Leaves are now weather dependent - snow impedes their collection

News 100 greenBy Staff

December 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Leaves and parking – the two bug bears that bedevil Burlington.

Shawna Stolte hand to mouth

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte

City Councillors are scrambling a bit to explain to their constituents when (perhaps if might be explained as well) just when the leaves will be gone.

Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte explains:
“Due to snow fall over the past few days, the leaf collection pickup in Zone 3 is on hold

“In recent weeks, the loose leaf collection pick up service provided to Burlington residents was completed in Zones 1, 2 and in parts of Zone 3. Because of the snow over the last few days, the program has temporarily been suspended.

Below is a map identifying streets in south Ward 4, included in Zone 3, and the status of the leaf collection program in the area

Ward 4 leaves Shawna Dec 3Streets in blue: have been completed
Streets in yellow: have been completed on one side of the street
Streets in red: have not been completed

If crews haven’t been on your street yet, please leave your leaves by the curb. Resuming service is based on weather as the service is weather dependent.

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Public School Board to do a census of the student population

News 100 blueBy Staff

December 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton District School Board (HDSB) will host a virtual Student Census Information Session on Tuesday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at www.hdsb.ca.

The Information Session provides an opportunity for HDSB families to learn about the Student Census, which will be conducted starting in January 2021.

The Student Census will confidentially gather data about students’ identities such as their first language, ethnic and racial background, religion, gender identity and for older students, sexual orientation. Students will also share their perceptions of school climate, sense of belonging and experiences with bullying.

Families have the opportunity to submit questions before and during the information session through this form: https://bit.ly/StudentCensus_Questions

Following the event, a full recording of the information session will be available with closed captioning and translated versions of the presentation. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will also be made available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish and Urdu. These resources will be posted on the HDSB Student Census webpage.

portrait of Rob Eatough

Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education.

“The HDSB is committed to providing a supportive, inclusive and respectful learning environment for students,” says Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education. “In order to do this, we must truly understand the needs of all students and families.”

All school boards in Ontario are required by the Anti-Racism Act, 2017 and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan to gather and report identity-based data by 2023. The data from the Student Census will help the HDSB and its schools to:

• fully understand the needs of all students and families to support student success and well-being

• identify and eliminate discriminatory practices, systemic barriers and bias in order to ensure equitable opportunities and outcomes

• allocate resources to support students and programs where the need is greatest.

 

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Bao casino platform accepts deposits using cryptocurrency

sportsgreen 100x100By Ella Wilson

December 3, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Canadian gaming is developing and new online clubs keep opening every season. Recently, residents of this country prefer to spend more time at casino online, despite the fact that there are quite a lot of land-based clubs in Canada.

Bao Casino Canada – check them out HERE

The site is a unique online playground that invites users to plunge into the world of endless excitement and good luck. Do you want to participate only in legal gambling? Then welcome to Bao Casino Canada!

Casino features

Bao casnino - paidModern Canadian online casino gamers are not so easy to surprise. Today, people are used to getting only the best entertainment and sophisticated customers of Canada will not agree to anything less! This is the reason why Bao Casino has become so popular among Canadian players. Here, any client receives only the most popular games and slots from famous developers of the world. Among the software providers for Baocasino are: NetEnt, Play’n GO, Quickspin, Yggdrasil Gaming, Evolution Gaming and many other popular companies.

Users of the Bao playground get only the best gambling service here. This best Canadian online casino is absolutely safe for playing real money mode, because it has an official document that gives the right to work – the license of the Curacao gambling Commission. The gaming club offers a wide range of games and slots. You find here classic games, progressive video slots, table games, and so on. Also, Bao casino has an optimal loyalty program, which gives each user excellent rewards and prizes.

The interface of Baocasino Canada is very simple and clear even for a beginner. Its design is created in a bright and attractive style.

The main color here is purple. An external view of Bao gambling platform has a positive effect to players, without irritating the eye with an abundance of contrasts. You won’t find anything superfluous in casino design. There are no elements that would distract from the main thing – a successful game.

A collection of games and slots

BAO offerVideo games collection – this is the main criterion, according to which advanced Canadian players choose a platform for entertainment. At Bao online casino, each user gets a real drive and cool emotions, because there are more than 2000 different games and slots available to play. In order to become a full member of the site, a gamer should register on the Bao website.

The most popular entertainments at the Bao club according to reviews of active gamers:

  • Slots and new games at the Bao casino;
  • Table games;
  • Jackpot games;
  • Games with a real dealer;
  • Crypto games (where the cryptocurrency can be earned).

In order to find entertainment to your liking, you need to start testing different slot machines presented at the online casino Canada real money website. Over time, you will find out which video slot is most interesting for you. And don’t forget about the profitability of the slot machine! Remember that the higher RTP rate is, the more profitable a game will be.

Customer service

The best online casino always teases its visitors. In Bao club, technical support for customers works around the clock, without breaks and weekends. You can always contact managers of the casino with a question that interests you. To do this, pay attention to the top panel at the Bao casino website. There is a tab called Info. If you click on this button, you will get four options, namely: support, payments, faq and about us. This way you can quickly get a response to any of your requests.

Sometimes it happens that you have a question that is not in the frequently asked questions tab. In this case, you should contact Bao support. You can do this via a chat in the lower-right corner of any page. You can also get help by clicking a support button in the Information tab. You will go to the contact form to send a message.

Loyalty program and bonuses

Bao casino offers its visitors who have registered on the site a generous bonus program. You will learn more about using the rewards if you go to the section bonus policy.

Special feature of the Bao club is the level system for players. This is an additional motivation that gives to gameplay more drive and intrigue. You will always have an incentive to move forward to get a better chance of success in a game. For example, 100 levels are available to players at Bao casino, and as you move from one level to another, you will receive new rewards. With a loyalty system that works in this way, you can influence how many bonuses fall on your balance and how you can apply them. Promo page of the best online casino Canada is also constantly updated with new promotions and bonus offers.

