 By Staff
March 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Things got very nasty Wednesday in the 2300 area of Walkers Line when the Regional police arrived in response to a threatening incident.
The suspect in this matter was known to the victim. Based upon information received from the victim both uniform officers and tactical officers responded in an effort to locate the suspect.
The suspect was located and arrested without incident. The investigation is ongoing at this time. There was no threat to public safety and no injuries were received at any time during the incident.
As a result of the investigation into this incident a 26 year old Burlington resident has been charged with several Criminal Code offences.
Anthony BEAUDRY has been charged with:
1) Uttering a Threat to Cause Injury to an Animal
2) Uttering a Threat to Cause Death or Bodily Harm
3) Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
4) Fail to Comply with a Probation Order (2 counts)
The male party has been held for a bail hearing on March 19, 2015 in Milton Court.
 By Pepper Parr
March 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The federal election is expected to take place in the fall – the campaigning has already started.
 Burlington MP Mike Wallace prepares for the federal funding announcement at the offices of Memex on Harvester Road. MP Mike Wallace was in town with FedDev Ontario Minister Gary Goodyear talking about the funds they had made available to two Burlington corporations – Memex Automation, a publicly traded company and Adflow, a very smart technology company that many Gazette readers see and use regularly.
 Dave McPhail on the right explains that the piece of equipment others are holding is the device that captures information executives can use to fully understand what is happening on the shop floor of their plants. Mike Wallace, Burlington’s MP admitted that he didn’t fully understand the stuff but was fascinated. Federal Minister Gary Goodyear explained the intricacies to Mike Wallace. The funds distributed were part of a federal Business Innovation initiative. The funds are repayable and are aimed at strengthening the innovative eco-system of south-western Ontario; a part of the province that took a huge economic hit in 2008 when world financial systems looked like they were going to melt down completely.
 Mike Abbott, on the left explaining the intricacies of Adflow to MP Mike Wallace while Catherine Brady takes the Minster through e screen that Adflow created and monitors for a client. Memex was loaned $800,000 and Adflow was loaned $99,093. Why that wasn’t rounded up to the next logical number only a bureaucrat somewhere can explain.
Both companies are rather small but clearly leaders in their fields – Memex has 22 employees – they expect to hire an additional sixteen people with the funds received. while Adflow has 28 employees and will use their funds to expand into larger space.
The Gazette will do full length features on both companies in the near future.
The take away message from the $899,093 the federal government spread around today was that the federal election is beginning to heat up.
Is there more federal money to come?
 By Staff
March 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Close to half of the August 2014 flood claims have been reviewed by the Burlington Community Foundation Flood Disaster Relief Claims Committee (DRC) Of the 156 claims reviewed 129 have been approved for a partial payment.
 The August 4th, 2014 flood hit both residential and commercial properties. When the rains came down Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring was on the phone within 48 hours setting up committees to manage the relief effort he knew was going to be needed.
He called on the Burlington Community Foundation to oversee the relief effort and leaned on Burlington business man Ron Foxcroft to head up a fund raising effort.
Foxcroft brought in just short of $1 million in 100 days.
While it took a lot of arm twisting to get the province to come through with an Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) program that gave the city $2 for each dollar raised – it did happen.
Those funds are now being distributed.
“The Committee is on track with its work and has reviewed half of the 310 claims submitted,” said Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO, Burlington Community Foundation. “We continue to receive very positive feedback from victims who are receiving financial assistance.”
The paying out of funds is a little awkward, necessary because of the rules surrounding the provincial government ODRAM rules.
The Disaster Relief Claims Committee (DRC) will not know how much the claims are going to amount to until all the claims are reviewed. They decided they could pay out half of the approved claim just as soon as the claim was approved.
 Trying to save as much as possible from rising flood waters. Some homes had completely flooded basements with water running through the main floor. Once all the claims are processed the DRC will know how much they have left and distribute that amount proportionately when all the claims have been reviewed.
 More than 191 mm of rain fell in one day During the first three months of 2015, interim claim payments of $696,000 was distributed. The goal is to have all 310 claims assessed to determine final payment amounts. The BCF wants to have this process wrapped up by April 30.
“I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to receive your letter,” one claimant said. “The abatement company has been very patient in waiting to be paid so that will be a tremendous weight off my mind. We will now be able to get started on the refinishing of the basement.”
At mid-February the Foundation had paid out a total of $696,000 which would work out to a little over $9000 per claimant. A breakdown wasn’t provided on the more recent payments..
The Claims Committee continues to meet every two weeks to process each claim.
By Pepper Parr
March xx, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 2 of a 2 part feature
When David Donnelly gets wound up he is close to a force of nature. His explanations and solutions for saving the environment are those of a driven man.
His mission is to offset the influence, clout and financial muscle of the development community – his current focus is the threat to Ontario’s greenbelt
He is one of those lawyers in the province who does his environmental homework home work and asks the hard but to him very obvious questions.
He formed his law practice in 2008, the year the bottom fell out of the financial world.
 David Donnelly: a force to be reckoned with once he gets wound up. He keeps a close eye on the development community and brings 25 years of experience and expertise to his work. During the early March Town Hall meeting held recently in Burlington to rally the troops for the forthcoming public meetings on the Land Use Planning Consultations the province is holding starting late in March.
There will be a meeting in Hamilton on April 22 and another in Milton on April 16th.
There are people with wheelbarrows full of money and the patience of Job who have cast their covetous eye on all that lands in Burlington north of Dundas. They are whispering in the ears of the politicians and the bureaucrats on the e need to open up some of that land to residential development so that municipalities in Halton Region can meet their growth targets.
Donnelly points out that:
The population of Greater Toronto and Hamilton (GTAH) area Golden Horseshoe is expected to be 3.7 million by 2031.
The GTAH, which includes the Region of Halton is expected to accommodate 2.3 million people by 2031
The city of Toronto is to add 470,000 people by 2031
Donnelly math works like this:
With 2.3 million more people projected for the GTAH (which includes Hamilton) everything outside Toronto is going to have to absorb 1.83 million people. That figure is the e 2.3 million provincial projection less the 470,000 Toronto will absorb = 1.83 million
 Burlington allowed six original Veterans Land Act properties to be assembled into a project that has 54 units. City council spent more time squabbling about keeping a tree than they did about how cramped this community is now. Where will this growth go: Donnelly projects 60% of it will be greenfield and 40% intensification.
 This 58 unit project replaced six small bungalows – seen to the left. Intensification – just not good community. Burlington politicians continually talk about being built out but there are two large sites that are primed for development: Eagle Heights in the west end of Aldershot and the Bronte Meadows property along Upper Middle Road and Burloak. The Meadows is currently designated Employment Lands but there are a number of reasons to believe that it will be changed to residential.
Burlington also has a number of mobility hubs that are more of an idea than a reality at this point but offer significant intensification opportunities for the city.
 David Donnelly: leading environmental lawyer spoke recently in Burlington Donnelly explains that from 2006-2011, the overall intensification rate (excluding Toronto)
was 39%. Greenfields accommodated 61% of that growth.
Donnelley’s Greenfield math produces the following:
1.83 million X 0.60 = 1.1 million people on Greenfield sites
He projects 2.99 residents/unit
More Donnelly math:
1.1 million people ÷ 3 residents/unit = 367,000 Greenfield units required (single/semi/townhouse)
That’s how many people the area will have to accommodate – 367,000
Where will the houses they live in be built? Some Greenfield, some by intensification claims Donnelly.
