 By Gary Scobie
July 11, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
I expect this will be my last delegation to this Council of eight years. Come October 22nd, we will have some new faces around the table. So please permit me to get a little philosophical.
I am very glad to hear that Council Chambers is being renovated and updated to 21st century standards. The news that the City bought the Sims building for staff accommodation also bodes well for the continuing future of our City Hall.
 City Hall – always loved it says Scobie I love the look of City Hall; always have. Do you know that you can see City Hall all the way from Guelph Line along New Street in the winter? You can even see it from Seneca Avenue and New Street in the summer when the full leaf canopy is out. It’s framed by low buildings at James Street in the winter and leaves in the summer.
That’s what I call a gateway.
Now the powers that be in our iconic City Hall – The Planning Department management and Council itself, along with the developers of Burlington have a different idea for a gateway.
How about framing this 8 storey building with twenty-something storey building across the road. Now that’s not a gateway, that’s an insult. With the three to four storey podiums in place, I think I may have to get to James Street from the east in order to see City Hall in the same way in the future, between the twin towers of course.
 Gary Scobie believes that Burlington has lot the opportunity to keep the scale that King street in Dundas has retained. I grew up in Dundas. Dundas respects its past while gently conforming to the future. Completed in 1849, the Town Hall is noted as one of the best examples of revival style municipal buildings in Ontario. It requires no gateway and occupies its own block. The classic Post Office building still stands and is repurposed. The downtown is low rise and a mix of newer buildings with older ones with the original facades and buildings intact to their upper floors. It’s always busy with people walking both sides of King Street. Our neighbor was the butcher when I was growing up. When he died, the business was sold to another butcher. That store still operates as a butcher shop. Picone’s Food Market still offers great foods and produce a few doors up the street. It’s the same with barber shops, fish and chip shops, a jeweler and fashion shops. The Armoury is now the Community Centre. Film companies come to make TV movies in the Valley Town as it is known, situated beneath the cliffs of the escarpment, because of its friendly, bustling, charming ambiance.
 While horse drawn carriages and wagons are not what people want to see – many would like some of the charm and the histriy of the city maintained. Burlington once had that ambiance, but that wasn’t in this century, and a Province and a Council decided in 2005 that urban growth for the downtown was the answer to all of our prayers and declared it an Urban Growth Centre. Please forgive them my fellow citizens, for I believe they knew not what they did nor what it would bring today.
In the last century high rise condos and apartments were built in one-off locations, in groupings like in the east end on Lakeshore Road near Burloak Park, centrally on Lakeshore Road near Torrance, along lower Maple Avenue, and even in my own Ward 3 with a lone 16 storey high rise on Upper Middle Road at Duncaster.
These were seemingly done without much planning for the future or much adherence to the Official Plan in place then. Come into this century and not much changed. New high rises were still being built beyond the Official Plan heights. Meanwhile we had accepted an Urban Growth Centre downtown for reasons never
made fully clear to citizens as to why there; and for future repercussions just now becoming obvious in the past three years or so. We had accepted Mobility Hub densities without any questions or push-back to the Province. We (or our Council for us) had accepted a makeover of Burlington that would transform our city
from something to be proud of to something to be fearful of.
We love being known as the Best Mid-size City in Canada, yet We (that is our Council and Planners) are ready to trade in our little utopia for a future dystopia without question. We citizens must be “managed”, “handled” and “educated” to accept this planners’ nightmare because after all, they are the experts and we’re just the people in the experiment who have to live with the results.
This is the legacy of the City Council of 2002 – 2006 and this City Council of 2010 – 2018. The Council and Planning Department management who, while extolling the virtues over and over again of our beautiful waterfront and our beautiful rural escarpment, at the Province’s urging are now going to mess up forever the cream in the middle of our wonderful cookie, the part that’s not permanent hard water or hard rock, the place that is malleable where 95% of the people of Burlington live.
 The view from city hall if the tower on the right is approved – the tower on the left has already been approved. Page 26 of the report, point 3 says “Where possible establish maximum building heights which are consistent with existing development precedents”. Well that should be easy. This building at 409 Brant Street is across the road from a freshly approved 23 storey building at 421 Brant Street. So anything up to 23 storeys
should now be a slam dunk. Council and planners didn’t abide to the current OP heights of 4 – 8 storeys or the projected new OP heights of 17 storeys for 421 Brant Street. Why should they or any developer be expected to abide to our shiny new OP height limits now?
Point 4 says “Attract a wider range of demographics and income levels to the Downtown Mobility Hub”. Whoa, that’s not so easy.
It’s never been done yet this century and any window dressing that is being proposed to get young families of modest income into this building is in a word, laughable.
 The view of the proposed Reserve Properties development from John Street which will be the exit for cars from the five level underground garage and the bus terminal. I predict sometime later tonight or tomorrow, you will vote with a strong majority to accept this recommendation report. I predict you will then have trouble negotiating the conditions with the
developer. I predict the developer with go to the new, untested Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) and ask for at least 23 storeys based simply on British Common Law precedent.
I’m asking you to prove me wrong. Turn down this recommendation report. Say no to the whole twin tower concept.
One mistake across from City Hall is your limit and the time is likely up for most of you sitting in those chairs come October 22nd.
Forget about gateways and landmark buildings. Think about the people who elected you to look after our city, not the podium – pushing planners and developers who wish to pack it with more warm bodies than it can take. You can adjust your legacy before you leave or you can leave it to others to try and repair the damage you’ve already done.
At the end of his delegation Scobie got a sustained round of applause – he had spoken for many. The Chair could not gavel the meeting back to order.
 Gary Scobie is a ward 3 Burlington resident who was a member of the now defunct Waterfront Advisory Committee. He has delegated frequently on municipal development matters.
 By Pepper Parr
July 11th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
And we thought it was all about intensification.
The city needed to intensify the population; put more people in less space. Given that Burlington doesn’t have any more land that it can build houses on, developers began to assemble land and build high rise towers.
 Developer tells city council they need to think in terms of the best land use optimization and get away from intensification. At a city council committee meeting yesterday during which the development being proposed for the SE corner of Brant and James was debated at length.
Mayor Goldring has been telling the public that the city has to intensify and that he will ensure that the intensification will be intelligently done.
 This tower has been approved – the one across the road wants to be just as high. When the 23 storey tower on the NE corner of James and Brant was approved people began to question what intensification really meant.
