipated to change before 2031 but which influences the character of the precinct.
The map below shows the location of all the precincts. More derail on the Brant Street Main precinct is below the ward boundary map.
 Brant Main Street Precinct applies to the portion of Brant Street that residents associate with the traditional downtown main street. Residents noted that the portion north of Caroline Street has a different character and it is now part of the Mid Brant Mixed-Use Precinct.
Vision The Brant Main Street Precinct will serve as a unique destination within the Downtown and City-wide. It will be enhanced as a priority retail main street where the character of small retail shops lining the street is maintained.
Brant Street is identified as a Pedestrian Priority Street where the streetscape provides a safe and comfortable environment with Clear Path Zones and bump outs to narrow the distance to cross at key intersections.
A new large festival square, which is partially completed, will be located on the City parking lot between Brant and John Streets.
Permitted uses are primarily retail and service commercial uses on the ground floor with residential uses above.
Concept 1:
Brant Street will have a low-rise built form character.
Only low buildings will be permitted within the first 20 m. of Brant Street.
The remainder of these blocks adjacent to John Street and Locust Street will permit mid-rise buildings.
In addition to the overall Downtown vision, Concept 1 respects the low-rise built form character by permitting only up to 3 storey buildings along Lower Brant and parts of Lakeshore and extends it through Mid Brant.
 Concept 1 – would allow for taller buildings tucked in behind building that reflect the traditional Burlington.  Concept 2: Image above represent a 6 storey Midrise building, an example of what could be built The low-rise permission provides an opportunity for greater number of existing buildings to be maintained along Brant Street, while any new low-rise buildings will allow for greater flexibility in store sizes and unique store fronts, which provides the ability to maintain the eclectic look and feel that creates the unique sense of place of Brant Street. Mid-rise buildings are directed to John Street and taller buildings are directed to precincts north of Caroline Street and within parts of the Downtown East Precinct north of the Elgin Promenade.
 3D rendering of concept 1  3D rendering of concept 2 When reference is made to categories of buildings (i.e., low-rise) the following summarizes the range of possible building heights for each building type:
• Low-rise: up to 3 storeys
• Low-mid Rise: 4 – 6 storeys
• Mid-rise: 7 – 11 storeys
• Tall: 12 + storeys
Pros and cons of concept 1.
The Concept is most similar to the Adopted OP requiring low rise-built form character at street level but with a greater setback of 20 metres to mid-rise buildings.
Maintains a maximum 3 storey low-rise character along Brant Street.
Twenty-metre-deep building podiums provide flexibility to maintain existing retail stores or accommodate new retail space.
Allows mid-rise along John Street and Locust Street.
Concept 2: Mid Rise – an opportunity for an increased pedestrian realm and open spaces.
In addition to the overall Downtown vision, Concept 2 provides for a renewal of the Downtown through a low-mid rise built form along Lower Brant and Mid Brant and mid- rise built form along parts of Lakeshore. This ‘in between’ scale of buildings provides a human scale, walkable public realm that will provide opportunities for future gathering places and open space, through potential additional setbacks and privately owned publicly accessible open spaces (POPS1) along the vibrant streetscapes.
The taller mid- rise buildings allow for wider sidewalks and more open space at the street through greater building setbacks. Taller buildings are directed to precincts north of Caroline Street and within the Downtown East Precinct.
Currently no maximum height is identified for Tall Buildings. Input received through the engagement process will be used to inform the evaluation and confirm a maximum Tall Building height for each Precinct to be included in the preliminary preferred Concept.
Pros and cons concept 2
Compared to the Adopted OP, this concept permits shorter mid-rise buildings without stepbacks.
No stepback is required resulting in the potential for a 6-storey building to be introduced on Brant street.
Apartment towers limit flexibility of retail space due to columns.
Permits low to mid-rise buildings.
Related news stories:
The Outline
The bigger picture.
By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Directly below is a map of all the precincts. Detail on the Lakeshore precinct is below this larger map.
 This area to many is the very heart of the city – directly across from Spencer Smith Park at the west end. All the land that has not been developed is in the hands of developers who have held it for some time. There will be a battle royal over what gets to be permitted. The Lakeshore Precinct is a new precinct which has been created out of the lower section of the previous Downtown Core Precinct in order to highlight the gateway nature of Lakeshore Road.
