 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
 By Staff
June 30th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington has always made a big deal out of Canada Day.
Every municipality does something but that park on the edge of the lake is so enticing – everyone gathers there.
 The city doesn’t disappoint.
The schedule is packed;
The day start with a yoga class and end with a fireworks display. Parts of the day’s events are going to be simulcast by 102.9 K-LITE FM during the fireworks display. Participants can listen to music synchronized to the fireworks through their mobile phone or on the radio from wherever the fireworks are visible.
Fun activities planned in the park include:
 Yoga at the compass at 8:30 a.m.
Citizenship Ceremony at 9 a.m.
5K run and 1K kids run at 10 a.m.
Scholars in Collars dog training performance at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Face-painting, balloon animals, photo booth, hair spray artist and inflatables from noon to 5 p.m. presented by Glad Tidings Church
Canadian hockey player and Canadian Mountie stilt walkers from noon to 6 p.m.
The opening ceremonies begin at noon with the Burlington Teen Tour Band kicking off the festivities at the main stage.
Entertainment on the main stage will include:
 Karen Thornton at 1 p.m.
Melissa Bel at 2 p.m.
Mount Farewell at 3 p.m.
Symphony on the Bay at 4:30 p.m.
The Hockey Circus Show at 5:30 p.m.
Felicia McMinn Band at 6:30 p.m.
The Hockey Circus Show at 7:30 p.m.
Johannes Linstead at 8:30 p.m.
Fireworks presented by BUNZL at 10 p.m.
Downtown parking will be tough to find. Every organization with a parking lot will be offering to let you park for a fee. Think about considering other transportation options: cycling, walking, car pooling or Burlington Transit.
A fully accessible free shuttle service will run from noon to 11 p.m. The shuttle will run approximately every 20 minutes from the Burlington GO Station (north side) to the downtown bus terminal. A free bike corral will be available near the Waterfront Hotel for cyclists to secure their bikes.
Other Canada Day Activities
The city’s outdoor pool locations are open for unlimited access to recreational swimming for only $4.40 per person; $3.05 after 5 p.m. Hours for Canada Day are as follows:
Nelson Pool – 10:30 – 8 p.m.
LaSalle Splash Park – 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Mountainside Pool 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
 Many people see the Terry Fox run as a unique thing that happened in Canada and was the result of one Canadian’s supreme effort. The Canadian flag just seems to be a part of the event – and there were plenty of them handed out. Take a walk on a nature trail at Kerncliffe Park, play bocce at LaSalle Park or go for a picnic
All six of the city’s spray park locations are open and always free. For more information, visit burlington.ca/splashpads.
When you look at the flag – think about what is going on south of us and be grateful for what we have going for s.
 By Staff
June 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
While investigating one car theft police notice some suspicious driving and find they are dealing with a vehicle that had also been stolen. A two for one for the police.
On June 26th 2018 shortly after 11:00 PM, police were called to investigate the theft of a Mercedes SUV that had just occurred on Ascot Place in Burlington.
 Responding officers stopped a suspicious vehicle leaving the area and during the stop the stolen Mercedes was seen approaching but did a U-Turn and sped away. The stopped vehicle, a 2006 Mazda 3 was stolen several days prior from Province St. N. in Hamilton. The driver and sole occupant of this vehicle was arrested and held for bail. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of property that had been stolen from unlocked cars in Burlington.
On June 27th 2018, investigators located the stolen Mercedes SUV parked in the area of Cannon Street and Kenilworth Avenue in Hamilton. At 3:45 PM, a male returned to the vehicle with the keys in hand at which time investigators with assistance from members of the Hamilton Police Service BEAR and HEAT units arrested the male after a foot chase. A search of the stolen vehicle resulted in the recovery of further stolen property taken during vehicle break-ins and a garage break-in.
Brent Andrew COOPER (18-yrs) of Hamilton was the first man arrested. He was released on bail and will appear next in Milton Court on July 25th 2018 charged with the following:
• Theft of motor vehicle
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
• Possession of a controlled substance (cocaine)
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana)
• Fail to comply with recognizance (two counts)
Michael Raymond ALLEN (18-yrs) of Hamilton was the second man arrested. He was remanded into custody and will appear next in Milton Court on July 3rd 2018 charged with the following:
• Theft of motor vehicle (two counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 (four counts)
• Theft under $5000 (three counts)
• Break and enter
• Fraud under $5000
Police are still investigating numerous other thefts from and of vehicles that have taken place throughout the city of Burlington over the past several months and are urging area residents to not leave valuables or spare keys in their vehicles and ensure the doors are locked when left unattended. Police are also encouraging the public to immediately report suspicious activity.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Mark Urie of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2338.
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
June 29, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
When the holiday is over and reality sets in – changes to service on routes 3 and 5.
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
June 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Round two of the race that will determine who will be Mayor of Burlington on October 23rd, has taken place.
 Ward 2 candidate Meed Ward holds her announcement on a dead end street in Aldershot- she was running for Mayor – was there ever any doubt this would happen? The first round had the Mayor making a statement at a golf club, Mike Wallace held a media event on the sidewalk outside city hall and Meed Ward gathered her tribe at a small dead end street in Aldershot.
The second round had Ward 2 city Councillor Marianne Meed Ward holding a fund raiser at Joe Dogs on Brant Street, the Mayor holding an event at Faraway Indoor Golf on Tuesday and Mike Wallace holding his event at Emma’s Back Porch last night.
