 By Pepper Parr
August 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
National Homes has moved into the Burlington residential market in a big way – one might say huge plans are in the making.
The company acquired the property on Brant Street next to the Emergency Measures station that was owned by the – they grew hay on the property.
The plans are for a project that will include 12 townhouse blocks with 83 units, three condominium townhouse blocks with 150 units.
 The western edge of the property backs on the the gold course. There was a time when a former city manager felt the city shouldn’t be in the golf course business and Councillor Dennison had great plans to sell the land and zone it residential. Included in the application are a woodlot block as well as a natural heritage system (buffer) block. The proposed development has a total area of 11.1 hectares (27.2 acres).
 Traffic wanting to go north on Brant Street might be a problem.  The look the project will have from Brant street. These lands are currently vacant; historically they were used for agricultural purposes. The Glover family told the property to a developer and was then put in the hands of a trustee, Burlington lawyer, William Hourigan, who transferred it to the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of Hamilton in Ontario for a $1 token payment by the church.
 This 1950 aerial photograph is a little confusing – the property boundary is clearly shown but there doesn’t appear to be a Brant Street unless it was just a dusty rural road. What then is the road to the right? The property was Crown land prior to 1798; it was given to Joseph Brant who appears to have flipped it almost instantly to Ann Glover and kept in the family until 1958 when it was sold to Sumac Investments Limited and transferred to the Catholic church shortly after.
National Homes acquired the property about 18 months ago. The property is reported to have once been owned by ADI Developments for a very short period of time,
National Homes is part of a broadly based group of companies that traces its origin back to the establishment in 1974 of Pantalone Realty, now a leading Toronto Real Estate Brokerage specializing in industrial and commercial properties and undeveloped residential land assemblies. Venturon Developments has developed over 8,000 lots, and constructed thousands of square feet of retail and commercial developments.
National Homes, founded in 1992 by Rocco Pantalone, has grown into one of the Greater Toronto Area’s most successful and respected home builders with over 15,000 homes in their portfolio of accomplishments and a growing focus on the high-rise market.
When you look at the size of the National Homes operation and the number of houses they have built – the phrase “rich developers” springs to mind, and developers do alright. So does the city – the chart below shows just how much in the fees the developer has to pay the city upfront if you don’t mind.
 That is very close to a quarter of a million upfront dollars.
 National Homes is not a small player in the development game. New to Burlington perhaps. Bingo hall property
The plaza on Plains Road opposite Maplehurst public school where the Bingo operation, the hardware store and the dollar store are located.
National Homes is proposing the complete redevelopment of the site including 2 eight storey buildings (condos) and several hundred townhouses for a total of 414 residential units. The proposal includes 6,900 square feet of retail space and underground parking.
At this date there isn’t a formal application before the planners.
Georgian Court is another major development for Aldershot.
Another massive re-development is planned for the Francis Road and Plains Road part of Aldershot. The redevelopment plan for the 20 acre site has been shared with existing tenants of the rental complex.
The owner is proposing major intensification, specifically replacement of the current 288 townhouses with 1,450 new rental units including townhouses and apartments.
 This development will result in a massive change to an existing community. The plan calls for one 23 storey building, one 18 storey building, one 15 storey building, eight 8 storey buildings, six 6 storey buildings, five 4 storey buildings and a series of 3 storey townhouses.
That certainly defines intensification which the Mayor has said would not impact more than 5% of the established neighbourhoods in the city.
Added to these developments is the long term think plan the city is putting together and calling mobility hubs. There will be one in the western end of Aldershot around the GO station.
By Staff
August 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Oh no – not again.
The Halton District school Board announced that there “may” be some school bus service delays when school resumes on September 5th.
There apparently aren’t enough drivers available.
 The Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS) advises that a shortage of school bus drivers may impact school bus operations in the Burlington and Oakville areas this September. The shortage could negatively impact some schools due to bus delays. At this time, bus operators in Milton and Halton Hills do not anticipate a bus driver shortage.
HSTS is a corporation owned by the Catholic and public school boards.
Parents are encouraged to sign up for delays and cancellation notifications on the HSTS website (haltonbus.ca) before school starts.
School bus delays will be posted on the HSTS website starting the first day of school, Tuesday, September 5, 2017.
In a media release HSTS said they appreciate the important work bus drivers provide for the school community by getting students safely to school each day; apparently not enough to improve on what bus drivers are paid,
“We are grateful for the service the school bus drivers provide to the students in Halton” says Karen Lacroix, General Manager of Halton Student Transportation Services.
Bus companies are focusing their recruitment efforts with advertisements in various newspapers, radio, TV and through employment open houses. Together HSTS and the Halton school boards are promoting school bus driver employment opportunities to parents/guardians and the community.
HSTS has been assisting in this effort by advertising jobs on the HSTS website and through the Halton school boards’ Twitter feeds (@HaltonDSB and @HCDSB).
By Pepper Parr
August 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
This article has had a correction, Pearson will not open in September of 2018
The Going Back to School process has begun – the school supplies are being bought and fresh new clothing is being chosen.
News Analysis
Parents are learning what the fashion trend is going to be this year and the first timers are going to get a chance to learn what it is like to take a bus to school.
