 By Pepper Parr
June 28, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Mike Spicer is already grey – and he is in the process of losing the hair that he has left. Some of that hair got pulled out in frustration the past couple of weeks.
Burlington Transit has bought into technology in a big way – they want people to know when that bus is going to arrive and then make sure it does arrive.
 Director of Transit for the city of Burlington, Mike Spicer replaces marches in the Santa Claus parade – he may be wearing an I’m sorry sign in the next parade. The Transit people bought a technology that would let a person plan their trip on their computer – sounded like a great idea – at the time
The installation of the service didn’t go all that well. They still aren’t sure that it is working the way the advertisements say it is supposed to work.
Spicer sent us a note earlier today saying:
“Our web site is live again as we have been able to fix the issues. We would encourage our customers to use the web trip planner as much as possible over the next couple of weeks in order to ensure that all of the previous issues have been resolved. We have extended our testing for a few more weeks in order to closely monitor the site and software to ensure it is meeting our customer’s needs.”
So – besides being loyal transit users – you are now a guinea pig – testing the service. Keep us informed.
 By Staff
June 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 Carole Castonguay – found At 10:34 pm the Halton Regional Police reported that the missing 69 year old female, Carole CASTONGUAY of Niagara Falls was found at the residence safe and sound.
The Halton Regional Police wish to thank the public for their interest and assistance in this matter.
By Staff
June 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite a 5.5 per cent increase in call volumes and a 4.4 per cent increase in patients transported compared to 2014, Halton paramedics continue to meet response time targets.
Over the past 10 years, overall emergency and non-emergency call volumes have increased 47.6 per cent in Halton, from 29,054 in 2006 to 42,881 in 2015. The number of patients transported over the same 10-year period has increased 45.5 per cent, from 19,222 to 27,959. In 2015, the Region handled 2,217 more calls and transported 1,175 more patients than in 2014.
 9-1-1 calls from Halton residents have increased every year for the past seven years, clearly showing an increased demand for emergency care in the region. The primary drivers for increased call volumes are population and employment growth, along with the impact of an aging population.
To ensure that the Region is prepared to address the various pressures related to providing paramedic services, Halton Regional Council approved the Paramedic Services 10-Year Master Plan in 2015.
As part of the Paramedic Services 10-Year Master Plan, Halton Region has taken several measures to enhance the level of emergency care available to residents, including:
• maintaining the existing population to paramedic staffing ratio;
• enhancing technology to ensure the Paramedic Services division has the tools to remain responsive and efficient;
• the approval to begin construction on two new paramedic stations: Southwest Oakville Station on Rebecca Street and East Milton Station on Fifth Line, south of Derry Road; and
• continually working with local hospitals, neighbouring paramedic services, the Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC), the MOHLTC and community partners.
“The Region is committed to ensuring Halton residents receive timely emergency responses and high quality care when they need it most,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “The Paramedic Services Division Annual Update shows that in 2015 our Paramedics continued to meet Council-approved response time targets in every category. The Region remains focused on achieving these important targets to ensure we support the health and well-being of all Halton residents.”
By Staff
June 27, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
So – she couldn’t live without him – and he didn’t know how to say no.
 Ted McMeekin tweeted earlier today that he was “Pleased 2be appointed Premier’s Parliamentary Assistant.
Next 2 years important as we continue to ‘build Ontario up.”
And some people thought McMeekin was going to walk quietly into the night.
 By Staff
June 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Ms Castonguay was found late in the evening.
It is hot out there and 69 year old Carole Castonguay is out there somewhere – in need of her medication.
Ms Castonguay was last seen in the area of Spencer Smith Park at 11:35 this morning. She is a diabetic and comes from Niagara Falls
 CASTONGUAY is described as:
Female, white
5’3″
Medium build
Short blonde hair
Wearing:
Black shorts
Black tank top
Beige sandals
White purse
Glasses
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Halton Regional Police Communications Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext 5155 or Halton Regional Police Service 3 District at 905-825-4747 ext. 2305
By Pepper Parr
June 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It isn’t a done deal yet – and it might not make it over the 66% needed by each of the four United Way organizations in the Region and Hamilton – but it won’t be because they didn’t give it the old college try. The vote was 61%
The result of a recent ratification vote has delayed but not derailed plans to bring together the United Ways of Burlington & Greater Hamilton, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills into a single United Way serving all of Halton Region and Greater Hamilton.
The four United Ways have been working through an extensive process of research, evaluation, consultation and planning for over a year. In May, each organization’s board of directors approved the amalgamation plan, setting the stage for ratification votes at each organization’s annual general meeting in June.
On June 20, United Way Oakville unanimously approved the recommendation, setting the stage for United Way Burlington & Greater Hamilton’s AGM on June 22 and the AGMs of United Way Halton Hills and United Way Milton on June 28.
However, the Burlington & Greater Hamilton vote to approve amalgamation achieved a majority 61% when a two-thirds majority was required. The motion was therefore defeated.
“I personally am so excited about the benefits that will come from amalgamating these four organizations,” said Anne Bermingham, United Way Burlington & Greater Hamilton Board Chair. “With the majority of board votes in favour of this direction, we need to keep working on addressing concerns and finding a way to make this happen.”
