This article was published ten years ago. The focus was on density and traffic congestion. Has any progress been made?
What would Burlington look like with 100 Strata’s built around the city?
This is what the Strata looks like. Councillor John Taylor thinks the city is going to need 100 of these in the next 25 years to meet the intensification target set by the province.
What’s a Strata? That’s the condominium the Molinaro gropup built on Maple Avenue.
That was the potential ward 3 city Councillor John Taylor tossed on the table during a city council Committee of the whole recently.
John Taylor, Councillor for ward 3 and the Dean of Burlington’s city council
Taylor puts the city’s current population at 175,000 people – the signs as you enter the city say 176,000.
The Growing in Place program – that is a provincial government directive, calls for Burlington to have a population of 195,000 by 2031
That number is thought to rise to 210,000 by 2041. The projection for 2041 number is something that is still being worked out by the Region and the four municipalities in Halton.
We can quibble all we want but the bald fact is that between now and 2041 the city is expected to add 35,000 people to the population total.
And because there is no development north of the Hwy 5 – 407 line – all those people have to be tucked in south of that line.
Let us not rush back into the real world quite yet.
Christmas was festive, fun, and family – the day after has become a holiday with a quaint tradition that is celebrated in the Commonwealth countries that reflects the class tradition of the times.
The first mention of Boxing Day as a tradition is believed to be in 1830. It was the day that the Upper classes gave a “box” to people like post-men, errand-boys, and servants of various kinds.
It was a present, a gratuity given at Christmas to people who had provided a service. In Great Britain the custom for tradesmen to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. The tradition goes back as far as December 1663.
It was a different time, a different era when class differences defined everything. The Boxing Day tradition came out of that era.
The tradition was linked to an older British tradition – servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.
In South Africa as recently as the 1980s, milkmen and garbage collectors, who normally had little if any interaction with those they served, were accustomed to knock on their doors asking for a “Christmas box”, being a small cash donation, in the week or so before and after Christmas.
The European tradition, which has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. It is believed to be in reference to the Alms Box placed in areas of worship to collect donations to the poor.
Boxing Day became a secular holiday that is traditionally celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas Day. 26 December is also St. Stephen’s Day, a religious holiday.
In the UK, Boxing Day is a bank holiday
In Scotland, Boxing Day has been specified as an additional bank holiday since 1974In Ireland – when the island as a whole was part of the United Kingdom – the Bank Holidays Act 1871 established the feast day of St. Stephen as a non-movable public holiday on 26 December. Following partition in 1920, Northern Ireland reverted to the British name, Boxing Day.
In Australia, Boxing Day is a federal public holiday. The Australian state of South Australia instead observes a public holiday known as Proclamation Day on the first weekday after Christmas Day or the Christmas Day holiday.
In New Zealand, Boxing Day is a statutory holiday; penalty rates and lieu time are provided to employees who work on Boxing Day.
In Canada, Boxing Day is a federal statutory holiday. Government offices, banks and post offices/delivery are closed. In some Canadian provinces, Boxing Day is a statutory holiday that is always celebrated on 26 December. In Canadian provinces where Boxing Day was a statutory holiday, and it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, compensation days are given in the following week.
In the United States, 26 December is not observed as “Boxing Day”.
The tradition has become a massive sales push that has people lining up outside large chain store operations as early as 5 am waiting for huge discounts, usually on electronic items that are positioned as loss leaders to attract customers.
Boxing day at the Eaton Centre – packed.
The CTV television network reports that in 2010 Boxing Day sales totaled $1.8 billion. The tradition has become a shopping holiday that has become Boxing Week
Many retailers open very early (typically 5 am or even earlier) and offer door buster deals and loss leaders to draw people to their stores. It is not uncommon for long queues to form early in the morning of 26 December, hours before the opening of shops holding the big sales, especially at big-box consumer electronics retailers.
In recent years, retailers have expanded deals to “Boxing Week”. While Boxing Day is 26 December, many retailers will run the sales for several days before or after 26 December, often up to New Year’s Eve. Notably, in the recession of late 2008, a record number of retailers were holding early promotions due to a weak economy. Canada’s Boxing Day has often been compared with the American Super Saturday (the Saturday before Christmas) and Black Friday.
From 2009 onward Black Friday deals become more prominent among Canadian retailers to discourage shoppers from crossing the border to the USA when the Canadian and USA dollars was close to parity, and this has lessened the appeal of Boxing Day in Canada somewhat as it was overtaken by Black Friday in terms of sales in 2013.
Boxing Day is not and has never been a shopping holiday in the USA.
In some parts of Canada, particularly in Atlantic Canada and parts of Northern Ontario, most retailers are prohibited from opening on Boxing Day, either by provincial law or by municipal bylaw, or instead by informal agreement among major retailers to provide a day of relaxation following Christmas Day.
A tradition that came out of a social class based society has evolved into a week-long shopping spree.
It isn’t just about shopping; sports events have become major Boxing Day events.
Major European leagues may enjoy a winter break when players can put their feet up over the festive period. But it’s all go in the Premier and Football Leagues. And that means plenty of action for armchair soccer fans.
