 By Staff
July 31st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The biggest problem the governments are running into getting the economy running again is the need people have to gather in a bar somewhere, stand elbow to elbow (perhaps cheek to cheek) hoisting a cool one or clinking a wine glass – thereby negating the need to stay six feet apart and not breath in each other’s face.
That’s how the COVID19 virus gets around.
In an effort to reduce close contact between individuals in these settings, the province is implementing additional measures for restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments, as the province carefully and gradually reopens.
In order to keep patrons of restaurants, bars, and other food or drink establishments safe, the amended orders will implement the following measures:
 • All patrons will be required to be seated at all times, in both indoor and outdoor areas, with limited exceptions; and
• Bars and restaurants (and also tour boat operators) in Ontario will be required to keep client logs for a period of 30 days and to disclose the client logs to the medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act on request, which will support case and contact tracing.
• Complementary changes are being made in respect of existing provisions relating to tour operators and tour boat operators.
The Chief Medical Officer of Health and other public health experts continue to closely monitor the evolving situation to advise when public health measures or restrictions can be further loosened or if they need to be tightened.
Businesses and sectors unable to open or facing significant difficulties in operating under the current restrictions are invited to visit Ontario.ca/reopen to submit a reopening proposal. Businesses are also encouraged to use the government’s guide to develop a workplace safety plan.
Government officials will work collaboratively with them on a plan to safely reopen, where feasible. The plan will be considered by public health officials and the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee as part of Ontario’s approach to Stage 3.
By Staff
July 31st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The province announced earlier today that schools would open in September.
Elementary level students will remain a single cohort, five days per week, including for recess and lunch. Further, school boards will be required to provide the full curriculum. Class sizes will remain at the mandated maximum levels in place before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Secondary students in 24 “designated boards” — mainly in urban and suburban areas with relatively high student populations — will attend school on alternating days, in cohorts of about 15.
The Public is going to need some time to absorb this and determine what each household wants to do.
There are a lot of unanswered questions.
Busing students has some problems.
Here is what we do know:
- Students in grade 4-12 will be required to wear masks with exceptions for things like eating.
- Mask exemptions will be accommodated for those with valid reasons such as respiratory challenges.
- For students in JK-Grade 3, masks will be optional but encouraged.
- Schools will implement additional hand hygiene, cohorting, and distancing.
- Visitors in schools will be limited and will require pre-registration.
- Masks will be provided to teachers and staff.
- If a student or staff member is experiencing any symptoms of the COVID-19, they will be required to stay home.
- Physical distancing will be implemented as much as possible.
- Parents are allowed to decide whether their child returns to school in-person this September.
- Students will have the option of remote learning, which would be delivered by the school board.
- Any student or staff member who develop COVID-19 symptoms will be immediately separated from others. Staff and parents will then be contacted by their health provider and be informed about COVID-19 testing centres.
- School staff will receive training on processes and procedures.
- Organized sports and clubs can proceed if physical distancing can be maintained and equipment is cleaned regularly.
By Pepper Parr
July 30th, 20020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Ministry of Education held a Technical Briefing this afternoon on the plans to re-open schools safely in September.
Shannon Fuller, Assistant Deputy Minister of Strategic Policy and Planning Division, Denys Giguere, Assistant Deputy Minister of French-Language Teaching, Learning and Achievement Division, Dr. David McKeown, Chair of Ontario’s Public Health Measures Table, and Nancy Naylor, Deputy Minister, from the Ministry of Education will be taking part.
A question and answer period followed the briefing. All information provided could not be attributed –it was for background purposes only.
Governments meet with media to outline approaches that are being taken to announcements they intend to make.
We can expect an announcement in the very near future on the re-opening of schools.
Governments tend to issue bad news on Friday afternoons of a long weekend.
We are going into a long weekend.
Tomorrow is a Friday.
 By Staff
July 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board has received notice from the Ministry of Education of final funding approval for a new secondary school in Oakville, a new elementary school in Milton and a child care centre renovation at Frontenac Public School in Burlington.
The renovation at Frontenac Public School in Burlington will create a two-room child care centre. Funding will also provide for regularly planned renewal work at the school to be completed.
Renovations to the child care centre at Frontenac Public School will begin immediately
 Frontenac Public School – Built in 1967. The provincial government will provide the following funding for these projects:
• $33,640,009 for the new Oakville secondary school (Oakville NE #1 hs)
• $19,183,165 for the new Milton elementary school (Milton SW #12 ps)
• $2,367,026 for the child care centre renovation and renewal work at Frontenac Public School
On behalf of HDSB students, the Board appreciates the role of the Ministry of Education and the Ontario government to improve the learning experience for students.
