 By Ashley Worobec
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
My family has come up with a big chart system, whereby we have listed 12 items that we think are important to include in each day. Every family member has their own chart and colours in their own squares, the idea being that by the end of this, we will have a brightly-coloured symbol of what we’ve been up to.
 Every family member has their own chart and colours in their own squares. We think the 12 important points are:
1. Outside time
2. Workout time
3. Reading time
4. Build your brain time
5. Alone time
6. Creative time
7. Talk/FaceTime a friend
8. Talk/FaceTime a relative
9. An act of kindness for someone outside your home (ie. raking your neighbour’s yard, mailing a letter to someone)
10. Eating >6 fruits/veg per day
11. Drinking > 6 glasses of water per day.
12. List something that you’re grateful for.
This has been a good way for us to give a bit of structure and routine to our days, while still maintaining each person’s flexibility on how they want to spend their time.
 Burlington Marathoner Ashley Worobec does the Around the Bay Run – she didn’t see it as a cancelled event. One thing we did this morning was really valuable for us all. I’ve been training all Winter for the Around the Bay 30K in Hamilton, which was scheduled to run this morning (March 29). It’s the oldest race in all of North America, and began in 1894- as a long-distance runner in this area, it’s pretty much a staple of Spring training plans.
Of course it was cancelled, but it only occurred to me a few days ago that I could still run it solo! And that’s exactly what I did.
My family dropped me off at Dundurn Castle on York Boulevard (the race typically starts and ends at First Ontario Centre, but Dundurn Castle made it easier for me from a logistics standpoint) and I headed East through downtown Hamilton, along Beach Boulevard and the canal lift bridge, and then across Northshore Boulevard’s rolling hills, to continue onto Plains road and end up back at Dundurn Castle.
My family met me at the 10km mark and at the 20km mark with water and Gatorade and cheers and hugs. It was such a chance for me to reclaim some normalcy in this abnormal world we’re living in, and it gave me SUCH a mental boost.
My kids and husband remarked how happy it made them as well, and I even saw two other runners out there doing the same thing as me, one of them wearing a homemade race bib that said “ATB Anyway”, complete with his wife ringing a cowbell at stoppage points along the route.
 By Staff
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the City of Burlington has decided to suspend all City-run spring programs and extend the closure of all recreation facilities, parks, playgrounds, sports fields and City administration facilities to the end of June.
During this time, all bookings will be cancelled, and refunds will be given. Organizations and residents are asked to please be patient as refunds may take up to two weeks to process. Questions related to rentals can be sent to rentals@burlington.ca. For registrations, email liveandplay@burington.ca.
This decision, made by the City’s Emergency Control Group, follows the guidance of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada and the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health to prepare and plan for the months ahead.
The City of Burlington regularly plans in quarters, including Council’s 4-year strategic workplan, Vision to Focus. We need to make decisions now that affect programming weeks and months out, to provide some certainty to our community and to our many community partners.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward explains that: “This decision is absolutely necessary to protect the health and well-being of our employees and our community, as we plan for the best but prepare for the worst.
“COVID-19 numbers are still rising in our City through community spread. So we must continue to work towards flattening the curve through social and physical distancing and staying home. That means we can’t gather together at recreation facilities, community centres, sports fields and parks.
“We don’t know exactly how long this situation is going to last. By planning ahead, we can redirect resources where most needed, put non-essential projects on hold, and remain agile enough to open things up earlier if the situation changes. And once this is over, we will come together again as a community to celebrate. Let’s each do our part to get through this, healthy and whole.”
We are asking everyone to remember they have a role to play in slowing the spread of COVID-19:
Please continue to keep out of park facilities including
o playgrounds,
o sports fields,
o skate parks,
o dog off-leash areas and
o community gardens.
o If you need some fresh air and activity, it’s okay to walk, cycle or jog through our parks, but please do not linger.
o Stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from everyone else in the park or on a trail.
o Please take your waste home with you to dispose of it.
During this extended closure we will continue to maintain our essential services and those services that provide direct support to keep our residents and staff safe. These include areas such as Burlington Fire, Burlington Transit including Handi-Van, Traffic Services, ByLaw Enforcement, Roads, Parks and Forestry Operations, Building Inspections and Service Burlington.