Our correspondent reports that “The event at Joe Dogs was great, there was a wonderful buzz and energy in the room. People were excited and happy.”
“There were between 105 and 115 people there, people paid $25 to get in and at times we had lineups at the door. There was a real mix of people – all ages, from all parts of the city, all races and genders, all political stripes. The volunteers and supporters seemed to be proud that Meed Ward was not being backed or funded by any party, riding association, current or former MPPs or MPs.
“It appeared to me to be a real grass-roots bunch.
 Some of the entertainment at the Meed Ward fund raiser. “There were some young ladies doing highland dancing, campaign t-shirts and car magnets were on sale – thy almost sold out on those. Slated to end at 9:30, many hung around much longer than that. This correspondent had work to do at home.
“Meed Ward spoke about over-development, losing retail space, losing greenspace, not enough parking, amenity space, and a lack of affordability. She also spoke about the need for more respect from city hall for residents and their input. She stressed that residents must work together to ensure their best interests are being served which is what she committed herself to do as Mayor.”
Meed Ward has plans for events throughout the city. The next one is scheduled for September 13 at the Polish Hall
Rick Goldring had a good turnout – however he didn’t speak at any length. He mentioned that the city had put up $60 million as its share of the transformed Joseph Brant Hospital. Money had been put into culture and the Nelson pool had been replaced.
Goldring added that tax increases were within inflation rates – which just isn’t true. Inflation hasn’t been anywhere near 4%; tax increases have been above 4%
 Goldring explaining intensification at a 2015 event. Goldring explained that his first term of office was a Clean Up phase but he didn’t elaborate on what it was he cleaned up.
The second term of office was the setting up phase. He made mention of the Strategic Plan and the Official Plan but again he didn’t elaborate on what was important about the two initiatives.
Phase three, implementation of the set up but not a word about what that implementation was going to look like.
Goldring made mention of the city being th best Canadian mid sized city to live in. He did mention that a new listing of the best city’s is due out soon. What id Burlington gets a downgrade?
Mike Wallace chose a small space at Emmas Back Porch and packed the space. Sweltering hot.
Dwight Ryan, a CHCH retiree served as Master of Ceremonies and got the laughs he wanted then introduced Connor Clark, a Nelson high school student who is going to represent students on the Halton District School Board.
Clark was positioned as the vision for the future, the bright young man that was raised and educated in Burlington and after university would come back to Burlington where he could work and raise his own family. The audience, that had very few young people, loved it.
Then Keith Strong took to the podium and gave a run down on the other candidates in the race. He did a superb hatchet job on Meed Ward, made the briefest mention possible of the candidate from Aldershot and cut up the Mayor for his lack of leadership.
Strong was direct in his criticism of Meed Ward. She is disruptive, she creates conflict, she always argues, she isn’t a team player and she promises but never completes, said Strong. Strong words indeed.
After doing a classic political hatchet job on the other three candidates Strong got into what Mike Wallace brings to the table.
 Caroline Wallace Caroline Wallace, who was described as Burlington’s next first lady, took to the podium after Strong and read her speech. She said she wanted to make sure she got it all right. She is a solid, supportive candidate’s wife.
Then it was Mike’s turn – and he didn’t disappoint. After telling people that he was running because Mayor Goldring was not doing the job Wallace then laid out two platform planks.
He said he would ask his fellow council members to support him in creating a larger council and suggested that eight members plus a Mayor for a nine member council is what the city needed.
Then he launched into an idea that will surprise many. Mike told the audience about a place in Toronto called Liberty Village. It’s where the entrepreneurial crowd live and work. Some describe the place as almost like a university campus.
Wallace wants young people to be able to stay in Burlington and work in the city – and a Liberty Village is just the ticket he said.
 The Liberty Village community in Toronto is the place to live and work in Toronto for the younger, hip, entrepreneurial set. Mike Wallace wants some of this t exist in Burlington, He wouldn’t say just where this Liberty Village should/could be built; all he was doing was floating an idea. It wasn’t a bad idea, some complications, but at least there was an idea on the table that was more than Mayor Goldring was offering at his campaign kickoff event.
According to Wallace Tansley Wood was a Wallace invention. He said he was the force behind the creation of the Tansley Wood community centre when he got the city and the province to work together.
 Mike Wallace in full campaign mode. Wallace was brutal when it came to describing the Mayor. “There is no vision” said Wallace but there are growth pressures on Burlington from the province. Places to Grow is a provincial policy but we don’t have to let Queen’s Park just run over us” said Wallace.
“We have to push back at the Regional and provincial levels and this Mayor does not have the ability to do that.”
“There is no vision and there is a lack of pride.”
The kicker was when he asked: Who made the New Street decision.
Wallace said he believes he has a better shot at getting results from Queen’s Park than anyone else running for the job of Mayor.
There is no magic wand in the hands of the Mayor said Wallace. He said he believed a Mayor should lead and not just complain. “The demographics are against us in Burlington” said Wallace. “We have to attract the young people back to the city but right now there is no place for them to live.”
 Randall Reff – The second worst environmental waste deposit in the country is pretty close to home isn’t it Wallace said he was Ok with the new city plan and he was just fine with the mobility hubs/ “But we need someone to do those things.”