“We are grateful for the support of the Ontario government and the Ministry of Education for funding these three important projects. These new schools will help accommodate the tremendous housing growth occurring in Milton and Oakville,” says Stuart Miller, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “The renovation at Frontenac Public School will allow us to increase the number of child care spaces in our community and serve more families.”
Construction for the new schools in Oakville and Milton is expected to begin in Spring 2021.
The new secondary school in northeast Oakville (Oakville NE #1 hs), which will be located at Dundas St W and Neyagawa Blvd, will provide an innovative and supportive learning environment for 1,200 students.
Once complete, the new elementary school in southwest Milton (Milton SW #12 ps), which will be located on Kennedy Circle West, close to Louis St. Laurent Ave and Thompson Rd S, will accommodate 770 students and include five child care rooms.
 By Pepper Parr
July 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Every household in the city that has children attending a school are faced with the questions:
When schools re-open will our children be in the classroom?
It is a very personal family decision – that is compounded by the realities of the modern family where Mom and Dad both work.
Once the parents are back at their desks – the kids have to be in school.
While the Premier of the province is doing his best to keep the public fully informed he is also being very cautious and quite loud when he learns of some of the really stupid social behaviour.
He wants students back in schools but he also wants to be certain that he gets it right the first time.
The public is wary of a government that wants things opened up for the sake of the economy – the parents want to be assured that there children will be safe.
The Hospital for Sick Children released a report today that represents the views of the medical community.
 With a world class reputation – parents can take some comfort in their views on when students can return to school and what the conditions should be. SickKids has released new proposed guidelines for reopening schools in Ontario come September, including recommendations like staggered lunch times, no large assemblies, and mandatory masks for older students.
It suggests various health and safety protocols for schools that take a student’s age and developmental considerations into account.
The group says it is recommending the use of masks for high school students, with consideration for middle school students, whenever physical distancing can’t be maintained. Around 61 per cent of the authors agreed masks shouldn’t be required for elementary school kids.
“[Mask wearing] probably will diminish the infectivity of some individuals with COVID, however there are also a number of potential harms,” said Dr. Jeffrey Pernica of McMaster Children’s Hospital, saying that masks could distract and interfere with learning, especially for those with articulation problems, neurological issues, or kids who are learning a second language.
He also said that masks would have to be worn correctly in order to be effective, adding that it could be “impractical” for teachers to enforce.
The doctors aren’t recommending that elementary school children wear masks, saying that they could be a distraction and interfere with learning.
Most of the doctors also agreed that if community transmission is low, masking should not be mandatory for students returning to class.
 This is the number of students who will fill a classroom under COVIID19 conditions. Will they wear masks? “The lower the level of COVID in the community … the less benefit there is with masking — but the harms remain the same,” Pernica said. “This is why our recommendations are what they are right now.” Pernica also added that if the levels change, so will the recommendations.
Dr. Sean Ari Bitnun, a physician at SickKids, further emphasized that one single measure wasn’t going to mitigate things — success relies on the package.
“If we’re not focusing on any of the other recommendations, we are bound for disaster,” he said. “It really is the bundle effect that is going to create a safe environment for teachers and students.”
When it comes to physical distancing, the document says its role “should be discussed with students of all ages,” but added it would not be practical to enforce for kids in elementary school, especially during play times.
Instead, the report says “cohorting” — where kids would avoid mixing with other classes and grades — could be used as a strategy.
“Two metres is optimal, but the transmission at one metre is not significantly different,” said Dr. Charles Hui of CHEO.
Other recommendations include:
Implementing strict screening for students and employees who are symptomatic or have been exposed to the virus.
Teaching kids how to clean their hands properly with developmentally and age-appropriate material.
Arranging classroom furniture to leave space between students.
 The wind instruments won’t get taken out of their cases this school year. Having smaller class sizes. Cancelling choir practices, performances, and band because of the high risk of transmission from wind instruments.
Continuing sports and physical education classes, but cleaning sports equipment and delaying team and close contact sports.
Implementing a regular cleaning schedule.
The doctors said that it would be up to each school to figure out how to implement changes when it came to aspects like running school libraries or preventing masses of students from rushing out into the hallways at the end of the school day.
Dr. Bitnun also called for local public health units to closely collaborate with schools, saying that “there will undoubtedly be positive cases with the children and for teachers.”
‘Putting out fires as they come up’
The document stresses that opening schools safely — and keeping them open — will be directly impacted by how the virus is spreading in the community.