Turns out the city was using the wrong word. They should have been talking about optimization; which is the best possible use for a piece of land.
Legal counsel for Reserve Properties explained to council last night that the 2017 version of Places to Grow, a provincial document sets out that optimization is what municipalities should be focusing on – and the Reserve Properties development certainly does their best to optimize the land they want to assemble.
The meeting Tuesday evening had to adjourn at 10:30 pm – they will be back at it this evening. There are a lot of questions to be asked.
 By Staff
July 10th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Candidate for the Office of Mayor and Aldershot resident Greg Woodruff wants the planning department to be a little clearer with the language used to report about mobility hubs.
 Greg Woodruff – candidate for Mayor. In an Open letter to Burlington Council, Woodruff asks that:
“… Council and staff start using the terms Mobility Hub (Metrolinx) and Major Transit Station Areas (Places to Grow) properly for the various GO stations.
 There are ten platforms on the south side of the Burlington GO station – which is described as a mobility hub: a place where buses, cars, taxi and even bicycles arrive to drop off and pick up people who have taken a GO train. “The term Mobility Hub is being used to refer to the 3 GO stations. This is causing confusion with the public as to what exactly our responsibility might be for redevelopment of these regions. The Burlington GO station is indeed flagged as a Metrolinx Mobility Hub and comes under specific recommendations.
 The city has four mobility hubs. “The Aldershot GO station and Appleby GO station are not designated as Mobility Hubs by Metrolinx. They are not and never have been “Mobility Hubs” in any way except for the city’s loose language that is now grouping them together.
“The only major specification for Major Transit Station Areas (MTSA) comes from Places to Grow and calls for a modest 150 people or jobs per hectare. This can easily be accomplished with low rise buildings.
 All the Mobility Hub attention focuses on the three GO stations. The city is referring to the transit terminal on John street as an access hub. Other hubs are identified as gate way hubs. These are the boundaries for the Downtown mobility hub. “Thus the 30 story hi-rises proposed by staff around Aldershot and Appleby are a complete construction of the City of Burlington. There is no direction from any group that calls for this. The hi-rises in these area are self-imposed. I think it important this be very clear to the public.
“I would request that Council adopt the proper terminology when discussing these matters and direct staff to use proper descriptions of “Metrolinx Mobiltiy Hub” and “Major Transit Station Area” when discussing these areas.”
 By Staff
July 10th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
More on those pictures being worth 1000 words.
The Planning department had a handful of renderings done suggesting what the downtown core of the city could look like when the Grow Bold initiative has blown through the community.
 A rendering of Brant Street at city hall looking north. Looks like the kind of thing a real estate agent would prepare as part of a sales brochure. CITY HALL
The drawing had a nice gentle pastel look to them. Nice enough to frame.
We then came across a photograph of what the properties on the east side of Brant street look like today.
 This is a montage of properties on the east side of Brant street with Brant Florist on the left. Comparing with the drawings was a little jarring.
The model prepared by some students who lived in the St. Luke community gave the public a bit of a glimpse of what was coming down the pipe.
 Looking west towards city hall through the two towers that might “frame” city hall in the future. The one on the right has already been approved by city council. A picture is indeed worth 1000 words.
By Staff
July 10th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
We are at one of those more delicate political points in the life of a city council’s term of office.
 Staff have their budget forecasts well under way and they are now ready to take their projections on both the spending and revenue side of the city’s finances to the Standing Committees.
Budget increases during the past 7 years have averaged 3.89% – the projection for 2019 is 4.1%
This happens every year – what makes the 2019 budget deliberations more germane – is that this is an election year. Members of council who are seeking re-election are coming across as much more solicitous and accommodating. Five of the seven have filed their nomination papers – two have decided to take their pensions and watch from the sidelines.
We are getting the distinct impression that Councillor Taylor, who will not be running again may become a regular delegator at council meetings in 2019.
Staff have set out a framework for the 2019 budget.
Budget timelines have been adjusted from previous years as a result of the municipal election and in accordance with the Municipal Act. The inauguration of the new Council will take place in December 2018.
Both the Capital and Operating Proposed Budgets will be presented to Committee in January 2019. It is anticipated that budget approval will occur in late February or early March based on the timing of Committee meetings still to be scheduled.
In future years we will be targeting more aggressive timelines which would bring both the Capital and Operating Budgets forward together in advance of year-end (excluding election years).
Below is a brief timeline of the 2019 budget process.
• COW – Capital and Operating Budget Overview January 24, 2019
• Capital Council Information Session January 31, 2019
• Operating Council Information Session TBD – February 2019
• COW – Capital and Operating Budget Review TBD – Feb / Mar 2019
• Council Capital and Operating Budget Approval TBD – Feb / Mar 2019
Budget drivers and policy decisions are what have guided staff. Burlington’s Long Term Financial Plan was determined in November of 2012 when the strategic objectives and policies to ensure financial sustainability and responsible financial management were put in place.
 The Strategic Plan grew from four year – one term of council – to a 25 year document. The Strategic objectives, set out in the Strategic Plan, which is now a 25 year plan –it used to be a four year plan created by each council reflecting the aspirations of a council.
There is no mention of a Strategic Plan review in the creation of the 2019 budget – there should be.
In March 2015, the city received the BMA Financial Health report that provided recommendations that enhanced the existing financial policies. In May, 2017, the Asset Management Financing Plan maintained the recommended increases to the dedicated infrastructure renewal levy.
The City has a 20 year simulation that was presented to Council in January 2018. It provides a forward looking outlook on the city’s budget impacts. Since the 2018 budget approval, minor adjustments have been made to estimates resulting in a forecasted city tax increase of 4.1% for 2019.
Business cases are presented for any service level changes. Snow and leaf removal always get debated.
The budget process is supported by the 2016 Asset Management Financing Plan; Phase 1 Financial Plan for the 2015-2040 Strategic Plan; the 20-Year Simulation of Forecasted Budget Drivers; the BMA Financial Condition Assessment and the city’s Long Term Financial Plan.
Staff have said they will continue to focus on maintaining service delivery. Changes to levels of service will require a business case to outline the details of the change in a transparent manner.
The 2019 operating budget will continue to be presented in a service-based format with two years history for comparison.
In addition, all business cases will include commentary as to how the requested change aligns to one or more of the following items:
City’s Strategic Plan
Burlington Leadership Team (BLT) Work Plan
Departmental Work plan
Service Business Plan
The capital budget continues to remain a 10-year program, broken down by asset categories with projects further categorized as renewal, growth or new / enhanced infrastructure.
