 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
By Staff
July 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 TEC has done everything a community group can do to get support for their project. So far no one has come to their aid. The Tyendaga Environmental Coalition finally has a friend.
Vince Fiorito is prepared to do battle for the TEC people and their fight to have the value of their property maintained and not significantly downgraded when the bulldozers start mining for shale in the eastern most quarry of the site off King Road in Aldershot.
Meridian Brick has had a license since the early 70’s and have been taking shale out and manufacturing brick.
 Forterra Brick was the predecessor of re-named Meridian Brick. The graphic, courtesy of the Toronto Star shows where the residents live and where Meridian wants to mine for shale. The move into the eastern quarry has brought a problem that was always lurking in the background to the front page. TEC hasn’t been able to get any traction with either the Mayor, the ward Councillor or the MPP.
They all said that Meridian has a license and there was nothing they could do.
Fiorito sees this differently and said that one of his reasons for running in ward 1, which isn’t where he lives, is because there is a significant environmental issue in that ward. And if Fiorito is anything – he is a protector of the environment.
 Fiorito has been working at cleaning up ravines in the western part of Burlington – he now wants to work on a solution for everyone in the Tyendaga community where a brick manufacturing operation wants to cut down thousands of trees and begin mining for shale yards from their homes. “I think there is a win – win possible here and I will be committing myself to working for the interests of the residents who have major economic interest as does the brick manufacturer.”
“No one has managed to bring these two groups together and work on their joints interest” – every one has sided with the brick maker and forgotten the taxpayers” said Fiorito. “That isn’t fair” he added.
The TEC people want to interview Fiorito before they put their support behind him.
 By Staff
July 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
When reports are prepared for city council there is some standard information at the top of each document.
 President of Revenue Properties in Conversation with Mayor Goldring at a public event. The report going to council on the 409 Brant project being developed by Revenue Properties has the following information under Applicant.
Reserve Properties Ltd.
2001586 Ontario Inc. (owner, Elizabeth Law):401 and 405 Brant Street
2486157 Ontario Inc. (owner, Elizabeth Law): 403 Brant Street
Elizabeth Law: 409 and 413 Brant Street
Elizabeth Law Interiors Ltd.: 411 Brant Street, 448 John Street, 2012 James Street
Albert Ludwig Schmid 444 John Street
 The Brant street properties that will be be demolished if the 409 development actually proceeds. Does this mean that Revenue Properties does not yet actually own the land it wants to acquire and develop?
That kind of limits the risk doesn’t it?
By Pepper Parr
July 4th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It will not be a sleepy summer with lots of time off and getting away early in the evenings for many at city hall. Members of Council are going to be pressed with the size of the work load as well.
There are four developments coming before Council that long term will add as many as 2000 people to the population of the city.
 Looking south on Brant. The proposed 24 story structure with the approved 23 storey structure shown as shadowed. It will be a different downtown core when these two are completed. The biggie is the proposed 23 storey structure that will, if approved. go up at the SW corner of Brant and James and run south to the Elgin Promenade and west to John Street. The Planning department (It has been re-named Department of City Building) has written up a recommendation that suggests 18 storeys would be preferred. The recommendation is complex and not easily explained.
The approval of a 23 storey structure on the north side of James and Brant didn’t make the City Building department job for the 409 development any easier.
 Mayor Goldring in conversation with the President of Revenue Properties, the developer of the 409 Brant project. From the “what’s in it for me” perspective there the following reported community benefits if the pro000ject gets built:
$250,000 for purchase of up to 6 assisted housing units by Halton Region, or similar contribution to housing fund held at the city
$100,000 for improvement of civic square
$50,000 for improvement of downtown transit terminal
$25,000 towards a downtown Burlington Farmer’s Market
$25,000 towards active transportation links (walking/cycling) in the Elgin Promenade area
widening sidewalks (Brant/James/John) – indirect benefit of $250,000
public easement at Brant/James of 16×16 – indirect benefit of $75,000
implement streetscape guidelines for expanded setbacks and open space easement for Brant/James/John – indirect benefit of $150,000
retain heritage attributes – indirect benefit of $300.
 The planners are requiring each developer two cut into the corner of their buildings to open up the view of Civic Square. The 421 Brant development, on the right, has been approved. The 409 Brant development is before Council next week. The really interesting one is the $100,000 to gussy up Civic Square. The city has required the developers of each building on the corner of Brant and James to cut an angle into the corner of the buildings to enlarge the view of Civic Square.