With this announcement the administration wants to assure residents that the business of the City will continue during this critical time.
“Our staff that are able, are continuing to work from home to maintain City services such as Community Planning, City Capital Works and various Corporate Services. During this unprecedented time, we are continually looking at ways for us to work more efficiently and to use taxpayer dollars wisely. We have already put in place spending restraints on all non-essential purchases during this time and will look to utilize our staff where we can instead of outsourcing.
“The majority of the City’s expenditures is paying our hard-working employees and we must continue to ensure we have the staff needed to get us through these challenging times. This means we will maintain our full-time staff workforce. They will continue to work remotely during this period or be redeployed where possible into essential service areas. We are also aware of other organizations that may need assistance, like the Region of Halton, where we may be able to redeploy staff.
“For our part-time staff, we will look at various options including evaluating government assistance programs being offered by the provincial and federal governments.
“Once we have looked at options for our staff, as a last resort we will also consider layoffs as required.
“We also know we’re not going to be back to 100 per cent on Day 1 after this pandemic has ended. We have to set the expectations for ourselves as a City and the public that it won’t be business as usual the first day we’re back from this. However, having plans in place for the next three months means we’ll be able to get back on our feet, operating at 100 per cent again that much sooner.
“This situation is evolving every hour and we are continually monitoring. The City of Burlington will continue to keep you informed.
 Tim Commisso, City Manager Tim Commisso, City Manager adds that “Over the last few weeks our focus and priority has been on dealing with the immediate impacts of COVID-19 which has included meeting daily and taking specific actions based on analysis of virus spread and in partnership with public health.
“Clearly, we now need to look ahead and make decisions that are in best interests of our community and staff. We still need to do all we can to prevent the spread of the virus and continue to deliver our essential services in addition to providing certainty and stability for the next several months. We remain committed to strong financial management and ensuing we have adequate resources to meet this challenge.”
 By Staff
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Meed Ward explains how council will continue to guide and direct the administration as the city settles in for what is going to be a long haul.
 Burlington Mayor, Marianne Meed Ward We continue to find ourselves in unprecedented times with our lives changing daily, and at times hourly. We now know that the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be over as soon as we expected.
We’ve heard from the Province, guided by the Medical Officer of Health, that gathering together in schools and other places will not be possible by April 6 as we had hoped, with no definitive timeline following that. We are also expecting another announcement from the Province related to schools in the coming days.
We have also heard from Canada’s deputy chief public health officer that this situation will last “many
months.”
The City of Burlington and your Mayor and Council are committed to seeing us all through this health crisis. To do that successfully, we must turn our mind to being prepared beyond hour-to-hour and day-to-day to a longer time horizon.
The City of Burlington regularly plans in quarters — that’s our rhythm, that’s what we do, including
Council’s four-year strategic work-plan, Vision to Focus (V2F).
It is prudent then for us to prepare for the next three months and continue our planning in three-month cycles, and important for us to provide stability and certainty to the public.
In practical terms, there are decisions that must be made now for activities months ahead, including activities that affect many of our community partners and city operations. We need a plan for what the next three months will look like in our community, and we are going to do that.
We will plan for the best, and prepare for the worst, and be ready to respond no matter what may come.
We also know we’re not going to be back to full operations the day our State of Emergency is lifted. It won’t be business as usual the first day we’re back, so part of our three-month plan will include ramping back up to full operations.
Our plan will also be agile and include flexibility to return to full operations sooner, should the situation warrant.
 Stand By says the city motto – for how long one might ask? The duration of the crisis depends on all of us. Everyone in our community has a role to play in this. The more of us that stay home (except for essential trips or outdoor walks/jogs/cycling); keep a 2-metre (6- foot) distance from anyone not in our immediate household when we are out; stop congregating in groups in public places; and follow all the advice of our expert medical professionals, the sooner we will see this situation resolved.
When it’s done, we will mark the occasion with a community celebration that brings us all back together!
 By Pepper Parr
March 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 A Gazette reader made a comment on a piece we published about the Mayor’s efforts to impress upon people the need to stay at home.