Wallace took credit for getting millions spent on the Randall Reef in Hamilton Harbour that was polluting the water in Burlington Bay. He pointed to the $250 million he said he brought to Burlington as the Member of Parliament.
It was a tough, no holds barred campaign speech. The Gazette has never heard Mike Wallace sound this aggressive before. Mike was known for his laugh, you heard the laugh before you saw the man.
He wasn’t laughing Wednesday night at Emmas Back Porch. Mike Wallace wants back in and he is going to give the other candidates a rough ride.
Greg Woodruff, the most recent candidate to file nomination papers has yet to hold a public event.
Meed Ward web site is at: https://mariannemeedward.ca”
Goldring’s campaign web site is at: https://www.rickgoldring.ca/
Mike Wallace web site: https://mikewallaceformayor.ca/
 By Carol Victor
June 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 Mary Lou Tanner – former Director if Planning – now Deputy city manager. Many of us are frustrated by the self-righteous rhetoric of (Deputy city manager) Marylou Tanner and the decisions made by the planning department in Burlington. Stop telling us what you want us to want, start listening to what we do want.
The planning department and Councillors who supported the decisions to “protect what residents value” better known as the “department that is destroying our beautiful city” have failed to listen to what engaged citizens have been saying for the better part of a year. They ploughed ahead with numerous presentations, emails, meetings, and brochures while failing to hear what the citizens don’t want. I attended many of the council meetings and was dismayed that so many delegations were heard and nothing was done.
 Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward with some of her supporters. One of the developers at a February meeting printed and had available for the public copies of a letter where he expressed his disdain for the one Councillor (Marianne Meed Ward) who had voted against this extensive development. This was a disgusting prank . Ms. Meed Ward deserves much credit for truly expressing what many of us feel. She was joined by one other person on council who voted against revising the official plan.
However in the case of the other individual, this was purely a case of optics as he clearly knew that the motion would pass despite the two dissenting votes. A lack of leadership is clearly missing when so many citizens take the time and energy to thoughtfully express their visions for the city they love.
 The Burlington Carol Victor loves; she moved here nine years ago after 40 years in Toronto. I moved here nine years ago after living in Toronto for 40 years. It was a breath of fresh air with an unencumbered and accessible waterfront, quaint shops downtown, no traffic gridlock, lots of green space and wonderful amenities. How things have changed!!!! There emerged this spring a great shadow over Lakeshore between Elizabeth and Pearl Streets. Lower Brant Street as we know it will soon disappear.
What family will move into a 23 storey tower with 1 and 2 bedroom condos. As for meeting the demands of intensification, this is nonsense, what family will move into a 23 storey tower in what will be 1 and 2 bedroom condos, with one spot for parking, no nearby schools, grocery shopping that will soon be gone and traffic gridlock. If you don’t live near the downtown, I would suggest that you visit soon as you won’t recognize it in the near future. We will look like every other suburban off-shoot of Toronto; a western Mississauga with no character, a myriad of shopping malls with chain stores and a series of concrete towers without a real downtown. Why are we giving this away?
 werv The only power we have now is at the ballot box. The function of our Municipal Government is to serve the citizens of the city. Going forward we need to elect people who listen to its citizens and truly respect the democratic process.
 By Staff
June 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
They are describing it as “ Ontario’s first ever Government for the People”; it will be sworn in later today.
“I promised the people that I would help make our great province the best place in North America when it comes to business, creating jobs and raising a family. And I am going to keep my promise.”
The Premier-Designate met with The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario to present his recommendations for appointments to Ontario’s Executive Council.
. “For too long, the people of Ontario have worked more and paid more, but gotten less. Those days are over. Help is here.”
The new ministers are as follows:
Peter Bethlenfalvy – President of the Treasury Board
Raymond Cho – Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
Steve Clark – Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Christine Elliott – Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and Deputy Premier
Victor Fedeli – Minister of Finance and Chair of Cabinet
Doug Ford – Premier and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Merrilee Fullerton – Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
Ernie Hardeman – Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Sylvia Jones – Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
Lisa MacLeod – Minister of Children, Community and Social Services and Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues
Monte McNaughton – Minister of Infrastructure
Caroline Mulroney – Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs
Rod Phillips – Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Greg Rickford – Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, and Minister of Indigenous Affairs
Laurie Scott – Minister of Labour
Todd Smith – Minister of Government and Consumer Services, and Government House Leader
Lisa Thompson – Minister of Education
Michael Tibollo – Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Jim Wilson – Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
John Yakabuski – Minister of Transportation
Jeff Yurek – Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
“We have an all-star team that’s ready right now to give the people of Ontario the kind of leadership and direction they deserve,” said Ford
 By Ray Rivers
June 30th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
“Overall, NAFTA was neither devastating nor transformational for Canada’s economy. Opponents of the 1988 free trade agreement had warned that Canada would become a glorified 51st state. While that didn’t happen, Canada didn’t close the productivity gap with the US either…” (NAFTA’s Winners and Losers by David Floyd Jan 30, 2018 – Investopedia)
And that is perhaps because NAFTA has always been a free trade agreement in name only. You see that every time you cross the border and some official asks you if you have something to declare. Try ordering something on-line from a US supplier and you’ll find yourself waiting a long time until the customs have been cleared and after you’ve paid the duty.