The recommendations reflect a mark of less than 200 new confirmed cases a day, and experts say that “may evolve” as the epidemiology of COVID-19 changes and new evidence emerges.
The doctors said they haven’t identified a specific level of community spread that, if breached, would means schools would have to close.
“A specific number in isolation doesn’t really have value,” said Dr. Bitnun. “My view, and I think this is shared by the others, is maybe the most important thing is to have a robust system of testing and contact tracing … in other words, we should focus on, to paraphrase, putting out fires as they come up rather than shutting down everything based on a specific number.”
Staying home could impact already vulnerable students
The experts quoted in the document continue to push for full-time instruction, saying that remote learning would be “insufficient to meet the needs” of youth.
“Thinking about developmental impact and mental health impact has to be in the same equation as the potential harm of COVID,” said Dr. Sloan Freeman, lead pediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital.
There are risks to Ontario schools reopening full-time but ways to mitigate them, experts say
Going back to part time, they said, would affect working parents and caregivers, and mean bringing more people into the loop, like babysitters or grandparents.
Not going back, doctors say, could impact already vulnerable students the most.
 Difficult children will find it hardest to cope with the changes. “Medically complex children or children with severe underlying medical or behavioural illness, I think those families are disproportionately affected by what is going on in terms of isolation and trying to manage at home,” said Dr. Jeremy Friedman, a pediatrician at SickKids. “I think that those families, more than any others probably, will not be able to withstand the sort of time period we’re talking about for [when] this pandemic has moved into a more stable phase.”
“The sad irony is that I think that the children who are perhaps the most fragile and most at risk, those children, those families are the ones that probably need to have the normality and the routine,” he said.
By Staff
July 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
How do you work a business plan during a pandemic?
The fleet of foot are in a constant pivoting position.
The conditions change daily – and the rules have to be revised to recognize and deal with the new reality.
On August 7th there will be a Webinar that pulls together key people directly involved in changing the rules and regualtions when a change is necessary.
During this webinar, businesses will have the opportunity to connect directly with senior City of Burlington staff to understand how the City and its counterparts at Burlington Economic Development are adapting to support businesses during COVID-19 as well as help plan for long-term economic recovery.
The City of Burlington Customer Experience is being re imagined in light of new physical distancing requirements and other COVID-19 adaptations in the workplace. This includes:
• Investing in an online appointment booking application to reduce wait times
• The ability to submit development applications electronically
• Rolling out an “Open for Business” customer service window for easy public access and on-the-spot collaboration and problem-solving
• Adapting to support retail and restaurants to allow the expansion of restaurant space and use of downtown parking for curbside pick-up
Other opportunities for discussion will include Burlington’s mandatory mask by-law, and the launch of the Burlington Economic Recovery Network, a Team Burlington initiative.
 Anita Cassidy, Executive Director of Burlington Economic Development REGISTER HERE
Moderator
• Anita Cassidy – Executive Director of Burlington Economic Development
Panelists
• Heather MacDonald – Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility
• Jamie Tellier – Acting Director of Community Planning
• Nick Anastasopoulos – Director of Building and By-law, Chief Building Official
• Brynn Nheiley – Manager of Development Planning
• Jenna Puletto – Special Business Area Coordinator, Senior Planner – Official Plan
• Kerry Davren – Manager of Bylaw
By Pepper Parr
July 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor reports that: “At a special meeting July 28, Burlington City Council approved amendments to our temporary Mask By-law which regulates the use of face masks and coverings within enclosed spaces open to the public.
“The amendments were made for consistency with Halton Region’s Mask Bylaw and on advice received from Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health.
 Mayor Meed Ward out and about sporting a fashionably black face mask Missing is a city crest. “The By-law was implemented in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of the community.
“The changes are now in effect and include:
* Exempting children under the age of five from wearing a mask (previously children under three).
* Requiring parents/guardians of children over five years of age to make a “best effort” to ensure the children wear a mask
* Removing face shields as an acceptable face covering. Public Health information indicates that face coverings need to cover the nose and mouth without gapping
* Updating wording related to “employee-only areas” which are not regulated under the by-law
Applying the Mask By-law to City recreation facilities.
”The updates to our temporary mask by-law will help ensure residents have consistency in the Burlington and Halton Region bylaws”, said the Mayor who added: “Masks are an essential way to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 so we can continue to move forward in reopening businesses and schools and getting back to more of the activities we all enjoy. I encourage all our residents to wear a mask in public indoor spaces to help protect our families, friends, and community.
