 By Pepper Parr
September 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Last June Regan Russell was walking in front of a transport truck that was loaded with hogs that were being taken into the Fearmans slaughter house. The truck had stopped until protesters finished walking front of it; Regan Russell wasn’t able to get out of the way in time and was run over by the truck. She died at the scene.
 Regan Russell The slaughter house is part of a group of slaughter houses across the country that are owned by Sofina Foods.
Regan was one of a number of demonstrators who gather regularly at the Harvester Road/Appleby Line intersection to, as they put it, “bear witness to what is taking place” and to attempt to water the hogs.
They see what they are doing as a peaceful demonstration. They are indeed slowing down the entry of the truck into the meat processing plant.
Regan was run over by the truck that apparently didn’t see her. She was slight in stature and the front of the truck was very high.
The Regional Police investigated and came to the conclusion that a 28-year-old male from the Municipality of North Perth was to be charged with Careless Driving Causing Death under the Highway Traffic Act. The police reported that ‘there were no grounds to indicate this was an intentional act, or that a criminal offence had been committed.”
 The protesters usually arrive as a group waiting for the transport truck to enter the slaughterhouse. Animal Rights protesters have been demonstrating at that location for a number of years.
The meat processing plant, in operation since the 1960’s, has no intention of moving and currently employs 1000 people.
The provincial government recently passed legislation that would give the municipalities that have demonstrator problems “tools” to handle these situations.
The argument is that the issue is really one of public safety – they want the demonstrators out of the way.
Strong legislation certainly helps do that.
 Protestors water hogs when the transport has to stop for a traffic light at the entrance to the slaughterhouse. At the Monday City Council meeting a resolution was put forward and passed unanimously.
The Resolution reads:
Whereas the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2020 recognizes the unique risks that can result from interfering with livestock transport including creating unsafe work conditions as well as causing stress to animals and introducing diseases or contaminating our food supply; and
Whereas Sections 6(1), 7, 14(1) 3 and 15(1) of the Act came into effect on September 2, 2020 and prohibit the stopping, hindering, obstructing or otherwise interfering with a motor vehicle transporting farm animals; and
Whereas protest groups, including minor children, present outside the Sofina pork plant in Burlington continue to reach inside livestock trailers to touch, film and give water to the pigs creating an unsafe situation where they may be injured by the animals or trailer; and
Whereas the recent tragic loss of the life of a protester in Burlington underscores the urgent need to ensure the safety of all involved; and
Whereas Section 6(2) of the Act states that no person shall interfere or interact with a farm animal being transported by a motor vehicle without the prior consent of the driver of the motor vehicle;
Therefore be it resolved that the City of Burlington pass a resolution urging the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to immediately proclaim Section 6(2) of the Act in order to provide a legal basis to prevent the unsafe practice of protestors having contact with livestock trailers and animals; and
That this resolution be forwarded to Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Region of Halton.
Those in favour of the motion didn’t have a word to say about the right of people to protest.
 Hog suffering from heat while being transported. Councillor Sharman sounded more like a shill for Sofina Foods (they are in his ward) rather than a person responsible for the wider community. The puffball questions he asked the three delegations were embarrassing.
Which begs the question: Why not find a way to allow the Animal Rights people to demonstrate, maybe even water the hogs while the trucks wait at the gate for 10 minutes.
After which the demonstrators would be required to move on.
The Conservation Authority closes off a portion of Kind Road for weeks in the spring so that the Jefferson Salamander can cross the road and mate in the wetlands.
 He isn’t exactly pretty but nevertheless plays an important role in the local environment.
In 2008 a provincial tribunal found that the loss of a habitat for the Jefferson Salamander in north Burlington was reason enough not to give the Nelson Aggregate an extension to their license.
We have a proud history of protecting endangered species. Admittedly hogs are not endangered but the right of people to voice their views in a public place is as important as making huge allowances for an endangered species.
That history was sullied this morning by city council.
Related news story:
Protester run over by truck transporting pigs to slaughter.
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 Pepper Parr
September 24th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
‘Did someone at Queen’s Park teach the Premier and his colleagues that song about “The Big Rock Candy Mountain”?
Money is flying out of the government coffers.
A million here; ten million there – yesterday it was $1 billion.
All for good reasons – this time it was to Expand COVID-19 Testing and Contact Tracing.
That we have to test so much is really the problem. We now know what we have to do to keep COVID-19 under control – create a safe bubble and stay in it.
The Prime Minister put it in language we could all understand. “There will be no Thanksgiving Dinners with extended family – but if we do the right things we have a shot at Christmas”.
 A Canadian city with a diverse population. The Ontario government is building on the largest provincial testing initiative in Canada by providing $1.07 billion to expand COVID-19 testing and case and contact management.