And while NAFTA is supposed to include services as well as goods, there is no free trade in labour services – you can’t just waltz across the border and get a job there. NAFTA and its Can-US ‘free trade’ predecessor were implemented to assist large corporations enhance their profitability, particularly in the auto sector which needed to update the 1960’s auto-pact.
And over the last twenty five years NAFTA has benefited consumers with lower prices on a good number of items and some services. But like every good economic idea, NAFTA has had consequences on Canada.
 Rivers does make a strong point about how much damage those trucks do as they move parts and produce across the border. One we almost never hear about is transportation and the environment. The auto industry likes to brag about how often an automobile crosses the border before its final assembly and sale. That crossing is accomplished mostly by trucks rushing to fulfil their just-in-time assembly line orders, zig-zagging half way across the continent.
So there is all this truck congestion at the borders and all around us on our highways. Transportation is inherent in the definition of freer trade. Trucks, trains and ships move goods and components across even greater distances. And these vessels all use fossil fuels to operate. So the biggest casualty of free trade is the environment and how we are accelerating global climate change.
More congestion translates into gridlock – more time for the daily commute and the immeasurable costs of lost family play time. Then there is the added noise and that smog inducing pollution. There is danger in sharing road space with those massive speeding trucks. And of course there is the cost of road bed maintenance and highway reconstruction – and the inconvenience of it all.
 President Trump seems to have to show off his signing of Executive Orders. Raw political power on display. It’s not that Canada wants to tear up NAFTA but Mr. Trump does, and he’s going to do it. In any case, there won’t be much left after softwood, aircraft, metals and autos – his next target. When the Canada-US free trade deal first got off the ground there was a huge sucking sound as manufacturing jobs and incomes headed down to the US. Companies decided they could still sell to Canadian customers duty-free while being better located for the much greater US market.
Ontario and Quebec were particularly hard hit, but we adjusted and we’ll adjust again once Trump has rendered NAFTA into the dust bin of history. And that could be as soon as he announces his upcoming tariffs on autos.
Toyota estimates a 25% auto tariff will push up the cost of a Camry – currently the most popular car in the US, and built there – by $1800 for its US customers. And as Toyota goes so goes the rest of the industry. But that simple reality hasn’t deterred Mr. Wreck-it Ralph in the White House from his path of destruction.
And autos? They’re changing. The electric vehicle is simpler to manufacture, not needing the complication of the myriad of devices used with gas engines to help detoxify car emissions. And batteries which last a minimum of eight years have eliminated the need for a dealer network to service the vehicles once they leave the showroom – no more oil changes.
That means it should be a lot easier for new entrants to get into the auto industry – who needs the big three anymore and their integrated vehicle assembly plants anyway. Those corporations are yesterday’s business model. They need to move over for a new breed of smaller auto manufacturers who sell the products on-line or in shopping malls and Costco. Is there a Canadian entrepreneur, our own Tesla inventor, up to the challenge?
 The factory that manufactured the first Rivers family freezer. My parents bought their first food freezer from the Guelph appliance company W.C. Wood Co. Ltd.. It lasted for over forty years without a breakdown. Mr. Wood recounts that…“In 1964 37 Canadian companies manufactured washing machines, stoves and refrigerators. Today, there are four. Workers in the industry used to total 10,000. Now, there are 2,500… By next year, Mr. Wood said, he’ll be looking at just three manufacturers (here).” Try to get 40 years out of one of the US built models today.
And what is Trump talking about. Canada has an overall trade deficit in the billions with the US, although we have a surplus on goods. But that is mostly our export of crude oil, and we all know where that will be going as fractured drilling is making America more oil independent every year. Sure manufacturing and manufacturing jobs are declining in the US for a number of reasons, including automation. But they are declining even faster in Canada – we’re not gaining at America’s expense.
And why didn’t someone tell the Donald that Canada actually buys more steel from the US than it sells – $2.1 billion more. And we buy more military hardware from the US than anywhere else in the world – over a billion a year on average. We pay more for our pharmaceuticals and intellectual goods because we have conformed to US rules on patents and copyrights.
 Is this the direction Canada is going in? Is t the direction we have to go in? We’ll survive as we did for over a century before NAFTA or the Mulroney deal. And Trudeau is right – we’re not going to be pushed around. Canadians have got the message – we love our American neighbours but there is a trade war and we need to defend ourselves. So a lot of us are responding the best way we can. We have stopped buying US gods and services, even if that means buying Chinese.
I noticed the last few times shopping in the liquor store that people were asking more and more about alternatives to US wines. That should be our next target in this ever growing trade dispute with the US. I’d rather drink Ontario or B.C. fine wines anyway.
But I rarely see the B.C. wines in the LCBO. Perhaps that is where we need to make sure free trade is really working – right here across Canada. After all we are on the eve of Canada Day – more important for us now than ever.
 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:
NA Free Trade – Manufacturing Decline – Tariffs Hurt –
Appliance Makers – Toyota –
 By Staff
June 29th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Do flags make a difference?
Last year the building on the corner of Pine and Pearl was decked out with dozens of Canadian flags.
This year they did the Pine Street side.
 Do flags make a difference? How did you feel when you saw these flags?
 By Staff
June 27, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The poultry processing plant on Paletta Court went up in flames on December 6th, 2017.
Most people understood the building to be the home of Paletta International.
 Besides having administrative offices, the building was home for a number of Paletta interests and housed a meat processing operation that was known as Tender Choice, which was the operating name for Blue Goose Pure Foods Ltd.