Vision: The Lakeshore Precinct will serve as the gateway to the Waterfront. This precinct will continue to develop as a priority retail main street particularly on the north side of Lakeshore Road. Permitted uses are primarily retail and service commercial uses on the ground floor with residential uses above. Lakeshore Road is identified as a Pedestrian Priority Street2 where the streetscape provides a safe and comfortable environment with Clear Path Zones3 and bump outs4 to narrow the distance to cross at key intersections.
The Precinct is largely developed with existing buildings ranging from 12 to 17 storeys on the north side of Lakeshore Road and one approved building of 26 storeys and with one site with permission up to 22 storeys on the south side of Lakeshore Road. Only parts of 4 blocks remain for redevelopment.
 This is the kind of thing the Planners are putting forward as Concept 1 for this precinct.  This is a 3D rendering of what the street will look like under Concept # 1
Concept 1:
On the remaining undeveloped blocks, a low-rise built form character will frame the street.
On the east side of Brant Street and north side of Lakeshore, only low-rise buildings will be permitted within the first 20 metres from Brant Street and Lakeshore Road.
On the remaining parts of these blocks tall buildings will be permitted.
Taller buildings will have a “slender” or point tower form with a maximum floor plate of 750m above the first 3 storeys.
Pros and cons for concept 1
Differs from the Adopted OP, which permits 12 to 17 storeys, by permitting only low-rise built form adjacent to the street with slender tall buildings being permitted 20 metres back from the street.
Maintains existing low rise-built form adjacent to the street and slender towers being set back from the low-rise towers.
Only 3 storey buildings permitted within 20 metres of Brant and Lakeshore.
Twenty metre depths provide flexibility to maintain existing retail stores or accommodate new retail space.
Tall buildings permitted in the back half of the blocks away from Brant / Lakeshore.
Concept 2
 This is an example of what the streets would look like under concept # 2  This is a 3d rendering of what the street might look like under concept 2 On the remaining undeveloped blocks, mid-rise buildings will be permitted.
Buildings that are mid-rise will incorporate a 3-storey podium with a minimum 3m setback.
Pros and cons for concept 2:
Differs from the Adopted OP, which permits 12 to 17 storeys, by lowering the height limit to a maximum of 11 storeys with a 3-storey podium.
Creates an opportunity for mid-rise built form by lowering the maximum building height to 11 storeys from 12 to 17 storeys.
To accommodate the lower density of mid- rise buildings, only a 3 m podium setback provided instead of the 20 metres.
Apartment towers may limit flexibility of retail space due to placement of structural columns.
On the remaining undeveloped blocks, a low-rise built form character will frame the street.
On the east side of Brant Street and north side of Lakeshore, only low-rise buildings will be permitted within the first 20 metres from Brant Street and Lakeshore Road.
On the remaining parts of these blocks tall buildings will be permitted
Taller buildings will have a “slender” or point tower form with a maximum floor plate of 750m above the first 3 storeys.
On the remaining undeveloped blocks, mid-rise buildings will be permitted.
Buildings that are mid-rise will incorporate a 3-storey podium with a minimum 3m setback.
Differs from the Adopted OP, which permits 12 to 17 storeys, by permitting only low-rise built form adjacent to the street with slender tall buildings being permitted 20 metres back from the street.
Maintains existing low rise-built form adjacent to the street and slender towers being set back from the low-rise towers.
Only 3 storey buildings permitted within 20 metres of Brant and Lakeshore.
Twenty metre depths provide flexibility to maintain existing retail stores or accommodate new retail space.
Tall buildings permitted in the back half of the blocks away from Brant / Lakeshore.
Differs from the Adopted OP, which
permits 12 to 17 storeys, by lowering the height limit to a maximum of 11 storeys with a 3-storey podium.
Creates an opportunity for mid-rise built form by lowering the maximum building height to 11 storeys from 12 to 17 storeys.
To accommodate the lower density of mid- rise buildings, only a 3 m podium setback provided instead of the 20 metres.
Apartment towers may limit flexibility of retail space due to placement of structural columns.
No tall buildings
 By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette has, or is in the process of, publishing news stories on each of the nine precincts the city planning department set out.
Those precincts are a part of a plan for the downtown core that, once approved will be part of the city’s adopted but not yet approved approved Official Plan.
In order to get a bigger sense as to what the city could look like we have set out below a number of maps that provide detail for all of the downtown core including heights recommended for Concept # 1 and Concept #2, as well as maps showing where commercial and retail will be located and where the designated historical properties are located.