Over the last four years the average city tax change is 3.89% (including the hospital)
The tax bill residents get includes the Regional tax levy and the Board of Education tax levy. The city has zero input or impact on the school board budgets and limited impact on the Regional budget.
Despite these facts members of council and city staff make the comment that the overall tax change is 2.33%.
City council is the level that is responsible for tax increases every year for the past seven year that are very close to 4%.
 Civic officials and politicians gather around the $100,000 piece of public art erected on Upper Middle Road west of Appleby Line During debate on public art at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday Councillor Sharman said he felt the $50,000 that is allocated for public art was far too little for a city like Burlington and he was prepared to put forward a Staff Direction instructing staff to consider boosting that to $100,000. He didn’t get much blowback on that idea. The only objection was that this wasn’t the time to be talking about budget matter.
With budgets that are consistently above inflation – how does a fiscally prudent city council advocate additional spending?
 A planning view of the new Burlington – looking south on Brant from just north of Caroline. Easy – build like crazy in the downtown core, (and anywhere else you can approve infill developments that change the feel of a neighbourhood, collect all those development charges and send out even more tax bills to those thousands of people who are going to live in the city.
When does the public get a chance to say what they think about the budget? In the past the city has held public meetings that have had varied levels of participation.
In the past the meeting has filled a large room at the Art Gallery; on other occasions there has been less than five people in attendance with two of them former candidates.
One year the attendance was very poor – it was snowing like cracy and everyone blamed the weather – except that the ice rink in the next space at the Mainway Arena was packed with parents watching their children play hockey.
Not hard to approve 4% tax increases year after year with those levels of participation.
 By Pepper Parr
July 10th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Affordable housing – an oxymoron perhaps.
In a market where housing prices have risen as much as 20% year over year, the cost of buying a home has skyrocketed – and that impacts directly the cost of rental accommodation.
 Some of the year over year changes were mind boggling – a market run amok. The Burlington mind set is married to the idea of owning the home you live in – rental accommodation is not for people who are true Burlingtonians – we are all property owners.
Every development that comes before city council has the words “affordable housing” tucked in the application somewhere and the response from the planners pays lip service to the idea. Members of council will insist that some affordable housing be included in a development.
Carriage Gate agreed to provide the City with a cash contribution of $300,000 prior to condominium registration that was to go towards an affordable account the city appears to have created.
Reserve Properties, the developers promoting a development on the SE corner of Brant and James, have made mention of their plans to contribute something to the need for affordable housing if their development is approved.
The developers offer up some cash in lieu of actually including affordable units in the condominium.
Where does that cash the developers give the city go?
That isn’t exactly clear. The Gazette isn’t sure if any funds have actually moved from the developer’s bank account into the coffers of the city. Funds from carriage Gate should be in the city bank account by now.
The issue is not about the need for affordable housing – the issue is who is to provide that housing.
Every member of city council knows that housing is a Regional responsibility.
 This high rise close to Lakeshore sets aside 60% of its space for rent geared to income (RGI) tenants. The building is owned and operated by a co-op that works with the Region. The Region has policies, they have a reasonably clear idea of what is needed. How close they are to that need could be a little tighter.
The Region operates a number of towers that are totally affordable.
They partner with organizations that make space in buildings they own for rent geared to income space.
They maintain the list of who is looking for affordable housing and they determine who can get into a building and when. The mix of affordable housing is pretty good.
The problem is the need for a shift from the approach that has language which makes affordable housing options sound like or look like welfare options.
Housing has to be looked at differently.
 The Region has a section on its web site where people can search and see what is available. Waiting times to get a residence is measured in years. The Region is responsible for the social housing needs of all four municipalities: Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills.
 During the 2010 election Regional Chair came close to losing it when people were going on about the need for affordable housing at the municipal level – “it’s a Regional responsibility” he almost shouted out in an exasperating tone..
There are some very good people at the Regional level administering the policies and the properties.
In the event that Burlington sends the money it gets from developers to the Region (and that point isn’t clear) the Region does not appear to be committed to spending what it gets from Burlington in Burlington.
Instead of trying to outdo each other in how committed they are to affordable housing Burlington city council needs to get its act together and set out what it would like to see done and then take the Burlington plan to Regional council and fight for it at that level.
That however would require a council that is cohesive and can actually work together.
Burlington is now seeing a new crop of candidates that are younger, have good intellectual chops and want to see a change.
 ECoB – engaged Citizens of Burlington held a meeting for people interested in running for office – the came close to packing the room. The city is close to have good solid candidates in all six wards and clear choices for the next Mayor.
In the 2014 municipal election Mayor Goldring said he was quite comfortable with seeing every member of the council re-elected. And they were all re-elected. They really weren’t any tough races with the possible exception of ward 6 where Blair Lancaster faced nine candidates.
There were two problems with the comfort level the Mayor had chosen.
He wasn’t leading council and council wasn’t taking the city anywhere.
That could be about to change.
The next step is for the people who live in the city to think about what they want and then decide who can deliver what they want.
Then get out and actually vote.
We did a piece recently on a woman who taught the city something about milkweed plants and learned that she had run for public office in 2003 – the turnout in that election was 16%.
No wonder we are in a mess.
The complacent people of Burlington did this to themselves.
As for an affordable housing policy that delivers for Burlington – that has to get worked out at the Regional level and Burlington city council members have to make their case at that level.
They’ve known that for the past seven years.
Salt with Pepper is an opinion column reflecting the views, musings, observations and opinions of the Gazette publisher.
By Andrew Drummond
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The past week has given us a clear indication of the direction the new provincial government will take. Most of their decisions have been a follow through on things that Premier Ford said during the election campaign.
The long fight against the federal government regarding cap and trade for example, was something the Ontario PCs seemed to relish having and we will spend months or years on this battle that they seemed to want. Others of their decisions, such as delaying implementation of anti-scalping measures seemed to be less predictable.
But each of the actions taken so far will have a local impact in Burlington either directly or indirectly. So below is an evaluation of some of the actions taken by the new Ontario government and how they will impact our city and community.
LOCAL REPRESENTATION
The cabinet was announced on June 29, and perhaps expectedly, neither Jane McKenna nor Effie Triantafilopoulos was chosen for cabinet. But after the parliamentary assistants were named, and Effie was given a prominent role while Jane was overlooked, it became clear that Jane is not among the most trusted in the Conservative cabinet.