Types of rewards

As soon as you register on the Bao casino website, these types of bonuses will be available to you:

  1. Welcome bonus package. Maximum possible amount you can get from this match bonus is €200;
  2. No deposit bonuses for registration in the form of free spins;
  3. Bonus for opening the first Deposit;
  4. Promotion for opening the second Deposit. Here it can bring you a reward of up to 50% to your balance;
  5. Third bonus from Bao online casino is activated using the special BaoCasino code “third”, and this code gives you 50 free spins when you top up your account.

To find a game that can use certain bonus accruals, just go to the bonus policy section of Bao club.

Banking

Bao Casino offers its clients various deposit options. A total of 28 banking services are available on the club’s website, so any player will be able to deposit and withdraw funds without any problems or delays. You transfer money to your Bao gaming account using such services as: Neteller, Visa, MasterCard, iDebit, InstaDebit, Interac, Maestro, Rapid Transfer, Online Bank Transfer and many others. BaoCasino supports transactions in US Dollars, Euros, Canadian Dollars, Norwegian Krona, New Zealand Dollar, Australian Dollar, Ruble, Japanese Yen.

The uniqueness of the Bao casino platform is that here you can also make a deposit using cryptocurrency with the following methods: BTC, BCH, LTC, ETH and DOG. These deposits are processed through the crypto exchange’s website.

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Burlington Lions make major donation to the Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Fundraiser

News 100 redBy Staff

December 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

For many years, Burlington Lions Club members have had the great honour of ringing the bells as a group for the Christmas Kettle campaign on a Saturday in December at the two largest malls in Burlington, and were looking forward to doing the same again this year.

Bowker - Lions - Food bank - cheque

Lions Perry Bowker and Blair Greer look on as Lions President Ken O’Breza presents cheque to Laura Oros, Kettle Campaign Director

Elevated COVID restrictions meant it would not be possible to conduct the fundraiser this year.  The Lions Club  members immediately resolved to help in a small way to offset the loss of donations that they otherwise might have helped raise.

It is with great pleasure that the Lions Club made an emergency donation of $1,500.

 

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That 90 minute parking bonus could end up costing a big bundle - will it be abused like the Free P?

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

More about parking in the city.

The city had a Free P parking program that worked quite well for a number of years – but then it began to be abused so the merchants who paid for that program asked the city to cancel it – which the city did.

Parking meter wrapped

Ah – those were the days.

The Free P program always started on the first of December.

This year there is going to be what Mayor Meed Ward called Free P Lite.

When you pay for your parking starting December 1st – you will automatically get an additional 90 minutes added to the time you bought – and you can buy as little as 25 cents worth of parking.

This will apply to  parking in a municipal lot or street parking spot in downtown Burlington.

Described as a pilot program – it allowed for the changing of a temporary amendment to the  Parking By-law.  The program will run until April 20, 2021.

The initiative is supported by the Burlington Downtown Business Association to encourage residents to visit retailers in Downtown Burlington, to support small businesses during these unprecedented times.

How to get the bonus 90 minutes of parking:

1. Park in an on-street spot or in any municipal parking lot

2. Pay for parking at machine or using HonkMobile app. The minimum payment is $0.25.

3. An additional 90 bonus minutes will be added to the time you pay for

4. If your time expires, including the additional 90 bonus minutes and you wish to stay longer to shop or eat, you can extend your time by paying for more parking using HonkMobile app, credit, or inserting more money into the machine, up to three hours on street and all day in lots.

Parking - HonkMobile sign

This is an app that is worth looking into. If you use it to its full extent you could park downtown all day for 25 cents

Pay Parking Options
1. Honk Mobile
Residents and visitors can use the Honk Mobile app to search, pay for, and top-up parking payments directly from their smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Honk Mobile app can be downloaded from the App Store or the Google Play store using any internet connected device. Users are required to sign up for an account and pay a transaction fee of $0.35 for each payment.

Users can request a notification from the app for when their time is about to expire.

2. Updated Parking Machines – Pay-By-Plate
The pay-by-plate machines offer users a variety of advantages, including the ability to:

Pay by coin ($2, $1, $0.25), credit or online;

Park at various locations throughout the downtown when there is remaining paid time on a ticket;

Add time to parking purchases remotely using the HonkMobile app ($0.35 transaction fee applies);

Choose the option of a printed receipt. Every payment is linked with a license plate number – dashboard tickets are not required;

Renew monthly parking permits in-person or by phone at 905-335-7600.

Parking in downtown Burlington is free weekdays after 6 p.m., weekends and holidays with the exception of the Waterfront parking lots at Spencer Smith Park.

For more information about parking downtown, visit burlington.ca/parking.

Parking MMW + Brian Dean with head of meter

Then ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward and BDBA Executive Director Brian Dean doing something ceremonial with an old style parking meter

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said in a prepared statement that: “Businesses have asked for some relief beginning with the December holiday shopping season, especially since the removal of December Free P, 90 minutes free will assist. By extending the program until April, we’ll be able to get appropriate data and public input to evaluate the success of the program and make any changes at that time.”

Brian Dean, Executive Director, Burlington Downtown Business Association: “The Burlington Downtown Business Association and its small business community membership welcome this pilot program featuring the waiving of fees downtown for 90 minutes. We support opportunities designed to give our downtown merchants and restaurateurs a competitive edge during these uncertain economic times. Our fervent belief is that this fundamental change to parking operations until April 2021 will re-inspire consumer confidence in our small businesses.

We encourage our patrons to use this opportunity to make multiple purchases throughout the Downtown with the knowledge that we’ve added ninety minutes of bonus time to your small purchase of parking. Our doors are open, there has never been a better time to shop local and our Downtown entrepreneurs want to remain your first choice for unique goods and services into the New Year.”

That’s part 1 of the story.

Part 2 is very interesting – this program could cost the city a bundle. We will get that up tomorrow.

