 By Pepper Parr
June 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The bubble burst yesterday.
The anger and resentment that has been building up for more than a year is finally very very public.
Three members of Council released a Joint statement on Wednesday setting out their displeasure with Mayor Meed Ward. A copy of that document (page 1) is set out below.
Page two of the Joint Statement
While the specific issue was the way the Mayor was over-riding the process and procedure she wanted to use to allow the painting of six Rainbow Cross walks across the city, it was also the straw that broke the camel’s back.
 Has the Mayor made the Rainbow Crosswalks the hill she is prepared to die on? The Mayor chose to send out a tweet early on Wednesday thanking three Councillors for their support and being less than collegial to the other three.
Councillors Bentivegna, Nisan and Galbraith were thanked for their support while Councillors Kearns, Stolte and Sharman were ignored leaving the impression that they were not true supporters of the LGBTQQIP2S+ community.
Support for the LGBTQQIP2S+ community is divided in Burlington.
The Halton District Catholic School Board decided not to permit the flying of the Pride flag outside their schools while the public school board permitted the flying of the flag.
While the issue of support for the LGBTQQIP2S+ is important, very important, the Joint Statement isn’t really about the flags or Rainbow Crosswalks – it is some Councillors saying they have had enough of the mayor’s antics.
On the surface the Mayor is all kissy kissy, nice nice. Referred to as the Red Queen by her detractors Mayor Meed Ward has yet to find a way to build community without body checking the other members of Council.
For the most part she doesn’t treat the five new Council members as equals – they haven’t earned their spurs yet in the Mayor’s eyes; they haven’t gone through the eight hard years Marianne went through as she battled to bring about changes in the kind of growth that was taking place.
Many felt the small village feel that many loved about the downtown core was being lost. Meed Ward positioned herself at the person who could change that; the voters believed her and elected her as Mayor.
The five newer council members see things differently, while Councillor Sharman, who once filed nomination papers to run for Mayor, sits on the sidelines waiting for Meed Ward to slip to take a run for the Chain of Office.
Feelings are running high, ambitions are coming to the surface. There are at least two of the five newcomers who are harbouring and nurturing plans to seek the office of Mayor.
However it is not just political ambition behind the very public squabble. The newcomers have found their footing and no longer want to be treated as people going through a process of on-the-job training.
They resent the way the Mayor feels she can dip into the reserve funds at will; they are troubled with the need the Mayor seems to have to hog all the limelight.
They are fiscally conservative and realize they are staring at a possible 5% tax increase in an election year.
Many of those who follow local politics closely are beginning to realize that the Red Queen is not a team player, that there is a streak of revenge within the woman and a tendency to alienate people for all the wrong reasons.
 Was the way the Mayor treated three members of her council a political misstep? Is there a reckoning awaiting the Mayor? Time will tell; the summer is a lighter period of time for city hall.
Much more to think about on this matter. Stay tuned.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Staff
June 23, 2021
BURLINGTON,, ON
The provincial government is going to spend $3.7 million to cover the costs of providing transportation to vaccination centres for the disabled.
The program is a partnership with the Ontario Community Support Association to help people with disabilities, including seniors with mobility issues, get to and from vaccination sites so they can get their shot and help stop the spread of COVID-19.
 Transportation can be arranged for disabled and seniors with mobility issues. To date, over three-quarters of all adults in Ontario have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with nearly 26 per cent fully immunized. The Accessible Drive To Vaccines program will ensure that anyone who wants a vaccine is able to by connecting eligible individuals with staff and volunteers who will drive them to and from local vaccination sites across the province.
This includes individuals who have not yet received their first shot, or anyone who may require additional support to access their second.
“Our government understands that some Ontario residents may face barriers in traveling to a vaccination site,” said Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “This program will ensure that transportation is not a barrier to vaccination. It will help many Ontarians with mobility issues get vaccinated.”
This initiative will focus on helping people who do not have access to accessible transportation through family, neighbours or community organizations.
“In many communities across Ontario, the dedicated staff and volunteers who work in the community support sector have been providing safe rides to vaccination sites for several months,” said Deborah Simon, OCSA’s Chief Executive Officer. “As demand continues to grow, we’re pleased to be involved in coordinating this project, which recognizes, supports, and extends the capacity of these hard-working organizations to help vulnerable people protect themselves against COVID-19.”
Getting as many Ontarians as possible vaccinated is a critical part of the government’s strategy to fight COVID-19.
 By Tom Muir
June 22nd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 A graphic representation of what a single virus particle looks like. The COVID19 virus emerging in the human species globally is what is known scientifically as an “extinction level event”.
It emerged in one place and spread around the world in three months hitching a ride in traveling humans.
The virus then shut down the world more or less.
The virus is microscopic in size: 5um. One um is equal to 0.001 mm, or about 0.000039 inch.
Tom Muir is a resident of Aldershot and a retired federal civil servant who has worked at scientific analysis most of his career.
By Staff
June 20th, 2021
BURLINGTON,, ON
On Saturday, June 19, the Province informed Halton Region Public Health that due to a Federal supply delay, Halton Region will not be receiving Pfizer vaccine as scheduled this week. This delay is unexpected and impacts the entire province.