 Andrew Drummond NDP candidate during the provincial election in conversation with Jane McKenna, now the MPP for Burlington,. How does this impact Burlington? There are many pieces of government funding that rely on the local MPP to wield influence. The most prominent example of which is funding for Joseph Brant. Across Jane’s first term in government Jo Brant was the lowest rated emergency room in all of Ontario. Over the last few years that has improved slightly (we are still in the bottom quartile) but the improvement came from funding that our MPP fought for. If the local MPP wields no influence, can we be sure that Jo Brant is going to get the operational funding it needs to continue its improvement? It is critical that we see action from our MPP that shows she has the influence in the government to get Burlington the support it so desperately needs.
CAP AND TRADE
Of all the announcements from the incoming government, the one publicized the most was the end of the Cap and Trade system implemented by the previous government. However, in declaring the end of that program, the government gave no notice as to what they intended to do about the Cap and Trade credits already purchased by companies intending to use them on the market. This is a 2.9 billion dollar investment that Ontario businesses that the government to this point has not explained how they will make companies whole.
The details on exactly who has spent how much on credits is not publicly available, so it is difficult to pin an exact figure on how much liability there is to Burlington specifically. And we are lucky that Burlington did not join this program and open us up to risks like other municipalities did (examples: Kingston, Kitchener). But there are undoubtedly local effects. Every negative consequence for province wide industries will effect us locally too.
And of the most concern is the limited impact this will have for Burlington. As was argued during the election campaign, there is sizable evidence that the price of gas is more controlled by market forces and less by costs. With that comes a risk that any reduction in gas taxation will not have any measurable impact on price and rather only increase profits for gas companies. The premier’s quote on the issue “We just have a good heart-to-heart talk with the oil companies and understand that they’re being watched right now,” also does not spark confidence that Burlington will see any meaningful cost savings from this government policy.
ANTI-SCAPLING LEGISLATION
The Ford government has made a number of quiet changes since being sworn in that will impact quality of life in Burlington. One of those was a delay in the implementation of the Ticket Sales Act that would have limited the resale price of a ticket to 50% above the printed price on a ticket. The company Stubhub believes that the law is dangerous because it is important to ensure sales “occur on platforms that provide vital consumer protections.” Most consumers would interpret this argument as Stubhub saying: If consumers are going to be gouged we’d like our cut of the gouging fees.
For Burlington residents this means that it will continue to be impossible to find tickets to concerts and key sporting events at reasonable prices. CBC did an analysis of some upcoming concerts in Toronto and noticed some egregious examples on resale ticket sites. Bruno Mars tickets raised from $100 to over $13,000 or Elton John from $221 to $1,878. The average family in Burlington cannot compete at those prices. As long as tickets can be bought in large buckets and then resold at incredible markups, the average Burlington family will be shut out of these events. And the Ford government is apparently ok with that.
 Lieutenant Governor Dowdeswell delivering Throne Speech So in all, it is difficult to see how anything in the first week of this government has had any positive impact on the day-to-day life of people in Burlington. From questions about how effective our MPP will be at securing critical hospital operating dollars to potentially costing local businesses millions in now useless Cap and Trade credits to blocking legislation to help us afford popular events, most actions to date seem in the best interest of people outside of our community.
However, the government will give its speech from the throne this week. We all remain optimistic that the government will set an agenda that will be better than these first early actions. Time will tell if there is any chance of Burlington being a priority for the next 4 years.
 The opinions are those of Andrew Drummond, the New Democratic candidate for Burlington. He placed second, ahead of the Liberal and Green Party candidates. He is employed in the marketing and sales department of a major internet, cable TV and wireless service provider.
By Staff
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The city usually provides maps that are crammed with information that are difficult to fully understand in a small format. A large map just can’t be displayed adequately on a computer screen.
The city however has prepared and distributed a document that sets out in considerable detail what is permitted in each of the precincts that have been created.
 Downtown precinct map We have set out the downtown precinct map in a full screen page format along with a list of what can be built in each precinct that is colour coded with the map.
By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
City council will be debating a staff recommendation for the proposed development on Brant street, opposite city that starts on the SW corner of James and will run south to Kellys Bake Shop and include the full block.
The developer is asking for 27 stories – the city planners are recommending 18.
Approved. The development on the NW corner of Brant and James has been approved at 23 storeys – why are the planners recommending 18 storeys for the second building when the one across the street has been approved for 23 – seems like a reasonable question – and for the developer it is a difference of six floors of condominium units
The 421 – 431 Brant Street development – it hasn’t been given a name yet – has been approved and will consist of:
• Twenty-three (23) storey building, which includes a 1-storey rooftop amenity area;
• Four-storey podium;
• 760 square metres of ground floor retail / commercial space;
• 365 square metres of 2nd floor office space;
• 169 residential units (maximum);
• A parking ratio of 1.2 parking spaces per residential unit in the below-grade parking structure, in addition to 8 dedicated visitor parking spaces and 1 car share space;
• Appropriate building setbacks from Brant Street (2.95 metres), James Street (2.6 metres) and John Street (1.8 metres);
• A 128 square metre (16 metre x 16 metre) visibility triangle (publicly accessible open space) at the corner of Brant Street and James Street;
• Appropriate building stepbacks and terracing above the 4th floor and above the 18th floor
The planners point out that the site is located within the Downtown Urban Centre and within the Downtown Core designation. They add that it “is important to note that the existing OP (that is the one in place before the Grow Bold OP – which was approved and sent to the Regional government for approval at that level), included a site specific exception for a portion of the site (421 – 427 Brant Street) which recognized the site as appropriate for increased height and density.”
What that means is that part of the land assembled for the development had an exception attached to it for height above the permitted heights for neighbouring properties. The way these things work is that the highest height is frequently applied to all the properties when they are assembled.
“The exception set an increased maximum height for the site of seven storeys with taller buildings up to a maximum height of twelve storeys permitted where they provide a sense of compatibility with surrounding land uses and a sense of pedestrian scale by the use of terracing above the second floor. The exception for 421 – 427 Brant Street also set out an increased maximum floor area ratio of 4.5:1, except that higher floor area ratios were permitted subject to community benefits provisions.”
“It is also important to note that the timing of the 421 Brant Street application preceded emerging policy directions for the Downtown Urban Growth Centre, which are now incorporated as a part of the Council Adopted Official Plan: Grow Bold.