Blue Goose was the private company the Paletta’s sold Tender Choice to.
On December 14th, Blue Goose was subject to an interim receivership proceeding.
On December 21, a receiver was appointed.
Deloitte Restructuring Inc., was named as the Receiver.
Blue Goose was declared bankrupt on June 05, 2018
A trustee was appointed on the same date.
A meeting of the creditors is to take place in Toronto on June 27, 2018, 11:30
The creditors are:
IN THE MATTER OF THE RECEIVERSHIP OF BLUE GOOSE PURE FOODS LTD.
o/a TENDER CHOICE FOODS
Notice and Statement of Receiver Listing of Creditors
Secured Creditors
| HSBC Bank of Canada |
|
$33,961,934.79 |
| Penske Truck Leasing Canada |
|
1.00 |
| Total Secured Creditor |
|
$33,961,935.79 |
|
Unsecured Creditors |
|
|
| 3M Canada Company |
|
$ 966.31 |
| 864773 Ontario |
|
1.00 |
| Acklands Chemicals Ltd.. |
|
258.48 |
| Air Solutions Hamilton Ltd. |
|
1,654.32 |
| Aird Berlis |
|
8,430.94 |
| Aitken Electric Ltd. |
|
3,051.00 |
| All Tool Manufacturing Inc. |
|
536.75 |
| Alldoor Supply |
|
705.01 |
| Alltrail Mobile Trailer Service |
|
3,221.69 |
| American Chemicals Ltd. |
|
544.89 |
| AMPM Mobile Traler Serv. |
|
305.10 |
| Atlantic Packaging Products |
|
33,456.73 |
| B&M Techinical |
|
10,286.93 |
| BBM Business Systems |
|
24.24 |
| Bell Canada |
|
41.32. |
| Bell Mobility |
|
1,081.82 |
| Bell Mobility Paging |
|
31.52 |
| Betts Cleaning Specialists Ltd. |
|
287,026.29 |
| Bluewave Energy |
|
15,827.16 |
| Boss·Canada Inc. |
|
742.56 |
| Brafasco |
|
110.82 |
| Brome Lake Ducks Ltd. |
|
1.00 |
| Bunzl Canada |
|
3,021.56 |
| Burlington Hydro Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| Canada Cargo Lines Ltd. |
|
1,100.00 |
| Canadian Bearings Ltd. |
|
8,351.56 |
| Canadian Linen & Uniform Service |
|
10,762.09 |
| Canuck Expr s LTd. |
|
4,509,27 |
| Caravan Group of Companies |
|
8,565.00 |
| Castle Mechanical |
|
734.50 |
| Catalina fuels Inc. |
|
5,054.54 |
| CFIA |
|
1,176.30 |
| Cogeco Connection |
|
310.75 |
| Commercial Oil Company |
|
1,838.28 |
| Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd. |
|
1.00 |
| Confederation Freezers |
|
200,466.22 |
| Control Chem Canada |
|
592.12 |
| Coyote Logistics LLC |
|
2,450.00 |
| CP Industries Ltd. |
|
1,682.18 |
|
|
|
| CPA Recruitment Inc. |
|
13,560.00 |
| Canada Revenue Agency |
|
1,424.70 |
| Canada Revenue Agency |
|
1.00 |
| Crownhill Packaging Ltd |
|
18,828.40 |
| CRSNamic Inc. |
|
3,134.94 |
| Crystal flow |
|
3,785.50 |
| DeMan Construction Corp. |
|
151,661.82 |
| Deuxe Freight Services |
|
3,800.00 |
| Devine Image Lawn Maintenance |
|
565.00 |
| Digital Electric Inc. |
|
5,049.40 |
| Director Family Resp Office |
|
3,614.20 |
| DR. Mechanical Limited |
|
1,689.34 |
| Ducon Utilities |
|
1,612.94 |
| E&J Supply |
|
7,019.61 |
| Eagle press Printers |
|
829.42 |
| Earthworks Landscaping Inc. |
|
225.00 |
| Eassons Transport Ltd. |
|
1.00 |
| Employee Creditors |
|
1.00 |
| Entrepot Frigorifique International |
|
3,701.24 |
| ETR Express 407 |
|
80.72 |
| Exceldor foods Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| Fluidline Inc. |
|
4,832.89 |
| Frid & Russell Co |
|
545.87 |
| Fulton Food Safety
G4S Secure Solutions |
|
· 1.00
4,744.31 |
| Galcon Contracting |
|
1.00 |
| Global Scales and Systems Inc. |
|
2,722.62 |
| GT French paper |
|
5,271.09 |
| GTA recruitment and staffing |
|
6,829.79 |
| Hager Industries Inc. |
|
10,170.00 |
| Heat Sealing Packaging |
|
2,943.88 |
| Highlight Logistics Inc. |
|
8,688.06 |
| Hybrid reefer Services |
|
4,025.64 |
| Hyos Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| ILC Micro- Chem Inc. |
|
7,487.61 |
| Industrial Refrigerated Systems |
|
1.00 |
| International Cold Storage |
|
9,350.04 |
| International Cold Storage 2010 Inc. |
|
59,794.04 |
| JBS Food Canada Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| Kowal Bernard Food Products Ltd. |
|
2,039.70 |
| Lamex Food Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| Lan Tian Canada Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| Lenworth Building Services Ltd |
|
1.00 |
| Liberty Fabricating Inc. |
|
1,459.90 |
| Liftow |
|
330.53 |
| LIUNA |
|
1,461.24 |
| LJW Transport |
|
950.24 |
| Loma Systems A Div ITW Canada |
|
1,110.23 |
| Lumar Fire Protection |
|
2,501.08 |
| Maple Leaf Foods Inc. |
|
1.00 |
| Marty’s Pump Service |
|
238.01 |
| Maxxam Analytics Inc. |
|
8,132.92 |
| Mobile Sandblasting |
|
565.00 |
| Moore Packaging Corporation |
|
18,673.30 |
| Multivac Canada |
|
812.06 |
| National Wireless |
|
1.00 |
|
|
|
Neath Industrial Safety $1,1811.25
Nella Cutlery Hamilton $4520.68
Newco Industrial $2712.00
Norstar Corporation $4818.33
NSF Canada Companies $1.00
OK tire & Automotive $10,179.27
Omori North America Inc. $10,701.10
Orkin Canada Corporation $2,054.30
Paletta International Corporation $1,800.00
