 Terry Fox running along LAkeshore Road in Burlington, July 13th, 1981
The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research, an annual event in Burlington since 1981, won’t take place this year in its usual form. The physical distancing rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t permit large gatherings. And Terry Fox events are very large gatherings
This isn’t just in Burlington, but runs across the country. Volunteers from this outstanding community have worked hard for 39 years to grow the event to the point where it has raised $2.2 million for cancer research.
They were not prepared to just let the event dribble away – it was going to take more than a pandemic to close them down.
After the Foundation announced that the 40th Terry Fox Run would be a virtual event, the Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee decided to take a creative approach to informing the community and telling parts of the unknown story.
Profiles of the people who got the event to where it is today appear on the Terry Fox Lives in Burlington blog and are being republished by the Gazette with permission.
By Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee
July 11th, 2020,
BURLINGTON, ON
Joan Gibb
While Joan’s story focuses on Oakville, Ontario, she was part of the bigger picture. Before there was a Terry Fox Foundation, Terry Fox was collecting donations through the Canadian Cancer Society, due to the fact that they represented all types of cancer. In 1980, the beginning of Terry’s run was rocky. Not everyone understood the magnitude of what this young man from British Columbia was trying to accomplish, and his donation numbers reflected that.
 Joan Gibb with a front age from the Oakville Beaver and a photograph of Terry Fox in the background. Terry’s original plan was to take the Transcanada highway the entire time – from Newfoundland to BC. This would have meant that his run through Ontario would have mainly been in the sparsely populated northern regions. Through my conversation with Joan Gibb, I learned that the Canadian Cancer Society knew that skipping Southern Ontario would be a missed opportunity to raise some serious dollars for the cause.
Joan, having been a longtime grassroots organizer with local Canadian Cancer Society offices (first in Montreal, and later in Oakville) and an employee with Bell Canada, was asked to join the national board. Her involvement with Terry began when she was one of only six national board members who stepped up to help out with the GTA grassroots volunteers should Terry make it to Ontario.
During our chat, Joan made sure she mentioned the name Harry Rowlands, Executive Director and Ontario Chair of the Canadian Cancer Society in relation to Terry’s Marathon of Hope, along with Barbara Kilbert. He was instrumental in getting Terry to change his mind and go off course to include parts of Southern Ontario in the run. He flew to the Maritimes to connect with Terry, and brought with him a young man – Bill Vigars. Bill joined Terry in the van and was not only a liaison between the Cancer Society and Terry, but became a good friend and confidant.
“We showed him [Terry] how much we make in Ontario,” recalls Joan, “…he changed his mind. That’s a huge part of the story.”
It is a huge part of the story, because without Harry Rowlands, Barbara Kilbert, Bill Vigars and board members like Joan Gibb, Terry might not have come to the GTA.
Our Chair, Craig Gardner, reached out to Bill Vigars to let him know about our conversation with Joan and Bill was delighted to hear her name.
“We spent so much time working together,” explained Vigars. “She played a major role in influencing the Society to get behind Terry. She was amazing.”
For Burlingtonians, July 13, 1980, was the day Terry ran through our city. It was also the day he ran through neighbouring Oakville. Joan filled me in on what it was like leading up to this day and what happened on the day.
 Note how the amount of the cheque climbed – $113,000 an impressive number for 1980. For starters, the Canadian Cancer Society had trouble securing volunteers. Terry’s run through the area happened during the height of summer, when many people were away on holiday. Joan knew there were going to be gaps along the route. None the less, she took on the task of organizing something in her hometown of Oakville.
In 1980, no one had cellphones. This made it harder to coordinate meet-ups, photo ops and accommodations. With a big novelty cheque ready to go, Joan set out to find a place for Terry to greet the community.
Joan ran around trying to gather the media and get a crowd to one spot to greet Terry. The only way she could communicate with the van was through a radio, which is how she learned how far along Terry was in his run. And after all that work, she was rewarded with a memorable greeting.
“I got the first hug. It was smelly, mind you,” recalled Joan.
To remedy the situation Joan had arranged for a cold hotel room where he could shower, and dinner was arranged for that evening. Joan, Terry, the team from the van, some Cancer Society members and a young woman who had given Terry a rose earlier that week dined together.
 Terry Fox accepting a cheque from Joan Gibb The next morning, Terry woke up early to leave Oakville. It was here that a photographer for an Oakville newspaper snapped an iconic image of Terry running at dawn, back-lit by his police escort’s headlights. That photograph went on to win national awards. Joan Gibb is fortunate enough to have an original copy of it.
Message of Hope
To conclude our conversation, we asked Joan to share some words of inspiration for those of us struggling with how we will raise funds this year under such strange circumstances. Her message was simple…think of Terry.
Joan expressed that she’s never been one to say she can’t do something – but since Terry has become such an integral part of her life, she acknowledged that his message has been a guiding force.
If Joan could organize a Terry Fox event in 1980 with little technology and few volunteers, surely we can succeed with all the tools we have available to us today. When it feels hard, think of Terry.
Thank you, Joan for sharing your story with us.
Photographs provided by Joan Gibb from her private collection
 By Staff
July 11th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Conservation Halton advises that some areas of the watershed received over 25 mm of rain generated from the weather system that passed through our jurisdiction last night. Environment Canada continues to have a Special Weather Statement in effect for our area and advises that the development of thunderstorms is possible this afternoon producing local rainfall rates of 25 mm to 50 mm per hour before the system tapers off later tonight.
Soil conditions within the watershed are saturated from recent rainfall and any additional rainfall will runoff into our rivers and streams. The combination of increased flows and water levels and slippery and unstable banks will create hazardous conditions close to any rivers, streams, or other water bodies.
Widespread flooding is not anticipated. Our reservoirs are still in range of our seasonal holding levels and have storage capacity available. However, fast flowing water and flooding of low-lying areas and natural floodplains may be expected. Further, heavy downpours associated with thunderstorms could result in flooding of highly urbanized areas. Municipalities, emergency services and individual landowners in flood-prone areas should be on alert.
 Water levels in watershed creeks will rise significantly during the weekend. Caution around the edges of creeks – especially with children. Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to keep a safe distance from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream flow and weather conditions and will issue further messages as necessary. This Flood Outlook Statement will be in effect through Sunday July 12, 2020.
 By Staff
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Was it the hot hot weather? Did tempers get lost?
It has been some time since Burlington saw this level of violence with weapons.
The Regional police report a double shooting on Plans Road East at 1:00 pm this afternoon.
Shortly after 1:00 pm the police received reports of a shooting at 484 Plains Road East in Burlington. When officers arrived on scene, two victims with gunshot wounds were located outside of an establishment.
Information from witnesses indicates that one male suspect fled the scene westbound on Plains Road East in a grey sedan.
One of the shooting victims succumbed to their injuries at the scene. A second victim was transported to hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds.
At this time, no suspect(s) have been identified, and the investigation is ongoing. Area residents and businesses should expect a heavy police presence throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
There is no immediate ongoing, related, known threat to public safety.
Plains Road East is closed in both directions between King Road and Waterdown Road. Please avoid the area until further notice.
Investigators are appealing for dash cam and/or commercial or residential surveillance footage from the area between 11:00 am and 1:30 pm on July 10, and to any witnesses or anyone who may have information related to this incident to contact the Halton Regional Police Service at 905-825-4777 or via the Homicide Tip Line at 905-825-4776.
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.
Related news:
Police chief makes the news.
 By Pepper Parr
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Dear Chief – you got sucked into the undertow when all you wanted was a short dip. Now you stand the chance of drowning.
 Chief of Police Steve Tanner once said: Social Media is not the same as a 911 call. He was absolutely right. The 911 world is his domain. There are things you can do and can’t do.
You can’t be seen at the race track too often.
If you fancy a fun game of poker – make sure it is with Judges and Crown Prosecutors.
You live in a rarefied world – we put you there because we expect you to be sold, upright and always setting that next to perfect example.
But then you responded to a tweet on a political issue and they dumped on you from every angle.
It was described to me as an “interesting fight on twitter between Jagmeet Singh and Chief Tanner.
Chief Tanner’s original comments. The back and forth is lengthy – interesting stuff though.
Sources are telling us that “Chief Tanner has used his office for partisan attacks before.” I don’t believe that for a second.
But having that kind of comment being made does nothing for you even though you are a big boy with broad shoulders. The thing that has to be defended is the integrity of the office you hold.
Politics can be a slimy world; nothing there for you.
Pepper Parr is the publisher of the Burlington Gazette. He has observed Chief Stephen Tanner since the day he was sworn in. He earned a degree in psychology from the University of Guelph.
 By Staff
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
In her newsletter A Better Burlington, Mayor Marianne Meed Ward praises that jewel of a beach iin the Bechway part of the city – and then warns people of the traffic and parking problems.
Pay attention – she is trying to help.