What Donnelly is pointing out is that the land in the rural part of Halton – and large part of the greenbelt, which the developers want to move into is not necessary
Donnelly argues that the land supply is not an issue
He explains:
Greenfield supply in GTAH is already designated at 47,000 hectares
Take that 47,000 ha X 17 units/ha = 800,000 units
800,000 units X 3 people/unit = 2.4 million people
No need to encroach on the greenbelt argues Donnelly – the existing land will accommodate all we are expected to have to accommodate into 2031 – Donnelly didn’t project beyond 2031.
He adds an additional twist to his argument that there is no reason to touch the greenbelt.
The 2006 Census reports 370,000 units occupied by 65+ year old residents
In 2031 there will be 370,000 units (singles/semis/towns) occupied by 90+ year old residents
Back to that Donnelly math:
370,000 units X 3 residents/unit = 1.1 million people
We need Greenfield land for 1.83M people by 2031, or 600,000 units
We have land designated to accommodate 2.4M people, or 800,000 units
Coming back into the market, are 370,000 already-built singles/semis/towns to accommodate 1.1M people
We have ground-related units to accommodate 3.5M people or roughly double the 1.83M to be accommodated.
Ipso facto – we don’t need to touch as much as a square foot of greenbelt land for housing.
 Paert of the Ontario Greenbelt that makes up North Burlington – which some argue is under threat and has to be protected from unnecessary development. Province has scheduled a series of Land Use development meetings across the province. This isn’t an argument that is going to sit all that well with the development community which has very deep pockets and great lobbying bench strength – plus significant clout as a result of the election campaign contributions.
But it is the argument David Donnelly and the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition will be taking forward during the public hearings.
One those occasions when Donnelly gets to orate on the defense of the environment – he can get really wound up. Facts, especially figures, literally gush out of him. When he is done his body slumps a little and a “there – do you get it?” look spreads across his face.
David Donnelly has done his thing – and if you believe his numbers – he has done it well. He will be doing this frequently in the months ahead.
Part 1 of a 2 part feature
 By Pepper Parr
March 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 1 of a 2 part feature.
It was a gathering of the true believers – they met at McMaster University’s DeGroote campus in Burlington to listen to environmental advocate lawyer David Donnelly, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, Suzuki guy and female planner who focused on what they see as a threat to Ontario’s Greenbelt.
It was defined as an occasion to celebrate and a time to hunker down and make sure that the gains made are not taken away as the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) holds a series of Town Hall meetings across the province.
It is a delight to listen to Oakville Mayor Rob Burton talk about how that town managed to “green” its Council and to listen to David Donnelly proselytize about the environment.
 Vanessa Warren, founder of the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition, ran as a candidate in the last Burlington municipal election. Vanessa Warren, founder of the Burlington based Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition (RBGC) bounced about the room introducing people and keeping things going.
Warren first crossed Burton’s path when she was delegating to Halton Regional Council on the Burlington Air Park problems. At that time Burton explained to Warren that she had more clout with the Air Park issue than Regional Council.
Several months later, Warren was sued for libelling the Air Park ownership and hired David Donnelly to defend her. Full disclosure: The Gazette is a party to the libel law suit – but we are not being defended by Donnelly. The evening was almost a family get together.
The purpose of the meeting was to get the community ready for the provincial Town Hall meetings that are looking at the way the province and its municipalities do land use planning.
The Smart Growth for Communities Act – Bill 73 is the focus point – does the bill give the environmentalists what they are looking for and can the developers live with it.
Rob Burton, in a style that is all his own explained how to make a city council green.
 Oakville Mayor Rob Burton “Back in 2006” said Burton, “we thought if we could elect one green councillor we were on our way to saving the planet. They elected Allan Elgar.
About 18 months into his term of office Allan said to his green cohorts – one man isn’t enough. Come the 2010 election they got three greens on the Oakville city council.
Eighteen months into that mandate the group came to the realization that three wouldn’t do it – so in the 2014 term they elected seven greens.
Rob Burton feels he is on his way and is ready to plunge into the MMAH Town Hall meetings.
Burton explained what Oakville and to some degree the Region has done to protect its environment. What he didn’t tell the audience was how Oakville pressured the provincial government to keep a gas plant out of the municipality – the fallout from the way that was done cost former Premier Dalton McGuinty the government he had then and continues to plague current Premier Kathleen Wynne.
Burton, talking to an attentive crowd – 125 people with more than half from outside the Region, said that while there is a provincial policy and a Regional policy” we in Oakville have carved out Natural Heritage sites (NHS) that fit in with and compliment the Regional and provincial policies.
Councillors Taylor and Meed Ward were on hand from Burlington.
Halton Region Natural Heritage System (NHS) covers 48,000 hectares in the greenbelt, farmlands and urban areas
The Halton NHS goes beyond provincial designations by adding new key features for permanent protection of significant woodlands; they have created buffers and linkage corridors to connect the key natural heritage features.
 There are development corporations that would love to put residential housing on the Escarpment – not on say the environmentalists. Burlington is currently working on a vision for Mt Nemo plateau and undertaking a Heritage Conservation District Study. Nemo 7G/PERL formed a seven-generation, (150 years) vision for the plateau. Mt. Nemo has been identified as one of the best examples of high diversity and functioning ecosystems in the GTA-Hamilton area.
From October 2013 to January 2014, the government undertook province-wide consultations on the land use planning and appeal system, and development charges system to ensure both systems are predictable, transparent, cost effective and responsive to the changing needs of our communities. The government is responding to comments received through the consultations and has announced proposed legislative amendments to the Development Charges Act, 1997 and the Planning Act.
If passed, Bill 73 – the proposed Smart Growth for Our Communities Act would give residents more say in how their communities grow, set out clearer rules for land use planning, give municipalities more independence to make local decisions and make it easier to resolve disputes.
For example, residents would be better involved at the beginning of the planning process and have a say in the future of their communities. Municipalities would need to set out in their official plans how and when the public would be consulted, and would also need to explain how public input affected their planning decisions.
The bill would also: give municipalities more opportunities to fund growth-related infrastructure, like transit; make the development charges, section 37 density bonusing and parkland dedication systems more predictable, transparent and accountable; and support higher density development to create jobs and grow the economy.
The province will be setting up working groups of stakeholders to review further more complex development charges issues, and to take a considered look at some land use planning elements, and propose solutions.
Both Burton and Donnelly point to significant successes and believe the tide is turning and the tipping point is at hand.
 This little guy was a significant part of the end of quarrying in rural Burlington. They point to the October 11, 2012: Joint Board decision that dismissed Nelson Aggregate Co.’s applications for a proposed 26 M tonne quarry on 82 ha site. That decision focused on impacts to Jefferson Salamander and its habitat in the context of the Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP)
In September 17, 2014 the Niagara Escarpment Commission (“NEC”) voted in favour of an outright ban on new quarries in the NEP; that vote went 7 Commissioners in favour, 5 Commissioners against
The 2015 Greenbelt Plan Review is something environmentalists have been waiting for – the Town Hall meetings are just one part of the process. Many people take considerable comfort from the appointment of former Toronto Mayor David Crombie being appointed chair.
This process is something to be watched.
Part 2 of a 2 part feature.