 The view from Civic Square looking east at the two “landmark” towers. The one on the left (shown as a shadow) has been approved. The one on the right is before Committee of the whole today – planners want this one cut back to 18 storeys. “On Sept. 28 2017, the draft new Downtown Mobility Hub Precinct Plan was presented to Council for the first time for discussion and feedback at a Council Workshop at the Committee of the Whole. No decisions were made.
“On November 13, the 421 Brant Street applications were approved in principle.
“On November 30, 2017 a staff report on the Draft Downtown Precinct Plan and proposed Official Plan policies contemplated modifying the building height permissions at Brant Street and James to recognize that node as an area appropriate for landmark buildings and to reduce the building height permissions in the Cannery Precinct for the property located at Brant Street and Lakeshore Road in light of the 421 Brant Street application.”
What the city did was decide to live with height across from city hall and limit height along Lakeshore Road. Councillor Taylor was very specific when he said that he went along with the 23 storeys for 421 Brant on the understanding that Lakeshore heights would be limited to 17 storeys. That’s planning on the fly!
 There is a lot of detail in this map- you can identify the precincts that planners use to describe parts of the city and the kind of development permitted. The Revenue Properties application (409 Brant) now has to find a way to work through and around a thicket of precinct plans, mobility hubs, the Urban Growth Centre and transit issues.
 Those red lines are the buses that come down Brant and loop along James into the bus terminal that got an upgrade and is now called a Mobility hub anchor. Traffic nightmare! And, speaking of transit issues – there is a drawing that was part of one of the staff reports on the 409 project that showed the number of bus routes that flow into John Street, which is the street the garages for both 409 and 421 will exit onto – there is a nightmare of a continual traffic jam waiting to happen.
“No Staff/Council motion was made to increase height permissions in the Special Planning Area at Brant and James Streets as a result of the approval of the 421 Brant application on November 13th, 2017.”
What that seems to say is that the height 421 was given isn’t going to be available to 409. It is going to be interesting to see how that works out.
The Revenue Properties proposal is before Planning and Development Committee on Tuesday -July 10th in the afternoon and in the evening.
By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words.
The following is a set of renderings on the city’s web site that few people have seen.
It is part of what is behind the outrage that many feel over the changes being made to the Downtown core – It wasn’t quite what many had in mind when they first heard the phrase Grow BOLD.
 Elizabeth looking south towards the lske  Lakeshore at Brant looking east  Brant Street looking north – with city hall on the left.  Brant street looking south from about where the shopping plaza is north of Caroline. Bold indeed.
By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Before the Legislature can sit to hear the Speech from the Throne that will be read on July 12th at 2:00 pm it first has to elect a Speaker.
 Burlington MPP Jane McKenna Word is that Burlington MPP Jane McKenna is thinking of putting her name forward to be considered for the job.
Disastrous choice if there is any truth to the comments we are hearing.
McKenna’s knowledge of parliamentary process and the history of how the Ontario Legislature actually works it very limited – embarrassingly so.
The job is critically important and calls for a level of wisdom that McKenna can only aspire to but does not have.
The Speaker of the Legislature is elected by the members of the Legislature in a secret ballot.
The Speaker has to understand the role, understand procedure and the history of the Legislative process in Ontario.
At one point Gary Carr, the Chair for the Region of Halton was the Speaker. He did an admirable job and was able to frequently put the then Premier of the province Mike Harris in his place and keep him quiet in his seat.
Jane McKenna is too much of a sycophant to do the job and knows next to nothing about the legislative process.
The Speaker maintains a residence at the Legislature, known as the Speaker’s Apartment.
Salt with Pepper are the opinions, views, musing and observations of the Gazette Publisher.
 By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The candidate we expected to run in ward 5 against incumbent Paul Sharman filed papers yesterday at city hall.
Mary Alice St. James, a retired school principal who moved into retirement while principal at Pauline Johnson elementary school.
The Gazette first crossed paths with Ms St James when a recording was being done of the students at Pauline Johnson elementary school singing O’Canada as part of a project that was going to co-ordinate then mix the recording of a national broadcast done at 79 schools.
 School principal Mary Alice St James, upper left corner, with students at her school doing a recording of O’Canada. St. James moved to Burlington in 1982 . Her parents and brother came to the city in 1979; she was completing her final year at McGill (Bachelor of Education English/Phys. Ed.)
Her Mother, Kaye, taught at W.E. Breckon, her Dad, Lou St. James was an engineer with Bailey Controls a company that evolved into ABB. He was part of the transition team that had the company moving to Burlington from Montreal.
Mary Alice and her brother co-owned a townhouse in Walker’s Heights and then a home in Headon Forest.
Mary Alice and her husband Ron have owned their Oak Crescent home in Burlington for 24 years. Their sons now in their early twenties went to Pineland and Nelson High School.
This engaged, involved family has done much over the years to support Burlington.
 Mary Alice St James Mary Alice is going to use a “Burlington at its Best!” slogan in her campaign that will be managed by her sons.
Her strategy team is “stoked and ready to make a positive difference throughout Burlington.”
The web site is under construction. In this early stage of the election campaign St. James intends to “listen and use skill sets and experiences to hear what people want and then to deliver as a city and regional Councillor.
St. James is a pro “respectful building” advocate – “just not 23 stories tall”.
She was an initiator of the Shoreacres Character Study where she expressed concerns about established neighbourhoods and the challenges residents faced living normal lives during infill massing (7 days per week, 7:00am to 7:00pm)
Mary Alice is pro tree bylaws; she made sure she planted trees at every school she worked at – 30 were planted on the PJ playground.
She spoke at the Blue Water Place/Avondale OMB hearing and raised concerns with a builders’ townhouse plan; she gave a response similar to the many delegations she made before city council where her approach was to be respectful and deliver a well thought out delegation.
Mary Alice said she “feels that in a Councillor’s role she can continue and heighten what she is already doing to support the most vulnerable, including the increasing number of Seniors in Burlington. Mary Alice hopes to assist in creating Bike Lanes that work and transit that makes more sense and enables liveability in a meaningful way.
 Mary Alice St James, ward 5 candidate Mary Alice said she is “currently collecting data on varied fronts and will want to hear concerns as well as creative and intelligent ideas for solutions. Mary Alice believes Burlington’s’ citizens are intelligent people who want to be heard. She is a listener who values the “smarts” of every age group and lifestyle.
This is perhaps the first time Paul Sharman, two term Councillor for ward 5, has faced a candidate with deep roots in the community.