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Most Profitable Industries in 2020

opinionred 100x100By Mildred Austria

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

What industries are some of the most profitable in 2020, and how are they achieving this? We took a closer look at three here!

The world of business is filled with so many interesting sectors nowadays, but there are still some that stand heads and shoulders above the rest. Let’s take a look at some of the most profitable industries operating this year.

PAID Money jar succesful bus 2020

Any of the three successful business choices we outline will put cash in that jar on the right.

 

Gaming
Without a doubt, gaming is proving to be one of the biggest industries of the moment. Brands like Mr Green as a prime example are leading the expansion of safe betting and casino options across the USA and Canada. What’s more, there has been a massive boom in e-sports growth.

It is slowly moving from being a niche hobby into a more mainstream business. With that will come bigger sponsorships and more opportunities for people in the industry. The marketplace has so far exceeded $1 billion and this is just set to get bigger. Top matches are also pulling in figures akin to major sports events like a FIFA World Cup Final.

Play Station 5 Sony

Play Station 5

Even in the wider industry there are massive strides forward being made. Sony is lining up to release the PlayStation 5. Though we currently have little idea about when this release will be, it will hopefully be as innovative a release as its previous incarnations. Gaming as a whole is on the rise. Though many dismiss it as “just playing games”, this then leads to them missing out on some of the incredible opportunities available in this exciting development in the gaming universe.

Software Development
As we move towards a world that becomes more and more reliant on technology, we are going to need more software developers to help us achieve our goals. There have been many moves to introduce coding and other digital-based skills to young children in the classroom, so they can begin to pick up things that might help them when they are ready to enter the workplace later in life.

software coder

Software coding skills are going to be in very high demand in the decade ahead.

Not only have there been calls for software that covers a variety of new tasks within a workplace or home, but there have also been calls to make many more multi-purpose software hubs. Business owners don’t want to transfer data between multiple programs to get the results they need. They want to be able to plug everything into the one portal, so that they can get back results that have already been parsed and analysed into a format they understand. Software developers are keen to meet these demands, and it makes for an incredibly profitable industry.

Property
With property prices holding or moving up, there is no better time to be involved in the real-estate business. In the Burlington area alone, sale prices are up 17% compared to the beginning of 2019. There are lots of opportunities at both ends of the market here. Developers who want to focus on the high-end, luxury market will find plenty of things to play with. There are always new property trends and new tech that you can introduce to the right property.

At the other end of the scale, you could choose to work in the affordable housing markets. There is and always will be a need for affordable property. This sector will help to create homes and houses for those who need them the most. Choosing to get involved with this area of the real estate sector is incredibly charitable, and it could result in some brilliant business dealings for anyone brave enough to try.

These are just three of the many industries proving to be profitable in 2020. No matter where you look, there is a way to make money in a sector. It will take a lot of hard work, and a great business idea, but it is more than possible.

Start thinking about a business you could launch in one of the above sectors now.

Ms Austria is a financial observer who has established a reputation for being able to spot growth trends in the Western world.

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Outline of the 2021 municipal budget released today

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

December 2nd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The finance department is ready to take their numbers to city council and begin the process of setting the budget for 2021.

The budget consists of both an operating budget for the delivery of services to the community and a capital budget to invest in the construction and renewal of city assets and infrastructure.

An overview of the capital budget will be presented to Burlington City Council at a Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee meeting on Thursday, Dec 10 at 9:30 a.m. A livestream of the virtual meeting is available on the City’s website, along with a copy of the report being presented.

Proposed 2021 capital budget
The proposed 2021 capital budget is approximately $72.1 million, with a ten-year program of $786.4 million. From the 10-year capital program:

• 70% is focused on infrastructure renewal projects, e.g. repair, refurbishment or replacement of an existing asset to extend its useful life, in accordance with the city’s asset management plan

• 16% is for growth projects, e.g. capital to service growth in the city

• 14% is for new or enhanced projects, e.g. increases to current service levels that are not the result of growth.

A copy of the proposed 2021 capital budget will be available at burlington.ca/budget.

Budget 2020 Table of datesImpacts of COVID-19 pandemic on 2021 budget process
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is placing considerable pressure on the city’s financial position with a forecast of over $18 million in revenue losses by the end of 2020. While a large portion of these losses are being mitigated with an on-going expenditure restraint program and support from senior levels of government, the City is projecting an unfavourable variance at year end of over $2.7 million. It is anticipated these challenges will continue to impact city finances until such time as a vaccine is developed and provincial restrictions are fully lifted.

To partially mitigate the 2021 impact of COVID-19 on the city’s operating budget, the planned increase to the city’s dedicated infrastructure renewal levy in 2021 (1.25%) has been temporarily redirected to the operating budget for one year. This will provide $2.18 million of one-time funding to offset the anticipated one-time COVID-19 impacts in 2021, reducing the amount of 2021 capital funding.

City seeking community input
Through the budget process, choices are made to ensure the appropriate balance between affordability, service levels and financial sustainability is maintained. In a challenging budget year where the city has fewer options for how to spend its money, community feedback about which services are a priority for residents is more important than ever.

To gather feedback from residents, the City will be hosting an online survey at getinvolvedburlington.ca, open from Dec. 2 to Jan. 8, 2021.

Residents can also share their ideas and thoughts at a virtual budget town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Hosted by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, the live event will provide residents with an opportunity to learn more and ask questions about the proposed 2021 budget. More details about the town hall, including a link to join the meeting will be available on getinvolvedburlington.ca in the coming days.

As residents continue to rediscover many of their favourite spaces and activities in the city, City services may look different as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The City’s commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at Burlington.ca/Enews and download the free City of Burlington

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Netflix sends a notice to it's Canadian subscribers

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

OPINION

I got the notice and if you are a Netflix subscriber, I assume you got one as well.

netflix logoJust what did it mean? They were telling us that they have created a new corporate structure to deal with their Canadian clients. Would that be a defensive move to protect them from the Canadian tax system.

