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May 26th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
The opportunity to take all those sensitive documents to a shredding machine and have them safely destroyed and an occasion to support the Halton unit of Crime Stoppers. The shredding beast will be at the M.M. Robinson high school parking lot.
May 25th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Thousands pour into Spencer Smith Park every Labour Day weekend to chow down on ribs smoked by some of the best ribbers on the continent. It is Ribfest time.  If you looked around there was still some sitting room. The weather was close to perfect and the music was good – great way to bring a summer to a close. It has been happening in Burlington for more than 22 years. John and Bob Penning got it off the ground and it has hummed along beautifully ever since.  John Thorpe and Bob Penning – the two guys who got the biggest RibFest in the province off the ground 23 years ago. They raise a lot money and pump it right back into the community with the focus on their youth programs, especially our Student Awards. The gala dinner at which the awards will be announced takes place on June 12th where 17 awards totalling $71,000 will be handed out along with 10 academic awards of $3,500 each, 4 athletic awards of $3,500 each, 2 leap forward awards of $3,500 each and a Post Grad Research award of $15,000. That is a very impressive achievement. The Gazette will report on who the remarkable young people are receiving these awards.  Dave and Lisa Wilson took home a cheque for more than $25,000 lat year at Ribfest – their share of the 50/50 draw. Last year Rotary introduced a 50/50 ticket draw – it proved to be very successful – one of the long time ribbers won the draw and took home a cheque for.
May 25th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
“They said, ‘Doug Ford came to our house, signed me up and paid,’” said Eastwood. “It is a swipe against democracy when you can just come in and buy memberships and then put people in, give people a (PIN number) and tell them, ‘This is who you’re voting for.’” (National Post – May 23, 2018) At the midway point in Ontario’s election the Liberals are heading for the backbench despite the conventional wisdom that governments don’t get voted out when the economy is strong. Still it makes one wonder because a quick look at what the party leaders are promising shows precious little variance among them. They are all running deficits, for example. And why does everyone seem to dislike Kathleen Wynne?  She was short a billion on the first draft of her budget – fessed up to the error and moved on. The public went along with her. Mr. Ford would kill Ontario’s carbon tax and the NDP would buy back Hydro One eventually. Other than that, the differences are generally more of a degree unless one reads much further between the lines. The NDP is the only party to actually have a proper platform at this stage, notwithstanding that it originally came with a billion plus dollar hole in it. The Liberals are running on the record and their spring budget, which was loaded with at least as many social goodies as the NDP. And Doug Ford, the instant party leader with barely three months under his belt is shooting from the hip – promising everything to everybody yet saying he’ll wait until he sees the books. And if he looked he’d see that the books are already there – they have never been more transparent.  A believable factor has crept into the Ford campaign. Can he get back? Ford’s accumulated spending and tax cuts swamp the deficit plans of the other two parties yet he is the only one promising to eliminate the deficit as early as his second year in power. Estimates of his ever-springing promises run as high as $16 billion more than the other party leaders combined. But while promising to spend money like the proverbial drunken sailor he is also promising as yet undetermined ‘efficiency’ cuts of some $6 billion in his first year. So it is little wonder that his credibility is tumbling, almost as fast as his poll numbers. The only way he could deliver on his promises is if he wore a cape and changed in a phone booth – whatever that is. The polls were predicting a Tory majority government almost two years ago, even before former leader Patrick Brown brought down his red-Tory campaign platform. They kept getting better even after Brown was unceremoniously dumped because of some sexual allegations, and replaced with the unlikely, and mostly unliked, Ford. But then Ford started talking and suddenly it hit people – this man could be our next premier. We all know that Doug’s brother, the late Mayor Rob, was a lovable clown and his almost daily antics made international headlines. Suddenly Toronto became famous and on every evening talk show which prompted our ever-jealous neighbours to act. They were not about to play second fiddle when it came to buffoonery. Toronto was having way too much fun and so they elected Donald Trump – Rob Ford without the crack. But Doug is not his brother, even though they were close and Doug played alter ego for his younger brother while he was mayor. In fact Doug seems way too serious, almost humourless or perhaps just scared shirtless, finding his ambition has taken him out of his depth and into the deep end of the pool wearing only cement shoes.  Parts of the background that have never been fully explained. His tough straight-shooting talk sounds like a carryover from earlier days when he was alleged to be a drug dealing boss, accusations which he has never properly refuted. Or it may be a reflection of a man who would do anything to win, promise anything and break the rules to get his way, as in Ford’s recent vote-buying scandal. This election will come down to personalities. Wynne can’t shake the image of a cold and distant demeanour, and rightfully or not people are tired of her governance and want a change. Mr. Ford might be a nice fellow, his mother adores him, but then mothers always do. But he is an unknown commodity in this area and his almost Soprano-like family history raises real questions about his integrity, ethics, morality and respect for the rule of law. Andrea Horwath has the warmest presence of any of the leaders. Her honest and forthright response to the math error in her original platform has won her points, even as it hurt her measure of competence. And in this election style and trust have become the most important factors and, for a public raised in the age of television, personality wins every time. Few people thought the NDP would ever come this close to winning in Ontario after the Bob Rae experience. But younger voters have forgotten that episode and Rachael Notley’s win in mostly hostile Alberta, and her respectable performance to date, should give the NDP hope. Of course BC’s Horgan and federal party leader Mr. Singh do Horwath no favours in their dogged determination to undermine Canada’s constitutional peace.  Andrea Horwath – looking and sounding a lot more positive. And the centre-left Liberal/NDP split makes it a challenge for Horwath to win without significant strategic voting. So Ford is still the favourite, leaving Ontario voters to decide whether they want to see Horwath or Ford in their own faces every time they turn on the evening news. The televised debate this Sunday evening will be worth watching. This has suddenly become a much more interesting race than when it started out.  Wow! Few thought the polling results would look anything like this when the election was called two weeks ago.