In the United Kingdom, it is traditional for both top-tier football leagues in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the lower ones, as well as the rugby leagues, to hold a full programme of football and rugby union matches on Boxing Day.
Originally, matches on Boxing Day were played against local rivals to avoid teams and their fans having to travel a long distance to an away game on the day after Christmas Day.
This is probably much more than you wanted to know about the holiday we celebrate today.
There was nothing on social media; some thought she was a stand in candidate in place to pull votes away from Shawna Stolte the incumbent candidate for the ward 4 seat.
Eden Wood, candidate for the ward 4 council seat
Turns out Eden Wood is very real, a mother of a daughter and a son who play soccer.
Mom has that clean cut Ivy League look to her. She is involved in police volunteer groups: doing victim support and public safety committee work.
She Has worked in the private sector with Fisher & Ludlow, a Nucor company that makes industrial grating. She has taken community college level courses at Sheridan focused on accounting and business administration.
Wood was the President of the Burlington Crime Prevention Committee that “tackled issues on vandalism and crime prevention by recognizing the importance of homeowners landscape and design. We also worked with the Victim Assistance Volunteer Program, assisted by the Burlington O.P.P.
She has been the Apprentice Supervisor with the Hamilton S.P.C.A., building the empathy of youth. She has volunteered with Burlington Rotary at Canada’s Largest Ribfest. She worked for Average Joe Sports as a volleyball convener, as well as played volleyball through B.A.S.L and A.C.R.A.
She also played Softball and Ultimate Frisbee. Her children are members of the Burlington Soccer Club, and use many of the wonderful amenities Burlington has to offer.
While President of the Burlington Crime Prevention Committee she became a member of the Citizen Police Academy through Halton Regional Police Service, where good governance and transparency are front and centre.
She received the award for Active Citizenship from Mohawk College, where she attended the Police Foundations program.
Her web site is up and running.
Don’t know much about her views on the significant issues city council faces nor what her core values are – she does place a lot of emphasis on family and neighbourhood.
Perhaps a book that was overdue just had to be returned.
Whatever it was – car went through the windows of the Alton branch of the Burlington Public Library.
No one was injured and the staff managed to get the building opened this morning with little in the way of service disruption.
The Alton Recreational Centre has a high, a public library and some of the best recreational space in the city.
The property is owned by the city with the three jurisdictions sharing the use of the space.
An incident like this wasn’t in the operational plans.
“We are very glad to be able to welcome people back into the branch so soon,” says Amanda Freeman, Branch Manager. “This library is busy with families, especially during Summer Reading Club. We are very grateful to all our BPL staff and partner organizations for getting us back into operation so quickly.”
A small area of the branch is closed off with barriers until the damage can be fixed more permanently.
The remainder of the space is still open for browsing, borrowing, programs, and study.
No one was seriously injured in the collision. It occurred before the branch opened Saturday morning.
Police report that:
A vehicle drove through the glass at the library on July 9 at approximately 9:00 am. I am not aware of any charges or injuries at this time.
The Gazette followed up and got this:
“Unfortunately I cannot confirm any other details. Accident reports are completed by the officer and then sent off to the Ministry so I am not able to view the report. The officer is on their 4 days off currently so I am not able to confirm with them either. From what I see there does not appear to be any evidence to support that it was a deliberate action.”
Newspapers get all kinds of story opportunities. Help me find my lost dog or promote the opening of my donut shop. Some are truly amazing.
Joan Baker – starts a carpentry course in August and needs a place to stay – thinks she might be able to help as senior who can help her.
When Joan Baker wrote to tell us that she was going to start a six month course on carpentry at the Centre for Skills Program on North Service Road in Burlington she added that her long term goal is to build seniors dwelling that are wholistic.
She explained that by wholistic she meant dwellings that are comfortable, immersed in a natural environment that is close to nature where you can potentially garden and nourish body, mind and soul.
That sounded like a good long term goal
Joan had a second goal – she needs to find a place to live while she is a student – and in a tight housing market finding short term accommodation at a reasonable price is easier said than done.
Joan thinks, and hopes, that can do an exchange with a senior – she wants to exchange a place to stay where she will assist with meal preparation, household chores, cleaning, running errands and companion care.
You have to admire the creative thinking. There are hundreds of situations in Burlington where there is a senior, alone in their house and prepared to welcome someone they can talk to every day – having them cook meals, do the dishes and run errands are just bonuses.
The chemistry has to be right; the references have to be sterling but in today’s world anything is possible.
If you think this is something that you might want to follow up on – give Joan a call – she can be reached electronically at jbbaker@sympatico.ca or by telephone at: 647.613.1858
Given the array of gaming options available in the modern world, more and more people are discovering the benefits of gaming. Be it through an Amazon Fire Stick, a mobile gaming product, or a hugely powerful PlayStation 5 console machine, gaming is the preferred entertainment option for many of us.
Of course, like most recreational activities, gaming should be enjoyed in moderation and striking a balance is key, but once you get there, there are some proven ways in which enjoying an array of games can actually be good for you. Whether you’re playing first-person shooter classics like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare or simple puzzle games, there is a variety of proven benefits.