To ensure that every booked appointment is honoured, all Halton clinics will be administering the Moderna vaccine for residents 18 years of age and older, as it is interchangeable with Pfizer. As directed by the Province, remaining supplies of the Pfizer vaccine will be used for individuals 12 to 17 at this time as this is the only vaccine authorized by Health Canada for this age group.
Both Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines are safe, effective and authorized by Health Canada. Consistent with recommendations provided by Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization, mRNA vaccines are interchangeable meaning those who had Moderna or Pfizer vaccine for their first dose can safely have either Moderna or Pfizer vaccine for their second dose.
“Getting the first dose available to you is critical for gaining strong protection against COVID-19 and its variants, including the Delta variant,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health. “All Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death. I urge all residents to complete their two doses as quickly as possible with the first vaccine available to protect themselves, their loved ones and community.”
By Staff
June 19th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
As of Friday, June 18, 2021, 453,614 doses have been administered in Halton, which includes 376,399 first doses and 77,215 second doses.
 This represents 75 per cent of Halton’s population aged 12 and up who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 15 per cent who have received both doses.
Yesterday, the MoH announced that individuals who received their first dose on or before May 30 can reschedule their second dose appointment at a shortened interval through Halton’s online booking system starting today.
By Staff
June 18th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
I recently received correspondence from the Chair of the Board of the Halton District School Board (HDSB) notifying me that the Trustees, at their June 16, 2021 meeting, approved a motion to rename Ryerson Public School on Woodview Road in Burlington in accordance with the Board’s Naming and Renaming Schools Policy and Governance Procedure.
A city-owned park adjacent to the school also bears the Ryerson name.
 The Mayor is now ashamed of the man who created the public education system that has served everyone very well.  The statue to commemorate the man who created the public school system in Ontario was first defaced and then toppled Ryerson Public School and adjacent Ryerson Park are named after Egerton Ryerson for his contributions to the Ontario education system, however, Ryerson was also instrumental in the design of Canada’s Residential School system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada concluded this assimilation amounted to the genocide of Indigenous peoples.
The City of Burlington is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and the names we choose for our municipal properties must reflect that commitment – both going forward, and in retrospect. As part of that commitment, Burlington City Council recently unanimously endorsed the Halton Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Charter produced by the Halton Equity and Diversity Roundtable. We have also recently updated our naming policies to ensure equity, diversity and inclusion is integrated in all our asset naming.
There have been growing calls to remove Ryerson’s name from public buildings and institutions, including Ryerson University in Toronto, where a report on the matter is expected to come before their president and board of directors this fall.
I support the change the HDSB is making and the reasons behind it.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward As part of our continued commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, I am working with City of Burlington staff to bring forward a report to Committee and City Council in July 2021 recommending removing the Ryerson name from our park and embarking on the council-approved naming process. We expect this process to be complete by November 2021. We will keep you updated on this process and opportunities for members of the public, including the HDSB, to provide input.
Our Indigenous community needs to enjoy our parks and public spaces without a reminder of one of the architects of the Residential School system and the legacy of harm it created for their people. Renaming our city park is one step we can take toward reconciliation with our Indigenous residents.
 By Nicholas Jerome
June 18th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The worldwide sports betting industry is huge, to say the least. To countries such as the UK, it is worth an estimated £14 billion a year to their economy. The explosion of online betting, as well as gambling in online casinos over the last decade or so, has only led to an increase in the popularity of sports betting. That is unless you are a resident in Canada.
 Betting on individual games is not possible at this point in time. Where sports betting is concerned, Canada seemed to be left in somewhat of a time warp: lawmakers refusing to allow the country to follow where the rest of the world was heading. The criminal code of Canada meant that it was illegal to bet on single events in the country.
This left Canadians unable to bet on their favorite sports unless they turned to unregulated markets. As we are half way through 2021, is this something that is about to change?
It’s been a long road
Those in Canada have long sought changes to the law surrounding sports betting. For sports fans, the appeal was obvious, but for politicians and those in power, there were also clear indications of how such a change could benefit the economy. The last major change to betting laws in Canada came way back in 1985 and have long needed an overhaul.
 The federal government level changes the Criminal Code. There have been regular attempts to have gambling laws reviewed and to open the world of sports betting to residents in Canada with some already on the lookout for a bet365 bonus code. Each time there has been an insurmountable hurdle. With no specific laws against match-fixing, betting on single events remained a concern for lawmakers and posed issues when reviewing the current betting laws.
Where Canada is now
November 2020 saw the introduction of Bill C-13 by the Liberal government. This bill sought to bring Canada into the present and open the future of sports betting. With the bill having had its first reading back in December 2020, Canada had hoped that the law would have seen a change before Christmas was upon us all.
The hope is that the bill will be revisited and passed, early in the new year. This would see new laws surrounding sports betting coming into effect in the spring of 2021.
Sports betting in Canada, 2021 and beyond
For sports and betting enthusiasts, the upcoming law change can only be a positive. The opportunity to participate in betting in a regulated market has long been sought by those in Canada.
 The data shows the impact gambling has on an economy. The legalization of sports betting is also sure to draw a new crowd: rather than those who had risked a grey market for years, others are now sure to enter the world of betting. Preparing for, and harnessing, the growth in demand can only lead to a positive ripple effect through the Canadian economy.