The message isn’t getting through the way it has to or we will, as our reader said, all be “in lock-down”.
Here is what we received:
I live on a court and have observed a home with a single resident welcome a) a girlfriend (not living at said residence), b) an adult son (not living at said residence) and c) a cleaning lady (also, not living at said residence).
Likewise, I have noted a young couple with an 18 month old welcome one set of grandparents for playtime and a meal, and the next day another set of grandparents for playtime and a visit.
People are only willing to self-isolate and socially distance themselves if it is of no inconvenience to them.
This will inevitably force us into lock-down.
We asked for the specific address and were quite prepared to advise the Public Health Department who would send someone out with the police to “educate” the individual.
Our reader advised us that she had a talk with them.
This virus is spread from person to person. Stay at Home – please.
By Staff
March 29th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The numbers continue to rise.
And yet there are those who still will not heed the Stay at Home rule.
They put the rest of us in personal danger.
The numbers world-wide are beyond staggering – and they are still, for the most part, climbing. China seems to have gotten a grip on the growth of the disease. Problem with data from China is that many people just don’t trust their numbers.
The site with all the data is HERE
 March 27th, 2020  March 23rd, 2020  March 29th, 2020
 By Pepper Parr
March 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Brian Rose, the Burlington resident who felt he should be tested for COVID-19 after returning from Spain where he had taken part in an event that included a person who later tested positive, had to get noisy before he was tested.
That took place more than a week ago
 The parking spot Brian Rose was directed t at Joseph Brant Hospital. “We were tested last Saturday at Jo Brant – 1 week and still no results. In an Open Comment to Regional Chair Gary Carr, Rose said: “I trust you and our other leaders know you are making decisions with data that is:
– Over a week old and derived from a very very small fraction of symptomatic Halton residents lucky enough to be tested.
That means the only number you can really trust is Severe Cases, Severe Cases Recovered and Deaths.
Rose referred to “an article in the Globe and Mail this morning. The University of Toronto Vector institute has launched a site to gather data online from symptomatic and asymptomatic residents. The site is up and running.
“If you are interested in adding another meaningful source of data to your decision making toolbox I would suggest looking into it.
“Perhaps you and the other local leaders copied could play a role in encouraging residents to provide data. I think this could really make a difference in tracking COVID-19 in Halton.
The Globe and Mail article Rose refers to can be found at:
Related new story
Burlington resident explains what getting tested for COVID19 amounts to.
By Staff
March 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
A regular Gazette reader, who frequently notes some of our spelling and grammar errors, brought to our attention what she thought were two frightening stories in as many days about people in Toronto driving to nearby communities away from the city to shop for food because of the shopping conditions in Toronto grocery stores.
“They claim” she said that “ it’s faster and easier to go out of town than trying to negotiate shops at home; they don’t realize they are potential carriers of this disease to another community.”
“Then a neighbor, who has a cottage in cottage country, thought about going there for isolation and to get away from restrictions and other people here in Burlington. Many of her cottage “neighbours” are full-time inhabitants of that area, and have made it very clear that they don’t want their city neighbours to come around and infect them.
 Premier Ford discourages people from heading for their rural cottages “In fact, some of the mayors and reeves of these municipalities have contacted Doug Ford and asked him to talk about this on TV- and he did. He explained that those mayors and reeves had communities with limited facilities that were set up to accommodate their own citizens, and could not also accommodate an influx of others as well.”
The leadership in the community is asking that we be responsible for our welfare: follow the rules and maintain safe distances between the people we meet. That is being individually responsible.
There is also social responsibility – our reader is suggesting we pay heed to that responsibility as well.
By Staff
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City has had to make changes to various timelines and processes related to Planning and Building and By-law matters.
“To that end, the Statutory public meeting scheduled for April 6 on the official downtown policies has been pushed to fall to better enable the public and all stakeholders an opportunity to provide full feedback to staff and Council as decision makers, in a public and accountable forum.
“The City is currently processing development applications and building permit applications received by March 13.
The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) has suspended all LPAT hearings until the end of June. As a result of COVID-19, processes for building inspections have been modified accordingly to keep both staff and the public safe.