The government is also immediately investing $30 million to prevent and manage outbreaks in priority sectors, including the province’s long-term care homes, retirement homes, and schools. These investments are part of the province’s comprehensive plan to prepare the health system for a second wave of COVID-19.
To date, Ontario has maintained adherence to public health measures and established a strong foundation for testing and case and contact management by:
 Smaller than microscopic – this virus needs you to become its home so that it can replicate itself. • Establishing a provincial COVID-19 lab network with capacity for more than 40,000 daily tests;
• Establishing over 150 assessment centres;
• Testing long-term care home residents and staff in addition to the ongoing testing of staff and homes in outbreak;
• Providing up to 1,700 more contact tracers to support public health units in contact follow-ups through an agreement with the federal government;
• Launching a new, custom-built case and contact management digital system to improve data quality and timeliness and eliminate the use of the multiple tools being used across the province and the integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS) for COVID-19;
• Launching COVID Alert, the country’s made-in-Ontario exposure notification app; and
• Launching a robust public awareness campaign to educate the public on how to keep them and their families safe, including targeted campaigns to young Ontarians.
Many people have heard all this before – it is the ones who haven’t heard, or don’t want to hear, that are the problem.
 Less than 8 days ago in a Canadian city – near a university campus Massive minimum fines is a start – something to catch their attention.
The rest of us can remind those who choose not to wear masks to start now.
The Regional Police have a program that allows the driver of a car who spots someone driving erratically to dial 911.
Amazing how many of these dangerous drivers get pulled over very quickly and charged with a Highway Traffic Offence.
The Provincial Medical Officer of Health has the power to take action along those lines.
Do it – use the billion dollars to swear in constables with the power to take people into custody if they are not wearing a mask.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Staff
September 23rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There will be another Telephone Town Hall hosted by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward this evening from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The Mayor will be joined by a panel of local leaders to help answer residents’ questions.
How to Participate
Residents who would like to participate in the town hall can do so in the following ways:
Register in advance: Burlington residential phone numbers will be randomly selected to be part of the telephone town hall. Residents who would like to be added to the telephone call list can email getinvolved@burlington.ca.
Please note: if you registered for any of the previous town halls (held on March 26, April 14, June 4 or July 16), you are not required to register your phone number again. To remove a name from the call list, email getinvolved@burlington.ca.
Join by telephone: Anyone who does not receive a telephone invitation can call 1-800-779-0904 just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23 to join the town hall. For those individuals calling in, please be advised that more than one attempt may be required due to the high volume of traffic on the phone lines. If the first call does not connect, please hang up and dial the 1-800 number again.
Once the call begins, a moderator will provide participants with instructions for how to submit their questions to the leadership panel.
Many of the questions not answered during the call will be posted, with answers, to the City’s website at burlington.ca/townhall, along with an audio file and full transcript of the call after Sept. 23.
 By Staff
September 23rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Regional government has pushed a little harder on the need for people to wear face masks.
On September 16th they approved multiple amendments to the Mandatory Mask By-law, where it is mandatory to wear a face covering or non-medical mask in certain indoor public places across the region.
These amendments were made to provide further clarification and requirements related to age, employees working in designated staff areas and enclosed common areas in apartment/condominium buildings. Amendments to the by-law take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, September 23, and remain in effect until November 30, 2020, unless extended by Regional Council.
 Face masks now required in a condo or apartment laundry room. Key amendments to By-law 47-20 include:
• clarification that every person aged five (5) years old or older is required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering in certain indoor public places;
• the requirement that employees working within a designated staff area (not for public access) need to maintain a physical distance of two metres from colleagues; and
• the addition of enclosed common areas of apartment or condominium buildings, including the lobby, elevator, laundry room, meeting rooms or other common use facilities as “public places”.
“Halton Region Public Health continues to urge residents to follow all public health measures and remain vigilant to reduce the severity of a second wave of COVID-19,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health. “In addition to wearing a mask in indoor public places, please continue to physically distance, wash your hands often, limit non-essential social gatherings and stay home when you are sick (even with mild symptoms).”
It is important to remember that some individuals are exempt from the by-law. As the by-law continues to be in effect, Halton Region reminds residents to continue being kind and supportive of others in our community who may be exempt. Every person’s situation is different and not all exemptions may be visible. The provision that no person shall be discriminated against for not wearing a non-medical mask or face covering due to an exemption, remains in the by-law.
“Halton Region’s Mandatory Mask By-Law continues to be an important part of our community effort to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “These amendments were based on feedback received from the Halton community to ensure there is a consistent by-law in place across the region and further protect each other during the pandemic. Thank you to all residents and businesses who continue to take this pandemic seriously and follow public health direction.”
By Pepper Parr
September 22, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 The flu shot is free – and it doesn’t hurt THAT much. Flu shots – flu shots – not the hoped for COVID-19 vaccine – this is the normal seasonal flu we are to be protected against.
