 By Staff
May 25th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 Burlington’s city council now has a Code of Good Governance along with a document that sets out how compliance with the Code of Good Governance will be managed.
Both are published for the record – the story as to how the document came to exist and the dancing around that took place during the debate that went on for more than an hour and a half during a day time committee meeting has yet to be written. We will write that story in due course.
PREAMBLE
The Council of the City of Burlington is committed to achieving excellence in governance, and doing so in a way that maintains and ensures public trust and confidence in the City’s decision making.
The elements of this code that are subject to a formal complaint are intended to act as a Code of Conduct as required under the Municipal Act.
PURPOSE
The City of Burlington’s Council Code of Good Governance serves four main purposes:
• To set out, in manner that is aspirational and proactive, clear expectations of the governance behaviour of members of Council;
• To provide clarity to the public as to the behaviour they can expect from members of Council, and the governance responsibilities that go beyond those in the Municipal Act;
• To provide guidance to members of Council in the conduct of their duties as elected officials; and
• To provide a mechanism for responding to alleged breaches of elements of the Code.
APPLICATION
This Code applies to all members of the Council of the City of Burlington.
It is the responsibility of all members to be aware of and comply with the Code.
ASPIRATIONAL COMMITMENTS (NOT SUBJECT TO A COMPLAINT)
1. We will put the interests of the City above our own personal interests when conducting City business.
2. We acknowledge that working collaboratively will provide better governance decisions.
3. We will exercise strategic leadership by developing and clearly communicating to the public the Council’s purpose and priorities, and its intended outcomes.
4. We will ensure alignment of our key policies, budgets, and other policy instruments with our strategic goals, and hold ourselves, and staff accountable for the efficient and effective delivery of those goals.
5. Because our decisions often have generational impacts, we wild strive to take the long view, and in doing so consider the interests of those who will be immediately impacted, and those who will be impacted in the future.
6. We will, with our Audit Committee, identify risks to the corporation and ensure that Council and staff are effectively managing those risks.
7. We will strive to ensure expansive transparency and robust accountability.
8. We will exemplify the responsibilities and role articulated for members of Council in the Municipal Act.
CONDUCT COMMITMENTS (SUBJECT TO A FORMAL COMPLAINT)
9. We will not use city resources to advance our personal interests, we will adhere to the Council Expense Manual, and we will be particularly cautious about using city resources during an election, and will act in compliance with the City’s policies respecting elections.
10. We will treat each other, the public, and staff with courtesy and respect. In particular, we will act in a manner that ensures the Council Chamber is a respectful workplace.
11. We will communicate information to the public in ways that are accurate, timely, and in the interest of the corporation. We will respect that the Mayor, as head of council, is the primary spokesperson for Council.
12. We will respect the role of a ward councilor to play a leadership role on issues specific to their ward, and if we engage in issues in other wards we will exercise the courtesy of informing the ward councilor of our engagement.
13. We will take full responsibility for and curate our social media and Internet presence in a way reflects a high level of courtesy and respect. We will ensure that commenters are respectful, and do not impugn the motives, integrity, or competence of our Council colleagues, other members of the public, or staff. We will take reasonable efforts to address false or misleading information posted to our social media feeds.
14. We will hold in strict confidence all information concerning matters dealt with in Closed Council meetings, matters subject to solicitor client privilege, personal information, or information that is otherwise determined to be confidential.
15. We will avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interests. We, and our family members, will avoid accepting gifts, and where accepting a gift is an integral part of our duties as a member of council we will report those valued at more than
$25 accepted to the City Clerk who will annually report them to the public. We will adhere to the Corporate Policy on Gifts and Hospitality.
16. We will avoid directly or indirectly managing or controlling any monies received relating to a charitable, not for profit, or community-based organization’s fundraising in our capacity as a member of Council. We will avoid soliciting or accepting benefits or hospitality in any form from an individual, group or corporation who might require a decision or consideration by the City. We will keep a record of all donors to events we organize, and the value of their donation, and file it with the City Clerk.
17. We will respect the relative roles of Council to govern, and staff to manage. We will not direct staff, attempt to influence their professional advice to Council, and will not make public comments about their performance. We will actively create and sustain an environment where staff are comfortable providing their professional advice to Council, even when it may be difficult or controversial. We will take extra efforts to avoid engaging in purchasing decisions, litigation and insurance matters, by-law enforcement, prosecutions, and human resources matters (except those involving the City Manager), unless acting collectively with other members of Council in consideration of business brought forward for direction or decision..