By Staff
March 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
More than 30 years after first putting on a police uniform Andrew Fletcher, Deputy Chief with the Halton Regional Police is turning in his badge and moving on into retirement – which for Fletcher will means taking up the job of Deputy Chief of Police of the South Simcoe Police Service (just outside of Barrie Ontario).
Fletcher will leave the Region on or about June 1, 2015.
 Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher and Detective Donna Whittaker answer media questions during the display of all the cash and other valuable recovered during a bank break-in where the bad guys almost got away. Chief Steve Tanner said: “Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher has been a proud and dedicated member of the HRPS family for many years, and will in fact be completing his 31st year on June 1, 2015 – at which time he will retire from the Service to take on new challenges and opportunities.
Fletcher started as a cadet with the HRPS 31 years ago and in recent years was instrumental in bringing that very successful program back to the police service. Andrew became a Constable soon after and was promoted through the ranks of Sergeant, Staff Sergeant and Inspector where he has performed in a variety of patrol, investigative, support and supervisory roles prior to becoming a Deputy Chief on January 1, 2007. Andrew worked in uniform patrol, criminal investigations, drugs and intelligence, major crimes, and was a member of the Tactical Rescue Unit among other assignments during his varied and successful career here in Halton.
 Auxiliary police officer Voorberg tucks a notice under a car windshield as Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher makes sure it gets done right. Both were taking part in the Lock it or Lose it Campaign. He was involved in many major investigations during his time with our Service, and in senior positions has commanded both the operational and support sides of the organization.
Most recently he has distinguished himself in many ways amongst his peers at the OACP (Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police) and across the province as a leading expert in community mobilization, and as the Chair of the OACP Community Safety and Crime Prevention Committee. Andrew will always be credited with truly spearheading our move here in Halton to Community Mobilization throughout the Service, and just this past January to our integrated Community Mobilization teams.
By Staff
March 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Local government is said to be all about pot holes and garbage collection.
 Whenever you hit one of these things you wonder how much damage is being done to your shock absorbers. Burlington is getting proactive – almost aggressive about pot holes. City hall wants YOU to report sightings of potholes on city streets. There is a section of the city web site where you can report a pot hole.
Click here and fill in the on line form and report a pot hole.
Scott Stewart, General manager of development and infrastructure, explains that “city crews are on the road everyday looking for potholes, but we appreciate the assistance of residents in helping to identify problem areas.”
“With the extreme cold we experienced this winter, we are asking residents to keep an eye out for potholes in the city and report them.”
The theory is that reported pot holes will get filled promptly and we won’t have to have road maintenance people driving up and down streets looking for a place to spread fresh asphalt.
Sounds like a good idea; what could go wrong?
Let’s see how many pot holes get reported and if this new form of government interaction with the citizens really works – they call it EGov – and in theory it could and should work.
 This is probably not what the city expects its citizens to do when they discover a pot hole. The people in the information technology department were really pleased with the idea when it was brought up – now with the roads becoming a problem because of the pot holes – they get a chance to see how well this work.
This is something we will follow up on.
By Staff
March 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Regional Police are making one of those extra efforts to enforce the traffic laws on St. Patrick’s Day.
 For the First Time offender there is a
• 3-day licence suspension
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
For the Second Time offender (within 5 years)
• 7-day licence suspension
• Mandatory alcohol education program
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
For the Third Time offender (within 5 years)
• 30-day licence suspension
• Mandatory alcohol treatment program
• Six-month ignition interlock licence condition
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
Subsequent infractions (within 5 years)
• 30-day licence suspension
• Mandatory alcohol treatment program
• Six-month ignition interlock licence condition
• Mandatory medical evaluation
• $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
These roadside licence suspensions cannot be appealed. Suspensions will be recorded on the driver’s record. For up to five years, these roadside suspensions will be considered when determining consequences for subsequent infractions.
Now if they can get as tough with drivers who deliberately distract themselves using a cell phone – we will have made some progress.
 By Pepper Parr
March 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
School is out. Those that are going south are already on their way out of town. Spring Break has begun – and now what are you going to do?
The melting is well underway which means the creeks will begin to swell – which means keeping a closer eye on the younger ones who are fascinated with the rushing water.
The City is offering many drop-in programs for March Break but you are going to need a degree in rocket science to figure out what they are offering.
There are a lot of events at different locations – we’ve set those out for you below.
Then there is the IGNITE TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am March Break Community Challenge. Someone at city hall said they were “thrilled to be one of 600 IGNITE community partners in Ontario as part of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games-inspired community initiatives.
Getting the form:
Participate in daily challenges and get active. Download the IGNITE Passport to discover and explore Burlington’s trails, sport and culture.
Submit your completed passport to be entered into a contest for great prizes. Passports can be picked up and dropped off at Appleby Arena, City Hall and Tansley Woods Community Centre or printed and submitted online
To participate in the Ignite March Break Community Challenge*
1. Choose an activity – aim to do at least one activity every day.
2. Check off what you did on the Passport. You can share details and photos of your activities with us on Facebook or Twitter and win daily prizes.
3. At the end of March Break, hand in the passport to be entered in the grand prize draw.
For a list of events, check the online calendar, pick up a Community Challenge booklet, and follow the City of Burlington on Twitter and Facebook.
Community Challenge – How to win*
Daily Prizes:
To be eligible for a daily prize, post on the City of Burlington twitter or facebook pages using #IgniteBurlON starting Monday, March 16 and ending Sunday, March 22, 2015. Winners will be chosen daily via a random draw and notified via social media the next business day. If you include a photo, we may ask you fill out a photo release form in case we want to use your photo.
Grand Prizes:
To be eligible for a grand prize, fill out the passport online, submit your completed passport to diversity@burlington.ca or at any participating City of Burlington facility customer service counter before March 31, 2015. Winners will be chosen via a random draw and notified via email or phone number provided on the passportentry form by Tuesday, April 7, 2015.
The city will be offering different sport and culture programs free of charge, hosted by local organizations. Ignite programs include drop-in sport clinics, dance classes and challenges throughout the community.
Passports can be picked up and dropped off at Appleby Arena, City Hall and Tansley Woods Community Centre or printed and submitted online
 Outdoor Opportunity 13-21 In addition to the Ignite March Break Community Challenge, residents can participate in drop-in gym programs, swimming and skating opportunities.
 Junior Blast 5-10
 Junior Mini Blast 3-5
 By Pepper Parr
March 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Whenever your city council talks about the economic growth needed – the words “high tech, high paying jobs” get used. Everyone wants those jobs – Burlington wouldn’t chase after an abattoir.
Those technical jobs are what every municipality wants; starts up would be nice too. Having those young people with nothing but ideas and energy are what make new things happen – these are the men and woman who come up with technical/digital solutions to some of the problems we have. This under 20 cohort is in the process of changing the world – partly because the world they are struggling to grow and prosper in has changed from the world there parents grew up in
But who are these kids – and they are kids for the most part; where do they hang out, how do you identify one of them
About 50 of these under 20 techies gathered at the Art Gallery earlier in the week and gave presentations about what they have done in the past and what they were doing now – but more importantly they talked about what they were looking for.
 Vincent Hamel, Manager, Electro-Optical Engineering, L-3 Wescam These were smart young people; several had already made significant contributions. The problem for then is going to be reaching them
For reasons that we can’t understand all I can tell you is the Amanda R has got a really strong grip on what it means to network and how to get her face in front of the people she wants to work with and for – but I can’t tell you how to reach her – privacy issues – which is really bureaucracy run amuck.
