 By Pepper Parr
October 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
What happens now?
An 11 hour meeting to get through the Staff version of the Scoped ReExamination of the Adopted Official Plan and then debate the 9 amendments the Mayor and Ward 2 Councillor came up with – and it was then a done deal.
Well, as done as Burlington could do the document.
It has to be sent to the Regional government.
The document will fill a very very thick binder.
How do they get it to the Regional Planner?
 Entrance to the offices of the Regional government. By mid-October, staff will submit the Council-endorsed policy modifications for Downtown and Neighbourhood Centres, along with all supporting documentation, to Halton Region. Due to COVID, the logistics of submission are still to be confirmed.
How long will the Region need to determine if they can approve the document? Recall that they sent it back in the waning weeks of 2018 because it didn’t comply completely enough with the Regional Official Plan.
The Region will issue a draft decision on the City’s adopted Official Plan in November or December 2020.
How does it get returned to the city?
The Region’s Chief Planning Official will send the draft decision to Heather MacDonald, the City’s Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation, and Mobility.
 City Council meeting – before COVID. Perhaps they could assemble in a live meeting to receive the xx from the Regional government. City Planning staff will then present the Region’s draft decision to City Council for review.
City Council will have a chance to review the draft decision and make comments before the Region issues a final decision.
Surely this will not take place at one of those wretched virtual meetings?
One of the issues for Burlington city council was – is the document appeal proof?
It is the Region’s decision that can be appealed, not the City’s.
After the Region issues a final decision on the City’s Official Plan, a Notice of Decision will be sent out to all parties who have participated in the Official Plan process by submitting written comments to the City or Region, or speaking at a public meeting.
The Notice will provide details about how to appeal the Region’s decision, and the deadline for filing an appeal.
 Town Crier David Vollick reading a message to Council. Anyone wanting to receive notice of the Region’s decision, should make a written request to Graham Milne, Regional Clerk, graham.milne@halton.ca, 905-825-6000, ext. 7110, Legislative & Planning Services, Region of Halton, 1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville, ON, L6M 3L1.
All very dry and dull.
Heather MacDonald might consider renting a small bus and driving to the Region where she and the staff she decides to take with her can don their face masks and troop into the Regional office bearing the flag with the city crest and the document in a leather binder carried on a dark velvet cushion.
The Town Crier could proceed this band of brave planners and announce that Burlington has arrived to deliver the Official Plan that city council has endorsed.
Somehow the Mayor will get herself on that bus – this is just too good a photo op to be missed.
By Shelby Dockendorff
October 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Each year the Mayor adds an intern to her office team. This year Mayor Meed Ward is “thrilled that for the third time since becoming Mayor, my office has welcomed a bright and engaged intern to our team. I must first mention that in the short time Shelby has been here, we have been impressed with the skills and experience she has brought to the table and how much she has exceeded all expectations”.
Hello everyone! My name is Shelby Dockendorff and I am the City of Burlington’s Mayor’s Office Intern. I recently completed my Master of Public Administration at Queen’s University and before that I studied Communications at Wilfrid Laurier University.
 Shelby Dockendorff: My experience so far as an intern here has been wonderful. While finishing up my degree and applying to co-op jobs and internships, I had time to reflect on my experiences in government so far and what I enjoyed about it. I’ve been fortunate to work at the provincial and regional level and learn about policy analysis, government communications, civic engagement and event planning.
During a summer working at the Region of Halton’s communications department, I had my first experience of seeing how government work impacted communities on a local level, and how residents responded to it. That level of engagement and impact was something I found fascinating and extremely helpful. I believe you need to be aware of what the local issues are in order to conduct and create meaningful policy and know how to communicate plans back out to the public.
That can only be achieved by being properly engaged in and informed on the community where you live.
With that in mind, I set out looking for opportunities that would offer that type of work and I was fortunate enough to come across the Mayor’s Office Internship. It was the perfect combination of constituent engagement, communication, research and analysis that I was looking for. Not only that, it was an opportunity to work for a Mayor who I had admired for her strong election platform and informed decision-making from her time as a Councillor and since taking the Mayoral office.
My experience so far as an intern here has been wonderful. As a result of the ever-evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been major changes to municipalities. Residents are constantly searching for answers, so they turn to their local representatives for help.
I’ve had the opportunity to speak to many Burlington citizens about the issues facing them in the city, worked alongside other City Hall departments to discuss solutions and draft up presentations for the Mayor’s public consultations and meetings with Ministers at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Virtual 2020 Conference.
As someone who was born and raised in Burlington, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about this city, but working in the Mayor’s Office has opened my eyes to all the different departments and teams that work together to make Burlington the beautiful city it is.
In the coming months while I continue my internship, I hope to have more opportunities to improve my writing skills and continue working to improve ways to communicate out to the public. I also want to be able to do more research on resident issues and work on how best we can resolve them, as well as continue to find ways to make Burlington a great city to live, work and play in.
 By Staff
October 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District Police Service reports on the 2020 two day commercial vehicle traffic blitz that took place earlier in the week.
 Highway 401 runs through the Region – all that heavy commercial traffic needs a close watch. The Regional Police have a special unit focused on this work The inspections were done at the Mohawk Racetrack in Milton.
The purpose of the blitz is to conduct proactive enforcement to ensure compliance with legislation pertaining to mechanical fitness, weights, load security, safety / inspection, compliance and licencing.
With the help of neighbouring police services and agencies, officers were able to inspect 340 commercial motor vehicles with the following results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 340
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 96 (28 per cent failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 250
• Sets of licence plates seized by police: 7
2019 Results (for comparison):
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 305
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 99 (33 per cent failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 239
• Sets of licence plates seized by police: 11
Alcohol screening at the blitz also led to licence suspensions for three drivers. One of the alcohol related licence suspensions was identified as a 14-year suspended driver. This resulted in a 7-day vehicle impound. A total of 19 charges were laid against the driver and his employer, including overweight vehicle, no insurance and multiple mechanical issues.