 Detailed policies on the Downtown are being developed by the consultants and staff – preparing them for public review Official Plan Update
Over the past few months, the Official Plan project team with help from planning firm, SGL Planning and Design, have been working on developing detailed policies.
“The endorsed land use vision and built form concept for the Downtown was largely endorsed by Council this past January. The detailed policies were going to be available for public review during the week of March 23 and presented to Council in April 2020 as recommended modifications to the policies of the Adopted Official Plan.
“However, these timelines have been delayed to protect the public and City staff and to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 virus, the City has closed facilities, including City Hall. These closures and workplace changes have had an impact on the project timeline. As a result, the public release of the detailed policies and associated reports will be delayed.
“The detailed policies will now be released at the end of April and the Statutory Public Meeting will be scheduled for the fall.
The City recognizes the work of the Scoped Re-examination of the Adopted Official Plan is vitally important to continue to move forward.
The City remains committed to ensuring the public has the full ability to comment on the detailed policies and for this reason, the associated timelines have been changed.
Planning Applications
 • Development applications received by March 13, 2020 are currently being processed.
• Inquires continue to be handled by Planning staff via phone and email.
• Staff are exploring how new applications might be accepted and processed.
• No Pre-application public meetings will be held at this time, including Millcroft Green, and will be re-scheduled at a later date.
The Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) has suspended all LPAT hearings scheduled to take place between March 16 until the end of June.
The cancelled hearings will be rescheduled at a later date. Currently, hearings July onward will proceed on their scheduled date. Burlington applications affected include:
 Amica – proposed development • March 20 – HHHBA Appeal of Parking rates- first Case Management Conference
• March 20 – 1085 Clearview/St. Matthews- a telephone CMC
• April 17 – 1157 Northshore Blvd (Amica)- a telephone CMC
• April 30 – 2069 Lakeshore /Pearl Street (Carriage Gate)- first Case Management Conference
• May 11 – OPA 107 (Evergreen)- a Case Management Conference
• May 19 – 1085 Clearview/St. Matthews- Hearing
There were no Burlington hearings scheduled for June.
Building Permits and Inspections
• Building permit applications received by March 13, 2020 are currently being processed.
• Staff have implemented a modified level of building inspections. Exterior building inspections continue and a modified process for interior inspections is in place that does not involve staff going into buildings and protects staff from physical contact in line with COVID-19 safety precautions.
• Staff are exploring how new applications might be accepted and processed.
Signage in Commercial Districts
 City hall told the merchant signs like this were a no, no. • A-frame signage on private property is still permitted in front of any business during regular business hours and no permits are required.
• Portable sign permits and renewals are still being processed by sending necessary information to building@burlington.ca.
Business License Renewal
• Existing business licenses that require renewal will be extended during the COVID-19 crisis.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward Mayor Marianne Meed Ward had this to say: “This is an extraordinary and unprecedented situation we’re facing, and we know it won’t be business as usual for some time. As a City, we’ll continue the operations we can, while putting the health and safety of our community and employees first.
“Our downtown policies and Official Plan are vitally important to our entire community. We want to ensure the public and all stakeholders have the opportunity to provide full feedback to staff and council as decision makers, in a public and accountable forum. This work is appropriately put on hold till we can provide that opportunity. Releasing the policies early affords everyone significant time for review and comment, before decisions are made. This is perhaps the silver lining in this situation. ”
Heather MacDonald, Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Community Planning added: “The City continues to process applications received prior to March 13th and City staff remain available by email and phone to connect and answer questions. In light of the situation with COVID-19 and the rapidly changing updates from healthcare professionals and our partners across all levels of government, our priority remains on keeping staff and the public safe. Since March 16th, City Hall remains closed to the public and we will continue to do our best to ensure transparency and accountability to the public while protecting our staff and the public.”
 Nick Anastasopoulos, Chief Building Official / Director of Building & By-law Nick Anastasopoulos, Chief Building Official / Director of Building & By-law explained that: “Our primary focus is on the safety of the public, our staff and buildings in our city when we do our building inspections. Exterior building inspections are continuing with our normal process and the reality of COVID-19 has made us look at creative ways to deliver on interior inspections. We have created a modified process for interior inspections to respect physical distancing and avoid the need for staff to go into buildings. We appreciate the continued understanding of our community as we continue to address this challenge together.”