Jeff Valentin, CEO of United Way Burlington & Greater Hamilton, said that the motivation for exploring amalgamation remains clear. “This is about enhancing community impact,” he said. “With the majority of our board members, so many of our
staff and so many of our donors and community partners supporting amalgamation, I feel like we have a responsibility to our community to follow through. The work of finding the right way to do that starts today.”
Across North America, United Ways have been coming together to build stronger organizations to serve their communities as part of their strategic direction. A recent example is the merger of United Way Toronto & York Region in 2015.
“United Way Centraide Canada endorses the proposed amalgamation and strongly encourages continued work towards a successful outcome,” said Jacline Nyman, President and CEO, United Way Centraide Canada. “The four United Ways have demonstrated leadership and commitment to building a new and stronger United Way with a greater capacity to lead and engage our donors and community partners in serving the Halton and Hamilton Region.”
“If we can make it work, the amalgamation of these four United Ways will produce a more efficient, more effective and more sustainable organization,” said United Way Oakville Board chair John Armstrong. “We were excited to support the amalgamation plan at our annual general meeting in Oakville and we continue to be committed to working with our partner United Ways for the good of the communities we serve.”
 As a result of the failure, and that is what it was, the United Ways of Halton Hills and Milton will no longer ask their general memberships to vote on amalgamation on June 28, though each organization plans to present and discuss the amalgamation plan for information.
Chris Cooke, Board chair of United Way Halton Hills, sees the amalgamation as a strong combination of local focus and a larger organization. “We understand how important local support and the ability to focus close to home is to our partners, donors and agencies,” he said. “Our plan will allow us to balance that need with the benefits of a larger organization. It would be a win-win.”
“There is real potential in our plan, which is why we all need to stick with it,” said James MacAskill, United Way Milton Board chair.
“The amalgamated United Way would be able to devote greater resources to providing evidence-based information to our supporters and ultimately deliver a greater impact for the communities of the region. That’s the bottom line.”
Janet Foster, CEO of United Way Halton Hills, said, “These United Ways have a strong history of working together. It just makes sense to take our partnership to the next level.”
Brad Park, CEO of United Way Oakville, summarized the vision for the amalgamation process when he said, “The plan will give us a bigger, stronger and more versatile team that will allow us to make a real difference in terms of community outcomes. Together, we can accomplish so much more than we ever could separately.”
The bulk of the material in this article came from the United Way media staff.
The Gazette heard nothing about the meetings that led to the amalgamation attempt from any of the four media staff.
By Pepper Parr
June 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There is now a new direction in place at Conservation Halton.
The Board of Directors have announced the appointment of Hassaan Basit as Chief Administrative Officer. He has, up until the appointment, served as the General Manager.
 During the past six months, Basit has worked to develop a new strategic plan (Metamorphosis 2020), rebuild Conservation Halton’s image and brand, realign budgets, refine communication with stakeholders, and contributed to the Provincial Government’s Conservation Authority Act Review.
Conservation Halton Board Chair John Vice commented, “We are all delighted and impressed by Hassaan’s accomplishments in his six months as General Manager. His commitment to staff and to the Board has been exemplary. His perseverance, optimism, integrity, compassion, discipline and executive leadership have been recognized by the CAO Review Committee and the Board of Directors.”
“I would like to thank members of the Board of Directors for this opportunity, and for their support of my vision for the organization. I’ve been humbled by the encouragement I’ve received from so many people, not just from within the organization, but also from our partners and stakeholders” said Hassaan Basit, Chief Administrative Officer. “Above all, I would like to thank my staff for their support. They have shown a renewed drive to deliver exceptional services and embrace change.”
Hassaan Basit was a biologist at the University of Toronto early in his career. He has been with Conservation Halton for 12 years, starting out as Communications Specialist, before moving to Community Engagement and then Director of Communications. His role as Director of Strategic Planning has demonstrated his commitment and skill in engaging staff, asking tough questions, building consensus and moving forward in a focused, strategic direction.
 He also served as acting Director of Lands, which has allowed him a thorough understanding of Conservation Halton from a conservation, regulation, and operations perspective.
In addition to his experience at a senior leadership level, his academic qualifications include a B.Sc in Biology from the University of Toronto, and M.Sc from Queen’s University of Belfast.
The Halton Conservation had earned the reputation of having a very intimate relationship with paperwork and a tin ear when it came to hearing what residents wanted to say.
Basit was always very strong as a communicator – his task was made difficult given the senior management he had to work with.
Now that the reigns are in his hands along with strong support from the board – there are great expectations. Let’s see how well Basit does. There is a lot of work tio get done – the Board is eager to see a more responsive organization.
 By Staff
June 27th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
The city has invited local creative organizations, venues, professionals and businesses to host events during the seventh annual Culture Days weekend that takes place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, 2016.
Submissions are open to residents and artists of Burlington who would like to host a Culture Days event or activity, such as crafts, dance, literary arts-spoken word, media arts-film, music, theatre, visual arts and performance art.
 In 2014 the city set up a good display in Civic Square – it wasn’t quite the same in 2015 – and no one is able to say what is planned for 2016 – yet. The catch – you’ve got less than 30 days to get your act together – deadline for application is Friday, July 22, 2016.
Slide over to www.burlington.ca/culturedays – the forms and the detail are there.