All seven high schools will open this year; it will be different next year.
The Board of trustees voted to close two of the city’s seven high schools: Lester B. Pearson will not open in September of 2018 and Bateman high school will not open in September of 2020.
 At first it was Central high school parents fighting to keep their school open. They put forward very compelling arguments and they were taken off the recommendation list.  Bateman high school was put on the recommended for closing list when Central high school was taken off the list.  Lester B. Pearson parents were never able to get the kind of traction they needed to change the minds of the trustees. Ward 3 trustee Andrea Grebenc who attended Pearson said she could not find a reason for voting to keep the school open. Both high school parent groups filed a request for an Administrative Review of the decision the trustees made– that review looks at the process used to make the decision – not the merits of the decision.
The parents had to file a request for the Administrative Review within 30 days of the decision – both met the July 7th deadline; the Board Administration had 30 days to respond to the request for a review – they did that by August 7th. The Ministry of Education now has 30 days to decide if there is any merit in the request for a review and to consider the position taken by the Board.
That gets us to sometime in the middle of September.
It would be a little naïve to expect any changes.
The Halton District school Board has been hit with Administrative Reviews before – the end result then was no change.
There is a very unhappy public in Burlington; parents are unhappy with the way the city failed to take a position on closing schools; many feel that the process used to make the decision was so flawed that the trustees should have taken the option that was available to them – and that was not to close any of the high schools at this time until there has been an opportunity for an in depth look at just what the problem is and if there is any likelihood of a change in the number of students that are going to attend high schools.
Burlington was in a situation where one high school was at 135% capacity (Hayden) while another was at about the 65% (Pearson) capacity level. That situation was the result of the traditional feeder schools for Pearson were filling Hayden instead.
The Program Accommodation Review process was new to the people of Burlington, new to the school board as well and in hindsight many people realize that it should have been done differently.
The school board trustees didn’t really deliver on their mandate – they took a hands off approach to the issue during the PAR process and then got swamped with the more than 50 delegations they had to deal with.
Kelly Amos, the chair of the school board was flummoxed on several occasions when it as clear she was in over her head with the process. At one critical meeting she had legal counsel for the Board giving her one opinion and a parliamentarian who had been brought in to provide advice and direction giving her a different opinion.
 Ward 5 school board trustee Amy Collard livid with the decision made by the Director of Education wears her feelings. One parent made the both astute and disturbing observation that the school board gave less time to deciding whether or not to close high schools than the city did on what to do with the Freeman station – which is now doing quite nicely in its new location.
The biggest problem the public has is the quality of the current school board. With the exception of Ward 5 trustee Amy Collard, the Burlington trustees are not delivering on the mandate they were given when they were elected.
 From the right: Vice chair Graves and Chair Amos – who along with the other trustees are expected to hold the Director of Education Stuart Miller on the left accountable – something they don’t appear to know how to do. They don’t know their jobs; they don’t ask hard questions; they don’t really hold the Board staff or its Director of Education truly accountable.
While the trustees may be nice people their job is to ask the probing questions. They have chosen to be nice and operate as what has become a bit of a clique that has a tremendous opportunity to make a significant difference but instead chose to take a pass.
Expect to see a lot of different names on the Burlington ballot in the October 2018 municipal elections.
Burlington can do better than what we have.
 Leah Reynolds on the right. She gets by with a little help from her friends. City Councillor Meed Ward on the left. We have a board where a trustee – Leah Reynolds – feels it is acceptable to receive text notes and advice on her computer from a member of the PAR, Marianne Meed Ward, who is also a city Councillor, who many believe expects the trustee to replace her should the council member run for the office of Mayor.
There is something fundamentally wrong with the behaviour of these two women, but Chair Amos pointed out that it was not against the code of conduct.
What the Chair failed to realize is that the letter of the law is important and relevant – it is however the spirit of the law that should prevail.
Of the 11 trustees on the Board of Education – four come from Burlington. Collard was the only one to vote against the closing of Bateman High school. Collard and Papin voted against the closing of Pearson.
 From the left- trustees Papin, Reynolds, Ehl Harrison and Grebenc sat in on most of the Program Accommodation Review committee meetings as observers. There was no opportunity or occasion for them to make their views known at that point in the process. The remaining seven members of the Board voted for the closing of both high schools. It is a little unsettling to realize that it was possible for trustees who do not represent the voters of Burlington to vote for the closing of high schools in Burlington even if the Burlington trustees had voted to keep them open.
There was not much in the way of a common cause between the four Burlington trustees. Three of the four bought into the Director’s recommendation to close the two high schools.
The sense that those trustees are keeping those seats warm while they battle for you is something that belongs in your Santa Clause and Easter Bunny box.
 By Pepper Parr
August 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
After community meetings across the city that asked the public what they thought of the Mobility Hub concept, the planners are now ready to tell the public what their “preferred” concept is and why they will try to persuade city council to follow their advice later in the year.
 The four mobility hubs – where they are located. What will the linkage be between the hubs? Those will be contentious meetings.
 Illustration panels are set up with graphs setting out what the mobility hub will mean and the changes it could bring about. With feedback from different communities on the objectives behind the four different Mobility hubs the city wants to develop – Burlington residents are now going to hear what the planners see as their preferred concept for each hub.