“The removal of face shields as an alternative to face masks was based on advice from Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health during discussion at Halton Regional Council of the Region’s mask bylaw. Face shields can be an added layer of protection when worn with a face masks, but based on medical advice are not considered a substitute for a face mask.”
Not everyone agrees with the Mayor. Hopefully the comment from Bruce Lacillade is that of a very small minority. “Again, Marianne, I am disappointed in you. Forcing citizens to give up their humanity and be treated as nothing more than a disease! Masking is only another step toward total control of society; you know that. The coronavirus is an influenza virus nothing more.
By Pepper Parr
July 29, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Aug 10th, when we know what direction the Ministry has given us
How many people are missing those Back to School Sales flyers that would normally be stuffed inside whatever gets dropped off at your house?
Most parents are wondering just when (some ask if) school is going to start. September 7th is the scheduled resumption of classes but at this point no one at any of the school boards knows what the province is going to dictate.
 HDSB Superintendent Terri Blackwell speaking with Director of Education Stuart Miller School boards from across the province have been meeting with Ministry of Education officials setting out how they would teach under one of the three scenarios the province outlines:
All teaching done remotely
All teaching done in schools with classes limited to 15 students
An Alternative approach that was a combination of the other two scenarios.
The Halton District School Board (HDSB) has prepared a very detailed schema for the elementary and secondary students. They have not released the details because they don’t yet know what the province is going to direct them to deliver.
HDSB Director of Education Stuart Miller didn’t want to confuse parents by sending out information that may prove not to be applicable.
What the School Board will be doing is sending a questionnaire to parents asking if they plan to send their children back to school when the province clears the way. Miller and his staff want to know if the parents will send their children to a school or if they want them to be taught remotely.
We know now that there will not be gym classes, French classes will be limited and that there will not be any extra-curricular or co-curricular activities.
The bigger question for many is: How long will school have to operate under these restrictions? All of the 20-21 academic year?
An announcement of some sort was expected by the ends of this week – the Gazette has since learned that an announcement will be made on August 10th.
 By Pepper Parr
July 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The city administration has been hoping to see some light at the end of the tunnel – the hits on the revenue side for the city during the State of Emergency were hurting.
 Marianne Meed Ward, before she was elected Mayor holding one of the last coin operated parking meters in the downtown core. Brian Dean – chief cheese for the business people locally lends a helping hand. The Mayor had the city “$18 million in the hole”, which wasn’t true. It was more like $4 million with the Finance department looking for ways to lighten the financial burden of the pandemic on the citizens of the city.
They announced earlier today that the free parking in the downtown core comes to an end of August 4th. They put it this way: “…payment will be required in the downtown for on-street parking and in municipal parking lots starting Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020.”
Recent observations, review of occupancy data and feedback from the public indicate that parking is steadily increasing to pre-COVID levels. It is anticipated the increase in parking demand will continue as most businesses reopen since Halton Region entered Stage 3 on July 24, 2020.
Visitors using downtown parking are encouraged to use the HONK Mobile app. Honk offers touch-free payment and reduces the number of people touching the same parking machines throughout the day.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “As our community begins to enjoy more activities with Stage 3 reopening, we’ve seen an increase in parking demand and desire to manage supply and revenues. Council listened to the voices of the business community and Downtown Parking Committee to reinstate paid parking. Discussions are also underway about returning some of the 20-minute curbside pickup to regular paid parking.”
By Staff
July 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
How do you spend $350,000 + in a hurry?
You give it away – which is just what the Burlington Foundation did when it announced it has awarded $335,370 in grants to 18 charities to address critical needs affecting vulnerable community members in Burlington greatly impacted by COVID-19. The grants announced today are part of the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), funded by the Government of Canada.
The ECSF is a $350 million fund that is being implemented with Community Foundations of Canada, in partnership with local foundations across the country, the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada. Its goal is to provide support to charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable Canadians.
 “The tremendous impact the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have on our vulnerable community members and our front-line charities serving them, is truly unprecedented,” said Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of Burlington Foundation. “We’re proud to have participated in the ECSF partnership with Community Foundations of Canada, the Government of Canada and other community partners, as together, we are stronger in bringing critical support at the local level to those most in need.”
 Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO of Burlington Foundation at the launch of the new corporate graphic. All of these outstanding initiatives support our most vulnerable citizens including seniors, children and youth, community members with disabilities and those suffering from mental health crisis, and persons experiencing food insecurity or unsafe housing situations.