Culture Days promotes free, hands-on and interactive activities. The public is invited to participate in behind-the-scenes activities to see how artists; creators; historians; architects; curators; designers; and other creative people work and contribute to culture in Burlington.
“Burlington has gotten behind the annual Culture Days program and has on occasion provided significant support.
Our most recent information was that the manager of arts and culture had something in the order of $2500 to make the program work this year.
While the city says it “wants to offer three days featuring different types of events, working closely with Doors Open, the Art Gallery of Burlington, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington Libraries, Burlington Museums, Tourism Burlington and Burlington artists to make this happen” that $2500 isn’t going to take them all that far
 The BTTB has always made major events a focus – expect to see them in fine form at the end of September. Founded in 2009, the goal of Culture Days is to provide a national network of cultural connections to provide Canadians with opportunities to participate in, and appreciate, all forms of art and culture. Through a three-day national celebration each September, hundreds of thousands of artists and cultural organizations in cities and towns come together and invite Canadians to discover their cultural spirit and passion.
Burlington’s participation at the community level has been tepid at best – the smaller groups need encouragement and support – which hasn’t been forthcoming from city hall.
This national initiative aims to raise the awareness, provide accessibility and encourage the participation and engagement of residents in the arts and cultural life of Burlington.
If you need more detailed information contact Adam Belovari, culture coordinator at adam.belovari@burlington.ca or 905-335-7600, ext. 7335.
 By Staff
June 27th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
This just might be one of those “we are really into summer” weeks.
It will be a short week leading into a long weekend – when we celebrate the 149th year of being a country.
We will probably talk more about what we will be doing next year when we do the big 150th – there are certainly a lot of people earning a decent living working on that event.
For the 149th – this is what the day is expected to look like.
 Early, early the 5K Canada Day run takes place.
1K Start – 8:15 – 5K Start – 8:30
Race Kit Pick-up
Thursday, June 30, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Burlington Running Room, 3300 Fairview St.
Race Day (Friday, July 1) from 7:00 – 8:15 a.m. at Spencer Smith Park – by the pier
Post-race awards and Panago pizza at Spencer Smith Park!
9:30 a.m. Yoga Class Compass/West Lawn
10 a.m. Citizenship Court – Gazebo.
Looks like it will be a small court this year – but no less important – specially to those who are going to become citizens
1:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. & 4 p.m. – Scholars in Collars Dog Show Gazebo
Noon – 5 p.m. Face painting with BeeBop the Clown – East Lawn
Noon – 5 p.m. Balloon animals with MD Children Entertainment on the East lawn
1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Stilt Walkers with Health Tarlin Entertainment Park
On the Main Stage
1 p.m. Opening Ceremonies featuring Burlington Teen Tour Band. The Teen Tour band parades from the Main stage to Joseph Brant Museum where hey join the hundreds that will on hand to take part in the Strawberry Social. Wonderful scoop of ice cream served to you by some of your elected officials who will be wearing funny hats.
2 p.m. Kaleidoscope Chinese Performing Arts Society
3 p.m. Alee
4:30 p.m. Bharatam Academy of Dance Arts
5:30 p.m. Jordan Haller; Winner of the Canada Day Performance Contest
6:30 p.m. Felicia McMinn
9 p.m. Symphony on the Bay
10 p.m. Fireworks presented by BUNZL Canada
 Alee will perform on the Main Stage at xxx  Felicia McMinn will perform on the Main stage at 6:30 pm A free Bike Valet is provided on Canada Day for those looking to avoid parking downtown and reduce their carbon footprint. The Bike Valet is in Spencer Smith Park at the corner of Brant Street and Lakeshore Road, beside the Waterfront Hotel.
 Jordan Haller will perform on the Main stage at 5;30 -pm – he was the winner of the Performer contest  Traffic:
Lakeshore Road from Maple Avenue to Elizabeth Street will be closed Friday, July 1, 2016 from 9 to 11 p.m for the fireworks at the Canada Day Celebration. Traffic will be redirected and the closure will be supervised by the Halton Regional Police Service.
 By Staff
June 24th, 21`06
BURLINGTON, ON
Daytime break-in seem to be back in vogue for the criminal set.
The Regional police report a home on Woodview Road, in the City of Burlington was the most recent target.
The break-in took place at approximately 1:00 pm. The suspect forced open the front door and ransacked several rooms. The male fled on foot and police were called.
The area was thoroughly searched by police, but the suspect was successful in his escape.
Suspect – Male / Black, 19-20 years, slim build, 6’0 tall, short black hair, wearing a powder blue track suit and baseball cap.
Unknown: Police do not know yet if any items were stolen. The investigation is ongoing.
By Staff
June 24th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite a 5.5 per cent increase in call volumes and a 4.4 per cent increase in patients transported compared to 2014, Halton paramedics continue to meet response time targets.
45 vehicles in the fleet now – 69 at the end of the ten year plan. Over the past 10 years, overall emergency and non-emergency call volumes have increased 47.6 per cent in Halton, from 29,054 in 2006 to 42,881 in 2015. The number of patients transported over the same 10-year period has increased 45.5 per cent, from 19,222 to 27,959. In 2015, the Region handled 2,217 more calls and transported 1,175 more patients than in 2014.