Great – the province has ordered more than 5 million doses and is spending $70 million.
So I can call my doctor’s office and head in for that quick jab in the arm?
How do I do that?
And that’s the rub – there is no protocol in place for all of us to get the flu shot.
Those in long term care homes are first on the list – good.
The seniors are next – so how do we seniors learn where we are supposed to go and when?
Have you noticed that the medical people tend to avoid email – so they will call me?
The pharmacies are said to be given permission to get into the game. That’s being worked out.
The province released step 1 in the six step plan they have to keep us all safe. Meanwhile the increase in people infected rises. No idea what the other five steps in that plan are – many suspect that just what those others steps are has yet to be worked out.
The graphic below is evidence enough – that curve is going in the wrong direction. And we the people are the only ones who can change its direction.
 The slope of the curve is now rising steeper than it was when we had hit a peak.
 By Staff
September 22, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Residents are invited to take part in the interactive online events and activities during the 11th annual Culture Days.
Culture Days is extending beyond the traditional Culture Days weekend to a more inclusive and interactive four-week schedule of activities. Kicking off Sept. 25 and running until Oct. 25, Culture Days invites everyone to participate in and show appreciation for arts and culture in their own community and nationwide.
 This year’s theme is Unexpected Intersections – encouraging creative and outside-the-box thinking to reveal new avenues of discovery, learning, and expression. In light of the current situation with COVID-19, Culture Days is featuring digital presentations, do-it-yourself activities and self-guided programs.
The Culture Days website showcases thousands of virtual and in-person activities. Visitors can find small-gathering or self-guided events near them, while going digital allows participants to virtually cross the country and discover live-streamed performances and other online presentations.
You can find a Culture Days event HERE
About Culture Days
Culture Days has become the largest cultural event in Canada, attracting an estimated 2.5 million annual attendees to thousands of free activities and performances hosted by artists, cultural organizations and municipalities in hundreds of communities across Canada.
 By Staff
September 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board started their second week of having students in the schools – and no serious COVID-19 infections.
As of this morning there were 4 people in three schools who were sent home due to a suspected infection.
Emily Carr, Sunningdale (2 people) and Maple Grove reported people that were sent home. No detail on whether these were all students or if any teachers were involved.
None of the schools were closed.
 Director of Education, Stuart Miller on a ZOOM cal with the Board of Trustees Director of Education Stuart Miller reports that the classes being delivered virtually are working their way through the early stages.
“We had some experience with the software last April, May and part of June when all that was available to students was the virtual classroom.
Now something in excess of 20% of the student population opted for a virtual education. Miller said that a bit of a sense of the new normal was beginning to take shape. The students are back in the classroom and learning new rules and procedures they have to follow.
“Perfect, it isn’t”, said Miller – but then there is no such thing as a perfect classroom situation.
Most of the schools are located in Oakville where all the data matrices are high. Miller was not able to say why the Oakville numbers are consistently high other than that perhaps more Oakville people have returned to work and are using some form of public transit.
Everyone from the Board administration, the trustees , parents, and everyone at the Public Health Unit, are watching the daily numbers very closely.
Toronto and Peel are the dangerous hot spots – the Premier talks loudly about putting parts of the province in another lock-down.
 By Staff
September 21st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
A Shoe Strike
What is a shoe strike.
First it is taking place on Friday September 25th.
Why?
WHAT: A unique youth organized climate strike inviting everyone in Burlington to join in demanding that all levels of government act immediately on the urgent climate crisis.
HOW: Due to social distancing, the climate strike will be held in a representational manner, with the community invited to share a pair of their SHOES to represent their participation. Shoe Strikes have been effective in several locations and countries around the world. Participants are invited to insert a note inside their shoes to convey their message about why urgent action on climate change is important to them. Youth organizers will summarize the notes and relay them to local political leaders.
NOTE: This will be a silent protest. There will be NO opportunity for speeches or public announcements or political leader photo ops.
 Shoes can be dropped off in advance at: Rolling Horse Community Cycle (650 Plains Rd E #2) & 2466 Newport St. (a house near Headon Forest Dr.) beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 22nd & up until Thursday, Sept 24th. Shoes can also be placed at the shoe strike location (tent. scheduled at Civic Square, City Hall, Brant Street) between 10am and noon on Sept. 25.
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 25 – Shoe drop off from 10am to noon. Silent Shoe Strike display from 12 noon to 2pm. After 2pm shoes will be collected and returned to hosts or donated to a local charity that will distribute them to those in need.
WHO: Similar Shoe Strikes will take place in Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills on the same day, approx. at the same time.
Fridays for Future will be co-ordinating similar Climate Strikes throughout Canada. Locally, organizers come from a cross-section of groups: Burlington Biodiversity Team, Students for Change Halton, BurlingtonGreen Youth Network, Burlington Citizens Concerned about Climate Change (BC4), and local residents.