That’s my take – what do you think?

Here is what the Netflix notice said:

We wanted to let you know about some updates to Netflix. These won’t affect your experience—continue watching your shows and movies as usual.

On January 1, 2021, your Netflix contracting company will change to Netflix, Inc.‎. This update will be made automatically, with no interruption to your current membership.

We periodically update our legal terms. Please take a moment to read the current Terms of Use and Privacy Statement.

The notice raised my eyebrows but perhaps that is just  my core suspicion showing.

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.

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Ward 2 Councillor gets the status of leaf collection out to her constituents

News 100 blueBy Staff

December 1, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns lost no time getting out the gate and letting her constituents know what the status of the leaf collection program is.

Tough to take up those leaves with snow on the ground as well

Here is what Kearns told the people in her ward,

Lisa Kearns

Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns was the first, and so far only Councilor to get a note out to her constituents on the status of leaf collection.

Many residents have connected with my office today in a state of concern as the snow has fallen on the remaining piles of leaves across our Ward 2 Neighbourhoods.

Due to the accumulation of snow, Leaf Collection is on hold until conditions permit continuation of the program.

What does this mean for residents? Do nothing with your leaves.

At this point, the city’s Roads, Parks & Forestry team intends to continue with the program as soon as weather conditions permit.

Please do not be concerned that the snow plows are going to displace leaves back onto your sidewalk or property.

Our Roads Staff will not be conducting a full road plow as we did not reach our trigger point accumulation. The primary roads are in good shape and we will be using both city forces and contracted services on our secondary and local priority salt routes to plow after lunch. Once this is complete additional work will be taken throughout the night to deal with any winter road conditions.

Keeping you safe and informed is a key priority right now.

I recognize that the last two years have been challenging for this city run program, we will keep working harder to and continue to do our best in meeting your expectations.

Stay tuned and watch for additional information coming from City Communications as well.

Following is a map outlining Leaf Collection in Ward 2:

Leaf collection via Kearns

Red – Roads/ streets which still require Leaf Pickup Blue – Leaf Pick-up complete

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact my office at Lisa.Kearns@Burlington.ca.

Keep well, stay calm, show kindness.

 

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Meal Kits: HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh

 

News 100 redBy Steve Marks

December 2, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Canadian Meal Kit Standoff: HelloFresh Vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh

It’s been a good few years since meal kits first hit the Canadian market. In the beginning, when companies like HelloFresh arrived fresh off success in Germany, they made a concerted effort to become household names. Chances are you have seen popular YouTubers reviewing various meal kits, doing their best to sell you on the concept.

If you are new to the idea, meal kits are an alternative to both cooking dinner from scratch and getting takeout. Instead, the provider sends you a box of prepared ingredients, including a simple recipe for you to follow. You get to cook healthy and fresh meals without spending ages chopping vegetables.

These companies have evolved over the years to suit a wide range of diets as well as price ranges. Since COVID-19 hit, they have been a great option for people who got tired of the few options available from restaurants and fast food chains.

But which Canadian meal kit is the best? Three of the most popular are HelloFresh, Chefs Plate, and MissFresh.

Let’s compare the features of HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh.

HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate vs MissFresh

These three companies all offer specific features. As they each have subscription boxes, in which you can get three or four meals a week, it is possible to compare them fairly directly.

Let’s start with HelloFresh vs Chefs Plate. As a disclaimer, it is important to note that HelloFresh acquired Chefs Plate in 2018. While the two divisions still offer very different products, you will be dealing with the same company. Therefore, if you have an issue with one division’s customer service or company ethics, you will likely have the same issues with the other.

HelloFresh is the most comprehensive, wide-ranging meal kit solution. With HelloFresh, you can choose from 22 meals every week. These meals are somewhat more time-consuming than Chefs Plate meals, taking about thirty minutes each to prepare and cook. While this is still minimal compared to cooking from scratch, it might not suit those with a busier schedule.

HelloFresh offers excellent quality and range but it comes at a price. A weekly meal kit, that serves two people, will cost you close to $80. That amounts to $11.49 per serving.

chefs plate logo

Chefs Plate has become the budget option – same corporate commitment, same dedication

Chefs Plate has become the budget option within the parent company. While still offering quality in terms of healthy eating and delicious food, their range is smaller and individual meals are simpler. This will suit some in terms of time – their recipes take approximately fifteen minutes to cook, which nearly everyone can manage.

They have fifteen meals to choose from each week. A weekly box of three meals for two people will cost you just $30. That is only $5 per serving.

Let’s talk about MissFresh. MissFresh meal kits are on the more expensive side, which makes HelloFresh vs MissFresh the most appropriate comparison.

Montreal-based MissFresh is owned by the Metro grocery chain, and sources food from the same farms and vendors. If you love the grocery chain, you might appreciate the fact that MissFresh offers the option to add breakfast foods and snacks, although these are basic, packaged products rather than kits of their own.

MissFresh is only available if you live in Quebec or Ontario. While they have a decent range, especially for picky eaters and people with specific dietary needs, they still do not quite match the range and quality of HelloFresh.

Their meals are similarly priced, with each serving coming to between $8.75 and $11.17.

Therefore, as MissFresh still has some catching up to do on the big names, the competition comes down to Chefs Plate vs HelloFresh.

Chefs Plate vs HelloFresh: Suit Your Own Lifestyle

When choosing between Chefs Plate and HelloFresh, you are not deciding on quality. Both offer great tasting, healthy meals. Rather, you are choosing which one best suits your own lifestyle.

Hello fresh pic

HelloFresh provides more options every week and their food is more complex.

If you have the budget and time available, go with HelloFresh. They provide more options every week and their food is more complex.

However, if you are trying to save money or barely have a minute in the day, Chefs Plate offers the ideal alternative. Considering you are not going to be eating their meals every day of the week, and can always take a week off, there is no risk of getting tired of their range.