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Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links: Ford Buying Membership Votes – NDP Making Gains – Election Promises – Deficits – Tories Tied –
May 25th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
On Wednesday and Thursday members the Halton Regional Police Service 30 Division – District Response Team, organized a multi–agency Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Safety Inspection and Enforcement campaign at various locations in Burlington.  Almost one third of the commercial motor vehicle inspections failed. The HRPS partnered with the O.P.P., MTO and the College of Trades. The results of the combined efforts are as follows: • Total CMV’s Inspected 127 The results of the two-day commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspection and enforcement campaign indicates that commercial motor vehicle operators, who travel on our roadways or through our region each day, need to be more diligent in complying to rules and regulations. The Burlington CMV Strategy has been developed to address road safety, education and enforcement priorities involving commercial motor vehicles. This CMV campaign has been identified and implemented in conjunction with the Halton Regional Police Service – Burlington Road Safety Strategy (BRSS). The BRSS was designed to improve the safety on our roadways for all road users.
May 25th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s city council now has a Code of Good Governance along with a document that sets out how compliance with the Code of Good Governance will be managed. The Compliance code sets out how members of Burlington’s city council have agreed to handle situations when the behaviour does not meet the Code of Good Governance. The the consequences are set out below. Both are published for the record – the story as to how the document came to exist and the dancing around that took place during the debate that went on for more than an hour and a half during a day time committee meeting has yet to be written. We will write that story in due course. COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE Members of Council shall adhere to the provisions of the Code of Good Governance. The Municipal Act, 2001 authorizes Council, where it has received a report by its Integrity Commissioner that, in his or her opinion, there has been a violation of those elements of the Code subject to complaint, may impose either of the following penalties: • A reprimand; The Integrity Commissioner may also recommend that Council impose any of the following sanctions where there has been a breach of policy, separately established but referenced in this Code: • Written or verbal public apology; Complaint of a Violation of this Code Any individual that has reasonable grounds to believe that a Member has breached this Code, may file a complaint with the City Clerk. The Integrity Commissioner shall be responsible for investigating such complaints and if the parties are in agreement, the complaint may be resolved by way of mediation. If either party does not participate in the mediation process, if the complaint is not resolved through this process, or the matter is not appropriate for referral to mediation, the Integrity Commissioner shall assume responsibility for investigating the complaint in accordance with the procedures established by Council. In the case of a complaint of discrimination or harassment, the complainant may file a complaint directly to the Human Resources Department under the City of Burlington Respect in the Workplace Policy. The complainant will also be advised of his or her right to advance an application to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. Procedure – Informal Complaint Any individual who has identified or witnessed behaviour or activity by a member that appears to be in contravention of the Code may address their concerns informally with the member directly. Individuals are encouraged to use this process before initiating a formal complaint, however it is not a requirement to do so before initiating a formal complaint. Informal complaints can be pursued in the following manner: 1. Advise the member that their behaviour or activity contravenes the Code. 2. Encourage the member to stop the prohibited behaviour or activity. 3. If applicable, confirm to the member your satisfaction, or dissatisfaction with his or her response to the concern identified. 4. Keep a written record of the incidents including dates, times, locations, other persons present, and any other relevant information, including steps taken to resolve the matter. 5. If not satisfied with the response received through the informal process, an individual may proceed with a formal complaint through the Integrity Commissioner. Procedure – Formal Complaint Any individual who has identified or witnessed behaviour or activity by a member that appears to be in contravention of the Code may address their concerns through the formal complaint process set out below. 1. All formal complaints must be made using the Complaints Form prepared by the City Clerk and/or Integrity Commissioner and shall be dated and signed by the Complainant. 2. The complaint must include an explanation as to why the issue raised may be a contravention of the Code and any evidence in support of the allegation must be included with the Complaints Form. 3. Any witnesses in support of the allegation must be identified on the Complaint Form. 4. The Complaint Form must include the name of the member alleged to have breached the Code, the section of the Code allegedly contravened, the date, time and location of the alleged contravention and any other information as required on the Complaint Form. 5. The complaint shall be filed with the Clerk who shall confirm that the required information is complete. The Clerk will forward the complaint form to the Integrity Commissioner who will determine whether the matter is, on its face, a complaint with respect to non-compliance with the Code and not covered by other legislation or policies. 6. The Integrity Commissioner may request additional information from the complainant. Response of Integrity Commissioner of Complaint outside Jurisdiction If the complaint received by the Integrity Commissioner is deemed not to be a complaint with respect to non-compliance with the Code, the Integrity Commissioner shall advise the complainant in writing as follows: Criminal Matter – if the complaint is an allegation of a criminal nature consistent with the Criminal Code of Canada, the complainant shall be advised that pursuit of such an allegation must be made through the Halton Police Services. Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy – if the complaint is more appropriately addressed under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the complainant shall be referred to the Clerk to have the matter reviewed under the Act. If the matter is covered by other policies or legislation, the complainant will be advised to proceed in a manner as considered appropriate by the Integrity Commissioner. Refusal to Conduct an Investigation If upon review of a complaint, the Integrity Commissioner is of the opinion that the complaint is frivolous, vexatious or not made in good faith, or that there are no or insufficient grounds for an investigation, the Integrity Commissioner will not conduct an investigation and shall communicate this position in writing to the complainant and the member identified in the Complaint Form. Opportunity for Resolution If at any time, following the receipt of a formal complaint or during the investigation process, the Integrity Commissioner believes that an opportunity to resolve the matter may be successfully pursued without a formal investigation, and both the complainant and the member agree, efforts may be made to achieve an informal resolution. Investigation If the Integrity Commissioner determines that a formal investigation is required he or she shall proceed in the following manner, subject to the Integrity Commissioner’s ability to elect to exercise the powers of a commissioner under Parts I and II of the Public Inquiries Act: • The Integrity Commissioner shall provide a copy of the complaint and any supporting materials to the member whose conduct is in question with a request that a written response to the allegation be provided to the Integrity Commissioner within ten days. • The Integrity Commissioner shall provide a copy of the response provided by the member to the complainant with a request for a written reply within ten days. • If necessary, after reviewing submitted materials, the Integrity Commissioner may speak to anyone, access and examine any other documents or electronic materials, and may enter any City work location relevant to the complaint for the purpose of investigation and potential resolution. • The Integrity Commissioner may make interim reports to Council where necessary and as required to address any issues of interference, obstruction, delay or retaliation encountered during the investigation. • At any time the complainant may abandon the request for an investigation and the Integrity Commissioner will cease his or her investigation. Recommendation Report Upon completion of an investigation, the Integrity Commissioner shall report to the complainant and the member on the results of his or her review within ninety days of receiving a complete Complaint Form. If the investigation process is going to take more than ninety days, the Integrity Commissioner shall provide an interim report to the complainant and member indicating when the complete report will be available. If during the investigation process, the complaint is withdrawn, sustained or resolved, the Integrity Commissioner shall report to Council outlining the findings, and terms of any resolution and any recommended action within thirty days. If upon completion of the investigation the Integrity Commissioner finds that a breach of the Code has occurred, the Commissioner shall report his or her findings to Council including a recommendation as to the imposition of a penalty as set out in the Municipal Act. If upon completion of the investigation the Integrity Commissioner finds that there has been no contravention of the Code, or that a contravention occurred, however, the member took all reasonable measures to prevent it, or the contravention committed was trivial or committed through inadvertence or an error of judgment made in good faith, the Integrity Commissioner shall set this out in its report to Council. Reports Prior to Election The Integrity Commissioner shall not make any report to Council or any other person after the last Council meeting in June in any year in which a regular municipal election is to be held. Any reports would proceed to the first Council meeting after the Inaugural meeting of the new Council. Confidentiality The Integrity Commissioner and every person acting under his or her instructions shall preserve the confidentiality of all documents, materials or other information, whether belonging to the City or not, that come into their possession or to their knowledge during the course of their duties subject to section 223.5(2) and 223.5(3) of the Municipal Act. If the Integrity Commissioner reports to Council on an investigation into an alleged breach of the Code, the report shall only disclose such information that in the Integrity Commissioner’s opinion is required for the purposes of the report. Related document: Code of Good Governance
The fragrance is superb and the colours are pleasant - relaxing - but they don't last all that long.
May 25th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Imagine over 800 species of lilacs in one location. A heavenly fragrance is drifting through Royal Botanical Gardens’ (RBG) Arboretum, marking the official start of lilac season! Visitors to RBG can experience one of the largest and most magnificent and diverse collections in the world as it reaches peak bloom.  The fragrance is so distinct – but this flower doesn’t last for vert long – and cutting them to put in a vase is a very disappointing experience. French hybrids form the basis of the collection, but also displayed are Preston hybrids (originated in Canada by Isabella Preston), early-bloomers, such as hyacinth lilacs and a selection of species found in the wild. On more challenging terrain, The Katie Osborne Lilac Collection in the Lilac Dell is one of the most assorted and one of the definitive collections to demonstrate the range of the genus Syringa. This popular seasonal attraction provides visitors with weeks of delightful springtime colour and fragrance. Peak bloom time for lilacs generally lasts two to four weeks. Weekend visitors can visit RBG’s Discovery Cart to learn more about the seven colours of lilacs then take a guided tour to learn about the collection’s history. Weekend entertainment helps to bring these incredible plants to life.  The Lilac dell. Additional activities at the Arboretum include Biodiversity Festival taking place on Saturday, May 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. As Canada’s biodiversity hotspot, RBG is offering a day of exploration and hands-on fun with local animals, plants, and ecosystems. Children’s activities, guided walks and more await visitors to this activity-packed celebration of the International Day of Biological Diversity. RBG’s Arboretum (located at 16 Old Guelph Road, Hamilton) is open 10.a.m to 8 p.m. seven days a week and is more like an English landscape park than a garden. It has a wide variety of trees and other woody plants and, with the exception of the lilac walk and the shrub collection, has few formal paths. It is a great place for watching and experiencing animal and plant interactions and connects with many of RBG’s nature trails. RBG general admission is required to experience the Arboretum. Admission is free to RBG members.