 By Pepper Parr
September 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
They are an 1100 member strong organization that lace up and play the “good old hockey game” on rented ice around the city.
Saturday night was the season opener – it was a lot different than it was last year.
To start – the season at this point is in place for up to Thanksgiving – the COVID infection rate is impacting everything.
Several of the eight divisions got ice time – on ice that wasn’t quite up to the standard most of the players wanted, at least at the Central
 They laced up under street lights and entered the area through different doors – in for those starting – out for those who had played their game. Arena where the players laced up in the dark on plastic chairs set out six feet apart.
A carpet was spread out and there was enough light to get the laces in place.
Many of the players arrived in pickup trucks, got into their shoulder pads, knee pads and jerseys along with the hockey pants and walked over to where the chairs were to lace up their skates.
Players going in to play hockey went in through one set of doors – those who had completed a game came out a different door.
In between the games everything gets wiped down.
The league make up has eight divisions with usually six teams in a division.
Those teams get balanced after 10 games – in a normal season.
COVID normality has changed everything in what is usually a 50 game season.
Scot Cameron who does media for the club, as well as play goalie for one of the teams, was waiting for the ice time his team had been allocated.
 Larry Hallett, goalie for the Black Hawks in the Green Division rolls his equipment out to his vehicle after a 4-0 loss on ice he didn’t think was up to scratch. Larry Hallet, who plays goalie for the Black Hawks in the Green Division, was rolling his pads out to his vehicle and commented on the ice, then ventured into comments on the game he had just played.
“It was 4-0 for the other guys” he said, “the puck seldom left our end of the ice.
“The game was basically over ten minutes after it started – almost every power play resulted in a goal for the other team.”
Larry seemed OK with that. The challenge for these guys was the shape they were in and the length of time since they were last on the ice.
And there is always another game.
By Ray Rivers
September 18th, 2020
MOUNTSBERG, ON
These are scary times especially if you are grandparents. When it comes to educating our youth, no one should doubt that school boards, teachers and maintenance staff are doing the best they can in the circumstances. But then nobody can say the schools are as safe as they could be – or used to be before the pandemic hit us. The circumstances have changed.
Seven months have passed since the schools were shut down as part of the provincial COVID-19 lock-down. The Premier warned us that this was not going away, that we’d have to change how we do things if we are to avoid getting infected. So what about the children? Aside from some widening of the aisles between students’ desks very little seems to have changed.
Yes, there are the masks and the single cohorts and the managed crowd control, coming and going. But the students, for the most part, are still captive and crowded within their inadequately ventilated classroom environment for most of their day – another petrie dish for the virus and another opportunity for viral transmission.
 Leo taking part in a class exercise So when my wife and I had heard that school would be returning pretty much business-as-usual, we reached out to the parents of our youngest grandchildren and offered to help with their children’s grade 2 and 4 French immersion schooling. There are in excess of 20,000 children who receive homeschooling every year in Ontario, so we’d be in good company, we thought.
Fortunately the education ministry had announced that parents could opt out of sending their children back to the classroom and engage in their program of online or distance learning instead. Students would pretty much get their regular course load but learn at home rather than trucking off to school. The Halton Board sent out requests to parents asking them to opt for the option of their choice.
Teachers, apparently some also teaching regular classes, would appear online through the application of Google online conferencing tools, mainly Google Meet and Google Classroom. Teachers use various media to assist in their online teaching and students are even invited to submit contributions, such as, photos.
There are three teaching blocks of 100 minutes each covering the 8:45 am to 3:05 pm day, and duplicating the essence of what would be learned in a regular classroom. Students may even be given homework assignments. And the online platform allows students to see their teacher as well a number of fellow students, making the experience feel a little less remote.
When we undertook to invite the children to our house we expected that we would be heavily involved in preparing classes. Both of us do have some pedagogical training. As it turns out our role is little more than supervision and coaching as the teachers do the heavy lifting of bringing the curriculum to life on the small screen.
How is it going? Well there was some minor stumbling at the beginning, something one should expect with the introduction of this new way of conducting regular classroom instruction. But the students appear to be excited about what they are doing. And the teachers, in our experience, have been wonderful, clearly competent, enthusiastic and responsive to the needs of the students and their coaches.
While being able to conduct regular classes online sounds pretty amazing, the truth is the technology is still not as user friendly as it could be. But the biggest problem is the size of the online classes. There are close to thirty students in each of the children’s classes.
 Bea doing math. It is impossible to practically see all of one’s classmates on a computer screen. And so it is a difficult for the teacher to stay on top of what everyone is doing. And that makes it a huge challenge for effective immersion language training, for example.