Gaming is a broad church these days. Some people like toplay live casino games,whereas others go for big-budget console and PC games. Gaming could be playing something like Wordle in the New York Times every day. But whatever it is you do, it is the activity that counts. Not all of it is beneficial, of course. As they say – everything in moderation.
For instance, certain games are said to improve a range of cognitive skills, as well as helping with social skills. Throw in the fun and entertainment that can be had through a variety of gaming products, and it’s easy to see why the world’s population is filled with so many gamers.
In the past, we have tended to hear that gaming can be potentially harmful, perhaps leading to violence or even growth in certain street crimes, but this appears not to be true in general. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, there is strong evidence to suggest that gaming can actually be good for you. For instance, the research shows that gaming can benefit an individual both socially and health-wise while also providing learning along the way. Alongside this, there are some other additional reasons why gaming can be beneficial to a person. Let’s take a look at some more of them below.
Gamers can make friends around the world
Given gaming’s global appeal and the modern-day communication tools gamers can access while enjoying a gaming session, more and more people are connecting through a variety of titles. In the past, these types of opportunities were not available to gamers, but with the emergence of online gaming and an array of additional accessories, gaming is more sociable than it ever has been.
Gamers face a truly challenging set of obstacles to overcome, which, in turn, can improve coordination and strategic thinking. .
From Britain to Burlington, gamers are enjoying an array of products and teaming up with fellow players. As a result of shared Fortnite sessions and Pokemon Go trading marathons, gamers are making friends with other gamers around the world.
Gaming can improve your strategic skills
For people who perhaps aren’t too clued up on gaming and what exactly specific titles entail, playing games can seem like plenty of running around for no real reason. In truth, it’s the total opposite, especially when assessing some specific products that require a great deal of strategic thinking. Fact is, many games require skill, coordination and strategic play to succeed. It could even be argued that some levels on certain titles are essentially real-time board games in more detail, therefore giving gamers a truly challenging set of obstacles to overcome, which, in turn, can improve a variety of things, such as coordination and strategic planning.
Gaming can help people blow off some stream
Most importantly of all, gaming is fun and entertaining. A benefit of such pleasure and entertainment is an improved all-around mood and a perfect way to unwind after a stressful day at work. As stated already, specific titles require planning and can be tricky, but overall, gaming is a fantastic option for people who want to socialise with friends, have some fun, switch off from life’s trials and tribulations, and generally just blow off some steam.
Other entertainment options can offer a similar experience too, but gaming is the favoured choice for many people these days.
On Saturday we published a news story and an opinion piece that had a serious error.
We reported that the Closed Meeting Investigator, who had done a review of the meetings that were the subject of an Integrity Commissioners report, were going to be heard in a Closed Session of Council
We were wrong. A trusted adviser called me at just after 7:00 pm on Friday to advise me that the agenda for the May 4th CSSAR FIX Standing Committee had been published and the reference to the report was that it was to be heard in a Closed Session of Council
That was incorrect – we got it wrong. Our source misread the listing which said “…Closed Session report.
The two content pieces will be revised and we ask the readers and the Clerk’s Office to accept our apology.
In the world of new reporting, mistakes are made.
In 1948, when Harry Truman was running for re-election as President of the United States, the Chicago Daily Tribune called the election result just a little too early. Truman had won – the early polls misled the editors of the newspaper. Truman won 303 Electoral College votes – his opponent got 189.
Set out below is a copy of the New York Tines Corrections section. They list the corrections needed for errors in previous editions.
It happens in the best of families.
The New York Times runs a Correction Section in every edition of their paper.
Two groups are currently looking into the housing problem.
And a Housing Working group that was brought into being due to the persistent efforts of ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte.
And she is about to get a public spanking on Tuesday for telling the public about some of the things being said in Closed sessions of Council about property that is being redeveloped by public agencies to benefit the public.
Go figure.
Having said that, the city planners are doing some solid work; gathering the information on which to base the strategy that is needed to find a way to provide housing for the thousands of people who are going to move to Burlington in the next two decades.
Expect the work that City Council has approved on the housing file to become a major election issue. Will it get the Mayor re-elected? The people who will benefit have yet to move to the city.
There is the common ground established that housing is a basic human right, and there is a collective civic responsibility to ensure that the supply of housing available within a community can accommodate the varying needs of residents throughout their lifetime, including financial needs.
Working Group on Housing, made up of both volunteers and people steeped in the business of housing has met virtually for a number of months.
Burlington has initiated a project to develop an Innovative Housing Strategy that sets out policies, tools, identifies partnerships, and actions to address residents’ current and future housing needs. The consulting team of Dillon Consulting Limited (Dillon) and SHS Consulting (SHS) were retained by the City to carry out this work, in partnership with the City’s Housing Strategy Project team, Housing Strategy Working Group, and Housing Strategy Steering Committee.
Housing: what can Burlington do and how do they go about doing it.
While there has been a lot of effort and emphasis on improving housing opportunities in the City, this Housing Strategy project provides an opportunity for a focused approach. The principal objective is to develop an innovative Housing Strategy for the City of Burlington that sets out policies, tools, and actions to address residents’ housing needs, identifies opportunities for partnerships, and redefines Burlington’s role in meeting local housing needs, now and in the future.
What is the biggest issue? Affordability or inventory?