May 25th, 2019 BURLINGTON, ON
Both are published for the record – the story as to how the document came to exist and the dancing around that took place during the debate that went on for more than an hour and a half during a day time committee meeting has yet to be written. We will write that story in due course.
PREAMBLE The Council of the City of Burlington is committed to achieving excellence in governance, and doing so in a way that maintains and ensures public trust and confidence in the City’s decision making. The elements of this code that are subject to a formal complaint are intended to act as a Code of Conduct as required under the Municipal Act. PURPOSE The City of Burlington’s Council Code of Good Governance serves four main purposes: • To set out, in manner that is aspirational and proactive, clear expectations of the governance behaviour of members of Council; • To provide clarity to the public as to the behaviour they can expect from members of Council, and the governance responsibilities that go beyond those in the Municipal Act; • To provide guidance to members of Council in the conduct of their duties as elected officials; and • To provide a mechanism for responding to alleged breaches of elements of the Code. APPLICATION This Code applies to all members of the Council of the City of Burlington. It is the responsibility of all members to be aware of and comply with the Code. ASPIRATIONAL COMMITMENTS (NOT SUBJECT TO A COMPLAINT) 1. We will put the interests of the City above our own personal interests when conducting City business. 2. We acknowledge that working collaboratively will provide better governance decisions. 3. We will exercise strategic leadership by developing and clearly communicating to the public the Council’s purpose and priorities, and its intended outcomes. 4. We will ensure alignment of our key policies, budgets, and other policy instruments with our strategic goals, and hold ourselves, and staff accountable for the efficient and effective delivery of those goals. 5. Because our decisions often have generational impacts, we wild strive to take the long view, and in doing so consider the interests of those who will be immediately impacted, and those who will be impacted in the future. 6. We will, with our Audit Committee, identify risks to the corporation and ensure that Council and staff are effectively managing those risks. 7. We will strive to ensure expansive transparency and robust accountability. 8. We will exemplify the responsibilities and role articulated for members of Council in the Municipal Act. CONDUCT COMMITMENTS (SUBJECT TO A FORMAL COMPLAINT) 9. We will not use city resources to advance our personal interests, we will adhere to the Council Expense Manual, and we will be particularly cautious about using city resources during an election, and will act in compliance with the City’s policies respecting elections. 10. We will treat each other, the public, and staff with courtesy and respect. In particular, we will act in a manner that ensures the Council Chamber is a respectful workplace. 11. We will communicate information to the public in ways that are accurate, timely, and in the interest of the corporation. We will respect that the Mayor, as head of council, is the primary spokesperson for Council. 12. We will respect the role of a ward councilor to play a leadership role on issues specific to their ward, and if we engage in issues in other wards we will exercise the courtesy of informing the ward councilor of our engagement. 13. We will take full responsibility for and curate our social media and Internet presence in a way reflects a high level of courtesy and respect. We will ensure that commenters are respectful, and do not impugn the motives, integrity, or competence of our Council colleagues, other members of the public, or staff. We will take reasonable efforts to address false or misleading information posted to our social media feeds. 14. We will hold in strict confidence all information concerning matters dealt with in Closed Council meetings, matters subject to solicitor client privilege, personal information, or information that is otherwise determined to be confidential. 15. We will avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interests. We, and our family members, will avoid accepting gifts, and where accepting a gift is an integral part of our duties as a member of council we will report those valued at more than 16. We will avoid directly or indirectly managing or controlling any monies received relating to a charitable, not for profit, or community-based organization’s fundraising in our capacity as a member of Council. We will avoid soliciting or accepting benefits or hospitality in any form from an individual, group or corporation who might require a decision or consideration by the City. We will keep a record of all donors to events we organize, and the value of their donation, and file it with the City Clerk. 17. We will respect the relative roles of Council to govern, and staff to manage. We will not direct staff, attempt to influence their professional advice to Council, and will not make public comments about their performance. We will actively create and sustain an environment where staff are comfortable providing their professional advice to Council, even when it may be difficult or controversial. We will take extra efforts to avoid engaging in purchasing decisions, litigation and insurance matters, by-law enforcement, prosecutions, and human resources matters (except those involving the City Manager), unless acting collectively with other members of Council in consideration of business brought forward for direction or decision..
19. We will hold ourselves individually accountable to these principles, and collectively accountable in a way that is respectful and constructive, and will use the complaint mechanism as a course of last resort. Related document: COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
May 24th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
It is just a matter of days before Carriage Gate can begin the process of changing what downtown Burlington is going to look like.
ECoB, the community group that has opposed the height and density the development was given is asking the public what they think about what has been approved. The group – Engaged Citizens of Burlington has been looking into a possible appeal of the decision city council made and now wants to find out just what there is in the way of support for an appeal. The site to get your two cents on the record is right here: CLICK: Engaged Citizens of Burlington is a not for profit group working towards a better Burlington for generations to come. Working on behalf of citizens with the City of Burlington and other stakeholders in the civic process, we are particularly engaged with issues of planning and development. Through our online and community presence we help build awareness on issues affecting Burlington residents and the community as a whole.www.engagedburlington.ca  The first public meeting ECoB held drew more than 100 people on an evening that had snow on the ground. We are a growing diverse group of residents and business people who want only the best for Burlington. The group is energized to bring voices and action from all areas of the city to challenges that will affect the quality of life for our citizens today and in the future. The response to the survey will help ECoB determine if they have the support from the residents needed before engaging in an appeal of 421 Brant St.