“As the hot summer temperatures continue, the City of Burlington is reminding residents and visitors of some of the ways they can stay cool while continuing to protect the health and safety of the community and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
 It is an incredible stretch of sandy beach – it will be busy and there isn’t enough parking. “Burlington’s beautiful waterfront at Beachway Park is a popular destination when temperatures are high, however, visitors to the beach are reminded:
“ The City of Burlington continues to be in a state of emergency due to COVID-19. Please continue to respect physical distancing measures at all times
“ Keep two metres away from others (e.g. the length of a hockey stick) sitting on the beach and in the water
Gather in groups of no more than 10 people who are part of your social circle
Move to the right on the Waterfront trail to make room for others to pass safely.
“The City will be taking some additional measures to educate residents and control parking around the Beachway. City of Burlington Park Ambassadors and Parking Enforcement Staff will also be in the vicinity to assist with these measures.
Additional signs will be placed informing visitors of:
 He’s doing his job – probably grateful you gave it to him. No parking zones, tow away zones
Cost of parking tickets on signs (where possible)
“Parking lot full” signs at street entrances
Physical distancing signs at more locations.
“Parking spaces at Beachway Park are limited and the lot fills quickly. Visitors are reminded to:
“Consider coming back another time if the parking lot is full, or parking their vehicle in an alternative location where parking is permitted and space exists on the beach to ensure physical distancing
Avoid parking illegally – City bylaw officers will be enforcing ticketing and towing to discourage overcrowding at the beach.
Outdoor Pools and Spray Pads
 Wading pool at LaSalle Park will be packed. Don’t hog the available time in the water Beginning Saturday, July 11, the outdoor pools at Mountainside Park and Nelson Park will be open for lap and leisure swims. Spray pads throughout the city and the LaSalle wading pool are also open, since July 4.
In following provincial guidelines on the safe reopening of pools, online registration and pre-payment is required and available for Burlington residents only. No walk-ins are accepted at this time. To create an account and/or register, go to liveandplay.burlington.ca.
In addition to pre-registration, the number of swimmers allowed in each pool will be restricted to ensure physical distancing. Time-limits will also be in place to allow more people to enjoy the pools and for staff to disinfect the area for the next group of swimmers.
Important note for parking at Nelson Pool: Visitors registered to swim at Nelson Pool should note the parking lot is closed for paving and will reopen upon completion. Pool patrons are asked to park at the Pauline Johnson Public School parking lot at 4350 Longmoor Dr., access off Longmoor Drive.
Cooling Centre
Extended heat warnings are issued by Halton Region when forecast temperatures are expected to be at least 31°C and overnight temperatures are above 20°C for at least three days, or the humidex is at least 40°C for a minimum of three days.
During COVID-19, when an extended heat warning is issued, the City will open a cooling centre in the auditorium in Central Arena, located at 519 Drury Lane, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Community members can use the facility for one-hour increments and will be screened for COVID-19 when they arrive. Measures will be in place to ensure physical distancing and visitors are encouraged to wear a non-medical face covering. Please stay home if you are ill and always practice physical distancing (2m).
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward “Our Beachway Park is a gem in Burlington and a destination not just for our community but others across the GTHA. While we look for ways to cool down during these hot summer days, we need to remember we are still in a pandemic and COVID-19 is still very much a part of our lives.
I’m grateful to our City staff for putting together so quickly a strategy to mitigate overcrowding at our beach and illegal parking, while encouraging everyone heading down there to follow safety and health guidelines. Our beach can be a great escape during these tough times – let’s ensure everyone who uses it has a positive experience.
By Pepper Parr
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Regional Chair Gary Carr – as proud as a new father over the credit/bond rating There is one duty Regional Chair Gary Carr carries out every year – and that is announcing how good the Region’s credit rating is.
He used to brag that Halton had a better bond rating than the United States of America.
The Gazette used to find that annual bond rating level amusing – who cares?
We all care – especially at this time of huge declines in revenue and expenses that were not even thought about.
The municipalities are going to need money. The rules say that funds cannot be borrowed for operating costs. That may change – for these are changing times.
When a municipality has to borrow they send their needs to the Region – it is the Region that goes to the market with a bond offering thus the Region’s credit rating is what matters.
 The Region is the banker on the bond side for the municipalities. Halton Region’s AAA credit rating affirmed by S&P Global Ratings
Last month S&P Global Ratings affirmed its top credit rating for Halton Region. Their research summary praises the Region’s strong fiscal policies and budgetary performance while confirming its confidence in Halton’s ability to uphold this standing into the future despite impacts from COVID-19.
“Receiving this AAA Credit Rating from S&P Global Ratings confirms our strong financial position—the result of diligent planning and transparent reporting—which helps us support a high quality of life in Halton,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr.
“This top credit rating will allow us to support ongoing investments in infrastructure while ensuring top value for taxpayer dollars, and we are proud to have earned this distinction for another year.”
Maintaining a top credit rating provides Halton and its Local Municipalities with continued access to the best capital financing rates available, which minimizes long-term infrastructure capital financing costs. As a result, public funds go further when invested in Regional works that help improve essential services in the community, such as road, water and wastewater projects.
S&P’s rating analysis included the following rationale in support of the AAA rating:
 Consistent growth in the community housing sector of the Region keeps bond/credit rating agencies happy. • steady population growth, high income levels, and a broad economy foster stability in the Region’s property tax base despite the negative impact from COVID-19;
• prudent financial management practices and solid economic base;
• excellent budget performance and limiting debt issuance; and
• exceptional liquidity position and satisfactory access to external liquidity for financing needs.
The Region has maintained top credit ratings from S&P Global Ratings (AAA) since 2002 and Moody’s Investors Service (Aaa) since 1989—a successful track record of more than 30 years. Earning this distinction from both agencies each year is a key objective of Halton’s annual Budget and Business Plan.
 By Pepper Parr
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Margaret Trudeau at a WE Charity event. The Prime Minister’s mother, Margaret Trudeau, gets paid $250,000 to speak at WE Charity; his brother is also paid, much less, to speak at WE events.
The federal government awarded a contract to the WE Charity to distribute federal funds to students who perform volunteer work during the current pandemic crisis.
They were to distribute $900 million of federal money and earn a fee of $19.5 million to manage the program.
The organization had no experience in distributing funds nor did they have the staff in place to administer a program of that size.
And the Prime Minister does not recuse himself from the Cabinet meeting that approved the contract and votes for it as well.
And a day later the Globe and Mail cannot get any comment from a single Cabinet Minister or their spokes people?
And this is Ok?
 Brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger on the extreme left and right with Sophie Gregoire and Prime Minister Trudeau at a WE event. This is not the time to dump the current Prime Minister but this is the time for leaders within the Liberal Party to begin thinking when a leadership convention can take place to find someone who know what a conflict of interest is.
 Is the Prime Minister just this much offside on the WE Charity mess? Karina Gould, Burlington MP and member of the Cabinet. The Prime Minister said that he did not recuse himself and he voted for the contract to WE. Traditionally Cabinet votes are secret – but the Prime Minister did break that rule. Perhaps Burlington MP Karina Gould will reveal how she voted at Cabinet.
We fully expect Burlington MP and member of the Trudeau Cabinet Karina Gould to be wearing a face mask when she is out and about the city. She should see it as a mask to cover the shame she should be experiencing.
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 Joseph A Gaetan
July 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Christopher Columbus, Abraham Lincoln, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir John A MacDonald, Henry Dundas-1st Viscount, Peter Russell, Hector Louis Langevin, Joseph Brant and Samuel Hatt, all have something in common, all were honoured in some way, some with statues, some by having cities, museums, hospitals, streets, or schools named after them.
 Joseph Brant portrait by George Romney What these people, all men, also have in common is their names are being removed from their statues, either defaced or torn down. The reason, something in their past is so abhorrent today that ancestors of the recipients of their misdeeds feel the mere presence of them and their acts in history are now toxic beyond repair or forgiveness. As decades and centuries passed, the memory of their names lived on, while their deeds – both good and bad – were mostly forgotten today and they are being erased from history.
Years ago, I visited the Arizona Memorial and had no idea what to expect. Today, I still consider it amongst the most moving experiences in my life and no words can do justice to the experience and deep feelings that arose while standing over the Arizona and the 1102 sailors and marines entombed beneath.
 Women in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp The Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial also stands today as a reminder of the atrocities that occurred between 1940 and 1945. About 1.1 million innocent men, women and children were gassed and then cremated at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The death toll from Auschwitz alone includes 960,000 Jews (865,000 of whom were gassed on arrival), 74,000 non-Jewish Poles, 21,000 Roma, 15,000 Soviet prisoners of war, and up to 15,000 other Europeans. Hitlers “Final Solution” resulted in millions more being exterminated in his death camps, while many politicians across the world ignored what was happening.
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, a local hero, Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea) was born in 1742, on the banks of the Ohio River. Brant was a Mohawk Indian chief who served as a spokesman for his people, as a Christian missionary, and a British military officer during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) and the American Revolution (1775-1783). He was an influential military captain and a powerful diplomat who encouraged Indigenous tribes to share his political loyalties. During the American Revolution, “Brant fought throughout the war with an Indigenous-Loyalist band”, he also, “worked to form the Western Confederacy, a united group of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and western Indigenous peoples, created to block American expansion westward”.