There are many different ways of defining affordable housing. Definitions that exist in provincial laws, may differ from definitions used in federal housing programs. For many people, there is also a very personal definition of affordability based on their own income.
Affordable Housing
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) defines affordable housing as housing with a price for purchase or rent where households spend no more than 30 percent of their gross household income on housing.
In the case of ownership housing, the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) defines affordable housing as, the least expensive of:
Housing for which the purchase price results in annual accommodation costs which do not exceed 30 percent of gross annual housing income for low and moderate income households; or
Housing for which the purchase price is at least 10 percent below the average purchase price of a resale unit in the regional market area;
In the case of rental housing, the PPS defines affordable housing as, the least expensive of:
A unit for which the rent does not exceed 30 percent of grow annual housing income for low and moderate income households; or
A unit for which the rent is at or below the average market rent of a unit in the regional market area.
In Halton Region’s Official Plan, affordable housing is defined as:
“housing with a market price (or rent that is affordable to households of low and moderate income, spending no more than 30 percent of their gross income.
a) Affordable rental housing should meet the demand of households at the low end, as described in Halton’s annual State of Housing Report, pursuant to Section 86(7). Such households would be able to afford at least three out of ten rental units on the market.
b) Affordable ownership housing should meet the demand of households at the high end, as identified in Halton’s annual State of Housing Report. Such households would have sufficient income left, after housing expenses, to sustain the basic standard of living.”
Attainable Housing
While there is no universal definition of attainable housing, it is often used to refer to rental or ownership housing without any subsidies which is affordable to workforce households or households with moderate incomes. In the US, it is defined as non-subsidized, for-sale housing that is affordable to households with incomes between 80 and 120 percent of the area median income.
Using the Consumer Price Index (CPI), to bring the 2016 incomes to 2021 values, the estimated average household income in Burlington for 2021 is $159,083 and the estimated median household income is $124,154.
Based on research conducted as part of this report, findings indicate the following 2021 average ownership prices in Burlington:
This development at 2100 Brant sold out before the sales office was opened.
Single-detached: $1,398,357
Semi-detached: $901,963
Townhouse: $894,997
Condominium townhouse: $575,299
Condominium apartments: $575,299
This means that, within the context of Burlington, ownership options are only affordable to households earning $164,016 or more on an annual basis, unless they had a down payment greater than 5% or spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
With respect to rental tenure, the research conducted as part of this report indicates the following average monthly rents in the primary rental market in Burlington9:
Some of these units at the Burlington GO station will be rentals.
Bachelor: $1,229
One bedroom: $1,577
Two bedroom: $1,641
Three+ bedroom: $1,658
This means that, within the context of Burlington, rental options within the primary rental market are only affordable to households earning $60,072 or more on an annual basis. This is further complicated by the low vacancy rates for rental housing in the City, which has remained below 3% since 2010.
Within the Burlington Context, where the cost of all tenures of housing is high, there are very few “affordable” housing options for households within low and moderate income deciles when applying the Federal and Provincial government’s definition of “affordable”.
Given the City’s stated objective for the Housing Strategy to provide a toolkit with options to address housing needs across the entire housing continuum, the strategy will need to provide tools to address both housing “affordability” and “attainability” throughout Burlington to best position itself as an inclusive and complete community that provides housing options for all.
When “affordable housing” is used within the context of this report it is meant to encapsulate the definition of affordable as set out in the Halton Region Official Plan and does not mean government- assisted housing or subsidized housing.
These two developments; one at the Burlington GO station and the other in the east end are part of the inventory that will come on line at some point. The GO station development has most of the approvals it needs. What isn’t know – how much will the rents be?
Burlington’s role in housing.
Through the work completed to date, it was determined that the biggest impact the City of Burlington can make, as a lower-tier municipality, is to provide innovative solutions to address housing affordability and attainability for middle-income earners. Increasingly, middle-income households are struggling to find housing that is appropriate for their needs and income level in Burlington with the high cost of housing posing significant challenges for middle-income working households.
Providing support to these households insures that they can remain housed in Burlington.
It is in addressing the middle income needs where the City can make the biggest moves.
Burlington high schools have always been strong competitors in the field of robotics.
Six robotics teams from the Halton District School Board (HDSB) will be competing at the FIRST Ontario Provincial Championship in Mississauga Thursday through Saturday (April 14-16).
The robot was taught how to throw that basketball. It was not drafted by the Raptors
Schools participating include Burlington Central School, M.M. Robinson High School, Garth Webb Secondary School and Georgetown District High School, each with one team, and Oakville Trafalgar High School with two teams.
Each HDSB team qualified for the provincial competition based on their results from taking part in regional competitions including those held at Humber College, Waterloo and York universities. This provincial competition is a qualifier for the World FIRST Robotic Championship held April 20-23 in Houston, Texas.
“Our Halton FIRST robotics teams worked extra hard this season coming out of lockdown, with tight timelines to build their robot in time to compete in their first qualifier at the beginning of March,” says Veronica Kleinsmith, Lead for the Specialist High Skills Major andPathways programs with the HDSB.