“Since the pandemic began to impact our community in March, Burlington Foundation’s priority has been on helping our front-line charities and our vulnerable community members that they serve,” says Colleen Mulholland. “Together, through the federal ECSF program, as well as Burlington Foundation’s own Covid-19 Pandemic Response Fund made possible by generous Foundation donors and fundholders, we are so pleased to have granted $560,040 over the past four months to local charities.”
 By Staff
July 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The people at GO, the bus and train operation that moves many of us from place to Place did a photo feature that we want to share with you.
At the start of this year, few could have seen the day that wearing non-medical face masks in public would be a very normal accessory. Now, after a week of having to wear them on UP and GO vehicles, the focus is turned on the customer, in a photo feature that pays tribute to their style.
It’s been a week since the use of non-medical masks became mandatory for customers on GO Transit and UP Express. Not that many riders needed much convincing, as most were using them even before they were required as of last Tuesday.
Now as essential as carrying a cell phone or wallet, face coverings have changed the look of everything from transit to shopping to going to the dentist. But while the thin barriers hide the better part of everyone’s face, the personality can still come through.
 That is a very determined and direct look from the young lady with the pink glasses – while on the right the quiet beauty of a GO transit rider. Here are some faces behind those face coverings.
 Waiting for their ride. Go transit riders have taken to wearing their face masks
By Staff
July 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward passed along some “ great news today when the province announced $4 billion in funding for cities for COVID19-related revenue loss and added costs. The amount includes $2 billion for transit, half from the federal government, match by half from the province.”
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward with Premier Doug Ford at a Joseph Brant Hospital event. “This is our tax dollars coming back to our community”, said the Mayor. “These funds will help municipalities avoid service cuts, unreasonable tax increases, or depleting reserves beyond sustainable levels. Our advocacy worked, and our voices were heard.
Let’s wait until the budget is final before taking that statement at face value. Burlington will get a portion of that $4 billion. The Mayor said she “ expects funding to begin to flow in coming weeks.
The funding is a partnership with the federal government for urgently needed one-time assistance to Ontario’s 444 municipalities. This funding will help local governments maintain the critical services people rely on every day, including public transit, over the next six to eight months.
Premier Ford worked collaboratively with municipal partners, fellow Premiers, Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Freeland to reach this historic agreement, which includes $777 million from the federal government and $1.22 billion from the province in support for municipalities. Ontario will continue to work closely with its municipal partners to ensure this funding provides the support they need to address budget shortfalls related to COVID-19.
“Ontario municipalities told us they are dealing with a $4 billion shortfall as a result of COVID-19,” said Minister Phillips. “Failing to act could result in cuts to services and higher taxes. That’s why, under Premier Ford’s leadership, Ontario was a strong advocate at the negotiating table to ensure municipalities and transit systems were supported as part of the Safe Restart Agreement. This is a historic level of support that’s being provided during unprecedented times.”
Through Ontario’s leadership, a deal for public transit funding was also secured as part of the federal-provincial agreement. Up to $2 billion will be shared equally between Ontario and the federal government. Transit operators that have seen steep declines in revenues will receive the support they need to help address the financial impacts of COVID-19 and continue their operations in a safe manner.
The Safe Restart Agreement will help ensure a strong and safe recovery for Ontario through investments in testing, contact tracing and data management; health care capacity and mental health; protecting vulnerable populations, including people experiencing homelessness and seniors in long-term care facilities; securing personal protective equipment (PPE); child care for returning workers; and support for municipalities and public transit systems.
By Pepper Parr
July 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Halton Regional government offices are located in Oakville The Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF) supports a wide range of non-profit health and social service programs that enhance the health, safety and well-being of Halton residents.
The Fund provides one-year and multi-year grants to programs and initiatives through two categories of funding and is part of Halton’s overall approach to community safety and well-being planning.
Funding from the Federal and Provincial governments is included in programs that support the health, safety and well-being of residents as the community recovers from the impact of COVID-19.
Applications for single year and multiple year funding for 2020 have closed the Region released the programs that are funded.
• $193,340 to Wesley Urban Ministries to support case management and rehousing efforts for single individuals across Halton.
• $176,230 to Food for Life to expand food access points, deliver food boxes to high needs households and provide outreach programming.
• $67,937 to Acclaim Health to support the well-being and lessen the isolation of older adults.
• $29,869 to Canadian Mental Health Association – Halton Region Branch to provide free counselling for residents 16 years old and older.
By Pepper Parr
July 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Liberals have found their tongues and come out with a fully-costed plan to get students back into classrooms safely and in classrooms no larger than 15 students.