By Staff
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Walk – don’t stop was Mayor Meed Ward’s message. She has threatened to get out her megaphone to tell people to walk by all means but don’t congregate with people who are not part of your immediate family that you live with.
The COVID-19 virus is being passed from person to person – that has to stop.
Here is her message:
By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
One of the things that struck us as we spent some time in supermarkets – the shelves with flour were empty!
 Empty shelves – been that way for a few days. Were people hoarding the product?
We reached out to Ron Foxcroft whose Fluke Transport has 150 trucks on the road moving product from manufacturers and processors to supermarkets and asked if he could shed some light on why there is a shortage of flour – at least at the supermarket level.
 There are 150 of Fluke trucks on the roads running between Ontario, New York state and Pennsylvania Foxcroft came back to us with this:
Institutions and homes are using lots of flour.
We are trucking 5 to 10 loads a day of bulk flour for commercial use. Bakeries, etc. etc.
There is a challenge getting labour to put it in smaller bags and getting labour to put it on store shelves.
It takes time to load, unload, and put on shelves.
It just seemed odd to us that something as basic as flour would not be on the shelves – bread shelves were stocked.
We’ll keep an eye on it.
 By Ray Rivers
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 This is what it has come to in Italy – and what we are probably going to see in New York city where the infection numbers are now higher than Italy. There is no cure and there is no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best we can do is prevent human-to-human contact. It is a respiratory system disease much like the SARS epidemic we faced only a few years ago – but more contagious. And the only way we know to prevent its spread is to shut down the workplaces, shops and entertainment facilities and send everybody home.
No work, no income and that, for many of us, means no way to pay for food and rent. In fact a million Canadians have so far applied for employment insurance. So the federal government has responded with an emergency rescue package, the centre piece of which is a basic income of $2000 a month for those who apply.
That emergency package only runs for the next four months. The government had wanted to be given emergency taxation and spending power to extend the package, until the end of 2021. But the opposition called that a bridge too far. So Parliament will need to be recalled by this summer if an extension is required.
It is uncertain how long this epidemic will last but it’ll likely be beyond the summer and maybe up to a year. Chinese authorities are confidently sending Wuhan, where the virus started, back to business in early April. That will be about four months after the outbreak was first made public.
 Streets in Chinese city were emptied. No one was allowed out. That sounds ambitious but then Wuhan’s lockdown was more complete and earlier than what is going on in the rest of the world. And the economic damage is substantial – estimates of 20% declines in retail. But even if all is well with the recovery, the export orders will be absent from the rest of the globe in its own lockdown.
It remains to be seen if the Wuhan virus will return, and with a vengeance. Even if Canada’s social distancing helps flatten the curve we are unlikely to be safe until those folks on the other side of the longest undefended border get their act together. For example, the recent alarming jump in Quebec’s virus numbers has been partly been attributed to travel – likely snowbirds returning from Florida.
Canada’s border is only partially shut down now and this virus is a persistent bug, so we will never be virus free as long as the US isn’t. The US is a basket case. Delayed and inadequate testing; a fractured health care system, short on public health; and an incompetent president in denial and determined to reopen the economy regardless how bad this gets, all work against an early recovery.
So given this scenario, the question is why the Trudeau government didn’t annualize the $2000 basic income provision, extending it to at least the end of the 2020. In fact why not just announce a permanent universal basic income.
 Public sentiment favours the idea of a Universal Basic Income – have we taken that first step in Canada? The idea of universal basic income (UBI), also called a guaranteed annual income, has been around for ages and has been supported by economists and politicians on both sides of the political right/left divide. It is a natural cousin to our system of single payer health care and other social programs. Only corporate and political leaders, ignorant of facts, yet fretting that wages might have to increase, have kept UBI from becoming policy.
UBI involves a lot of cash outflow, but it can replace the costs of many lesser programs and it could, of course, be made taxable income. Employment insurance, welfare, and a host of other supplementary social income programs could be eliminated. Indeed, the efficiency of sending everyone one cheque a month instead of a couple must appeal to anyone who dislikes the breadth of our bureaucracy.