 Joseph Brant often wore colourful costume, especially when he was at the Royal Courts in England. From 1776 to his death in 1807, “Brant fought in vain with the British and Upper Canada governments for the rights of his people to obtain title to the lands of the Grand River Valley”. The African American Registry also claims “[the] slaves he captured during the American Revolution built the Brant House at Burlington Beach and a second home near Brantford. In all, Brant owned about forty African slaves”.
A 2009 Star article and a 2017 Spec article both identify Brant as a slave owner. In his article, Andrew Dreschel posed the question, “Is slave owner Joseph Brant next?” His article also asks, “why stop there if we’re reassessing the past by today’s ethical standards?”. Dreschel also queries whether other effigies are being torn down, “to help expunge the sins of the past”? According to Dreschel, “one can find a Joseph Brant statue in the city of Brantford, and a life sized one in Ottawa, part of the Valiants Memorial commemorating important Canadian military figures”.
Dreschel goes on to state, “Brant was not the only slave owner in early Upper Canada … Historian Alan Taylor estimates the colony had about 300 slaves at that time, mostly taken from rebel settlements during the American Revolution by Indians and loyalist Raiders”, adding, “we would certainly need to change the names of countless schools including Earl Kitchener Elementary School in West Hamilton named after [the] Imperial British general whose ruthlessness included using concentration camps during the Boer War in South Africa”.
 A rendering of the entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital. Do we take the Brant off the building?
In addition to the above the City of Burlington is home to a street named Brant, the Joseph Brant Museum, and the Joseph Brant Hospital.
In an article entitled, “The life of Sophia Pooley and the Queen’s Bush Settlement”, Carly Holmstead, Kayla Hefford, and Jennifer Williams write, “At the age of five, Sophia and her sister were taken to Niagara Falls, where they were sold to Mohawk chieftain Joseph Brant”. After several years on the reserve, Brant sold Sophia to Samuel Hatt: “at twelve years old, I was sold by Brant to an Englishman in Ancaster, for one hundred dollars, – his name was Samuel Hatt, and I lived with him seven year”. To add insult to injury the article also states, “During the time Sophia was enslaved by Samuel Hatt, legislations had passed marking the end of slavery; unbeknownst to Sophia, she continued to live under the confines of slavery”.
 The name can’t be taken off the museum – or could it be called a home from a particular period of time? Sadly, slavery is alive, well and flourishing. According to the 2018 Global Slavery Index, approximately 45.8 million people worldwide are in some form of modern slavery. About 17 percent of the total number of people in modern slavery live where there is limited, if any, government action. These countries are characterised by government complicity (North Korea and Eritrea), low levels of political will (Iran), high levels of corruption (Equatorial Guinea), or widespread conflict (Libya). Few victims are being identified and there are even fewer prosecutions. According to the GSI, Canada is amongst the 12 G20 countries not taking action to stop the importation of goods and services that are at risk from being produced by forced labour.
 Golda Meir: she was elected Prime Minister of Israel in 1969. Golda Meir once said, “One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present”. The Arizona Memorial, Auschwitz and locally Joe Brant are still here to remind us and the world of the “day of infamy”, the “Holocaust”, and of a Mohawk Indian chief who served not only as a spokesman for his people but also as a Christian missionary and a British military officer during two major 18th century conflicts. Applying the “cancel culture” to Joe Brant’s honours would serve little while leaving the remnants of his legacy intact could serve as a model for recollection and reconciliation.
Joseph A Gaetan B.G.S, the author, was born during a time when Italo-Canadians were not treated kindly by some citizens and the government of Canada.
 By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor wasn’t all that keen on the idea of wearing a face mask.
She published her views in her A Better Burlington Newsletter.
She got trashed by well over 100 people.
The Mayor took another look at the issues and days later published a longer piece in the same Newsletter – this time setting out more reasons than you could imagine as to who was requiring masks and who wasn’t
 Medical Officer of Health tells the Mayor that masks won’t hurt. The Mayor then turned to the Medical Officer of Health for guidance.
Nothing wrong with wearing cloth masks, said the MOH
The Mayor then decided she would put a motion before Council – see what happens.
Problem was, Councillor Stolte had a motion of her own in the works; one she had developed with the help of the City Manager, the City Solicitor and dozens of other people.
The Mayor and the Councillor had a sit down – the Councillor won but to make nice they put out a motion sponsored by the two of them
That motion got debated today and passed at a Standing Committee meeting that heard some really weird delegations.
Every member of Council voted to put a temporary bylaw in place requiring people to wear a mask in public places. And kicked in $10,000 to pay for masks for people who were short on the cash side.
What next?
 The Mayor wearing a mask outside city hall, either early today or yesterday. A photo op for the Mayor wearing a bright red mask with people from Burlington Together.
The Mayor finally sniffed the scent of change.
Is the picture a one off? Only time will tell.
The bylaw gets voted at Council on Monday.
By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a full day’s work for members of city council today – they began at 9:30 and were at it up until just before six pm with a break for some lunch.
They met as a Standing Committee then got serious and met as a council.
We got a look at what the pandemic is costing us – on paper it comes to $18 million – in reality the city finance department has to find $4 million, give or take some change.
The Mayor seemed wedded to that $18 million number. The full finance picture is a seperate story.
The stinker is the situation at the Beachway where fines of $250 are going to be handed out for those who park where cars aren’t supposed to park.
There is going to be additional signage; there will be additional staff on hand. A motion was passed at the City Council meeting – held at the close of the Standing Committee meeting making it all legal.
The problems is – few will know what took place – the city might get some media out and while the Gazette has a large, very large readership – all of the Burlington market area isn’t a regular reader – yet.
During the debate on the Beachway parking problem we learned that the Parks and Recreation department doesn’t know how many parking spots there are – nor does it appear to know just how many people the Beach can accommodate – COVID or pre-COVID. No one has done any counting or measuring.
Council came close to forgetting to make the plans for managing parking illegal. City Manager Tim Commisso spotted the error, brought it to the attention of the Chair who went through some procedural issues and resolved that issue.
Park your car in the wrong place and you will be giving the city a lot of your money.
The city has come to realize that the Beachway is getting to be as popular as it was several decades ago.
 Recent crowds at the western end of the Beachway. Recently the crowds near the western end were very thick. Compare our news photography with the way it was 30 years ago when a railway line ran along the edge of the lake.
Parks and Recreation decided to take a long term look and decided that some way had to be found to manage the vehicle traffoic and approved the following Staff Direction.
 Not certain how Burlingtonians will take to making reservations and then paying to park. During the debate it was suggested that Burlingtonians would pay a lesser fee.
A lot of people are going to show up and be told that there is no room for them to park and be turned away.
The initiative for finding a way to limit parking in public parks came from Conservation Halton where the problem was not just the number of people visiting the Conservation parks but the need for more in the way of income.
The City doesn’t seem to go after more revenue – at least not yet.
By Staff
July 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
According to the Rocca Sisters -a real estate agency, the pandemic that has turned our world upside down has not had a negative impact on the real estate market in our trading area, to date.
In fact, the markets have increased momentum to a level not last seen since the spring of 2017.
Inventory levels were down over 45%, prices were up over 10% and sales increased by over 20% when compared to June of 2019.
YTD, prices increased by 12.8% and sales were down 12.7% as compared to the same period in 2019.
Days on market for June were at 18, down 24% from June 2019. Properties sold for 100.11% of the asking price on average in June 2020.
The absorption rate at the end of June 2020 was .89 which indicates there is not enough inventory to support one month’s worth of sales going into July.
Home values are rising again, and they are selling quickly.
 Data comes from real estate agents – Rocca Sisters On the condominium side of the market
At the end of June, inventory levels were up over 48% at the end of June – the complete opposite result to the freehold market.
Sale prices were down slightly, by 2.1%, price per square foot was up 5.3% and sales were up 20..4% as compared to June 2019.
Condos were selling for 98.96% of the asking price and in 23 days, on average during the month of June.
The absorption rate at the end of June was 1.79 which is still extremely low (a healthy absorption rate would be somewhere around 4 months worth of inventory)
 Data comes from real estate agents – Rocca Sisters
By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Well – they passed it at Standing Committee.
After three solid hours of debate during which one delegation suggested that the views of the average citizen should take precedence over the views of the Medical Officer of Health (MOH).
The same delegation asked where the MOH was getting her information.
Jim Young did a solid delegation for a bylaw that would make face masks mandatory with a long list of exceptions.
The intention is to pass the bylaw at city council on the 13th – it will include an allotment of $10,000 to cover the cost of masks for those who can’t afford one.
 The community produced 3000 cloth masks – cost free to anyone who needed one – that was two months ago. The Gazette lead an initiative that provided 3,000 cloth face masks to the community months ago. That initiative involved hundreds of volunteer hours put in before each mask was quarantined for 72 hours and given to anyone who wanted one.
Councillors Stolte and Galbraith handed out masks to people in their wards.
What struck us as we listened to the debate that really did go on and on – and on, was that we have yet to see a photograph with the Mayor wearing a mask.