Deputy city manager Mary Lou Tanner told the Gazette of her fondness for city hall as a structure. Some in the planning department refer to the building as iconic.
There are clearly plans to give the Square a new look – that project didn’t make it to the “fully engaged” public agenda.
The Tremaine Dundas development has been a long time coming. That initiative is in the north west part of the city on the border with Oakville.
The ADI Links development that overlooks Bronte Creek has given life to that part of the city.
At some point the quarry operation and brick manufacturing plant in the area will give way to development and add to the vitality of that part of the city.
 Exceptional use of land – should become quite a community wen completed. The site is one of Burlington’s last undeveloped significant Greenfield areas; the Secondary Plan area presents an important opportunity to create a distinct community in Burlington.
The lands are characterized by the presence of significant natural heritage features and areas, potential access to future higher order transit routes and important remnants of the area’s built and cultural heritage.
The purpose of the secondary plan is to provide a planning framework that will guide future development in the Tremaine Dundas area. The plan responds to and develops the area with a mixed use option to accommodate residential, employment and mixed uses while ensuring that identified natural heritage features throughout the area are protected, connected/linked and, where possible, enhanced.
 There is the potential for a lovely community if the developer does it right. Access to major roads with a lot of green space. This one is a couple of years away. Plan area is approximately 133 hectares with the developable area being approximately 50 hectares excluding the natural heritage system. The existing uses located within the area include a school bus terminal on Dundas Street and two single detached residences (the Crook- Norton House and a separate property fronting Tremaine Road), the existing Highway 407 right of way, a functional hydro corridor, CN railway line as well as the extensive Bronte Creek valley lands that set the natural environment character for the remainder.
 Most of the intensification is taking place at the back of the property where stacked townhouses will replace less dense housing. The development on Prospect west of Brant is for two blocks of stacked townhouses, each containing 50 housing units plus 130 parking spaces (including 9 visitor spaces).
 Fifty housing units will replace the eight in place now. The two existing fourplex buildings will be demolished. The eight-storey apartment building will remain.
This development is classic intensification. The structures that are being demolished left a lot of space for children to play and adults t sit outside. Times are changing.
 Townhouses in Aldershot – 38 units. Another development in Aldershot will redevelop nine standard townhouse units along the northern half of the site, 17 back-to-back townhouse units on the southern half of the property and 12 back-to-back townhouse units on the eastern side of the property for a total of 38 units; 76 parking spaces, plus 5 visitor spaces are proposed.
All the chatter that the developers bring to council about how they are helping the city meet the growth targets the province has set begs the question: Have we not already met those targets? And is there anyone actually counting what is in the pipeline and where is the city relative to the targets?
By Pepper Parr
July 3rd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
We did not write this.
We pass it along to you for your edification from Community Mindfulness Burlington.
They are inviting residents to a series of free drop-in mindfulness sessions in Burlington parks in July and August.
The mindfulness sessions are led by volunteers from Community Mindfulness Burlington and partly supported by the City of Burlington’s Neighbourhood Community Matching Fund.
Mindfulness is a type of meditation where a positive mental state is achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.
Participants are advised to wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat or meditation cushion. Mindfulness activities are inclusive and secular. All welcome to participate.
 Dates
• Sunday, July 8, 10 to 11 a.m., Mountainside Park. Mountainside Arena community room in case of inclement weather
• Sunday, July 15, 10 to 11 a.m., Kiwanis Park. Aldershot Arena community room in case of inclement weather
• Sunday, Aug. 12, 10 to 11 a.m., Mountainside Park. Mountainside Arena community room in case of inclement weather
• Sunday, Aug. 26, 10 to 11 a.m., Kiwanis Park. Aldershot Arena community room in case of inclement weather
Your tax dollars at work!
By Pepper Parr
July 3rd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The city council race for the ward 1 seat just got a little hotter.
 Vince Fiorito to run for the ward 1 city council seat Vince Fiorito, the Green candidate in the recent provincial election has advised the Gazette that he will be running for the city council seat in ward 1.