May 24th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Stephen Warner has one final comment about the New Street “bike lane debacle”. “The city did not return it to the way it was before the botched experiment. Somehow they have eliminated a turning lane for Dynes, which has resulted in one horrific accident already, and a close call for me.  The old lane design is on the left. The Road Diet design is on the right. That got scrapped but when the lane designed was re-worked they seem o have left out the left hand turn lane at Dynes Street. “As people sit in the left thru lane on New waiting to turn north on Dynes, cars speed eastbound, seemingly oblivious to cars signaling to turn. “I’m pretty sure there used to be a turning lane before the bike lane was added at Dynes. It was there with the bike lanes. It looks like they increased the boulevard on each side of New Street and widened the lanes slightly during the reconstruction losing the turning lane when the road was returned to two lanes each way.” Some news items just go on and on.
May 22, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
It was a vicious break into the home of two elderly residents on April 25th 2018 shortly after 10:30 PM, at a home on Bonnieview Avenue in Burlington (Aldershot). The suspects, one armed with a handgun and an aerosol weapon believed to be bear spray or pepper spray, confronted two elderly homeowners and demanded their bank cards and pins numbers. The suspects then forced the homeowners into a bathroom before rummaging through the home in search of valuables. Members of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau have identified one of two suspects responsible for this home invasion robbery.
• Robbery EDGAR was held for bail and subsequently remanded into custody. He will appear next by video on May 24th 2018. Investigators are still seeking the identify of the second suspect described as a white male, thin build, approximately 5’9″ tall, clean shaven, wearing a black hoody, trapper hat with fur ear flaps, black jeans and dark glasses with metal frames. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel 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 . People charged with a criminal offense are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
May 22, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON Burlington’s Interactive Maps and Open Data services not available on May 31 and June 1, 2018 The city is upgrading its mapping and open data technology. Please note that to be able to do the upgrade, interactive maps and open data will not be available on Thursday, May 31 and Friday, June 1. These services will be available again on Saturday, June 2.
May 22, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
On Thursday May 17th 2918 at approximately 12:05 AM an attempted break and enter occurred to an apartment in downtown Burlington.
The suspect is described as a white male, average height, average build with a trimmed beard, dark hair, long sleeved blue shirt, dark pants and work boots.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222- 477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca
May 22, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Online Parking Services Unavailable – May 23, 2018, 6 to 9 p.m. while the city does maintenance on the parking database  Sign said zero spaces available – incorrect. While changes are being made the following online services will not be available: • Parking Ticket payments Hopefully something will be done with the way the number of available parking spaces are displayed – sign said zero as slid into an empty space. On the plus side the city has introduced a new pay-for-parking app called HonkMobile Improvements have been made to the pay-by-plate parking machines in downtown Burlington to simplify the payment process and improve the user parking experience. Not sure how putting money into a parking meter is defined as an experience. The new occupancy sensor technology to show real-time information about available parking spaces in city-owned parking lots is in need of some fine tuning.
May 22, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Peel Region and the City of Hamilton have joined more than 50 municipalities across Ontario that have passed motions calling on the provincial government to give municipalities the right to approve new landfill sites. The campaign is being led by the Town of Ingersoll, Town Council, and concerned residents such as Ontario People Against Landfill (OPAL). Ingersoll mayor, Ted Comiskey, has been presenting to municipal councils across Ontario. Burlington is not one of the 50 municipalities that has joined in the effort to give municipalities the right to have a say on whether or not a landfill site can be created in the city. Given the battle the city had with the Air Park and the dumping of soil that had not been properly assessed before it was dumped on the Air Park property, one would expect Burlington to be on the list of those who wanted the provincial legislation passed.  Municipalities want to be at the table when private operators create new landfill sites. In addition to the 2.5 million people represented by the municipalities that are on the list, 100,000 individuals have signed a petition calling on the government to give municipalities a say in where landfills are sited. More than a dozen more motions are in the approval process. “Municipal leaders are beginning to see that Ontario’s highways have become Toronto’s garbage chute, and municipalities have no say in where 6.7 million tonnes of garbage a year from its office and commercial buildings are going to land,” said Comiskey. “No town wants to be in the position that Ingersoll and Zorra are currently in,” Comiskey said. “Right now, we have almost no say in whether or not a private company can locate a new dump in our neighbourhoods.” In April, PC MPP Ernie Hardeman introduced a private member’s bill to create new legislation that would require municipal approval for any new landfill sites in the province as part of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Changes (MOECC) environmental approval process. The bill passed Second Reading unanimously, just before the legislature rose for the coming election on June 7. Comiskey said, “It was wonderful that Ernie Hardeman took the battle to the floor of the legislature. It’s great to see support from all three parties on this issue. But we need to keep the pressure on to make sure that whatever party forms the next government, it makes this legislation a priority. This affects not just us in Oxford County, but every municipality across our province.”  Municipal leaders are beginning to see that Ontario’s highways have become Toronto’s garbage chute, and municipalities have no say in where 6.7 million tonnes of garbage a year is going to land. Nearly 8 out of 10 Ontarians feel municipalities should have a say in whether they host landfills, contrary to current legislation, according to a poll by Public Square Research. The poll also found that 27% of Ontarians would accept waste from other towns or cities. Comiskey said, “We are fighting for the right of municipalities to determine if they want to host a landfill in their communities, or not. We need a level playing field with private waste companies so that the needs of residents are heard and respected. It is 2018, and it’s the right thing for the provincial government to do.”