Mary Alice does not live in ward 5 – she leaves a couple of football field lengths on the western side of Appleby Line, the ward boundary. “The people who know me” said St James, “are the parents who had children in schools I taught at on both sides of the ward boundary.”
At one point, before becoming Mayor, Rick Goldring represented ward 5, although he didn’t live in that ward.
 By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The story about the milkweed plants in a garden was, for the most part, gathered electronically.
There wasn’t a chance to meet and do an interview with the woman who got a note from a bylaw enforcement officer saying the milkweed plants on her garden had to go. Burlington, Ontario considers milkweed, the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on, a weed that must be destroyed or removed.
In Burlington bylaws are enforced when someone complains – and someone did complain.
 Doreen Nicol – an actionist! They chose the wrong women to push around.
When she read the bylaw notice Doreen Nicoll began making phone calls and lining up support and contacting local environmentalists to see if there were any alternative solutions. “I did this’ said Nicoll, “because trimming milkweed to the required height of 8 inches or less means that the tops of the plants containing all of the leaves, which are home to valuable monarch eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis, would be removed and that would have devastating results.” Nicoll argued that the milkweed was a plant – not a weed and that it was an important part of the environment.
 A milkweed plant – home to valuable monarch eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis. She reported that a very wise environmentalist, who wished to remain anonymous, told her about the time her neighbour reported her for growing milkweed in her naturalized garden. It seems the neighbour wanted the city to force this woman to grow grass instead of flowers.
Nicoll had removed the grass “in my very tiny front yard and erected a very low wall to contain my new garden. Originally, I planted native, heritage plants, most of them edible and all of them able to survive on rain water alone.”
“Over the years there have been plenty of transitions. Some plants thrive for years only to suddenly decline or disappear and be replaced by a completely different variety. This was survival of the fittest playing out in my garden thanks to the effects of climate change.”
The end result was the city notice being withdrawn and Nicoll being told that the bylaw on weeds is being re-written to allow milkweed plants.
 Doreen Nicoll is an actionist; a word that isn’t part of the lexicon most of us use. She has been politically active in the past; she ran against Carol D’Amelio for a city council seat in 2003 – came in second and wasn’t able to give D’Amelio much of a run for her money.
D’Amelio got 55.5% of the vote; Nicoll got 25.9%; the city wide turnout was 16.55% of the eligible voters.
Born in Scotland Doreen came to Canada in 1963 was raised in Ajax, went to Ryerson to where she studied food and English. She also went to George Brown College and described herself as a Journeyman Chef.
Nicoll worked for a period of time in the hospitality business and went back to school at Western University and became a teacher. She now teaches Family Studies for the Peel Board of Education.
The family moved to Burlington in June of 1997
Somewhere along the way, after the five children were born and raised, she began to write. Her focus was gender violence. In a piece she did for the Hamilton Spectator on the relationships between men and woman she wrote: “Their actions send a clear message to their own wives, daughters, sons as well as the neighbourhood at large, that men feel they have the innate right to mistreat and intimidate women.”
 Nicoll writes from a social justice perspective. There are some things that are just plain wrong and she has the courage of her convictions to stand up and say so.
She has won several awards; a couple of “Maggies”, (Hamilton Independent Media Awards) and an Anvil – both awards that come out of the Hamilton community.
This time Nicoll was fighting for the environment – the right to grow milkweed in her garden.
We have no idea what it will be next: but of this we can be certain – there will be a next.
 By Staff
July 7th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The incident took place in Burlington at about 4:30 am on July 6th when police responded to an area of Ross Street near Olga Drive in Burlington; they had received reports of several gunshots.
The police earned there had been a dispute between a male and female who were acquaintances. The dispute ended when the male displayed a handgun and discharged two rounds towards a shed, in the opposite direction of the female. The male then struck the female in the face and fled to a dark colour SUV which was being driven by an unidentified male. That vehicle was last seen traveling north on Ross Street.
The scene was examined by police and two spent cartridge casings were located and seized for further testing.
Members of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau were able to identify the shooter and managed to locate him and two other males at a restaurant near Square One in Mississauga.
 These are not toys – there were in the hands of people who were in Burlington very early in the morning. One person is accused of firing the gun at least twice while outside a vehicle. At approximately 8:00 PM, plain clothes officers and members of the Halton Regional Police Tactical and Rescue Unit (TRU) were able to arrest the shooter and two other males as they returned to a dark coloured Dodge Durango.
A search of the vehicle and arrested males resulted in the seizure of two loaded semi-automatic handguns and approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of about $1000.
One handgun was located in a centre console while the other was located in the waistband of one of the arrested men.
The origins of the handguns are still under investigation.
Tharshan BALASINGAM (28-yrs) of Brampton was held for bail charged with:
• Pointing a firearm
• Discharge restricted firearm at a place in a reckless manner
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
• Unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Assault
• Utter threats
• Possession of firearm and ammunition contrary to prohibition order
• Occupant of a motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine) for the purpose of trafficking
Janson JEYAKANTHAN (25-yrs) of Brampton was held for bail charged with:
• Unauthorised possession of a firearm
• Carry concealed weapon
Johan Matthijs VAN DER LEE (26-yrs) of Calgary Alberta was released on a Promise to Appear in Milton court on August 1st 2018 charged with:
• Occupant of a motor vehicle knowing there was a firearm
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jared McLeod of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2385.
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 Staff
July 6t h, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Now the public gets to hear what they wanted to hear during the provincial election campaign.
 Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell delivering a Throne Speech in the Legislative Chamber. Her Honour the Honourable Elizabeth Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, will deliver the Speech from the Throne on Thursday, July 12, 2018. This will open the first Session of the 42nd Parliament of Ontario.
The public will be able to watch the proceedings on the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s television channel and website. The event will also be live-streamed on the Premier’s official YouTube channel and on the Premier’s website.
The Speech from the Throne will be read in the Queen’s Park, Legislative Chamber at 2:00 pm.
We will learn then what Premier Doug Ford plans for the province.
By Staff
July 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Oakville and the Regional Municipality of Halton are seeking experienced professionals for appointment to the 2018-2022 Joint Compliance Audit Committee.