Going through the roster of students can take an inordinate amount of time and that can be really boring to those waiting their turn. Students can lose interest and drift off, even with the best of teachers. And that is the big fear – that students will lose interest, shut down, and their performance will reflect that failing.
This is the same problem one sees in over overcrowded regular classrooms only magnified by the remote learning complication. The solution is obvious – hire more teachers for distance learning. In a country where the unemployment rate is currently above 10% and governments are spilling money like rain water, you’d think this was more than possible.
Of course teachers need some training and a program to follow but this is not rocket science – unless they actually are teaching rocket science. And of course experience counts. But our children are the future, why wouldn’t we want to invest more in their education?
Distance Learning –
Online Learning –
 Ray Rivers usually writes about politics and the environment. His grandchildren are doing elementary school as distant learners.
 By Pepper Parr
September 17th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Ice pad to be used as a COVID testing location? There has been complaint upon complaint about the length of time it takes to get a COVID-19 test and then about how long it takes to get the results.
 Simple procedure – takes minute or two – testing backlog is big. The city is working with the hospital to use one of the rinks at Nelson to use as a place tests can be done.
For reasons that are not at all clear – this has become a hush hush matter.
During a Standing Committee meeting earlier today Director of Parks and Recreation said an announcement would be made “very soon”.
By Pepper Parr
September 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The province is doing everything they can to get people to use the preventative measure they know work to slow down the spread of the Covid19.
 Premier does a media event almost daily – begging – beseeching the public to observe the social distancing rules. But the number of new infections is climbing – daily. The Premier is his now almost daily web cast where he brings people up to data on what is happening; what they province is doing and putting critical data into the public realm.
He often beseeches, beg the public to be careful and cautious.
A significant part of the public isn’t listening all that well.
Today the province announced a new interactive self-screening tool. It is direct and the province wants people to use it every day.
CLICK HERE to access the app.
That isn’t likely to happen – the questions asked are pretty fundamental and we suspect that after a few days the people that need to hear the message and pay attention will be the first to get bored and stop doing the self-assessment.
At the risk of being a cynic this Premier might have to announce on a Thursday morning that come Friday at noon all bars and places where people gather for non-essential purposes are closed until the following Monday.
Or perhaps a curfew to make the point. British Columbia put a curfew in place.
The number of new infections are still climbing. At some point these infections will work their way into the school system.
The public reaction will not be pretty.
By Staff
September 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The comments made in the video that accompanied the report from the Joseph Brant hospital on how they expected to use the Pandemic Response Unit – another phrase for what is a “field hospital” – were a little on the jarring side.
 Totally self contained with very high air exchange features. No television, virtual visits. The words “expected surge” are now used commonly. Newspaper headlines make mention of the “surge” in reported COVID-19 virus infections. Public Health people are always asked – will there be a second wave while others answer that we are now in a second wave.
A number of months ago Eric Vandewall approved the purchase and installation of what amounted to a small hospital – a little like the convalescent hospitals we had when tuberculosis was rampant.
It didn’t get used and some thought it was a waste of money. Vandewall knew what he was doing – being proactive in the best possible way.
The hospital produced a short video explaining how the unit – called a PRU – will be used. Worth listening to – CLICK here.
The hospitals are not as clear as they can be in explaining how the PRU – Pandemic response unit will be used.
Basically it is in place to handle COVID-19 patients that a hospital cannot accommodate.
 It’s a short term facility. People will be there to recuperate. The structure probably has a life cycle of less than ten years – more like five. Hospitals in Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand, Norfolk, Brant and Burlington (HNHNBB Region) are working together to create a regional COVID-19 model of care for COVID-19 positive patients requiring hospital care.
Together, their goal is to be ready to support the increases in COVID-19 care needs, while minimizing any potential disruption of scheduled, regional, and community care across our region.
The hope is that transmission rates in our region remain low, any increases in COVID-19 care will be managed within each of our hospitals, and that the regional COVID-19 model of care will not need to be activated.
However, creating this regional approach is critical to our pandemic response planning and ensures we are prepared for any potential surge in COVID-19 cases.
Regional COVID-19 Model of Care Strategy
Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH), and all HNHNBB’s hospital emergency departments, will care for persons under investigation for COVID-19. Patients who present to JBH, testing positive and requiring hospitalization, will be cared for at our hospital.
Four designated hospitals will be providing acute COVID-19 care:
Hamilton Health Sciences (Hamilton General Hospital)
Joseph Brant Hospital
Niagara Health (St. Catharines Site)
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
Norfolk General Hospital and Brant Community Healthcare System will continue to provide local COVID-19 care, and may transfer COVID-19 positive patients as needed to designated hospitals.
 Pandemic Response Unit
Joseph Brant Hospital’s Pandemic Response Unit (PRU) will be the HNHNBB’s regional resource to provide care for COVID-19 patients.