Penske Truck Leasing Canada$2,460.87
Penta Properties Inc. $357,588.42
Plumbway Inc. $#,041.85
Poss Design $1.00
Praxair Canada Inc. – $875.93
Premier Poly Products $7,062.05
Primus Canada $135.28
Pro Reefer Services $6,283.78
Purolator Courier $1.00
QMS International Inc. $1,895.58
R.W. Hamilton Ltd $23286.55
Recruiting in Motion/oakville $16,259.29
Regional Municipality Halton $45,530.23
Roger Wireless $258.34
Rogers Wireless $1,63709
Russell A. Farrow Limtied $498.33
Ryder Material Handling ULC $20,707.52
S&S Forwarding $1,450.00
Samuel Packaging $1,579.38
Sealed Air $1.00
Secur-U $196.34
Smits Tank Maintenance $20,998.19
Sofina Foods Inc. (LIL00) $1.00
Sofinca Foods Inc (S0F00) $1.00
Spectrum Label & Equipment $5,083.53
Superior Door & Gate Systems $415.28
Technical Adhersives Ltd. $1.00
Technical Standards and Safety Authority $1.00
ThyssenKrupp Elevator $788.49
TNT Foods International Inc. $1.00
Torbram Electric Supply $977.15
Toronto Salt & Chemicals Ltd. $1,308.72
Travale Tires & Service Inc. $2,757.11
Uline Canada Corp $1,870.93
Union Gas $3,541.10
Viscofan Canada $1.00
Vision Truck Group $8,550.34
VWR International $763.27
Waste Management of Canada $2,310.32
WCCI Paralegal Services $1.00
Westrock company Canada $27,960.09
Wilberg Corporation $1,496.36
Workflow Innovation Inc. $146.96
Workplace Safety and Insurance Board $1.00
Total Unsecured Creditors
$ 1,613,516.13
Related news story.
By Staff
June 27th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police in Burlington are seeking the public’s assistance to identify a suspect responsible for an early morning robbery at the Circle K gas station at 1170 Guelph Line in Burlington.
 Not much to go on with this picture. On June 25th 2018 at approximately 3:15 AM, a lone male armed with a knife attended the Circle K Esso gas station and confronted an employee who was standing outside the entrance. The suspect ordered the employee inside and demanded money and cigarettes.
At the time of the robbery an employee of a Tim Horton’s located inside the same building saw what was happening and managed to call police from the safety of a locked backroom.
After receiving an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes, the suspect fled on foot and was last seen running south west from the gas station.
Officers responded and a thorough search of the area was completed with the assistance of a police canine however the suspect was not located.
Police are looking for a white male in his late teens or early twenties, with a slim build, 5’7″ to 5’8″ tall wearing dark jeans, long sleeved black shirt, black toque, black gloves and a camouflaged bandana covering his face.
 Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Steve Siomra of the Burlington Criminal Investigations – Robbery Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2343.
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
June 26th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 The eaves troughs are not cleaned, the seats are broken. Nothing inviting about the inside of the shelter. They look like the kind of thing you see in a slum in some city in the United States. During the months of July and August 2018, the City of Burlington will be installing new bus shelters and sidewalk sections on John Street in downtown Burlington.
Bus stops will be relocated north towards James Street and south towards Pine Street. All stops will remain on John Street.
The map below sets out the temporary bus locations.
On the east side of John Street:
• Route 3 to Burlington GO moves north
• Route 4 to Appleby GO moves north
• Route 50 to Appleby GO moves north
• Route 52 to 407 Carpool moves north
• Route 300 to LaSalle moves north
• HSR Route 11 moves south
On the west side of John Street:
• Route 10 to Burlington GO moves north
• Route 3 to Cavendish moves south
• Route 5 to King moves south
• Route 300 to the Seniors Centre moves south
The west side sidewalk on John Street, between the Brant Street parking lot and the bus terminal, will be closed during construction.
Use the crosswalk in front of the Burlington Transit terminal or at the new multi-use pathway.
 There was a time when a much larger bus terminal existed 25 yards to the left of this small terminal on John Street – it was where people met. There were fewer cars, Burlington didn’t have the wealth then that it has now. We were a smaller city, as much rural as suburban. The times have changed and transit now needs to change as well. That downtown bus terminal has had a rocky history that reflects how the city has looked upon the transit service. The bus shelters were rather crappy places in need of an upgrade for the past couple of years. A city administration with a commitment to service would have cleaned those shelters up years ago.