Immediately below is a map that shows the precinct boundaries. The maps that follow are overlays with very specific data.
 This map shows the boundaries for the precincts that will be created once the work on the revisions has been completed.  This map shows what has been built and what is planned.  This map shows where the designated historical properties in the downtown core are located along with those that are on the city registry.
 This map shows those streets that will have retail and other commercial operations.  Proposed building heights for Concept 1  Proposed heights for concept 2 Related articles:
The outline
By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
You are a police officer suddenly facing a delicate situation.
The person you are facing is threatening to harm themselves – they are holding a bottle filled with gasoline.
How do you de-escalate what is taking place? You are by yourself and think that calling for back-up will only make the situation worse.
The Halton Regional Police announced the launch of a virtual reality (VR) training program for its officers. The HRPS has partnered with Axon, the global leader in connected public safety technologies, and is the first police service in Canada to utilize Axon`s VR empathy-based training services.
 Police officers being trained on how to manage delicate but dangerous situations. A situation is displayed inside the “mask” that a police officer can interact with to learn different ways to handle different situations. VR is another tool in the Police Service`s existing and robust mental health training curricula. The program provides officers with an immersive training experience where trainees can put themselves in the shoes of both the officer responding to the scene and the person in crisis. Through this partnership, the HRPS will have access to three different VR training scenarios that Axon currently offers. In the future, the Service will use the insights of the many stakeholders in the community to develop additional training modules.
The HRPS has received 20 Oculus GO headsets from Axon, which will be used when training begins in early 2020.
 From left to right: HRPS Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie, Axon Managing Director Vishal Dhir, and HRPS Training Bureau Staff Sergeant Dave Tutte “Axon’s innovative empathy-based training will complement our existing training program and further enable our frontline officers to manage and de-escalate potentially high-stakes interactions,” says Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie, Halton Regional Police Service. “This partnership with Axon will ultimately serve to bolster community safety and well-being.”
For more information and a video demonstration of one of the programs being implemented, click here.
Mental health training remains a top priority for the HRPS and will serve to enhance the ability to meet the needs of the residents of Halton. The HRPS remains committed to working with the many community stakeholders and developing de-escalation based training for officers.
Axon is a global network of devices, apps, training and people that helps public safety personnel become smarter and safer.
By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
We seldom think about a fire in a high rise – when we do, I think most of us shudder and say – this doesn’t effect me – I live in a house or a four story apartment building.
However, fires do take place in high rise buildings and Burlington appears to be in the process of putting up as many of them as possible.
 Halton Region Paramedic Services Operations Superintendent Michael Mitchell plans next steps. The Region, which is responsible for the Emergency Measure Operation Centre, held an Emergency Evacuation exercise on November 22 with the city to assess the Region’s plans.
The scenario focused on a fictional fire in a Burlington high-rise building, which required residents to leave their units and take shelter at the Region’s Emergency Evacuation Centre located at Haber Community Centre.
“This exercise was another step forward in our ongoing work to help protect individuals and families during emergencies,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “Testing our response allows us to improve the way we deliver essential services and supports to residents. Our strong partnership with the Local Municipalities, first responders and community organizations ensures we are ready for emergencies in Halton.”
 Halton Region Children Services Supervisor, Stephanie Houghton, acting as the Haber Evacuation Centre Commander, briefs Canadian Red Cross volunteers. The exercise, “High-rise to Haber”, tested specific response processes, including how the Region and City would communicate with residents, partners and staff at the evacuation centre. Participants assessed their joint response to identify strengths, challenges and areas for improvement.
The following participants supported the emergency exercise:
• City of Burlington Recreation Services Department
• Canadian Red Cross
• St. John’s Ambulance Burlington
• The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
• Halton Region Paramedic Services
• Halton Regional Police Service
In addition to exercise “High-rise to Haber”, which was the largest scenario planned for 2019, the Region also participated in 12 smaller exercises and drills earlier this year. Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility that involves residents, businesses, all levels of government and the community.
 By Pepper Parr
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
There are changes taking place within the transit service and in the way people are using transit.
Three of the new buses are now part of the fleet bringing it to 59 buses that require 111 operators.
The new grid system is in place and people are getting used to the improved connectivity that is seeing an increase in the number of connections between the routes.