“Issues identified at the blitz varied across all categories and are reflective of those commercial motor vehicle type offences seen throughout the year,” said Traffic Services Unit Sergeant, Ryan Snow.
 Tractor trailers get very close inspections. “The mechanical issues identified suggest a lack of maintenance and due diligence in daily inspections. Weights also continue to be a safety concern as police continuously note that dump truck drivers claim little control pertaining to overloading of their vehicles. These weight-specific concerns remain an area of ongoing education and enforcement given the obvious handling and braking issues that can occur, along with the additional damage that these weights can render to roadways.
“It should also be highlighted that an out of service rate of 28% only means 28% of trucks directed into the blitz failed to meet required standards, and is not necessarily a reflection of all trucks on area roadways.”
 By Staff
October 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There was nothing queasy or slippery about a comment made in the House of Commons by Oakville Burlington North MP Pam Damoff.
Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this week Damoff said:
“Madam Speaker, this pandemic has disproportionately been felt by women and girls, intensifying societal issues of inequality, including access to critical sexual and reproductive health services.
 Oakville North Burlington MP Pam Damoff “I am disheartened by the closure of Clinic 554 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, limiting access for sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion. Even in Halton, women have limited access to abortion.
It is essential for governments to stand up for human rights and not exacerbate issues facing those most in need of care.
“The Leader of the Opposition has refused to condemn statements made by one of his members comparing abortion to slavery. Abortion is essential health care and the decision should be made by a women and her doctor, not by men legislating control of women’s bodies.
“We must always be firm in our support for women to have access to full reproductive and sexual health services. Access to these critical services is an issue of women’s rights.”
Crystal clear as to where Damoff stands on this issue.
 By Pepper Parr
October 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON. ON
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns reports in her newsletter that her office is continuing to work at full capacity. Nice to know that.
What we don’t know is the degree to which city employees are able to work at full capacity.
 Executive Director Sheila Jones In a report to Council yesterday Executive Director Sheila Jones took Council through a report on the status of Burlington’s financial position, where things are in terms of service deliver and an update on what is being done for the commercial sector.
These monthly reports are part of what Jones does very well. Her approach is very crisp, efficient and to the point. She calls on several people to participate, opens it up to questions and ensures that Council is well informed.
There is usually a comment from city manager Tim Commisso and often an occasion when they slip into a closed session for matters that relate to property issues or situations where an individual is named – which is a no no in the municipal world.
 City manager Tim Commisso Yesterday, Commisso was getting ready to comment on staffing, he paused and said something to the effect that when talking about staffing individuals might get named and so he wanted to keep that level of detail private – as well he should.
There appear to be some people who are city employees who have been infected with covid 19. How many – we don’t know. We do know that most of the staff are working from home.
What is disturbing is the public doesn’t know how many people have been infected; how seriously the infections are and how diminished staffing levels have become.
We certainly understand the need for personal privacy. However, the city manager could have created categories of staff. Top level senior people, Directors, Managers and the balance of the close to 1000 people who work for the city.
He could have then said that there are xx people at the senior level and that yy of them have had to quarantine themselves.
There are some departments where the leadership is critical: transit and finance, the city managers office and probably information technology are vital to the operation of the city – especially given the seriousness of the covid threat.
There is a practice of using provisions of the Municipal Act to slip into a closed session to discuss issues that are becoming habits. Not a healthy habit.
Be transparent and be accountable – please.
By Pepper Parr
October 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Proposed 26 story structure on Brant, east side, north of Caroline.
Add another one to the downtown core.
This one is to be located on Brant, north of Caroline on the east side running from the Joe Dogs site north to where the Bank of Nova Scotia is located – at the south end of the No Frills Plaza.
Several blocks north – at Ghent and Brant the Molinaro development on either side of Brant will comprise of three 25 storey buildings that will cover three of the four corners of the intersection.
 Three 25 storey structures.
And there is more to come.
The public will have an opportunity to comment on the plans for a 26 storey at a Pre-Application Public Meeting that will take place on October 26; it will be a virtual meeting.
The Zoom coordinates for the event are:
Participate On-Line via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/94629064953
(internet connection required)
Webinar ID: 946 2906 4953
- Participate by Telephone:
1-647-374-4685 (audio only)
The developers proposal at this point is for a
- 26-storey mixed-used building
- 248 residential units, including one, two and three bedroom units
Ground floor commercial space
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns may have a conflict of interest on this development, it is close to across the street from her residence.
Renimmob Properties Limited, based in Hamilton is the developer listed on the file.
 By Staff
October 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
In the days before Covid, a delegation would be sitting in the Council Chamber, often amongst their peers.
You would be called up when it was your turn and you would address the members of council. On many occasions there would be questions from the members of Council which at times got quite frothy.
 Gary Scobie delegating. The public doesn’t get this kind of performance anymore – and we are the poorer for it. I recall an occasion when Gary Scobie was delegating – and when it came to questions he was able to give as good as he got. That was during the days of the 2014-2018 council
A regular Gazette reader wanted to delegate on an issue that concerned him.
The Agenda for the meeting (and accompanying application form to delegate) was not online until Thursday afternoon. Our reader was busy until 7pm.
He filled out application form at 7am on Friday (to meet the deadline of noon the next day – weekends don’t count – for Monday’s Council meeting)
Friday morning – he was busy on a community matter.
Friday 4pm – open emails to find a note from Clerk’s department which read:
“I have received your request to delegate at City Council on September 28, 2020. Due to COVID-19, all requests to delegate must contain a copy of the delegate’s intended remarks which will be circulated to all Members of Council/Standing Committee in advance of the meeting as a back-up to any technology issues that may occur.
“Once I receive your delegation comments I will confirm your delegation.”
This was new to our reader.
 The first of four images sent by the city to the delegator. He is a quick writer but commented that there was no way he could prepare anything reasonable in 30 minutes. So I wrote something, anything, over the weekend and sent it in.
As a back-up he emailed his Councillor ask him to intervene just in case there was a hiccup – there wasn’t.
Sunday 7:20PM Clerks office emails, got your remarks, you’re good to go.
