 By Staff
June 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
An early look at what Julie Neal and her crew of volunteers managed to pull from the community in terms of bottle and beer cans Saturday during the bottle drive.
 Julie Neal checking on a load of beer cans that were trucked to Stoney Creek to be redeemed for cash The van is one of several that were pressed into service.
We should have a preliminary count this evening. The food collected will be going to the Food bank; the cash will be going to The Compassion Society
 By Staff
June 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Eric Vandewall Joseph Brant Hospital President and CEO Eric Vanderwall updates the community saying:
“Since my last update on May 28, we have seen continued positive signs of progress in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In recent weeks, Ontario has been reporting the lowest daily COVID-19 case counts in nine months. The seven-day rolling average is now trending at around 330 cases a day, whereas just over a month ago, we were seeing on average 2,500 cases a day. Additionally, last week we celebrated having no acute COVID-19 patients in our hospital for the first time since March. This is truly a significant milestone and I would like to thank our community for doing their part to help us push through the third wave.
“You have continued to follow public health measures as the province entered the first phase of a three-stage reopening plan and have protected yourself and your loved ones through vaccination. I am very proud to report that as of today, our vaccination clinic has administered over 40,000 doses. Across Halton, nearly 480,000 people have now received either a first or second dose. Thank you all for your efforts and action in helping our community stay safe.
“I know that the last year has been challenging; however, there have also been many exceptional moments and milestones. Our Annual Report for 2020-2021 was released last week sharing stories of Innovation and Compassion, Together with our Community. You may access a copy here. This report reflects the resilience and dedication of our staff and physicians and the support we received from the community over the last year. Our Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team are proud of the work and achievements by the Hospital and Foundation throughout an exceptionally challenging year.
 It is a rule that has served us all very well – maintain it please for a while longer. “As we look towards our post-pandemic future and the needs of our hospital and community, we are actively recruiting RNs and RPNs to fill open positions in many areas of the hospital.
“As we continue into these bright and warm summer months, I encourage you all to take some time to rest, relax, recharge and reconnect. I also encourage you to do your part to get fully vaccinated to help us get one step closer to the end of this pandemic. Thank you, stay safe and take care.”
 By Staff
June 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The necessaries…
Out for some exercise downtown? City hall will be open to the public for washroom access every weekend until Labour Day weekend: Fridays, 4:30 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
City Council spent more than 45 minutes getting this through the Standing Committee.
 By Staff
June 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The plan is to make the event smooth sailing and safe! They are hoping that the weather cooperates but will be there rain or shine!
 It’s a rain or shone event – with a really big objective Entrance & Exit
Pylons will be setting up along with signs indicating where they would like cars to enter. They want to create a one-way system so cars enter, register, drop off and then exit. The entrance is just off Walkers Line (right by the Chiropractic clinic).
Cars will exit off Forest Run so they will have the traffic lights.
Registration
They will have 3 volunteers at this station. If there are a few cars, then there will be a few volunteers welcoming people and getting their information for the gift certificate draw. Using a clipboard and a ballot, we will record people’s names, cell numbers and email addresses. The volunteers will then give a quick rundown on where to drive to drop off donations. They have a laptop to which they will transfer the contact information to use in the random drawing of gift cards as well as provide those names to Freshwagon so they can send the $5 gift card via email.
 Sponsors behind the Gift Cards that will be handed out in a random draw Stations
Each section will be set up separately. They will have an empty beer station, an empty wine/booze bottle station and a food drop off station. All stations will be covered with a tent, a table and some chairs. The stations will be clearly marked with signs so cars can simply drive up. Behind each station, there will be a truck or a cargo van. This time around they will be loading and counting as they go. Each station will also have a container for cash donations if people wish to add to their drop off.
Each station will have a clipboard and paper to help record the totals as vehicles are being unloaded. It will be very important to ensure they have a record of totals going down to the distribution centre.