Ella E gave her peers some of the best advice they are ever going to get. “People hire people” she said – the resume is part of the job search process but they are not going to hire you from a couple of piece of paper. Ella talked about young people going to meet up events and handing out resumes and not sticking around to talk to people “or worse” she said. “They stand in small groups talking to each other.”
These are smart young people who no longer need the privacy protection that early teens need. Having said that – let me tell you what I can about these people
 Oleg L.; a grade 12 student from Oakville who wants to become a Software developer. He recently completed a semester-long co-op with Promys Inc. that led to a full time summer job offer. He talked about how demonstrating a high level of skill and commitment during a short-term co-op can lead to extended opportunities with an employer.
He is looking for internship/co-op opportunities in a computer security or with a software development firm.
 Amanda R.; a first year University of Waterloo doing the Honors Mechatronics program is a Schulich Leader scholarship winner. After competing in robotics competitions for 6 years and volunteering in LEGO robotics since 2011, she is currently working on her first co-op placement as an Automation Engineer at Camcor Manufacturing. Part of the Linamar Group
Amanda talked about the importance of networking before, during and after internships and co-op programs. Her presentations skills were remarkable for a woman her age. She is looking for opportunities to work with engineering companies involved in national defense.
 Ella R., a grade 12 student from, Oakville is studying to become a competitive robotics software developer, autonomous programmer and on-field strategist. She completed an Internship with Hatch Inc. last summer in the Thermal and Nuclear Sector.
Ella talked about how her internship opened her eyes to the variety of roles available on engineering teams in a large company setting.
Ella is looking for a multitude of engineering experiences that will expand her skillset in multiple different sectors, from electrical engineering to software engineering. Ultimately, her long term goal is to work on projects involving robotics and artificial intelligence.
 Eddie S., grade 12 student, Milton. Is studying competitive robot design, build team leader and on-field strategist
Eddie hasn’t taken part in an internship program yet, but wants to learn more about opportunities related to engineering and design. His has advanced skills in design, engineering and robot fabrication, but he is unsure of where to turn for information on internships that would suit his interests and future career development. He is interested in the biomedical side of engineering, and hopes to be working in that field in the future. He is looking for opportunities that will progress his career toward this goal.
 Sam R., 1st year student at OCAD University where he is majoring in Graphic Design. Sam completed a communications internship with Appleby College two years ago that led to a paid, full time position with their communications team the following summer.
Sam talked to the group about how his technical and creative skills in graphic design and digital photography were expanded while meeting the needs of the internship, and how he benefited from the responsibility and creative freedom provided by both the internship and full-time summer positions.
Sam is interested in working with organizations that will stretch his technical and creative skills further, while providing opportunities to continuing developing his portfolio of graphic design, photography, videography and motion graphics work.
A smart bunch of young people getting ready to enter the work force; taking those first hesitant steps and for the most part doping rather well. The government agencies and volunteer groups who put on the event – and it was a good event – do these young people a dis-service by not identifying them and giving out their coordinates.
The meet up is arranged by volunteers who do their best to dig out students who are into high tech. “We know they are out there” said Kimberly Neale, one of the volunteers, “but finding them and catching their attention is not that easy. We use social Media as much as we can – but its pretty much word of mouth. The 50 that showed up are people we’ve not seen before.
Most of those involved in this second meet up were from Milton and Oakville.
Anyone interested in taking part or if you know someone who might be interested have them get in touch with Kimberly Neale.
Meanwhile we will work on getting those full names for you.
 By Mark Gillies
March 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
John Waldie was an incredible man; a son of Burlington, who from humble origins rose to fame and fortune. He was a great philanthropist, and a man who was proud to call Burlington his home.
 In 1906 in St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Victoria Harbour, this portrait of John Waldie was taken to honour the man that built the church. St Paul’s opened that same year. In 1907 John Waldie died of heart failure and was buried at historic Greenwood Cemetery in Burlington. John Waldie made a huge impact on the small community of Victoria Harbour with the establishment of the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. Today, the Waldie sawmills are gone, the lumber business is no more, but many of the local buildings that John Waldie built, are still in use today.
These landmarks, including St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, the General Store and the Library have been officially recognized as historical, and are an integral part of Victoria Harbour’s exciting past life as one of Canada’s largest lumber producing communities.
 The Village of Victoria Harbour has recognized 22 buildings as having historical significance. Half of this total are buildings built by John Waldie and the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company including St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, the General Store and the Library, all three donated to the community by the philanthropist John Waldie and the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. “The Legacy of John Waldie and Sons”, is the history of the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company, and the Waldie family. Written by Kenneth A. Armson and Marjorie McLeod it does both the man and his work justice. Might not be available in local bookstores but it can be purchased on line at |Amazon.
 You won’t find this book on the best seller’s list, but “The Legacy of John Waldie and Sons” is a very interesting read. You will learn so much more about this incredible man and his family. Out west in Castlegar, British Columbia, the Waldie sawmills are also gone, having closed in 1961. But, the residents of Castlegar still remember the Waldie legacy. Today, Waldie Island on the Columbia River has been turned into a nature park with hiking trails. A bird sanctuary, has been set up for the revival of the blue heron on the Waldie Island Heron Reserve. The idea is to reclaim the historical heritage of this part of the Columbia River.
The Waldie family has left a huge economic legacy in Canada, and the little communities of Victoria Harbour and Castlegar have done their part and remembered the Waldie family and their enormous contributions to these two communities.
 Pic: Waldie Island The citizens of Castlegar, British Columbia, to honour the Waldie family were pro-active and developed Waldie Island located in the middle of the Columbia River into a beautiful wilderness location complete with hiking trails and a bird sanctuary. Burlington, as we all know, has been reported to be one of the best places to live in Canada, and this community has also remembered and recognized the Waldie legacy, but not quite in the same manner as Victoria Harbour and Castlegar.
 Dan Chalykoff is a professional heritage consultant, with outstanding credentials, retained by the City of Burlington to assess the city’s historical properties. His recommendations were pretty much ignored by the volunteer committee Heritage Burlington. The Waldie home at 3265 Mayfair Place, known as “Erin” was added to the Heritage Registry several years ago. The historic home was built around 1845 by Henry Sovereign, an original United Empire Loyalist descendent. His father John bought the land from Christiana Hill, a daughter of Joseph Brant in 1812.
Recently, a heritage report was commissioned by the City of Burlington with Mr. Dan R. Chalykoff, a professional heritage consultant with outstanding credentials, to create an Interim Evaluation which was made available in January 2013.
Mr. Chalykoff stated in his report that the home (3265 Mayfair Place) remain on the register for possessing cultural value and interest under all three of the main criteria listed in Ontario Regulation 9/06 from the Heritage Act. His detailed report also stated, “without this property all built vestiges of Burlington’s settlement era in this neighbourhood will be extinct”.