The Town of Milton is not part of this initiative
This Committee is required by the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, to consider applications requesting financial audits of candidate campaigns and third-party advertisers in the 2018 Municipal Election. It will be composed of between three and seven members with a background in accounting, auditing, law, election administration and/or public administration. Applicants should possess some or all of the following:
 • understanding of the Municipal Elections Act’s municipal election campaign financing provisions;
• experience in administrative law;
• proven analytical and decision-making skills;
• experience working on a committee, task force or in a similar setting;
• demonstrated oral and written communication skills; and
• any other criteria as may be prescribed under the Act.
Applicants cannot be:
• members of Council or employees of any of the City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Oakville or Regional Municipality of Halton;
• candidates or registered third parties in the 2018 Municipal Election, their family members, or any person connected to a candidate through an employment, contractual, business or partnership relationship;
• anyone who has participated as a candidate for an office or registered third party in the City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Oakville or Regional Municipality of Halton in the past two regular municipal elections, or who have conducted audits or provided financial or legal advice in respect of such campaigns; and
• anyone who intends to assist any candidate or registered third party, as a volunteer or for compensation, in the 2018 Municipal Election.
In order to be considered for appointment to this Committee, the application form must be received by the Regional Clerk before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Submission instructions are included on the application form.
More information about the Committee is available in the Terms of Reference. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those under consideration will be contacted.
If you require documents in an alternate format, email accesshalton@halton.ca or dial 311
By Staff
July 6th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Shortly before 4:30 AM, police responded to the area of Ross Street near Olga Drive in Burlington after receiving reports of several gunshots.
Police have located several casings and are continuing to investigate. No one was injured and circumstances of this shooting are still being sorted out.
Police believe this to have been a targeted act and there is no further risk to the public.
Investigators are seeking witnesses and asking area residents with surveillance cameras to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jared McLeod of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2385.
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
July 6th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a short, to the point message.
“We won! City will no longer be removing milkweed from private residences!”
 The bylaw officer should have realized what he was up against when he saw the sign. This was a big deal for Doreen Nicoll. The Burlington resident was paid a visit by a bylaw enforcement officer telling her that the milkweed in her front yard garden had to be removed.
The bylaw officer clearly didn’t see the sign in the garden – Nicoll was not someone to trifle with.
We asked for some pictures of her garden – she explained that some wild roses that blew in from another yard years ago that had taken over the garden. The kids moved home. “I had marking, exams, report cards, and then the heat wave hit. So, not every part is beautiful right now. Have a big yellow bag of mulch waiting in the driveway for cooler weather.”
 A very pleasant garden. It is a very attractive garden that will have milkweed as part of the flowerbed. And Burlington now has a bylaw enforcement officer who knows much more about milkweed now than he did a week ago.
This whole mess was the result of a phone call someone made to the bylaw enforcement office complaining about the milkweed.
Nicoll explains that “milkweed started to grow, probably a throwback to when this land I live on was farmed. I’ve also purchased milkweed and over the past decade or so and all of it has done quite well. This is a particularly good year.”
Ward 2 Councillor and candidate for Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “You did it everyone! Based on your advocacy, research, information, city staff listened and will be bringing a bylaw forward in September to remove milkweed from “weed” list to allow it to be grown.
“Well done to all!! In the meantime, the bylaw on milkweed will not be enforced. Tweet from city of Burlington: “City staff have drafted a new lot maintenance bylaw affecting tall grass and weeds. The draft bylaw goes to Council in September and will align with the provincial Weed Control Act. Until then, the city will not enforce the removal of milkweed.”
In electronic communication with Nicoll we learned more about how she approaches life. “you should know I’m also active in ending gendered violence, an ally for Indigenous Nations and Peoples, as well as working to end hunger and poverty. All of these issues are intertwined.
 Doreen Nicoll – Burlington actionist. “I also like to be called an actionist — a term I am borrowing from Mike Nagy chair of the Wellington Water Watchers.
As Mike told me in an interview, “All it takes to be defined as an acitvist is to write a letter or contact your MP or simply ask for better health care. But, over the decades the term has too often become associated with negative connotations.” The difference is I learn about the issue, take action, follow-up, and rarely if ever give up.”
Our kind of woman.
The original news story.
By Doreen Nicoll
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
In 2004 I had the grass in my very tiny front yard removed and a very low wall erected to contain my new garden. Originally, I planted native, heritage plants, most of them edible and all of them able to survive on rain water alone.
Over the years there have been plenty of transitions. Some plants thrive for years only to suddenly decline or disappear and be replaced by a completely different variety. This was survival of the fittest playing out in my garden thanks to the effects of climate change.
During that time, milkweed started to grow, probably a throwback to when this land I live on was farmed. I’ve also purchased milkweed and over the past decade or so and all of it has done quite well. This is a particularly good year.
 Milkweed – din dins for the Monarch butterfly and a native plant in Burlington resident Doreen Nicoll’s garden.
But, this is also the year that I discovered that Burlington, Ontario considers milkweed, the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on, a weed that must be destroyed or removed.
On Friday, June 29, 2018, I returned from work to find a Notice of Violation on my front door. The notice stated that I was in contravention of By-law #12-2011 Part 3 3.1(b), which states, “Every owner of property shall ensure that grass and ground cover is trimmed or cut to a height of 20 centimeters (8 inches) or less and shall ensure weeds are removed or destroyed between May 1 and October 15 each calendar year.”
The Notice of Violation stated the require action was, “Remove or destroy milkweeds from front yard abutting the sidewalk and adjacent property” within seven days. So, by Thursday, July 5.
Again, let me be clear that my milkweeds are growing on my property and not on city land and definitely are not invading a neighbouring property.
 A Monarch butterfly – is that a milkweed plant in the background? So, I began contacting local environmentalists to see if there were any alternative solutions. I did this because trimming milkweed to the required height of 8 inches or less means that the tops of the plants containing all of the leaves, which are home to valuable monarch eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis, would be removed and that would have devastating results.
A very wise environmentalist, who wished to remain anonymous, told me about the time her neighbour reported her for growing milkweed in her naturalized garden. It seems the neighbour wanted the city to force this woman to grow grass instead of flowers.
Well, when she showed the by-law officer her receipt from a local nursery for the purchase of the offending plants she was told that everything was okay because clearly a nursery would not sell weeds to the public. The Notice of Violation was withdrawn.
So, in this time of the Suzuki foundation selling milkweed, documentaries like Metamorphosis showcasing school children planting milkweed to encourage the proliferation of monarch butterflies, and people being encouraged to cut back or stop all together watering lawns and gardens, I am perplexed why the City of Burlington is insisting I destroy this native plant that’s imperative to the lifecycle of monarch butterflies.