We always thought that one led by example.
 Chair Rory Nisan hands his hands full keeping the debate on topic. Rory Nisan serving as chair did a solid job of trying to keep the discussion on topic – he didn’t always succeed – the cats just were not going to be herded.Come Monday we will have a bylaw – what it will say isn’t clear yet.
The one point made during the debate was that the anything COVID19 related was very fluid – changes by the hour.
The vote was 7-0
Terry Fox as he passed through Burlington on July 13th, 1980. The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research, an annual event in Burlington since 1981, won’t take place this year in its usual form. The physical distancing rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t permit large gatherings. And Terry Fox events are very large gatherings
This isn’t just in Burlington, but runs across the country. Volunteers from this outstanding community have worked hard for 39 years to grow the event to the point where it has raised $2.2 million for cancer research.
They were not prepared to just let the event dribble away – it was going to take more than a pandemic to close them down.
After the Foundation announced that the 40th Terry Fox Run would be a virtual event, the Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee decided to take a creative approach to informing the community and telling parts of the unknown story.
Profiles of the people who got the event to where it is today appear on the Terry Fox Lives in Burlington blog and are being republished by the Gazette with permission.
By Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee
July 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Greg Pace
While we all know that the first Terry Fox Run was the Marathon of Hope – Terry Fox’s heroic, but shortened run across Canada for Cancer Research in 1980, but the first run as we know it today actually happened in 1981.
Terry Fox sadly passed away from cancer on June 28, 1981. Canadians were heartbroken. At this time communities across the country were organizing smaller runs for September of that year. Greg Pace, an athletic 20-something Burlingtonian, approached the Canadian Cancer Society (the Terry Fox Foundation was not yet established) about being the race director for Burlington’s first community run.
 Greg Pace – that surname is on the right man. Greg, who has plenty of race director credits under his belt today, had little experience in 1981, but had a love for running and was inspired by the cause.
While our run has happened on the waterfront for many years now (Beachway Park and Spencer Smith Park), the 1981 run was a 10 km route in and around Sherwood Forest Park. Today’s Sherwood Forest Park is dotted with ball diamonds, soccer fields and groomed grounds, however, it wasn’t that well-developed in the early 80s.
Greg recalls one participant completing the course in her wheelchair.
“I remember seeing her do that little ravine through the mud in her wheelchair…it was one of those huge motivating things…I saw her try to back her wheelchair up a hill. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place, because obviously she was the last finisher.”
We continue to see people of all ages and abilities participate in the Terry Fox Run to this day.
Beyond 1981
Greg stayed on as Race Director/Chair for several more years. The first three years were held at Sherwood park with the 10k route. It then moved to Downtown Burlington near City Hall. Greg recalls that this was a 5k loop.
 This is what flyers used to look like – Adobe software didn’t exist then. Mimeograph machines were what we used. The first year, in 1981, the run was organized by Greg Pace and a few of his friends. It eventually evolved into a committee, which is how the runs are organized today. Greg was lucky to get to work with some very interesting people during his time as chair. From a local phys. ed teacher to local fundraising gurus – Greg had a diverse and experienced team behind him. His core committee included Chris Dooley, Fran Agnew and Margaret MacVinnie.
As the team got stronger, Greg was ready to let go of the reins.
“After the fourth or fifth year we gave it up and actually tried to recruit some people to take it over. The person that we recruited…about a month prior to it [the run] just said, ‘yeah, I’m not interested in doing it,’ so we had to scramble.” Greg Pace and his committee organized a couple more runs after that before handing it over to Burt McGrath.
Message of Hope
“Keep him in mind.”
– Greg Pace
I asked Greg for words of inspiration to help our community stay motivated for the cause during these difficult times. His message was simple. Keep Terry in mind.
He also said that if everyone whose life has been touched by cancer did something – raised a dollar or more – it would make a difference.
 Greg Pace out on a regular run with a colleague. It’s important to keep all those spirits alive. So, whatever you do, whether it’s a 5k walk or run, writing an inspiring message in chalk on your driveway or hosting a virtual party, do it with Terry Fox in mind.
Though Greg stays behind the scenes these days, he’s still a big supporter of the foundation and our local Burlington run. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us and sharing your stories and experiences.
Photographs and clippings provided by Greg Pace from his private collection, donated to the Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee
By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
In her A Better Burlington newsletter Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “We received great news from the Province today giving municipal councils the ability to meet electronically and allow proxy votes, allowing court proceedings to be conducted electronically and other measures that will now be permanent post-COVID-19.”
Meeting virtually has limited public participation in the proceedings of council significantly which seems to be acceptable to the current council.
The balance of her newsletter is set out below.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward at a Council meeting. “I had the privilege today of joining mayors across Ontario on a conference call with Premier Doug Ford and the Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, to hear directly from them about the changes, and additional measures outlined in the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act.
“These were also outlined in a letter sent to heads of council (Minister’s Letter – COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act – 8 July 2020), and a media release available here.
“Last week, the Halton Regional Chair, on behalf of the four mayors and municipalities of Halton, wrote to the Premier to ask for these changes to be made permanent. To read that letter, click here: Halton Region Chair Letter to Premier re Virtual Meetings – June 29 2020.
“Halton municipalities have been holding virtual meetings throughout the pandemic with great success to conduct the business of our municipalities while continuing to serve our residents and provide opportunities for important public input.
“The Province heard us.
“We are still going through the legislation that covers a range of matters on development, economic recovery, and changes to the community benefits charges. Some of these include changes to the existing Minister’s zoning order to provide more certainty when fast-tracking the development of transit-oriented communities; making it faster to update and harmonize the Building Code so that we can break down interprovincial trade barriers; and permanently establishing the office of the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator to help solve complex land-use issues.
“My team and city staff are still going through the legislation and we’ll provide more details in the coming days, but what we’ve reviewed so far shows the Province has listened to mayors and municipal councils and made positive steps forward.
“This is great news, and I would personally like to thank Premier Ford and Minister Clark for consulting with us, listening and making changes.
“Today’s announcement is important in ensuring the safety of members of Councils, staff and the public while we continue our business of serving our communities.”
 By Staff
July 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
North Shore Boulevard will be fully closed in both directions for bridge demolition work beginning Saturday, July 18 at 10 p.m., until Sunday, July 19 at 10 a.m.
The closure will extend from the traffic signal on the east side of the QEW to the traffic signal on the west side of the QEW. This work is part of MTO Contract No. 2018-2015 (HWY QEW South of Fairview Street to North of Lakeshore Road).
Access ramps from Northshore Boulevard westbound to Toronto and Northshore Boulevard eastbound to Niagara will remain open.
By Pepper Parr
July 7th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Sit down for this one.
At a meeting on Thursday Council is going to consider the following motion. It contains seven Whereas’s.
The essence of the motion that is sponsored by ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte and Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is for Council to enact a temporary bylaw requiring individuals, organizations or corporations that are responsible for the operation of a facility or business, which have indoor, enclosed spaces open to the public, to ensure no member of the public is permitted unless wearing a mask or face covering in a manner which covers their mouth, nose and chin, subject to the exemptions below, to help limit the spread of COVID-19
The movers of the motion also want the city to spend up to $10,000 to cover the cost of free masks to those who cannot afford one.
 The movers of a motion to make face masks mandatory in public places The complete motion is set out below. It is, at this point, just a motion. It has to be debated and voted upon and then sent to a meeting of city council on the 13th where it will have to be approved.
Recommendation:
1. Council approve the following motion:
WHEREAS the spread of COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the City of Burlington has declared a State of Emergency, and the province remains under emergency orders due to the health risks to Ontario residents arising from COVID-19; and
WHEREAS COVID-19 continues to be present within the City of Burlington and surrounding municipalities, and is a disease that is readily communicable from person to person, even with minimal or no signs of symptoms or illness, and carrying a risk of serious complications such as pneumonia or respiratory failure, mulitiple organ failure, kidney failure, liver failure, neurological complications, and may result in death; and
WHEREAS there is a growing body of evidence on the effectiveness of masks and face coverings to act as a barrier to prevent the spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS the wearing of masks and face coverings may act as an ongoing visual clue and reminder that public health measures, including hand-washing and maintaining a safe physical distance from others, are still required, that the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing and that a resurgence of local disease activity remains an ongoing threat; and
WHEREAS the Province of Ontario has enacted O. Reg.263/20 (Stage 2 Closures) under Subsection 7.0.2 (4) of Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to permit certain businesses to reopen for attendance by members of the public subject to conditions, including the advice, recommendations and instructions of public health officials; and
WHEREAS physical distancing can be difficult to maintain in enclosed, indoor spaces open to the public; and
WHEREAS the City of Burlington wants to be prepared for the eventual Stage 3 reopenings under the provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, and use every tool available to protect residents from a resurgence of COVID-19.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Burlington City Council enact a temporary bylaw requiring individuals, organizations or corporations that are responsible for the operation of a facility or business, which have indoor, enclosed spaces open to the public, to ensure no member of the public is permitted unless wearing a mask or face covering in a manner which covers their mouth, nose and chin, subject to the exemptions below, to help limit the spread of COVID-19; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the operator of such facilities or businesses that are open to the public, shall conspicuously post at all entrances to the facility or business clearly visible signage outlining the requirements and exemptions of this bylaw; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the public attending facilities or businesses that are open to the public shall wear a mask or face covering in a manner which covers their mouth, nose and chin, subject to the exemptions below, and unless it is reasonably required to temporarily remove the covering to access services provided by the establishment, or while actively engaging in an athletic or fitness acuity during physical activity, and exemptions may be accommodated if:
a. The person is under three years of age.