 18. We will foster respect for the democratic decision-making process. We will accurately communicate decisions of Council, even if we disagree with Council’s decision. When we disagree with a Council decision we will do so in way that avoids impugning the motives integrity or competence of our Council colleagues, staff, or the institution generally.
19. We will hold ourselves individually accountable to these principles, and collectively accountable in a way that is respectful and constructive, and will use the complaint mechanism as a course of last resort.
Related document:
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
 By Staff
May 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It is just a matter of days before Carriage Gate can begin the process of changing what downtown Burlington is going to look like.
 City Council approved the document earlier this week and – except for the 20 day wait that is needed – Carriage Gate can pick up their building permit and begin the demolition of the properties that are on the north side of James, east side of Brant as far up as the Wardell Insurance office.
ECoB, the community group that has opposed the height and density the development was given is asking the public what they think about what has been approved.
The group – Engaged Citizens of Burlington has been looking into a possible appeal of the decision city council made and now wants to find out just what there is in the way of support for an appeal.
The site to get your two cents on the record is right here: CLICK:
Engaged Citizens of Burlington is a not for profit group working towards a better Burlington for generations to come. Working on behalf of citizens with the City of Burlington and other stakeholders in the civic process, we are particularly engaged with issues of planning and development.
Through our online and community presence we help build awareness on issues affecting Burlington residents and the community as a whole.www.engagedburlington.ca
 The first public meeting ECoB held drew more than 100 people on an evening that had snow on the ground. We are a growing diverse group of residents and business people who want only the best for Burlington. The group is energized to bring voices and action from all areas of the city to challenges that will affect the quality of life for our citizens today and in the future.
The response to the survey will help ECoB determine if they have the support from the residents needed before engaging in an appeal of 421 Brant St.
 By Staff
May 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
If you thought Ben Heppner was just about opera – you haven’t been keeping up.
 Ben Heppner is one of our great tenors Heppner is one of our great tenors, but he no longer sings opera. The show he is doing at the Lowville Festival features a variety of genres, including gospel and musical theatre. The Heppner story is: We thought you had retired, Ben? No, he hasn’t retired at all. Just retired from opera.
There is quite a taste for opera in Hamilton/Burlington, as witness the advent of two local opera companies, Boris Brott’s new company, which operates in the summer, and SOLO, Southern Lyric Opera Company, which does most of its presentations here in Burlington throughout the regular season.
Heppner is on stage at St. Georges Hall – starts at 7:30 pm.
Event dates are:
 Sarah Harmer Sarah Harmer in Concert, Friday June 8th, 7:30 pm – St. George’s Hall – 7051 Guelph Line (north of Derry Road) Tickets $50 advance/ $60 from June 1st
 Ben Heppner Ben Heppner in Concert: with the Lowville Festival Choir, Saturday June 9th, 7:30 pm. St. George’s Hall
Truth and Illusion: Two Forces present in every moment: Sunday June 10th, 7:00 pm – Lowville United Church
Tickets will are on sale on the Festival Website:
 By Staff
May 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Stephen Warner has one final comment about the New Street “bike lane debacle”.
“The city did not return it to the way it was before the botched experiment. Somehow they have eliminated a turning lane for Dynes, which has resulted in one horrific accident already, and a close call for me.
 The old lane design is on the left. The Road Diet design is on the right. That got scrapped but when the lane designed was re-worked they seem o have left out the left hand turn lane at Dynes Street. “As people sit in the left thru lane on New waiting to turn north on Dynes, cars speed eastbound, seemingly oblivious to cars signaling to turn.
“I’m pretty sure there used to be a turning lane before the bike lane was added at Dynes.
It was there with the bike lanes. It looks like they increased the boulevard on each side of New Street and widened the lanes slightly during the reconstruction losing the turning lane when the road was returned to two lanes each way.”
Some news items just go on and on.
By Staff
May 24th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
 Rich Cloke The second Sound of Music pop up event at the Burlington Mall will take place this evening from 6:30 to 8:30 in the evening.
The events are part of the Mall’s longer term plan to attract people to a site that is undergoing a huge transformation.
Cloke was the closing performer at the 2017 Downtown Streetfest part of the Sound of Music.
Rich Cloke has traded in his hockey skates in favour of cowboy boots and arrives on the scene this fall with the release of his debut album – “Northern Skies”.
Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Rich’s passion for songwriting has led him to write eight heartfelt original compositions. His straightforward narrative lends itself well to songs about what he knows, what he’s experienced, and where he’s headed.
Channelling influences from traditional and modern country with hints of rock and pop, “Northern Skies” delivers danceable and memorable tunes that are sure to stick in your head.
 By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a vicious break into the home of two elderly residents on April 25th 2018 shortly after 10:30 PM, at a home on Bonnieview Avenue in Burlington (Aldershot).
The suspects, one armed with a handgun and an aerosol weapon believed to be bear spray or pepper spray, confronted two elderly homeowners and demanded their bank cards and pins numbers.
The suspects then forced the homeowners into a bathroom before rummaging through the home in search of valuables.
Members of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau have identified one of two suspects responsible for this home invasion robbery.
 On May 5th 2018, police arrested Thomas Allan EDGAR (41-yrs) of Hamilton and charged him with the following offences:
• Robbery
• Wearing a disguise with intent to commit robbery
• Pointing a firearm (two counts)
• Administering a noxious substance (two counts)
• Assault with a weapon (two counts)
• Forcible Confinement (two counts)
• Fraud under $5000 (nine counts)
• Fraudulent use of credit card (nine counts)
• Fail to comply with probation
EDGAR was held for bail and subsequently remanded into custody. He will appear next by video on May 24th 2018.
Investigators are still seeking the identify of the second suspect described as a white male, thin build, approximately 5’9″ tall, clean shaven, wearing a black hoody, trapper hat with fur ear flaps, black jeans and dark glasses with metal frames.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel of the Burlington Criminal Investigations – Robbery Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2343.
Tips can also be submitted 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 offense are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s Interactive Maps and Open Data services not available on May 31 and June 1, 2018
The city is upgrading its mapping and open data technology. Please note that to be able to do the upgrade, interactive maps and open data will not be available on Thursday, May 31 and Friday, June 1.
These services will be available again on Saturday, June 2.
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By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
On Thursday May 17th 2918 at approximately 12:05 AM an attempted break and enter occurred to an apartment in downtown Burlington.
 The residents were home at the time and scared off the suspect who had not yet made entry. The suspect was located on video prior to the offence and police are seeking assistance from the public to identify him.
The suspect is described as a white male, average height, average build with a trimmed beard, dark hair, long sleeved blue shirt, dark pants and work boots.
 Anyone with information that would assist in identifying this suspect is asked to contact D/Cst. Mark Urie of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2338.
Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222- 477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca
By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Margaret Lindsay Holton got a notice. She has been named as an ‘Alumni of Influence’ Award by the University of Toronto
Super nice was the way Holton described the nomination that was made anonymously.
 Alumni of Influence – Margaret Lindsay Holton Ceremony is in November. Holton said that “So often artists work away (because we MUST) with little thought of recognition or even sales. When it all comes together – when others recognize the effort, large and small – it’s an unexpected THRILL!
She adds that the anonymity is heart-warming: it will pleasantly plague me for the rest of my life!
Well deserved.
 By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Online Parking Services Unavailable – May 23, 2018, 6 to 9 p.m. while the city does maintenance on the parking database
 Sign said zero spaces available – incorrect. While changes are being made the following online services will not be available:
• Parking Ticket payments
• Parking Permit Renewal
• Parking Exemptions
Hopefully something will be done with the way the number of available parking spaces are displayed – sign said zero as slid into an empty space.
On the plus side the city has introduced a new pay-for-parking app called HonkMobile
Improvements have been made to the pay-by-plate parking machines in downtown Burlington to simplify the payment process and improve the user parking experience. Not sure how putting money into a parking meter is defined as an experience. The new occupancy sensor technology to show real-time information about available parking spaces in city-owned parking lots is in need of some fine tuning.
 By Staff
May 22nd, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a service that has been around for a long time. Its Mission Statement is to enrich the quality of life and to promote full and meaningful inclusion in our community of individuals who have a developmental disability.
Their annual Walk’n Roll takes place on Saturday – this will be the 38th time the event has taken place.
 It will be a walk around the Pier. Registration opens at 9:30; 11:00am Official start of 1KM & 2KM routes begin at 11:00 and lunch for all the participants at noon.
 It’s a fund raising event with a gal of $40,000
Slip over to the web site and sign up.
https://www.clburlington.ca
You Email friends with your page link, share your page on social media to spread the word!