Both companies constantly update their range, providing new meals to match customers’ tastes. They are both convenient, with deliveries available throughout Canada. Because their boxes are well insulated, you do not even have to be home when they are delivered.

Give HelloFresh or Chefs Plate a try. Even if you tend to do your own cooking multiple days a week, you might find that meal kits offer meals not in your repertoire, and that the time it saves you is well worth it.

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Those opposing the expansion of the Quarry in rural Burlington face a December 14th deadline

News 100 greenBy Staff

December 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A  major influencing point for CORE, (Conserving our Rural Ecosystems) the organization that is opposing the application by Nelson Aggregates  seeking  additional licenses for the quarry they operate in rural Burlington – letters opposing the application are due December 14th.

So far CORE reports they have seen “54 excellent opposition letters. Heartened as we are by this response, it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s needed if we are to have any chance at all of influencing the MNRF to render a decision AGAINST Nelson/LaFarge Aggregate’s two-pit plan for our precious Escarpment.

CORE is looking for letters “in the hundreds; which is why we’re asking all 452 of our subscribers to write, today, tomorrow…but certainly by that hard deadline of December 14th.

Core cartoon - MAyorCORE adds that: “An opposition letter to the MNRF is one of THE most important windows for public access into this entire messy bureaucratic process. Each of the approving agencies/governments involved in this clunky approval process renders their decision without consulting the others. That is why we, as members of the public who do NOT have decision making powers, MUST voice our opposition to each agency at the time when that particular agency is willing to hear from us. If you’ve already written a letter (to the City of Burlington, for example) you may use that same letter for the MNRF.

Quarry map

The shaded areas are where Nelson Aggregates want to expand.

Gord Pinard, spokesperson for CORE explains that submission of comments to MNRF/Nelson is a critical part of the application review process.  It is an important opportunity for community members to register their concerns/objections, each of which must be responded to by Nelson.  Expecting that this application will ultimately end in an LPAT hearing, those who what to have a voice at the LPAT hearing must have submitted their objections during this response period.

“We’ve made it easy for you to craft your letter and send it. And if you have any trouble at all, please reach out to us for additional support. Click the link to access our step-by-step guide, including a copy-paste letter template.
https://www.coreburlington.com/what-you-can-do-now

The letter MUST be sent to:
tecia@white-water.ca
ARAApprovals@ontario.ca

And it MUST include your full mailing address, including postal code.  Without your full mailing address your letter will not be accepted.

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Region signs off on Burlington's Official Plan.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

December 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It has been a long time coming but yesterday the city received notice from the Region that the Official Plan is another step closer to being what an election was fought over in 2018.

A different way of growing a city.

Council will now take an historic step and pass the Official Plan.

Appeals are part of the process but this time it is the Region that has to accept the appeal and cover the costs of defending it.

When and How to File an Appeal

Notice of Deciision Nov 30

Region signs off on Burlington new Official Plan. Now Council has to pass it and then wait for the appeals.

Any appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal must be filed with Halton Region no later than 20 days from the date of this notice, shown above as the “Last Date of Appeal”.

The notice of appeal should be sent to the attention of the Regional Clerk at the address shown below and it must:

1) set out the reasons for the appeal,
2) set out the specific part or parts of the proposed Official Plan Amendment to which the appeal applies, and
3) be accompanied by the fee required by the Tribunal and as directed by the Tribunal.

The reasons for the appeal must include an explanation of how the proposed official plan amendment:

• is inconsistent with provincial policy statements issued under subsection 3(1) of the Planning Act;
• fails to conform with or conflicts with a provincial plan; or,
• fails to conform with the Regional Official Plan.

Council in memory

This is the council that, elected in 2018 took on the task of creating a new Official Plan and getting through two years of hard work and determined effort.

Address for Filing a Notice of Appeal
By Mail:
Office of the Regional Clerk
Regional Municipality of Halton
1151 Bronte Road
Oakville ON L6M 3L1

Submit Notice of Appeal to the attention of:
Graham Milne, Regional Clerk

By E-mail:
RegionalClerk@halton.ca

Who Can File an Appeal
Only individuals, corporations or public bodies may appeal a decision of the approval authority to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal. A notice of appeal may not be filed by an unincorporated association or group. However, a notice of appeal may be filed in the name of an individual who is a member of the association or the group on its behalf.

No person or public body shall be added as a party to the hearing of the appeal unless, before the official plan amendment was adopted, the person or public body made oral submissions at a public meeting or written submissions to the council or, in the opinion of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, there are reasonable grounds to add the person or public body as a party.

When the Decision is Final

The decision of the Regional Municipality of Halton is final if a notice of appeal is not received on or before the Last Date of Appeal.

Getting Additional Information
Additional information about the amendment and the decision is available for public inspection during regular office hours at the Office of the Regional Clerk at the address noted below.

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High end automotive dealers were bested by a handful of thieves

Crime 100By Staff

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It was slick – and it worked for a period of time.

The high end automotive dealers come away from this looking dreadfully stupid.

Solid police work has brought the most recent wave of car thefts – but there will be others. And of course drugs were part of the picture.

It began back in September when police services in the GTA began investigating an increase in test drive thefts occurring at local dealerships.

The suspects in these thefts used fraudulent identities and in many cases took advantage of current COVID-19 precautions to secure unescorted test drives and steal vehicles. In some cases, when the test drive was escorted by a sales representative, a staged collision was orchestrated in order to complete the theft. During this time primarily Mercedes products were targeted.

Members of the Halton Regional Police (HRPS) Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau in collaboration with the Peel Regional Police and Hamilton Police Service began to investigate these incidents. The investigation was further supported by the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC).

Nov 30 Drug and Cash Seizure + high end cars

Stealing high end cars was a side line to the drug dealing.

On November 28, 2020, members of Peel Regional Police arrested two suspects in possession of a recently stolen vehicle. Subsequent search warrants were executed by members of the HRPS Oakville Criminal Investigation Bureau at two Brampton residences and on one vehicle.