Fiorito, who lives in ward 5, has decided that it is important for the candidate who expect to file nomination papers in ward 5 later this week or early next have a clear shot at incumbent Paul Sharman. “I don’t want to split that vote” said Fiorito.
However, Fiorito added that “during the provincial campaign as a Green candidate I got more support in Aldershot (ward 1) than I did in ward 5. Running in ward 5 is strategic for me and it is where my support is”
 Vince Fiorito was named the Steward of Sheldon Creek; the strongest environmentalist the city has. Fiorito is a strong environmentalist, probably the best environmental thinker in the city and he has a good public profile.
He doesn’t feel that living outside the ward is an issue. Several of the candidates already nominated live outside the ward.
With Fiorito in the race the dynamic changes considerably.
The candidate count for ward 1 currently includes: Jason Boelhouwer, Kelvin Galbraith, Arlene Iantomasi, René Papin, Marty Staz and Judy Worsley.
Fiorito expects to file his papers the week of July 9th.
By Pepper Parr
July 3rd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It was heralded as a really significant event. All the big shots were in the room for the announcement.
Halton Habitat for Humanity had managed to convince the provincial government to pony up $5.8 million for the creation of what was being called a Factory Build operation.
By Factory Build the people making the announcement were saying that there would be a structure where homes could be pre-built and shipped to the site where they would be assembled.
This approach would allow Habitat to improve the number of homes they could build significantly.
The idea was brought back to Burlington by Ed McMahon who has been involved with Habitat for some time. Ed McMahon had seen a Factory Build operation in Edmonton and wanted to see something like this in Burlington.
It was described as an innovative approach to partnering with local community-based initiatives led by Habitat for Humanity. They were going to increase the supply and meet the growing demand for safe and affordable homes in the province.
There was a three-year, $5.8 Million commitment from the province.
 Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring, Regional Chair Gary Carr and then MPP Ted McMeekin were in hand to celebrate the announcement of the provincial funding for the Habitat initiative. The Build Factory was to be located in Burlington where they would construct and assemble homes year-round in a controlled environment. This facility will engage with local community partners including educational institutions, and other not for profit organizations. Components for safe, decent and affordable homes will be assembled and transported to as many as 120 Habitat for Humanity construction sites across Ontario, with the opportunity to also provide housing for Indigenous communities.
“The Build Factory is a ground breaking achievement for our organization and for the province,” said Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga CEO John Gerrard. For every dollar invested, Habitat for Humanity generates $4 in social return. This three-year investment by the province of Ontario will increase the supply of affordable housing long-term, expand community partnerships, increase engagement and create capacity and scale for the non-profit housing sector.
Things were looking great for Habitat.
In the dying days of the provincial campaign the Gazette did a lengthy interview with then MPP Eleanor McMahon, she and Ed are brother and sister, who explained the process that the funding application went through.
We didn’t publish hat interview because the day after the then Premier Kathleen Wynne basically through in the towel saying that the Liberals were not going to win the election.
Eleanor McMahon, who was President of the Treasury Board, wasn’t going to have that job which meant the interview served no purpose. McMahon’s job at the time was to at least get herself elected. She lost her seat to Jane McKenna.
Habitat for Humanity Executive Director John Gerrard delegated to city council about a problem the organization was having with their retail operation on Appleby Line; there was some discussion on where the proposed Factory Build could be located.
There weren’t that many sites in Burlington where this kind of operation could be located.
Frank McKeown, who was the Executive Director of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation took part in that discussion and got involved in the search for a location. McKeown resigned from his job at the end of June. His decision to resign had been announced six weeks earlier.
A very reliable sourced told the Gazette recently that the funding everyone thought was approved didn’t make it through the final stages.
 Habitat CEO John Gerrard The Gazette placed calls to both Gerrard the Habitat CEO and Eric Wickham the Communications Advisor for Habitat. Our calls were not returned. Several attempts were made to reach both people with voice mail messages left each time.
There was no response.
With a new government in place at Queen’s Park many projects are in a bit of a limbo.
The information the Gazette was given was that the cheque everyone thought was “in the mail” wasn’t in the mail.
Without the funding the project wasn’t going anywhere.
The Gazette will continue to dig away at this one.
 By Staff
July 3, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Detour Area: James St. between Brant St. and John St.