“All HDSB teams built impressive robots this year and three of our schools are ranked in the Top 6 in Ontario going into this provincial competition. Each team raises funds from community and business sponsors, designs a brand for their team, hones their teamwork skills, builds and finally programs their robots for a difficult field-game challenge.”
The students who take part in the robotics courses are amongst the smartest in the HDSB system.
Established in 2001, FIRST Robotics inspires young people to be leaders and innovators in science and technology by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills to inspire innovation and foster self-confidence, communication and leadership.
We were told that there would be small COVID-19 Outbreaks.
The Joseph Brant Hospital Inpatient Unit advised the public today that an outbreak has been declared on Unit 2 North 600 (2N600) at Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) after two staff tested positive for COVID-19. All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of patients, Essential Care Partners (ECPs), staff and physicians.
Joseph Brant Hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control team and Employee Health Services are ensuring all those who have been impacted will be contacted, monitored and tested as required.
A number of enhanced safety measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of our patients, staff and physicians. The unit remains open to new patient admissions. Essential Care Partners can enter the unit, adhering to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements including face masks.
JBH is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to work to bring a safe end to the outbreak as soon as possible. Patients or loved ones who have questions or concerns can contact a member of the JBH Patient Relations team at 905-632-3737 ext. 4949 or by email patientrelations@josephbranthospital.ca.
As key public health and health system indicators continue to improve, Ontario and local governments are gradually easing public health and safety measures. While many of us welcome the opportunity to take part in indoor social activities such as sporting events, it is important to recognize that COVID-19 remains transmissible to vulnerable individuals receiving care in healthcare settings. We cannot lose sight of our role in protecting the health and safety of patients and healthcare workers at Joseph Brant Hospital.
Eric Vandewall: President and CEO Joseph Brant Hospital
Individual organizations and municipalities are responding and managing these new measures differently – some may choose to adopt current practices, while others may take a more careful and measured approach depending on local conditions and the populations that they serve. The lifting of public health measures by provincial and local governments is, at the end of the day, a judgement call.
Hospitals have the discretion to establish their own guidelines and review them on an ongoing basis. At this point, JBH will continue to require that all patients, essential care providers, and visitors wear a hospital-issued, medical grade mask while in the hospital. This decision is rooted in data, evolving science and evidence-based best practices – it is what is best for our patients, our staff, physicians, learners and volunteers.
We have not changed our COVID-19 vaccination requirement for Essential Care Providers (ECPs), with very limited exceptions. ECPs are still required to complete a COVID-19 screening before coming to the hospital. It is important for patients and their loved ones to review the visitor guidelines; we will continue to re-evaluate our policies in the weeks and months ahead, with input from our patients, their ECPs and our staff.
We have made changes to the limits on ECPs, recognizing the important role ECPs play in a patient’s care, well-being, and recovery. Patients staying in hospital can have two ECPs at their bedside, and individuals coming for appointments or coming to the Emergency Department can have one person accompany them.
I am pleased to report that our surgical activity has reached 90 per cent of pre-COVID levels, consistent with the changes in provincial direction. Our diagnostics are running at full capacity. We continue to explore additional strategies to address the surgical procedures backlog and are we are working closely with our surgeons to monitor deferred procedures very closely to ensure timely access for patients requiring urgent and time-sensitive procedures.
Throughout the pandemic, we have shared what we are seeing in our community when it comes to care needs – this includes the growing need for mental health and addictions (MHA) services. I invite you to a virtual panel about Burlington’s current and future needs for these services on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. The panel aims to shine a light on this important topic; help people to discover the available services in the community; and to provide a forum for questions and answers at a time when many are looking for more support.
Join our MHA experts, Dr. Steven Selchen and Dr. Monidipa Ravi; our moderator, Jane McKenna, MPP for Burlington and Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues; and Michelle Barr, Director of Services of Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK). Please go to www.keepcareclosetohome.ca for details on how to join the virtual discussion, and please take a moment to fill out a short survey about the mental health and addictions resources in our community.
These last two years have been incredibly difficult for everyone. The road behind us has been a long one, and we are moving in the right direction, with high vaccination rates and a decreasing trend in COVID-19 hospitalizations. As public health measures continue to lift, we encourage you to continue to follow the guidance of medical experts and public health officials.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our teams have continued to care for people in our community. I am so proud of our teams here at JBH and I would like to thank all of our dedicated staff, physicians, learners, and volunteers for their incredible efforts to provide safe and quality care.
Masks aren’t a must but hugs are in – according to the Mayor.
Vaccinations are heavily encouraged. For those who do not get vaccinated – there have been consequences.
The creation of the vaccine in such a short period of time will be seen as a true marvel.
The City’s COVID-19 Volunteer Vaccination Policy has been repealed.
This means volunteers, when accessing City facilities and taking part in City activities, will not be required to show proof of vaccination.
On March 14, 2022, the City of Burlington COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy was amended; staff that are not vaccinated will continue to have the option to test (Fire Department staff excluded). The decision to amend the COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy was done in light of the evolving pandemic situation and messages from the Chief Medical Officer of Health regarding workplace vaccination policies. In addition, the Province of Ontario lifting its vaccine passport requirements and remaining capacity limits factored into this COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy amendment.
Being tested isn’t quite this dramatic.