Volunteers
Each section will have 2-3 volunteers. If donors do not wish to get out of their cars, they volunteers can simply take their donations (think similar to curb side pick up). There will be two shifts.
Beer Store Distribution Centre
“The distribution centre is open for bottle drives on Saturdays only (lucky us!). We will be sending cargo vans/trucks down as they are filled. Unlike last time, we don’t want to wait or have to hold onto everything till Monday. The distribution centre will keep a running tally and will pay us out when they close at 2. Anything gathered from that point onwards may be driven down to Barton street in Hamilton or taken to the Beer Store on Elizabeth street downtown Burlington.”
 They ran out of space during the last bottle drive. PPE
“Each station will have a box of disposable gloves and masks. Please use these. We purchased these for our volunteers so you feel safe. There will also be hand sanitizer at each station. If you’d like a face shield too, we have a few brand new ones and will provide them to you as well.
Snacks
“We will have a cooler with some drinks to keep you all hydrated. There will be coffee in the morning as well as some snacks. Please bring a reusable water bottle as we’ll have a water station for our volunteers!”
By Pepper Parr
June 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It has been a very difficult year for school boards across the province.
 Most of the students can’t wait to get back to their classrooms, Senior staff at the Halton District School Board “expect” students to return to class in September but no one is able to say with certainty that they will open.
Everything depends on how many people have been vaccinated and if the new infection levels decline.
And – that one of the variants does not get past the defences we have in place.
At the last Board meeting until September the public got to hear the totals on the budget that had been approved.
The Operating budget came in at $815,389,709
The Capital budget came in at $87,383,860
.
By Staff
June 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Conservation Halton has a grant opportunity for residents and businesses interested in reducing stormwater runoff on their properties, which helps to reduce pressure on municipal sewer systems and local creeks leading to Hamilton Harbour.
Grants cover 50% of costs up to $2,500 for suitable water conservation projects within Waterdown, Pleasant View, Brant Hills, Tyandaga, and Aldershot.
Applications are due on July 31, 2021.
If you have any questions, or are interested in participating in the program, contact stewardship@hrca.on.ca or call 905-336-1158 ext. 2285 for more information.
 By Staff
June 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Given the attention the Indigenous issues have been getting this is an important event.
By Staff
June 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON.
The announcement says it all.
 By Pepper Parr
June 24, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
There is an organization that uses the acronym HEN – Halton Environmental Network.
Earlier this week they put on a webinar that we will report on when we have finished our formatting of the visuals that were used in the webinar.
We became aware of the event when we saw this promotional piece:
 It was a rainstorm that came out of nowhere. We can expect more like this. Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot???
Did you know, that by mid-to-late century:
1. The average summer temperature is expected to reach 30 degrees C (without humidex);
2. That days over 34 degrees C (without humidex) are projected to increase 10-fold; and
3. The hottest day of the year is projected to reach 39 degrees C (without humidex)
Are you interested in how your communities climate is projected to change toward the end of this century? Join the “Warmer, Wetter, Windier & Wilder” webinar to learn about how your communities climate is projected to change throughout this century, how these changes can impact the environment, people and properties and what you can do to better prepare yourself.
While driving home, working my way through the traffic I was struck by the number of newer SUV’s and the number of vehicles with those green lettered license plates.
There were more of the big cars than there were of the electric cars – and that is a large part of the rising temperatures problem.
This is much like the pandemic we are still enveloped by – we need to get everyone vaccinated – that is what will put an end to the life of Covid19.
We need to get rid of the big gas guzzling SUV’s and convert to the electric cars to cut down the Co2 emmissions
Most people seem to know that the internal combustion engine will eventually be phased out and electric cars will be the only option and that they will prove to be very efficient.
If you’ve not been in one for a drive – try it – they are a really good car. But right now they are expensive.
That’s the problem.
By Erin Quattro
June 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 When Premier Doug Ford won a majority in the Ontario legislature it was widely noted that one of his manifesto commitments was to legalize a wider range of online casino providers in the province. This significant move would likely spell the end of the effective monopoly that Ontario Lottery and Gaming currently has – and offer a much wider variety of choice when it comes to providers, games, themes and more.