Steven Del Duca, leader of the Liberal Party in Ontario who does not yet have a seat in the Legislature announced a Schools Action Plan calls for 1,300 new classroom locations, the hiring of 890 additional educators and 340 additional caretakers in Halton. These measures enable safe, physically-distanced learning, which is the first step in getting parents back to work and reopening the economy.
“Students and their parents in Halton have been waiting for far too long to hear what will happen in September,” said Del Duca. “Living with this uncertainty has caused unnecessary anxiety during what has already been a stressful time. Getting our students back to school safely is what kids critically need for their own development and it’s the only way their Moms and Dads can have peace of mind to return to work.
 Steven Del Duca, a Cabinet Minister in the Wynne government that was defeated by Doug Ford, was elected leader of the Ontario Liberal Party recently. He does not yet have a seat in the provincial Legislature.
“Since the government hasn’t unveiled a plan for the fall, I did,” said Steven Del Duca.
“Doug Ford should have made this a priority months ago by meaningfully consulting with school boards, teachers, education workers, principals and parents. He has not.”
“We need students in classrooms and we know that while distance learning obviously needs vast improvement as a complement to future learning, the high quality and safe in-class experience needs to be front and centre in our plans for this Fall. It is the responsibility of the Premier to develop a plan to achieve this safely, including sufficient training and support.”
“Reopening the economy without full day school in September puts families in impossible situations. It forces parents to choose between their children’s education and their work. We have heard too many stories of parents – working mothers in particular – who have had to give up their careers because Doug Ford has yet to share a plan and won’t help them with childcare.”
“Ford’s priorities are beer, bars and booze — it’s time to deliver on a better, stronger and safer public education for our kids.”
“We need to ensure schools are a safe place to learn and a safe place to work. That’s why my plan dramatically expands the number of classrooms and educators.”
Del Duca’s Students in Schools Action Plan will cost $3.2 billion* and will fund:
– 15,000 More Elementary Teachers to reduce class size to 15 – $1.30 billion
– 10,000 More Caretakers to keep elementary and secondary schools clean – $500 million
– 14,000 New Classrooms in Community Centres, Campuses, Arenas, etc. – $200 million
– 2,000 More Secondary Teachers – $170 million
– School Transportation (Cleaning, Retrofits, Staggered Starts) – $80 million
– Sufficient Cleaning/Hygiene Supplies and Equipment – $120 million
– 1,500 Special Education Professionals to Help Close Learning Gaps $120 million
– New equipment for students and educators (approx. 400,000 new devices) – $200 million
– Reverse PC Cuts to School Mental Health and hire 1,000 more Mental Health Professionals to support staff and students – $75 million
– Provincial Leadership in Centrally Procuring and Purchasing Personal Protective Equipment for Students and Staff (e.g., face shields, masks, gloves) – $110 million
– Support Parental Engagement and Communication – $25 million
– Public Health Coordination of Screening, Testing and Contact Tracing N/A – Contingency (10%) – $290 million
*This is a one-time funding plan for the 2020-21 school year, after which, a vaccine may likely be available. Regardless, the government should begin planning for 2021-22 as early as possible.
In Halton (HDSB & HCDSB) this means:
– 1,300 new classroom locations in community centres, campuses, arenas, etc.
– 890 additional educators to reduce class sizes
– 340 additional caretakers to keep schools and school buses clean
“The choice is between students in schools or the chaos that Doug Ford’s unclear approach will create. We need to make it safe for students in Halton to learn – it is the only way they will thrive, and it will enable their parents to go back to work,” concluded Del Duca.
Do we have a political party deciding that now is a good time to play some politics?
The Halton District School Board is meeting with the Ministry of Education virtually on Tuesday and will have a program in place and ready to be announced early in August.
By Pepper Parr
July 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There have been 38 applications for patios on private property and 12 on city property for outdoor locations where people can dine and enjoy a cool one.
There are a number of applications in process.
 Dining alfresco in downtown Burlington: it will be interesting to see how creative the restaurateurs can get. The city is now going to consider allowing temporary tents as well.
The bylaw that is in place for outdoor patios has to be repealed first and a new bylaw out in place.
Council will meet as a Standing Committee Tuesday morning and will then meet as a Council and approve the new bylaw.
Let’s see how that goes. We will of course report on how this works out. There are a few locations that are in the process of erecting tents – which suggests this is a done deal.
 By Pepper Parr
July 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
What’s next?
Does anyone know?
An interesting comment from an individual who brings an “intelligence, strategic analysis” lens to the COVID19 problem and posits that “none of us knows for sure what the virus will do tomorrow”.