 On the right is 3265 Mayfair Place, or “Erin” as it looks today. This beautiful residence has undergone several changes over the years since it was originally built around 1845, but it is still historical and is a very important part of Burlington’s heritage. The home on the left is “Sovereign House” in Bronte. Now owned by the Bronte Historical Society, this historic home was built over several years from about 1825 until around 1846 and today operates as a heritage museum. The two homes are strikingly similar in design. David Sovereign built the “Sovereign House” residence, while Henry Sovereign from the same family built “Erin”. In May 2013, James M. Clemens, Chairman of Heritage Burlington, which is a committee of volunteer citizens that report to the City of Burlington, overturned Mr. Chalykoff’s professional opinion and recommended that “Erin” be removed from the Heritage Registry. With vague non-proven references to the house, Clemens goes on record and states, “the present dwelling has perhaps been incorrectly dated to 1845”, and that parts of the house do not line up to the stone rubble basement, and “it may be that the original dwelling over the rubble basement was razed”, and parts of the house appear to be late Victorian and part Edwardian.
These were the main non-professional reasons given for the reversal of keeping this historic 170 year old residence on the Heritage Registry. Mr. Clemens and his committee have apparently ignored the fact that it was not uncommon for residents of that time to alter their dwelling over several years, something that does not usually affect the heritage and historical value of a residence.
I share the views of Chalykoff that there is an incredible amount of historical significance to this famous 170 year old residence called “Erin”, despite it being cosmetically updated. In my opinion, Heritage Burlington under the guidance of Chairman James Clemens have made a very serious error. This is unacceptable.
James Clemens was Chairman with the same Heritage Burlington committee that recommended 504 Burlington Avenue be removed from the Heritage Registry for lack of historical significance. May I remind Mr. Clemens that 504 Burlington Avenue was the Lorimer residence for 50 years. It was built by renowned custom home builder George Blair, whose other homes in the core area have been recognized as historically significant, and I might add with much less historical relevance than that of the Lorimer residence.
One of Burlington’s greatest historical magnetic personalities of the early 20th century was the owner Harry Lorimer, who was the station master at the historic Freeman Station when it opened in 1906, and he was also the station master for the previous Freeman Station, before it burned to the ground in 1904.
Harry Lorimer changed careers and went into the retail business and purchased Allen’s Hardware Store, at the corner of Brant & Pine Streets, from James S Allen, a former Mayor of Burlington, and turned it into a retail legacy providing local market gardeners and homeowners with everything they needed.
The Colton & Lorimer Hardware store was the leading retail catalyst for Burlington moving quickly into the 20th century as it began to transition itself from an agricultural town to a suburban community. Yes, Mr. Clemens, there is great historical significance to the residence at 504 Burlington Avenue. It was the home of an outstanding citizen of Burlington. You sir, and Heritage Burlington have made another serious error. This is unacceptable.
 Harry Lorimer is another outstanding citizen of Burlington from the early 20th century whose great contributions to Burlington’s development have gone unnoticed and unrecognized. Heritage Burlington has removed the Lorimer residence at 504 Burlington Avenue from the Heritage Registry. From their ignorant point of view there was a lack of historical significance. These are just two glaring examples of incredibly bad judgment by this committee. Heritage Burlington under the questionable leadership of James Clemens have recommended to City Council the removal of many more historical properties from the Heritage Registry designation. In my opinion, Heritage Burlington appears to be more counter- productive than anything else. They are failing miserably to recognize and preserve our most valuable historical properties. This is unacceptable. Is this how Heritage Burlington is going to recognize John Waldie and the Waldie family’s contribution to Burlington?
 James Clemens is the Chairman of Heritage Burlington. With Mr. Clemens is Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who also sits on the Heritage Burlington committee and represents the City of Burlington. Heritage Burlington has been systematically recommending removal of some of Burlington’s most historical properties from the Heritage Registry.
 On the second floor of the Burlington Central Library you will see for yourself what the City of Burlington has done to recognize one of its greatest philanthropic citizens. There is a small sign hanging overhead, “John Waldie Study Hall”. On the wall to the left of the door is a framed portrait of John Waldie. This is the same 1906 photograph from St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Victoria Harbour. Do the words pathetic or embarrassing come to mind? Not to be outdone by Heritage Burlington, here’s how the City of Burlington has recognized John Waldie, Canadian philanthropist, the “Father of Burlington”, and the “Father of the Burlington Library”. Need I say more.
James Clemens is the Chairman of Heritage Burlington. With Mr. Clemens is Councillor Marianne Meed Ward who also sits on the Heritage Burlington committee and represents the City of Burlington. Heritage Burlington has been systematically recommending removal of some of Burlington’s most historical properties from the Heritage Registry.
Here are a few of my suggestions in my order of importance to better recognize John Waldie as one of Burlington’s greatest citizens.
1.) The Burlington Central Library is a very boring and uninspiring name. We can do better. My suggestion is to rename it “The John Waldie Memorial Library”.
2.) Erect a bronze statue at City Hall and locate it on the City Hall grounds in an appropriate open space complete with a small engraved biography of the man.
3.) Name the City Hall property “John Waldie Square” with the sub-heading,
“Father of Burlington”. Add a plaque to a prominent position on the grounds of City Hall.
4.) Add John Waldie’s portrait complete with a description to the lobby of City Hall, local fire and police stations, schools, and any other local public buildings.
5.) John Waldie was involved in shipping, owning several lake freighters, that operated from the three wharves at the foot of Brant Street. Consider naming the new pier after John Waldie.
6.) Rename Mayfair Place where the Waldie home now stands. Call it John Waldie Place or something similar.
7.) Name a park after John Waldie. How about Central Park? That’s not a great name.
By Pepper Parr
March 12, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
In a democratic society the people can address those they elected to have their grievances or wishes heard in a public setting.
Katherine Henshell, a layer who ran for the ward 1 seat in the last municipal election has addressed city council with a grievance.
We set it out for you.
I would like to discuss Aldershot’s Solid Gold Strip Club.
I have brought my request to Councillor Craven’s Office on 3 separate occasions and each request has gone unanswered.
I suppose he does not have time for me as I have sought to petition the City of Burlington to turn his house into a park for ornithologists, and then, I ran against him in the City election.
It does not bother me that he chooses to not respond, although, I did take it personal when he tried to run my car off the road while he was bombing along Bayshore Boulevard. It wasn’t so much that I was driving the car – it was that I had my 12 day old daughter in the car and I had to swerve up into the neighbour’s yard to avoid getting hit. (By the way, I sought an apology but none was granted.)
Since November 2015, my new baby has kept me busy but it hasn’t stopped me from aggressively trying to expand my husband’s and my grocery store, and scope out and manage a new development of affordable housing for seniors. Of course, this is on top of running my law firm in downtown Burlington and managing my husband’s and my other real estate and business interests.
In any event, the issue with Solid Gold needs to be addressed. It is currently Aldershot’s largest commercial retail/service business west of Francis Street. That is embarrassing. A number of other factors are equally disturbing about this business.
1. It is located on Plains Road which is the busiest street in Aldershot;
2. It borders on 2 residential neighbourhoods;
3. It has 6 – 8 hotel room doors which open on Plains Road and across from a residential community;
4. It has the largest square footage of any retail service business in Aldershot west of Francis Street;
5. It is located within 550 metres of Aldershot High School;
6. Children from grades 7 – 12 walk past the strip club to and from school everyday;
7. Children from grades 7 – 12 walk past the strip club to go to Wendy’s for lunch everyday; and
8. It shouldn’t need to be said about the degradation of women and other issues which are additionally appalling about the operation of a strip club.