There’s been some debate in Burlington about what this move could end up meaning if Ford is able to get these changes through. This article will explore the considerations in more detail.
An increased range of choice
If Ontario’s government presses ahead with the liberalization of online casino laws, the main benefit will be a significant increase in range of personal choice when it comes to how Burlington’s residents might wish to spend their time. Casinos based on the web tend to offer many online slots, for example, and they may also offer more table games. However, at present, those who want to play online casino games have to do so using a province-run lottery version – meaning that the range of choice is particularly restricted.
This is already somewhat more liberal than in some other jurisdictions around the world, where governments continue to restrict access to all online casino games. But it’s not as liberal as in some other parts of the world, where there is a thriving and competitive gambling sector. Premier Doug Ford’s commitment to, in essence, privatize the gambling sector in Ontario is a way of helping people access the gambling services they want – rather than what services the province thinks is right for them.
As well as the simple right to choose what sort of game to play and which provider to use, a more competitive gambling sector is also likely to offer people the chance to pick the themes and aesthetics they prefer in their games. If a game or a theme is not available in the province-run version, it most likely will be in the private sector.
More revenue for the area
 However, Ford’s commitment also has another motive. Allowing online casino operators to work in the province means that they can be taxed – and this in turn can create a new stream of revenue for the local government. This can in turn, or at least in theory, be spent on services and provisions which benefit Burlington. Political decisions about what will be spent where do not yet appear to have been made for good, but a richer province often translates to better services and better provisions.
Some have sounded a note of caution about whether or not the revenue earned by the Ontario provincial government as a result of taxes raised on any potential private sector online casino would be spent on Burlington in particular, or whether it’s possible that other areas of the province might receive the bulk of the money. Of course, there is no guarantee that Burlington in particular will receive guaranteed funding for capital works or any major projects, but if the spending is assigned to the province generally, then it is likely that schools and other public services in the Burlington area will eventually benefit.
Impact on main street?
In some localities, question marks might be raised about whether or not in-person casinos will be harmed by the emergence of more appealing online alternatives – and whether this will have an impact on jobs, footfall and more. As it stands, however, there is currently no in-person casino in Burlington directly. There are some in the wider area, such as in Dundas, but Burlington itself is not served by such a venue – meaning that liberalization of online casinos is unlikely to have a direct negative effect on the city’s economy.
Overall, it remains to be seen exactly how Doug Ford’s plans will pan out in the long run. The level of detail around how this liberalization programme will be implemented is scant, and there’s still no firm guarantees about what any potential tax revenue may be spent on. What’s clear, however, is that there are certainly some advantages for residents of in-person casino-free Burlington. A much greater array of gambling choice is on the cards, for example, while a more padded bank account for the whole province can only be a good thing.
Background links:
Industry report
 By Staff
June 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The province will move into Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen as of 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.
This stage includes, but is not limited to:
·
 No crowds like this – not for awhile. But there is progress being made. Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people
· Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 5 people
· Essential and other select retail permitted at 50% capacity
 Are city council meetings essential ? Will they be opened up soon? · Non-essential retail permitted at 25% capacity
· Personal care services where face coverings can be worn at all times, and at 25 per cent capacity and other restrictions
· Outdoor dining with up to 6 people per table, with exceptions for larger households and other restrictions
At this time, the province will remain in Step Two for a period of approximately 21 days to continue monitoring key public health and health care indicators.
By Pepper Parr
June 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The personal lives of Members of the House of Commons are best left alone.
However, we make an exception this morning for Pam Damoff, the MP for Oakville North Burlington.
She rose in the House recently to make the following statement:
 Pam Damoff with her son Fraser to her left. “Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 18, Cameron Fraser Damoff made his much-anticipated entry to the world. Loved to the moon and back by his mom Taylor and dad Fraser, my first grandchild could not have been born to better parents.