 Citizens discuss the city’s plans for the creation of four mobility hubs – one at each of the GO stations and a fourth in the downtown core. Intensification is to be focused on the hubs. Residents are encouraged to share their feedback about the concept which will be used to help inform a discussion about the proposed concept at a workshop with Burlington City Council on Thursday, Sept. 28.
The debate and decision date for the concepts for each of the GO station mobility hubs by city council is sometime in December.
The next four community meetings are:
Downtown Mobility Hub – Preferred Concept Public Meeting
Date: Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: Art Gallery of Burlington, Shoreline Rotary Room, 1333 Lakeshore Rd. W
Burlington GO Mobility Hub – Draft Concepts Public Meeting
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017
Time: 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: Holiday Inn, Harvester Hall, 3063 South Service Rd.
Aldershot GO Mobility Hub – Draft Concepts Public Meeting
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: East Plains United Church, Peart Hall, 375 Plains Rd E
Appleby GO Mobility Hub – Draft Concepts Public Meeting
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 pm
Location: Appleby Ice Centre, Multi-Purpose Room, 1201 Appleby Line.
 City planner Mary Lou Tanner explaining some of the thinking behind the mobility hub concept to ward 3 city Councillor John Taylor. Mary Lou Tanner, Chief Planner and Director of City Building explains that the city is “working toward a shared vision for each of the Mobility Hubs and the community’s input is vital in the development of the plans for these neighbourhoods.”
Once approved, the Area-Specific Plans created through the Mobility Hub studies will be adopted as part of the city’s new Official Plan.
Halton Region, population is anticipated to grow from 530,000 to one million people by 2041.
 Mayor sits in on a community discussion about the concept of a downtown mobility hub. The Province of Ontario’s provincial growth plan, Places to Grow, mandates the City of Burlington plan for a population of 193,000 by 2031.
Planning for intensification of the Mobility Hubs supports the city’s four strategic directions outlined in its 25-year strategic plan —a city that grows, a city that moves, a healthier and greener city and an engaging city.
 By Staff
August 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
A dental office on Guelph Line was entered twice on the same day – the suspect did not have an appointment – the offices were closed.
The Halton Police are currently investigating the Break and Enter that occurred on the 22nd of July 2017 at 2501 Guelph line Burlington ON.
 The watcher was being watched. Halton Police are currently looking to the public for assistance in identifying the person of interest who was observed entering the closed dental office on two separate occasions on the same day.
Any information please contact Detective Constable Colin MACLEOD of the Commercial Crime Team at 905-825-4747 Ext 2357 or Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the website at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca /a>; or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
August 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
A quick update on the Dennison home on Lakeshore Road that is for rent.
It is described by Jack himself as a four level house that he wants to rent for not less than 8 months but will entertain something longer.
 Designated as a historical property it can be rented for $5000 a month. Fully furnished and that includes the linen.
The sign on the lawn has the agent handling the rental is J&J Rentals.
That J&J is Jack and Jackie – his partner in life.
The property is listed on Kajiji as well.
They are asking $5000 a month in rent for the house. No word on if that includes hydro, water, heat, cable and snow removal.
By Staff
August 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
There has been a rash of unsavory types calling Burlington residents claiming they are from the city, or from one of the utility companies and need to do an inspection of the residence.
The Halton Regional Police Service and the city of Burlington combined received over 200 calls from people concerned about the legitimacy of these inspection requests from August 4 to August 15, 2017.
Several males were observed attending residences outside the pre-set appointment times. These males did not represent the City of Burlington. They were reportedly requesting to do home energy audits.
The City of Burlington and Union Gas employees do not go door-to-door unless in an emergency situation and would often be with the Halton Regional Police Service or Burlington Fire Department.
Residents of Halton Region are reminded to be vigilant and attentive regarding to whom they speak with on the phone and companies they contract for service.
Residents should ask questions, review and receive a written contract for products and services, and only deal with reputable companies they have sought out themselves.
Union Gas does not sell natural gas appliances or provide maintenance services for natural gas appliances.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of fraud, please contact the HRPS Regional Fraud Unit at 905-465-8741.
Key contact is: Detective Constable Derek Gray, 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau – Elder Abuse and Frauds. Tel: 905-825-4747 ext.2344
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the website at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca; or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
August 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The province has appointed five new judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, effective August 31, 2017.
Jennifer Anne Crawford was called to the bar in 1997 and was most recently the designated high risk offender Crown attorney for the Toronto region.
Previously, she served as an assistant Crown attorney for twelve years and was associate counsel on the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Commission from 2003 to 2007. Crawford has volunteered with the Oakville Parks and Recreation Committee and the Oakville Literacy Council.
Chief Justice Lise Maisonneuve has assigned Justice Crawford to preside in Halton.
Pieter Joubert was called to the bar in 2005. The Chief Justice has assigned Justice Joubert to preside in Kenora.
Karey Katzsch was called to the bar in 2002. The Chief Justice has assigned Justice Katzsch to preside in Kitchener.
Scott Nicholas Latimer was called to the bar in 2003. The Chief Justice has assigned Justice Latimer to preside in Kitchener.