Additionally, I was driving home from Pizza Pizza (at King Road) one Friday evening with our family’s dinner and I noticed a few young children in girls’ soccer uniforms outside the Dairy Queen. It was a nice sight to see. Then I drive down Plains Road past the Strip Club and 3 – 4 strippers (wearing stripper’s outfits) were standing on the sidewalk on Plains Road waving the cars into the parking lot in broad daylight. I was immediately disturbed that those young soccer players might take the same route home and drive past the strippers as well. This shouldn’t happen in Burlington (or anywhere for that matter). (I telephoned the Halton Regional Police when I returned home and they indicated that they would look into it as they had also received other calls about the incident.)
In conclusion, Mr. Craven is well aware of the above issues as he and I travel the same route to work every day and he passes the Strip Club twice a day like I do. He has chosen to be non-responsive to my request for a decision of his position on the matter.
The children of Aldershot do not need a Strip Club, nor do they need to see a Strip Club, nor do they need to ask questions about a Strip Club too prematurely.
The destruction of the entire commercial sector in Aldershot has created Solid Gold to now stand out as it is the largest retail service building in Aldershot on a huge piece of land. It has become the centerpiece of Aldershot.
Giving birth to a 10 pound 15 ounce baby has not slowed me down – it has only given me more energy to “do the right thing” and that is to speak up against this Strip Club. The Village Vision of Aldershot does not need this landmark business to continue to be Solid Gold.
I humbly seek council to add a discussion of this issue to the agenda. I am certain that other parties will want to express their opinions on the matter as well.
Thanking you in advance for your attention to this matter.
 Henshell once played as goalie – she now plays defense. Now wants to run interference at city council Ms Henshell has been seeking a meeting with Councillor – to date a meeting has not taken place. In a recent email to the Councillor Ms Henshell had this to say.
I don’t know why I continue to email you as you continuously fail, refuse or neglect to return any type of correspondence sent by myself.
The fact remains that Solid Gold Strip Club is Aldershot’s largest retail/commercial services location.
Any concerned resident would be appalled at that fact.
You have taken no issue with the existence of Solid Gold Strip Club as you have done nothing in your entire sitting as Ward One Councillor.
The current facts of Solid Gold are as follows:
1. Location within 550 m from a primary/high school;
2. Adjacent to 2 residential neighbourhoods;
3. Strippers stand on the street and wave in cars;
4. By the hour hotel rooms for rent adjacent to a major street;
5. Largest retail business in Aldershot; and
6. Countless issues surrounding the entrapment and abuse of women in the sex trade industry.
 I write to advise that as a result of your inexcusable absence from the issue, you have forced me to reach out to my contacts and resources and bring this issue to light.
Please be advised that I will inform all my contacts and resources that you have been of NO ASSISTANCE to me in this issue and that you refuse to even respond to me.
I have given you every opportunity to be on the side of moral integrity, however, you have chosen otherwise.
I urge you to put this item on the agenda so that the City Councillors can have an open discussion about the issues surrounding Solid Gold Strip Club.
However, I already know that you will not reply as you just don’t care.
In the spirit of full disclosure we need to add that Ms Henshell is representing the Burlington Gazette in the claim for damages the Air Park is making in its allegation that we libeled them.
 By Staff
March 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
On Monday March 9, 2015 at approximately 12:15pm, Halton Police and paramedics responded to a 911 call at the Wee Care Daycare in the City of Burlington, whereby a 14-month-old boy later died in hospital.
The Regional Coroner took over the investigation and conducted a post mortem today, Tuesday March 10, 2015.
This is a medical investigation being conducted by the Coroner’s office. No foul play is suspected.
 By Ray Rivers
March 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Is Bill C-51, Canada’s proposed new ‘anti-terrorism’ legislation, more onerous than the government’s Emergencies Act ( formerly War Measures Act)?
Some readers will recall the controversy when Former PM Trudeau introduced this instrument, back in 1970, to quell the terrorist threat posed by Quebec separatists. Well, at least one civil rights organization in the country is putting it in those terms.
 The question this new legislation begs is how many civil liberties are we prepared to surrender in the hope that the mitigative measures, specified in this bill, will prevent potential acts of terror. Yet perhaps the real question is whether these new measures will make much of a difference at all. Bluntly put, is moving towards a police state the most effective approach to dealing with the seeds and buds of the kind of discontent that motivates an individual, or group, to strike out violently against fellow Canadians?
Take Parliament shooter, Zehaf-Bibeau, whose actions have led to this bill, though it wasn’t the first time someone had tried to commit an act of terror on the Hill. Still, his gunfire did force a sitting PM, for the first time in history, to take refuge in a closet. And what about the hunting rifle he used? Nobody seems to know because the PM had abolished the long gun registry some years ago.
 The RCMP have defined Zehaf-Bibeau as a terrorist. Here he is seen running into the House of Commons where he was killed minutes later. Oh the sad irony of it all. First the government kills the registry over a few complaints concerning the right to gun owners’ privacy. And now, the government introduces draconian rules that reduce all of our civil liberties, because of a crime committed with an unregistered gun.
And would the police have been able to stop either Zehaf-Bibeau or Couture-Rouleau, (who ran down soldiers in Quebec) had they been equipped with the new powers given in C-51? Both of these men were already well-known to authorities. And yet neither could not be kept in detention forever, even with this new law.
Nobody said that building a multi-cultural society would be easy. Each new strand of diversity necessarily brings with it some baggage, whether that be an historic Irish Catholic/Orange squabble, anti-Semitism or Islamic terrorism. In the latter case, world events, and especially the emergence of this barbaric ISIS, who have created a creed of terror out of a religion of peace, has made Canadians wary.
So perhaps that is where the government should start the process of keeping us safe. But preventative measures such as education and the establishment of cross-cultural linkages are not on the cards in this bill or in anything else this government is considering. Instead we see greater powers of surveillance, police detention and censorship – the kind of restrictive measures we want to criticize other nations for deploying.
And greater censorship of the airways (internet) has broader implications, particularly when we observe the absence of any provision in the bill for meaningful oversight. It seems that judges and ministers of government, rather than Parliament, will call the shots and do the accounting. The executive excluding the legislative arm of government from oversight, in political lingo, is a dangerous departure for a free and open society.
 Queen Elizabeth II signing the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Does one lone-wolf terrorist Justino the close to wholesale loss of basic rights without significant oversight? Or is this a ploy to frighten citizens and win an election? It’s been done before. The NDP would scrap this bill if elected and the Liberals, hoping to diffuse a potential Tory campaign issue, will support its passage. But Mr. Trudeau has promised, if elected, to alter the law to make it better subscribe to our Charter of Rights and less likely to suffer a challenge at the Supreme Court. But then, this PM and his minister of justice seem to dwell in their on-going irreverence for the highest court in the land. It is as if they, themselves, have subsumed that role.
In the end, the government will pass this law with or without the support of the other parties. And while everyone agrees that we need to do more to prevent the kinds of terrorist activities we’ve seen recently, the harshest criticism may be that just ramming in new police measures to quell terrorism is simply not doing enough to keep us safe.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
Background links
War Measures Act Better? Anti-Terrorism Act Bill C-51 B.C. Concerns
Defending the Bill Totalitarianism? Censorship Big Data
Dangerous Legislation Parliament Shooter Soldier Attack
By Staff
March 10, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
This year’s well-celebrated St. Patrick’s Day falls on Tuesday, March 17th. Halton Regional Police officers will be out on Tuesday ensuring those that clink glasses won’t clink cars.