May 21st, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s Official Plan is now in the hands of Regional Council. And just what does that mean?  The approved Official Plan is now in the hands of the Region. Was the paperwork needed to get the document to the Region done properly? The Official Plan has become a municipal election issue with some thinking that the election of a significantly different city council means they can have the Region send the Plan back to the city where it will get debated and hopefully changed. Not likely. Many don’t understand just how the process of getting the Official Plan passed works. Greg Woodruff, an Aldershot resident who ran for the Office of Chair of the Region in 2014, wrote the man that won hat job asking for an explanation as to just how the passing of the new Official Plan to make it the law of the city gets done. Chair Carr passed Woodruff’s request along to Art Zuidema, the commissioner for Legislative & Planning Services at the Region. Commissioners are the senior level of Management at the Region Here is his description of the Official plan procedure Woodruff got from the Region: The public consultation for the Burlington Official Plan; including special meetings of council, statutory public meetings and open houses must occur prior to Burlington Council’s adoption of their Plan. The City of Burlington is required to submit to the Region affidavits or sworn declarations that state that the procedural requirements of the Planning Act have been met in passing their Official Plan. If you have concerns about the adequacy of the process followed, these should be directed the Clerk for the City of Burlington. The Region is the approval authority for the Burlington Official Plan. The Plan will be reviewed to ensure that it complies with the Provincial Policy Statement, the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Provincial Greenbelt Plan, the Regional Official Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan. The Region received the adopted Burlington Official Plan for review on May 11th. The Region has 210 calendar days to review and make a decision regarding the Burlington Official Plan and can, if necessary to complete the review, extend that time-frame for an additional 90 days. The Region’s Chief Planning Official has delegated authority from Regional Council to approve local Official Plans that conform with Provincial and Regional policies. If the Plan does not conform, and the City of Burlington does not approve the required changes, then Regional Council will make the final decision on the Burlington Official Plan.  Regional Council meet at the offices in Oakville. Once a decision is made regarding the Official Plan, notice will be provided to each person that has made a written request to be notified of the decision. Once the Region’s decision has been made, anyone who before the plan was adopted made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the council, may appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The appeal must be based on inconsistencies with the Provincial Policy Statements, Provincial Plans or the Regional Official Plan. If you wish to be notified of the Burlington Official Plan decision you can register with Curt Benson, Chief Planning Official for the Region, who has been copied with this message. Woodruff then said that “it appears the 210 day time frame is live and the LPAT objections are limited to “provincial policy statement compliance”.
Tom Muir, another Aldershot resident, suggests there “was a sticking point about the legality of the public process that came up. Muir wants to know “who provided the affidavits and/or sworn declarations that the issues around the special council meeting at the end clearly met the Planning Act requirements for public notice of the meeting and opportunity for public delegation?” “As I recall, we were only told the procedural by-law saying the powers and procedures to call a special meeting of council, not if this one was done “adequately”. No explanation of that was issued as I recall.” Did the Clerk make a public sworn declaration or affidavit that the public notification of the special council meeting was adequate in terms of timing because there were so many slips that the special meeting as originally notified of, did not happen at the notified time, and there was, in my experience, no adequate public notice of when the meeting would actually be held to take the adoption vote so the public could register to delegate at Council, said Muir. Muir points out that the public was told there wold be a special council meeting “following the P&D meeting”, but P&D meeting kept being extended – so much so that no one ever knew when it was going to end. Muir isn’t at all sure that the City Clerk could sign an affidavit saying the special council meeting was properly held and that due notice was given the public according to Planning Act rules and council procedural practices.  Muir wants the City Clerk to be held accountable and to explain just how she got the approved Official Plan out of city hall and into the offices of the Regional government. Muir wants the Clerk to be required to provide a detailed explanation as to how this actual process was “adequate” and sufficient to justify a sworn declaration or affidavit. He appears to be looking for that elusive thing called accountability that is said to exist at city hall. Muir “thinks Council and staff just went with the momentum and wanted to vote and that overcame paying attention to whether they were adequately fulfilling Planning Act rules and their own procedural by-laws.” There are some very valid concerns as to whether or not the city followed both the letter and the spirit of the process of approving the draft of the Official Plan before they sent it along to the Region.
May 21st, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
The City is holding its annual Touch-a-Truck event on Saturday, May 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the city’s Roads, Parks and Forestry facility at 3330 Harvester Rd.  If the weather is good taking the kids out o see the equipment is a fun and inexpensive way to spend a day. The event gives residents and their families an opportunity to: • Get an up-close look at city vehicles, including a street sweeper, snow plow and fire trucks The equipment is used to maintain 121 city parks, 134 recreational fields, and 109 playgrounds as well as maintaining 69 bridges, 117 culvert structures, 600 kilometres of mainline storm sewers as well as catch basins and creeks  A photo op for the kids – part of the annual Touch a Truck event. Managing operations include, the design and inspection of road reconstruction, inspecting and maintaining city-owned trees, maintaining and repairing the city’s fleet of vehicles, the operation of Burlington Transit and animal control services through the Burlington Animal Shelter. The event is part of National Public Works Week, dedicated to public works employees who maintain the roads, parks, trees and benefit from one of the richest pension and benefit plans in the country.