That partly explains why right-wing economist Milton Friedman was an early advocate. Progressive Conservative strategist Hugh Segal who designed Ontario’s now cancelled UBI pilot project was another. Former democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang had been offering Americans $1000 a month as his main campaign plank. And UBI also is nested the various versions of a Green New Deal.
 The province had a UBI program – it was a pilot in three city’s – Hamilton was one. Doug Ford cancelled it. Mr. Ford axed Ontario’s pilot UBI before it could demonstrate results, though early indications were positive on all fronts – consistent with other pilot experiments elsewhere. But then this is the premier whose first reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic was to front up $100 million dollars in emergency funding- roughly seven dollars per person.
The main thing about UBI is that, like a security blanket, it reduces uncertainty among families, and individuals, and small business owners – about keeping food on the table and a roof overhead. That is an essential piece of solace in times of crisis, and we are in the worst crisis in our lifetimes.
It is said that we should never let a good crisis go to waste. And that is exactly what will happen if we don’t act on this opportunity for a national and permanent UBI.
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
China
Yang’s UBI – 70’s GAI – Romney $1000 –
Canada’s GAi – Ontario UBI – Federal Power –
By Staff
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
NOTICE TO PUBLIC
All Provincial Offences Act matters (e.g., traffic tickets and offences under provincial legislation) scheduled until May 29, 2020 will be rescheduled. Do not attend court.
 Provincial Offences Court on Walkers Line All Provincial Offences Act matters scheduled from Monday, March 16, 2020 through to and including Friday, May 29, 2020 will be adjourned and rescheduled to a later date. If you have a matter scheduled during this time, you do not need to attend court. This applies to all POA courts in Ontario.
A notice of your new court date will be sent to you by mail to the address on file with the court. For more information, please contact your local Provincial Offences court.
Contact information for all municipal courts is available here: https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/Court_Addresses/poa/
The following timelines have been extended:
Sections 5(6), 5.1(2)(b), 5.1(12), 9(1)(a), 11(1), 11(4), 17.1(6.1), 18(1), 18.1(5), 18.2(1), 18.3(1), 19, 66(1), 69(1), 116(2)(a), 116(3) and 135(2) of the Provincial Offences Act, and sections 5(2) and 5(3) of the Rules of the Ontario Court (General Division) and the Ontario Court (Provincial Division) in Appeals Under Section 116 of the Provincial Offences Act, O. Reg. 723/94.
A copy of the order is available on the Ontario Court of Justice website. It will also be available at all POA court offices as soon as practicable.
Please also be advised that the Government of Ontario made an order pursuant to s. s. 7.1 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA), suspending any limitation periods in statutes and regulations for the duration of the State of Emergency. This will impact timelines under the Provincial Offences Act and related proceedings. A copy of the order is available online at:
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/200073
Could be good news for those who were perhaps going to be fined for something.
 By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
With so much news coming at us from every direction – there are times when we might miss something or mis-interpret something.
 Troops Canada might send to protect our border from Americans feeling COVID19 in New York When I heard the piece about the President of the United States thinking of putting American troops along the border we share with the Americans my first thought was – that can’t be right.
Did Donald Trump think thousands of Canadians were going to head for the United States ?
If anyone wants to put troops on the border – it should be Canada.
Given what is in the process of hitting New York city – one can expect thousands to be getting in their cars with as much as they can pack in the trunk and heading for the border hoping we will let them in.
This is a crazy world. Hang tight.
  Couple of gems were sent to us yesterday. Two residents, walking along Centennial Trail came across these painted stones. Anyone know who put them there?
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Pepper Parr
March 27th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The number of people infected and the number of people dying of COVID-19 are higher now in the United States than they are were in China.
Our data comes from a reputable source – you might want to review all the data. It can be found HERE
The increase for New York city was 40% in one day.
The data below shows what has taken place in one week.
 March 27th, 2020  March 26th, 2020  March 23rd, 2020
 By Staff
March 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 The Halton Regional Police Service has made a number of arrests in relation to a drug trafficking investigation in Burlington.