Monday 1pm – into the Delegates Room. Was asked in the instructions sent to me to “open my video (thought about it but decided not to).
 The second of four images sent to the delegator When it came to my turn to delegate and I was facing a screen with 15 little people staring back at me (council and staff). Just as well I didn’t open my video, I spent the whole time looking down to read.
Seeing the Councillors is also a new feature. Last time (one month ago) my screen displayed what you see at home “Delegate Speaking”. So when I did look up, it was a bit unnerving, and everyone’s face was too small to read reactions.
The “rooms” we are placed in are all virtual.
There was a virtual Room shared by the people getting ready to delegate and then a separate virtual room for people who were about to actually delegate.
 The third image sent to the delegator Everything I did was from the comfort of my home in Aldershot.
I was first in what was referred to as the delegate room where I could look at a screen and see who the other people waiting to delegate were.
When it was my turn I was moved (again virtually) to were it was me and the members of Council along with whichever Staff members were taking part.
All I could see where the 20 or so people taking part – all set out before me on a computer screen.
When a particular person was speaking a yellow box was placed around their picture so I didn’t have to look all over the place for the speaker.
 The fourth image sent to the delegator. Was it a satisfying experience? It certainly wasn’t the kind of experience that one had when they stood at the podium before council.
The request to send in the paper I was going to read from was offensive – the Council members were not going to reads my document; many of them have problems getting through the staff reports.
Is this the best the city can do in terms of giving the citizens a way to say their piece?
Could the technology not allow for something better.
To the person at home watching the event – there is something unreal; almost plastic. The public never gets to see the person delegating – which is possible with the technology being used. The city has chosen not to do that.
It is also possible to see the embers of Council when they are speaking. The image is not always that good – but at least it is an image.
Regional Council shows everyone taking part in a meeting.
It seems to be the best that can be done at this point.
The tradition of citizens delegating will be lost if the current Zoom process is all that is going to be available.
People don’t like the current process and are not comfortable with it.
We consistently get comments from readers saying they do not feel respected by members of Council. This was certainly the case with the 2014-18 council. Does it apply to the current council? Too early to make that call – but we are seeing dis-satisfaction galore with the on-line learning students who went the virtual route are getting and have every reason to believe that the same concern exists with the Council delegations.
We will look for some time to see what other municipal council’s are doing and report back.
A member of this council is going to have to take a stand and insist that something better be put in place.
Right now this council is fixated on telling each other how well everything is going.
 By Staff
October 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 The temporary art installation, “The Promenade of Pain,” has been extended through Friday, Oct. 16 in Spencer Smith Park.
Created by Jaime Black (Métis), the multidisciplinary artist who founded The REDress Project and is hosted by Burlington local, Amber Ruthart, First Nations, White Bear Clan, 60s scoop survivor and performance artist.
Located along the walkway beside the Waterfront Hotel and around the gazebo, this project focuses around the issue of missing or murdered Aboriginal women across Canada.
The dresses resemble red specters, floating from hangers in tree branches. Whether they flutter in the wind or drape eerily still, the dresses are not what haunts you but rather the absence of those who wore them.
The dresses represent the hundreds – perhaps thousands – of North American Indigenous women and girls who have been murdered or disappeared during the past four decades.
By Pepper Parr
September 8, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It has been a full week for city council and it isn’t over yet.
Two solid days of significant work, a full city Council meeting at which they passed the version of the Official Plan that Mayor Meed Ward has been pushing since the day she stood on a cul de sac announcing her plans to run for the office of Mayor.
That she was going to run was no surprise – she had her eyes on the Office of Mayor from the day she nominated herself for the Ward 2 seat in 2010.
On Thursday, Council will be doing in depth reporting on four significant projects that are costing millions:
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP),
Enterprise Asset Management System (EAMS),
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and
Business Intelligence Program (BI).
The level of detail they are going to give is impressive. We will cover each of the four in separate articles.
Staff will also be doing a presentation on Managing Change.
The final screen is set out below.
 Indeed – what is next? A number of months ago the Human Resources Department put out a report that was stunning for its transparency and downright painful honesty.
It looks as if the content of that report was taken seriously – the presentation Council will hear tomorrow looks as if it is the beginning of a serious effort to change both the working culture in place at city hall and for a different look at what it means for a person to be a municipal civil servant.
The link below to the Human Resources report is one of the most critical reports council was given – it is well worth a read – that data is close to explosive at times.
That Human Resources Report
 By Staff
October 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Book a Heritage Workshop at Ireland House Museum with your private group of 4-6 people, $30/person.
 All workshops take place in the historic house at the hearth and are available on Saturdays (beginning in November), Sundays (sold out in October) and Mondays. Workshops include all supplies and a guided tour of Ireland House Museum. Masks are mandatory. We offer a choice of one of three experiences:
• Heritage Fall Baking Workshop
• Heritage Food Preservation Workshop
• Heritage Soups & Stews Workshop
This is one way to get out of the house and enjoy something other than Netflix.
For the truly creative – you might order in a lunch, with a decent wine (it is a private lunch) and make a day of it.
Link to the booking page is HERE
By Pepper Parr
October 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Residents are invited to participate in yet another free virtual event on the City’s Integrated Mobility Plan.
The City of Burlington is inviting residents to register for the upcoming free ZOOM event on the City’s Integrated Mobility Plan. Learn more about the commencement of the Integrated Mobility Plan study in this virtual facilitated panel discussion on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Join the virtual panel discussion with industry leaders where we’ll explore:
• the future of mobility,
• opportunities and challenges related to public health and the environment,
• social impacts of transportation and
• how planning for a multi-modal transportation network will shape how we’ll get around over the next 25 years.