May 21st, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Few more names now on the list of those nominated. A new one in ward 1 for a total of three in that ward now. There are now five candidates in ward 2, 3 in ward 3, 2 in ward 4, 2 in ward 5 and 3 in ward six. There is at least one more candidate thinking about running in ward 4 or maybe ward 5; lives on the border between the two wards. Nominations close July 27th. Last day for a candidate to file or withdraw a nomination is Friday, July 27, 2018, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Any really serious candidates will want to be on the ballot immediately after the provincial election which takes place June 7th. While candidates in wards 2 and 3 are out on the streets every day – the reality is that the provincial election, a pivotal one for the province, is taking up all the oxygen. The Gazette will begin reporting on the municipal race in more depth after the next provincial government is determined. Mayor Rick Goldring Marianne Meed Ward Mike Wallace Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 1 Jason Boelhouwer Marty Staz René Papin Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 2 Kimberly Calderbank David Cherry Michael Jones Lisa Kearns Roland Tanner Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 3 Lisa Cooper Rory Nisan Gareth Williams Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 4 Jack Dennison Shawna Stolte Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 5 Paul Sharman Xin Yi Zhang Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 6 Angelo Bentivegna Blair Lancaster Ken White Regional Chair (nominations are filed with the Region of Halton) Gary Carr Halton District School Board Trustee – Wards 1 & 2 Leah Reynolds Halton District School Board Trustee – Wards 3 & 6 Andrea Grebenc Halton District School Board Trustee – Ward 4 Richelle Papin Margo Shuttleworth Halton District School Board Trustee – Ward 5 Amy Collard
Halton Catholic District School Board Trustee Arlene Iantomasi Maria Lourenco Conseil scolaire Viamonde (nominations are filed with the City of Hamilton) Pierre Girouard Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (nominations are filed with the Town of Oakville)
May 21st, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Leah Reynolds looked at the number of people running for the city council seat in ward 2 and decided that if she wanted to hold public office it was safer to run again as a school board trustee.  Meed Ward and Reynolds – 2014 election night Reynolds was seen by any as the heir apparent to Marianne Meed Ward who is giving up the seat n her run for the Office of Mayor. In her media release said she is running as the trustee again because “there is much to do”. She also said that “As a member of the board of trustees, I supported Burlington high school amalgamations to improve the future of education for all Burlington students. These amalgamations were necessary in creating equitable access to the best and most appropriate learning environments for the individual needs of Burlington high school students. Our children’s futures are heavily influenced by what they are exposed to in school. I believe that having a variety of course selections, including skilled trades, in every high school is a paramount step in exposing students to as many career pathways as possible.” Reynolds is the first trustee who has used the word “amalgamation” to describe the closing of two of the city’s seven high schools.  Leah Reynolds with students during a public PAR meeting. “I am running” said Reynolds “to ensure that the changes and transitions for special education students, including the creation of two comprehensive schools (MM Robinson HS and Nelson HS), deliver on the expectations set out by the Director of Education and community. The Board of Education plans for the implementation of the new I-STEM program at Aldershot high school and the International Baccalaureate program that was moved from Bateman to Central High School are initiatives that Reynolds wants to be around to ensure that both receive the resources they need. Reynolds refers to her more than 20 year involvement with public schools as a passionate community member and mother. You can learn more about Reynolds in her newsletter at: https://madmimi.com/p/25cc3c
May 21st, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
Mr. Ford says he’ll cut the gas taxes at the pump by 5.7 cents? And perhaps the oil companies will reduce the price of gas after he kills the cap-and-trade carbon program, maybe giving him the ten cents he’s promising to deliver. That may sound pretty good but I already get three cents off just for using my credit card at Petro-Canada stations. And then there’s another 5-10 cents off when I use my Petro-Points.  It’s just the old shell game, playing pennies, taking from transit and giving to the auto crowd, robbing the mayors to pay the Premier. And big deal, I saved all of $1.47 on my last fill up. Oh, and to fund this promise Mr. Ford will be cutting the gas tax transfers the province gives municipalities for public transit – some billion dollars or so – meaning it’ll cost you more for that next bus ride. It’s just the old shell game, playing pennies, taking from transit and giving to the auto crowd, robbing the mayors to pay the Premier. But it’s the climate change stupid! National geographic has reported that the last two decades have been the hottest in over 400 years. The earth has had the warmest consecutive 400 months of record high temperatures. And the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere is higher than it has been for almost a million years. Don’t believe the statistics? Look at the melting polar ice caps and glaciers, the world’s declining coral reefs, the rate at which desertification is happening and the rate at which species are becoming extinct, including the polar bear, sooner than later. Look at the weird winter we just had and the near hurricane strength freak windstorm a couple weeks ago, which took several lives and kept parts of Burlington in the dark for over three days.  