 We still do not know with absolute certainty where COVID-19 comes from. “This virus repeatedly defies rational predictions and empirical deductions based on cumulative experience with earlier viruses like Ebola, HIV and SARS.
“None of us knows for sure what the virus will do tomorrow. Experts predicted the virus would disappear over the summer and return over the fall and winter months. Instead, in some parts of the world, including the United States, the number of active cases has erupted. COVID-19 was also not supposed to spread so easily among youth; turns out it does, yet its severity among youth is so negligible that they don’t take it seriously. This renders it all the more difficult to prevent the virus from spreading.
“We still do not know with absolute certainty where COVID-19 comes from. An animal? (Which animal?) Was it an accidental leak from a laboratory? Experts are still arguing over the manner in which the virus becomes airborne: Big aerosol droplets, little aerosol droplets, or both? How far do they really “fly”? To which surfaces does COVID-19 stick, and for how long?
“In other words, half a year into this pandemic, we still do not know exactly where and why COVID-19 is likely to thrive or die, and how it is transmitted.
“Do those who recover from the virus have long-term immunity? Short-term immunity? Can they still transmit the virus? Ask again in five years when they are retested. Right now we do not know, and this is deeply disturbing.
“Meanwhile, we are deluged with predictions regarding the nature of our lives in the post-virus era. Distance learning? Virtual work? Masses demanding to leave heavily-populated areas? De-globalization? Ten years of recession? More expensive air travel? Radical shifts toward more authoritarian governance?
“All these questions are speculative, and no one really knows the answers. Two years from now we might be back to business as usual – or not.
“This, too, is extremely unsettling. Here is perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the COVID-19 conundrum: We tell ourselves that until there is an effective vaccine made available for universal use, this virus has to be understood as a very clever and dangerous enemy. Once this vaccine has been mass-produced and distributed globally, however, we can certainly go back to normal.
“But what if it proves impossible to create a viable vaccine with long-lasting effects? What if there is no post-virus era? What if science is beaten by COVID-19 and our only recourse is a radical and permanent revision of our way of life? Is our absolute confidence in the emergence of an effective inoculation any more justified than some of our earlier mistaken assumptions regarding this virus?
“In intelligence terms, we simply don’t know.”
Excerpted from an opinion piece by Yossi Alpher, Globe and Mail
By Pepper Parr
July 24th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Trustee Grebenc with trustee Grey at a public meeting. In an interview with Halton District School Board Chair Andrea Grebenc on the issue of masks for teachers and students while they are in schools Ms Grebenc said: “The Minister and Public Health officials have not decided about whether students require masks. I understand that decision may be coming next week.
“To supply PPE to staff it looks like it will cost about $20M over the year at the pricing we can get. We are asking the Province to help source PPE to get better pricing.
“We have $4M set aside for COVID contingency and as a result, we had to pass another deficit (but compliant) budget this year with a solid plan from our staff to return to the black.
“At this point, the Minister has provided a similar budget funding as previous years with an expansion of funds to help with the new math curriculum and some mental health initiatives. The increase in our dollar amount has more to do with increase in enrollment in Milton and Oakville, the decrease of the class size average(resulting in hiring teachers) and some money to support some positions won at the provincial level through education worker and teacher union negotiations.
 Andrea Grebenc during a a first term interview . “The Minister has added only $56M to the provincial budget for COVID – there are 72 boards – that is $750K each if divided equally (which I hope it’s not – TDSB shouldn’t get the same amount as a small board).
“This is to help with cleaning staff and supplies, PPE and transportation. If HDSB PPE costs $2M a month for staff, you can see how this amount of money from the Minister is completely unrealistic and could not support masking students as well.
We have over 66,000 students. There would have to see a massive influx of cash from the Province to cover that cost.
“If the Minister or public health state that masks were mandatory in schools, as a parent with kids in the system, I would then see masks like I see binders for courses or running shoes for gym class – something I would buy (or make) for my child so they are prepared for school.
“Also, I would want to make sure a mask fits well on my child, is comfortable and won’t get mixed up with other kids’ masks. You can get reusable masks inexpensively at a number of places ($3 each at Old Navy for example) and for Burlington residents, the Mayor and Councillor Stolte, in conjunction with the fire department, have set up a mask donation centre to help those that are having a hard time affording masks. Economically challenged families in our system could also contact the Halton Learning Foundation to help get a reusable mask so that students could attend school (if that is the law).”