 Response times have been maintained despite significant increases in the need for service. 9-1-1 calls from Halton residents have increased every year for the past seven years, clearly showing an increased demand for emergency care in the region. The primary drivers for increased call volumes are population and employment growth, along with the impact of an aging population.
To ensure that the Region is prepared to address the various pressures related to providing paramedic services, Halton Regional Council approved the Paramedic Services 10-Year Master Plan in 2015.
 As the Region’s population ages the demand for service from the seniors’ is going to rise – Burlington will have more seniors than any other municipality in the Region. As part of the Paramedic Services 10-Year Master Plan, Halton Region has taken several measures to enhance the level of emergency care available to residents, including:
• maintaining the existing population to paramedic staffing ratio;
• enhancing technology to ensure the Paramedic Services division has the tools to remain responsive and efficient;
• the approval to begin construction on two new paramedic stations: Southwest Oakville Station on Rebecca Street and East Milton Station on Fifth Line, south of Derry Road; and
• continually working with local hospitals, neighbouring paramedic services, the Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC), the MOHLTC and community partners.
The expansion of the program will require a total of $15.0 million in capital funding, $10.6 million of which is needed within the next five years. This will provide vehicles/defibrillators, IT requirements and will accommodate the centralized reporting station. Station requirements will be assessed as part of the Regional Accommodation Strategy, and the timing and funding requirements will be further refined through this process.
The capital requirements will be funded through a combination of Regional reserves, debt and development charges (DC). With respect to the capital expenditures, approximately 65% of growth-related costs will be funded from DCs, and this funding requirement will be incorporated in the next DC by-law update currently scheduled in 2016.
 A 53% increase in the number of vehicles is projected in the ten year plan. The increase in operating expenditures would total $12.6 million, with $6.0 million expected in the first five years (2016-2020) and $6.6 million in the remaining forecast period (2021-2026), driven mainly by the staff cost. The estimated operating impact includes subsidy at 48% of the cost share ratio based on funding provided in recent years. When combined with capital financing impact, the net increase in operating cost totals $3.8 million in the first five years and $3.6 million in the remaining years. This represents an average annual budget increase of $752,000 in the first five years and $596,000 in the remaining forecast period.
 Costs are going to increase by 50% by the end of the ten year plan. These services are not cheap.
The increased costs are were included in the 2015 budget forecast, at an average annual budget increase of $538,000 (2016-2020) and $404,000 (2021-2026). With these provisions taken into account, the additional incremental impact anticipated in the forecast is an average annual increase of $214,000 for the first five years and $192,000 for the remaining years. The financial impact of the staffing and capital program will be determined annually through the budget process.
 “The Region is committed to ensuring Halton residents receive timely emergency responses and high quality care when they need it most,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “The Paramedic Services Division Annual Update shows that in 2015 our Paramedics continued to meet Council-approved response time targets in every category. The Region remains focused on achieving these important targets to ensure we support the health and well-being of all Halton residents.”
 By Ray Rivers
June 24th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Chanel- the history it has experienced. Now more than a body of water – a divide. The United Kingdom (UK) has just voted decisively to leave the European Economic Community (EEC) and European Union (EU), which it had first joined in 1973. The Common Market, as it was also called, was founded in 1957 in part to propel the still broken post war economies and to avoid emerging conflicts among the original six nations in the Treaty of Rome.
Two years later (1975) Britain’s membership was confirmed overwhelmingly by a referendum to resolve forever Britain’s place in Europe. UK Independence Party leader, and Brexit champion, Nigel Farage was eleven years old at the time of the referendum. And Prime Minister David Cameron, who has just announced his resignation and that of his government, was two years younger. Forever can look like a long time when you are nine.
Cameron had been generally well regarded by almost everyone, winning a respectable majority in the last British election. But he misjudged how his country felt about British sovereignty and its adherence to key EU principles. So in true Shakespearean fashion he has now fallen on his sword for this most serious error in judgement – the referendum. Brexit, as it was called, should be a lesson to all who think that administering simple polls on complicated and strategic matters to the great unwashed is the answer to anything.
British politicians of all stripes are speaking softly, urging calm, and claiming it will take years for the Brexit to take effect. But that is not how the rest of the EU see it. They have demanded a quick exit in the interests of economic and political stability for what remains of their union. That after all was the primary raison d’être for the creation of the EU.
One should always be careful of that which one wishes. Big change can be chaotic and chaos creates its own consequences. So even before the results were complete the world witnessed one of the most stable global currencies, the British pound, crash to lows not seen since 1985. The next day financial giant Morgan Stanley claimed it was heading to a safe landing on the mainland, deserting London as the former banker for the EU.
Pro-EU Scotland, in union with England since the 1600’s, is mulling a redo of its own independence referendum in order to stay in the EU. Northern Ireland is being courted to join its southern EU cousin in the main republic, something considered unthinkable only a decade ago. And now Spain is demanding a governing stake in Gibraltar. Oh what a difference a day makes as that proverbial sun sinks even further on the vestiges of a once great Britain.
 The Union flag flying in Regent street. No longer so united but still a kingdom, albeit with a potentially much simpler Union Jack. Without North Sea Oil, Irish and Scotch whiskey, and no place to vacation, the lonely English will have to content themselves with gin and tonics in Blackpool or Brighton. Even Pimms #1 is now owned by the bleedin’ Europeans. Seriously, overnight the UK economy fell from 5th to 6th place in global standing, ironically sucking up to the derrière of former arch rival, France.