b. The person has an underlying medical condition or developmental disability which inhibits their ability to wear a mask or face covering, or other physical disability whereby the wearing of a mask or face covering would limit their ability to reasonably communicate with others.
c. Wearing a face covering would inhibit the person’s ability to breathe in any way.
d. The person is unable to place or remove a mask or face covering without assistance.
e. Employees and agents of the person responsible for the establishment are within an area designated for them and not for public access, or within or behind a physical barrier.
f. Staff identify any other such exemptions that may be advisable.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that employees working with members of the public in an enclosed, indoor space must also wear a mask or face covering, unless they are in an area not for public access, or they meet one of the exemptions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that employees or members of the public shall not be required to provide proof of any of the exemptions set out herein; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the bylaw apply to all City of Burlington indoor facilities open to the public such as community centres, city hall, libraries, art gallery, performing arts centre, and public transit; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the bylaw be in force for a temporary period of time, beginning July 20 and expiring September 30, 2020, unless extended or revoked by City Council; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Executive Director of Legal Services & Corporation Counsel be directed to prepare the necessary bylaw for consideration by City Council on July 13, 2020; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Corporate Communications & Government Relations be directed to develop a communications campaign during the first month the bylaw comes into force and effect to assist residents and businesses to understand the bylaw and exemptions, assist with voluntary compliance, and where people can acquire masks; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that council request that the Region of Halton present a mandatory mask bylaw for consideration by Regional Council at its meeting of July 15, 2020 to ensure consistency across the region; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that council request the Province of Ontario to enact a mandatory mask order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act for those regions that have entered Stage 2 reopening, and/or will enter Stage 3 reopening; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that council request the Government of Canada to enact a mandatory mask policy; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this report be circulated to the Region of Halton, Towns of Halton Hills, Oakville and Milton, all Halton Members of Provincial Parliament, Members of Parliament, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
2. Direct the Chief Financial Officer to establish an initial grant of $10,000 to provide non-medical masks free of charge for community members who lack the financial means to purchase them, via application and submission of receipts, funded from the city’s COVID-19 account, and direct the City Manager’s Office to report back to the August 13, 2020 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee on a plan for providing masks to in-need community members including such additional options as:
a. seeking a sponsor to fund or procure/provide masks that would be supplied free of charge to the public, with the sponsor and/or city logo displayed on the mask, and distributed by the city or through the sponsor;
b. issuing a request for proposals to local businesses to provide a quote on the cost to supply the city with masks that can be distributed to the public, either by the city or by the business, then billed to the city;
c. purchasing masks that can be distributed to members of the public, on a request basis, or made available at the entry to city facilities, once opened;
d. providing grant funding to residents to purchase their own mask, subject to quantity and cost limitations, and an application process;
e. other options as they may arise.
3. Direct the City Manager to report back to the August 13, 2020 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee on potential grant funding for businesses and commercial establishments to assist with the cost of signage and masks as mandated by this bylaw, retroactive to the effective in-force date of the bylaw, subject to appropriate criteria.
4. That City Council seek matching funding from Halton Region at 50% or more of total costs to implement assistance to residents and businesses, given the Region’s role in health care delivery, social service delivery and business supports.
By Pepper Parr
July 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor was in a bit of a bind.
She was, uncharacteristically, tip toeing around the issue of face masks.
 Mayor Meed Ward at a council meeting before things went virtual In her most recent public comment the Mayor set out a lot of rationale and examples of what other municipalities were doing. But she still hadn’t taken a strong position.
She followed that up by saying that the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) wasn’t on side – so she, the Mayor, wasn’t going to take a position.
The Gazette published a very strong opinion piece on that.
When it became evident that there wasn’t much in the way of support for the Mayor’s indecision (Social media was crucifying her) she announced that she was going to put forward a motion requiring people to wear face masks in specific situations.
Hold on chimed in ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stole, who is proving to be a rather strong first term councillor. She was the one who pushed for turning some of the road space over to pedestrians – and that is what we have.
Stolte felt very strong that face masks should be required in public places. Transit requires that riders wear a mask; one 9f the major supermarkets asks people to wear a mask.
 Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte: bringing a stronger sense of purpose to council that was not seen when she was elected. Stolte felt that the Mayor was undercutting her initiative and she decided, after a flurry of emails between the two, that a face to face meeting was necessary. That is believed to have taken place last Sunday.
Prior to the Sunday meeting, in an email to a resident Councillor Stolte said:
“I am sitting in my office as we speak finishing my Motion to Council seeking Mandating the Wearing of Masks in all indoor spaces that are accessible to the public.
“I had advised the Mayor and other Councillors repeatedly since June 23 that I would be advocating for a Mandatory Mask Bylaw as I am completely on the same page as yourself and 85% of the population of Burlington.
“The decision announced by the Mayor this past Tuesday was a complete surprise to all of us on Council as there had been no input or conversation about the issue prior to the announcement.
“This has resulted in very intense conversations between the Mayor and myself about respect and the decision making process.
“My Motion will still be coming forward this week, there is certainly not consensus on Council, so not sure how the vote will go.
The Mayor announced this morning that she will be bringing her own Motion (different theme than mine) to Council as well this week, so I just finished an email to the City Clerk asking what the procedural process is for this particular conflict.
“We continue to be in interesting times, but I promise you I will be pushing for this.
“By the way, if you have (name redacted) email could you please forward this message to him as well.”
The two worked something out – because today we see a very lengthy motion sponsored by the two woman (with the name of the Councillor placed before that of the Mayor (and that stuff matters in the worlds of politics)
“We have heard from our community and together” said the Mayor in her Newsletter, “we are bringing forward a proposed mandatory mask bylaw for Burlington. It will be discussed at the July 9 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability (CSSRA) Committee, with a final vote at council Monday July 13. The proposed temporary bylaw would mandate the wearing of face coverings in all indoor, public spaces in the City of Burlington.
How did they get to his point and are the issues between the Mayor and her Council patched up? Hard to tell.
 They all loved her on election night. It looks as if the Councillor and the Mayor ironed out the differences. Those differences are not between just Stolte and Meed Ward. There have been concerns about the Mayor not working with the Council members and not giving them the respect they believe they have earned.
The five members of council elected in October of 2018 wanted to pull together and not only be seen to be working together but actually working together.
How did the Mayor square things with the Councillor who was not a happy camper. We may never know – only time will tell if the Mayor has the capacity to listen to the members of Council.
Not what we thought we were electing as Mayor that October 18th was it?
By Pepper Parr
July 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
If you don’t own a house or are not interested in upgrading your property and contributing to lower GHG emissions – take a pass on this story.
Have you heard of the Deep Energy Retrofit Program?
Few have.
Discussed at some length at council on Monday the report brought to the table some novel ideas that were enthusiastically endorsed by most council members.
Councillor Bentivegna wanted to know where the money to pay for it all was going to come from.
What is a Deep Energy Retrofit Program?
A deep energy retrofit program involves a systems approach to reduce carbon emissions from existing buildings, with a focus on those measures which will reduce and/or eliminate the use of fossil fuels as a source of energy. Typically, there is a hierarchy of measures which can be implemented:
 Ward 4 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna wanted to know who and how the xxx was going to be paid for. He didn’t get much of an answer • Adding insulation
• Sealing air leaks
• Upgrading mechanical systems
• Replacing windows and/or doors
• Water efficiency upgrades
• Thermal controls
• Renewable energy
Depending on the work required, a full energy retrofit can cost up to $30,000. Retrofits can be more cost effective if timed with home renovations.
Now you know why Bentivegna wanted to know where those dollars were going to come from.
Council was more focused on how they were going to educate the public on the benefits and then how to take part in the program.
What they wanted most was to get on with it.
The Deep Energy Retrofit Program was a sort of next step once the city had declared a Climate Change emergency followed by a Climate Action plan.
Council was presented with a number of options in a report that was to be Received and Filed. This report however was not going to be placed on a shelf to gather dust.
Interestingly – Council also got a report on the 75th Burlington Hydro Anniversary. During the Deep Refit debate Burlington Hydro was pulled into how the program would roll out – it wasn’t what they were expecting.
The Hydro people may have logged out of the Zoom based meeting before the refitting of the residential structures was debated. City Manager Tim Commisso assured Council that both he and the Mayor site on the Hydro Board – they would be reminding that Board that the city owns the company.
Direct the Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services to continue to work with partners, stakeholders and municipalities listed in an environment, infrastructure and community services report and report back before the end of 2020 with final recommendations, including resources and actions required to implement a deep energy efficiency retrofit program for homes in Burlington.