With the deal being already done, 2021 will be a year that defines change and one that will be looked back on as truly groundbreaking.
By Pepper Parr
June 18th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
It was a solid exchange of views between the Chief Executive Officer of the West End Home Builders Association and members of Burlington’s city council.
 Mayor Meed Ward  Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns Mike Collins–Williams was opposed to the shifting of the Urban Growth Centre boundaries to well north of the downtown core up to the Burlington GO station where there are plans for significant development.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward had gotten what she wanted and took exception to Collins–Williams suggesting that downtown had been sterilized when the boundary was moved.
Councillor Nisan termed the use of the word sterilize as disgusting, inappropriate and “inflammatory”.
 The construction cranes are in place – the building will rise floor by floor in the months ahead.  Construction is underway. It didn’t get any better for Collins-Williams when Councillor Kearns asked him to explain what it was that the home builders association wanted that city policies were not giving them. She followed this up by asking: “What might we be missing that the policies in place do not address?”
The debate was part of a Statutory meeting taking place at Regional Council last Wednesday.
The debate at the Region was never the kind of debate that took place at Burlington city hall between 2010 and 2018. The stark differences between the interests of the developers and the intentions of the current council was laid bare. It was the driving issue in the 2018 election and the voters liked what Meed Ward was offering better than what either Rick Goldring or Mike Wallace had put on the table.
Someone paid a third party advertiser to do what they could to influence the views of the voters – it didn’t work.
The debate heard on Wednesday was never heard in Burlington’s Council chambers in previous Statutory meeting occasions.
When the then Golding council approved the Carriage Gate development that would put a 26 storey tower opposite city hall the then city manager is reported to have gotten up to shake hands with the developer.
 If the developers get their way there won’t be much park space for the public in that football shaped property. There are three developments working their way through the planning process. The development opportunities on Brant Street south of Caroline are exceptional, as are those in the football between Lakeshore and Old Lakeshore Road where there are a number of developments working their way through the planning process (clogged up at LPAT hearings at the moment) that will result in a significantly different Burlington if they get built.
Development in Burlington is focused on profit, not on the creation of community. The building of high rise condominiums changes the scale, scope and streetscape, which determines how people relate to the community.
There is little in the way of input from the people who are going to live with the buildings. The condominium going up opposite city hall is built right out to the property line and soars straight up for 26 floors.
Some developers do create designs that embrace the street. The Molinaro group has a development that puts two towers on either side of Brant Street at Ghent, that have slight curves, which leave the impression the buildings are communicating with each other. If built they will become the gateway out of the downtown core to a different Burlington that will rise beside the Go station.
Appreciation for architecture rests in the eye of the beholder and what the public is seeing now is quite different than what was built along Lakeshore decades ago.
During the required Statutory meetings the developers set out what they want to do and explain that they are meeting all the required rules.
 Mike Collins-Williams represented the interests of the developers during the required Statutory meeting on the changes being made to the Regional Official Plan. What doesn’t take place is a dialogue between the architect and the public on what the public would like to see built on the streets they will live, work and play on.
Usually the first time a citizen sees a building is when they look at a glossy brochure.
Architects are hired by developers to create a pleasing looking building that meets the aspirations (and at times the egos) of the developer and doesn’t cost a fortune to build.
Developers are not in the housing business, they are in the profit-making business – and in a capitalistic society that is the way the game is played and accepted.
Selling housing isn’t the same as selling soap.
The homes that are built determine to a large degree the kind of society we have. Human beings need space; the developers refer to that space as amenities.
This isn’t a Burlington problem – it is one that plagues the country. However there is no reason a change cannot at least begin in Ontario. And if Mayor Meed Ward can pull that off – good on her.
Related news story
Lobbyist states the case for sticking with old Urban Growth plan
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Pepper Parr
June 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Regional Council met Wednesday morning and on their agenda was a Statutory meeting required under the Municipal Act to permit the public to respond to changes in the Regional Official Plan.
There were a number of delegations. The one from the West End Home Builders Association (WEHBA) formerly the Hamilton Halton Home Builders’ Association) which represents approximately 300 member companies across Hamilton and Halton Region with the industry employing over 22,700 people, paying $1.4 billion in wages, and contributed over $2.6 billion in investment value within the local economy in 2019, was delivered by Michael Collin-Williams.
As a key partner to Halton Region in the delivery of new housing supply and the building of complete communities, WE HBA wishes to ensure we can effectively work together towards a range of housing choices at prices and rents people can afford in Halton Region.
ROPA 48 and the Future of Halton Region’s Growth
Our region is growing rapidly – The Greater Golden Horseshoe is anticipated to grow from approximately 10 million people today to just under 15 million by 2051 – to put this into context, that is the equivalent of the entire population of Greater Montreal moving here over the next 30 years.
Halton Region is forecast to take on its fair share and to grow by 485,000 residents and 220,000 jobs by 2051.
In its current form, ROPA 48 presents risks to Halton Region’s ability to effectively and efficiently promote housing development and construction in accordance with the Housing Supply Action Plan.
Through consultation on Halton’s IGMS, City of Burlington staff recommended Growth Concept 3A/B as being most closely aligned to the City’s goals.