Passive screening for the public visiting City facilities will continue to be in place. (Passive screening is a list of questions that are asked.) Members of the public who wish to continue to wear their mask in City facilities are welcome to do so and we ask the public be patient and kind with one another and staff as we move through these changes together. Daily active screening of City employees and source control masking will remain in place for City staff.
Passive screening means:
you must post signs with clear instructions at all entrances that tell people how to screen themselves
the signs should include the screening questions and instruct people with symptoms or high-risk exposures not to enter the premises
people are assumed to have screened themselves and followed the instructions
you do not need to ask anyone to report the result of their screening
a person should be told not to enter if they volunteer the information that they did not pass the screening assessment
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward: vaccinated or tested.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward explains: “Vaccination policies for our City staff and volunteers have been flexible throughout the pandemic — changing as needed to respond to health indicators and advice from health officials. Based on the current situation, and in keeping with advice from the Medical Officer of Health and the Province, in lifting requirements to show proof of vaccination in certain settings, we are modifying our policy once again. City volunteers won’t be required to show proof of vaccinations, and City staff (with the exception of the fire department, due to the nature of the job) have the choice of vaccination or testing.”
Ontario’s fixed-date election law sets voting day as June 2, 2022, and the formal start of the campaign period as next May 4.
Burlington now has nominated candidates for the three mainline political parties.
NDP candidate Andrew Drummond get a visit from Liberal candidate Mariam Manaa while she was doing her door to door thing.
The New Democrats nominated Andrew Drummond, the Liberals actually made a contest of their nomination and chose Mariam Manaa as their candidate.
The Progressive Conservatives appointed Natalie Pierre as their candidate.
The Greens nominated Kyle Hutton.
There may be others.
While there is all kinds of political maneuvering taking place at the party leadership level, the fight at the ground level will become fierce starting May 4th.
Drummond is well known, he has run before and has acquitted himself quite well. Were he to be elected he would be a creditable legislator once he has learned the basics of being an MPP.
Andrea Horwath on the campaign trail
The problem with the Ontario New Democrats is their leader – Andrea Horwath isn’t seen as a leader; there isn’t all that much bench strength in the party – she would have difficulty forming a government and the even more difficulty governing.
Bob Rae who brought tonnes of credibility to the job of party leader had difficulty find the talent he needed to appoint solid members to his Cabinet.
Burlington does have a small but solid community of followers – enough to win? There was a real chance last time out – not sure that chance exists this time around,
Manaa has no experience in government but some knowledge of the way politicians serve their communities having worked as an intern with two federal MP’s.
No one is sure just where her support came from. If the Muslim community is large enough she could take the seat.; what is not clear is just how many Muslim’s in the riding there are. The most recent Stats Canada data is not yet available. The Muslim community will vote for their candidate.
The team teaching Mariam how to campaign is solid. If she has the capacity to develop into a credible candidate she could surprise a lot of people.
Aldershot resident Greg Woodruff, right, talking to Stephen Del Duca, provincial Liberal party leader, while he was in Burlington as the then Minister of Transport for the province.
The Liberals have not been blessed with a gifted party leader. Steve Del Duca comes across as flailing about looking for an issue that he can use to get the foothold he desperately needs. Not having a seat in the Legislature doesn’t help. .
The Progressive Conservatives in Burlington have struggled to develop really solid candidates. Cam Jackson served as the MPP for years. One would be challenged to point to anything significant he achieved while in office.
Jane McKenna was nominated at a meeting where she was the only candidate; zip in the way of political experience and a one of the thinnest public profiles ever seen for a person running for public office. She was fortunate in having some very savvy political players guiding and directing her. It was one of Keith Strong’s better initiatives.
There has always been something suspect with PC nomination meetings.
McKenna decided there was an even greener pasture for her at the Regional level and she announced she would not run again as the MPP fr Burlington.
There was no immediate identifiable replacement candidate; we would get notes from people asking if we knew who the PC candidate was going to be.
Natalie Pierre, PC appointed candidate for Burlington
It is not known yet how, when or where the appointed candidate Natalie Pierre was found.
No experience other than having lived in Burlington for 30 years.
The PC party made the appointment on March 4th and informed the public on We were copied on an email in which McKenna appeared to be taking all the credit for finding Pierre.
Since that announcement – not a word.
Burlington has solid deep Conservative roots. As a society it tends to be conservative.
The federal candidate the Conservatives put forward was wrapped in a bubble, said next to nothing and was the poster girl for the gun club lobby.
The challenge for every political party and its candidate is to create profile – get the candidate out in front of people.
To date we have seen nothing on Natalie Pierre.
Are the PC’s going to rely on the strength thay have always has in Burlington. A sort of “she is one of us – vote for her” campaign?
Doug Ford casting a ballot
The problem the PC’s have is with their leader. He has not exactly proven to be a rock star for the way he handled the pandemic; Ontario has yet to formalize an agreement with the federal government on the new child care program.
It is hard to fathom the PC position on climate change but very easy to grasp what they want to do in terms of building new roads rather that focus on and look for different ways to move people from place to place.
The Bradford Bypass and the Hwy 413 extension are really not needed.