The walks are around Burlington Pier
By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Peel Region and the City of Hamilton have joined more than 50 municipalities across Ontario that have passed motions calling on the provincial government to give municipalities the right to approve new landfill sites. The campaign is being led by the Town of Ingersoll, Town Council, and concerned residents such as Ontario People Against Landfill (OPAL). Ingersoll mayor, Ted Comiskey, has been presenting to municipal councils across Ontario.
Burlington is not one of the 50 municipalities that has joined in the effort to give municipalities the right to have a say on whether or not a landfill site can be created in the city. Given the battle the city had with the Air Park and the dumping of soil that had not been properly assessed before it was dumped on the Air Park property, one would expect Burlington to be on the list of those who wanted the provincial legislation passed.
 Municipalities want to be at the table when private operators create new landfill sites. In addition to the 2.5 million people represented by the municipalities that are on the list, 100,000 individuals have signed a petition calling on the government to give municipalities a say in where landfills are sited. More than a dozen more motions are in the approval process.
“Municipal leaders are beginning to see that Ontario’s highways have become Toronto’s garbage chute, and municipalities have no say in where 6.7 million tonnes of garbage a year from its office and commercial buildings are going to land,” said Comiskey.
“No town wants to be in the position that Ingersoll and Zorra are currently in,” Comiskey said. “Right now, we have almost no say in whether or not a private company can locate a new dump in our neighbourhoods.”
In April, PC MPP Ernie Hardeman introduced a private member’s bill to create new legislation that would require municipal approval for any new landfill sites in the province as part of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Changes (MOECC) environmental approval process. The bill passed Second Reading unanimously, just before the legislature rose for the coming election on June 7.
Comiskey said, “It was wonderful that Ernie Hardeman took the battle to the floor of the legislature. It’s great to see support from all three parties on this issue. But we need to keep the pressure on to make sure that whatever party forms the next government, it makes this legislation a priority. This affects not just us in Oxford County, but every municipality across our province.”
 Municipal leaders are beginning to see that Ontario’s highways have become Toronto’s garbage chute, and municipalities have no say in where 6.7 million tonnes of garbage a year is going to land. Nearly 8 out of 10 Ontarians feel municipalities should have a say in whether they host landfills, contrary to current legislation, according to a poll by Public Square Research. The poll also found that 27% of Ontarians would accept waste from other towns or cities.
Comiskey said, “We are fighting for the right of municipalities to determine if they want to host a landfill in their communities, or not. We need a level playing field with private waste companies so that the needs of residents are heard and respected. It is 2018, and it’s the right thing for the provincial government to do.”
 By Pepper Parr
May 21st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s Official Plan is now in the hands of Regional Council.
And just what does that mean?
 The approved Official Plan is now in the hands of the Region. Was the paperwork needed to get the document to the Region done properly? The Official Plan has become a municipal election issue with some thinking that the election of a significantly different city council means they can have the Region send the Plan back to the city where it will get debated and hopefully changed.
Not likely.
Many don’t understand just how the process of getting the Official Plan passed works. Greg Woodruff, an Aldershot resident who ran for the Office of Chair of the Region in 2014, wrote the man that won hat job asking for an explanation as to just how the passing of the new Official Plan to make it the law of the city gets done. Chair Carr passed Woodruff’s request along to Art Zuidema, the commissioner for Legislative & Planning Services at the Region.
Commissioners are the senior level of Management at the Region
Here is his description of the Official plan procedure Woodruff got from the Region:
The public consultation for the Burlington Official Plan; including special meetings of council, statutory public meetings and open houses must occur prior to Burlington Council’s adoption of their Plan. The City of Burlington is required to submit to the Region affidavits or sworn declarations that state that the procedural requirements of the Planning Act have been met in passing their Official Plan.
If you have concerns about the adequacy of the process followed, these should be directed the Clerk for the City of Burlington.
The Region is the approval authority for the Burlington Official Plan. The Plan will be reviewed to ensure that it complies with the Provincial Policy Statement, the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Provincial Greenbelt Plan, the Regional Official Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan.
The Region received the adopted Burlington Official Plan for review on May 11th. The Region has 210 calendar days to review and make a decision regarding the Burlington Official Plan and can, if necessary to complete the review, extend that time-frame for an additional 90 days.
The Region’s Chief Planning Official has delegated authority from Regional Council to approve local Official Plans that conform with Provincial and Regional policies. If the Plan does not conform, and the City of Burlington does not approve the required changes, then Regional Council will make the final decision on the Burlington Official Plan.