Detour Dates: July 3 to July 13, 2018
Detour Routes:
• Route 3 and 5 to Burlington GO will leave the terminal and continue north on John St., turn left onto Caroline St., turn right onto Brant St. and continue its regular route
• Route 3 and 5 from Burlington GO will turn left onto Caroline St., turn right onto John St. into the terminal
Stops not in Service: 797 (James St. and Brant St.), 798 (Brant St. at Ontario), 843 (Brant St. at Caroline St.)
Detour is due to construction on James St.
By Pepper Parr
July 3rd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman. There is going to be a very credible candidate going after the ward 5 seat.
The word we have is that nomination papers will be filed before the end of the week which means that every member of the current council has ether resigned or will be facing a credible candidate.
Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven has decided to resign from municipal politics; Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward is running for the office of Mayor; ward 3 Councillor Taylor resigned, Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison decided to hang in and faces a contender that will give him a run for his money.
Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster faces two candidates.
Paul Sharman is the ward 5 incumbent. He really didn’t have much in the way of competition in either the 2010 and the 2014 election.
 Intense to the point of making delegations uncomfortable ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman does know how to drill down into the data and look for results. It will be a different race for Paul Sharman this time out.
However, in the world of politics, nothing is certain.
Let’s see if the nomination papers are actually filed and then learn a little more about the focus of the prospective candidates campaign.
 By Pepper Parr
July 1st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The election that takes place October 22nd for a new city council and school board representatives is not going to be the snoozer that the 2014 election was.
That year every member of city council was returned. In the four years that seven member Council sat they made two major decisions.
They approved a new Strategic Plan and they passed a new Official Plan.
 Traditionally Strategic Plans were for the term of a city council – four years.  The current Strategic Plan is for a 25 year period. An incoming council is not bound to a plan created by a previous council. Up until the 2012 a Strategic Plan was put in place Burlington created a Strategic Plan for the term of office. The understanding was that a current city council could not bind future councils to an objective they might not agree with.
There was never a public debate on lengthening the time frame of the Strategic Plan. The current council decided that it was better municipal governance to create a 25 year plan and tweak it as the years rolled by,
Four “pillars” were defined WHA ARE THESE and they became the base on which the plan was to rest. The city brought in KPMG as consultants who guided council and city staff through the process.
There were numerous delegations done but there was never a OPEN THIS UP
 The four pillars on which the 25 year Strategic Plant was built. How are we doing so far? During the years leading up to the creation of a new Official Plan there were several speeches given by the Mayor on intensification and what it was going to mean to the city.
Rick Goldring chose what he believed was the safe political route to take – assure people that there will be changes but they aren’t really going to change very much. About 5% of the city would experience change.
The document that set out what intensification was really all about was a provincial policy statement – Places to Grow. It set out where the growth was going to take place and just how much growth there was going to be.
That process for Burlington had the decision made at the provincial level and the deciding of specifically where the growth was to take place made at the Regional level.
 The Downtown part of Burlington is broken into precincts. There are development rues for each precinct. A precinct is not always one contiguous area. Confusing at times Burlington had all kinds of input in that process but very little of it was as public as it could have been and there was certainly no public debate or information sessions on where the residential growth was going to take place and where the jobs would be located. That was done by the Planning department.
 There are four mobility hubs -n Burlington these are centered around the four GO stations. Significant development, of both commercial and residential is planned for these locations. The development around Burlington and Aldershot GO stations is well underway. Included in all this change was the mobility hubs; a concept that was never explained to the public in the early stages. The two words made sense – what wasn’t clear to the public, and to some of the members of council as well, as to what it did mean.
During some of the Strategic Plan meetings it looked as if the mobility hub at the Aldershot GO station was where the first stage of growth would take place. At the time the Paradigm project had broken ground and it soon became clear that the Burlington GO station was where all the early action was going to take place. Land on the north side of Fairview between Brant and Guelph Line became the real estate hot spot. Deals were being done weekly with several property owners holding out to get a better sense as to which direction the wind was blowing.
 This is the downtoen precinct – it is within the downtown core. Many felt that the high rise development should have been clustered further north. It may be too late for that – most of the property has already been assembled. The public attention however was focused on the downtown core. The first of the high rise condo’s was before the planners. The developer came in with a 27 storey proposal on the NE corner of Brant and James that got whittled down to 23 which city council approved on a 5-2 vote.