Investigators seized a second vehicle (stolen from an Oakville dealership), approximately 450 grams of fentanyl, 45 grams of crack cocaine, a quantity of suspected Xanax tablets and approximately $10,000.

Azad Sandhu (18) of Brampton has been charged with:
• Theft of motor vehicle (3 counts)
• Possession of a counterfeit mark (false identity documents)

Steven Singh (20) of Mississauga has been charged with:
• Theft of motor vehicle (8 counts)
• Utter forged documents (8 counts)
• Possession of counterfeit mark (false identity documents)
• Possession for the purpose of trafficking (3 counts- Fentanyl, Xanax, Cocaine)

Both Sandhu and Singh were held in custody pending a bail hearing.

The theft of motor vehicle and related charges are in connection with incidents that occurred in Halton, Peel, Hamilton, and South Simcoe.

Prior to these arrests, HRPS investigators also executed a warrant at a residence in Toronto. This took place in October, 2020.

Multiple items were seized at that time including:
• A Mercedes vehicle stolen from Hamilton
• Stolen Ontario dealer plates
• Fraudulent Ontario and Quebec Driver’s Licences
• Approximately $3000

As a result of that earlier investigation, Yassine Jenkal (23) of Toronto was arrested and charged with the following:
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (over $5000)
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (under $5000) (2 Counts)
• Tampering with Vehicle Identification Number
• Possession of a Counterfeit Mark (4 counts)

Anyone with information in regards to these investigations is asked to contact Detective Omar Nadim of the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau 905-825-4747 ext. 2306.

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.

 

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Have we reached the 'enough is enough' on the cannabis stores in the city?

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

There are seven LCBO stores in Burlington.

An application for the 17th cannabis retail location has been received; 10 of the applications are operational, five are under review, two, plus the most recent, are out for community comment.

Municipalities were given the option to permit the setting up of retail cannabis stores or to take a pass and not permit cannabis retail locations.

Burlington chose to permit them: it was a 5-2 vote permitting, with Councillors Stolte and Bentivegna against.

The Mayor was a very strong supporter, at times sounding like an advocate.

The other four were inclined to go along.

The Town of  Oakville decided not to permit  cannabis stores.

Many take the view that the commercial locations will fail if there isn’t a customer base creating a demand.

There is certainly a demand for the product – but it isn’t from the people of Burlington.  The folks from Oakville drive over to patronize the Burlington locations.

I am not opposed to the sale of the product – it’s legal – let people buy it.  My concern is why does Burlington have to become the destination for people in communities that don’t have cannabis shops where they live?

We keep hearing the argument that there are those who need the product for medicinal purposes.

Is this what the people of Burlington believe reflects the values of their community?

Is there a point the city might not want to go beyond?

And can city council do anything to perhaps cap the number of locations?

We think it is a question that can and should be asked of City Council.

Are we at that enough is enough point?

Related news story:

Application for 17th cannabis store received by the provincial government.

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.

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Eight year old boy doing a bake sale to support Halton Women's Place - let's keep him busy

News 100 redBy Staff

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Liddy Stem at some point taught her eight year old son how to bake.

The boy not only picked up that skill but he also picked up a Burlington tradition of helping other people.

Emmet the baker

The bake sale that Emmet has underway this year will support Halton Woman’s Place.

Emmet apparently put together the flyer that he has passed out to his neighbours.

Let’s see how busy we can keep this eight year old.

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The 17th application for a cannabis store in Burlington has been released

News 100 greenBy Staff

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

An application for what will be the 17th cannabis retail store in Burlington has been received by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

cannabis retail outlet

A typical cannabis retail location: tightly regulated by the AGCO.

The corporate name is Sweet Releafs Inc. The proposed location at 728 Burloak Dr., Unit C4 is now up for public comment.

Written comments due to Province by December 11

This application does meet the City of Burlington Council approved guidelines.

Written comments about the proposed location will be received by the AGCO until Friday, December 11, 2020 and may be submitted online at www.agco.ca/iAGCO.

The AGCO will accept submissions from:

• A resident of the municipality in which the proposed store is located

• The municipality representing the area in which the proposed store is located and/or its upper-tier municipality.

Comments submitted to the AGCO should relate to the following matters of public interest:

• Protecting public health and safety

• Protecting youth and restricting their access to cannabis

• Preventing illicit activities in relation to cannabis

After December 11, the AGCO will consider all written comments and available information to decide whether the application for the proposed store location will be approved.

Currently there are ten licensed cannabis retail stores in Burlington since the ACGO moved to an open licensing system for cannabis retail store applications earlier this year. The ten stores include:

• Relm Cannabis Co. 4031 Fairview St. Suite 103
• Corner Cannabis 3007 New St.
• The Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. 1505 Guelph Line, Unit 3-4
• Friendly Stranger Plains Road 1025 and 1059 Plains Rd. E., Unit 3
• Pioneer Cannabis Co. 1200 Brant St., Unit B-004
• mihi 3500 Dundas St., Unit A1B
• Canna Cabana Burlington 2400 Guelph Line, Unit 2
• Welcome Cannabis 1401 Plains Rd., Unit 5
• Spiritleaf 3295 Fairview St.
• Canada Buds 1860 Appleby Line, Unit 11B

Five additional cannabis retail stores are under review by the AGCO and two are out for comment, including this one.

Quick Facts
• On Jan. 14, 2019, Burlington City Council voted to allow the operation of retail cannabis stores in Burlington. Councillors Bentivegna and Stolte voted against the motion to permit the cannabis retail operations.

• On Apr. 1, 2019, the first round of brick and mortar, privately-operated retail cannabis stores opened across the province

• The AGCO is licensing and enforcing regulations related to retail cannabis stores in Ontario

• The ACGO introduced an open licensing system for cannabis retail stores in January 2020. On March 2, 2020, the ACGO began accepting store authorization applications.