 Development lobby wants to squash the permitted change to the Urban Growth Centre. Therefore, Halton Region should not approve ROPA 48 without modification to the proposed relocation of Burlington’s Urban Growth Centre given the change to the Downtown Burlington UGC runs contrary to this very ambitious growth scenario through higher levels of intensification.
Downtown Burlington & ROPA 48:
The Burlington Downtown UGC was established as one of 25 UGCs in the initial growth plan in 2006 to direct both growth and investment to downtown Burlington.
Each review of the Growth Plan through both Liberal and Conservative governments maintained the Downtown Burlington UGC to establish long-term planning certainty.
Currently, ROPA 48 proposes to change the boundary of the Downtown Urban Growth Centre to exclude almost all of Downtown Burlington, including the existing regional public service facilities, commercial, recreational, cultural and entertainment facilities.
 The first downtown condo to have shovels in the ground is opposite City Hall. The WE HBA is disappointed by the announcement yesterday that the provincial government will permit the removal and relocation of the Downtown Urban Growth Centre.
While we absolutely support intensification and growth of the Burlington GO Lands that are designated as MTSAs – we believe that the downtown and the GO station areas represent different markets and should both have planning frameworks that support growth and intensification.
Complete Communities and the Flip of the Downtown Urban Growth Centre
WE HBA maintains that directing growth away from Downtown Burlington—an emerging complete community—does a disservice to the City and Halton Region.
With Halton Region proposing aggressive intensification targets, WE HBA believes the Region should be capitalizing on significant investments that have been made in Downtown Burlington by both the public and private sectors.
The WE HBA believes that redirecting growth away from downtown Burlington loses sight of the progress that has been made in revitalizing downtown Burlington.
Further to this, WE HBA notes that the land by the Burlington GO Station serves a different purpose in the City than downtown Burlington.
The WE HBA recognizes BOTH populations and locations are important components of the Burlington community, and supports a greater focus on planning towards creating a complete community for residents surrounding the GO Station.
For this reason, WE HBA recommends ROPA 48 be amended to either:
not relocate the Downtown Burlington Urban Growth Centre OR as a compromise to expand the boundary of the existing Downtown Urban Growth Centre to include BOTH Downtown Burlington and the Burlington GO Station lands.
Our association respects that this is a long and multi-layered process and is strongly supportive of the Region of Halton continuing to work with stakeholders to advance ROPA 48 through the process to achieve conformity with the Growth Plan by July 1, 2022.
Lastly – we support the conformity deadline of July 1, 2022.
There were questions of the delegate – you can just imagine how his comments went over with Burlington Mayor Meed Ward who pointed out that there would still be growth in the downtown core but that it would not be the kind of over development the city has seen in the past five years.
Meed Ward added that there is never any affordable housing in the developments in the downtown core and that the provincial policy focuses on new growth at the MTSA’s.
The Mayor pointed out that the relocation of the UGC was community inspired and that its focus is on where development should take place in each of the precincts.
 Mayor Meed Ward in front of city hall Meed Ward said the existing UGC was misused to justify over development; going forward downtown growth will be managed more reasonably in keeping with the vision determined by the public.
It was back and forth between Collins-Williams who countered that “long term plans should not sterilize opportunities on where people want to live, work and play”.
Meed Ward had pointed out that Burlington is very close now to reaching the required 200 home/jobs target for 2031 (which is the minimum target) and that development beyond that point will be determined by good planning principles, adding that Provincial Policy calls for development to be directed toward the MTSA’s.
Collins-Williams said the city should not be jamming development growth into a couple of areas and that political changes which have impacted how some of the changes have been brought about.
He added the need to lower political temperature and build complete communities.
Mike Collins-Williams, Chief Executive Officer, West End Home Builders Association. Meed Ward responded that if Collins-Williams meant by being political meant listening to community input in a democratic fashion then democracy is alive and well in Burlington.
The Mayor is scheduled to meet with the builders association in a few weeks where this conversation will no doubt be continued.
In responding to the Burlington Mayor Colin Williams said moving the Urban Growth centre would “limit and sterilize” grow in the downtown core.
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns asked Collins-Williams to help her to understand his definition of the downtown core. “What might we be missing that the policies in place do not address?”
Collins-Williams remarked that the province had never before changed an UGC boundary to which Kearns responded “we have had the history lesson before – my question to you was more forward looking and asked again “what did we miss that your association members are looking for in the way of complete communities”.
Collins-Williams said seniors wanted to be able to downsize and still remain in the community – the downtown condo market met that need but if the UGC was moved north there would be an imbalance.
 Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns puts Chief Executive of Builder Association through an impressive jujitsu exercise. More back and forth before Kearns said “I don’t see anything compelling in your responses – the supply and demand claim being out of balance does not hold water.”
And with that Kearns dismissed Collins – Williams bringing to a close the Kearns Collins -Williams verbal jujitsu exercise.
He wasn’t out of the hit set yet. His sterilized downtown remark had Councillor Nisan speak on a Point of Order saying the words were “disgusting”, “inappropriate” and “inflammatory”
By Staff
June 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
At the June 16, 2021 meeting of the Halton District School Board, Trustees unanimously approved a motion to rename Ryerson Public School on Woodview Road in Burlington in accordance with the Board’s Naming and Renaming Schools Policy and Governance Procedure.