 It took close to a decade for the transit people to come up with a grid system. Fine tuning and tweaking is being done now. Director of Transit, Sue Connors, is now well into applying her years of transit experience to Burlington’s situation. It was a mess before she arrived. The decision to hire her was one of the best former city manager James Ridge made.
Connor is in the process of putting together a five year Business Plan and at the same time readying the city for electric buses. She has pointed out that making the decision to go electric (which is really a given) is the easy part. Training staff and hiring mechanics who can keep the buses going is what will take time.
Edmonton is doing a pilot that everyone is watching: if the electric bus can work in the Edmonton environment they will work almost everywhere.
The expectation is that Oakville will be the first community in the Halton Region to start using electric buses.
 If a bus is late – it can signal a traffic light and will be given priority to run through the intersection. System is being piloted on Fairview Traffic lights technology– or what is often called “priority transit signals” are going to be piloted along Fairview. The system will know if a bus is on time – if it isn’t, traffic lights will give the bus priority so that it can get caught up. If bus service is going to get people where they want to go – connections between routes will be critical.
The GO train system allows dogs on their equipment; Burlington doesn’t. The transit people are working on sorting out that problem.
An interesting bit of information came to the surface during the Integrated Mobility Advisory meeting. The city is measuring almost everything that moves in the city. They want to know where people walk; where they bike, how and when they use transit; we will all know how often cars are used.
 The Elgin Promenade begins at Brant and runs east. The Elgin promenade which stretches from Brant Street east to Pearl, is part of a bigger trail system that gets you to the canal in the west and eventually all the way to the Oakville border. A traffic counter has been installed along the Promenade – it measure how many people walk by – a surprising 500 people each day. People are out walking.
Using bikes on city streets has its own set of problems. The bike lane on Maple was made a little wider but unfortunately had to end at Lockhart – a block or two from Lakeshore – there just wasn’t room enough for the bike lane.
That cut-off prevents people from cycling along to Lakeshore Road and through the Beachway to the canal or into Spencer Smith Park.
A problem that has to be worked on.
By Staff
November 27th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 Thieves decided to stock up early on their Christmas Cheer – fill duffel bags and a suitcase and forget to pay on the way out. In October 2019, the Halton Regional Police Service investigated a series of thefts from LCBO stores within the Region. During the incidents the accused parties entered LCBO stores and proceeded to fill duffle bags and suitcases with several bottles of alcohol and exited the stores without making any attempt to pay for the merchandise.
Police worked in co-operation with LCBO investigators to identify the persons responsible.
The following parties have been arrested and charged with several offences in relation to this investigation;
Sule McClymont (41) of no fixed address is charged with:
• Theft Under $5000 x 4
• Fail to Comply with Probation
Maurice Antoine (48) of Toronto is charged with:
• Theft Under $5000 x 3
Trevel Provo (37) of no fixed address is charged with:
• Theft Under $5000 x 4
• Fail to Comply with Probation x 2
Anyone with further information relating to these incidents is asked to contact Detective Clay Gillis of the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext 2307.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See Something? Hear Something? Know Something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Please be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Did they really think they would get away with it?
By Staff
November 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
On November 25, 2019, a Stoney Creek man arrived at the Halton Regional Police Service 2 District (Oakville) station on a motorcycle to pick up a recently released prisoner. Observations made by uniform officers determined the plate on the motorcycle to be incorrect, which led to further investigation.
An in depth inspection of the motorcycle revealed the vehicle identification number (VIN) had been tampered with and the motorcycle was, in fact, stolen from Hamilton. The male was subsequently arrested and found to be in possession of three schedule 1 substances and a conducted energy weapon (commonly referred to as a ‘Taser’).
Kyle Brocklebank (31) of Stoney Creek has been charged with:
• Tampering with Vehicle Identification Number
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime over $5000
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Fail to Comply with Recognizance
• Fail to Comply with Probation Order
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (X3)
Brocklebank was held pending a bail hearing on November 26, 2019.
Please be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone with information is asked to contact D/Cst Matthew Duncan or the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2216.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
 By Pepper Parr
November 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Earlier today Mayor Marianne Meed Ward released a statement setting out how “shocked and disturbed” she is over the spilling of waste into Cootes Paradise that took place during a period of time that is measured in years.
The news of the spill broke more than five days ago – what took the Mayor so long to prepare and issue a statement? – looks like public posturing.