Prior to this the ADI Group development at Lakeshore and Martha that had gone to the OMB where everyone was certain it would be scaled back. Didn’t happen – the city didn’t make its case and the OMB said the xx storeys were just fine.
Many felt the die was cast and that Burlington’s downtown core was to become a forest of 23+ storey condominiums.
 The beginning of the change for the downtown – this one will go up opposite city hall. Many of the citizens were aghast – how could this happen?
Members of city council knew how it happened – they let it happen.
All this led to people wanting to stop this level of change from taking place.
The election scheduled for October was going to be their chance to elect a new city council that would create a new direction.
Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward became the spokesperson for those who said they were not opposed to development – they just wanted responsible and properly phased in development. The developers saw a blazing hot market and they were not of a mind to wait. The current city council seemed quite prepared to go along with them.
The Mayor is on the ropes, Meed Ward has her loyal following – and then Mike Wallace makes it known that he will run for the office of Mayor.
 Mike Wallace congratulating Karina Gould on her win of the federal seat in Burlington. Mike Wallace lost the federal seat as the Burlington Member of Parliament to Karina Gould. Mike loves being in power.
He was never seen as a big thinker but he brought millions of federal dollars to the city and he decided he could knock off Goldring and beat Meed Ward.
The Tory machine that didn’t deliver for him in the xx federal election still existed and Mike was going to take a shot at making it work for him at the municipal level. To be fair to Mike – he was facing a very popular Liberal leader whose coat tails Gould rode into office.
Each of the three major contenders, Goldring, Meed Ward and Wallace made early announcements, then each held their campaign kick-off events.
 Mayor Rick Goldring at his campaign Kick Off Goldring’s was tepid at best – he just didn’t say very much.
Meed Ward made her event a kick-off and a fund raiser – it cost $25 to get in the door.
Wallace held his event in the same room at Emmas Back Porch where he had conceded the federal election to Karina Gould.
This time Wallace had something to say – he spoke of two planks of his election platform.
He would ask council to approve an increase in the size of council – he thought going from a seven member council was now necessary and felt that nine was a good number.
 Bronte Meadows – owned by the Paletta interests, zoned as Employment land and included in the package of GTA properties that were in the offering to Amazon who were looking for an eastern headquarters – dubbed HQ2 He also said he wanted to create a community that would attract the young people back to Burlington where they could live and work and proposed the development of a large community. He didn’t say where he thought this development should take place and he didn’t say how large it should be.
There is only so much land that residential housing can be built on. The size of the land needed to do what Wallace has in mind is owned by Paletta’s.
The large property at Upper Middle Road and Bronte – known as Bronte Meadows – is zoned as Employment land. The Paletta’s have been trying for years to get that changed to residential or at least mixed use.
Wallace said that he was the kind of politician who could get things done; that he knew how to pick up the phone and talk to people.
The province now has a government that looks at development a lot differently hat the previous Liberal government.
Can one assume that Mike Wallace has talked to Angelo Paletta. I’d bet on that.
If, and this is just an if, those conversations have taken place does that mean the developers are still in control. Many people feel they have controlled the current council for some time.
 Salt with Pepper are the opinions, musings and observations of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette
By Carol Gottlob
July 1st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
In 2014 I had had enough of voting against my Councillor in Burlington Ward 4, and decided to run against him instead! After all, every Canadian citizen over the age of 18 is entitled to do so. Entitled, but not always able.
Before the Wynn government changed the rules, in 2014, I was able to receive donations toward my campaign from my union (Canadian Union of Public Employees), and I did. I also received donations from family, friends and supporters, and so I ran a successful campaign that didn’t look like it was on a shoestring budget. I took partial leave of my teaching duties (I am a language instructor with the HCDSB), so that I could campaign afternoons and evenings, which meant I also took a calculated hit in income.
 Carol Gottlob on her motorcycle. Having lived the experience – and it was a very good one – this time around I would need to take complete leave of my teaching duties for the months of September and October in order to put my full time and energy into the campaign. I make a modest wage, and I am approaching retirement years, therefore it is just not wise for me to give up income on a gamble at this stage. I am a risk taker (I ride a motorcycle), but I am not foolish.
A comment was made that it is a good thing candidates can no longer accept donations from corporations and unions. I beg to differ. How am I to fund a campaign on personal donations? I found excellent volunteers and did very well in the 2014 election, garnering 35% of the vote, and have been strongly encouraged to use that momentum to run again.