Council didn’t want to wait that long.
Expect them to make a decision on a possible pilot program that will be made available to those citizens who are sold on the climate change issue and will be ready to put their money on the table.
 Councillor Sharman wants to see a list of reliable contractors. Councillor Sharman told his sad story (several times actually) on his troubles getting a Backwater Valve set up in his home.
The Mayor reported that her Backwater Valve installation was a breeze and offered to help Sharman on his next upgrade.
The purpose of this report is to provide options to deliver a residential deep energy retrofit program in Burlington, a priority program area identified in the recently approved Climate Action Plan for Burlington.
This report provides a summary of the measures required to support the development of a Deep Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program for homes in Burlington, including the development of a community engagement plan, which would involve:
• Updating the city’s Environment webpage with information;
• Supporting the Bay Area Climate Change Council (BACCC) to develop a home energy efficiency retrofit accelerator program;
• Working with BACCC and the Clean Air Partnership to engage the business sector (contractors, trades and retailers);
• Working with the Burlington Climate Action Plan community stakeholders, such as Enbridge, to promote specific measures to improve home energy efficiency;
• Co-promote related actions such as home resiliency measures and electric cars, bikes and equipment.
• Pursue partnerships to develop a demonstration centre to promote home efficiency and resiliency measures.
That didn’t really convey what this council wants to do. In that regard the report was on the weak side.
In April of this year Council approved the Climate Action Plan.
At that time they Direct(ed) the Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services to report back in Q2 2020 after the release of the federal budget with the latest information and updated proposed timelines for the home energy retrofit program and human resource requirements to meet the goals of the climate action plan.
Problem was – the federal government didn’t release a budget. It got consumed with the economic and social fallout of the COVID19 virus that was wreaking havoc across the country – we were all suddenly in various stages of a lockdown that the public was having difficulty coping with and complying with as well.
 These are 2018 numbers – the carbon dioxide must be reduced. The Deep Energy Retrofit Program was seen as a way to get something going economically and put a decent dent in the GHG that we put into the environment.
It is estimated in the Climate Action Plan for Burlington that 21,300 person years of employment will be created in total if the low carbon scenario pathway is followed to 2050, with 5,600 of those person years in the renewable energy market.
Municipalities benefit from the implementation of a home energy retrofit program through greenhouse gas emission reductions to help meeting community targets, improved reputation as an environmentally progressive community, reduced pressure on energy infrastructure and reduced air pollution.
In 2016, Burlington households, businesses and institutions spent $700 million on energy (fuel and electricity). As noted in the Climate Action Plan for Burlington, the local carbon scenario can reduce this amount by 36% or $270 million, energy saving dollars that can be invested back into the local community.
Homeowners benefit from a home energy efficiency retrofit by mitigating future energy cost increases; achieving a healthier and comfortable home; increasing property value; and improving resiliency to power outages and extreme temperatures.
The optics of a program like this for the current city council are wonderful – they love this one. Making it happen is much much easier said than done,
The report says: Developing a comprehensive building energy retrofit program is not easy – if it was, there would be more programs in existence in Ontario than just Toronto given that Ontario municipalities have had the authority to use Local Improvement Charges (LICs) as a means of financing since 2012. Developing and delivering a program requires funding and staff time to administer applications, agreements, and deal with legal and financing issues. The residential home sector is challenging to target as it is disbursed and varies by demographics, home condition, type and age, household incomes, etc.
Successful uptake is challenging – a comprehensive marketing program is required.
 From a property owner perspective, the process can been seen as challenging both from technical knowledge and implementation. Very few people really want to manage contractors for renovations – different contractors are required for insulation and air sealing, mechanicals, windows, EV chargers and renewable energy. Addressing the building envelope upgrades and fuel switching to low carbon fuel requires a longer term for a financial pay back which is made even more challenging with the relatively low cost of natural gas as a source of energy.
Lastly, the market expects rebates to be available as incentives, not financing.
Factors for a Home Energy Retrofit Program
There are many factors to consider when developing a home energy retrofit program, such as:
• Marketing plan to promote the benefits of energy retrofits and the program to homeowners
• Home energy audit assessment and report (and follow-up after efficiency measures have been implemented)
• Contractor engagement (specifying upgrade works, selecting & managing contractors; completing improvements; verifying improvements)
Where the homeowner is seeking financing assistance:
• Development of an application pre-qualification process (own home, no tax arrears, etc.)
• Funding application process – review and approval
• Property owners agreement & financing schedule
• LIC repayment process
• Loan loss reserve fund – to cover loan defaults (based on other jurisdictions, this is a rare occurrence)
• Support to guide homeowners through the process (concierge approach)
Municipal Role for Promoting Home Energy Efficiency Retrofits
Municipalities can play a role in helping home owners understand what is meant by a deep energy retrofit and the specific energy efficiency measures involved in a retrofit. Similarly, an engagement program is necessary for trades, contractors and retailers on measures involved in a deep energy retrofit program so that the industry is aligned with this program.
Fortunately, the city can work with other entities and local municipalities on reaching out to these sectors. The Centre for Climate Change Management at Mohawk is working with the Bay Area Climate Change Council (BACCC) to create an Implementation Team which could pursue the development of a retrofit accelerator program, providing support to homeowners. BACCC also recognizes the need to reach out to trades and retailers to increase knowledge and skills in this area, hosting workshops and conferences. The Clean Air Partnership (CAP) is also working with local colleges and organizations to develop training and certification programs in this area. Both BACCC and CAP plan to develop one stop shop websites to support deep energy retrofit programs, with BACCC representing local resources for Hamilton and Burlington communities and CAP’s taking a provincial approach but linking to local websites.
Financing Alternatives for Implementing Home Energy Retrofits
As previously indicated, comprehensive home energy retrofits can be significant financial investment to property owners that have the benefit of increasing home value and decreasing on going energy costs over the long term. Options available for financing these improvements including utilizing own source funds or savings or borrowing through financial institutions including utilization of homeowner lines of credit or re financing mortgages for more significant projects that may be part of larger home renovations. Municipalities also have the ability to support financing deep energy retrofit programs by providing low interest loans to homeowners through the Local Improvement Charge (LIC) program on property tax bills.
Local Improvement Charges
LICs are special temporary charges that are added to a property tax bill to pay for improvements that benefit the property owners. Traditionally, these charges have been used in Ontario as a mechanism to recover the costs from affected properties for local block level infrastructure improvements (sidewalks, lighting, sewage projects, etc.).
The province amended the Municipal Act in 2012 to allow municipalities to enter into voluntary financing agreements with property owners who will benefit from the improvements. LICs are available to finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation measures voluntarily carried out by individual property owners on their buildings. An LIC program provides homeowners with a loan to carry out these measures on their property. The homeowner pays for the measures and repays the loan through regular charges added to the property tax bills. The full cost of the program, including all associated administration costs and interest charges, are included in the loan or charged as a separate fee.
To date, the City of Toronto has been the only municipality in Ontario to implement an LIC program. In 2014, the City of Toronto launched two programs: HELP (home energy loan program) and Hi-RIS (high rise retrofit improvement support program for multi- residential buildings). As of June 2019, almost $14.9 million in financing has been committed to over 202 properties participating in the programs, reducing over 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Under the HELP program specifically, $4.87 million in financing was issued to support 187 home retrofits (average loan of $22,000), resulting in a 30% reduction in home energy consumption and 28% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Participants also pay an administration fee on top of the loan of 2%.
The Clean Air Partnership has completed a ‘Toolkit for Municipalities – Accelerating Home Energy Retrofits Through Local Improvement Charge Programs’ with the support of a number of municipalities in Ontario, including Burlington. The following description of LICs is based on the information provided in the toolkit.
A unique characteristic of LIC financing is that the loan is tied to the property and can be transferred to the new owner when the home is sold. LIC financing is one tool in the toolbox available to encourage residents to invest in energy efficiency retrofits.
Challenges to Utilizing LIC Financing Mechanism
The initial capital costs required to facilitate widespread adoption of retrofit projects through LIC programs are significant. Many municipalities are already struggling to fund programs, services, and infrastructure upgrades, particularly during the Covid crisis.
There has been concerns related to whether LIC loans adversely impact the municipal debt limit imposed on municipalities by the province; this is to be further explored. The debt recovery related to LICs are recovered from individual property owners and not through general revenue collection from property taxes
Mortgage lender approval can be difficult due to the priority lien status of local improvement charges. There is a very small, potential of a financial risk to financial institutions who are providing mortgages for a property with a LIC lien attached to it.
For municipalities, a loan loss reserve fund covered by the tax base may be required to manage the low risk of loan defaults. For example, staff have been advised that the State of California, with $3.6 billion in loans, set up a fund to cover defaults, yet no claims have been made since its establishment in 2014.
Options to Deliver a Home Energy Retrofit Financing Program
Two options are available to setting up a financing program to support homeowners interested in completing a home energy efficiency retrofit.