Immigration was a significant part of the discussion for most Britons, notwithstanding that Cameron had wrung exceptional, and unexpected, immigration control concessions from other EU leaders. Brits will likely see an exodus of continentals, including a million or so Polish nationals vacating recessionary England for jobs back home in one of the fastest growing EU economies. And that may in some measure be balanced by the return of at least some of the Brit expats living in places like Spain and France and all those tourists now lacking an EU passport.
Canada and the US will be impacted in a number of ways. For example, there was the process of finalizing free-trade agreements with the EU, championed to a large part by the Brits, despite strong objections by Germany and others. But the UK will still be a major player in NATO, though joint military procurement is likely to suffer as the EU finally moves its much promised common defence policy to the next level.
One foot in and one out, best described the UK approach to the EU anyway. Britain wanted the benefits of the marriage but refused to get completely naked and under the covers with its bed mates. She lacked commitment to the marriage, retaining her historical trappings as a way of maintaining her distance – the pound, rules of the road, gallons and miles and so on. And there has always been a measure of upper-nose smugness, that the ‘old chaps’ are better bred and come from superior homes than those dingy quarrelsome continentals.
But rejection is the toughest part of any in a relationship. And England has just told her continental suitors to powder off, spurning their interest, consideration, tolerance, warmth and even love – turning 19 nautical miles into an ocean away. The European reaction is really yet to come, but I’d bet on a hefty dose of tough love. To paraphrase the distinguished17th English playwright, William Congreve – hell hath no fury like a partner spurned.
Ray Rivers is an economist and author who writes weekly on federal and provincial issues, applying his 25 years of involvement with federal and provincial ministries. Rivers’ involvement in city matters led to his appointment as founding chair of Burlington’s Sustainable Development Committee. He was also a candidate in the 1995 provincial election
Background links
Hell hath no Fury
Previous Referendum-
Common Market –
Scottish Referendum –
England and Scotland Act –
Implication for Brit tourists –
By Pepper Parr
June 24th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was one of those Public Information nights – no presentations; city staff on hand to answer questions, residents dropping by to get answers to questions or clarifications on issues they were not clear on.
The issue this evening was a private tree bylaw – is Burlington going to have one or will it continue to be one of the few municipalities in this part of the province to live life without one?
 Tree on Guelph Line taken down in the afternoon – residents meet to talk about a private tree bylaw that evening. There were a few people who didn’t want a private tree bylaw. The get together, and that is what it was, was made up of people who wanted trees saved.
 Residents filling out comment sheets.  Roseland residents exchanging views on a private tree by law. The meeting was held, some felt, to keep people in the Roseland community happy. The notice of the meeting was apparently limited to that community.
It wasn’t publicly posted by city hall staff.
Councillor Dennison was on hand, the Mayor did not attend. Some felt that a private tree bylaw was his issue and having him in the room would have helped.
To be fair to the Mayor – he could, and often is, out at an event every evening of the week. He either had somewhere else to be or took a deserved evening off.
Copies of private tree bylaws were set out on tables for people to read.
By Pepper Parr
June 23rd, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
Here it comes
Ontario is launching Canada’s first High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes as part of a pilot project on the QEW—between Trafalgar Road in Oakville and Guelph Line in Burlington—to help manage congestion and add another option for travellers.
 Lanes that were for High Occupancy vehicles (HOV) are about to become HOT – between Trafalgar and Guelph Line – begins middle of September. This new pilot project will start on September 15, 2016. Existing High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on the QEW will be designated as HOT lanes. Carpools of two or more occupants will still be able to use the QEW HOT lanes for free, while single occupant drivers will now have the option to purchase a HOT permit to use them.
HOT permit applications from members of the public will be accepted online from August 1 to August 21 through ServiceOntario. A limited number of applicants will be selected to purchase permits through a draw. The permit will cost $180 for a three-month term.
As part of the pilot, Ontario is issuing a Request for Information seeking innovative technologies that can be used to support tolling, compliance and performance monitoring of HOT lanes for the purposes of testing during the pilot. Possible technologies include telematics, radio frequency identification, video-analytics, GPS, and infrared cameras. The pilot will be used to inform long-term planning for future HOT lane implementation and will also support Ontario’s innovation sector by providing an opportunity to test emerging traffic management and tolling technologies.
The media release made mention of one objective, which was to keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life. Another objective would appear to suck money out of our pockets and into the coffers of the province. $180 for a three-month term – annualized that amounts to $720. Yikes.
GO trains are looking nicer.
By Staff
June 23rd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It will work properly – eventually.
Burlington Transit got all excited about a new computer application that would let you plan a transit trip – it had all kinds of neat whistles and bells – but it didn’t work – so they took it off line. It is now back up- but isn’t working quite they way they want it to work.
The Gazette was to spend time with “marvelous” Mike spice, Director of Transit for the city – to get a full demonstration. That has been put off until it works flawlessly. We will let you know when that bright shiny days arrives.
The Gazette got word from the transit people that site is active again but they are still “testing”.