There was a point when the Director of the Transit service recommended to city council that the actual terminal be shut down. If people wanted to buy tickets or update their Presto passes they could go to city hall – which closes as 4:30 pm.
That Director is no longer with the city.
By Pepper Parr
June 25th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
With the application to appeal the city council decision to approve a 23 storey tower across the street from city hall in tatters the Engaged Citizens of Burlington organization set out a list of just what it has achieved in its short life.
What has ECoB accomplished since December 2017?
 An early public meeting was well attended – financial support was good. The problems were at the leadership level. – ECoB held a community meeting to bring residents together in December.
– ECoB has delegated at Committee and Council Meetings
– ECoB held a rally at City Hall, with reporters from the Hamilton Spectator, The Burlington Post and The Bay Observer present and got good media coverage.
– ECoB held a very successful potential candidate workshop in February at Tansley Woods
– ECoB was featured twice on Your TV – The Issue – to bring residents issues about the proposed Official Plan to the public.
– ECoB was instrumental in having a story not only in The Hamilton Spectator, but also the Toronto Star.
– ECoB met with Mary-Lou Tanner and members of her staff to suggest ways of making residents a more integral part in the planning process. This did result in some minor changes.
– ECoB met with Eleanor McMahon to encourage Provincial involvement.
– ECoB met with the Downtown BIA and the Chamber of Commerce.
– ECoB met with the Mayor and some of the Councillors who were prepared to hear our concerns.
– ECoB has requested an investigation into what we consider “the closed meeting” when Council adopted the new official plan.
– ECoB has sent this request to the Ontario Ombudsman as well.
 The sudden and surprising resignation of Jim Young as President of ECoB has set back the organization. Their plans for all candidate public meetings in September and October are a sign that the organization still has some life left. MOVING FORWARD:
“We have rented venues for Ward Candidate Meetings that will be held the last two weeks of September and the 1st week of October. We want residents to be able to make an informed decision when they enter the polling booth in October.
“Any donations received have and will continue to be used to help the residents of Burlington have a voice. Donations were used to incorporate, pay for director’s liability insurance, flyers, workshops. As an incorporated body, we are mandated to follow the regulations set out by the province of Ontario. We are required by law to have an Annual AGM as well as our books have to be reviewed by an auditor.”
ECoB created a Gofundme site and to date has raised $2,575 from that source. A number of people and organizations wrote cheques and a fair amount of cash was raised. ECoB could and should issue an interim financial statement to provide some stability and uncertainty to a badly shaken organization.
Related news story.
 By Pepper Parr
June 25th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette has been advised by Jim Young that he “neither signed, submitted nor withdrew the appeal” of a city council to approve the building of a 23 storey tower across the street from city hall. Exactly who did what when is not all that clear. More to come.
It is almost a comedy of errors.
A developer announces that they are applying for the right to build a 27 storey tower opposite city hall.
 The public is aghast – well at least some of the public.
A newcomer to Burlington announces that she wants to form a committee to stop the proposed development. As a retiree the citizen heads for Florida for the winter and tries to run the committee from the sunny south – that doesn’t work out and for a short period of time there are two committees – one having just the one member.
 An early ECoB meeting Meetings take place. Another committee is formed.
Public meetings take place
A Staff report from the Planning department is released saying they could live with a 23 storey building.
City council on a 5-2 vote approves the project
More meetings are held.
Funds are raised
The group decides to call itself ECoB – Engaged Citizens of Burlington. It is driven by a small rump group that is determined to prevent the construction of such a tall building.
Some very smart people join ECoB and give the nascent organization some oomph.
 Mayor Goldring making a point at his Reverse Town Hall meeting. The Mayor holds what he calls a reverse town hall meeting and gets upstaged by ECoB who walk into the meeting room and come close to taking over the Mayor’s meeting.
ECoB is on a roll and focused on an attempt to appeal the decision city council made to approve the 23 storeys.
One of the strongest members of ECoB announces that she is going to run for the ward seat on city council. The ward incumbent had already announced that she was running for Mayor.
While this is happening the provincial government has changed the rules on how city hall development decisions are made.
The OMB – Ontario Municipal Board is replaced by LPAT – Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.
ECoB shows up at city hall with their appeal.
Not yet they are told by the Clerk’s Office.
There is some suspicion within the ECoB group that city hall might be playing with them and not being as forthright as they should be.
The Clerk’s department keeps ECoB informed.
The date to file the appeal forms arrives.
The appeal documents are filed with city hall.
Then to the surprise and utter amazement of several of the people heavily involved in ECoB, the President of the organization resigns and files his letter with city hall and withdraws the appeal. (Jim Young, the former ECoB president says he did not withdraw the appeal.)
People are stunned.
 421 Brant – a development without a name is now a done deal. Then, to the surprise of many, the resignation letter appears on the web site of a city Councillor who cheerfully takes the former president to task.
The City Clerk takes steps that removes the resignation letter from Councillors web site.
The now past President of ECoB sends a letter to media asking if they are interested in his side of the story.
Some are. Nothing is forthcoming and the former President goes to ground.
The developer is either given or about to be given a building permit and demolition of the single and two storey buildings along the east side of Brant Street north from James can begin.