 Director of Education Stuart Miller during a virtual school board meeting. Director of Education Stuart Miller points out the principals in ever Halton school (there are 105 of them) know their students and is aware of households where things are tough;” a way is always found to ensure that students get what they need.”
Director Miller and several of his key staff will be doing a virtual interview with Ministry of Education officials on Tuesday at which time they expect to learn what the province is looking for in the way of a safe return to school program.
The province set out several scenarios that HDSB has responded to. “We have to be able to offer a program that meets the provincial mandate and at the same time be flexible enough to shift the way classes are delivered in the event that there is a hot spot in a school or a larger community.
“We will be working with the public health unit on a daily basis to monitor the students – watching for the tell-tale sign of a student who is not well.
“It is going to be a stressful time but we have done our homework and we believe we are prepared for students who will return to classes in one form or another on the 7th of June.
“We haven’t given the parents all that much in the way of information” said Miller, “because we don’t have decisions from the province.”
“Once we know what the program is going to be – we will communicate at every level with the parents.”
By Staff
July 24th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 That sign says the fine for parking could be $250. What the city calls “ an abundance of illegal parking” near Beachway Park, has resulted in the parking lots s being reconfigured with one entrance and one exit to maximize legal parking spots.
A drop off area has been created as well
Parking ambassadors are available on weekends to help direct drivers and will close parking lot entrances when they are full.
We encourage drivers to continue to abide by all signed parking regulations such as no stopping and no parking in loading zones.
 By Pepper Parr
July 24th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward residing at a virtual meeting of city council. As part of a media release Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “I know the Stage 3 reopening is welcomed news to many of our businesses and I encourage you to open only when you’re ready and have taken measures to protect the health and safety of staff and customers.
I urge both residents and businesses to be cautious and diligent, and do everything possible to safeguard each other and especially members of our community with more vulnerable immune systems, as more services reopen.
I urge residents to continue following all health directives, including physical distancing, wearing masks if you can inside public spaces, using hand-sanitizer and frequently washing hands, as well as staying home when sick. These measures will be especially critical in larger gatherings.”
 Large apartment complexes like this require a little extra vigilance to stop the spread of infections. The Mayor has reached out to the organizations that represent apartment building owners and condominium corporations asking them to adhere to the mandatory mask bylaw,
Those buildings with a large number of occupants could become “pinch points” for infections.
The move to Stage 3 does open things up – it also puts more of the responsibility on the individual to ensure that the really simple preventative measures are followed.
It is your health and safety that is at risk and you are the person that can put it at risk.
This is not over yet.
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
July 24th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
A real summer for Burlington seemed to have to wait until we got into Stage 3 – Playground equipment can now be used. Restaurants will invite patrons inside and parks will be more accessible.
 Events like this on the beach aren’t going to be part of this summer. That playground equipment is not being sanitized and standard health practices with heightened awareness such as staying home if sick, washing hands and not touching faces should be strictly followed. Parents and caregivers are advised to pack hand sanitizer as well as sunscreen.
Anyone using the playground equipment should still practice physical distancing of two metres with anyone not from their household or their social circle.
If a playground structure is busy, residents may want to consider one of Burlington’s many other parks or come back at another time.
Other Summer Activities
• Parks are open for casual use, such as exercising, picnics, kicking or throwing a ball
• Mountainside, Nelson and LaSalle Pools are open for leisure swims and lap swims with online pre-registration and payment only. Splash Parks at Nelson and Mountainside Pools are now open as well
 Kids + water = fun and noise. • Spray pads at parks are open
• Lowville Park is open. New, as of July 30, entry to Lowville Park will require pre-registration through parkvisit.ca/burlington. Reservations and use of the park remain free
• Redesigned summer camps are open. The next registration date is July 27 at 9 a.m. View camps at burlington.ca/summer
• Redesigned Adult 19+ and Adult 55+ programs are open. View programs at burlington.ca/summer.
Safety Precautions
• All City recreation programs are operating with public health safety precautions including increased cleaning (outdoor amenities like playgrounds are not sanitized), screening and reduced program capacities in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19
• Permits for picnics will not be issued in an effort to mitigate large gatherings at this time
• Physical distancing of two metres is still in place on public property with anyone not from your household or social circle and in groups of less than 10.
The Regional Public Health Unit will issue a report at the end of next week – we can expect a bit of an increase iin the number of people reported to be infected. If that number is very high the provincial government may decide that we are not yet ready for Stage 3 and roll us back to Stage 2.
The virus is transferred from person to person – it is up to us to do everything we can to ensure that we each, individually, are not part of that transfer process.
Or are we going to be really, really stupid and drink the KoolAid?
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