Egerton Ryerson statue The renaming process will begin in September 2021 to ensure the parent/guardian, student and broader community has the opportunity to provide their input. The process to rename the school will be completed by the end of November 2021. The current exterior school sign will be covered until a new name is chosen. Information and signage will also be posted to indicate a renaming process will take place in Fall 2021.
As part of the Board motion, the Chair of the Board will also send a letter to the Mayor of Burlington to inform her of the initiation of the HDSB process to rename the school, as the community park adjacent to the school bears the same name.
Ryerson Public School was named after Egerton Ryerson for his contributions to the Ontario education system, however, Ryerson was also instrumental to the design of Canada’s residential school system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada concluded this assimilation amounted to the genocide of Indigenous people.
There have been growing calls to remove Ryerson’s name from public buildings and institutions and the HDSB has received formal requests to remove Ryerson’s name from the school. At their June 16, 2021 meeting, Trustees also heard a delegation from a Ryerson Public School parent in support of renaming the school.
As part of the HDSB’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan 2020-2024, the Board has committed to champion supportive and inclusive practices, and to promote knowledge and understanding of Indigenous perspectives and realities. One of the first steps taken is to assess how the HDSB can raise awareness.
“As Trustees, we need to lead by example and have the courage to approach these difficult conversations,” says Chair Andréa Grebenc. “As years have gone by and truths have been uncovered, we have a responsibility, in collaboration with our staff and communities, to reevaluate past decisions and address accordingly.
 Portrait of Egerton Ryerson “The perspectives of the diverse communities of Halton must be valued and honoured. Indigenous students, staff and the broader community should be able to enter a school without being harmed by the HDSB upholding the name of a person that has contributed to genocide.”
Egerton Ryerson did more than contribute, he created the public school system we have today. Erasing history doesn’t mean it disappears – all we have done is hide it.
Ryerson was reported to have “done more than any other man of his day for the cause of public instruction in Ontario.”
By Pepper Parr
June 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Regional government is working on an amendment to its Official Plan.
Burlington’s Official Plan has to be approved by the Region – so what the Region approves is what we are permitted to and expected to do.
Planning is about growth.
 A proposed Carriage Gate development at the east end of the football – a stone’s throw from the ADI Nautique that is now under construction. For the people of Burlington growth is what they don’t want to see in the downtown core.
The province has mandated that future growth is to be focused around the three GO stations where some significant growth has taken place.
The Aldershot GO station has a large new community that will be home to some 2500 people when it is complete. It is more than halfway completed at this point with more to come.
 The Paradigm from the east side Burlington has the Molinaro development that is entering into stage 2. Nothing in the Appleby GO – yet.
Longer term – out to 2051 here is what the numbers look like as the planners at the regional and municipal levels work through what the province has mandated.
 About 350,000 + people will pour into the Region between now and 2051 – planners are currently working out what each municipality will have to absorb.
By Staff
June 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The push is on.
The new COVID19 infection rate is low but it is not low enough – and from time to time it spikes a bit.
And the Delta variant is out there and it is dangerous.
The scientists believe the answer is to get everyone vaccinated.
There are eight clinics and 100 pharmacies in the Region that will vaccinate you.
Residents can get their first or second doses at:
- one of eight Halton Vaccination Clinics in all Halton municipalities;
- almost 100 pharmacy locations in Halton; or
- select Primary Care Offices offering COVID-19 vaccines to community members
- Starting Wednesday, June 16, residents 12 years of age and older can book appointments at a Provincial Pop-up Clinic in Oakville through Halton’s online booking system.
The Regional web site location for finding the pharmacy closest to you isn’t all that elegant but it works.
Click HERE for that site:
We are in the process of winning the fight to beat back the pandemic. The scientists have done marvelous work and the people that invented the doses that are now being used did something modern medicine has never seen before.
 By Staff
June 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a sign of the way Burlington wants to configure the way streets are used – the car is no longer king.
Kaylan Edgcumbe, Manager of Integrated Mobility, explains that “Cycling is becoming more popular for commuters and recreational riders and is great for the environment and our collective health.”
The City of Burlington is hosting an online public information centre (PIC) on June 23rd, in the evening via Zoom to inform residents about road resurfacing and installing new cycling infrastructure on Plains Road from Spring Gardens Road to Waterdown Road in 2022.
 Map showing where the re-designed road will be.  The newly designed Plains Road will begin at the intersection of Waterdown and Plains Road and run right out to the RBG. Part of the City’s Integrated Mobility Plan and Cycling Plan, this infrastructure will be the first of its kind in Burlington and will improve safety of cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
The new infrastructure will include cross-rides, cycle tracks and protected intersections while maintaining existing vehicle lanes.
Cross-rides – Similar to crosswalks for pedestrians, they allow cyclists to safely cross intersections and stay on their bikes. They are generally connected to dedicated cycling features such as segregated bike lanes, cycle tracks and other cycling infrastructure.
Cross-rides will allow cyclists to travel in one direction or both directions.