Doug Ford has a small business mentality – he genuinely feels the pain of the small business person who had to close their doors during the lock-downs,
Ford understand the small business community – he genuinely cares about the problems they have had to face.
He is prepared to put at risk the health and welfare on students who would be well served with a masking policy for another two weeks until we learn what WORD are going to be as a result of the Spring Break.
What is proving to be very interesting is the number of parents who have decided they will stay with a masking protocol for the immediate future and wait for new virus infection results.
Doug Ford wants to hope that the reports are minimal and that we may have cleared the mist recent wave. Let us hope as well that the numbers that do exists don’t get fudged.
Kyle Hutton Green Part candidate
What the province needs at this point in its growth is a well thought out vision – something a bit more than Doug Ford’s Open for Business position.
Burlington now has three candidates; two who are credible – the third too unknown at this point to be able to make a comment.
The Greens have a candidate – thin on real experience but quite a bite of on the ground electing candidates which he learned while working to get Karina Gould elected.
There are tough choices to be made. A minority Progressive Conservative government would serve the province best,
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.
Earlier today, at approximately 3:50 am, Halton Regional Police Service officers responded to the area of Bluegrass Lane and Dryden Avenue in Burlington, for reports of a male trying to break into vehicles.
An alert resident was able to notify police and provide a description of the male.
Police attended the area and located the suspect, who was found to be in possession of break in tools and items believed to have been stolen from area vehicles (currency, perfume, sunglasses, purses, etc.).
Shad Atkin (33) of no fixed address was arrested and has been charged with:
Possession of Break-In Instruments
Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Mischief Under $5000
Trespass at Night
Fail to Comply with Release Order
Atkin was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Police would like to remind residents of the value of reporting suspicious activity to police. In this case, one phone call likely prevented further break-ins to area vehicles and lead to the arrest of a suspect.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 ext. 2316.
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.
Ontario is reporting 842 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 281 in ICU on Sunday. We have broken that 1000 hospitalizations barrier – which is a good sign.
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns – isolating
Burlington Member of Parliament Karina Gould – isolating.
At the same time Burlington’s ward 2 Councillor reported that she had COVID19 and was isolating. There is a report that MP Karina Gould has COVID19.
The province notes that not all hospitals report on weekends. There are also at least 2,001 new cases of COVID-19.
So it is out there and it is being transferred from people to people.
Gould and Kearns are committed mask wearers and are also in the public sphere.
On Tuesday March 1st, the province opens things up.
Another really important concern is the number of people who still believe this is all hokum and there is nothing to worry about.
The City of Burlington’s website, www.burlington.ca, and some web applications will be temporarily unavailable between Feb. 15 at 10 p.m. and Feb. 16 at 2 a.m. for scheduled maintenance.
A handful of technical types will be working late upgrading the city’s web site and many of the applications they run.
During the temporary shut down, the following websites and applications will not be available:
By Ed Keenleyside, President Friends of Freeman Station
January31st, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
A Report to All FOFS Directors and Members at Large
We’ve been closed for a variety of reasons: normal winter shut down; Covid-19 restrictions andaccumulation of snow effectively eliminating parking at Freeman station. In spite of this a fewprojects continue to move along, and a couple of new projects have begun.
Ed Keenlyside, on the right, explaining a project to a citizen at a community meeting.
First of all, re: the restoration of the caboose… Before the cold and the snow closed downoperations Ken Brooks and his dedicated team of experts replaced the windows in the cupolaafter reattaching it to the main frame. Simultaneously the station’s electrical system is being extended to the rolling stock and ultimately to the three shipping containers at the back of theproperty. In preparation for next spring, tongue & groove lumber is being stockpiled in thestation–half has already been primed and painted and the remainder is being prepared as wespeak.
Meanwhile inside…our long-awaited video wall, which acts as a backdrop for the diorama, isnearing completion. Following closely behind, will be the installation of an a/v link from thebasement to the waiting room to provide a visual connection for those people unable to use the stairs. Both of these projects are being completed thanks to the generosity of the OntarioTrillium Foundation.
This is what they started out with – Sitting on some “cribbing” with a sign badly in need of several coats of paint, the Freeman Station gets ready for its big move.
Now that we have completed the restoration of the station (in record time, I might add) it istime to look at an important component of the station that needs updating. That is ourwebsite. We have struggled to find a person who has the time and knowledge to manage this valuable communication and fundraising tool. Over the years items have been added whichhad a temporary importance but which were never removed. One of the most commoncomments is that our website could be more user friendly. Well, work is now underway to remedy that concern. The original company in St. Catharines has been contacted aboutresurrecting the site. With the pandemic lock-down, there are no visitors and thus virtually nodonations. Therefore the sooner the website is fixed so that it encourages donations and makes it super easy to donate, the better.
Settled in the new home – the task now was to complete the refurbishing and make it a destination for railways buffs.
On the fundraising side of our corporation, I am proud to tell you that due to your generosity,we had a successful campaign this fall. As they say on PBS “THANK YOU!” In addition, I haverecently received good news from the federal government. Our application for a $10,000 granthas been approved and those funds will be soon deposited in our account. Being a 100%volunteer organization, we depend heavily on visitors for most of our donations. Since we havevirtually been closed for two years, that has put quite a strain on our bottom line.