Panel Participants
Moderator: Mary Rowe, President and CEO, Canadian Urban Institute
Panelists:
Dr. Dianne Saxe, Environmental and Climate Lawyer
Dr. Amed El-Geneidy, Professor, School of Urban Planning, McGill
Robin Mazumder, Urban Neuroscientist, Doctoral Candidate at the University of Waterloo
Nancy Smith Lea, Director, The Centre for Active Transportation
Todd Litman, Founder and Executive Director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Burlington’s Integrated Mobility Plan
 Work on Burlington’s Integrated Mobility Plan is underway. The plan will be built around eight pillars which, when implemented, will result in a new era of transportation that:
• Provides a wide range of options for getting around regardless of age, means or ability, including walking, cycling, public transit and automobiles
• Uses compact modes of travel like buses, bicycles and walking to efficiently move larger number of people
• Is well connected to transportation systems in surrounding regions
• Offers fast, reliable and more frequent transit
• Features improved facilities and safety for cyclists and pedestrians
The eight pillars of integrated mobility are:
1. Align land use and transportation
2. Connected mobility
3. Healthy and safe
4. Moving people efficiently
5. Managing congestion
6. Sustainability
7. Affordability
8. Innovation and integration
For more information about Burlington’s Integrated Mobility Plan and to register for this event, please visit www.burlington.ca/IMP
 Kaylan Edgecumbe, Manager of Integrated Mobility Transportation Services Kaylan Edgecumbe, Manager of Integrated Mobility Transportation Services explains that “Over the next 25 years, the City of Burlington is going to grow in its urban areas and we need to provide people with choices on how they will move through our city. It is important we design and build a transportation model that will support people of all ages and abilities with options like walking, cycling and transit.
“Building more roadways is no longer sustainable and this integrated mobility work will have a great impact on our communities and climate change for future generations.”
 By Pepper Parr
October 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
At 10:26 am, Burlington city council approved their version of an Official Plan.
 Mayor Meed Ward chairing an historic city council meeting – the day Council approved a new Official Plan. Did she break out the champagne? For Mayor Meed Ward it was a Hallelujah moment.
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman did not vote for approval of the plan.
In her comments Meed Ward said: “This is a very pleasing moment.”
In 2018 the then Council approved and adopted a plan that would have permitted 30 high rise buildings in the down town core as well as a 117 storey tower in Village Square, said Meed Ward. She added that she was the only person to vote against that plan at the time.
 Marianne Meed Ward – Moments before being sworn into office. Shortly after the plan was approved by the 2014-18 Council Meed Ward got herself elected as Mayor with a significantly different council.
That council chose to do numerous studies that got them to where they are today which the Mayor said was a fully transparent process. The level of transparency is questionable – something we will detail in a separate article.
There were concerns about the nine amendments Meed Ward put on the table. She said this morning that Staff are in place to give Council their best thinking but that Council had a “more and ethical responsibility” to reflect the views of the people that voted them into office.
“Council is not a rubber stamp” she added.
It is a big day for this Council.
Only the future will tell if the right decisions were made – which is what politics is all about.
 By Staff
October 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
This article is one of a series on the process the quarry application will go through.. Part 2 will be on what this will mean to the city and part 3 how the city will choose to tell the story.
Staff had been asked to prepare a report on the land use development application and review process related to the proposed Nelson Quarry expansion, including but not limited to the following:
• summary of the process including decision points;
• anticipated timeline for process steps;
• roles and responsibilities of review agencies;
• a summary of process and outcomes of the previous proposal for expansion; and
• a summary of any new provincial legislation related to aggregate resources.
And they did just that.
 The site that was the focus of the first license application is shown in red. The topographical map shows the relationship to the geography of the Escarpment. On May 14, 2020, the City of Burlington received an application to amend the Official Plan designation of the subject lands to expand the existing quarry operation. Receipt of an application requires staff to assess it for completeness by ensuring all required technical studies and associated Terms of Reference, as identified during pre-consultation, have been submitted for review.
The Planning Act requires a determination of completeness within 30 days of the receipt of an application. However, in accordance with Bill 189, Planning Act timelines were suspended as of March 17, 2020, due to COVID-19. This suspension of timelines ended on June 22,2020, commencing the 30-day requirement. It is noted that that the need for additional studies or reports may arise as the application review progresses.
On July 20, 2020, the application to amend the City of Burlington Official Plan was deemed complete. The application is now formally accepted for review and processing. The application has been circulated to all applicable departments and agencies for review and comment. Public notice has also been issued indicating that the application has been received and deemed complete for processing.
The following studies have been submitted as part of the complete application:
• Agricultural Impact Assessment (prepared by MHBC, dated April 2020);
• Archaeological Assessment (Stages 1, 2 &3) for Lot 17 & 18, Concession 2 NDS, Former Township of Nelson (prepared by Archaeologix Inc., dated August 2003);
• Archaeological Assessment (Stage 4) (prepared by Archaeologix Inc., dated August 2004);
• Stage 2-1 Archaeological Assessment (prepared by Golder, dated March 23, 2020);
• Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Report (prepared by MHBC, dated April 2020);
• Level 1 and Level 2 Natural Environment Technical Report (prepared by Savanta, dated April 2020);
• Financial Impact Study (prepared by Nelson Aggregates, dated April 2020);
• Air Quality Study (prepared by BCX Environmental Consulting, dated March 2020);
• Planning Justification Report (prepared by MHBC, dated April 2020);
• Progressive and Final Rehabilitation Monitoring Study (prepared by MHBC, dated April 2020);
• Traffic Report (prepared by Paradigm, dated February 2020);
• Level 1 and Level 2 Hydrogeological and Hydrological Impact Assessment Report (prepared by Earthfx, dated April 2020);
• Surface Water Assessment (prepared by Tatham Engineering, dated April 2020);
• Adaptive Management Plan (prepared by Earthfx, Savanta and Tatham Engineering, dated April 23, 2020);
• Noise Impact Assessment (prepared by HGC Engineering, dated April 22, 2020);
• Blasting Impact Analysis (prepared by Explotech, dated March 24, 2020);
• Visual Impact Assessment Report (prepared by MHBC, dated April 2020);
• Site Plan package (Drawing Nos. 1-4, including Existing Features, Operational Plan, Rehabilitation Plan and Cross Sections, prepared by MHBC, dated April 2020);
• Public Consultation Strategy (prepared by Project Advocacy, dated April 22, 2020); and,
• Karst investigations and conceptual model of the bedrock aquifer (prepared by Worthington Groundwater, dated April 25, 2020).