• The provincial requirement for a cannabis retail store is 150 metres from schools (as defined by the Education Act), as per the provincial regulations. The City of Burlington guideline for a cannabis retail store is 500 metres from schools

Related content:

When is enough enough?

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You exercise caution when you cross the street - do the same thing with the email you receive

Crime 100By Staff

November 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

They never really stop trying to fool you into giving them critical information on how you bank on line.  There are thousands of people who send out email scams trying to get at your money.

Using the internet is a little like crossing a busy street – even though the light is green – you still want to look both ways.

RBC logoWe don’t bank at the Royal Bank of Canada. They are a very good, quality banking operation.
They, or rather someone wanting us to think that it was the Royal Bank reaching out to us to do something. Had we been a Royal Bank customer we might have responded.

Here is what was sent to us:

Dear (RBC Royal Bank) Client,

We are making important changes to your Royal Bank Account and Services.

We might request RBC Business & Personal Clients, to go through a verification process to maintain the integrity of our systems. Please review the Electronic Agreement attached to this email for more details.

We value your business and hope you have a great day!

For more information go to RBC Royal Bank

Best wishes,
Edward Loews
Head of RBC Online Services
Royal Bank of Canada

There was a Pdf attached to the email.  Opening that Pdf would have given them access to almost everything on our computer.

Read the email that you get carefully and if in doubt – don’t.

Like crossing the street on a green light – look left and right, the consequences if you don’t could be very painful.

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Driving instructor arrested on sexual assault charges.

Crime 100By Staff

November 28th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Some serious damage done to the reputation of a Driving Instructor

HRPS crestOn Thursday November 26, 2020, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) report the arrest of a driving instructor who was operating in the city of Burlington.

56 year-old Muhammad Zafar of Hamilton has been charged with Sexual Assault and Sexual Exploitation. Zafar was held in custody pending a bail hearing.

Zafar operates as a driving instructor in the city of Burlington and the victim in this occurrence was a student of his. Police believe that there may be additional victims and that Zafar may have been operating as a private driving instructor in or around the Burlington and Hamilton area.

Crime stoppers logoAnyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Megan Wong of the HRPS Child and Sexual Assault Unit at 905 825 4747 ext. 8979.

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.

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Private sector planner Glenn Wellings waxes eloquent over a transit station.

background graphic redBy Staff

November 29th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

A small bus terminal on John Street that once had a recommendation from the Transit department to close the station that is the size of a standard classroom has had a serious impact on the way development in the downtown core took place.

The existence of the building and the designation it had, made it possible for the ADI Development Group to get their appeal of an application past the OMB.

The bus terminal that was now being called an MTSA came up recently when private sector Glenn Wellings talked about his boyhood days when he used buses; suggesting there might yet be a bigger role yet for the terminal.  Here is the way a planner saw the bus terminal meeting the interests of his client.

Wellings

Private sector planner Glenn Wellings

The purpose of my delegation is to speak to concerns regarding the approach and recommendations with respect to the interim control By-Law study. I do have several concerns including modifications to the Urban Growth Centre Boundary so the transition policies however, Madam Chair given my ten-minute limit, I will restrict my comments mainly to the downtown bus terminal.

There is much…..been much discussion today and previously centered around the downtown bus terminal and several decades ago, the downtown bus terminal. I’m not sure if Council members will recall, some may not have been living in the Burlington at the time used to be located at Village Square, and that was probably about 40 years ago and the terminal at that time accommodated city buses, City of Hamilton buses, Gray Coach buses, Gray Coach is no longer with us, and also Go transit buses, and it served as a very important transit hub at a time when Village square was new, and transit was less of a priority than it is today, and how I know that is as a kid growing up in Oakville, I used to frequently take the bus between Oakville and St. Catharines. So the route I would take could be the Go bus along the Lakeshore Road and I would transfer to a Gray Coach bus at Village Square, and that Gray Coach bus would stop in Hamilton, Grimsby and on to St. Catharines, so it did at one time serve an interregional transit function.

I’ll fast-forward to today, there has been no significant investment in the downtown bus terminal. For many years, at a time when I believed the city needs to be investing in transit. It appears that these limitations and deficiencies of the existing bus terminal aren’t being used as a basis to establish updated land use policies for the downtown. A planning regime recommended by the interim control By-Law study seems to accept status-quo for the downtown bus terminal, so it doesn’t speak to possibly improving things, getting back to where it used to be and serving an interregional function. That’s not where the policy regime seems to be headed.

John Street bus terminal

Will history remember the impact the terminal had on the development of the downtown core?

So, the proposed policies do not in my reading support an enhanced role of this downtown bus terminal or even the potential of building something better, a new bus terminal and reintroduce into regional transit to the downtown. The downtown bus terminal has always had a different function than the Go station and the Go transit given the rail function at the Go station and the bus function downtown.

They’ve always had different functions so the typology being suggested and to support policies is really not much different than what we all know. Some may recall that the role bold official plan didn’t anticipate the potential for new transit terminal at 421 John Street and that’s parking lot no. 4 so, that was looked at previously.

The developed policies with no anticipated changes to the bus terminal or even looking at an enhanced role of that downtown bus terminal is not in my opinion long range planning. To me it is not consistent with the Urban Growth Centre nor its transit supportive or a reflection of the spirit and an intend of the major transit station area. Madam, I would like to ask for clarification on three areas and I believe Ms. MacDonald did provide clarification on one area but I just want to be clear of my understanding under the proposed policy regime, is it downtown Burlington will continue to be a Urban Growth Centre with a minimum density target of 200 people on jobs per hector and the downtown Burlington will continue to be a major transit station area and a mobility hub. I’m hoping I got that right but I would just ask for some clarification because there was some confusion and some of the delegations on that point.