 Don’t let the face of a police officer get into a picture like this. Recognizing that many Halton residents will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this Friday or Saturday night instead, motorists should expect to see several RIDE programs in effect and also note a higher uniform presence patrolling in licensed establishments over this weekend, educating the public about impaired driving and enforcing the laws to ensure everyone on our roads are safe.
This team will be also be focusing their efforts on conducting bar checks at licensed establishments and reminding the staff of their responsibilities under the Liquor License Act, and encouraging staff to call police should they suspect a patron is about to drive a motor vehicle while impaired.
 Don’t think this friend will qualify as your designated driver. Informative St. Patrick’s Day fliers will be handed out at RIDE checks across the Region in efforts to educate the public and spread the word about the consequences of impaired driving.
The Halton Regional Police Service wishes everyone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day and encourage party-goers to celebrate responsibly. Don’t Press Your Luck!….Use a Designated Driver!
By Pepper Parr
March 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag is an ongoing thing – Burlington is feeling the celebration with students at Pauline Johnson Public school singing their little hearts out while a voice recording technician captures it all. Children from different classes are paraded into the gym and get put into place and given instructions.
The recoding technicians does several takes – one that was going very well got cancelled when one of the boys had a very impressive sneeze
Another got scrubbed from the sound of a camera clicking – it was my camera
Alice Mary St. James, principal at Pauline Johnson is justifiably proud of the students – the pictures tell the story.
 They stayed this still during the four recordings of O Canada they did. Pauline Johnson Public School has a student population of 285 – it’s an older school; a place that gives you the sense it is well run. Like a comfortable pair of slippers.
Before each recording session the technician chats with the students: How old is the Canadian flag? Who was the first Prime Minister of Canada – no one got that one but when asked what Canada had before the Maple Leaf was adopted one boy knew every detail of what we used to call the Red Ensign.
 That young lady was not going to miss a word Another little girl in that halting voice only a grade four student can have, explained in almost excruciating detail why we have the Maple Leaf.
When all the recordings are done they will be merged into a single sound track that anyone can download.
Hint here to city hall – the recording of O Canada that is played before each city council meeting is just plain terrible. Someone in the Mayor’s office could get on the phone and arrange to get a copy of the recording.
The school is one of 79 across the country selected for this program
 Rapt attention to the recording technician – waiting for the cue to start  Everyone is paying close attention – well almost everyone; four takes and the singing session was a wrap. Part of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the first hoisting of the Canadian flag is to have a student at each participating school write an essay.
 Pauline Johnson Public School principal Mary Alice St. James Because Pauline Johnson Public school was named after the aboriginal poet, grade 6 student Avery Cline wrote a poem
Why I’m proud to be a Canadian
Waking up every morning
Knowing I a free
A peaceful day lies ahead of me
To believe, think, talk and ask as I please
The potential of all rising up like a seed
From PEI beaches to Yukon Mountains
Kindness from others flows like a fountain
We all pull together and work as a team
With blue skies above
While the sun beams collide
Our destinies forever abide.
The great four seasons we hold so dear
Their own special qualities
That bring so much cheer
Now I’ve laid it out clearly
Why Canada’s close to my heart
A love for our country
Set each day apart, fresh starts.
Principal St, James, nearing the end of a public school career, is one of the schools that has Core French starting at grade 4 – she wasn’t disappointed when Core French starting at Grade I was not offered to her school. “Some of these children are not quite ready for language instruction”she said. There is no doubt in the mind of St. James that French is essential – the pedagogical question for this principal is – when do you start?
 By Staff
March 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The province recently announced changes it wants to make to the Planning Act and the way Development charges are to be implemented.
Everything the city does in the Planning and Building department is impacted by these changes – getting the views of the Bruce Krushelnicki, the city’s director of |Planning then are useful – what does he think this is going to mean?
“Of course this is a Provincial legislative proposal and will be the subject of wide review and debate. This will I am sure, evoke an important conversation, one that has been expected for some time following the announcement last year that the Planning Act was undergoing a scoped review.
My initial comment is that there is a lot more detail necessary before we can understand the impact of the changes that are proposed. The note identifies a “stakeholder working group” that will assist in implementing some of these changes, so the details may be some time yet in coming.
The proposed changes that would enhance public engagement are welcomed and I look forward to some additional information about the proposed “community permit planning system”. Planning Advisory Committees – which can even now include citizen membership – have been part of the Planning Act for many years and I await the details regarding the changes that are proposed. It appears that when such committees are formed, citizen membership may be required.
 What will the revisions to the Planning Act mean to citizen input on what gets built? The change to a ten-year review requirement for Official Plans is very welcomed. When the Act was revised some time ago, the previously optional five year review was made a mandatory requirement. As Official Plans have become more complex, the five year review (including OMB appeals) was often scarcely completed when a new review would commence. Some in the planning profession expressed concerns that plans were almost constantly under review. Some argue that this has resulted in a lack of stability in the policy framework. This may be intended to address this concern.
Providing more stability over planning documents addresses the concern expressed by some that it is too easy to apply for amendments and if unsuccessful, too easy to appeal an Official Plan, even one that has been recently approved. The two year moratorium on private appeals as they are called – that is appeals lodged by persons when an private application for amendment is refused or ignored – means that councils can expect their plans to remain unchallenged for a period of time.
According to the proposal as described, a council will nevertheless be able to amend their Official Plan on their own initiative.
The proposal also seeks to remove the opportunity to appeal some issues to the OMB. Removing appeal opportunities cuts both ways. That is, appeals can be made by citizens against a decision of council and appeals can also be made by developers against a decision of council. How appeal opportunities for all parties will be affected will be important to learn as details become known.
 What will any Development Charge changes mean to the cost of housing? It is also proposed that more clarity will be provided in determining what constitutes a minor variance to the zoning by-law. Minor variances are decided by the Committee of Adjustment, an independent body appointed by council.
Currently there are four long standing “tests” for a minor variance. Presumably the criteria for approval by the Committee will be clarified by the stakeholder working group. This is yet another is area where much more information is need before the implications can be assessed.”
This process of revising two very significant pieces of legislation has clearly just begun.
 By Pepper Parr
March 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 Site Planning co-coordinator Jamie Tellier explains what is going to be built whereon the JBH campus. The city planner on the file for the re-development of the Joseph Brant Hospital told the small audience meeting at the Art Gallery that it was just a matter of some technicalities before the city would be issuing a building permit and the ground would be broken for the start of construction that will be adding some 40,000 square feet of space and a little more height than some were expecting.
Originally planned as a seven storey structure an eighth floor got added and then there is the pent house. This is not going to be a small building. It will however be very much state of the art with rooms that are better than any hotel the city currently offers.
The event telling the story was hosted by ward 1 councillor Rick Craven who mistakenly said Burlington had donated $60 million to the hospital – Burlingtonians were taxed $60 million dollars – they are still being taxed.
The event was an occasion to manage the message and hype how fantastic the hospital is going to be. Parkin Architects certainly have the pedigree one would want to build a hospital for a community. They are doing the hospital in Oakville and did the Royal Ottawa hospital.
It is a very attractive looking building – the height will surprise people and the view of Lake Ontario for those in the line of sight to the lake will be upset.
But if the presentation was any indication it will be a fine structure. Burlington is going to get a state of the art hospital – it will have all the medical community could want.