Ronald Cameron Blake Watson was called to the bar in 1995. The Chief Justice has assigned Justice Watson to preside in St. Catharines.
The Milton court house is scheduled to be replaced by a new court house that will be located in Oakville. Construction on the courthouse is expected to begin in late 2019 and be complete about four years later. .
By Pepper Parr
August 21st. 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The new structure hasn’t been completed yet but it is already having an impact on the kind o development that is taking place in the immediate area.
In March of 2013 ward 4 council member Jack Dennison applied to the Committee of Adjustment to sever his 3080 Lakeshore Road property.
That Committee rejected the application.
 The house that is a historically designated property that is now for rent. To the right and rear of he house is the second house built on the lot that was severed. Dennison, as is his right as a citizen, appealed the Committee of Adjustment decision to the Ontario Municipal Board. After a lengthy delay the hearing finally took place and the Board found for Jack Dennison and said the property could be severed.
 The new home on the severed lot on the right, is yards away from the house Dennison lived in. That hone is now for rent, The property was severed, a building permit obtained and the structure is now nearing the final phase of construction.
Many in the city felt that as a sitting member of Council Dennison was required to adhere to the bylaws and zoning limitations the city has in place. Dennison didn’t share that view and he was re-elected in the election that followed.
 As the builders go about completing the new house on the severed lot, a small sign appears on the property to the immediate west of the Dennison property seeking the right to sever that property.
There is a sign on the Dennison property offering the house for rent.
One Gazette reader wondered if Dennison, or his agent, had obtained a permit to put up the rental sign.
Related new stories:
Public gets first look at the plans.
Dennison takes his case to the Committee of adjustment.
City has to debate what it is going to cost to defend itself at an OMB hearing on a Committee of Adjustment appeal.
Dennison wins at the OMB
 By Staff
August 20th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Spring Gardens Road, south of Valley Inn Road, will be closed on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for work on hydro power lines.
No through traffic will be permitted.
 By Staff
August 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Facts, opinions and political speeches – they are certainly not the same thing.
The Liberals have set up a media feature they call Facts Still Matter that they use to hammer almost everything Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown says.
So far the Conservatives have not come up with a way to counter the Liberal hammering.
The Gazette has not been successful in getting through to the Conservatives for comment and reaction.
In the most recent Facts Still Matter the Liberals maintain that;
 Leader of the Progressive Conservative opposition Patrick Brown Patrick Brown delivered a doozy of a speech to the Stratford Chamber of Commerce yesterday, littered with 19 false claims. This is a new record for a single speech, even for Brown!
Not only did Patrick Brown, in a very Trump-like manner, call our fact checks “alternative facts”, even though they are always credibly sourced, but he doubled down on his outright opposition to a $15 minimum wage in Ontario.
He then moved on to spread misinformation about healthcare, the economy, workplaces, and infrastructure just to name a few. If he wants to give speeches to Chambers of Commerce in Ontario, Patrick Brown needs to remember that Facts Still Matter in Ontario, and Ontarians deserve to hear it.
He Claimed: “[Ontario] is subsidized by other provinces…and no Liberal spin or alternative facts can hide that” and “No one wants to settle for a province that is a have-not Ontario”
Fact: He can use all the Trump lines he wants but that doesn’t change the truth. In 2016-17 Ontario paid $6.9 billion into the equalization program and only received $2.3 billion from it. In addition, according to the Mowat Centre, “Ontarians have consistently contributed more to the federal government in total tax revenue than they have received in federal spending in return.”
He Claimed: “Our credit rating is worse than Quebec”
Fact: This isn’t true. Moody’s and Fitch have the same rating and while S&P’s rating is higher for Quebec,
 The Brown statement does have some merit; Quebec,s credit rating is a touch higher than Ontario’s. (Source: https://www.ofina.on.ca/ir/rating.htm, https://www.finances.gouv.qc.ca/en/Financement_Quebec61.asp)
He Claimed: “You can see your economy sliding”
Fact: Ontario has led the G7 in economic growth for the past 3 years.
(Source: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2017/07/ontarios-economic-growth-continues-to-lead-g7-countries.html)
He claimed: “She’s giving free hydro to Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York.”
Fact: We’ve seen this one from Patrick Brown before. The last time the provincial Conservatives were in power, they spent $900 million importing electricity over two years just to keep the lights on. Given our position of strength, Ontario is a net exporter now, benefitting ratepayers to the tune of $230 million in 2015.
(Source: Independent Electricity System Operator)
He claimed: “The day after…they proceeded with 1100 more contracts.”
Fact: Wrong. Todd Smith, Patrick Brown’s very own PC energy critic, was on the Agenda with Steve Paikin on March 6th, 2017, admitting this was entirely inaccurate.
Here’s the exchange:
Steve Paikin: “But they’re not signing any new contracts. So the tweet says she signs the next round of bad energy contracts tomorrow is inaccurate, right?”
Todd Smith: “Yeah, Okay. I’ll say that’s inaccurate.”
(Source: https://tvo.org/video/programs/the-agenda-with-steve-paikin/wynnes-power-play, https://www.ieso.ca/sector-participants/feed-in-tariff-program/overview)
 He claimed: “You could see hydro rates spike by as much as 61 percent after the election.”