Secondly, is Council likely aware the Mattamy application have been in process for more than two years and were filed under the current approved official plan and I would ask for confirmation through staff that the proposed policies are not intended to retro-actively apply to these applications moving forward. And you heard the delegation of Mr. Snider, he had indicated that there is Case Law and there are rules that the policies at the time of application are the ones that should be used to evaluate an application and there is much Case law on that point.

And thirdly, and I’m not sure the answer to this question. If the policies in the proposed Openna 119 are appealed, how does that reflect the timing of the new official plan? OPA, and I’m assuming that the official plan cannot be finalized and approved piecemeal without knowing what’s happening in the downtown, in the policy framework for the downtown which is a major source of the intensification that will occur in the city. So I’d ask for some clarification on that point. I’m not sure how that would evolve. And lastly, I would ask for written notification of any approvals of the OPA and zoning By-Law arising from this exercise and subject to clarification of those three points.

CLK: (Councillor Lisa Kearns) So you spoke about does the study consider an enhanced role of John Street of bus terminal with interregional long-range planning. So the section 3.4.4 transit network and demand does speak to the Burlington transit trips that do occur between Hamilton and Burlington. So I’m just wondering if you’re making statements that it hasn’t may be looked at the regional connectivity piece. I just want to know those things are in there. Are you aware of that?

GW: (Glenn Wellings) And I’m also looking at a little more broadly than that and may be if there is a better bus terminal, that it could be an airport shuttle service running from that. I think we all need to look at the possibilities of what the downtown bus terminal could be rather than what it is today.

CLK: Okay. So I’ll ask staff what the forward thinking long-range planning lens was applied to that. Thank you.

CSS: (Councillor Shawna Stolte – Chair of the meeting) Thank you. Now we have a question from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.

MMW: (Mayor) So just to your clarification question, if I may, there’s no proposed changes on our agenda today to the UGC or the MTSA.

That’s been covered several times so that’s out of scope that we’re dealing with today. Just so you know. So the question is around how we enhance the transit function really throughout the City, downtown for sure. This is a very transit-friendly Council and we have added Millions in our two budgets that we have done to transit. So my question for you is…. And Go transit, of course, is provincial. We can’t tell them where to put their routes, but should a Go bus come to downtown Burlington or we get a nicer terminal and one of the recommendations was additional shelters and so forth, will the downtown ever function the same as the Go Station with 15-minute service across…. Effectively across Ontario? Would you say there is a distinction, nevertheless between those two?

GW: The GO Service just keeps on getting better and better so it does serve a great function for the City. It’s to me the only way to get downtown if you’re going to Toronto.

MMW: I agree with you on that.

GW: Yeah, so the roles have always been different and I didn’t want to suggest otherwise,

MMW: Right.

GW: But I think we can do better than what we have downtown.

MMMW: Yeah, I think we can certainly enhance that. I think… I’ll save it for my comments. We agree there is always going to be a difference between the two which means there’s a difference in ridership and land use. With respect to the Mattamy proposal that you’re representing, you raised some concerns that I was just trying to take notes about how the policy framework that we’re dealing with today, the MTSA piece, would affect that property. Do you have specific policies that you’re concerned about would somehow impact that piece?

GW: No…

MMW: you don’t want it to be retroactively applied. So I’m just wondering….

Mattamy - 2082-2090-James-at-Martha-Perspective-768x641

The Mattamy development Wellings was delegating on at Council

GW: No particular policies. It’s more of a general approach to evaluating the applications. Mattamy invested in this downtown at a time where there is a different mindset. I am not here to throw stones at anybody. There is a different mindset…. There was a different mindset than there is now, they’re struggling with that, and they’re trying to figure things out. They’re following what’s going on. They’re frustrated. They’re angry and they are just trying to figure out what’s going to apply going forward and I think they deserve that clarification.

So creating policies to respond to an application that’s been in process for two years to me is grossly unfair and prejudicial and if that’s going to occur, then the Mattamy applications made it to go to LPAT because they can’t be dealt with fairly in this room and I’m hoping that’s not the case, that that’s not where they want to go. They want to work with the City. But I would hope that we could clarify which policies are actually going to apply to them going forward.

MMW: Okay. I will ask that of staff. But the…. Certainly the understanding that is throughout the report is that once we approve new official plan policies, they will apply equally to everybody. Nobody gets special treatment. So unless there are specific aspects of the policy, I think that would be helpful for us to hear, if there are specific things that you think are not good planning, then please, you know, let us know sometime between now and the 30th of January.

GW: and through you, Madam Chair, not to belabor the point, but I would ask that you get legal advice on that point.

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One of those top level medical guys used the word 'precarious' to describe the Covid19 situation in Ontario

SwP thumbnail graphicBy Pepper Parr

November 28th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

It isn’t the best of news.

Two COVID-19 outbreaks at the Joseph Brant hospital.

Climbing numbers within the city and additional deaths.

PHU Nov 27

Data at the close of November 27th.

Shops, supermarkets and hardware stores are pretty busy. I really wish the supermarket I go to would limit the number of people allowed in the store at the same time. Yes it slows things down but it keeps everyone safer.

The future availability of a vaccine doesn’t look all that promising. The predictions are that in Canada we will not see the bulk of the population completely vaccinated until December of 2021.

You can bet that the politicians at the federal and provincial levels will be deemed to be front line workers.  The people working in the hospitals have to be first.

Can we keep on going the way we have had to for another full year? There are some that can’t keep away from their favourite watering hole for more than a couple of weeks.

Canada doesn’t appear to have the manufacturing capacity to make the stuff and bottle it.

Flu shot line up

We had long line-ups for the annual flu shot. It will be much different with the vaccine is available.

We have manufacturing capacity for run of the mill annual flu shots – the vaccine for COVID-19 is a much more complex product requiring equipment we just don’t have.

Worrying for sure.

While going through the Saturday papers I read that the word “precarious” was used by Dr. David Williams to describe the situation we are in – not very reassuring.

And have you noticed that the top people at the federal level are beginning to equivocate somewhat ? Where are they when you really need them?

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.

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