The lands subject to the proposed quarry expansion are located to the west of the existing licensed quarry, which currently contain the Burlington Springs Golf Club, and to the south, on lands which currently contain agricultural and residential uses.
 The shaded area is the land Nelson Aggregates wants a license to quarry. Review Process and Decision Points
Decisions on the proposed expansion to the quarry are regulated by the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act, the Aggregate Resources Act, and the Planning Act. The following approvals are required to permit the quarry expansion:
1. Niagara Escarpment Plan Amendment and Development Permit;
2. Regional Official Plan Amendment to re-designate the proposed expansion land to permit mineral aggregate extraction;
3. City of Burlington Official Plan Amendment to re-designate the proposed expansion land to permit mineral aggregate extraction; and
4. Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry issuance of an Aggregate License for the expansion area.
The applications to the Niagara Escarpment Commission, Region of Halton, City of Burlington, and Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) have been received at the same time.
Given the overlap in technical review, it is common for such applications to be filed concurrently to ensure a coordinated review among all agencies. To ensure conformity with the most senior level of government, a sequencing of decisions is required.
The Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act stipulates that no approval or permission that relates to development (including aggregate extraction) shall be made within an area of development control unless a Niagara Escarpment Development Permit has been issued. A decision from the Niagara Escarpment Plan comes first in the process of reviewing and permitting mineral aggregate extraction proposals within the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area.
A decision on the proposed amendments to the Regional Official Plan and Burlington Official Plan cannot occur prior to approval of the Niagara Escarpment Plan Amendment and issuance of a Development Permit. Further to that, a decision to amend the Burlington Official Plan cannot occur prior to approval of the proposed amendment to the Region of Halton Official Plan.
It is noted that the MNRF cannot issue an aggregate license without an approval from the Niagara Escarpment Commission.
 The current quarry is not yet completely mined out – but Nelson Aggregate knows that the site doesn’t have much time left. Public input related to the proposal is welcomed and encouraged. Prior to any decisions being made, public consultation will occur, including a statutory public meeting. The timing of the statutory public meeting has not yet been determined and will be scheduled once the technical review of the proposal has progressed further.
Best efforts will be made to align public consultation with the Niagara Escarpment Commission, Region of Halton, and City of Burlington.
A conceptual diagram, prepared by the Region, sets out the parallel review processes.
The proposed application is exceptionally complex, and the technical review has just begun. At this point it is difficult to outline anticipated timelines this early in the review process.
The sequencing of decisions from senior levels of government (i.e. Niagara Escarpment Commission and Region of Halton) will dictate the timing for a decision on the proposed Burlington Official Plan Amendment.
Both the NEC and the MNRF will be releasing requests for comment on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. This is anticipated to occur within Q3 of 2020, and the ability for the public, the City and other agencies to comment will be open for a limited period of time, as determined by the NEC and MNRF.
It is noted that the legislated timelines from the Planning Act with respect to the Region of Halton and City of Burlington Official Plan Amendments are applicable. Given the technical aspects of the application and sequencing of decisions to ensure conformity with senior levels of government, it is not possible to follow the procedures and timing of a typical development review process.
Regular reporting to council with progress updates will assist in providing clarity on timing as the review process unfolds.
Roles and Responsibilities
An inter-agency Joint Agency Review Team (JART) framework will be used to review the application for the proposed quarry expansion. The JART consists of technical staff from the municipalities and agencies (Niagara Escarpment Commission, Region of Halton, Conservation Halton, City of Burlington) reviewing the requested quarry expansion. The team is also supported by consultants with specialist skills. Halton Region is providing the coordinating role and administering JART for these applications.
It is noted that JART itself does not make a recommendation on whether or not the application should be approved. The function of JART is to review the completeness of the application and analyze the proposal on its technical merits. The JART framework ensures a coordinated review by all agencies. The consolidation of effort through JART minimizes duplication among reviewing agencies while ensuring a consistent and thorough agency response across technical disciplines. The JART framework is also intended to support effective communication with the public by providing information, receiving input, and coordinating a response to questions.
At the conclusion of the JART process, a report outlining the results of the joint technical review will be provided to the City to inform a recommendation report to Council.
The City of Burlington reviews the merits of the Official Plan Amendment application on an independent basis, taking into account the JART’s comments along with agency- specific considerations and public comments prior to making a recommendation.
Similarly, the Niagara Escarpment Commission, MNRF and Region of Halton are responsible for their own decisions on their respective applications.
Previous application to expand Nelson Quarry
A previous proposal for expansion to the Nelson Quarry was submitted in 2004. The Niagara Escarpment Commission, Halton Region, Conservation Halton, and the City of Burlington participated in the review of the 2004 proposal.
 The Jefferson salamander – it should be the city’s mascot. The applications for the 2004 proposal were referred to the Joint Board (consisting of the Ontario Municipal Board and Environmental Review Tribunal, formed under the authority of the Consolidated Hearings Act). The main issue with the proposal was the protection of Jefferson salamander habitat. In the decision, the Joint Board found that the proposal was not consistent with the purpose and objectives of the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act and the Niagara Escarpment Plan and not consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement and refused the expansion.
It is noted that the current proposal encompasses a reduced portion of the lands from the 2004 proposal on the south side of No. 2 Sideroad and also adds a new/expanded phase of extraction to the west on the site of the Burlington Springs golf course.
New Legislation Related to Aggregate Resources
There have been recent proposals by the Province for new legislation related to aggregate resources through amendments to the Growth Plan and Aggregate Resources Act. They are summarized as follows:
1. Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan recommended, among other things, the removal of “habitat of endangered species and threatened species” as a consideration when permitting a new aggregate operation. Staff report PL-42-20 provided an overview to Council of this and all other proposed amendments to the Growth Plan. It is noted that at the conclusion of the public consultation process for Amendment 1 to the Growth Plan, the Province did not include this specific revision. “Habitat of endangered species and threatened species” remains as a consideration in the Growth Plan for a new aggregate operation.