After the 2014 election, I tried to keep my profile alive in the community, joined a board, attended public meetings, but after a while it took too much time away from my regular job, and I was unable to maintain a reasonable level of commitment.
A comment was also made that I had four years to raise funds, but I didn’t. Technically, I could not raise funds before May 1st. I might have been able to get pledges and commitments, and build a team, but in the end, how would I have paid my mortgage and my bills whilst running a campaign? The incumbent, on the other hand, need not take time off work, has a six-figure income, has a flexible schedule that allows him to campaign from city hall, and has had 20+ years to fundraise. He just goes back to the same supporters and they just hand out the same cheques. Me, they want to know all about me before they give me a cent. And honestly, how many people make personal donations of $1,200? I was getting personal donations of $25, $50, maybe $100, and you need a lot of those to fund a campaign. Yes, it can be done, but not alone.
Which brings me to another personal challenge when it comes to running a campaign. I am single. There is no second income in my household to keep the boat afloat while I campaign, no spouse who can take some of the workload off my hands: pick up groceries, dry-cleaning, take care of vet appointments, all those daily tasks that befall one person. And there is no one to be at my back when the going gets tough. I know how tough it gets, I’ve done it, and it is not for the faint-of-heart.
It may sound like I am complaining. I am not. I am telling it like it is. Politics is for the wealthy. If you can park your business or let someone manage it for you while you run, you have a distinct advantage over someone such as myself. Politics is not for everyone. I’ve always thought a municipal election was much better to run in than a provincial or federal election, because candidates are not (openly) associated with a political party, and so you can choose a candidate based on their personal merits.
 Ward 4 candidate in the 2014 election, Carol Gottlob places a sign on her front lawn with her two sons. After much soul searching, I’ve decided it is not for me. As I’ve often said, I would make an outstanding Councillor, but a lousy politician. And so, I’m throwing my support behind the candidate in my ward who is taking on the challenge of facing down an incumbent of over 25 years who is hell-bent on staying on 4 more years and doing things his way. Good luck to his worthy opponent. It would be so nice to get some fresh ideas on council. After all, that is what inspired me to take a crack at it four years ago.
Related links:
The candidate for ward 4 is Shawna Stolte:
Gottlob ran a very good race for a first time candidate in 2014.
By Staff
June 30th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Facebook and YouTube is everywhere!
They are in the news as a web site that was used to tilt the American presidential election.
How do these YouTube pages get created?
 Mohawk College is hosting a star-studded YouTube Creator Camp where high school level students will learn ‘Social Media Skills’ from the biggest names in the Biz!
The college describes the five day program as a brand-new ground-breaking initiative that runs from July 9th to 13th 2018.
This fun five-day intensive experience will allow students to get first-hand knowledge on social media influencing, and how to turn a hobby into a career. “This is the first Creator’s Camp of its kind in the Ontario, and we are excited about this offering,” Associate Dean Tracy Kadish said.
Move quickly if you want to get in on this. The classes for the 13 to 15 age group os sold out. There are just eight seats left for the 16 to 18 year olds.
Since YouTube went online in February 2005, it has become the go-to website for Internet content creation. Mohawk Creator’s Camp will help aspiring young minds make creative content and learn how to turn it into a profitable business.
The Camp comes at a cost of $375.00 and includes entrepreneurship training, master classes with Influencers, meals, and a field trip to Toronto. “Camp goers will take home intimate Digital Entrepreneurship skills that you won’t find anywhere else,” Natalie Reid, Program Coordinator of SURGE, noted. In partnership with the Industry Education Council of Hamilton and the M.I.G.H.T.Y. Entrepreneurship Program, students will also learn entrepreneurial skills to help them launch and manage their business.
 Mohawk Creator’s Camp hopes to be the first to give students an entertaining alternative when it comes to learning during the summer. Mohawk Creator’s Camp won’t just teach students about making videos, Students will be able to use this unique Camp as a stepping stone into a possible career in media. At the end of the camp, parents are invited to a showcase party which is planned for the evening of Monday July 16th.
For more information on Mohawk Creator’s Camp email surge@mohawkcollege.ca or visit their Webpage
https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/mohawk-creators-camp
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