 Regional Council meet at the offices in Oakville. Once a decision is made regarding the Official Plan, notice will be provided to each person that has made a written request to be notified of the decision. Once the Region’s decision has been made, anyone who before the plan was adopted made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the council, may appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT). The appeal must be based on inconsistencies with the Provincial Policy Statements, Provincial Plans or the Regional Official Plan.
If you wish to be notified of the Burlington Official Plan decision you can register with Curt Benson, Chief Planning Official for the Region, who has been copied with this message.
Woodruff then said that “it appears the 210 day time frame is live and the LPAT objections are limited to “provincial policy statement compliance”.
 What this means in effect” said Woodruff, “is that the existing regional council can pass the Burlington OP at the regional level in November under the normal time line.” He adds: “I’m sure this 210 day process and the May 11th OP pass date are no coincidence. I can see no realistic process for stopping the New OP at the regional level. It can be passed in November by the existing council. At that time even if a new council made a new official plan on day one (clearly impossible) the new OP would still be live for many months.
Tom Muir, another Aldershot resident, suggests there “was a sticking point about the legality of the public process that came up.
Muir wants to know “who provided the affidavits and/or sworn declarations that the issues around the special council meeting at the end clearly met the Planning Act requirements for public notice of the meeting and opportunity for public delegation?”
“As I recall, we were only told the procedural by-law saying the powers and procedures to call a special meeting of council, not if this one was done “adequately”. No explanation of that was issued as I recall.”
Did the Clerk make a public sworn declaration or affidavit that the public notification of the special council meeting was adequate in terms of timing because there were so many slips that the special meeting as originally notified of, did not happen at the notified time, and there was, in my experience, no adequate public notice of when the meeting would actually be held to take the adoption vote so the public could register to delegate at Council, said Muir.
Muir points out that the public was told there wold be a special council meeting “following the P&D meeting”, but P&D meeting kept being extended – so much so that no one ever knew when it was going to end.
Muir isn’t at all sure that the City Clerk could sign an affidavit saying the special council meeting was properly held and that due notice was given the public according to Planning Act rules and council procedural practices.
 Muir wants the City Clerk to be held accountable and to explain just how she got the approved Official Plan out of city hall and into the offices of the Regional government. Muir wants the Clerk to be required to provide a detailed explanation as to how this actual process was “adequate” and sufficient to justify a sworn declaration or affidavit. He appears to be looking for that elusive thing called accountability that is said to exist at city hall.
Muir “thinks Council and staff just went with the momentum and wanted to vote and that overcame paying attention to whether they were adequately fulfilling Planning Act rules and their own procedural by-laws.”
There are some very valid concerns as to whether or not the city followed both the letter and the spirit of the process of approving the draft of the Official Plan before they sent it along to the Region.
 By Staff
May 21st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The City is holding its annual Touch-a-Truck event on Saturday, May 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the city’s Roads, Parks and Forestry facility at 3330 Harvester Rd.
 If the weather is good taking the kids out o see the equipment is a fun and inexpensive way to spend a day. The event gives residents and their families an opportunity to:
• Get an up-close look at city vehicles, including a street sweeper, snow plow and fire trucks
• Take a tour around the neighbourhood in a city bus
• Experience what it’s like to operate a backhoe in a simulator
• Visit the forestry booth to speak with staff on what’s invading our trees.
The equipment is used to maintain 121 city parks, 134 recreational fields, and 109 playgrounds as well as maintaining 69 bridges, 117 culvert structures, 600 kilometres of mainline storm sewers as well as catch basins and creeks
 A photo op for the kids – part of the annual Touch a Truck event. Managing operations include, the design and inspection of road reconstruction, inspecting and maintaining city-owned trees, maintaining and repairing the city’s fleet of vehicles, the operation of Burlington Transit and animal control services through the Burlington Animal Shelter.
The event is part of National Public Works Week, dedicated to public works employees who maintain the roads, parks, trees and benefit from one of the richest pension and benefit plans in the country.
 By Pepper Parr
May 21st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Few more names now on the list of those nominated. A new one in ward 1 for a total of three in that ward now.
There are now five candidates in ward 2, 3 in ward 3, 2 in ward 4, 2 in ward 5 and 3 in ward six.
There is at least one more candidate thinking about running in ward 4 or maybe ward 5; lives on the border between the two wards.
Nominations close July 27th. Last day for a candidate to file or withdraw a nomination is Friday, July 27, 2018, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Any really serious candidates will want to be on the ballot immediately after the provincial election which takes place June 7th.