 The Mayor said: “Like residents of Burlington, Hamilton and neighbouring municipalities, I am shocked and disturbed to hear of the massive sewage spill into the Cootes Paradise watershed. Like many, we are left asking how such a thing could have happened over such a long period of time, what the impact is to the environment and our residents, and why the public, and partnering municipalities and agencies were not notified.
“We are aware that the Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks is investigating, and we look forward to a full understanding and public reporting of what occurred. However, we shouldn’t have to wait to hear about sewage spills at the conclusion of a Ministry of Environment investigation; this is an environmental and public health issue that needs to be addressed collectively right away.
“There are more questions than answers at this point, and Burlington will be requesting a full response to these questions on behalf of all residents impacted in our area communities including:
“1. What is the human health impact to residents living around the Bay, or who have enjoyed recreation at the Bay? What is the impact to the ecology of the Bay, and plants, wildlife? How will the impacts of the spill be remediated?
“In this endeavour, Burlington stands ready to assist, as we have in the past on the Randle Reef cleanup ($2 million contribution) and Cootes to Escarpment eco-park initiatives.
“We need these answers immediately.
 In a release on Wednesday, the City of Hamilton admitted 24 billion litres of sewage spilled into Chedoke Creek between January 2014 and July 2018.
“2 – How can we ensure this never happens again? How did this happen over a long period of time without being detected and immediately addressed? Do we have appropriate monitoring protocols in place to test water, raise red flags and prompt investigations when contaminant levels are elevated?
“3- Is there provincially mandated public reporting of any spills that affect air, land or water, and if not, why not?
“We will be seeking that the province implement immediate mandatory public reporting of any spill that has the potential to contaminate land, air or water. In the meantime, I commit to voluntary reporting and to look into whistleblower policy protections; I will encourage area municipalities and regions to do the same.
“Had this been in place, Burlington and agencies with a role and stake in Cootes Paradise would have been immediately notified of the spill, along with the public. We should not have to learn about contamination of our shared water from media reports.
“As we go forward, looking for answers, preventative action and remediation, Burlington stands ready to help.
“The City of Burlington and the City of Hamilton are neighbours and our friendship and history of working collaboratively together goes back many years. We are also partners in many formal areas, such as the cleanup and remediation of Randle Reef, our shared work of traffic management in the Waterdown Area, and as part of the Bay Area Climate Change Office, to name just a few. Given this relationship, along with our shared watershed and potential impact to residents, it is unacceptable that we (and the public) were not been notified of this spill in a timely and direct manner.
“We are focused on getting answers, making sure something like this doesn’t happen again and doing what is necessary to cleanup the mess in our shared watershed.
“I’ve had an opportunity to speak with Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, Chair of the Public Works committee and member of the Royal Botanical Gardens and Hamilton Conservation Authority Boards, as well as Maureen Wilson, Deputy Mayor, to share our concerns and questions and formally ask for the release of all documents to the public and ourselves.
“I have a scheduled (sic) called (sic) with Mayor Fred Eisenberger to share the same information and request.
“As we did before with the clean-up of Randle Reef, the City of Burlington is ready to help our neighbour and partner for the greater good. The environment, clean water and clean air are not confined to narrow municipal boundaries and the impact and resolution of this issue isn’t either.”
By Pepper Parr
November 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
On December 5th, city council is scheduled to take a look at The Closer Look they have been asking citizens to take on how we are revising the adopted Official Plan.
What hasn’t been crystal clear until earlier today is whether or not the meeting is a Committee of the Whole, at which delegations are not heard or if it is a Planning and Development Standing committee meeting at which delegations can be heard.
For those who keep a very close eye on what comes out of the Planning department the difference is critical – they have a lot to say about how this Taking a Closer Look exercise has been handled.
Discussion about the re-examination of the downtown policies in the adopted Official Plan will continue at a Burlington City Council Planning and Development Committee meeting on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 9:30 a.m. from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and reconvening at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall in Council Chambers at 426 Brant St. City Council will consider a staff report. Delegations will be heard.
 It’s an ambitious time line. This phase of getting an Official Plan in place that meets the needs of the city and its citizens and can be defended at whichever tribunal a matter gets taken to is critical. Both Council and the city want to get it right.
The team that has been working with the community, as well as liaising with anyone else at city hall who is involved in Planning – this includes the people who are working with consultants on the Interim Control Bylaw that is in place, whatever work that is being done on the Mobility Hubs; there are others.