 “The problem seems to be with the volume of users accessing the trip planner at the same time. We are not anywhere near our total capacity, but something is causing the system to crash. We think we have worked out most of the issues, but will wait until tomorrow to determine if we have rectified all the bugs.”
“The only way to determine if we have fixed the issues is to put it live again in order to see how it works in the real environment.”
To be continued.
By Staff
June 22nd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Region Health Department has received test results confirming that a bat found at Honeyvale Road and Swansea Drive in Oakville, on Friday, June 17, had rabies. Residents who may have had physical contact with a bat in this area are advised to immediately contact the Health Department by dialing 311.
 Bat in Oakville found to have rabies “The Health Department is reminding residents to avoid all contact with bats and other wild animals,” said Matt Ruf, Director, Healthy Environments ＆ Communicable Disease for Halton Region. “Anyone who comes in physical contact with a bat or other wild animal should see a physician immediately and contact the Health Department.”
Rabies is a viral disease that causes severe damage to the brain and spinal cord, leading to death. The virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually entering through a bite. Rabies illness in humans can be prevented after exposure to rabies by the use of rabies vaccine, which is extremely effective, but only if it is administered before symptoms occur.
It is not always possible to identify if a bat has rabies, however rabid bats may move slowly, lose the ability to fly, remain active during daylight hours or be unresponsive to loud noises.
There are a number of things you can do to protect your family and pets:
• Make sure your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date.
• Warn your children to stay away from any wild, stray or aggressive animals.
• Do not touch dead or sick animals.
• Do not feed or keep wild animals as pets.
• Keep your pet tied on a leash when off your property.
• Seek medical attention immediately if you come in contact with a potentially rabid animal.
• Any pet that has come in contact with a bat, raccoon or other wild animal should be seen by a veterinarian.
• Report all animal bites or scratches to the Halton Region Health Department.
For more information on rabies, visit halton.ca/rabies or call the Halton Region Health Department by dialing 311.
 By Staff
June 22nd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It is going to get a little hairy for people who use Lakeshore Road where it cuts away at Maple Avenue.
The city is raising parts of that road, just outside the Joseph Brant Museum as much as a metre and slopping it down until it gets to the end of the water treatment plant – that will close the road from July 4th to Early August 2016 +/-
 For those that ride their bikes along the old railway line and want to head for Hamilton – bad news – the pedestrian crossing at the lift bridge will be closed frequently:
Burlington Canal Lift Bridge – Daytime Sidewalk Closures
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to advise pedestrians and cyclists of restricted access to the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge from July 4 to 29, 2016.
During these dates, the following restrictions will be in place Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.:
• from July 4 to 29, the north and south pedestrian underpasses will be closed;
• from July 4 to 15, access to the east (lakeside) part of the Waterfront Trail will be closed;
• from July 18 to 29, access to the west (bayside) part of the Waterfront Trail will be closed; and
• from July 18 to 29, the west (bayside) bridge sidewalk will be closed.
 The bridge will remain open to pedestrian and cyclist traffic on weekends and weekdays after 5 p.m.
This schedule may change due to weather conditions or logistical requirements. PSPC will publish notices regarding any changes in schedule.
Safety is a top priority for PSPC during this project. The closures are required as part of the project to replace the bridge’s controls, drives and cables. The replacement of key components of the bridge’s lift system will extend its serviceable life, meeting the needs of both marine and vehicular traffic in the area.
By Pepper Parr
June 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a success by any standard.
It was well run, tightly run even when the politicians went too long.
The Premier spoke – she nailed most of the points she wanted to make
There were plenary sessions, breakout sessions and a load of data put up on screens.
The Gazette will report in detail on as much of the daylong event as possible.
Here is a rundown on what took place:
World Economic Trends, by Helmut Pastrick, Chief Economist, Central Credit Union 1
North East Ohio: Inspiring Stories of Regional Collaboration, Bethia Burke, Director of Grantmaking, Evaluation and Emerging Initiatives, Fund for our Economic Future
Toward an Innovation Supercluster: Moderator: Bill Mantel, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation with Dr. Patrick Deane, President, McMaster University, Ron McKerlie, President, Mohawk College and Avvey Peters, VP Community Relations, Communitech
Concurrent breakout sessions:
Magnet Cities: A Global View of Local Opportunities; Steve Beatty, Head of Global Infrastructure, Americas and India, KPMG
 Mary Lou Tanner – Burlington Director of Planing Investing in Mixed Use Transit Hubs; Moderator: Ryan McGreal, Editor, Raise the Hammer, Richard Joy, Executive Director, Urban Land Institute, Suzanne Mammel, Executive Officer, Hamilton – Halton Home Builders’ Association, Mary Lou Tanner, Director, Planning and Building, City of Burlington, Lorna Day, Director, Project Planning and Development, Metrolinx
District Energy: Now’s the Time: Moderator: Martin Lensink, Principal in Charge, CEM Engineering Inc., Dean Comand, President and CEO, Hamilton Utilities Corporation, Robert Marzetti, Director of Business Development , Hamilton Utilities Corporation, Gerry Smallegange, President and CEO, Burlington Hydro and Lynn Robichaud, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, City of Burlington