 Stephen Leacock, Stephen Leacock, the celebrated Canadian humourist, could not have written a story as funny and at the same time as sad, as this.
Related news story
EcoB still has an agenda.
By Pepper Parr
June 25th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The comment we got was that: “Word on the street is that the Marriott has stepped away from Bridgewater. Too many cost overrides and construction deadlines not being met.
Jeff Paikin, head honcho at New Horizon Developments, the people building the Bridgewater development, says this is “Completely not true. We had a call with them 10 days ago. Full speed ahead. That is completely fiction.”
 When completed it will be a magnificent development that will be the talk of the town for months – with the best hotel in the Region.
Our source says “I have heard this from three different sources. I know the construction is way behind schedule. One of the people who purchased in that development has been told that the move in date has changed. Our building that needs to be power washed by Bridgewater because of all the red dust that has accumulated has been told to hold off having this done as they are behind schedule and they have a lot of stone cutting that has yet to be done.”
The truth lies in there somewhere.
It would be a little late for Marriott to be backing out at this stage.
 The Bridgewater will change the skyline of the city and be seen from miles away when fully lit up at night. This is a project that has been plagued by delays. The land assembly for the project began in 1985 – approval was given by city council in 1995.
New Horizon was given the project in January of 2015 and they have been digging for the garage levels and pouring concrete ever since. Delays are not unusual in the construction business.
Bridgewater was always going to be a quality development – and quality takes a little more time.
Related news story.
By Pepper Parr
June 25th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
With the provincial election out of the way – we will figure out just what kind of a government we are going to have in the weeks and months ahead.
The political focus now shifts to the municipal sector. The 2018 election is going to be a lot different that the one that took place in 2014.
There is an excellent collection of candidates across the board for the municipal side. There is next to nothing new on the Board if Education side – we will leave that to a future news story.
What Burlington is now seeing is a group of younger people who are smart and want to see things done differently. They care about their city in a much different way than most of the current council. They are open to new ideas and they are putting new ideas forward.
Several have excellent web sites. Some of the candidates are digging into their own wallets and self -funding their campaigns.
It is a little difficult to keep up with all the campaigns. The Gazette is continually scanning the various candidate web sites and looking for imaginative ideas and solutions to problems the city faces put forward by some of the candidates.
 Roland Tanner, candidate for the ward 2 city council seat. Roland Tanner, a candidate in ward 2 and one of the people involved in the creation of the Shape Burlington Report in 2010 has some thoughts on how the city is going to fund transit.
The first big plus is that Tanner actually wants to see transit funded – not something one could say about the current council.
In a report he released on his web site (https://rolandtanner.ca/) Tanner said: “Thanks in large part to community groups like Burlington for Accessible Sustainable Transit (BFAST), which came into being to protest against transit funding and service cuts made in 2012, Burlington City Council has recently been indicating an increased commitment to investment in Burlington Transit, hand in hand with commitments of $45 million in funding from the provincial and federal governments for Burlington alone. As a result, the Burlington Transit Users’ Forum was characterized by cautious optimism in April.
Tanner want to be sure that the incoming provincial government commits to not reducing the 2 cent gas tax transfer to municipalities?
Tanner points out that those funds “could be threatened by the 10 cent gas tax promised by the incoming provincial government. The 10 cent cut will reduce the overall gas tax received by the province from 14 cents a litre to 4 cents. Of that 4 cents, the province is obliged to pass 2 cents per litre to Ontario municipalities. That means 50% of the remaining gas tax will be going to the cities, not the province. Is it realistic to think the provincial government will be willing to let that continue to happen?
 Roland Tanner – a member of the Shape Burlington report committee. There is in in the conclusion Tanner makes that the 10 cent per litre savings Doug Ford said he would give citizens has the potential to come out of the hide of the transit sector.
Tanner asked City Hall to provide exact details of the financial implications of the gas tax transfer being repealed, and they kindly provided them. In the 2017-18 fiscal year gas tax funding for Burlington amounted to: $2,262,568
Tanner concludes that if the gas tax funding from the province is changed the city would have to increase taxes by 1.47 percent, in order to keep transit funding static.
He adds that: “If Burlington is to grow successfully, it is essential that Burlington Transit receives the investment it needs to provide a better service. City Hall should be acting as soon as possible to ask the provincial government to commit to maintaining the municipal gas tax transfer at 2 cents per litre, and oppose any attempt to download provincial government cuts onto municipalities.”
In a May Toronto Star Letter to the Editor Tanner write:
Until the City of Burlington adopts a much more courageous approach to citizen engagement, Burlington will keep finding itself in a cycle of worsening resentment and distrust towards City Hall and council. Such an approach was recommended by the 2010 Shape Burlington Report, which called on City Hall to ‘re-invent itself’ in order to empower citizen-led entities – community councils, advisory committees and panels chosen by civic lottery – that act a ‘”on ramps” to participation’ for people who otherwise don’t get involved city affairs.
A previous Progressive Conservative government downloaded the cost of a a bunch of services to the municipal sector. Are we about to see this happen again?
Contacting Tanner:
Web site: https://rolandtanner.ca/
Email roland@rolandtanner.ca
Telephone 289 259 4023
Facebook: https://facebook.com/roland4ward2
Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/roland4ward2
Related links:
The Shape Burlington Report.
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