Cycle tracks – Cycle tracks are dedicated cycling lanes that run beside the road but are physically separated from vehicular traffic by either a curb or buffer space. Depending on the style of cycle track, they may be at the same or different level as the sidewalk.
Cycle tracks are for cycling only and are generally different from sidewalks as they are made of asphalt, while sidewalks are made of concrete.
Cycle tracks are usually one-way and follow the direction of traffic.
Protected intersections – To make intersections safer and more comfortable for people walking, cycling and driving or riding in motor vehicles, the City of Burlington is implementing the ‘protected intersection’ concept where possible. The concept is based on a tested Dutch design that has been implemented throughout the United States and Canada. Features include: corner safety island, forward stop-bar, setback cross ride and cross walk, and designated bike signals.
Online Public Information Centre
This virtual PIC will offer residents information on the project scope, scheduling, traffic impacts and the chance to discuss any construction disruptions from the work.
Date: June 23, 2021
Time: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
How to join:
Step 1: Visit burlington.ca/PlainsRoadResurfacing on your computer or mobile device.
Step 2: Click on the Zoom Meeting Link
Step 3: Enter Passcode: 2xiAQa
 The poles carrying utility wires (cable and telephone) wires on the north side will be removed and the cable buried. Residents may also join the PIC by phone:
Dial: 1-647-374-4685 or 1-647-558-0588
Webinar ID: 957 7126 2277
Passcode: 072754
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/aktOjgFpP
infrastructure for Burlington.
The work being done here will enhance the safety for everyone – not just cyclists – while maintaining the existing vehicular lanes. Cycling is becoming more popular for commuters and recreational riders.
Part of the re-design job being done includes the removal of all the poles carrying telephone and cable TV wires. – the cables will be buried.
The project is a pilot – the city wants to learn how people adapt when there is an opportunity for them to make more use of bicycles.
Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith thinks it’s a great idea and was pleased when his ward was chosen as the location for the pilot.
All he wants now is a Rainbow Crosswalk outside the RBG that would tell people entering the city from the Hamilton side that Burlington is an inclusive city.
By Pepper Parr
June 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
We get about eight, sometimes as many as a dozen media releases announcing what different Members of Cabinet were doing in the way of public statements.
Anything would justify an announcement – it was difficult to keep up at times.
 Ontario Premier Doug Ford Today, the government invoked the “Notwithstanding Clauses in the provincial governance protocols that we have.
The Gazette re-published an opinion published by the Globe and Mail this morning.
We can add to that the statement put out by the Leader of the Liberal Party in Ontario, Steve Del Duca, who does not yet have a seat in the Legislature. He was the Minister of Transportation in the Wynne government that went down to a disastrous defeat during the last provincial election when the Liberals were left with seven seats.
Many feel that the use of the Not Withstanding clause was the first step in a plan to call an early election once the pandemic recovery is in its third stage and the province is close to getting back to whatever the new normal is going to be.
Del Duca issued a statement today saying:
“Today is a sad day for our democracy. In the cover of darkness, Doug Ford has rammed through legislation that will undermine our right to free speech by silencing his critics.
Doug Ford’s power grab is nothing more than an attempt to save his own political skin while changing the rules of an election he’s already running in.
Make no mistake, Doug Ford is silencing the frontline heroes — the nurses, doctors, teachers, essential workers, and personal support workers who are speaking out against his government.
This didn’t have to be today’s reality. In 2018, Ontario Liberals fought to prevent the routine use of the Notwithstanding Clause in Ontario’s governance, but with the help of Andrea Horwath and the NDP, Doug Ford’s majority shut down our motion.”
This is a black day for everyone in the province.
Related editorial item:
Globe and Mail opinion piece.
The Regional Municipality of Halton
For Immediate Release
June 15, 2021
Halton MOH updates Class Order to align with Provincial guidance and further protect residents
To align with Provincial guidance, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health has made important amendments to her Class Order requiring self-isolation under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Effective 12:01 a.m. on June 16, 2021, the amendments revise and clarify self-isolation requirements to prevent COVID-19 transmission in the community.
“A key role of Public Health in controlling the spread of the virus is to identify, contact and make sure high risk individuals are isolating as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health. “Stopping the spread of COVID-19 is a community effort and as we enter Step 1 of the Roadmap to Reopen we need to make every effort to further reduce the spread and severity of the virus in our community. It is important that our community continues to follow all public health direction and has clarity on what they need to do to stay healthy and protect others.”
Amendments to the Class Order reflect new provincial guidance and include an exemption for some fully vaccinated individuals from the requirement to self-isolate. Key amendments to the Order include:
- clarification that Halton Region Public Health may require people to self-isolate to prevent COVID-19 transmission in circumstances beyond the categories itemized in the Class Order; and
- an exemption to self-isolation requirements for some fully vaccinated individuals, based on specific requirements and in consultation with Halton Region Public Health.
Details of the changes to self-isolation requirements in the Class Order include:
Fully vaccinated individuals who are a close contact of a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 may not be required to self-isolate if:
- they received their second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, or first dose of a one-dose vaccine series, 14 days or more before the day on which they last had close contact with the confirmed case or probable case of COVID-19;
- their vaccine history has been confirmed by Halton Region Public Health;
- they are asymptomatic; and
- they are not a resident of a long-term care or retirement home, a patient admitted to a health care setting, or an individual with an immunocompromising condition (for example, organ or stem cell transplantation recipients, undergoing chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapies).