Planning Culturally Can Unlock Bay Area Growth: Presenter & Moderator: Gail Dexter Lord, Co – President, Lord Cultural Resources; Shelley Falconer, President and CEO, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Robert Steven, President and CEO, Art Gallery of Burlington, Rob Zeidler, Partner, The Dabbert Group
The New Analytics: Harnessing the Predictive Power of Big Data for a Healthier Community. Moderator: Heather Chalmers, Canadian General Manager of GE Healthcare, Rob MacIsaac, President and CEO, Hamilton Health Sciences, Dr. David Higgins, President, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Patrick Horgan, VP Manufacturing, Development and Operations, IBM Canada
 Ingrid Vanderbrug, Landscape Architect, City of Burlington Human Wellbeing Element in the Cootes to Escarpment EcoPark System. Moderator: Terry Cooke, President and CEO, Hamilton Community Foundation Dr. David Galbraith, Head of Science, Royal Botanical Gardens, Maria Fortunato, Executive Director, Hamilton Halton Brant Regional Tourism Association, Wayne Terryberry, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, McMaster University and Ingrid Vanderbrug, Landscape Architect, City of Burlington
Helping Bay Area Businesses Grow: Moderator: Karen Grant, Director, Angel One Investor Network, Scott Boutilier, Senior Policy Analyst, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Scott Mackey, VP Customer Success, Adlib Software, Julie Ellis, Chair, Innovation Factory
Bay Area Manufacturing Strengths
Moderator: Dr. Greig Mordue, Chair in Advanced Manufacturing, McMaster University, Tony Valeri, VP Corporate Affairs, ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Irene Hassas, Director, Strategic Planning and Partnerships, Aslan Technologies Inc., Terry McGowan, President & CEO at Thomson Gordon Group
Economic Coordination in the Bay Area, Dr. David Wolfe, Co-Director of the Program on Globalization and Regional Innovation Systems, University of Toronto
Leading Change in a Regional Age: Moderator: Dr. Ishwar Puri, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University, Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO, CivicAction, Matt Afinec, Chief Commercial Officer, Hamilton Tiger Cats, Denise Christopherson, CEO, YWCA Hamilton, Ian Hamilton, VP Business Development and Real Estate, Hamilton Port Authority
Investing in our Bayfront: Presenter & Moderator: Sheila Botting, , National Leader, Real Estate, Deloitte. Bill Fitzgerald, VP Operations, Hamilton Port Authority, Chris Phillips, Senior Advisor for Planning and Economic Development, City of Hamilton
The Talent Imperative: Workforce Development in the Bay Area.
Moderator: Judy Travis, Executive Director, Workforce Planning Hamilton, Bronko Jazvac, Director, Health & Safety and World Class Continuous Improvement, ArcelorMittal Dofasco and Member, Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Taskforce on Workforce Development, Louie DiPalma, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Director of SME Programs Magnet, Kelly Hoey, Executive Director, Halton Industry Education Council (HIEC), Shari St. Peter, Executive Director, Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Management Board
IBM and its development plans in Canada: Dino Trevisani, President, IBM Canada spoke a little longer than he might have wanted but he did thank Premier Wynne profusely for the province’s cooperation.
 Attendees at the Second Bay Area Summit were well fed. Keanin Loomis and Keith Hooey, from the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the Burlington Chamber of Commerce worked together seamlessly. The digs were between the two Mayors – the business guys stuck to their knitting and made it a solid day.
The RGB setting was great – there was plenty of food and snack tables on the go all day.
Will there be a third summit? You can bet on that. The task now is to build on what has been achieved so far and set out some deliverables for the next couple of years.
 By Pepper Parr
June 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
BurlingtonGreen advised us this morning that the City is hosting an open house this Thursday, June 23rd between 7:00 and 9:00 pm about a possible private property tree bylaw for the Roseland Community.
 The informal ‘drop in’ open house event will be held at Central Park Arena Auditorium, 519 Drury Lane The Greens are encouraging people to attend and speak up for the rights of the trees.
Burlington Green said they understood the City distributed invitations to the open house to residents of the Roseland Community.
Mayor Rick Goldring has tip-toed around a private tree bylaw – the Greens want him to be more direct. They are advocating for a practical, effective private property tree protection bylaw and supports the implementation of a pilot tree by-law project in Roseland as a key first step to potentially advance a city-wide bylaw, joining 16 other Ontario municipalities that already have private tree by-laws in place.
From producing clean air and adding beauty and property value, to protecting watersheds and mitigating flood damage, trees are an integral part of our community.
 Belvenia on the east side of Burlington. “A tree is a very modest investment in a community and as it grows it is the only asset in the entire city infrastructure that increases in value as it grows”
The Mayor does face a determined group that feel a tree on their property is their property and they can do whatever they wish with that tree. It takes political courage and a will to lead to overcome this kind of thinking.
 By Jim Riley
June 22, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Art Gallery of Burlington is presenting a visual discussion on the duality of the urban and rural aspects of Burlington. Chief Curator Denis Longchamps, along with the Burlington Fine Arts Association, developed the theme to celebrate the BFAA’s fiftieth anniversary.
There was also a Call for Proposals on this theme, broadening it to a multidisciplinary exhibition. Sixty-six art works were selected, with a very wide range of sizes.
This is a more cohesive exhibition than the All Guilds’ group show in 2015, but it still has challenges to overcome. With this curatorial theme, it has improved the unity of presentation. This exhibit presents an uneven quality of artworks.