“His Auntie Jill, Uncle Rob and cousin Bayley cannot wait to meet him, and his great-grandmother Betty is excited to hold the wee bairn in her arms.
“Taylor’s strength and huge heart will make her an incredible mom.
“I am so proud of the man Fraser has become and the father he will be.
“Cameron will always be surrounded by so much love and affection.
As John Lennon said:
Before you cross the street
Take my hand
Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy
It is evident that Ms Damoff will be a great baby sitter
 By Pepper Parr
June 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The bubble burst yesterday.
The anger and resentment that has been building up for more than a year is finally very very public.
Three members of Council released a Joint statement on Wednesday setting out their displeasure with Mayor Meed Ward. A copy of that document (page 1) is set out below.
Page two of the Joint Statement
While the specific issue was the way the Mayor was over-riding the process and procedure she wanted to use to allow the painting of six Rainbow Cross walks across the city, it was also the straw that broke the camel’s back.
 Has the Mayor made the Rainbow Crosswalks the hill she is prepared to die on? The Mayor chose to send out a tweet early on Wednesday thanking three Councillors for their support and being less than collegial to the other three.
Councillors Bentivegna, Nisan and Galbraith were thanked for their support while Councillors Kearns, Stolte and Sharman were ignored leaving the impression that they were not true supporters of the LGBTQQIP2S+ community.
Support for the LGBTQQIP2S+ community is divided in Burlington.
The Halton District Catholic School Board decided not to permit the flying of the Pride flag outside their schools while the public school board permitted the flying of the flag.
While the issue of support for the LGBTQQIP2S+ is important, very important, the Joint Statement isn’t really about the flags or Rainbow Crosswalks – it is some Councillors saying they have had enough of the mayor’s antics.
On the surface the Mayor is all kissy kissy, nice nice. Referred to as the Red Queen by her detractors Mayor Meed Ward has yet to find a way to build community without body checking the other members of Council.
For the most part she doesn’t treat the five new Council members as equals – they haven’t earned their spurs yet in the Mayor’s eyes; they haven’t gone through the eight hard years Marianne went through as she battled to bring about changes in the kind of growth that was taking place.
Many felt the small village feel that many loved about the downtown core was being lost. Meed Ward positioned herself at the person who could change that; the voters believed her and elected her as Mayor.
The five newer council members see things differently, while Councillor Sharman, who once filed nomination papers to run for Mayor, sits on the sidelines waiting for Meed Ward to slip to take a run for the Chain of Office.
Feelings are running high, ambitions are coming to the surface. There are at least two of the five newcomers who are harbouring and nurturing plans to seek the office of Mayor.
However it is not just political ambition behind the very public squabble. The newcomers have found their footing and no longer want to be treated as people going through a process of on-the-job training.
They resent the way the Mayor feels she can dip into the reserve funds at will; they are troubled with the need the Mayor seems to have to hog all the limelight.
They are fiscally conservative and realize they are staring at a possible 5% tax increase in an election year.
Many of those who follow local politics closely are beginning to realize that the Red Queen is not a team player, that there is a streak of revenge within the woman and a tendency to alienate people for all the wrong reasons.
 Was the way the Mayor treated three members of her council a political misstep? Is there a reckoning awaiting the Mayor? Time will tell; the summer is a lighter period of time for city hall.
Much more to think about on this matter. Stay tuned.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Staff
June 23, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Robin is with Tiffany Page – owner of the Skyway Diner on Plains Road – who have been operating a nice sunny patio while they wait for the next signs from our government.
 Robin Bailey with Tiffany Page at the Skyway Diner in Aldershot. Great food and excellent service here – and they are also running a promotion to help us out. For the month of June bring a food item to the Skyway Diner and they will donate to the Burlington Food Bank when you pick up take-out or (fingers crossed) dine-in and enter to win one of three $50 gift cards!
Food Drive contest runs June 1 to June 30 and winners will be announced on Canada Day, July 1.