Investigation by the Burlington Street Crime Unit has led to charges against the following individuals;
Jahmael SMITH (22 years old from Burlington)
• Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (Cocaine)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking a Controlled Substance (Cocaine) – 2 counts
• Breach Probation Order
Christopher HANCOCK (33 years old from Burlington)
• Trafficking in a Controlled Substance (Cocaine)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking a Controlled Substance (Cocaine)
Shane RYAN (25 years old from Burlington)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine)
• Breach Probation Order
 Available at numerous locations and on-line. This model sells for $86.00 Matthew ST ONGE (28 years old from Burlington)
• Breach Form of Release
A search warrant was executed at a Burlington residence and the following items were seized:
• 7 grams of crack cocaine
• $2830.00 Canadian currency
• Two cellular telephones
• Two digital scales
All parties were released on an Undertaking (to appear for their court hearing)
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Please be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
 By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The city is going to hold an electronic town hall this evening – it will not be a web cast. It will be audio only – to hear what is said you apparently dial into the 1-800 number – which we thought was for people who were going to ask question.
 For an item that has been hyped by members of Council, the Mayor and her staff there is little in the way of clarity.
Cogeco TV is involved – a senior political staffer used the phrase “so I am told”. Cogeco was apparently a late comer to the initiative.
Earlier in the week the Mayor was doing robo calls to random telephone numbers asking people to participate.
Council members sent notices out to their participants saying: “We know there are a great deal of questions in our community related to health, finances, and supporting those in need. Call 1-800-280-9610 if you want to listen in.
The people who will be asking questions have apparently been selected.
“Important information is changing daily, and not everyone in our city has access to channels like television, the internet, and print media.
“This one-hour town hall will be open to all members of the public and provide an opportunity to hear from a panel of leaders including:
 President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital City Council and the Mayor
▪ Senior City Staff including City Manager, Tim Commisso
▪ MPP Jane McKenna
▪ President/CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital
▪ Medical Director of Infection, Prevention and Control of Joseph Brant Hospital
▪ Deputy Chief of Halton Regional Police
▪ Superintendent of Halton Regional Police
How to Participate
“Anyone who did not receive a telephone invitation can listen in by calling 1-800-280-9610 at 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, March 26 to join the town hall.
“For those individuals calling into the town hall, please be advised that more than one attempt may be required to connect to the call due to the high volume of traffic on the phone lines. If your call does not connect you to the town hall on your first try, please hang up and dial the 1-800 number again.
“Information about the town hall has also been shared across the city through the City’s website and social media channels.
“We ask our residents to help spread the word to their friends and neighbours so that anyone who is interested may participate.
“Once the call begins, participants will be provided instructions by a moderator for submitting their questions to the leadership panel.
“Any questions that are not answered within the hour-long call will be posted, with answers, to the City’s website at burlington.ca/coronavirus, along with an audio file of the call and a full transcript as soon we can.”
By Pepper Parr
March 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
After completing two Special Meetings of City Council electronically the public is advised that meetings for the month of April will be done electronically as well.
The first was very short – nine minutes – and a little on the bumpy side.
When the second meeting rolled out it was quite a bite better; the Council members had figured out when to mute the microphones and to speak loudly and directly.
At the close of the second meeting Councillor Sharman had moved into his jocular mode and was rather enjoying himself.
The virtual meetings approach will be used for any Council or committee meetings scheduled in April. The regularly scheduled Council meeting for March 30, 2020 is cancelled.
Next Council meeting and property tax relief
At its next Council meeting, City Council will consider temporary changes to provide relief for the April 21 property tax installment to help residents and businesses experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The temporary changes being proposed would mean that for the months of April and May 2020, with additional extensions being considered on a monthly basis:
• No penalty will be charged for the April 21 installment for all property owners
• No month-end interest will be charged for all property owners
• No non-sufficient fund (NSF) fee will be charged by the City for any returned tax payments
• Pre-Authorized tax payments will continue to be withdrawn. Please note: individuals on a pre-authorized payment plan that are unable to make payment can temporarily suspend their withdrawals from their account by emailing pap@burlington.ca. To suspend your withdrawal, the City requires notification at least three business days prior to the withdrawal date.