The PRU is an external all-season structure designed specifically to care for stable COVID-19 positive patients who have mild to moderate symptoms.
Patients admitted to the PRU require care and support that cannot be provided at home, including oxygen therapy, medication management, monitoring of symptoms and some personal support. Support for virtual visits and engagement of family/caregivers will be provided while in the PRU.
As admitted patients who are transferred to another hospital recover from COVID-19, they will either be discharged home with community supports as needed, or they will be transferred back to their community hospital for ongoing care as soon as possible.
We are told that there are going to be more COVID infection reports – the numbers are already well above where they were in June and after the lock down.
The solution for everyone is to continue to protect yourself and others by following public health advice including keeping the required social distance, washing your hands frequently, wearing a mask when appropriate and getting a flu shot when available.
The solution is in our hands – how serious this probable second wave turns out to be will be determined by how responsible we each are.
By Staff
September 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
While Covid-19 issues keep the Public Health Unit very very busy, it also has to deal with other significant health issues.
A Burlington resident has tested positive for West Nile virus.
Halton Region Public Health has confirmed that a Burlington resident has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This is Halton’s third human case of WNV this year; the first two positive test results were residents of Oakville.
“Halton Region Public Health continues to reduce the risk of West Nile virus in our community through education and preventative programs, such as larviciding. Until the fall frost, residents should keep using bug spray, remove standing water and avoid areas where mosquitoes are present,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health.
“While 80 per cent of people infected with West Nile virus will have no symptoms, others will have symptoms consisting of fever, headache, muscle ache and a rash. These symptoms are very similar to illnesses such as COVID-19, so it is important for residents seek medical assessment.”
Residents are encouraged to take the following steps to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes:
 • Urban areas are more likely to have mosquitoes that carry WNV. Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home at least once a week by getting rid of water in containers and objects such as wheelbarrows, tires, plant pots, old toys, plastic pails and wading pools.
• Avoid areas where mosquitoes are known to be present such as wooded areas, golf courses or gardens, especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• If you are going to areas where mosquitoes are active, cover up by wearing light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants with tightly woven fabric.
• Use a mosquito repellent (bug spray) containing DEET or Icaridin.
• Make sure your window and door screens are tight and without holes, cuts or other openings.
• Change the water in bird baths at least once per week.
If residents see standing water on public property for longer than a week, they can report it to Halton Region by emailing accesshalton@halton.ca or calling 311.
As part of its ongoing West Nile virus surveillance and larviciding program, Halton Region Public Health staff continue to monitor areas of standing water, eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites and apply larvicide when mosquito larvae is found during Regional monitoring and surveillance. For more information on Halton Region’s West Nile virus program, visit halton.ca.
By Staff
September 15th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Media yesterday, including the Gazette, reported that two students were found to have been infected by the Covid-19 virus.
The two people who were infected were students but they didn’t contract the virus in a classroom.
Neither had yet started school.
They were declared infected by the Public Health Unit on the weekend.
Halton District School Board Director of Education Stuart Miller found himself with a piece of bad news on his hands before the school doors even opened.
So far there has not been an infected student or teacher identified in the school board population.
Media got their information from the school board web site.
By Pepper Parr
September 14th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The report that two students were found to be infected was incorrect. Two people were found to be infected – they were not in classroom at the time – they had yet to start school.
 Parents walks her son up to the entrance at Charles Best It was not an auspicious start.
First day back at school and the Halton District School Board reports a student at Brant Hills with a COVID infection.
In a brief statement on the Board’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee page they report that a positive test was recorded at the Brant public school in Burlington and the Garth Webb Secondary School in Oakville.
The COVID-19 Advisory Committee provides the number of positive COVID-19 cases that are connected to schools. For all confirmed cases, families and staff at the school will be notified by letter. Halton Region Public Health will contact any close contacts directly.
The web site page does point out that: “ A positive case at a school does not mean the individual was exposed to COVID-19 at the school.
They may have been exposed somewhere else in the community. The identity of the individual is protected by privacy legislation and will not be shared.
Neither school will be closing nor will any classrooms/cohorts be closed.
This morning students at Charles Best Public School arrived by car, by bus and some walked.
 Students get off school bus and head for their classrooms – all wearing masks. The start of the day was orderly with every student sanitized and let into the school.
Security was tight with principal Paul Thomson walking the perimeter of the school property in a safety vest and a walky-talky on his hip.
School buses arrived, students hopped out while small groups of parents, not wearing masks, chatted with each other.
It was a nice fall day and while things were a little edgy – the day got off to a good start.
 Children on the right are keeping their social distance from people walking along the pathway.
By Pepper Parr
September 11th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Saying that “The Premier and our government made a promise to parents, that we would ensure that they would have access to the same information that we have.” the province created a web site that will report on the most up-to-date COVID-19 information available, including a summary of cases in schools and licensed child care centres and agencies.