Another new project is just getting started, and this is a review of our By-Laws. Last October2021 the Ontario Not-For-Profit Act was enacted. All corporations, like ours, must ensure theirby-laws conform to these new regulations. Thankfully, all corporations have been allowed timeto make any necessary adjustments.
One more aspect of our heritage train station is to complete an accurate inventory of all itemswe own. Since we are a small museum, we are unable to store unused items, and we have onlylimited space to display other items. This has led to the establishment of a Collections Policyand a Collections Committee. This group is headed up by the hard-working Dave Ellis.
Currently they have spread out a large number of tools and other items at the station. Some ofthese will go into the eventual FOFS workshop in one of the three containers at the back of theproperty. Other items that are not needed will be sold or disposed of. The remaining items willthen be properly identified and added to a comprehensive FOFS inventory.
The year 2022 also marks another milestone in the FOFS history. At the end of the year our land-use agreement with the Solenis Chemical Company will expire.
Contact has already beenmade with their manager in order to facilitate an extension of that contract. We are fortunateto be a partner with the city and Solenis in maintaining and operating this valuable heritage sitefor future generations. With the City of Burlington owning the building and Solenis owning theland we are indeed in good hands.
The pandemic has been a real challenge to your Board of Directors as well as the community weserve. The immediate future is uncertain from a health and safety point of view. We havebeen very careful with Covid restrictions, and so far, it has paid off. We will continue to makeyour health and safety our number one priority.
Please continue to support this wonderful architectural gem that has undergone a miraculoustransformation in a few short years. From a utilitarian train station built in 1906 for less than$2,000, it has cost many times that amount to bring this historic piece of Freeman and Burlington history back to life.
Please continue your support and encourage your friends to become FOFS members.
City hall is getting an upgrade – at least the ground floor is.
Entering city hall from the Brant Street entrance.
Service Burlington, the people that have all the answers to all the questions you have, are moving their desks temporarily to second floor of City Hall starting February 1.
The temporary move of Service Burlington is happening to allow for construction to begin on the main floor of City Hall, as part of the City Hall modernization project.
The project is one of 22 recommendations from the Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force report, and was approved by City Council in September 2019.
Work stations?
In keeping with the City’s focus on customer experience, this project will create a more open, customer-facing area on the first floor of City Hall. Construction on the main floor starts on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
Under modified Step Two of the Province’s Roadmap to Re-open, Service Burlington is currently open for in-person service by appointment only for commissioning services and marriage licences.
Appointment-only services will continue until Feb. 1, and may be extended in response to COVID-19. Residents can visit burlington.ca/onlineservices to access a variety of City services online or contact Service Burlington directly during regular business hours, by phone at 905-335-7777 and email at city@burlington.ca.
The ground floor area will be much more open than it is now. Will the public be able to just hang around and read the paper or is this all going to be strictly business?
During construction, please access City Hall through the Brant Street entrance. The entrances from Locust Street and Elgin Street will be closed.
Once inside the building, please use the elevator in the lobby to access Service Burlington on the second floor, unless otherwise directed.
As with most construction projects, there will be some periodic noise, dust and dirt in the building.
Construction on the main floor of City Hall is expected to finish in the fall of 2022.
The plans for a new city hall look had next to nothing in the way of citizen participation. Staff put together designs that were presented to council and it was a done deal.
There are changes planned as well for the plaza area outside city hall. They were put on hold when hoped-for funding failed to come through.
An outbreak has been declared on Unit 4 North 700 (4N700) at Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) after five patients tested positive for COVID-19.
All appropriate precautions have been taken to ensure the safety of patients, Essential Care Providers (ECPs), staff and physicians.
This is the second Covid19 outbreak announced by the hospital in the past ten days.
Joseph Brant Hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control team and Employee Health Services are ensuring all patients on the unit, along with staff and physicians who have been or may have been exposed, are being contacted, monitored, tested as required and self-isolating in keeping with Public Health guidelines. Patients on the unit are in isolation as of January 11 and have been instructed to continue the 10-day self-isolation when discharged from hospital.
A number of enhanced safety measures are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of patients, staff and physicians. This includes closing 4N700 to new patient admissions. In addition, ECPs are no longer permitted to enter the unit except under exceptional circumstances in consultation with the patient’s care team. Patients can still connect with their loved ones by telephone and video – both telephone and WiFi are available at no cost.
JBH is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to work closely with Halton Region Public Health to bring a safe end to the outbreak as soon as possible. Patients or loved ones who have questions or concerns can contact a member of the JBH Patient Relations team at 905-632-3737 ext. 4949 or by email patientrelations@josephbranthospital.ca.
By Pepper Parr
By Pepper Parr
The Alton Recreational Centre has a high, a public library and some of the best recreational space in the city.
A small area of the branch is closed off with barriers until the damage can be fixed more permanently.
By Pepper Parr
Burlington’s role in housing.
By Staff
By Staff
Earlier today, at approximately 3:50 am, Halton Regional Police Service officers responded to the area of Bluegrass Lane and Dryden Avenue in Burlington, for reports of a male trying to break into vehicles.
By Ed 
Currently they have spread out a large number of tools and other items at the station. Some of
By Staff