Taxpayers who sent a postdated cheque to the City for their April tax installment and can no longer make payment are asked to put a stop payment on the cheque at their bank.
We encourage taxpayers to make payments where possible during these unique times. Tax inquiries can be sent by email to propertytax@burlington.ca or by phone to 905-335-7750.
The two electronic meetings made it clear that debate and discussion is somewhat limited when the seven people are at different locations. Staff participation will be very different.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward – chairing an electronic meeting of City Council with all the members of Council taking part from their homes, It went very well Mayor Meed Ward did a good job in keeping things moving along.
When votes were taken each Council member called out Yeah! We can expect that to become a feature of future council meetings when this virus has done whatever it is going to do.
The Region held their meeting electronically as well. The production values for the Burlington web cast were far far superior to what the Region broadcast. Good on Dave Thomson, Burlington audio visual technician – who brings a certain kind of magic to what appears on the monitors in the Council chamber and what is seen on the webcast.
Nothing yet on how public delegations will be handled. They are do-able; all the administration has to do is make their will known
By Staff
March 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service arrested four males in connection to theft of alcohol from the LCBO in the City of Burlington on the 25th of March 2020.
 The LCBO looked like an easy target for four thieves- vigilant staff and customers got a license plate number – police arrested the four shortly after. Three males entered the LCBO on Appleby Line just before 4pm wearing bandanas over their faces while carrying cloth style shopping bags.
The masked males proceeded to load their bags with various bottles of alcohol. A fourth male was waiting outside the store in a Blue Dodge Caravan and proceeded to flee the area once the other males exited the LCBO.
Witnesses at the LCBO provided a description of the Dodge Caravan and licence plate to police.
Police officers attended the area and quickly conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle. All four males were arrested without incident a short distance away from the LCBO.
The following individuals have been charged with one count of Theft under $5000:
• Tristan Bird (18 years) of Toronto
• Ivan Bird (47 years) of Toronto
• Miguel Soto (39 years) of St. Catharines
• Michael Moore (39 years) of Toronto
All parties were released on an Undertaking.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Constable Dave Macedo of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2333.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
People charged with a criminal offence are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
 By Staff
March 26th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The growth of the COVID-19 in Burlington is very very small when looked at from a global perspective.
Part of the reason for that is the diligence most people have shown and the way the public is listening to the leadership from the Mayor.
On Thursday there will be a telephone Town Hall that will give the public a chance to ask questions.
To give the public a chance to get a sense as to just how bad things are in the rest of the world we have excerpted some data from a web site we refer to frequently. The source is very reputable. A link to the site with the data is here.
Set out below is data that shows the world wide status for three different dates.
 March 24th, 2020  March 25th, 2020  March 26th, 2020 The best way residents can prevent the spread of respiratory viruses including COVID-19 is to:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into upper sleeve, not hand.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Pepper Parr
March 25th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We are all working at keeping our distance from others; going out only when it is necessary; washing our hands regularly and listening to the news to stay aware of a very challenging and changing set of circumstances.
What happens if you feel you may have symptoms – and think you should be tested,
You have to fall within the parameters set out by the Regional Heath people.
If they think you should be tested this is how it happens.
A Gazette reader advises that he and his wife went in for testing last Saturday.
No results yet.
– We arrived at Jo Brant for our appointment time
– COVID-19 Testing is done on the Northshore side of the Hospital where the old Emergency Department Exit was.
 Assigned parking spot – You pull up in your car to a designated parking spot.
– The Doctor contacts you on your Mobile Phone. Asks you to come in and touch nothing.
– We walked to the door where we were greeted by a very nice fully gowned Nurse.
– The nurse handed us a Face-mask and instructed us to use the provided Hand Sanitizer.
– You then enter a highly sanitized room (So sanitized it causes the stethoscope to corrode)
– They proceed to take your temperature, Blood Pressure, O2 levels and assess your breathing with the Stethoscope.
– You are then asked to lean back and the Nasopharyngeal swab is shoved up your left nostril so far it seems like it tickles the bottom of your brain.
– We were then instructed to wait 48-72 hours for our results. (Obviously this SLA that has something to do with the testing is hard to achieve)
We wish our reader well with the test results.
They did let them go home.
|
|