Fully vaccinated individuals who meet these requirements may still be required to self-isolate if Halton Region Public Health has information that links their exposure to a Variant of Concern of the COVID-19 virus for which vaccine effectiveness is not well established.
Even if Halton Region Public Health has told you that you do not need to self-isolate:
- you must report your exposure to your employer and follow any restrictions from work as specified by your employer; and
- if you develop new symptoms (even mild symptoms) of COVID-19, you must self-isolate immediately and report your symptoms to Halton Region Public Health.
Halton Region and Ontario have now experienced outbreaks and community transmission of Variants of Concern (VOCs) of the COVID-19 virus—even in vaccinated individuals. Following public health measures is the best way to protect the community against the spread of COVID-19, including VOCs. To protect yourself and others this summer:
- get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two doses);
- practice physical distancing by maintaining a 2-metre distance from others outside of your household (or 3-metres if and as required for some newly permitted activities);
- wear a non-medical mask where required and when physical distancing cannot be maintained;
- wash hands frequently with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand rub; and
- get tested if you think you have COVID-19 or may have been exposed to it, even if you’ve been vaccinated. Stay home, and self-isolate.
To learn more, please read the Class Order and the Class Order fact sheet. To learn more about COVID-19 in our community and what you need to do to protect yourself and others, including under the Class Order, please visit halton.ca/COVID19. |
By Pepper Parr
June 15th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
For those who said she couldn’t do it – fess up and admit you were wrong.
 Her election was based on changing the way the core would be developed. They elected her and today the promise was delivered. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward believed she could present a strong enough case to convince the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Minister of Municipal Housing and Affairs that the city should be allowed to determine what the Urban Growth Centre boundary should be.
Today the Minister visited Burlington and stood with the Mayor and MPP Jane McKenna for the announcement that Burlington can adjust UGC Boundary
The adjustment of the boundary of the UGC, once centered on the downtown core, will put the focus of the designation on the Burlington GO Station, allowing the City to direct future height and density near mass transit and help build more complete communities.
This decision supports the work already incorporated into Burlington’s revised new Official Plan (OP), already approved by Halton Region. Burlington’s new OP includes stronger protections for green space, heritage, jobs, the rural community, established low-density neighbourhoods and a special focus on preserving the character of the downtown.
The existence of an Urban Growth Centre in the downtown resulted in development applications that brought a number of developments into the core; two are currently being built.
Others are in various stages of applications; several are before LPAT.
Mayor Meed Ward acknowledges the work MP Jane McKenna put into getting the approval from the Ministry but make no mistake about this – it was Mayor Marianne Meed Ward who made it happen over the doubts of many.
McKenna’s contribution included a photo op of the start of construction for a 20+ condominium tower across the street from city hall.
 The ground breaking for the tower that has changed what Brant Street used to look like was celebrated by MPP Jane McKenna as she took part in the event. The building should never have been approved. Responsibility for that one lies with previous city councils.
There is more to say about the significance of the announcement – but for today let the Mayor revel and celebrate a decision that will result in a much different Burlington in the decades to come.
The decision is more than enough to re-elect her – would anyone take a chance and try to run against her.
By Pepper Parr
June 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a long awaited announcement that means a lot to the people in north Burlington.
 Milton MP Adam Van Koeverden Milton MP Adam van Koeverden spoke to a small group of people via Zoom this morning announcing that broadband internet access was going to be available in the not too distant future to homes in a catchment area bound by Hwy 407/Dundas on the South, Bell School Line on the East, and Walkers Line on the west. Derry Road is the northern boundary.
The work is being done by Standard Broadband under a federal funding project that has a Rapid Response element that works with communities that are basically shovel ready.
The federal government has pumped $2.75 billion into the Rapid Response that covers the country.
Halton currently has six Rapid Response projects on the go with two in the Milton area. The most recent reached into the northern part of Burlington and is called the Zimmerman project.
The work started in mid-February. Mostly research and determining where equipment would go – that will continue into late July.
 Tom Williams, the President of Standard Broadband Tom Williams, the President of Standard Broadband said he expected the system to be in place and operational sometime in November.
The longer term objective is to have everyone in the region with broadband level access to the internet.
One member of a group called the “broadbanders” who did the original due diligence work on what was needed and possible agreed with MP van Koeverden that the internet is to Canada today what the building of railways was in the late 1800s. Every community of any size was going to have a rail line.
The event was important enough for the Rory Nisan Councillor for ward 3 and ward 6 Council member Angelo Bentivegna to be on the call.
Mayor Meed Ward was there for a couple of minutes – connecting as best she could from her cell phone. She was on her way to an event at Backed by Bees in north Burlington to take part in the announcement that Backed by Bees was donating to the Burlington Food Bank. Products like honey are not usually donated to the food bank said Robin Bailey, Executive Director of the Food Bank, however families love receiving it when it’s available so the wonderful folks at Backed By Bees are proud to offer raw honey for donation at a reduced cost specifically cared for and harvested for The Burlington Food Bank.
Bentivegna said it was “a great day for all” and that he was “beyond ecstatic”.