If a COVID-19 case is confirmed at a school it will be posted to the web site. Data is current as of 2:00 pm the previous day.
Click HERE for the web site.
Set out below is what one of the pages on the web site looks like.
By Staff
September 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
With Public Health saying holding an event with up to 50 people was now legit Tammy Fox, Executive Director at the Performing Arts Centre has released her fall season program.
Abbreviated as it is – it is a welcome step forward.
That 50 people rule means that there will be no more than 50 people in the theater – they will be masked and spread out so that the six foot separation measure is met.
 Tammy Fox is thrilled – she wants her patrons to return and has a solid program in place. Tammy is thrilled – as well she should be. She has been stuck at home pushing paper and working the telephone. Tammy Fox is a people person – she needs interaction with people.
The Fall line-up of incredible live entertainment options to lift the community’s spirits in these unprecedented times is part of why the program was put together.
“As a facility, BPAC is perfectly positioned to welcome back audiences with patron safety at the forefront; with its spacious Lobby, increased ventilation, physical-distancing ticketing system and additional health and safety measures to put theatregoers’ minds at ease.
“Many presenters have pivoted to exploring online content offerings and virtual performances, and while BPAC is also considering live streaming options, the organization believes that there really is no replacement for the experience of live entertainment in engaging the community and in supporting Canadian artists.
“All patrons must wear a mask, hand sanitize upon entry and maintain social distancing outside of their social circle. Patrons are expected to self-screen, and of course to stay at home if experiencing COVID-related symptoms or if suspecting recent exposure to the virus. Health and safety measures are also being implemented backstage to protect artists, and throughout the venue to protect staff and volunteers.
Most performances will be 70-75 minutes in length, and while the Lobby bar will remain open for one hour prior to each performance, intermissions have been suspended in most cases in order to reduce the risk of overcrowding in the Lobby.
 Sandy Horne – one of The Spoons. Kicking off the Fall line-up is an intimate evening with Burlington’s own THE SPOONS on Friday, October 2nd and Saturday, October 3rd at 8pm, performing as an acoustic duo.
Canadian pop superstar CHANTAL KREVIAZUK will be presented over a three-evening period from October 8th to 10th. “We all have a need to connect so badly right now and there is no better way than through the music. If we can do this safely, I am thrilled and well, to be fair to my kids, they could use a break from their mother!” says Chantal.
 Gord Downie. BPAC’s annual Cultural Diversity Festival will begin with its yearly fundraising performance LEGACY: A Tribute to Gord Downie in support of the Downie-Wenjack Fund, featuring Hamilton native TOM WILSON, Indigenous duo TWIN FLAMES, and more, on Thursday, October 15th and Friday, October 16th.
On October 17th and 18th audiences will be treated to BENEATH SPRINGHILL: The Maurice Ruddick Story, about the racial tensions that surfaced in a rural community as a result of a mining disaster, written and performed by Stratford actor Beau Dixon, who seamlessly plays 10 vivid characters. BPAC will also present four performances of DRAG QUEEN MUSIC BINGO with Fluffy Soufflé – each one featuring a different era of music, and tons of exciting prizes to be won!
Two events that had been scheduled for the second half of BPAC’s 19/20 Season, which had to be canceled due the pandemic, have been rescheduled – jazz artist ELISE LEGROW on October 25th and singer/songwriter KEVIN FOX: Songs for Cello & Voice on November 1st.
 Comedian Sean Cullen Toronto mainstay the ALTdot COMEDY LOUNGE will be presented at BPAC for the first time, in a series of performances over October 30th, 31st and November 27th and 28th. The October 30th performances will feature actor-comedian SEAN CULLEN with host ALI HASSAN.
Other performances will include comics Nigel Grinstead, Keith Pedro, Peter White, Patrick Haye and more.
Multiple Juno-Award winner SARAH SLEAN takes the stage on Saturday, November 7th and CBC Radio host and BPAC favourite TOM ALLEN presents A POE CABARET on Sunday, November 8th.
Classical pianist LESLIE KINTON Celebrates Beethoven on November 29th and Talk is Free Theatre will present INTO THE WOODS In Concert, a ‘lightly staged’ musical theatre production featuring both professional performers and 27 local youth from December 3rd to 12th.
 The first two people to enter the Main Theatre for a paid performance hand their tickets to an usher. Staff are hoping the audiences return. Tammy Fox, BPAC’s Executive Director, is hoping that audiences will return with pent-up enthusiasm after months of having only online access to entertainment, and with a new appreciation of the importance of communal connection.