We appreciate that even though Skyway was struggling through the pandemic closures and restrictions, they still managed to add on a thoughtful food drive for families in Burlington. Everything helps us. Check out the Skyway Diner
– Thank you https://www.facebook.com/SkywayDinerBurlington
If you are in need or know of someone who could use our help, PLEASE have them email us at info@burlingtonfoodbank.ca or call 905-637-2273 to make arrangements to have food dropped at their door or make arrangements to pick it up through our curb-side pickup option. If you are a resident in Burlington, we are all here to help. Don’t struggle – give us a call.
By Staff
June 23, 2021
BURLINGTON,, ON
The provincial government is going to spend $3.7 million to cover the costs of providing transportation to vaccination centres for the disabled.
The program is a partnership with the Ontario Community Support Association to help people with disabilities, including seniors with mobility issues, get to and from vaccination sites so they can get their shot and help stop the spread of COVID-19.
 Transportation can be arranged for disabled and seniors with mobility issues. To date, over three-quarters of all adults in Ontario have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with nearly 26 per cent fully immunized. The Accessible Drive To Vaccines program will ensure that anyone who wants a vaccine is able to by connecting eligible individuals with staff and volunteers who will drive them to and from local vaccination sites across the province.
This includes individuals who have not yet received their first shot, or anyone who may require additional support to access their second.
“Our government understands that some Ontario residents may face barriers in traveling to a vaccination site,” said Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. “This program will ensure that transportation is not a barrier to vaccination. It will help many Ontarians with mobility issues get vaccinated.”
This initiative will focus on helping people who do not have access to accessible transportation through family, neighbours or community organizations.
“In many communities across Ontario, the dedicated staff and volunteers who work in the community support sector have been providing safe rides to vaccination sites for several months,” said Deborah Simon, OCSA’s Chief Executive Officer. “As demand continues to grow, we’re pleased to be involved in coordinating this project, which recognizes, supports, and extends the capacity of these hard-working organizations to help vulnerable people protect themselves against COVID-19.”
Getting as many Ontarians as possible vaccinated is a critical part of the government’s strategy to fight COVID-19.
 By Tom Muir
June 22nd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 A graphic representation of what a single virus particle looks like. The COVID19 virus emerging in the human species globally is what is known scientifically as an “extinction level event”.
It emerged in one place and spread around the world in three months hitching a ride in traveling humans.
The virus then shut down the world more or less.
The virus is microscopic in size: 5um. One um is equal to 0.001 mm, or about 0.000039 inch.
Tom Muir is a resident of Aldershot and a retired federal civil servant who has worked at scientific analysis most of his career.
By Staff
June 21st, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Provincial Liberal Association announces two candidates seeking the nomination for the next provincial election scheduled for June 2022
There are two candidates.
Vying for the nomination as the official candidate of the Ontario Liberal Party in the electoral district of Burlington are:
 Andréa Grebenc https://trustandrea.com  Mariam Manaa https://www.mariammanaa.ca A live webcast will be held allowing the public to hear speeches/presentations by the candidates for the nomination.
Everyone can register to view these presentations.
A video of the webcast will be posted and available for viewing later.
Date: June 23, 2021
Time: 7 to 8 PM
Click to register HERE.
Voting will take place on Saturday June 26, 2021 between 11am to 8pm.
Members that are registered to vote in the nomination contest will receive an email with instructions on how to vote, and your personal PIN number that authenticates you for voting. Voting can be done online or by phone.
If you are a Member of the Burlington Provincial Liberal Association and you do not receive an email with instruction by Thursday, June 24 at 5PM, please contact vote@ontarioliberal.ca
By Staff
June 21st, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
 Friends of Freeman Station, the not-for-profit charity in Burlington (Ontario) run by volunteers working together to preserve a 1906 Grand Trunk Railway Station, have added a caboose and a box car to their rolling stock.