2. Building on Bill 132, the Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, Ontario Regulation 244/97 made changes to the Aggregate Resources Act. The changes were based on the following themes: Ensure environmental protection, particularly related to water; Increase opportunities for community engagement on applications; Improve access to aggregates; and Reducing duplication and inefficiencies in the review/approval process. The proposed regulatory changes would apply to new pits and quarries, as well as existing pits and quarries. A staff memo in the May 21, 2020 Council Information Package provides a summary of the changes proposed by Ontario Regulation 244/97.
Communications Plan
On September 23, 2019, Council approved the following staff direction – Direct the City Manager to develop a detailed communications strategy to ensure the public is well briefed on the quarry process by May 2020.
As identified in this report, the Region of Halton will be taking a coordinating role on behalf of JART. Based on this approach, the Region has agreed to also take the lead on developing a communications plan for the Nelson Quarry application process. Discussions are well under way with City staff and Region staff on developing a plan.
The aim of the communications plan will be to ensure that affected residents and beyond are receiving up to date information on the application’s progress.
Communications will also go out to residents informing them about the opportunities to engage with the approving bodies to provide their feedback on any requests for comments.
Once the communications plan is developed by the Region of Halton, steps will be taken by the City’s Communications Department to amplify the information. These messages will ensure all residents living in Ward 3 are informed of the application’s progress. Residents from across the City will also be able to keep updated on the application by visiting the Nelson Quarry webpage, Burlington.ca/nelsonquarry.
Following Council approval of this report, there will be initial communications from the City about the high-level processes that has been identified in Appendix B.
 Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan; his ward is ground zero on the quarry question. Financial Matters:
The application fees to the City for an Official Plan Amendment is $82,220.00. All fees to date have been paid by the applicant. The applicant has been made aware, through the pre-consultation process, that peer review costs for technical reports are also required to be paid by the applicant, in accordance with the JART Protocol.
As identified above, a communications plan is being developed in partnership with the Region of Halton.
An application process timetable was prepared by the Region. The biggest concern for several Councillors was Q3 2022 – that is when the next municipal election is to take place and Councillor Nisan wondered what impact the issue of a quarry license extension might have on his being re-elected.
It is reported that Nisan has received more than 400 letters from people who want the quarry extension to be granted and that the city pay serious attention to the plans for turning the mined out quarry property into a huge public park.
 By Staff
October 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Public Skating, Skate 19+ and the Sticks and Pucks Program will return to Appleby Ice Centre (1201 Appleby Line), Central Arena (519 Drury Ln.) and Mountainside Arena (2205 Mount Forest Dr.).
Programs are viewable online at burlington.ca/fall. Burlington residents can register 25-hours ahead of attending a program while non-residents can register two-hours ahead. Online registration, pre-screening and pre-payment are required. Online screening can be done at burlington.ca/screening.
Programs start at Appleby Ice Centre on Oct. 10 with Public Skate and Skate 19+. Public Skate begins Sunday, Oct. 18 at Mountainside and Central Arenas.
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, skating programs will meet health guidelines designed in consultation with Halton Region Public Health and in alignment with provincial health guidelines for programs.
By Staff
October 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Good news for cyclists.
As part of the construction work being done on the elevators at Burlington GO the transit authority is building a new secure bike room at the station to help make cycling to the station even safer.
 48 secure lockers are expected to be available for rent near the end of the year. Concrete work scheduled for mid-October 2020 will prepare for the final secure bike room installation in spring 2021.
The new secure bike room will become part of the reserved bike-parking program (gotransit.com/reservedbicycleparking). The secure bike room will have 48 spaces and will be located on the south side of the station building, offering customers one more way to get on the GO.
Metrolinx is committed to getting the upgrades done as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The Gazette will keep you up to date on construction work.
By Pepper Parr
October 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
You are going to have to pay to park downtown in December – it has been free for the past seven years.
The Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) asked council to end the program – it is no longer delivering what it was delivering to the downtown merchants.
The past two years – the data collected, and it was extensive, indicated that the opportunity to park free during December was lost due to people who would take up the space for the day.
The abuse brought the program to an end.
 Councillor cautioned ending the program this year. Council’s biggest concern was how to spin this. Councilor Stolte who was the chair of the Standing Committee said she didn’t have a problem with ending the program but didn’t think this should be the time to do it.
People have had a lot taken away from them – they are going to think this is just one more thing. It might backfire on us.
The downtown merchants didn’t seem to care. They wanted the program to end. Their feeling was that if people have to pay there will be more churn; parking spaces will become available when a person has finished their shopping.
Right now – there are people who work downtown and leave their car on the street for the day in December because it is free.
Downtown merchants found that they were experiencing a 25% decrease in sales the past two years. From their perspective it was time to end the program.
It is the city that will have to end the program and Councilors felt that the blame would rest on them.
Councillor Galbraith said that messaging is important – this could be spun the wrong way.
 Councillor Kearns wanted everyone to be vert careful with the way they explained the ending of the program. Councillor Kearns. Ward 2 where most of that downtown business is located was pained when she heard Councillor Bentivegna talk in terms of something being taken away. “Think in terms”, she said “about what we are giving back.”
“Be aware of your language.”
The concern for the Councillors was that they were going to end up with cow paddies on the soles of their shoes.
Council was asked to discontinue December free parking in all downtown parking facilities effective December 1st, 2020.
Mayor Meed Ward loved the idea when it was put in place. She had little to say other than that parking should be seamless – you shouldn’t have to drive around the block a couple of times to find a place.
By Pepper Parr
October 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Good news and news that is not all that good for people with accessibility issues.
Work on the elevators at the Burlington GO station is needed as they reach the end of their lifespan
The work will begin later this month and is not expected to be completed before the end of the year.
The work is to start October 26, 2020.
This will mean some temporary changes for customers at Burlington GO, especially those who require elevator access.