 The process – you are part of it – do your homework. The December 5th meeting is scheduled to look at the two concepts for each of the 11 precincts that have been created for the Downtown. The two proposed concepts for each precinct are distinct and provide different ways in which to achieve the overall vision.
 These are the boundaries for each precinct; a precinct is not necessarily one contiguous piece of land. The important part of the precinct is the way it is defined. This going to be a long long meeting and it is unreasonable to expect the average citizen to understand very much of what has been gathered and distilled by the planners.
The outcome of this work will be modified policies that will guide development in the Downtown until 2031, including the height and density of buildings. The modified policies will be informed by both the public engagement and finalized technical reports.
The policies will be documented in a Final Report prepared by SGL Planning and Design Inc. and will be forwarded to Burlington City Council in March 2020 for their adoption.
But we aren’t there yet.
The next step is hearing what the Planners have determined based on public input to this point.
So what is the public going to be presented with?
It is complex.
The review is limited to the Vision for the Downtown, the Precincts.
 City Hall and surrounding area winter of 2000 The public’s vision for the Downtown is to provide for a walkable, accessible, vibrant downtown. The public’s vision also stresses the need to maintain and add new green spaces and trees, while providing additional space for year-round activities and festivals. The character of Brant Street as the ‘retail main street’ of Burlington with its eclectic mix of shops, meeting places and culture will be supported and enhanced.
Lakeshore Road as the gateway to the waterfront will be maintained as an important pedestrian precinct to ensure the Downtown’s sense of place is preserved.
What the public will be shown is two different concepts for each precinct with a host of pros and cons for each. What we have seen so far of those concepts is disappointing but we will leave it to the public to decide if the graphics are of any use.
 Everyone gets a chance to say what they think; the technical people lay out the facts – YOUR council makes the final decision. More than a year ago the city set out what the precincts were to be. Now that the Official Plan that was sent off to the Region – which the Region sent back as incomplete and the results of the October 2018 election – a whole new and quite different look has taken place – and there are now new precinct boundaries.
The guiding word at this point is “concepts”; those are what the public is going to see and hear defended by Staff on December 5th.
Those “concepts” gird the development and evaluation of alternative land use and built form concepts.
This Phase 2 work will identify principles, vision and alternative concepts for discussion. The principles and vision have been informed by the feedback from the August public engagement events. The basis for the concepts were then informed by both the principles and by changes to the Precincts.
Are you still with me?
The concepts are to be evaluated based on criteria already in place.
The concepts prepared for discussion are to help inform the development of a preliminary preferred concept plan. The graphic below details how the concepts were developed.
What are the Themes and Principles?
Glad you asked. The comments heard at the public engagement events were grouped into 13 themes. For each of these themes, a series of Principles were identified. The Principles are action-oriented directions that the City can use to guide change in the Downtown.
These Principles were used to confirm the vision for the Downtown and to develop the proposed concepts. The Principles were also used to develop criteria to assist in the evaluation of concepts.
From the public engagement feedback, it was clear that residents saw the Precincts differently. Their focus was on Lakeshore Road and Brant Street and they differentiated Brant Street between north and south of Caroline Street and also north of the schools and Blairholm Avenue. The Precincts were simplified with a focus on their location and function.
To simplify the precincts and to better align with their intended function, the precincts are proposed to be changed by:
1. Redefining the Downtown Core Precinct into three new precincts: Lakeshore Mixed-Use; Downtown East Mixed-Use; and Mid Brant Mixed-Use;
2. Focusing the Precincts along Brant and Lakeshore;
3. Renaming precincts to focus on location and function;
4. Revising the visions for each precinct;
5. Referring to “Parks and Promenades” and “Public Service” as land uses; and
6. Adding a new park.
Lakeshore Mixed Use Precinct
Brant Main Street Precinct
Neighbourhood Mixed Use Precinct
Downtown East Mixed Use Precinct
Mid Brant Mixed Use Precinct
Upper Brant Mixed Use Precinct
Old Lakeshore Road Precinct
Low Rise Neighbourhood Precincts/ St. Luke’s – Emerald
Apartment Neighbourhoods Precincts
Public Service
Parks and Promenades
The previously defined Downtown Core precinct has been divided into three new precincts – Lakeshore Mixed-Use, Mid Brant Mixed-Use; and Downtown East Mixed-Use.