“Putting together a fall season full of incredible Canadian talent over the span of a week has been a little hectic to say the least,” she says, “however the applause really needs to go to our staff, who have been working tirelessly to ensure our safe reopening, to our Board of Directors whose unwavering support in resuming live entertainment offerings has given us the confidence to forge ahead, and to all of the amazing artists who have agreed to be included in the Season – because frankly they have all, in deference to our 50-patron capacity limit, committed to performing at rates well below what they deserve and are accustomed to.
It’s been a team effort, and I am beyond grateful to be surrounded by this community of dedicated artists and arts-lovers.”
BPAC Board Chair Nancy Brewer says “We’ve been holding your seat! And now, what a fantastic fall season we have for you. I’d love to see you in the audience as BPAC welcomes you back, safe, secure & ready to entertain you!”
Tickets go on sale to BPAC Members on Friday, September 11th, and on sale to the general public on Monday, September 14. Renew your BPAC membership to be first in line and to receive $5 off all regular-priced tickets!
Visit https://burlingtonpac.ca for a complete listing of performances.
Box Office Information:
Online: www.burlingtonpac.ca
Over the Phone: 905.681.6000 – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
In Person: 1 hour before each performance.
 By Staff
September 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The City is going to host a fifth Telephone Town Hall on September 23rd that will focus on COVID-19 as we head into the fall season.
The event will be between 7:00 and 8:00 pm when information will be shared and questions answered.
These events have been very useful – it serves as a place for people to go when looking for answers and gives the city a sense as to where the concerns are.
That the Director of Education for both the Catholic and the Public Boards of Education are taking part suggests where the serious concerns are.
The Mayor will host the event; taking part with her are:
Tim Commisso, City Manager at the City of Burlington
Pat Daly, Director of Education at Halton Catholic District School Board
Stuart Miller, Director of Education at Halton District School Board
Eric Vandewall, President and Chief Executive Officer at Joseph Brant Hospital
Mary Battaglia, Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry, City of Burlington
Denise Beard, Manager of Community Development, City of Burlington
Allan Magi, Executive Director of Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services, City of Burlington
Rory Nisan, Ward 3 City and Regional Councillor
Members of Burlington City Council will be present and listening.
How to Participate
Residents who would like to participate in the town hall can do so in the following ways:
1. Register in advance: Burlington residential phone numbers will be randomly selected to be part of the telephone town hall. Residents who would like to be added to the telephone call list can email getinvolved@burlington.ca by the end of the day on Sept. 22.
Please note: if you registered for any of the previous town halls (held on March 26, April 14, June 4 or July 16), you are not required to register your phone number again. To remove a name from the call list, email getinvolved@burlington.ca by the end of the day on Sept. 22.
2. Join by telephone: Anyone who does not receive a telephone invitation can call 1-800-779-0904 just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23 to join the town hall. For those individuals calling in, please be advised more than one attempt may be required due to the high volume of traffic on the phone lines. If the first call does not connect, please hang up and dial the 1-800 number again.
Once the call begins, a moderator will provide participants with instructions for how to submit their questions to the leadership panel.
Many of the questions not answered during the call will be posted, with answers, to the City’s website at burlington.ca/townhall, along with an audio file and full transcript of the call after Sept. 23.
By Staff
September 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington’s Student Theatre programs will be returning this fall with opportunities for youth ages 4 to 17 years.
 Actors from Burlington Student Theatre Beginning Sept. 29, participating young actors and actresses will be performing at either the Burlington Performing Arts Centre or the Student Theatre building. No experience is necessary to participate.
Online registration for Burlington residents opens Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. Non-Burlington residents can register on Sept. 18 at 9 a.m.
Student Theatre will meet all the health guidelines put out by Halton Region Public Health, which include lower ratios and capacity, physical distancing, mandatory health screening and enhanced facility cleaning.
The final performances will be filmed, edited and played on-screen.
There will be no live performances.
Burlington Student Theatre Film Festival presents a screening of Matilda and Frozen from Summer Arts Camps.
Two films featuring participants from the summer Student Theatre will be played at the Burlington Student Theatre Film Festival at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
 Rainer Noack – inspirational leader at the Student Theatre Tickets are available online. COVID-19 precautions will be in place for each screening.
• Saturday, Sept. 12 – 12 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 13 – 12 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 19 – 12 p.m.
Recreation Fee Assistance
Recreation is for all, regardless of financial situation. Recreation Fee Assistance is funding made available to resident individuals or families who need help to pay for City of Burlington recreation programs.
For more information or to apply, visit burlington.ca/feeassistance. You can also leave a confidential voicemail message at 905-335-7738, ext. 8501 and our staff will return your call to assist you.
As residents continue to rediscover many of their favourite spaces and activities in the city, City services may look different as we work to stop the spread of COVID-19. The City’s commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority.
 Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services points out that “Student Theatre has a great history of working with our youth and giving them not only a fun time, but also opportunities for them to grow. As with every program we’re offering, things will look a bit different but will still be filled with friendly faces and high-quality service.”
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