The boxcar is believed to have been in service when Burlington farmers would take their produce down to the station to be loaded on to trains and delivered to Toronto and Montreal.
First to arrive was the Boxcar – Canadian Pacific #404109. Weighing in at LT WT 43,000, it is green in colour with white lettering.
 Boxcar – Canadian Pacific # 404109. The wooden walls are in excellent shape as is the steel roof.
Then CN caboose #78188 arrived. Built in October 1929, records indicate it is AAR class NE Caboose type M930 built of wood by CN Transcona.
Until recently both railcars were on display at Memory Junction in Brighton Ontario, a railway park for visitors at the site of the old Brighton Railway Station.
 CN caboose # 78188 Brighton is located between Cobourg and Trenton and sits on the CN and CP lines originally laid in the 1850s and are still used daily.
Memory Junction had to close in 2020 due to various reasons and all the displays were removed at auction in October 2020.
Prior to Brighton – these cars were on display in Trenton Ontario. Before that, the caboose was displayed at Doon Pioneer Village in Kitchener in the 1990s.
The cars will be placed on the new track that has been laid immediately to the north/west side of the Freeman Station building.
 Brought into the Freeman Station by a team of horses pulling a wagon to be loaded onto boxcars for delivery to Toronto and Montreal. Some of the better produce was transported to Europe. After some work is done inside and out the cars will be open to the public to visit. These cars give the charity more much needed room to display the artifacts and stories they have accumulated.
Once the COVID restrictions are lifted visitors can see the city’s newest tourist attraction joining the Joseph Brant Museum, Ireland House and the Pier – must see Burlington locations.
Funding for the acquisition, transport and set up of the cars was provided by member donations as well as a large donation from one of their sponsors.
By Pepper Parr
June 21st, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
For a period of time Covid19 had us all staying indoors. Then we were allowed to go out and boy did we ever go out.
In some locations it looked as if we took all our garbage with us. As a result popular destinations along the Bruce Trail have become trail use “hotspots” which is not quite what the Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) had in mind when it came to promoting responsible use of the trails.
The more well-known conservation areas tend to be hotspots because of the facilities and parking . At Mount Nemo and Crawford Lake are now being managed via reservation systems to control visitation.
 The BTC is responsible for a continuous footpath (~900 km) that travels through private and public lands. With over 300 access points the BTC cannot issue day use permits, create reservation systems, regulate timed entries, or other visitor management techniques being done by other land-management agencies.
However, as a conservation organization facilitating public access to natural spaces in a UNESCO World Biosphere, the Bruce Trail Conservancy has an important role to play in addressing hotspot issues and minimizing their impacts.
The Bruce Trail people recently hired six Trail Ambassadors to perform visitor outreach and litter clean-ups and to patrol and chat with people asking them to respect the trail and take their garbage with them.
The people you will bump into will have badges on their shirt or jacket.
Related news story:
Ambassadors take up station on Bruce Trail
By Staff
June 20th, 2021
BURLINGTON,, ON
On Saturday, June 19, the Province informed Halton Region Public Health that due to a Federal supply delay, Halton Region will not be receiving Pfizer vaccine as scheduled this week. This delay is unexpected and impacts the entire province.
To ensure that every booked appointment is honoured, all Halton clinics will be administering the Moderna vaccine for residents 18 years of age and older, as it is interchangeable with Pfizer. As directed by the Province, remaining supplies of the Pfizer vaccine will be used for individuals 12 to 17 at this time as this is the only vaccine authorized by Health Canada for this age group.
Both Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines are safe, effective and authorized by Health Canada. Consistent with recommendations provided by Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization, mRNA vaccines are interchangeable meaning those who had Moderna or Pfizer vaccine for their first dose can safely have either Moderna or Pfizer vaccine for their second dose.
“Getting the first dose available to you is critical for gaining strong protection against COVID-19 and its variants, including the Delta variant,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health. “All Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death. I urge all residents to complete their two doses as quickly as possible with the first vaccine available to protect themselves, their loved ones and community.”
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