While candidates in wards 2 and 3 are out on the streets every day – the reality is that the provincial election, a pivotal one for the province, is taking up all the oxygen.
The Gazette will begin reporting on the municipal race in more depth after the next provincial government is determined.
Mayor
Rick Goldring
524 Wicklow Rd., Burlington, L7L 2H8
905-320-3656
Marianne Meed Ward
497 Martha St., Burlington, ON, L7R 2R1
905-335-1899
mariannemeedward.ca
marianne4mayor@gmail.com
Mike Wallace
268 Tuck Dr., Burlington, ON, L7L 2R1
Home phone: 905-639-0185
Fax: 905-634-9822
mikewallaceformayor@gmail.com
www.mikewallaceformayor.ca
Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 1
Jason Boelhouwer
163 Old Orchard Rd., Burlington, ON, L7T 2G2
905-979-7833
jason_boelhouwer@yahoo.ca
Marty Staz
773 Miriam Cres. Burlington, ON, L7T 1C7
289-983-7681
mstaz17@outlook.com
René Papin
905-541-7404
rehp1985@gmail.com
Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 2
Kimberly Calderbank
905-719-6989
kimberly.solutions
David Cherry
1312 Hammond St., Burlington, ON, L7S 2C2
289-795-9203
Michael Jones
477 Holtby Ave., Burlington, ON, L7R 2R4
905-609-4305
jonesourward2@gmail.com
www.jonesward2.ca
Lisa Kearns
416-414-5335
kearns_lisa@hotmail.com
lisakearns.ca
Roland Tanner
357 Delaware Ave. Burlington, ON, L7R 3B4
289-259-4023
roland@rolandtanner.ca
Listening > Engaging > Empowering
Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 3
Lisa Cooper
1299 Princeton Cres.
Home phone: 905-331-8469
Mobile phone: 289-259-9880
Fax: 905-331-8469
lisacooper1299@gmail.com
Rory Nisan
905-464-7195
info@rorynisan.ca
rorynisan.ca
Gareth Williams
289-635-8994
gareth@garethward3.ca
https://garethward3.ca
Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 4
Jack Dennison
3087 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON, L7N 1A3
905-634-7102
Shawna Stolte
shawnastolte@gmail.com
Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 5
Paul Sharman
5070 Spruce Ave., Burlington, ON, L7L 1M8
289-337-2297
paul@paulsharman.ca
Xin Yi Zhang
electxyz@gmail.com
Councillor / Regional Councillor Ward 6
Angelo Bentivegna
905-973-6923
Angelo.Bentivegna@gmail.com
www.AngeloBentivegnaWard6.ca
Blair Lancaster
3210 Hazelwood Ave., Burlington, ON, L7M 2V4
905-335-7068
blair@blairlancaster.ca
www.blairlancaster.ca
Ken White
905-220-4707
ken@kenwhiteward6.ca
www.kenwhiteward6.ca
Regional Chair
(nominations are filed with the Region of Halton)
Gary Carr
chaircarr@gmail.com
www.garycarr.ca
Halton District School Board Trustee – Wards 1 & 2
Leah Reynolds
356 Newbold Dr., Burlington
905-516-0181
leahreynolds356@gmail.com
Halton District School Board Trustee – Wards 3 & 6
Andrea Grebenc
905-901-2235
contact@trustandrea.com
www.trustandrea.com
Halton District School Board Trustee – Ward 4
Richelle Papin
3134 Terraview Ct., Burilngton, L7M 1E9
905-331-7608
Margo Shuttleworth
289-812-0629
shuttleworth.m.a@gmail.com
https://margoward4.wixsite.com/margoshuttleworth
Halton District School Board Trustee – Ward 5
Amy Collard
reelectamycollard@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/view/reelectamycollard
Halton Catholic District School Board Trustee
Arlene Iantomasi
772 Old York Rd., Burlington, ON, L7P 4X9
905-516-2691
arlo60@sympatico.ca
Maria Lourenco
905-808-5910
Lourenco4trustee@outlook.com
Conseil scolaire Viamonde
(nominations are filed with the City of Hamilton)
Pierre Girouard
905-808-3377
Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir
(nominations are filed with the Town of Oakville)
By Pepper Parr
May 21st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Leah Reynolds looked at the number of people running for the city council seat in ward 2 and decided that if she wanted to hold public office it was safer to run again as a school board trustee.