This theme gave opportunities for the artists to express their opinions about how the urban and rural co-exist in our city. One of the roles of artists is to raise issues within the culture they inhabit. There are few cities that (philosophically and culturally) declare protection of a rural culture, geopolitically combined with an urban culture the way Burlington has – it was actually the province that imposed that requirement on us.. Many artworks spoke of romantic places, with a varying degree of success.
Longchamps hung the Urban Rural exhibit capably, by tying together themes of content, aesthetics and scale.
 Robert Bateman, Progress, 2015, acrylic Robert Bateman was invited to exhibit. I found it noteworthy that Bateman and Donna Fratesi’s themes dealt with destruction of Burlington’s historic architecture.
 Donna Fratesi’s they paved paradise , 2015 acrylic Fratesi
Both are accomplished technical painters. Bateman was clearer in his thesis than Fratesi’s “They Paved Paradise”. Fratesi seems timid about her message, but evokes a warm memory of the intersection of Pine and Pearl streets. It is a romantic reminiscence of downtown Burlington. Although Bateman relies on text, he creates a clear criticism of Burlington’s treatment of its historic buildings. He focuses on the United Empire Loyalist Fisher house being replaced by a parking lot. Both artists explore their connections to the urban downtown environment, but Bateman’s “Progress” is more directly critical of how we handle it.
 Lorraine Roy, “The Balance”, textile, 2015 Lorraine Roy’s “The Balance” is one of the stronger works in this exhibition. Her textile work not only functions well on a compositional level but demonstrates the “pull and push” between urban and rural ecosystems. The wrapped, uprooted tree balances precariously be-tween the two worlds as it searches for a transplant space. Will it survive? Roy’s imagery is strong with rich tones suggesting a Tim Burton-style nightmare quality. It is intriguingly executed, done with textile rather than paint.
 Helen Griffiths, after a day in (the country), oil, 2015 Similarly, Helen Griffiths’ “After a Day in (the country)” uses her well-developed painterly skills, but also teases the viewer to ponder why she is showing a wild skunk sniffing at a beautiful bundle of roses. The artist statement refers to wild animals invading her neighbourhood. Like Griffiths’ reference to wildlife,
 Victoria Pearce, Lost Between acrylic 2016 Victoria Pearce’s “Lost Between” uses images of Monarch butterflies, and the surrealistic imagery of an urban-rural coyote. The coyote is nestled in grasses as it floats over a grid of urban streets. This may be suggesting that a clash between natural and urban worlds is imminent. Certainly, the coyote making itself comfortable in the urban environment is a new reality for Burlington. All three artists successfully combine content and painterly aspects in their art practice.
 Vanessa Cres Lokos, Moving Forward, 2016, mixed media  Dawn-Hackett-Burns & Michelle Lynn, “Home Grown”, ceramic. Vanessa Cres Lokos, “Moving Forward” and Dawn-Hackett-Burns & Michelle Lynn, “Home Grown” were hung one over the other. Cres Lokos’ expresses her viewpoint on rural and urban issues by placing cows marching along the Burlington pier with a forewarning, overcast sky. Hacket-Burns’ and Lynn’s ceramic artwork explores residential homes overwhelming rural buildings and cattle.
The artwork is placed on a low plinth so that the viewer can hover and oversee the battle.
 Jan Kendrick, Rossana Dewey, Grace Afonso group image Jan Kendrick’s, Rossana Dewey’s, and Grace Afonso’s paintings were hung side by side. All three artists are skilled painters. They use a similar colour palette and their paintings are emotive and sensually compatible. Their artist statements refer to issues: mining the escarpment, the Greenbelt Plan, the mid-peninsula highway and the vanishing rural landscape. Their images speak of a vast rural environment, but do not deal clearly with the issues expressed in their artist statements.
 Kathy Marlene Bailey, Sanctuary Between, oil, 2016 Kathy Marlene Bailey, “Sanctuary Between” uses curving movement in a watery world of reflections that suggests a more rural, natural aspect of the theme. Her artist statement refers to city planners facilitating a residential invasion of natural sanctuaries. There is beauty and mystery in Bailey’s painting. There is a hint of the escarpment and a house, but the focus is on water. The painting’s message is some-what ambiguous, in comparison to her artist statement.
The Lee-Chin Family Gallery is a large space. Area around the art-works, and the scale of the various artworks, present a challenge. Petit artworks in such a large space are difficult to notice, given the works nearby that are ten feet high. Longchamps creates space and separation for the intimate works.
There may be too many works in the exhibition for a viewer to comprehend, beyond surface aesthetics. I think this is a group exhibition in which less would actually be much more. However, there are many artworks not mentioned here that you should view, to decide on your own.
The exhibition runs until September 5, 2016
Lee-Chin Family Gallery at Art Gallery of Burlington
1333 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington.
AGB Hours
Monday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday – Thursday 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 12 noon – 5:00 pm
Jim Riley is a Burlington, ON, based arts writer, independent curator and a visual and media artist. His recent art practice involves public art and gallery video installations. Riley has a BA from Brock Uni-versity. He has exhibited his art for thirty years in Canada and the United States. Some of Riley’s video art is represented by V tape Distributions, Toronto. Website: www.jimriley.ca
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