Evidence based decision making – what does one do if they don’t like the evidence. Higher gasoline prices are economic disincentives – they encourage people to shift to less polluting transportation, like hybrid cars, electric vehicles (EV) and public transportation and to reduce their carbon emissions. And incentives are needed beyond the pump. Ontario’s cap-and-trade system forces all large emitters to reduce their emissions to become more competitive. Subsidies and rebates on home insulation and efficient windows help reduce energy use and save the consumer money as well as reducing greenhouse gases. And the development of renewable electricity is critical to replace coal and other fossil fuels as Ontario has done in shutting down the largest point source of carbon emissions in Canada. The value/cost of Mr. Ford’s election promises dwarf those of the other two main parties. Yet, Mr. Ford has been the strongest critic of the current government for not balancing its budget sooner and reducing Ontario’s public debt. Indeed, there are a number of good reasons to knock down the size of our fiscal debt. But most folks end up arguing that it is about fairness. “How moral is it to bequeath the next generation a whacking big financial bill?”  Our youth are not marching about, nor protesting, Ontario’s relatively high debt levels. Young people can and do speak for themselves when it matters. When I was young we marched for civil rights and against the Vietnam war and nuclear weapons. After the last recession (2008) our youth led the protests over financial power and misuse of that power by Wall and Bay streets. More recently high school students have marched across the USA to protest the obscene number of school shootings. In the UK those who were too young to vote against Brexit feel cheated by the outcome and are demanding a new referendum. But our youth are not marching about, nor protesting, Ontario’s relatively high debt levels. Perhaps they understand that incurring debt after the last recession was the price we had to pay for Ontario to get back on its feet, achieving the lowest unemployment in nearly two decades and the strongest economic growth in the G7. Perhaps they appreciate that debt helped finance the free tuition, youth pharmacare, and extra costs for early education which will better prepare Ontario’s youth for the future. And they no doubt can grasp that much of this debt has gone towards investing in transportation and other capital infrastructure which they will also inherit. Perhaps they understand that the debt is only money after all – and if we really wanted to, we could eventually pay it down much as we did the large stranded $40 billion Ontario Hydro debt. And perhaps they understand that we could have paid off those annual deficits except for the recurring chant of ‘more tax cuts’ by those best positioned to pay them. Indeed If we asked them, our youth would likely hone in on what they are most concerned about – their most important inheritance – the state of health of the planet we live on. Even though the climate experts can’t predict the fate of the planet with absolute certainty they are warning about higher ocean levels, loss of species, more severe storms, droughts and flooding as strong possibilities. And the list of potential benefits is extremely short.  Whatever we do today – it will be in their hand tomorrow. And so it is unsurprising that youth would be more concerned about this starship earth, rather than balancing the budget and eliminating the debt. Does it really matter how high the fiscal debt goes once we’ve destroyed our way of life here? For this reason, youth tend to dominate the membership of political entities, like the Green Party, which are unequivocal in their demands to protect the environment and mitigate climate changes as best we can. One provincial MPP recently proposed that we lower the voting age to 16. After all, those 16 year olds have more at stake, come election time, than any 50 or 60 year old. It’s just mathematics – they will be around longer and policies like those affecting the environment, education and even the fiscal debt will affect them more than it will the elderly. And they are unlikely to be bribed, nor to sell their vote to Mr. Ford for the couple of lousy bucks he’s offering them at the gas pumps.
Background links: Ten Cents Maybe – Ontario Gas Tax – Highest Carbon – Highest Warming – Monthly Warming – 16 Year Old Voting –
May 18th, 2018 BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation is closing the ramp to QEW Fort Erie bound from Northshore Boulevard beginning Tuesday, May 22 at 7 a.m.
There will be No access to QEW Fort Erie bound from Northshore Boulevard. Please plan alternate routes for the duration of the closure. You can access the QEW Fort Erie bound from the Fairview Street on-ramp. The closure is for construction.
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It’s shredding day.
Burlington’s city council now has a Code of Good Governance along with a document that sets out how compliance with the Code of Good Governance will be managed.
18. We will foster respect for the democratic decision-making process. We will accurately communicate decisions of Council, even if we disagree with Council’s decision. When we disagree with a Council decision we will do so in way that avoids impugning the motives integrity or competence of our Council colleagues, staff, or the institution generally.
City Council approved the document earlier this week and – except for the 20 day wait that is needed – Carriage Gate can pick up their building permit and begin the demolition of the properties that are on the north side of James, east side of Brant as far up as the Wardell Insurance office.
On May 5th 2018, police arrested Thomas Allan EDGAR (41-yrs) of Hamilton and charged him with the following offences:
The residents were home at the time and scared off the suspect who had not yet made entry. The suspect was located on video prior to the offence and police are seeking assistance from the public to identify him.
Anyone with information that would assist in identifying this suspect is asked to contact D/Cst. Mark Urie of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2338.
What this means in effect” said Woodruff, “is that the existing regional council can pass the Burlington OP at the regional level in November under the normal time line.” He adds: “I’m sure this 210 day process and the May 11th OP pass date are no coincidence. I can see no realistic process for stopping the New OP at the regional level. It can be passed in November by the existing council. At that time even if a new council made a new official plan on day one (clearly impossible) the new OP would still be live for many months.
It will remain closed until 5 p.m. on Monday, July 16, 2018.