Customers with accessibility needs are able to use the elevators at both neighbouring GO stations (Appleby and Aldershot), GO Transit will also help make alternative travel arrangements for customers.
The brand new elevators will open to customers early next year.
What is happening at Burlington GO?
 Elevators at Burlington GO getting an upgrade – going to take two and a half months to do the work. While the elevators upgrades are taking place, both the north and south platforms will be not be accessible for customers who need elevator service.
There will not be an accessible route between the north and south side of the station.
The elevator in the parking structure in the north lot will still be available.
I need an elevator, what should I do?
Customers who need an elevator can request an accessible shuttle service which will transfer them between Burlington GO and Appleby GO or Aldershot GO.
To use the accessibility shuttle, customers can register with GO Transit through the Contact Centre.
The current elevators have been running since 1994, so this modernization work is necessary to ensure reliability for many years to come.
By Pepper Parr
October 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
During the virtual public pre-consultation given by the ADI Development people last week the number of people who were “on the call” was small.
Two that mattered though were the ward Councillor, Kelvin Galbraith and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.
 Kelvin Galbraith: ward 1 Councillor  Mayor Marianne Meed Ward They were there because council recently passed some rules for a process that, while voluntary, was necessary if the Planning department was to look at the application.
What was most interesting was how little they had to say.
One of the people who took part asked about retail and was told “there wasn’t going to be any”. There wasn’t a word of comment from the Councillor.
The ADI people said that base level retail was not considered. Judy Worsley, Executive Director of the Aldershot BIA said she had met with the ADI people and differed with them on ground level retail adding that “we will be revisiting this”.
 Rendering of a three story tower configuration. The ADI people agreed that retail was important and they saw that being built along Waterdown Road which could become a retail spine for the area.
Shawn Coon did say that if retail is found to work “ADI will be interested” adding that retail might not work right away.
One had to wonder at that point what the Councillor was going to do to get some traction behind the need for retail. The hundreds of people who are going to live at Station West will need groceries, a Beer Store, an LCBO at the least.
The word supermarket didn’t get mentioned.
Galbraith, who has been working with a developer nursing their project along in the area, has said the developer will include a coffee shop in his development. Galbraith is pushing him for a small supermarket that will be a long block away from the centre of Station West.
The matter of fire truck access came up which “needs to be worked out” according to Shane Cooney, an Executive vice president with ADI.
 Two towers at 39 stories each, a third at 29 storey. They will border Waterdown Road and Masonry Court.  Height will range from 39 storeys to 18 storeys Meed Ward urged people to “continue thinking about what you like: green space, retail and built form.
Traffic was another issue: Cooney said that it is early in the process of doing a traffic impact study – we are not certain how to estimate what the vehicle traffic will be.
ADI defines Station West as a complete community with different housing forms.
There is certainly a lot of housing and in time there are going to be a lot of people in that community – but at this point there didn’t appear to be anyone talking loudly about what was missing. By the time half of the people have moved in it will be too late.
No library, no community centre, no park. Not the usual definition of complete community.
Related news story.
ADI gets to tell their story.
By Staff
October 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON.
It was too good to last.
Or was it a case of the perk being abused by too many people – with the downtown merchants who were originally getting a benefit that over time got away from them.
The result is to ask that Council approve a decision to eliminate the free parking that was available for all of the month of December,
Every program or service has to meet at least one of the visions that make up the Vision to Focus Alignment: Focus Area 5 – Delivering customer centric services with a focus on efficiency and technology transformation.
In promoting the Free Parking service someone at city hall got really creative and put together a very funny 35 second video. Check it out
The downtown business community as the city’s customer, requested a change in the parking service provided.
The Downtown Parking Committee (DPC) was established on November 11, 2002 as a citizen advisory committee of council. The mandate of the DPC is to:
• To provide comments and advice to Council on strategies and policies that affect the development and delivery of parking services in Downtown Burlington
• To consider the community’s interests regarding parking in Downtown Burlington and assist Council in addressing those concerns.
On June 17, 2013, Council approved changes to on-street and municipal facility parking, which approved free parking for all on-street meters and in municipal parking facilities in the Defined Parking Area in downtown Burlington for the month of December.
The intention of this initiative was to improve the parking experience and support economic activity, special events, tourism, and visitor activity in the downtown throughout the month of December.
 Get used to this experience in December. The program was well received by the downtown business community. However, over the past several years, the benefit of the program has been challenged and in December 2019, the DPC was informed that the consensus among the Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) membership was that the program is no longer achieving the original goal, and additionally, that the reduced turnover in parking spaces observed during the Free P period has in fact, become detrimental to business activity.
The DPC agreed on a motion to pause the December Free P! initiative to allow the committee to review options to revise the program. The BDBA circulated a survey to all membership, requesting their feedback and personal experience on the program. The survey consisted of three options:
1. Cancel the program
2. Modify the program
3. Status Quo
As a result of the response, the Burlington Downtown Parking Advisory Committee held a special meeting on March 3, 2020 where the findings of the survey were presented.
While modifications to the program were considered at length, consensus was reached that given the current parking occupancy levels in the downtown, both visitors and businesses would benefit more from the turnover of parking spaces that paid parking would encourage.
 Too many downtown merchants took advantage of the free parking; city staff were taking up so much of the space that the city manager at the time had to put out as memo bringing that practice to a halt. City of Burlington Transportation Services staff serve in a support capacity to the DPC. Staff consider the DPC and BDBA as the voice of the downtown business community and will support the decision to discontinue the December Free P! parking program.
December Free P is no longer fulfilling its intended purpose and moreover has lowered turnover rates which is considered detrimental to business activity.
The downtown municipal parking service functions with a net zero annual operating budget. Net revenues in excess of expenses are allocated to the Downtown Parking Reserve Fund. Should expenses exceed revenues, funds are withdrawn from the reserve fund to ensure that the downtown parking service continues to be self-sufficient.
 When the Free P program was implemented the annual cost of permits was charged over 11 months of the year and each permit holder saw an increase in the monthly fee. With the termination of the Free P program, permits will now once again be collected over 12 months thereby reducing the cost of the monthly permit.