Time will tell if the team that will run the medical side of things can overcome some of the past problems. Put in different words – can the Joseph Brant Hospital overcome a problematic past?
Perhaps taking the word Memorial out of the name of the hospital will make the difference.
 JBH president Eric Vandewall The senior management at the hospital, led by Eric Vandewall is close to as good as it gets. Vandewall has managed the relationship with the provincial government and overseen the creation of the team that is going to build the hospital.
The relationship between the city and the hospital corporation had to be massaged a little to get it to the point where the two are working together quite well.
The main highlights of the second phase of the project include:
- A new Emergency Department
- 172 acute inpatient beds
- 9 new Operating Rooms and a new post-anaesthetic care unit
- An expanded Diagnostic Imaging department and associated services
- Expanded medical, surgical and outpatient services
- An expanded cancer clinic
- An expanded Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and renovated Special Care Nursery – level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
- An expanded and modernized laboratory
- 70 percent single-patient rooms across the hospital
 Rendering of a small operating room. When the city gulped and got used to the idea that they were going to have to tax their citizens to the tune of $60 million to pay for part of the construction of a badly needed update they were a little hesitant to send cheques directly to the hospital which wanted the cash to pay for the building of the parking garage. Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor wasn’t very keen on the idea of city money being used to pay for a parking garage and the hospital keeping the parking fees.
It took a little negotiating – much of that work was done by city general manager Scott Stewart and the Mayor’s Chief of Staff Frank McKeown, but there is now a relationship that has the city sending money to the hospital to pay for equipment that has to be purchased.
The part of Lakeshore Road that dips down from Maple will be a bit of a traffic nightmare while construction takes place – how this is going to impact the Brant Museum hasn’t been figured out yet.
Lakeshore Road is going to get a significant upgrade – once the hospital reconstruction is complete Lakeshore Road is going to be raised and widened and given some landscaping as well. The Waterfront Trail that sits on what was once a set of railway tracks that brought trains into the city when Burlington was described as the produce garden for a large part of the world, will not be impacted.
 An architects rendering of the new entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital which will now face the lake. The entrance will be off Lakeshore Road with the new parking lot just to the west of the hospital. Reconstruction of Lakeshore will go as far was the water treatment plant which is currently undergoing an upgrade as well.
The city and the Regional government are still working out details on what is going to be done with the Beachway community. That is an issue that is still simmering.
The Joseph Brant Hospital is the focal point – and it won’t be long before everyone who is anybody will be down on the site getting their picture taken. It will be a Grand Day – better than the day they opened the pier.
By Walter Byj
March 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board voted to expand the Core French program in September. The expansion was to be for not less than twelve additional schools but not more than fifteen.
 Tecumseh is one of five Burlington Public Schools to get Core French in September The Board announced that the following Burlington schools will have the Core French program in September.
King’s Road Public School
Paul A. Fisher Public School
Ryerson Public School
Tecumseh Public School
Alexander Public School
This will create a total of 39 elementary schools that will now carry this program as of September 2015. This represents slightly more than half of all elementary schools in Halton. The remaining schools should have the program, pending its success, within the next two years.
 Ryerson will have Core French for grade 1 students in September. These students will receive 40 minutes a week of Core French instruction starting in Grade 1 with instruction expanding to 200 minutes in grades 6-7-8.
The program will continue to be monitored and an interim report will be brought to the trustees in November 2015.
If this program continues to grow and is deemed to be successful, what pressure will it bring to the current French Immersion program and how will it affect schools that are both single and dual track French Immersion schools? Time will tell.
The expansion has five schools in the western part of the Region; five 5 in the east and five in the north providing core French in grade one.
By Pepper Parr
March 9, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
We elect them to make decisions on how the city will be run, which includes everything from hiring a city manager who runs the administrative side of things to approving a budget that will determine how we are taxed.
They meet as both members of two Standing Committees and as a city council where they approve everything done at the Standing committee level.
The seven members of the Burlington city council are also members of the Halton Regional Council.
 The seven members get paid something in the order of $60,000 for serving as members of city council. They get an additional amount for serving as members of the Regional Council.
Along with all the discussion and debate – these seven men and woman VOTE.
 City Council during a recorded vote. Meed Ward votes against a motion. It is only on recorded votes that the results of a vote are known. But you don’t know how they voted unless you are in the room or watch the proceedings on the web cast. And – even if you are in the room it is frequently difficult to see who has their hand up and who doesn’t.
The only time the public is certain as to how a member of council votes is when there is a recorded vote and they all have to stand up and actually be counted.
Recently the office of the city Clerk improved the quality of the minutes and the agenda so that we now know how a vote went – however all the document says is that the vote carried or lost – you don’t know who voted for or who voted against a motion.
In February of 2013 city council decided that recoding all the votes wasn’t necessary Here is the comment made at that time.
“With respect to recorded voting at standing committee meetings, members of Council on the review team expressed differing viewpoints. Acknowledging that recommendations from committee are intended to be a preliminary position on a matter, it was felt that recording a member’s vote at that stage of deliberation could inhibit a member from changing his or her position later at Council should new information become available.
It was also noted that recorded voting would slow the transaction of business at committee meetings. As the review team did not have consensus on the matter, a recommendation on recorded voting is not included within this report and would require direction from Council. Nonetheless, the sentiment of the review team was that if recorded votes were to be permitted at Committee, these would be restricted to the main motions (and main motions as amended) but would not be applied to amendments themselves or any secondary motions tabled.
 The Halton District school Board has a system that records all votes. Why doesn’t Burlington have one of these? Over at the Halton District School Board an automatic voting system was put in place. When a vote it to be taken the trustees press a key on a keypad and the results are flashed up on a screen.
The city of Burlington isn’t there – they don’t want to be there – many of them don’t want you to know how they voted on specific issues – because you can then hold them accountable.
Here is what the public now gets.
There is a report coming forward on the Air Park and the problems the city has been having getting the Air Park ownership to provide a site plan for the work they have done in the past and work they want to do in the future.
It took two court cases for Burlington to make clear that the city has the right to require a site plan.
The report is an important one – and it was to be brought forward in February but council decided to defer the report until the new city manager was in place.
James Ridge is due to report for duty March 23rd. Because this is a critically important report council wanted the new city manager at the table which meant deferring the report.
Here is how Council handled that matter:
REFERRAL OF REPORT PROVIDING AN UPDATE REGARDING THE BURLINGTON EXECUTIVE AIRPARK
The following amendment was moved by Councillor Taylor and seconded by Councillor Meed Ward:
Amend Item CW-6-15 of the Development & Infrastructure Committee Meeting No. 2-15, by making the following change:
“Refer the report providing an update regarding the Burlington Executive Airpark to the March 30, 2015 Development & Infrastructure Committee meeting.”
AMENDMENT CARRIED
Was the vote unanimous? If it wasn’t how did members of council actually vote? The public report doesn’t tell you that.
There is a lot at stake with the air park decisions. It is one of the issues that will define the shape of the northern rural part of the city.
There are a significant number of people in ward 6 who are not certain their member of council is hearing what they have to say about the direction the city should take on this issue and they would dearly love to know how Blair Lancaster voted.
The public record doesn’t tell you how she voted. It doesn’t tell you how any of them voted – just that they did.
Related article:
Council decision on recorded votes.
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