Fact: Wrong. The Fair Hydro Plan is already reducing electricity bills by 25 per cent on average for families, small businesses and farms. Lower-income Ontarians and those living in eligible rural and northern communities are receiving even greater reductions, as much as 40 to 50 per cent.
As part of this plan, rate increases will be held to the rate of inflation for four years.
(Source: https://news.ontario.ca/mei/en/2017/05/ontario-passes-legislation-to-lower-electricity-bills-by-25-per-cent.html)
He claimed: “And we’re seeing, we’re seeing hundreds of millions of dollars of [greenhouse] investment flee to Michigan and Ohio, because of hydro”
Fact: The greenhouse industry is actually expanding here in Ontario. Just this March, Greenhill Produce announced a new $100-million development in Lambton County that will create up to 300 new jobs. NatureFresh Farms is also building a $400-million distribution centre in Leamington. Both new investments build on the nearly 3,000 acres and 81,000 jobs already here. The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers also says the industry has grown here by 150 acres a year.
(Source: https://www.lfpress.com/2017/03/14/chatham-kent-operator-looks-north-to-lambton-county)
He claimed: “What’s the point of having these [changing workplaces review] consultations if you already made up your mind?”
Fact: The all-party committee, which includes Conservative MPPs, is meeting next week to debate amendments.
(Source: https://www.ontla.on.ca/web/committee-proceedings/committee_business_agendas.do?locale=en&BillID=4963+&CommID=144&BusinessType=Bill&detailPage=agendas)
He claimed: “I just came back from the municipal conference in Ottawa—the Association of Municipalities of Ontario—they talked about this huge infrastructure deficit”.
Fact: Whether it’s last week’s announcement that we are expanding Highway 26 in Collingwood, laying the first track for the Eglinton Crosstown in Toronto, or reaching a major milestone through the ground breaking of the Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Wellington County, we continue to make record infrastructure investments in communities across Ontario. Patrick – use this handy website to check your facts!
(Source: https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario)
He claimed: “The Auditor General said we could be seeing cost overruns of 25 percent, because we don’t measure outcomes, we don’t measure performance.”
Fact: We know that AFP delivery costs less than the traditional way of delivering large, complex projects – in fact, the model has saved the province $6.6 billion! We know this because every year since 2013 we’ve had independent, 3rd party organizations review the performance of our projects. What have they found? 96% of our projects were completed on budget.
(Source: https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/Third-Party-Reports/)
He claimed: “You might have not have heard this but they cut the amount of medical emergency positions by 50 recently…It means we’re going to have less physicians to the province of Ontario”.
Fact: Since 2003, the number of physicians practicing in the province has increased by over 34 per cent, which is more than 7,300 additional doctors practicing in our health system today.
(Source: Ministry of Health)
He claimed: “They fired 1700 nurses over the last year and a half”.
Fact: Since taking office in 2003, more than 28,949 nurses have begun working in Ontario, including 11,000 registered nurses. In fact, in 2016 the number of nurses employed in nursing increased for the twelfth consecutive year showing our clear, consistent commitment to improving health care in Ontario.
(Source: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care)
Some of the Liberal responses are a little on the tepid side.
What wasn’t tepid by any definition was a comment from a Gazette reader who pointed out that:
 Liberals telling provincial Conservative leader Patrick Brown that facts still matter?
Pot, I would like you to meet Kettle.
Email deletions, high level bureaucrats on charges for elections bribery and the Premier did not but “should have or ought to have known,” what her operatives were doing on her behalf.
Never mentioned Carbon Tax during election but introduced as perhaps the second largest tax grab in provincial history along with serious inflationary pressure down the road.
Green Energy costs Ontario more than any other jurisdiction in NA for electricity.
Sold the furniture to pay the rent, OPG. Now we own the 4th largest Coal burning source in NA.
Sweetheart union settlements a year before the contracts are due to buy labour peace and election support for 2018.
Cost of staying in a provincial park has increased nearly 100% in 10 years.
I could go on but I have to go to work so I can afford all these new Taxes, I mean Revenue tools.
Ouch!
By Staff
August 18th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The southbound lane on Brant Street, just south of Victoria Avenue, will be closed on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for excavation work.
 South bound traffic on this part of Brant Street will be detoured while excavation work is done. Southbound traffic will be detoured.
 By Staff
August 17, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Changes to a number of Burlington Transit routes will take place September 3rd, 2017
A brief summary of the changes:
 A transit rider gives the Mayor and Vito Talone. Director of Transportation a piece of his mind. Seniors seem to be allowed to do that. Routes 2, 3
Routes 2 and 3 will stop at the Highway 407 carpool lot all day during weekdays (currently peak-time only).
Route 3 will provide direct southbound service to downtown; extra morning trips to the Burlington GO Station have been eliminated.
Increased connections with GO Transit, Oakville Transit and Burlington Transit routes for improved travel and better access to key shopping locations, Notre Dame, Corpus Christi and Dr. Frank J. Hayden secondary schools.
30 minute all day frequency until 9 p.m. (currently 20-minute frequency only during peak time) and changing to a 60-minute frequency in the evening until 10 p.m. (currently 30 minute frequency until 10:30 p.m.)