 Guelph merged their hydro operation with Hamilton’s. Burlington is one of the few hydro operations that has not become part of the consolidation that is taking place in local hydro operations. 1. City Run Program:
Burlington could opt to develop its own residential energy retrofit program and follow the lead of other municipalities that have completed detailed feasibility studies and business cases utilizing funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). As examples, the City of Windsor and Town of Newmarket each spent approximately $200,000 to complete feasibility studies. Windsor is planning to set up a separate arms-length municipal service corporation (Windsor’s recommended approach) with $400,000 as seed funding to hire a general manager and develop a business plan. Guelph has also set up a separate organization called Our Energy Guelph with an executive director and board of directors, with start-up funding acquired through the merger of Guelph Hydro with Alectra. Our Energy Guelph plans to focus their energy retrofit efforts on commercial and multi-residential properties. Burlington could pursue FCM funding to support a feasibility study to develop a local deep energy retrofit program.
2. 3rd Party Municipal Consortium Program:
Late in 2019, the Clean Air Partnership announced a consortium approach with the IESO (Independent Electricity System Operator), AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario), HRAI (Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada) and City of Toronto to serve as a 3rd party entity that would deliver on many of the above mentioned program actions in order to reduce the administrative burden home retrofit programs would have on municipalities. This approach would be able to achieve efficiencies of scale related to the start-up costs infrastructure investments required as part of these programs. There are four related objectives: 1) provide municipalities with a program that is flexible and adaptable to local circumstances and capacity; 2) provide customers with a simple, user-friendly program through a one-window service delivery model; 3) increase marketing and promotional opportunities in order to drive program uptake; and 4) achieve deep GHG emissions reductions through targeting old buildings for deep energy retrofits.
 Finding the trades to do the work is one task – finding reliable, proven tradesman is a problem Councillor Sharman worries about – he would like to see Burlington Hydro involved in some of the trades vetting. Next Steps to Develop a Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program Community Engagement Plan and Activities:
The following actions are recommended to build the knowledge and skills in the local community to support home energy efficiency retrofits, which can be implemented within the year. Due to Covid, creative approaches may be required in the shorter term to engage the various sectors online versus in person events. Staff will develop a community engagement plan to support home energy efficiency retrofits in the community, coordinating this work with local partners in this area, including:
1. Updating the city’s Environment webpage with additional information and links to support home energy efficiency retrofits. For example, the City of Toronto has developed a comprehensive website to promote energy efficient building measures – www.betterhomesTO.ca, supported by Natural Resources Canada, Toronto Hydro and Enbridge provides a great one stop shop for this type of information. The city may not need to duplicate this work but provide links to existing pages such as this one.
2. Continue to work with the Bay Area Climate Change Council and the Centre for Climate Change Management create a business case to develop an accelerator program in the Bay Area to assist homeowners with the process of implementing home energy efficiency measures. This approach would help to overcome one of the barriers that homeowners have of hiring contractors to complete renovations. This concierge service could be implemented prior to the development of a full energy retrofit program and may complement the work of the Clean Air Partnership but be provided at a local level.
3. Work with the Bay Area Climate Change Council and Clean Air Partnership to engage and increase knowledge in the local business sector, representing contractors, trades and retailers on measures required to complete a deep energy retrofit on homes.
4. Work with the city’s own Climate Action Plan community stakeholders to promote measures that homeowners can implement to improve energy efficiency and reduce their carbon footprint. For example, Enbridge Gas and other local contractors have expressed interest in the installation of hybrid heat pumps along with leak sealing and smart energy controls to improve energy performance.
5. In addition to promoting home energy retrofit actions, consideration can also be given to support measures to improve home resiliency (flood proofing) and adoption of electric vehicles, e-bikes and e-equipment (lawn mowers, trimmers and leaf blowers).
6. Consider the creation of a demonstration project at an existing city facility where property owners could visit to learn about energy efficient and resiliency measures to improve local buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Local partnerships and sponsorships could be pursued to participate in this project.
Developing a Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit Financing Program:
It is recommended that staff pursue joining the 3rd party municipal consortium program led by CAP with AMO, the IESO, HRAI and City of Toronto to develop and deliver a home energy retrofit program in Burlington. Joining the consortium would ensure that Burlington has the necessary support and expertise to develop a comprehensive program and overcome some of the challenges listed above.
Benefits to participating would include:
• A wider Ontario marketing campaign will be coordinated to enable holistic and consistent messaging delivered to as wide an audience at the least cost.
• A team approach to promote the program to the Ontario contractor community.
• Generic marketing material will be created for each municipality to customize by adding logos to the standard templates.
• Partnerships with other stakeholders to market the program by identifying and acting on promotion opportunities and monitor uptake to inform future outreach efforts.
• Streamline process for municipal onboarding.
• City of Toronto will support with program delivery advice based on their experience.
• CAP is proposing to assume the role of a concierge, providing support to guide applicants through the different stages of the process, by:
o streamlining the program application and approval processes;
o providing objective guidance to customers re: contractor selection, costs, and management;
o providing market research on some of the key questions/issues from customers and creating resources/processes to address them; and,
o gathering and documenting feedback on program improvements/issues.
The program is being designed to reduce the resource burden, but municipalities will still be required to complete the following:
• Pass an LIC by-law through council
• Define eligible measures and financial verification requirements (part of by-law)
• Final approval/rejection of application/contract with property owner
• Set up the structure to attach the loan to the property tax system for repayment
• Manage the payments to homeowners once they are accepted into the program
• Identify possible avenues to support uptake of the program via municipal and/or community outreach and promotion opportunities (bottom-up marketing approaches)
The Staff report opted for a home energy retrofit program as the recommended priority action in the Climate Action Plan, approved by council earlier this year, following a comprehensive community engagement program. Finance and Communications staff were engaged on this report. Stakeholders and agencies engaged in this report included the Centre for Climate Change Management at Mohawk College, the Clean Air Partnership, QUEST and Enbridge Gas. Discussions continue to be ongoing with other local and regional municipalities including Oakville, Halton Hills, Guelph, Waterloo Region, London and Windsor, among others.
The ‘Toolkit for Municipalities – Accelerating Home Energy Retrofits Through Local Improvement Charge Programs’ (2020) and the ‘Local Improvement Charge Financing Pilot Program Design for Residential Buildings in Ontario’ (Dunsky Energy Consulting 2013) were used as reference materials.
Financial Matters:
A recent Debt Policy Review report described the city’s ability to borrow money and assume non-tax supported debt which is widely used to support infrastructure requirements of community groups, stakeholders and other community partners. Non-tax supported debt is repaid by user fees, surcharges or loans. In the example of a deep energy retrofit program, loans to property owners would be recovered through a local improvement charge mechanism as described earlier in the report. LICs have traditionally been classified as non-tax supported debt as per the city’s debt policy similar to the city’s historical use of the local improvement charge for new road amenities such as sidewalks and included within the city’s debt limits.
Total Financial Impact
As per the strategy described above, the parameters of a Burlington tailored program are still to be developed, this is largely dependent upon further discussions with the municipal consortium and continued discussions with neighboring municipalities.
There is a possibility of shared resources, however, additional work is required to determine overall structure of the program and corresponding financial impact. Details include financial and staff support required to administer the program as it relates to LIC loans, agreements, interest rates, payment schedules, etc. Staff will work internally with the Finance and Legal Departments to address these details, associated funding requirements, and participate in meetings with the consortium group to help define the final program. As an example, to support 200 home energy retrofits using an average of $22,000 per home, the amount required would be $4.4 million.
Source of Funding
Further discussions with the Finance Department are required to finalize the financial support required to effectively administer a deep energy retrofit program for homes in Burlington. As discussions continue with the municipal consortium program, further clarity around the program will become available. Staff will report back on details surrounding financing required to deliver the program in the fall 2020, along with other program details as described above
Preliminary information was released earlier this year regarding the $300 million Community Efficiency Financing program announced by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) to help municipalities deliver energy efficient financing programs to the low rise residential sector. Funding is available through loans and grants.
Generally, FCM will provide a smaller percentage of the financing via grants. Municipal applicants must contribute 20% of the total amount of the application, which can be capital dollars to support home energy loans as well as in-kind contributions.
Burlington was ineligible for the first phase of funding as it was only open to those municipalities that had completed a feasibility study for a home energy retrofit program. The next round of funding through this program is expected to support municipalities wishing to complete a feasibility study to implement a deep energy retrofit program.
FCM has advised that the round of funding applicable to the consortium of municipalities working together to develop a deep energy retrofit program will be available in early 2021. Participating municipalities will submit individual but coordinated applications. The funding would provide capital dollars to support the implementation of a home energy retrofit program and may be issued in a combination of a loan and a grant. Burlington would need to be prepared to contribute 20% of the program budget, some of which can be an in-kind contribution. This will be reviewed and considered as part of the 2021 budget process.
In addition to the FCM Community Efficiency Fund, the federal government has not issued any information about zero interest loans to homeowners to support home energy retrofit programs. If the federal government does follow through with program, it may negate the need to apply for FCM funding and implement a LIC program, unless the funding flows through municipalities.