These new Precincts reflect the public feedback related to the uniqueness of each area and the importance of Brant and Lakeshore. In order to incorporate some of the public comments, the visions for each Precinct were re-visited and updated. Some Precincts were re-named to better express the location of the Precinct, its character and function.
Parks and Promenades and Public Service lands are land uses that are located throughout the Downtown and, as such, have been identified by their land use and not as precincts. Finally, based on the comments received, a new park at Brant and Ghent is being proposed.
It was also necessary to take the following factors into account when developing the land use concepts: existing context; other related City policy; Provincial and Regional policy; and the directions given by Council for the re- examination including specifying 2031 as the planning horizon.
Within each Precinct, there is an existing context of built and approved residential towers, office buildings and heritage buildings that is not anticipated to change before 2031 but which influences the character of the precinct.
Keeping on top of all 11 precincts is a challenge. The Gazette will publish an article on each of the 11 precincts which will be added to this news story.
By Staff
November 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
There is a notice appearing on many of the city’s web sites advising people that:
 The people in this Provincial Offences Court House have not telephoned you and will not arrest you. It is part of a cunning scam. Halton POA Court’s phone number is being been used in a phone scam. If you get a recorded message from 905-637-1274 please ignore the message.
Halton POA Court is not working with Revenue Canada to collect unpaid fines and does not issue warrants for arrest for unpaid fines.
The scammers are getting more creative.
Golden Rule – If in doubt – don’t
By Pepper Parr
November 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
We took in one of the Advisory meetings last night. The Integrated Transportation Advisory Committee was meeting with a decent agenda but no quorum for the first while of the meeting.
There was an update from Catherine Baldelli from Transit. She passed on what Council had learned earlier – transit use is up; as much as 13% on some routes.
The data is still being worked through to learn where the increase is taking place and then where is it coming from.
 Transit use is up – a good sign. Chair Kerry Eaton runs a meeting that flows nicely and pulls in the views of anyone who has something to say.
The Accessibility Advisory; the Cycling Advisory; the Seniors Advisory and the Sustainable Development Advisory are all part of the Integrated Transportation Advisory (ITAC). What they’ve done is something very sensible – created committees that look at a number of interests instead of having a bunch of committees that sit as silos. Kudos to whoever brought that about.
There were a number of matters covered that we will deal with going forward.
 The city wants people to make more use of bicycles – and not just for pleasure – using a bike for running small errands is the direction the city want to go. Will the public buy into it? Cycling is getting attention.
Former city manager James Ridge liked the idea of Burlington having a ride share system similar to the one Hamilton has – his hope was that Burlington might be able to buddy up with Hamilton and use the same platform.
THAT isn’t going to happen. Seems that the bicycle ride share business has changed – no one wants to put a bunch of bikes on the street and look for revenue from those who rent the bikes to cover the costs. The costs weren’t getting covered.
Dan Ozimkovic told the committee that the cycling types were looking at options – no date on when something might get sent along to council for consideration.
Many years ago there was conversation at Council about a bridge – just for cyclists and pedestrians that would cross over the QEW.
The question was where would such a bridge be placed ? The cost is a major issue but the location has to be determined before costs get attention.
The “preferred location at this point is in the Brant – QEW area; nothing more than that at this point other than the committee wants the bridge to lead to some of the trails in the city.
 Is a bridge something like this in the works for Burlington – a way for cyclists and pedestrians to get across the QEW. The good news is that the project is getting looked at – hopefully someone is looking at what federal or provincial funding might be available.
Doug Benton wondered aloud if there was not some way to create a Kiss & Ride in the Brant – Fairview area. Turns out he drops his wife off in the Upper Middle Road and Brant area where she can get the bus she needs. There isn’t a convenient place for him to pull in and drop her off or wait for her when she is coming home.
There were a number of “possible ideas” that were floated and there were some interesting stories on how people are using the bus. One woman who took advantage of the free service for seniors during the off-peak hours told Catherine Baldelli that she travelled around on the bus just to get out of the house and be with people. It was this citizen’s way of being with people.
Transit it appears is more than transportation.
Good things coming out of this committee – worth watching.
I recall a past transit committee meeting at which members were throwing copies of the agenda at each other – chaos for the most part.
An observation – there was no council representation at the meeting – a good thing?
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Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