Routes 6, 11
Scheduling has been improved for better on-time performance.
No transfers will be needed between Routes 6 and 11 at the 407 carpool lot; 6 becomes 11 and 11 becomes 6
Route 6 midday, weekday frequency will change to 30 minute frequency from 60 minutes.
Route 6 Saturday frequency will change to 60-minute frequency from 30 minutes.
 Doug Brown, the best transit critic Burlington has ever had has never seen a bus that he didn’t like. These buses get a Doug Brown smile. Route 12
Route 12 will be rerouted to improve scheduling and on-time performance and will be relocated to Appleby Line from Sutton Drive with service in both directions. Sutton Drive will still be serviced by Route 11.
Route 12X will be removed from Itabashi Way. Itabashi will still be serviced by Route 302.
Route 25
Scheduling adjustments will be made to improve on-time performance.
Route 80
Schedule adjustments will be made for morning and afternoon peak-time partial-trips to the Burlington and Appleby GO stations.
The Gazette will wait for responses from its readership on how effective these changes are. No mention was made of asking for more transit money in the 2018 budget
 By Pepper Parr
August 16th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Lazy hazy days of summer don’t apply to everyone when there is an election on the near horizon.
Both the Liberals and the Progressive Conservatives have their people out doing the door to door thing – measuring the support for their candidate.
The political parties work at their strategy and get regular electronic mailings out to the media.
 Jane McKenna at the Joe Dogs fund raiser for the Central high school parents. The Gazette wasn’t seeing anything from the Conservatives – a call to them electronically and by telephone drew nothing in the way of a response.
The Liberals are leaving little to chance They have a regular stream of corrections they make to things that Progressive Leader Patrick Brown has said.
They call their stream of media releases: Facts still matter and correct Brown at every opportunity.
The Liberals maintain Brown has spread misinformation across the province in an interview with CTV Ottawa, and add that he seems to be flip flopping on this, his one and only policy proposal – a carbon tax.
Facts Still Matter in Ontario, and Patrick Brown needs to stick to them say the Liberals.
Brown claimed: “Well, I don’t support raising taxes.”
Fact: Wrong – Patrick Brown supports a carbon tax.
 Worse, he supports it despite knowing that independent, third-party experts have proven his carbon tax scheme would be more expensive and less effective than our plan to cap the pollution businesses can release into the atmosphere.
 The Liberals have proposed a linked cap and trade program. The Progressive Conservatives have proposed a straight carbon tax. The Liberals claim that their approach guarantees emission reductions at the cheapest price possible for people and the economy.
The Gazette looks forward to anything Progressive Conservative candidate Jane McKenna has to say.
The Gazette has no idea where the New Democrats are – have they nominated a candidate?
By Staff
August 16, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The province is increasing GO train and bus service across the network to help manage congestion and provide convenient and frequent service for commuters and families.
Effective Sept. 2, the province will also increase GO bus service on some of the most in-demand routes that serve customers in Burlington, St. Catharines, Guelph, Mississauga, Oakville, Hamilton and Richmond Hill.
These improvements will help commuters and families in communities across the region connect to jobs, school and recreational activities with a modern, integrated transit system. The service changes include:
Six new weekday bus trips on Route 12 Burlington-Niagara, increasing bus service to every half hour between Burlington and St. Catharines, including an earlier morning trip from Burlington to Niagara College that will arrive in time for morning classes
These service changes are part of the GO Regional Express Rail (RER) program. GO RER includes electrifying core segments and expanding the rail network, and bringing more two-way, all-day service to commuters and families, increasing the number of weekly trips from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 by 2025. It will provide faster and more frequent service across the GO rail network and is the largest commuter rail project in Canada.
For those wondering what the province did with the proceeds of th sale of a potion of Hydro One – look no further than this:
The province is investing $21.3 billion to transform the GO network from a commuter transit system to a regional rapid transit system.
The GO RER program involves more than 500 separate projects across 40 municipalities.
 By Staff
August 15th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Mention school buses and the mind goes to getting ready for school – it is that time of year again.
School buses in Halton Region – Milton, Burlington, Oakville and Halton Hills – are managed by the
Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS) who contract with local school bus operators.
Those operators hold a “School Bus Orientation Day” which will be held on SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 2017 starting at 9:00 a.m.
 School Bus Orientation Day is a safety program provided by HSTS and the local school bus operators to assist parents and first time riders in understanding the importance of school bus safety.
Parents of all first time riders are encouraged to bring their children to the free sessions, which will feature a classroom presentation on school bus safety, including Off We Go! a special video on school bus safety and a demonstration on a school bus.
School bus company safety officers and bus drivers will talk to the children and their parents about safely getting on and off of the bus, proper behaviour on a school bus, crossing the street to get to a waiting bus and overall school bus safety. In addition, a handout will be provided to all young riders with tips on school bus safety.
Both HSTS and the school bus operators hope the orientation sessions will help students and their parents feel more comfortable riding a school bus before the first day of school.
The sessions begin at 9 a.m. on August 26, 2017 at the following five locations throughout Halton. To register students and secure a preferred time slot, parents must contact the host bus company at the phone number listed next to the desired location.