 Meed Ward and Reynolds – 2014 election night Reynolds was seen by any as the heir apparent to Marianne Meed Ward who is giving up the seat n her run for the Office of Mayor.
In her media release said she is running as the trustee again because “there is much to do”.
She also said that “As a member of the board of trustees, I supported Burlington high school amalgamations to improve the future of education for all Burlington students. These amalgamations were necessary in creating equitable access to the best and most appropriate learning environments for the individual needs of Burlington high school students. Our children’s futures are heavily influenced by what they are exposed to in school. I believe that having a variety of course selections, including skilled trades, in every high school is a paramount step in exposing students to as many career pathways as possible.”
Reynolds is the first trustee who has used the word “amalgamation” to describe the closing of two of the city’s seven high schools.
 Leah Reynolds with students during a public PAR meeting. “I am running” said Reynolds “to ensure that the changes and transitions for special education students, including the creation of two comprehensive schools (MM Robinson HS and Nelson HS), deliver on the expectations set out by the Director of Education and community.
The Board of Education plans for the implementation of the new I-STEM program at Aldershot high school and the International Baccalaureate program that was moved from Bateman to Central High School are initiatives that Reynolds wants to be around to ensure that both receive the resources they need.
Reynolds refers to her more than 20 year involvement with public schools as a passionate community member and mother.
You can learn more about Reynolds in her newsletter at: https://madmimi.com/p/25cc3c
 By Ray Rivers
May 21st, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Mr. Ford says he’ll cut the gas taxes at the pump by 5.7 cents? And perhaps the oil companies will reduce the price of gas after he kills the cap-and-trade carbon program, maybe giving him the ten cents he’s promising to deliver. That may sound pretty good but I already get three cents off just for using my credit card at Petro-Canada stations. And then there’s another 5-10 cents off when I use my Petro-Points.
 It’s just the old shell game, playing pennies, taking from transit and giving to the auto crowd, robbing the mayors to pay the Premier. And big deal, I saved all of $1.47 on my last fill up. Oh, and to fund this promise Mr. Ford will be cutting the gas tax transfers the province gives municipalities for public transit – some billion dollars or so – meaning it’ll cost you more for that next bus ride. It’s just the old shell game, playing pennies, taking from transit and giving to the auto crowd, robbing the mayors to pay the Premier.
But it’s the climate change stupid! National geographic has reported that the last two decades have been the hottest in over 400 years. The earth has had the warmest consecutive 400 months of record high temperatures. And the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere is higher than it has been for almost a million years.
Don’t believe the statistics? Look at the melting polar ice caps and glaciers, the world’s declining coral reefs, the rate at which desertification is happening and the rate at which species are becoming extinct, including the polar bear, sooner than later. Look at the weird winter we just had and the near hurricane strength freak windstorm a couple weeks ago, which took several lives and kept parts of Burlington in the dark for over three days.
 Evidence based decision making – what does one do if they don’t like the evidence. Higher gasoline prices are economic disincentives – they encourage people to shift to less polluting transportation, like hybrid cars, electric vehicles (EV) and public transportation and to reduce their carbon emissions. And incentives are needed beyond the pump. Ontario’s cap-and-trade system forces all large emitters to reduce their emissions to become more competitive.
Subsidies and rebates on home insulation and efficient windows help reduce energy use and save the consumer money as well as reducing greenhouse gases. And the development of renewable electricity is critical to replace coal and other fossil fuels as Ontario has done in shutting down the largest point source of carbon emissions in Canada.
The value/cost of Mr. Ford’s election promises dwarf those of the other two main parties. Yet, Mr. Ford has been the strongest critic of the current government for not balancing its budget sooner and reducing Ontario’s public debt. Indeed, there are a number of good reasons to knock down the size of our fiscal debt. But most folks end up arguing that it is about fairness. “How moral is it to bequeath the next generation a whacking big financial bill?”
 Our youth are not marching about, nor protesting, Ontario’s relatively high debt levels. Young people can and do speak for themselves when it matters. When I was young we marched for civil rights and against the Vietnam war and nuclear weapons. After the last recession (2008) our youth led the protests over financial power and misuse of that power by Wall and Bay streets. More recently high school students have marched across the USA to protest the obscene number of school shootings. In the UK those who were too young to vote against Brexit feel cheated by the outcome and are demanding a new referendum.
But our youth are not marching about, nor protesting, Ontario’s relatively high debt levels. Perhaps they understand that incurring debt after the last recession was the price we had to pay for Ontario to get back on its feet, achieving the lowest unemployment in nearly two decades and the strongest economic growth in the G7.