Here’s a thought, as we’re entering a municipal election this fall: why not make milkweed an election issue?
Monarchs deserve our protection, as does the water that’s wasted every summer on keeping grass green and non-native species blooming all summer long.
I would argue you don’t even have to live in Burlington or Halton to voice your opinion, because monarchs and water affect everyone across the province and country.
I encourage you to make your voice heard. Tell the City of Burlington, Ontario that you value native plants like milkweed, which nurture valuable monarch butterflies and survive on local rain water.
Here’s a list of email addresses so you can share your thoughts on this matter:
Mayor Rick Goldring mayor@burlington.ca
Councillor Marianne Mead Ward (who is running for Mayor) marianne.meedward@burlington.ca
Councillor Rick Craven rick.craven@burlington.ca
Councillor John Taylor john.taylor@burlington.ca
Councillor Jack Dennison Jack.Dennison@burlington.ca
Councillor Paul Sharma paul.sharman@burlington.ca
Councillor Blair Lancaster blair.lancaster@burlington.ca
After all, isn’t a weed simply a flower growing in what suburban society mistakenly believes is ‘the wrong place?’ Tell that to the monarchs.
What Ms Nicoll may not realize is that in Burlington by laws are enforced on a responsive basis. By law enforcement officer do not go looking for bylaw violations – they get complaint calls and they go out and investigate.
Someone fingered Ms Nicoll.
 Doreen Nicoll, a Burlington resident, is a feminist and a member of several community organizations working diligently to end poverty, hunger and gendered violence. She writes regularly for Raise the Hammer, a Hamilton community based on-line publication where this article first appeared.
 By Ray Rivers
July 5th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Shouldn’t a conservative by definition be one who practices conservation? Despite any word association, today’s popular conservatism is more akin to reactionary-ism – the impossible dream of winding the clock back to those good old days. But none of us is going to be able to recreate the glaciers and ice packs lost to global warming, nor roll back the oceans to levels where they were when the post war generation was coming of age.
 Bill Davis: saved farm land with Ontario’s first experiment in green belting, and was a major force behind stopping acid rain. Bill Davis was a conservative but he was determined to restore the Great Lakes, to save farm land with Ontario’s first experiment in green belting, and to stop acid rain. And Brian Mulroney won accolades from environmental organizations for promoting sustainable development and raising concerns about climate change. These were the last real progressive conservatives.
When the US government set out to eliminate lead in gasoline back in the seventies they adopted cap and trade. Cap and trade was invented by a U of Toronto economist in the sixties. The technique is considered business friendly and the single most efficient (least costly) way to achieve an environmental regulation.
The phaseout of lead exceeded everyone’s expectations, taking the lead out ahead of schedule and at far less cost than anticipated. The same kind of results were achieved when cap and trade was applied to the US acid rain program in the 90’s, reducing sulphur emissions from power plants faster and at less cost than imagined. These programs had been developed by Republican administrations in the USA. Generally, conservatives favour market instruments over intrusive regulatory ‘command and control’ approaches when it comes to the environment.
 He just didn’t like taxes of any kind and suggested using regulations – command and control The Harris conservative government had implemented a cap and trade program for smog pollutants from the electricity sector back in the early 2000’s, though it suffered from a number of design issues, and became redundant once the province phased out coal as an energy source. Cap and trade works best when there are a large number of entities involved in trading, which is why Quebec and California had been chosen to partner in Ontario’s program.
Economists are used to saying: bygones are bygones, and so cap and trade is now history in Ontario. Nevertheless killing the program, and doing so mid-year, is problematic. For one thing the province will surely be obligated to return the almost $3 billion Ontario businesses paid for their carbon allowances this year. And, since this was a multi-year program, we might be on the hook to return the previous year’s money as well.
 Few fully understand how cap and trade programs work. The idea was created bu a Canadian economist at the University of Toronto. They are effective ad have been around for a long time. It is unclear whether the abrupt and unilateral cancellation of our emissions trading arrangements with trade partners in Quebec and California will result in breach of faith and possible law suits. Clearly any trades of Ontario allowances or credits to businesses in those jurisdictions are now worthless, so we’ll see.
And Ontario will end up with a new carbon tax imposed by the federal government, which will be far more expensive than the previous estimated 4.3 cents per litre cost of cap and trade. The good news for Ontario residents is that while we’ll have to pay a carbon tax, all that money will be returned to us in some form. The bad news for Ontario’s new premier is that his government is not likely to have any access or control over it.
 Don’t expect the federal government to be stupid enough to give the proceeds from a carbon tax to a premier who is unwilling to do anything to help the country meet its global climate commitments. The BC government returns most of its provincial carbon tax back to its residents through lower income taxes, making it a sort of revenue neutral tax. Although the feds have not disclosed how they will return Ontario’s carbon taxes, nobody expects them to be stupid enough to give it to a premier who is unwilling to do anything to help the country meet its global climate commitments, and somebody who is actually suing the feds about the tax.
And the only savings we might see from cancelling the cap and trade program would be Mr. Ford’s promised 4.3 cents at the pump. I wouldn’t count on it though because the oil companies have not yet confirmed they will reduce gas prices. Call that ten cent gas reduction the first casualty of Ford’s ‘chicken-in-every-pot’ election promise. Everyone knows you should not promise something you don’t control.
And he’ll have to break another election promise, about not firing anyone. Otherwise he’ll be paying salaries for those bureaucrats who used to manage cap and trade and those who administered the Green ON and other conservation programs funded by the revenues from cap and trade, to sit on their butts. No wonder nobody believes all the promises politicians make in an election campaign.
I saw former premier Mike Harris being interviewed during the recent PC leadership convention. He just didn’t like taxes of any kind and suggested using regulations – command and control – rather than a carbon tax. Well that made my soon-to-be buck-a-bottle beer start to curdle – just to hear Mr. Anti-Red-Tape proposing more… red tape.
But I’m not betting on Mr. Ford bringing in any regulations to curtail GHG emissions, let alone anything as bold as banning coal or as imaginative as cap and trade. You see, that would be progressive, and Mr.Ford is more the reactionary type of conservative. So don’t be surprised when he starts shutting down the EV charging stations, cancelling solar and wind electricity generating projects, and maybe even bringing back coal-fired electric power back to Ontario.
 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. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Ford Cancels Cap and Trade – Ontario Trading Partnerships – US Acid Rain Program
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