Burlington: Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School; 905-333-4047 (Attridge Transportation)
Oakville: Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School; 905-335-7010 (First Student Canada)
Acton: Acton District High School; 519-853-1550 (Tyler Transport Ltd.)
Georgetown: Georgetown District High School; 905-877-2251 (First Student Canada)
Milton: Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School; 905-877-2251 (First Student Canada)
If you need to follow up for additional information, please contact:
Karen Lacroix, General Manager
Halton Student Transportation Services
1-888-803-8660 ext. 259
By Staff
August 14th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Blathwayte Lane will be closed
Monday, Aug. 14 to Friday Aug. 18, 2017
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
Hydro duct is being installed on Elgin Street.
 By Staff
August 14th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
They take to the grass this evening at 7:00 pm for the second season of Shakespeare at the RBG Rock.
 Trevor Copp Trevor Copp has done a remarkable piece of work with the Merchant of Venice and his cast of nine.
Copp sets out the story line. Money: Portia has it. Bassanio wants it. Shylock lends it. Antonio owes it. And it will cost him dearly.
Dark in its humour and bawdy in its romantic hijinks, The Merchant Of Venice takes audiences on a journey of love, mercy and (in)justice. And for the second consecutive year, Trevor Copp will direct the production; Copp is the founder and Artistic Director of the Tottering Biped Theatre.
 Alma Sarai as Portia and Zach Parsons as Bassanio, Last year, their first at the Rock Garden they brought in more than 2000 people to watch A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
It was a bold venture and it took courage on the part of the Royal Botanical Gardens administration to make the space available to Copp.
 Michael Hannigan as Antonio, It turned out to be a really wise move – the Burlington Hamilton markets might well be on the way to becoming the place where a director has the opportunity to produce a program that is vivid and entertaining.
There is an intimacy to the space used at the RBG Rock – well worth attending.
Opening night is this evening – the play will run August 14th to 18th ; 21st to 25th; the 28th and September 1st.
There are no Saturday shows.
Tickets are available on line.
By Pepper Parr
August 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Rain threatened so they moved the event from the patio to the expansive space indoors where the sound was just fine and the audience happy and dry. The third annual Jazz on the Patio was about to begin.
 Jane B on the clarinet. Jane Bunnett brought her exquisite all-female sextet: Maqueque and their soul of Cuba sound to the stage.
They were the first night performers of the very successful Jazz on the Patio series that the Performing Arts puts on each August. This is the third year and it worked wonderfully.
Four performances being done by four different female groups chosen by Brian McCurdy – who should be referred to as the Executive Director Emeritus of the Performing Arts Centre, has produced a sterling program.
He ran a superb program when he was the full time Executive Director and left a SOLD OUT performance for the woman that replaced him when he decided to try retirement – only to have to return to the job when she proved to be less than was expected.
Tammy Fox was brought in to run the place – she wasn’t at the Jazz event on Friday so we didn’t get to meet her but we have heard nothing but good things about the woman who has an impressive resume.
The problem with the Executive Directors at the Centre is that they seem to have trouble lasting beyond their sophomore year was the way one wag put it.
The really solid programs have been put in place by McCurdy – who was on hand to watch the event Friday evening.
The Jazz program is the best of that music form one is going to hear in this city. Take in the show – it is a free program – where you will hear some of the smartest and sweetest sounds that will float from the stage.
 The threat of rain moved the event indoors – it was still a fine event. In terms of numbers – the Performing Arts staff had nothing to complain about – there were a couple of places where you could find a seat but not many.
 A very good crowd, a very loyal crowd – but the demographic for the Performing Arts Centre needs to be broader. The problem was with the demo-graphics. The down-town crowd have made the Performing Arts Centre their turf and they are a loyal audience.
The younger crowd – the people who are the future of the Centre, just weren’t in the audience.
The Gazette was told that the marketing people distributed flyers, advertised in local markets including Hamilton and Oakville and had post cards delivered to homes in the Burlington market.
Something isn’t working – the room was full –and there is nothing wrong with the seniors and the in the process of becoming a senior market. But the purpose of the Centre is to include a wider demographic.
Whatever the magic is to attract those younger couples – the marketing people haven’t found it yet – and it certainly isn’t because they aren’t trying.
The program content for this Jazz on the Patio series is as good as it gets – equals anything you will hear at the bigger city locales.
 Classically trained violinist showed the audience how the sounds of the soul of Cuba can be heard. The classically trained Cuban violinist was superb. Those Cubans certainly know how to move on a stage. There were times when she was as aggressive with her bow as Ashley Macisaac has been on occasions.
It was just plain fine music in a great locale – take it in if you are downtown – performance in the afternoon and the evening on Saturday and on Sunday afternoon.
Jazz on the Patio at the Performing Arts Centre – program line up.
 By Pepper Parr
August 11, 2107
BURLINGTON, ON
When West Haven Drive resident Heather Laurie saw the letter in her mail box telling her that a quarry was going to go operational just over 100 yards from her back yard she made a point of meeting her neighbours – quickly.
The letter was notice of a meeting that Heather was not going to miss.