Williams explained that the work being done in this initial phase is part of the backbone of the system that will be in place eventually.
The federal department overseeing the project nationally is the Innovation, Science and Economic Development ministry.
By Pepper Parr
June 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Adam van Koeverden talking to a constituent in Milton Later today, Adam van Koeverden, the Member of Parliament for Milton will announce a federal investment to Standard Broadband to improve high-speed Internet access in Zimmerman and areas of North Burlington.
We will report on that event when we have more detail.
Were my friend, the late Monte Dennis, still with us I am certain he would be asking why the federal constituency of Milton is not called Milton-North Burlington.
The constituency held by Pam Damoff in Oakville is named Oakville-North Burlington.
The residents of North Burlington managed to bring a halt to the dumping of landfill at the Burlington Air Park – surely they could rouse enough political energy to bring a about a change in the name of their constituency.
 By Christine Van Geyn and Scott Hennig.
June 14th, 2021
Reprinted from the Globe and Mail.
Politicians are going to politician. It doesn’t matter their party, the colour of their election sign or ideological background. Politicians will take any opportunity to silence their critics – even if it means enacting unconstitutional laws. And that’s precisely what Ontario Premier Doug Ford is doing by invoking the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause to overrule a recent Ontario court decision that struck down his government’s gag law.
To be fair, it wasn’t originally his gag law. Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government first brought in a law in 2016 that gagged citizens from using paid means of amplifying their voices – not just during the election, but a full 180 days before the election even started.
 Ontario Premier Doug Ford But Mr. Ford doubled down on Ms. Wynne’s law when he introduced Bill 254 to expand the restrictions to a full 365 days prior to an election. That means today, with just under a year to go before the next Ontario election, citizens are effectively barred from spending their own money to voice their opinion on any political issue.
Sure, you will still see some political ads from non-politicians over the next 12 months, but they will be limited and only run by those with the deepest pockets and with paid staff who can jump through all of the red tape.
 If this sign said something about the government it wold probably be illegal. However, if your grandmother Donna and her bridge group want to pool their money to buy some lawn signs to voice their opinion on long wait times in Ontario’s health care system, the huge amount of debt the government is running up, or why they think the official provincial bird should be changed from the common loon to the blue jay, they will want to consult a lawyer.
For starters, Donna and her bridge buddies will have to register with Elections Ontario and appoint a chief financial officer if they want to spend more than $500 over a 12-month period. With current lumber prices, the cost of stakes for a handful of signs will push over that limit.
If they trip over the next threshold of $5,000 in signs, they will have to hire a professional auditor to investigate their bookkeeping and ensure that every cent is accounted for. Donna and her friends will have to figure out how to fill out reams of government forms.
But they likely won’t – because it won’t be worth the struggle and getting it wrong can result in large fines. This silence is exactly what politicians want.
It’s even questionable whether larger groups can move that mountain of paperwork. If a group of small businesses want to voice their opinions on government lockdown rules that favour big businesses, the law actually requires they file a new report for every $1,000 in spending. Meaning, if they reached the cap of $600,000 in spending, they could have to file 600 separate reports with the government over the next 365 days. The requirements may indeed be so nonsensical and onerous that their very purpose is to deter groups from advertising.
While Mr. Ford’s target may be the union coalition Working Families, the impact of the law is far broader, and limits comment on essentially any public policy issue when these comments matter the most.
 Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau signed the Proclamation of the Constitution Act on April 17, 1982; it was accompanied by The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the right to free expression. What makes Canada a special place that people all around the world want to call home is that we embrace differing opinions and let our citizens have a voice. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right that should be embraced. Petty dictators wield power to silence the voices of their critics. In liberal democracies, we demand better.
Justice Edward Morgan rightfully ruled that Ontario’s gag law was too restrictive on Ontarians’ right to free expression, declaring the changes to the Election Finances Act unconstitutional. While the notwithstanding clause is available, Mr. Ford’s decision to use it here, without even taking the time to appeal the decision, is patently self-serving. It is a demonstration of incumbent arrogance, indifference towards free expression, and shows a bizarre and warped sense of priorities. And now Ontarians who want to speak out and say as much have their voices muzzled by this very law.
Christine Van Geyn is the litigation director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation. Scott Hennig is the president and CEO of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
 By Dennis Gibbons
June 12th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward says she and members of city council are committed to bringing an end to hatred of Muslims.
 On the left MP Karina Gould with Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. Speaking at a Call to Prayer Service in Spencer Smith Park on Friday, the mayor joined about 200 people in mourning the loss of four members of a Muslim family tragically killed in London.
“City council and I as your mayor stand with you in ending Islamophobia,” she said.
“We mourn with you the loss of this beautiful family, leaving a nine-year-old boy alone.”
The mayor said the city of Burlington and its council promotes diversity and inclusion. “We want everyone to be welcome and respected,” she said.
Meed Ward said everyone needs to speak out anytime they hear a word of unkindness or hatred spoken.
Imam Abdullah Hatia and Imam Junaid Hanslod of the Halton Mosque led the prayers.
Burlington MP Karina Gould, the minister of international affairs, also pledged to keep working to stamp out racism. “I never want any of you to experience what we are experiencing right now,” Gould said.
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