Eliminating the Free P program will bring in additional paid parking revenues, which would contribute to the parking reserve fund.
Staff will work with the Communications Department to develop appropriate communication and media releases.
Council’s decision on these matters will be communicated to stakeholders and the community through the Downtown Parking Committee membership, a media release, a marketing campaign and the city’s website
The proposed amendment to By-law 39-2016 is supportive of the DPC’s recommendation to remove December Free P.
That should get it through Committee and on to Council.
 By Staff
October 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is commissioning an Ontario-based Indigenous artist to create a permanent public art piece for the outside of Joseph Brant Museum.
Residents are invited to share their thoughts on two finalists chosen by an independent jury. The two proposed designs can be viewed and commented upon by logging into or joining the City’s engagement platform: GetInvolvedBurlington.ca.
The comments received on GetInolvedBurlington.ca/MuseumPublicArt, along with the technical and detailed design proposals, will inform the jury’s final selection.
The hope is that this project will help to create awareness of the rich Indigenous cultures, peoples and heritage that are at the root of our territory, city and province. The theme of the artwork will focus on Indigenous language. Language connects us to our past, present and future; it is crucial to the development of community and the sharing of knowledge.
The budget for this project is $120,000 CAD (maximum, exclusive of HST). The City of Burlington Public Art Reserve Fund and the Dan Lawrie International Sculpture Collection are jointly funding this project.
The City released A Request for Expressions of Interest in 2019. An independent jury made up of project and community stakeholders and representatives from Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Six Nations of the Grand River went through the submissions and choose two finalists to develop preliminary artwork concepts.
Proposal #1
David M. General
Artist Statement
Conversations and Stories is the working title of an outdoor artwork proposed for the City of Burlington. The artwork features two women on their way to see the new Joseph Brant Museum expansion. One woman carries a child – her granddaughter. Conversations and Stories will be installed in the garden near the main entrance.
 The artwork features two women on their way to see the new Joseph Brant Museum expansion. The theme for the Joseph Brant Museum Outdoor Art Project is Indigenous Language. Old people at home say “you learn your language on your Mother’s knee”- I believe that. Language gives you a sturdy foothold on lessons to be learned from the Thanksgiving Address, Seven Grandfather Teachings, Great Law of Peace and Medicine Wheel.
Granite and bronze are classic, timeless and durable materials used by ancient civilizations for thousands of years. I used granite mainly for the contrast it provides between highly polished and etched surfaces and its low maintenance and vandalism resistance.
Design begins with rough sketches that guide making maquettes – small 3-D models of figures I create. Sketches are used to guide maquette development. Up to four sets of maquettes will be used to determine best combination surface, text and symbol for the artwork.
Conversations and Stories will stand at the entrance to Joseph Brant Museum for several lifetimes – inviting all to share conversations. Conversations and Stories a modern-day tribute to historic contributions of Indigenous leadership and commitment.
 David is Oneida and a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River, near Brantford, Ontario. Artist Biography
David is Oneida and a member of the Six Nations of the Grand River, near Brantford, Ontario. Prior to his art career, David worked as a Journeyman Bridge and Structural Steel Ironworker, an Elementary School Teacher and an Arts & Culture Officer with the federal government. David’s career as a full-time artist began in 1980 and for 30 years he worked and developed a distinctive style for work, mainly in marble and bronze.
In 1984, David was a founding member and co-chair of the Society of Canadian Artists of Native Ancestry (SCANA), a national native artist organization that successfully lobbied the National Gallery of Canada for greater recognition and representation for First Nations Art. In 1987, the National Gallery bought the first of many works by contemporary native artists.
https://davidgeneral.blogspot.com/
 A series of three white cedar story poles at staggered heights. Proposal #2
Artist: Kris Nahrgang
Artist Statement
My vision for this public art project includes:
• A series of three white cedar story poles at staggered heights.
• Each pole will feature traditional Indigenous symbols, hand carved and painted with vibrant colours in the Woodland School style.
• The existing large stones from the garden will be rearranged to gather around the poles and will represent the Grandfathers, the Spirits of our ancestors, they are our permanent audience.
• The heights of the poles will complement the roof lines of the building and the canopy, with the tallest pole visible from almost 360° around the museum.
• The poles will integrate with the existing landscaping, with minimal disruption, complementing the architectural theme of the front entrance.
• The installation will be a colourful focal point and therefore a natural gathering place.
First Peoples of Ontario created poles distinct from those of the West Coast. The word Totem is derived from the Anishnaabeg word dodem, which means clan. The poles here were Clan Poles and recognized as Story Poles. The proposed Story Poles will acknowledge the three indigenous groups of the past; Mississauga Ojibway, Iroquoian, and the Huron. They will celebrate our differences, and more specifically, our similarities. We are distinct, yet one in our beliefs. As Peoples we did not have written language, but we did communicate with art, symbolism and the spoken word. Through images inspired by Woodland School symbolism and ancient petroglyphs, this public artwork will tell the story of the area with wood and stone, linking the earliest inhabitants, the current residents and the generations to come.
 R. Kris Nahrgang: His style has a balance of innovative, modern and traditional elements which have led to a growing recognition of his work across Canada and the world. Artist Biography
R. Kris Nahrgang is a multi-disciplinary artist working in wood, stone and traditional oil mediums. He is also an advocate for the rights of First Nations communities in Ontario and has liaised between Native and non-native groups with respect to archaeology since 2000. Kris Nahrgang is a Status, Mississauga Ojibway Treaty Indian – status held at Curve Lake. His home is located close to the site of the Peterborough Petroglyphs which date back over a thousand years and are recognized as the largest single concentration of rock carvings in Canada.
Kris’ art is a continuation of this spirit and tradition of rock and totem carving. His style has a balance of innovative, modern and traditional elements which have led to a growing recognition of his work across Canada and the world. His work has been noted in art periodicals including Insight, Art Impression and Collectibles, as well as Maclean’s magazine.
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