 Brick inventory outside the manufacturing plant in north Aldershot The company, Meridian Brick, was the corporate entity that came out of an amalgamation of a number of brick manufacturing operations.
Brick manufacturing has been an industry in Aldershot for close to 100 years which wasn’t something the people on Westhaven Drive knew much about.
Turned out that the brick plant had three different quarries in the same area which are referred to as the west cell, central cell and the east cell.
 Reddish area on the left is the west cell and the brick manufacturing plant, to the right of Bayview Park is the Central cell which is being worked now. To the right of the Central cell and left of the red marker is the forested area the company wants to clear and begin quarrying shale. Meridian was telling the community that they wanted to begin the process of preparing to mine Queenston shale from the east cell. That preparation would mean cutting down 9000 mature trees and operating heavy equipment yards away from the homes on the west side of Westhaven Drive.
When the residents went to their ward councillor and the Mayor asking for some help to prevent the cutting down of those 9000 trees and keeping the noise, the silica dust out of their lives, they were told that the company had a license to do what they were proposing. Nothing the politicians could do about the problem the residents believed they had.
According to the residents, the MPP wasn’t much help either.
The noise and the silica dust were just starting issues – there was the matter of property values on a street where home re-sale prices ranged from $795,000 to $2.2 million.
Heather’s initiative brought the neighbours together which resulted in the creation of TEC – Tyendaga Environmental Coalition – a non-profit the community created after local fund raising put money into a bank account to cover the cost of incorporating and hiring professional help.
The hand-delivered letter from Meridian to the Westhaven Dr. residents (WHD) mentioned their intent to expand their quarry to the east cell and announced a September, 2015 date for a WHD Community Meeting in order to present their plans and provide a Q and A forum.
About 60 WHD residents found themselves facing 10 Meridian employees; most were operations personnel.
Meridian had not expected quite that many people.
During that 2015 presentation residents learned a little about the corporate history,
1929 – Quarry owned and operated by National Sewer Pipe
1972 – Quarry first licensed under Pits and Quarry Control Act
1990 – Canada Brick purchased quarry
1998 – The West Tyandayga Ratepayers Assoc (WTRA) objected to the subdivision, the Official Plan Amendment: the Zoning By-law; and the Draft Plan. Then they agreed that it could be approved. One item had Jannock passing the Minutes of Settlement on to subsequent owners and to the WTRA
1999 – Tyandaga West Subdivision registered
1999 – Hanson PLC purchases Canada Brick
Sometime in 2010 a number of brick manufacturing operations were merged to create Meridian Brick who are now the operators of the brick manufacturing plant and the quarries in north Aldershot and the one on Dundas west of Tremaine.
Ward 1 city Councillor Rick Craven told the residents that Meridian Brick had a license to operate a quarry : “..they showed us documents …” he is reported to have said.
 Approved as a sub division in he late 90’s the project went through some difficult phases with the original developer turning the project over to another developer. some of the original developer undertakings appear to have been forgotten by the company that actually built the homes. Meridian had taken the position that they wanted to be “Good Neighbors”; they even have a handbook setting out what they were setting out to do.
That 2015 meeting was attended by Donna Kell (City Burlington, Manager communications) , Lisa Steen (City of Burlington, Planning) and Thomas Douglas (City of Burlington Planning). This was the meeting at which Councillor Craven told the residents – “They have the license folks there is nothing you can you do”.
Prior to the meeting Hanson offered WHD residents a tour of the processing plant.
During the 2015 meeting residents asked if the company could do an incremental quarry ‘dig’ – in other words only deforest a portion of the trees at a time (essentially, gradually move eastwards) rather than do the full 30-acre deforestation.
 The Westhaven Drive residents have done a lot of research in order to figure out just who owns what. Their answer was that they had to do a complete deforestation because they needed to get more complete and comprehensive core samples which they could not get those without full deforestation. This appeared to indicate that they have very little knowledge about the clay / shale content before the devastation which some residents thought was even more disturbing.
The residents asked how the company would monitor the dust. Meridian said they would place a number of plastic bottles with holes in them suspended on a pole and periodically examine their content for volume. The residents wanted them to measure for content as well.
 Residents fear that they are going to have to live with equipment like this less than 100 yards away from their back yards. City says there is nothing they can do – the brick company has a license. The 2015 meeting did a lot to galvanize the residents – they were beginning to realize that their lives were going to experience considerable disruption. They had come to realize, said one resident, “ that the politicians just want it off their plate and not have to be bothered about the mess that gets left behind when the quarry had been mined out.”
Meridian Brick began to realize that they were now up against a community that did not like what was being proposed and they were not going to sit quietly and let the company do whatever it wanted.
 The residents are organized. That September 2015 meeting lasted about two hours; it got a little tense near the end but out of it came an agreement amongst the WHD residents that they had to organize a community group which would then represent the community and work with brick company.
They were initially called the Tyandaga Community Group but in January 2016 they renamed and incorporated as Tyandaga Environment Group.
This is a story about residents who want their elected officials to protect their interests and a municipal government who seem to want to walk away from a problem because of a license that was issued in 1972.
The residents are pointing out that things change.
To follow: How the community pulled together and did their own research – it wasn’t a pretty picture.
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