Other Resource Impacts
It is expected that an additional full-time employee will be required to help support the delivery of a home energy retrofit program in Burlington, including coordinating efforts with municipal departments to set up the LIC program. Additional responsibilities will include coordination with local partners, overseeing marketing, communications and outreach, engaging trades and contractors and looking for ongoing opportunities to drive uptake of the program. However, staff will continue to work with our local partners and other nearby local municipalities to identify measures where we may be able to share and maximize the coordination of resources.
Climate Implications
Implementation of a Deep Energy Retrofit Program is one of the priority program areas as identified in the Climate Action Plan to reduce emissions and meet the goal for the Burlington community to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2050. Based on the modelling completed by SSG (Sustainability Solutions Group) for the Climate Action Plan there is an opportunity to reduce over 1,400 kilo tonnes of equivalent carbon dioxide (ktCO2e) by implementing a residential deep energy retrofit program for existing residential buildings by 2050. In addition, over 2,600 ktCO2e can be reduced by installation of heat pumps (residential and commercial combined).
 We see this all the time – it happened to us in 2014. It can be lessened – but someone has to begin to do something measurable. The current council has made this one of their defining programs. Engagement Matters:
Staff will work with Communications and local partners/stakeholders to create a robust community engagement and marketing plan to promote the deep energy retrofit program, targeting homeowners as well as trades and contractors. Although a significant amount of promotion can occur online and through our community networks, additional funding may be required depending on some of the measures proposed in the plan.
The City of Burlington has set a target for the community to be net carbon zero by 2050. The development and implementation of a deep energy efficiency retrofit program for homes is necessary to achieve the low carbon scenario described in the Climate Action Plan for Burlington.
By Staff
July 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service has made an arrest in relation to an assault against an 18 year old female in the City of Burlington.
On the 5th of July 2020, the female victim was out for a walk along Palladium Way and observed a grey minivan drive past her a couple times slowly. As the female continued walking she came up to a forested area when she was suddenly grabbed from behind. The accused male proceeded to place one hand over her mouth preventing her from screaming and then grabbed her around the waist attempted to drag the female into the forested area. The female struggled with him causing them both to fall to the ground. The victim was able to escape at this point and proceeded to scream for help causing the male to flee the scene.
The accused ran back towards his parked grey minivan van which was previously observed by the victim. The female victim was able to take a cell phone video of the male driving away in his van at a high rate of speed. The victim called 911 and provided details of the incident as well as the license plate of the grey minivan to police.
The Burlington and Oakville Criminal Investigation Bureaus continued investigation into this stranger assault and arrested the accused outside of his residence in the Town of Oakville without incident.
Investigation by the Burlington Criminal Investigation Bureau has led charges against the following individual;
Tanos EL-KHOURY (41 years old from Oakville)
• Forcible Confinement
• Assault
EL-KHOURY was held for a bail hearing in Milton on July 6, 2020.
Anyone with information in regards to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Melissa Parsons of the 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2307.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
People charged with a criminal offence are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Staff
July 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We live at a time when almost everything is virtual.
It’s an odd feeling.
How do you respond to something that is virtual? Where is the human element?
 Terry Fox running through Burlington in xx of 1980. The monument commemorating that event is right across Lakeshore Road Forty years ago Terry Fox ran along Lakeshore Road in his Marathon of Hope that ended in Thunder Bay on September 1st, 1980 after 143 days on the road covering 3582 km.
He died the following year 1981, on June 28th. ,
Since then communities across the country have been celebrating what Terry managed to get done in his short life.
The Terry Fox Run for Cancer always took place in September. The Fox Foundation decided that there would not be a Run this September due to the pandemic and the need to exercise serious discipline when it comes to huge numbers of people participating in an event.
 Burlington may be the only city in the country with a monument like this. The Burlington Terry Fox event didn’t was to miss a year – and it didn’t want to walk away from that 40th anniversary.
Terry ran through Burlington on July 13, 1980. The city is expected to raise the Terry Fox flag that day.
 Craig Gardner: “We had to get creative. The Gazette asked Craig Gardner how long has he been heading up the annual Terry Fox event in Burlington.
“I have been the chair now for five years now; I was on the committee for 5 years before that and a volunteer for 5 years before that. So I have been involved now for 15 years. The first run was in September of 1981 at Sherwood Forest Park.
“After 2 years it moved to city hall for almost 20 years, then to Beachway Park Pavilion for 14 years. The year I became chair is when we moved everything to the east end of Spencer Smith Park by the Waterfront Hotel. Hopefully we will be back there in 2021.
“After 39 runs we have raised almost $2.2 million for cancer research by over 24,000 participants and in addition the Burlington school runs have raised an additional $2 million plus.
“Now with no event we had to get creative – we looked at some pretty radical ideas. We are hoping that the social distancing rules are lightened up a bit and people will feel safer getting out and doing their own thing for the Run.
“The Terry Fox Foundation is expected to approve some ideas that have not been done before by anyone. Much like last year when we became the first local Terry Fox organization to apply for and get a Canada summer jobs grant to hire a student. We did the same this year as did three other run sites.
What are some of those ideas?
“Locally my committee took the 2019 participant data base and divided it up amongst themselves and we will be emailing or calling as many of the folks from last year (who gave us permission) as we can to tell them there is a 2020 40th anniversary event or events. We will describe it to them to ensure we follow COVID-19 rules.
“There are other ideas I can’t talk about yet – need to get possible participants fully onside. The ideas I can talk about are really ideas we are passing along to our teams when we call/email. This year anything goals and depending on Covid-19 numbers allowed we suggested things like pool parties, cocktail parties, BBQ’s sidewalk chalking, skateboard.
 Each of these woman had their own reasons for running this race and each ran it in their own way. Hundreds did just this during the Terry Fox Run for cancer research. This was in 2012 “As I say in 2020 anything goes – we are just ask people to register and collect donations from sponsors or donate themselves. We had arranged for a date to collect donations at all LCBO in Burlington, but we are not sure if that will fly – it is scheduled for mid-August.
 Truer words were never said: Will the community continue its support even if it takes place virtually. Craig Gardner explains: “We will start our promotion of the event after the July 13th Council meeting – he want be able to delegate but expects Councillor Bentivegna to speak to the event. City Hall is expected to hoist the Terry Fox flag in September.
“We plan to reach out personally to as many Teams and individuals as we can from last year’s run to see if they want to participate in this year’s virtual event.
“Virtual in this case means doing whatever you like whenever you like wherever you like to raise money for cancer research as long as Covid-19 rules in place are followed by each event.
“We have seen this year’s 40th anniversary shirt designed by a Foxer in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan (he won a contest with 1600 entries that the Fox family reviewed each of to decide the winner).
“With the big Spencer Smith Park run scheduled for September 20th is cancelled, we are asking people to register online either individually or as part of a team and send their personalized url to family and friends to donate.
Register online at https://www.terryfox.ca/terryfoxrun/burlington-on
The Burlington Terry Fox Run for Cancer people managed to get funding to hire a summer intern through the Canada Summer Jobs grant.
“The student we have is amazing. She has already gone through our data for each channel(Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) determining demographics of our audience, best time and day to post things, what things get the most hits. She is in the process of creating a calendar of postings. We have a lot of information to pull from with The BLOG, Terry Fox foundation and the Terry Fox Research Institute as well as information we have gathered thru filmed visits to cancer research labs at McMaster.
“One of my committee members has started a new blog this year. She is interviewing people associated with Terry in Burlington from the first run chair in Sept 1981 till present. There will also be blogs entries pre-dating the first run of when Terry actually ran through Burlington July 13, 1980. The plan is to post one new entry per week and share it to our various social media channels.
https://terryfoxburlington.wordpress.com/ The Gazette will carry those blogs.
Why did the Fox Foundation come to the decision there wouldn’t be a Run this year?
“As I understand it with hundreds and hundreds of run sites not only in Canada but global it is not easy to turn this ship on a dime and so not knowing what conditions would be like in September in all locations it was decided to make an early call and have everyone focus on the new way for this year. With some many businesses shut for extended periods it has been a challenge to get promotional materials even our iconic shirts are later than normal due to the pandemic.
 The event has always been heavily attended. “What are your hopes for this year?
“I would love to see everyone who has participated in any of the 39 previous years of first timers to get outside sometime over summer or September and do something for Terry and for themselves.
“Go for a walk, a hike, whatever works for you and donate yourself, get your friends and family to donate. Last year we came within $6,000 of our all-time record from 2005 – I would love to see the people of Burlington fight through the adversity of Covid-a9 and somehow manage to make the 40th anniversary the biggest year ever in Burlington and raise $130K.
T shirts sales are going well. We are selling them online from our Facebook page. We normally sell 100 or so in a good year and so far have sold almost 30 in the last few days.
What comes next?
“Hopefully a new normal will allow us to get back in our regular spot by the Waterfront Hotel at the east end of Spencer Smith Park with a bigger, better event than we have ever had. Sunday September 19, 2021 mark your calendars now.
If you have any questions about Terry Fox Run 2020 please contact Gardner at 905-599-8621 or scraiggardner@sympatico.ca
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