Perhaps they appreciate that debt helped finance the free tuition, youth pharmacare, and extra costs for early education which will better prepare Ontario’s youth for the future. And they no doubt can grasp that much of this debt has gone towards investing in transportation and other capital infrastructure which they will also inherit.
Perhaps they understand that the debt is only money after all – and if we really wanted to, we could eventually pay it down much as we did the large stranded $40 billion Ontario Hydro debt. And perhaps they understand that we could have paid off those annual deficits except for the recurring chant of ‘more tax cuts’ by those best positioned to pay them.
Indeed If we asked them, our youth would likely hone in on what they are most concerned about – their most important inheritance – the state of health of the planet we live on. Even though the climate experts can’t predict the fate of the planet with absolute certainty they are warning about higher ocean levels, loss of species, more severe storms, droughts and flooding as strong possibilities. And the list of potential benefits is extremely short.
 Whatever we do today – it will be in their hand tomorrow. And so it is unsurprising that youth would be more concerned about this starship earth, rather than balancing the budget and eliminating the debt. Does it really matter how high the fiscal debt goes once we’ve destroyed our way of life here? For this reason, youth tend to dominate the membership of political entities, like the Green Party, which are unequivocal in their demands to protect the environment and mitigate climate changes as best we can.
One provincial MPP recently proposed that we lower the voting age to 16. After all, those 16 year olds have more at stake, come election time, than any 50 or 60 year old. It’s just mathematics – they will be around longer and policies like those affecting the environment, education and even the fiscal debt will affect them more than it will the elderly. And they are unlikely to be bribed, nor to sell their vote to Mr. Ford for the couple of lousy bucks he’s offering them at the gas pumps.
 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. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Ten Cents Maybe – Ontario Gas Tax – Highest Carbon –
Highest Warming – Monthly Warming – 16 Year Old Voting –
Green Party –
By Staff
May 18th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Mall, currently undergoing a $60 million upgrade, hosted a sneak peak of the 2018 sound of Music as part of the 50th anniversary of the mall.
 Stefanie Ledroit on the keybaard The year long celebration, which started last night featured Small Town Justice in a pop-up concert held in partnership with the Sound of Music Festival. The Hamilton-band played three sets for a crowd of mall shoppers and will be part of the 2018 Sound of Music Festival that kicks off on Father’s Day June 7th.
 Small Town Justice at the Burlington Mall Many have been looking forward to the day when some of the SoM performances might take place away from the downtown core. With the planned development of high rise towers in the core of the city different locations might be very welcome.
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, owners and operators of the Burlington Mall, are focusing the re-development on the attraction of space for major retailers and national restaurant chains. New additions to the mall include local grocery store, Denninger’s, and Indigo which both opened this spring. Other openings will take place throughout the summer and into the fall.
Heide McGaw, General Manager of the Burlington Mall said “the Mall property has held a special place in the community for 50 years. With the first phase of renovations complete and some exciting new retailers in the fold, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the changes that have taken place, as we gear up for a grand opening in the fall,” said Heidi McGaw, General Manager, Burlington Mall.
“The Sound of Music Festival is one of those quintessentially Burlington institutions and we are proud to be partnering with them this year on several initiatives,” adds McGaw.
By Staff
May 18th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Ministry of Transportation is closing the ramp to QEW Fort Erie bound from Northshore Boulevard beginning Tuesday, May 22 at 7 a.m.
 It will remain closed until 5 p.m. on Monday, July 16, 2018.
There will be No access to QEW Fort Erie bound from Northshore Boulevard.
Please plan alternate routes for the duration of the closure. You can access the QEW Fort Erie bound from the Fairview Street on-ramp.
The closure is for construction.
 By Staff
May 18th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton staff is advising of strong shore-bound winds today and into tomorrow.
Sustained winds between 25 and 40 km/hr from the east/northeast with gusts of up to 50 km/hr are occurring across western Lake Ontario. Resulting wave heights up to 1.5 m are expected.
The Authority is asking all residents and children to keep a safe distance from locations in proximity to the shoreline. Elevated water levels, high sustained winds and gusts, and the potential for waves to overtop breakwalls and other shoreline structures continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
This Shoreline Warning will be in effect through Saturday May 19, 2018.
A Shoreline Hazard Warning is defined as a notice that critical high water levels and waves are imminent and/or occurring, which could result in shoreline flooding and/or erosion.
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